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Objective To study the efficiency and safety of short-term combination therapy with e-tanercept, methotrexate and eyclophosphamide in the patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Eighty-four patients with rheumatoid arthritis were included into this study. However, only fifty-six patients were treated with either twice-weekly subcutaneous etanercept, weekly oral MTX and CTX injection every three weeks or twice-weekly subcutaneous etanercept only. The American College of Rheumamatology (ACR) criteria for improvement was used for clinical efficacy assessment and the following laboratory papameters were analyzed:blood routine test, ESR, liver enzymes and renal function parameters, RF and anti-CCP antibody at baseline and the 2,4,8,12,24,36,52 weeks .At the same time ,all the adverse events were monitored throughout the study. Results The improvement of patients who received etanercept shortly, MTX and CTX periodically was as rapid as that of the patients who only received etanercept in ACR20, ACRYO, ESR and CRP (P>0.05). At the end of 36 weeks treatment, the level of anti-CCP antibody in the control group was higher than that of the test group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in adverse events (P<0.05). Conclusion The efficacy and safety of treatment with etanercept, methotrexate and cyclophosphamide in the patients with active rheumatoid arthritis is good.
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Objective To assess the relationship between the polymorphisms of heme oxygenase-1 gene and blood pressure level.Methods With the whole-gene based tagging SNP approach,3 tag SNPs of heme oxygenase-1 gene were selected for study.These tag SNPs were genotyped in 503 essential hypertension cases Blood pressure lev-els among different genotypes of each SNP were compared with ANOVA.The haplo.stats program wa8 employed to test haplotype frequency with blood pressure level.Results Subjects with rs2071749 A allele had the lower blood pressure levels than subjects with GG genotypes(SBP:159.5 mm Hg vs.168.5 mm Hg and DBP:97.6 mm Hg vs.101.3 mm Hg respectively.P<0.05).In the haplotype analyses.Haplotype T-T-A which carried the rs2071749 A allele was found significantly associated with SBP and DBP after adjustment for age,gender,body mass index.8n10k.illg and drinking·Conclusion The genetic variants of heine oxygenase.1 gene misht be associated with blood pres-sure levels.
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Objective To study the genome DNA methylation in SLE and the related factors of DNA methylation. Methods Twenty-six cases with SLE and 20 controls were recruited to participate the study. Plasma Hcy, SAM, SAH and the MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism were measured in all patients and controls. Results {1} The SAM levels were lower significantly in SLE groups than in controls. The SAH levels were higher significantly in SLE groups than in controls. {2} There was significant inverse correlation between plasma Hcy level and SAM level (r=-0.897, P
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Objective To study the patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) complicated with Sjgren′s syndrome (SS).Method Five patients were diagnosed and clinical features were analyzed.Results The 5 patients (5 AS/SS) had a mean age 46 8 years (range 33～63) at onset of the disease, 1 male and 4 females.The main clinical features of patients with both AS and SS were axial inflammatory back pain,sacroiliitis,dry eyes and/or dry mouth.HLA B27 in 3 patients and RF in 2 patients was positive.Conclusion The coexistence of AS and SS can be seen in clinical works.