Clinical outcomes of low-dose leflunomide for rheumatoid arthritis complicated with hepatitis B virus carriage and safety observation

To study the clinical outcomes of low-dose leflunomide for rheumatoid arthritis [RA] complicated with hepatitis B virus [HBV] carriage and to observe the safety. A total of 115 RA patients were divided into three groups according to the state of HBV. They were all given leflunomide to observe the clinical outcomes and whether HBV was activated. The indices [e.g. activity score] of all patients were significantly better after treatment than those before [P < 0.05], with 89.00% [92/115] of them reaching ACR20. Fourteen cases [12.2%] suffered from abnormal liver functions, and 5 cases who had HBV reactivation originated from the HBV carriage group. Neither the previous HBV infection group nor the infection-free group succumbed to HBV reactivation. The multiple regression model showed that the HBV reactivation risk of RA patients treated by leflunomide was increased by 30% by the basic state of hepatitis B as well as alanine transaminase level and swollen joint count before treatment. Leflunomide exerted satisfactory therapeutic effects on RA, but liver diseases, liver function, HBV-DNA load and the reactivation risks of carried HBV should be thoroughly checked and cautiously pondered

Clinical effects of soluble interleukin-6 receptor detection on autoimmune rheumatic disease patients

This study aims to explore the effects of soluble interleukin-6 receptor [IL-6R] on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune rheumatic disease [ARD] patients. Sixty-eight ARD patients enrolled in our hospital recently were selected, the IL-6R levels of whom were detected by double-antibody sandwich ELISA method and compared with the IL-6 levels of normal subjects. The expressions of IL-6R in joint tissues were detected by section staining. The mechanism regarding the effects of IL-6R was postulated by administering the patients with blocking agent. The blood IL-6R level of ARD patients was 2-3 times higher than the IL-6 level of normal subjects with significant difference. The detection results of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate show that both the indicators were significantly decreased [P=0.0098 and 0.0097 respectively]. IL-6R was associated with autoimmunity based on the considerable expression in tissue sections, which was also verified by the alleviated symptoms after blocking IL-6R expression. Detecting soluble IL-6R is able to determine the patient's conditions and treatment effects. Meanwhile, soluble IL-6R detection can also serve as the inflammatory responses of ARD, as well as the determination index for abnormal immune responses and generated antibodies number, which is crucial for early diagnosis

The distribution feature of TCR Vbeta repertoire in peripheral blood T cells from patients with Ph(+) and Ph(-) CML / 中国实验血液学杂志

To investigate the T cell distribution characters of TCR Vbeta repertoire in Ph(+) and Ph(-) CML. The 24 subfamilies of the TCR Vbeta genes were amplified in peripheral blood T cells from 13 patients with CML (Ph+ b3a2, 5 cases; Ph+ b2a2, 5 cases; Ph(-), 3 cases) by RT-PCR, to analyze the usage of Vbeta subfamilies in different CML patients. The results showed that the expression pattern of Vbeta repertoire was different in normal individuals and in patients with CML which only have part of Vbeta subfamily T cells. 4 - 16 (mean 10.2) Vbeta subfamily T cells were detected in the Ph+ b3a2 CML, 8 - 11 (mean 8.8) Vbeta subfamily T cells in the Ph(+) b2a2 CML and 5 - 6 (mean 5.7) in Ph(-) CML. Moreover, the expression of Vbeta subfamily T cells was different among these three types CML.Vbeta10 and Vbeta16 were detected in the all cases with Ph(+) b3a2 and Ph(+) b2a2 CML, whereas Vbeta9 and Vbeta22 could be found in the most cases with Ph(+) b3a2 CML or Vbeta24 and Vbeta8 in Ph(+) b2a2 CML. In patients with Ph(-) CML, Vbeta24 were detected in all samples, and Vbeta9, Vbeta10, Vbeta13 and Vbeta22 were found in the most cases. The results suggest that skew distribution of TCR Vbeta subfamily T cells was existed in peripheral blood of Ph(+) and Ph(-) CML patients. The selected usage of TCR Vbeta is different in various types of CML patients. It may relate to difference of CML cells associated antigen and individual special immunity reaction.

Study tetrandrine defer extraceller matrix mechanism / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Aim The effect of tetrandrine on TGF-?1 mRNA expression in glomerulosclerosis rat was observed. Methods The rats were randomly divided into four groups, such as the normal control group (sham operative rat), glomerulosclerosis model group,tetrandrine group and amlodipine group. The expression of TGF-?1 mRNA was analyzed by Northern blot hybridization. Results The expressions of TGF-?1 mRNA in two treating groups were much lower than untreated model group. There were no difference between these two treating groups. Conclusion Tetrandrine can decrease the expression of TGF-?1 mRNA in glomerulosclerosis rat induced by unilateral renctomy plus adriamycin.