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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Based on the excellent medical care and management system for Chinese veterans, as well as the detailed medical documentation available, we aim to construct a Chinese Veteran Clinical Research (CVCR) platform on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and carry out studies of the primary disabling NCDs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The Geriatric Neurology Department of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital and veterans' hospitals serve as the leading and participating units in the platform construction. The fundamental constituents of the platform are veteran communities. Stratified typical cluster sampling is adopted to recruit veteran communities. A cross-sectional study of mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) disorders are performed in two stages using screening scale such as the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal cognitive assessment, followed by systematic neuropsychological assessments to make clinical diagnoses, evaluated disease awareness and care situation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 9 676 among 277 veteran communities from 18 cities are recruited into this platform, yielding a response rate of 83.86%. 8 812 subjects complete the MNS subproject screening and total response rate is 91.70%. The average participant age is (82.01±4.61) years, 69.47% of veterans are 80 years or older. Most participants are male (94.01%), 83.36% of subjects have at least a junior high school degree. The overall health status of veterans is good and stable. The most common NCD are cardiovascular disorders (86.44%), urinary and genital diseases (73.14%), eye and ear problems (66.25%), endocrine (56.56%) and neuro-psychiatric disturbances (50.78%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>We first construct a veterans' comprehensive clinical research platform for the study of NCDs that is primarily composed of highly educated Chinese males of advanced age and utilize this platform to complete a cross-sectional national investigation of MNS disorders among veterans. The good and stable health condition of the veterans could facilitate the long-term follow-up studies of NCDs and provide prospective data to the prevention and management of NCDs.</p>
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Asian People , Cross-Sectional Studies , Disease , Health Status , VeteransABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: As indicated by clinical research, if cerebral infarction could be effectively treated at early stage, especially normal specific therapy provided within 6 hours or even earlier after attack, the prognosis would be significantly better than delayed therapy. However, it is still unclear that whether the changes of cellular apoptosis-inducing or -inhibiting indicators could be used as criteria in the judgment of prognosis.OBJECTIVE: To test the content of cell apoptotic factor and to investigate the prognosis in hospitalized patients with cerebral infarction who received treatment at different time for further verification of the therapeutic timing for the disease.DESIGN: A same term randomized controlled study based on patients.SETTING: Department of neurology of a general hospital of a military area command of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 144 male patients admitted in the Second Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Jinan Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between 2000 and 2002 were divided into four groups including 6 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours and 96 hours group according to different time of therapy provided.METHODS: Oral administration of 400 mg Lumbrokinase, 2 tablets of heparin sodium, 60 mg of nimodipine, and 100 mg of vitamin E, three times a day. 150 mL of normal saline(NS) containing 52.5 mg of Ginkgo biloba L extractive(Jin Na Duo) and 150 mL of NS containing 10 mL of Cerebroprotein Hydeolysate were used through intravenous drop once a day. Ten days were set as one therapeutic course and 2 courses were given. 200 g/L of mannite was given to dehydrate for patients with large area infarction(＞ 7 cm2) . Platelet membrane Fas, Apo2.7 and Bcl-2 percentage and prognostic assessment were tested in patients of four groups before and after therapy.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peripheral platelet membrane Fas,Apo2.7 and Bcl-2 percentage in patients of different group and prognosis evaluation.RESULTS: Percentage of platelet membrane Fas, Apo2.7 and Bcl-2 of 6 hours group was significantly higher or lower after therapy than before therapy ( P ＜ 0.05 ), and moreover, the difference with other groups was significant( P ＜ 0.05), As revealed in the analysis of prognosis, the effectiveness of patients who received therapy within 6 hours was significantly better than that of 96 hours group and the mortality reduced significantly.CONCLUSION: Normal hospitalizing therapy provided within 6 hours after attack could surely improve the prognosis and reduce the disability rate, and the abnormity and extent in Fas, Apo2.7 and Bcl-2 are closely correlated with prognosis.
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BACKGROUND: Huperzine A is a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor extracted initially by China from huperzia serrata,a Chinese herb. Its mechanism in improving choline function and ameliorating cognitive state of patients with dementia is to increase acetylcholine (Ach) concentration in neural synapse through impeding the hydrolysis of acetylcholinesterase.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of huperzine A on the improvement of cognitive function of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).DESIGN: A randomized controlled study based on patients.SETTING: Second internal department of neurology in a general hospital of military area command of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 69 AD patients hospitalized in the Second Department of Neurology,General Hospital of Jinan Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between March 2000 and December 2003 were allocated into huperzine A group( n = 38,male,aged between 68 and84 years old,average age of 76 years old) and control group( n = 31,male,aged between 68 and 80years old,average age of 74 years old) according to the wills of the patients.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Positive expression percentage of Fas,Apo2.7 and Bcl-2 on platelet membrane and the integral of mini-mental state examination(MMSE),Hasegawa' s dementia scale(HDS) and activities of daily living (ADL) of two groups after therapy.RESULTS: The positive expression of Fas,Apo2.7 or Bcl-2 on peripheral platelet membrane after therapy in huperzine A group were (2.23 ± 0.49)%,(2.37 ±0. 36)%,or(2.01 ±0. 32)% respectively,which was significantly lower than(3.12 ± 0. 74)%,(2. 83 ± 0.67)% or (2. 59 ± 0. 54)% of control group ( P ＜ 0.01). The prognostic integral of MMSE,HDS or ADL of huperzine A group was 20.45 ±4. 14,21.39 ±4.89,or 36. 15 ±5.11,which was significantly higher or lower than that of the control group(15.76 ± 3.23,17.32 ±2.09,4.26 ±7.21)(P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: HuperzineA actually can effectively improve the memory and cognitive function of AD,and effectively improve ADL as well.
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Objective To study the expression of Fas associated phosphatase-1(FAP-1)in cerebral cortex and hippocampus after cerebral ischemia in rats.Methods The distribution and quantity of FAP-1 immunological positive cells in the brain were observed with immunohistochemistry method after focal ischemia.Results The number of FAP-1 positive cells in cerebral cortex and hippocampal gyrus of cerebral ischemia rats were 10.76?1.23 and 9.24?0.87,obviously higher than sham operation group(4.12?0.36,3.83?0.43)(all P