Clinical analysis of 47 patients with psoriasis arthropathy treated by traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation and integrative medicine / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical characteristics of psoriasis arthropathy (PA) and to explore the effect of treatment by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation and integrative medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The initiating characteristics, clinical manifestations, related laboratory and X-ray data as well as the therapeutic efficacy of syndrome dependent TCM and integrative medicine on 47 PA patients were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among all the 47 patients, 38 (80.6%) had the skin lesion revealed earlier to joint symptoms, the average time between the appearance of skin lesion and joint symptoms was 9.2 years; joint X-ray abnormality was found in 32 cases (68.1%); and psoriasis nail involvement was found in 33 cases (70.2%). Seventeen patients were treated with TCM alone and obtained satisfactory results, while the other 30 patients, were treated by integrative medicine with the dosage of medicine reduced immediately after symptoms were relieved, and finally cured or improved.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TCM and integrative medicine are effective in treating PA, with lesser side effects.</p>

Comparison of primary extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma with stage III-IV ovarian papillary serous carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma (EPSPC) is both histologically and clinically similar to stage III-IV ovarian papillary serous carcinoma (OPSC). The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical findings, treatment, and outcome of EPSPC patients compared with stage III-IV OPSC patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of 12 EPSPC patients and 45 stage III-IV OPSC patients were retrospectively reviewed, comparing the characteristics on clinical presentation and treatment, sensitivity to first-line chemotherapy agents and survival.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By analysis of patients' characteristics, presenting signs and symptoms, type and extent of surgery, tumor response to first-line chemotherapy, recurrence-free interval, recurrence site and serum CA-125 levels, no significant difference was observed between the EPSPC patients and stage III-IV OPSC controls. The prevailing presenting symptoms were abdominal mass and ascites. The mainstay of treatment was debulking surgery followed by adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. The complete clinical response of stage III-IV OPSC was 91.8% compared with 25.0% for women with EPSPC (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The clinical and surgical characteristics of EPSPC are similar to those of stage III-IV OPSC. When the same treatment strategy is applied, similar response and survival are expected in either condition.</p>