The association between thrombocytopenia and clinical and laboratory characteristics in antiphospho-lipid syndrome / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective:To analyze the association between thrombocytopenia and clinical manifestations in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and the significance of adding thrombocytopenia to the classification criteria of APS.Methods:One hundred and sixty one APS patients admitted to Peking University People's Hospital from January 2003 to August 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and laboratory data were compared between patients with and without thrombocytopenia. Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and t test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among 161 APS patients, 48 patients (29.8%) were primary APS and 113 patients (70.2%) were secondary APS. Ninety-one patients (56.5%) experienced thrombocytopenia, while 62 patients (38.5%) had thrombocytopenia as the initial symptom. Among primary APS patients, compared with patients without thrombocytopenia, the prevalence of thrombosis was significantly lower in patients with thrombocytopenia (40.0% vs 69.6%, χ2=4.218, P=0.040), especially venous thrombosis (20.0% vs 47.8%, χ2=4.174, P=0.041). Among secondary APS patients, compared with patients without thrombocyt-openia, the prevalence of thrombosis, arterial thrombosis (21.2% vs 42.6%, χ2=5.944, P=0.015) and venous thrombosis (22.7% vs 51.1%, χ2=9.753, P=0.002) was significantly lower in patients with thrombocytopenia (43.9% vs 80.9%, χ2=15.496, P<0.01). As for laboratory findings, primary APS patients with thrombocytopenia showed a higher proportion of positive aCL findings (80.0% vs 52.2%, χ2=4.174, P=0.041), while secondary APS patients with thrombocytopenia experienced more leukopenia (25.8% vs 10.6%, χ2=4.002, P=0.045), lower complement C3 levels (78.7% vs 44.4%, χ2=13.205, P<0.01) and complement C4 levels (74.6% vs 46.7%, χ2=8.485, P=0.004). The proportion of patients fulfilling 1988, 1989, 1999 and 2006 APS classification criteria in our cohort was 88.2%, 87.0%, 64.0% and 70.8%, respectively. Inclusion of thrombocytopenia into 2006 criteria improved the proportion to 96.3%. Conclusion:The prevalence of thrombosis in APS patients with thrombocytopenia is significantly low. Thrombocytopenia is an important clinical manifestation of APS which can improve the diagnostic accuracy of APS.

Immune microenvironment in alcoholic liver disease and advances in targeted therapy / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Alcoholic liver disease is a common chronic liver disease. Inflammatory pathways in the immune microenvironment of the liver play important roles in the development and progression of alcoholic liver disease, providing potential targets for therapeutic interventions. This review focused on the pathophysiology of alcoholic liver disease, changes in the immune microenvironment including immune cells and inflammatory mediators, and advances in targeted therapy.

Increased Serum Cathepsin K in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

PURPOSE: Cathepsin K is a potent collagenase implicated in human and animal atherosclerosis-based vascular remodeling. This study examined the hypothesis that serum CatK is associated with the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2011 and December 2012, 256 consecutive subjects were enrolled from among patients who underwent coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention treatment. A total of 129 age-matched subjects served as controls. RESULTS: The subjects' serum cathepsin K and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured. The patients with CAD had significantly higher serum cathepsin K levels compared to the controls (130.8+/-25.5 ng/mL vs. 86.9+/-25.5 ng/mL, p<0.001), and the patients with acute coronary syndrome had significantly higher serum cathepsin K levels compared to those with stable angina pectoris (137.1+/-26.9 ng/mL vs. 102.6+/-12.9 ng/mL, p<0.001). A linear regression analysis showed that overall, the cathepsin K levels were inversely correlated with the high-density lipoprotein levels (r=-0.29, p<0.01) and positively with hs-CRP levels (r=0.32, p<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analyses shows that cathepsin K levels were independent predictors of CAD (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 1.56; p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These data indicated that elevated levels of cathepsin K are closely associated with the presence of CAD and that circulating cathepsin K serves a useful biomarker for CAD.

Increased Serum Cathepsin K in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

PURPOSE: Cathepsin K is a potent collagenase implicated in human and animal atherosclerosis-based vascular remodeling. This study examined the hypothesis that serum CatK is associated with the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2011 and December 2012, 256 consecutive subjects were enrolled from among patients who underwent coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention treatment. A total of 129 age-matched subjects served as controls. RESULTS: The subjects' serum cathepsin K and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured. The patients with CAD had significantly higher serum cathepsin K levels compared to the controls (130.8+/-25.5 ng/mL vs. 86.9+/-25.5 ng/mL, p<0.001), and the patients with acute coronary syndrome had significantly higher serum cathepsin K levels compared to those with stable angina pectoris (137.1+/-26.9 ng/mL vs. 102.6+/-12.9 ng/mL, p<0.001). A linear regression analysis showed that overall, the cathepsin K levels were inversely correlated with the high-density lipoprotein levels (r=-0.29, p<0.01) and positively with hs-CRP levels (r=0.32, p<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analyses shows that cathepsin K levels were independent predictors of CAD (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 1.56; p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These data indicated that elevated levels of cathepsin K are closely associated with the presence of CAD and that circulating cathepsin K serves a useful biomarker for CAD.

Infection control in prevention of infections of PAT parturients with cervical incompetence / 现代临床护理

Objective To explore the role of infection control in preventing infections in pregnancy-at-term(PAT)parturients with cervical incompetence. Method The strategies of infection control for 80 PAT parturients with cervical incompetence were enforced,including enhanced disinfection of hands,wards,cunnus,intensified care to skin,limited examinations of anus and pubes and prevention of complications. Results All the parturients and their babies were well and safe with one exception,who developed with infection but were cured and discharged by anti-infection managements,complement of energy and increase of nutrition intake. Conclusion Infection control may prevent the infections in PAT parturients with cervical incompetence,enhance the perinatal quality and ensure the safety of mothers and babies.

Comparison of Bypass Surgery with Drug-Eluting Stents in Diabetic Patients with Left Main Coronary Stenosis

PURPOSE: Several studies have compared the effects of coronary stenting and coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) on left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease. However, there are limited data on the long-term outcomes of these two interventions in diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 56 patients with LMCA stenosis who underwent drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation and 116 patients who underwent CABG in a single hospital in China between January 2004 and December 2006. We compared long-term major adverse cardiac events (death; a "serious outcome" composite of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke; and target-vessel revascularization). RESULTS: In-hospital (30-day) mortality was 0% for the DES group and 3.4% for the CABG group (p=0.31). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of risk of death [hazard ratio for stenting group, 0.49; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.13-1.63; p=0.55] or risk of serious outcome (hazard ratio for DES group, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.39-1.45; p=0.47). The target-vessel revascularization rate was higher in the DES group than in the CABG group (hazard ratio, 3.67; 95% CI, 1.24-11.06; p=0.018). CONCLUSION: In this cohort of diabetic patients with LMCA stenosis, there was no difference in composite endpoints between patients receiving DESs and those undergoing CABG. However, stenting was associated with higher rates of target-vessel revascularization than CABG. DES implantation in diabetic patients with LMCA disease was found to be at least as safe as CABG.