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Surgical operation is the main treatment of oral and maxillofacial tumors.Dysphagia is a common postoperative complication.Swal-lowing disorder can not only lead to mis-aspiration,malnutrition,aspiration pneumonia and other serious consequences,but also may cause psychological problems and social communication barriers,affecting the quality of life of the patients.At present,there is no systematic evalua-tion and rehabilitation management plan for the problem of swallowing disorder after oral and maxillofacial tumor surgery in China.Combining the characteristics of postoperative swallowing disorder in patients with oral and maxillofacial tumors,summarizing the clinical experience of ex-perts in the field of tumor and rehabilitation,reviewing and summarizing relevant literature at home and abroad,and through joint discussion and modification,a group of national experts reached this consensus including the core contents of the screening of swallowing disorders,the phased assessment of prognosis and complications,and the implementation plan of comprehensive management such as nutrition management,respiratory management,swallowing function recovery,psychology and nursing during rehabilitation treatment,in order to improve the evalua-tion and rehabilitation of swallowing disorder after oral and maxillofacial tumor surgery in clinic.
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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and is characterized by alternating periods of inflammation and remission. Although UC incidence is lower in Taiwan than in Western countries, its impact remains considerable, demanding updated guidelines for addressing local healthcare challenges and patient needs. The revised guidelines employ international standards and recent research, emphasizing practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system. Since the inception of the guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease has acknowledged the need for ongoing revisions to incorporate emerging therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. This updated guideline aims to align UC management with local contexts, ensuring comprehensive and context-specific recommendations, thereby raising the standard of care for UC patients in Taiwan. By adapting and optimizing international protocols for local relevance, these efforts seek to enhance health outcomes for patients with UC.
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Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, fluctuating inflammatory condition that primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Although the incidence of CD in Taiwan is lower than that in Western countries, the severity of CD presentation appears to be similar between Asia and the West. This observation indicates the urgency for devising revised guidelines tailored to the unique reimbursement system, and patient requirements in Taiwan. The core objectives of these updated guidelines include the updated treatment choices and the integration of the treat-to-target strategy into CD management, promoting the achievement of deep remission to mitigate complications and enhance the overall quality of life. Given the diversity in disease prevalence, severity, insurance policies, and access to medical treatments in Taiwan, a customized approach is imperative for formulating these guidelines. Such tailored strategies ensure that international standards are not only adapted but also optimized to local contexts. Since the inception of its initial guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (TSIBD) has acknowledged the importance of continuous revisions for incorporating new therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. The latest update leverages international standards and recent research findings focused on practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system.
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It is well known that Tokyo University Hospital (TUH) is one of the most famous medical centers around the world in Japan. Among several departments in TUH, the Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Artificial Organ and Transplantation Division are representative predominant divisions, which have high-quality diagnostic and treatment service systems being at the leading position in the world. The authors visit the Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Artificial Organ and Transplantation Division in 2022. When studying and working in TUH, the authors make a multi-angle comparisons of the development status and technical levels of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery among TUH, western countries and China. It aims to share and exchange with fellow surgeons at home and abroad, and bring benefits or enlightenment to the professional advancement of them.
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We explored the correlations between the color difference values [ΔL~*(lightness), Δa~*(red-green), Δb~*(yellow-blue)] and the content of four active components(including sesquiterpenoids and polyacetylenes) in the powder of Atractylodes lancea and A. chinensis, aiming to provide reference for the quality evaluation of Atractylodis Rhizoma and establish a qualitative model that can distinguish between A. lancea and A. chinensis based on the chromatic values. The tristimulus values(L~*, a~*, and b~*) of 23 batches of A. lancea and A. chinensis were measured by a color difference meter. The content of atractylenolide Ⅱ, β-eudesmol, atractylodin, and atractylone in the 23 batches of samples were measured by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Principal component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were performed to establish the qualitative models for distinguishing between A. lancea and A. chinensis. SPSS was employed to analyze the correlations between the tristimulus values and the content of the four index components. The results showed that the established PCA and PLS-DA models can divide the A. lancea and A. chinensis samples into two regions, and the tristimulus values of A. lancea and A. chinensis were positively correlated with the content of β-eudesmol and atractylodin. Therefore, the PCA and PLS-DA models can successfully identify A. lancea and A. chinensis, and the appearance color can be used to quickly predict the internal quality of Atractylodis Rhizoma. This study provides a reference for the quality evaluation of Atractylodis Rhizoma and the modern research on the color of Chinese medicinal materials.
Subject(s)
Atractylodes , Sesquiterpenes, Eudesmane , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Rhizome , ExcipientsABSTRACT
Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) modulates the dynamic and integral process of macrophage polarization in immune responses, tissue inflammation and remodeling. Patatin-like phospholipase domain containing protein 7 (PNPLA7) was identified as an LPC-preferring lysophospholipase recently. However, the expression and role of PNPLA7 in macrophage polarization remained unknown. In the present study, PNPLA7 was found to be upregulated in the process of macrophage polarization toward an alternatively activated (M2) phenotype stimulated with interleukin 4 (IL-4) (P<0.05). We found that knockdown and overexpression of PNPLA1 decreased and increased the expression of M2 marker genes, including arginase 1 (Argl) and chitinase-like 3 (Ym\ ), respectively (P<0.05). Further studies showed that PNPLA7 regulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ (P P A R γ) at the mRNA and protein levels during M2 polarization (P < 0.05). However, the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) was not influenced by PNPLA7. These findings suggest that PNPLA7 favors macrophage anti-inflammatory M2 polarization through a PPAR
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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) are evidenced-based treatments for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who fail to respond to standard first-line therapies. However, although various TMS protocols have been proven to be clinically effective, the response rate varies across clinical applications due to the heterogeneity of real-world psychiatric comorbidities, such as generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, or substance use disorder, which are often observed in patients with MDD. Therefore, individualized treatment approaches are important to increase treatment response by assigning a given patient to the most optimal TMS treatment protocol based on his or her individual profile. This literature review summarizes different rTMS or TBS protocols that have been applied in researches investigating MDD patients with certain psychiatric comorbidities and discusses biomarkers that may be used to predict rTMS treatment response. Furthermore, we highlight the need for the validation of neuroimaging and electrophysiological biomarkers associated with rTMS treatment responses. Finally, we discuss on which directions future efforts should focus for developing the personalization of the treatment of depression with rTMS or iTBS.
ABSTRACT
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) are evidenced-based treatments for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who fail to respond to standard first-line therapies. However, although various TMS protocols have been proven to be clinically effective, the response rate varies across clinical applications due to the heterogeneity of real-world psychiatric comorbidities, such as generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, or substance use disorder, which are often observed in patients with MDD. Therefore, individualized treatment approaches are important to increase treatment response by assigning a given patient to the most optimal TMS treatment protocol based on his or her individual profile. This literature review summarizes different rTMS or TBS protocols that have been applied in researches investigating MDD patients with certain psychiatric comorbidities and discusses biomarkers that may be used to predict rTMS treatment response. Furthermore, we highlight the need for the validation of neuroimaging and electrophysiological biomarkers associated with rTMS treatment responses. Finally, we discuss on which directions future efforts should focus for developing the personalization of the treatment of depression with rTMS or iTBS.
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OBJECTIVE: Since the inflammatory process has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorder, an important issue emerging is to assess the test-retest reliability of cytokine measurement in healthy individuals and patients with schizophrenia. The objective of the present study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of bead-based multiplex immunoassay technology (BMIT) for cytokine measurement by using a Bland-Altman plot (BAP). METHODS: Twenty healthy individuals and twenty patients with schizophrenia were enrolled, and a 17-plex cytokine assay was used to measure inflammatory biomarkers at baseline and two weeks later. The test-retest reliability was examined by BAP, 95% limits of agreement (LOA), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and coefficient of repeatability (CoR). RESULTS: In the healthy controls, only interleukin (IL)-2, IL-13, IL-10, IL-17, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β showed excellent ICC. The BAP with 95% LOA determined that 13 cytokines showed acceptable 95% LOA for a 2-week test-retest reliability, and only IL-1β, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α had significant test-retest bias. The CoR of cytokines varied significantly, ranging from 1.72 to 218.1. Compared with healthy controls, patients with schizophrenia showed significantly higher levels of IL-5, IL-13, and TNF-α and significantly lower levels of IL-4, IL-12, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). Of these six cytokines, IL-12 and TNF-α were considered suboptimal reliability. CONCLUSION: The findings from ICC and CoR implied that the test-retest reliability of BMIT for cytokine measurement were suboptimal. However, the BAP with 95% LOA confirmed that BMIT can reliably distinguish schizophrenia from healthy individuals in cytokine measurement, while significant within-subject variation and between-group overlapping were evident in cytokine expression.
Subject(s)
Humans , Bias , Biomarkers , Cytokines , Immunoassay , Inflammation , Interferon-gamma , Interleukin-10 , Interleukin-12 , Interleukin-13 , Interleukin-17 , Interleukin-4 , Interleukin-5 , Interleukins , Loa , Macrophages , Reproducibility of Results , Schizophrenia , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaABSTRACT
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has been increasingly used to treat bipolar depression. Researchers recently noticed the risk of tDCS-emergent mania/hypomania in depressed patients and started to evaluate this risk by launching a meta-analysis. Here we present a female with bipolar II depression who rapidly developed hypomanic switching during bifrontal tDCS.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Bipolar Disorder , Depression , Transcranial Direct Current StimulationABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effectiveness and safety of reduced glutathione in the treatment of uremic patients with anemia.Methods From January 2014 to May 2016,84 uremic patients with anemia in our hospital for treatment were selected as the research object and were equally divided into the observation group and control group with 42 patients in each group accorded to the random draw envelope principle.The control group was treated with hemodialysis and oral administration of erythropoietin therapy,the observation group was received the reduced glutathione treatment based on the control group,all patients were observed for 12 weeks.Results There were no serious complications in the two groups.The total effective rate of the observation group and the control group were 97.6% and 85.7% respectively.The total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05).The serum UA values in observation group and the control group after treatment were significantly lower than that before treatment,the serum Ccr value were significantly higher than before treatment (P < 0.05),At the same time after treatment,the serum UA and Ccr values in the observation group compared with the control group were statistical significance difference (P < 0.05).The RBC and Hb in the observation group after treatment were (3.38 ± 0.34)×1012/L and (94.55 ± 4.92) g/L,and the control group were (2.56 ± 0.38)×1012/L and (73.24 ± 5.39) g/L respectively that were significantly higher than before treatment (P < 0.05),and the observation group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05).Conclusion Reduced glutathione in the treatment of uremic anemia can improve renal function and anemia status,improve the therapeutic efficacy,its better safety,and has a good value of application and promotion.
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Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing and remitting inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. CD is rare in Taiwan and other Asian countries, but its prevalence and incidence have been steadily increasing. A steering committee was established by the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to formulate statements on the diagnosis and management of CD taking into account currently available evidence and the expert opinion of the committee. Thorough clinical, endoscopic, and histological assessments are required for accurate diagnosis of CD. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are complementary to endoscopic evaluation for disease staging and detecting complications. The goals of CD management are to induce and maintain remission, reduce the risk of complications, and improve quality of life. Corticosteroids are the mainstay for inducing re-mission. Immunomodulating and biologic therapies should be used to maintain remission. Patients should be evaluated for hepatitis B virus and tuberculosis infection prior to treatment and receive regular surveillance for cancer. These consensus statements are based on current local evidence with consideration of factors, and could be serve as concise and practical guidelines for supporting clinicians in the management of patients with CD in Taiwan.
Subject(s)
Humans , Adrenal Cortex Hormones , Asian People , Biological Therapy , Consensus , Crohn Disease , Diagnosis , Disease Management , Expert Testimony , Gastrointestinal Tract , Hepatitis B virus , Incidence , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Prevalence , Quality of Life , Taiwan , TuberculosisABSTRACT
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic mucosal inflammation of the colon, and the prevalence and incidence of UC have been steadily increasing in Taiwan. A steering committee was established by the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease to formulate statements on the diagnosis and management of UC taking into account currently available evidence and the expert opinion of the committee. Accurate diagnosis of UC requires thorough clinical, endoscopic, and histological assessment and careful exclusion of differential diagnoses, particularly infectious colitis. The goals of UC therapy are to induce and maintain remission, reduce the risk of complications, and improve quality of life. As outlined in the recommended treatment algorithm, choice of treatment is dictated by severity, extent, and course of disease. Patients should be evaluated for hepatitis B virus and tuberculosis infection prior to immunosuppressive treatment, especially with steroids and biologic agents, and should be regularly monitored for reactivation of latent infection. These consensus statements are also based on current local evidence with consideration of factors, and could be serve as concise and practical guidelines for supporting clinicians in the management of UC in Taiwan.
Subject(s)
Humans , Biological Factors , Colitis , Colitis, Ulcerative , Colon , Consensus , Diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Disease Management , Expert Testimony , Hepatitis B virus , Incidence , Inflammation , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases , Prevalence , Quality of Life , Steroids , Taiwan , Tuberculosis , UlcerABSTRACT
Objective: To establish the ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) fingerprint of Vicia amoena var. angusta and compare the other five different origin varieties of Viciae Amoenae Herba in order to evaluate the quality of the preparation. Methods: Eclipse Plus C18 RRHD column (50 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) were used with acetonitrile (B) and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution (A) in gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The detection wavelength was set at 340 nm and the column was 30℃. The fingerprints for V. amoena var. angusta from 10 different areas were set up, the similarity assay for V. amoena var. angusta from ten different areas was carried out to evaluate their quality by Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) Fingerprint Similarity Evaluation System (2004A edition), and the peaks were identified by comparing the reference substance with LC-MS/MS; Whilie the other origins of five kinds of varieties of Viciae Amoenae Herba were compared and identified in the same condition. Results: UPLC fingerprints for V. amoena var. angusta were established, six chromatographic peaks among 15 common peaks were identified by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and be intended to be chlorogenic acid, myricitrin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, kaempferit-rin, and quercitrin. UPLC fingerprint mutual pattern of other five kinds of origins varieties of Viciae Amoenae Herba and V. amoena var. angusta had obvious differences. Conclusion: This method is simple, rapid, stable, and reproducb1e, and could be used for the full quality evaluation of Viciae Amoenae Herba.
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OBJECTIVE: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its specific receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase (TrkB), play important roles in treating depression. In this experiment, we examined whether 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, a novel potent TrkB agonist, could reverse the behavioral and biochemical abnormalities induced by the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm in rats. METHODS: SD rats were exposed to a battery of stressors for 56 days. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (5 and 20 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally during the last 28 days of the CMS paradigm. Rats were tested in sucrose consumption test (SCT), forced-swimming test (FST) and elevated T-maze (ETM). Serum corticosterone levels and hippocampal BDNF levels of the rats were measured. RESULTS: Four-week CMS on the rats induced their depression-like behavior in SCT. The CMS-reduced sucrose consumption was reversed starting from 7 days after the 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (20 mg/kg) treatment and remained across the subsequent treatment regime. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, when given at 5 mg/kg for 3 weeks, reduced the immobility time in the FST in the CMS-subjected rats. Additionally, the 4-week treatment with 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (20 mg/kg) attenuated the CMS-induced increase in anxiety-like behavior in the ETM. For the CMS-subjected rats, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone treatment dose-dependently reduced their serum corticosterone levels but increased their hippocampal BDNF levels only at 5 mg/kg. CONCLUSION: 7,8-dihydroxyflavone was beneficial for both depression and anxiety-like behaviors, and may exert fast-onset antidepressant effects. This provides a new insight into the pharmacological management of depression.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Anxiety , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor , Corticosterone , Depression , Phosphotransferases , SucroseABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety trait, anxiety and depression states have all been reported to increase risks for cardiovascular disease (CVD), possibly through altering cardiac autonomic regulation. Our aim was to investigate whether the relationship between harm avoidance (HA, an anxiety-related personality trait) and cardiac autonomic regulation is independent of anxiety and depression states in healthy adults. METHODS: We recruited 535 physically and mentally healthy volunteers. Participants completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Tri-dimensional Personality Questionnaire. Participants were divided into high or low HA groups as discriminated by the quartile value. Cardiac autonomic function was evaluated by measuring heart rate variability (HRV). We obtained the time and frequency-domain indices of HRV including variance (total HRV), the low-frequency power (LF; 0.05-0.15 Hz), which may reflect baroreflex function, the high-frequency power (HF; 0.15-0.40 Hz), which reflects cardiac parasympathetic activity, as well as the LF/HF ratio. RESULTS: The BDI and HA scores showed associations with HRV parameters. After adjustment for the BDI scores and other control variables, HA is still associated with reduced variance, LF and HF power. Compared with the participants with low HA, those with high HA displayed significant reductions in variance, LF and HF power and a significant increase in their LF/HF ratio. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the independent role of HA in contributing to decreased autonomic cardiac regulation in healthy adults and provides a potential underlying mechanism for anxiety trait to confer increased risk for CVD.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Anxiety , Baroreflex , Cardiovascular Diseases , Depression , Healthy Volunteers , Heart Rate , HeartABSTRACT
The present study was designed to determine the effects of puerarin pre-treatment on the pharmacokinetics of the oral anticoagulant agent warfarin and the antiplatelet agent clopidogrel in rats. In the treatment group, rats was gavaged with warfarin or clopidogrel after repeated treatment with puerarin at intraperitoneal doses of 20, 60, or 200 mg·kg(-1) for 7 days, while rats in the control group were administrated only with the same dose warfarin or clopidogrel. Plasma samples were obtained at the prescribed times and analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results showed that rats treated with puerarin at all the test doses of 20, 60 and 200 mg·kg(-1) were found to affect the pharmacokinetics of warfarin, but not clopidogrel, suggesting a potential herb-drug interaction between puerarin and warfarin.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Anticoagulants , Pharmacokinetics , Chromatography, Liquid , Clopidogrel , Drug Administration Schedule , Herb-Drug Interactions , Injections, Intraperitoneal , Isoflavones , Pharmacology , Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors , Pharmacokinetics , Rats, Wistar , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , Ticlopidine , Pharmacokinetics , Vasodilator Agents , Pharmacology , Warfarin , PharmacokineticsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) has been reported in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), but the results are mixed. Little is known about the impact of comorbid major depression (MD) on HRV in GAD patients. Both issues necessitate further investigation. METHODS: Twenty unmedicated, physically healthy GAD patients, 20 GAD patients with a secondary diagnosis of MD, 40 MD patients and 60 matched controls were recruited. We used the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale to assess anxiety and depression severity, respectively. Cardiac autonomic function was evaluated by measuring HRV parameters. Frequency-domain indices of HRV were obtained. RESULTS: Three patient groups had more anxiety and depression symptoms than control subjects, but heart rates (HRs) were significantly elevated only in GAD patients with comorbid depression. Relative to controls, GAD patients had reduced HRV while GAD patients with comorbid depression displayed the greatest reductions in HRV among three patients groups. Correlation analyses revealed anxiety/depression severity significantly associated with HRs, variance, LF-HRV and HF-HRV. However, separately analyzing among individual groups and adjusting for HRV-associated covariables rendered the correlations non-significant. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that reduction in HRV is a psychophysiological marker of GAD and individuals with comorbid GAD and MD may be distinguished based on psychophysiological correlates (for example, HF-HRV) from non-comorbid GAD patients. Taken into account that comorbid depression may confer increased risks for cardiovascular events in GAD patients, this subgroup of GAD patients may benefit better from cardiovascular risk reduction strategies.
Subject(s)
Humans , Anxiety Disorders , Anxiety , Case-Control Studies , Depression , Diagnosis , Heart Rate , Heart , Risk Reduction Behavior , TaiwanABSTRACT
AIM@#To establish a sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantitative analysis of dehydrated puerarin in rat plasma, and its application for pharmacokinetic studies.@*METHODS@#A plasma sample was pretreated by one-step protein precipitation by the addition of five volumes of methanol. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 150 mm I.D. 5.0 μm, Agilent, USA) at 40 °C at a flow rate of 0.6 mL·min(-1) by an isocratic elution consisting of 10 mmol·L(-1) ammonium acetate in methanol and water containing 0.1% formic acid in a ratio of 20 : 80 (V/V). Detection was performed on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. An atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) interface in positive ionization mode was used by monitoring the transitions from m/z 399.1→281.0 (dehydrated puerarin) and m/z 271.0→215.0 (internal standard, IS).@*RESULTS@#Calibration curves were linear in the concentration range from 1.50 to 5400 ng·mL(-1), and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 1.50 ng·mL(-1) in rat plasma. The accuracy and precision values, which were calculated from three different sets of quality control samples analyzed in sextuplicate on three different days, ranged from 95.73% to 103.18%, and from 4.33% to 7.86%, respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#The method was successfully applied to assess the pharmacokinetics of dehydrated puerarin after oral administration in rats.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Rats , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Methods , Drug Stability , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Metabolism , Pharmacokinetics , Isoflavones , Blood , Metabolism , Pharmacokinetics , Pueraria , Chemistry , Rats, Wistar , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , MethodsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Decreased cardiac vagal control (CVC) has been proposed in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but the results are mixed. Analyses with larger sample sizes and better methodology are needed. METHODS: Thirty-two drug-naive survivors with current PTSD, 32 survivors without PTSD and 192 matched controls were recruited for a case-control analysis. We used the PTSD checklist-civilian version (PCL-C) to assess posttraumatic symptoms severity. Cardiac autonomic function was evaluated by measuring heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Frequency-domain indices of HRV were obtained. The obtained results were evaluated in association with personality traits assessed by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). RESULTS: PTSD patients exhibited decreased LF-HRV and HF-HRV as compared to survivors without PTSD and to matched controls. The PTSD symptoms severity was associated with reduced mean RR intervals, Var-HRV, LF-HRV and HF-HRV. The harm avoidance score (which has been suggested to be associated with serotonergic activity) was negatively correlated with Var-HRV, LF-HRV and HF-HRV. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that PTSD is accompanied by decreased CVC, highlighting the importance of assessing HRV in PTSD patients. In view of the increased risk for cardiovascular diseases in these vulnerable individuals, one might consider the treatment to restore their autonomic function while reducing PTSD symptoms.