Serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 level is positively correlated with the recurrence risk of acute ischemic cerebral infarction in hypertensive patients / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the relationship between serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) level and the risk of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) recurrence in hypertensive patients.@*METHODS@#This retrospective case-control study was conducted among 211 hypertensive patients with AIS treated in Foshan First People's Hospital, including 35 patients with recurrence of AIS during the 1-year follow-up as confirmed by head CT/MR. In the overall patients, 60 had grade 1 hypertension (including 5 recurrent cases), 76 had grade 2 hypertension (with 11 recurrent cases), and 75 had grade 3 hypertension (with 19 recurrent cases). Univariate analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, trend analysis, and smooth curve fitting analysis were performed to explore the correlation between serum Lp-PLA2 level within 24 h after admission and the risk of AIS recurrence. The predictive efficacy of serum Lp-PLA2 level for AIS recurrence in different hypertension grades was evaluated using ROC curve analysis.@*RESULTS@#Serum Lp-PLA2 level, age, NIHSS score at admission, mRS scores at 7 days, homocysteine level and smoking status differed significantly between patients with and without AIS recurrence (P < 0.05). After adjustment for confounding factors, multivariate regression analysis showed that the highest tertile of Lp-PLA2 level was associated with a 4.13-fold increase of AIS recurrence risk compared with the lowest tertile (OR=5.13, 95% CI: 1.35-19.40), and each 1 ng/mL increase of Lp-PLA2 level was associated with a 1% increase of AIS recurrence risk (OR= 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01-1.02). Serum Lp-PLA2 level was shown to positively correlate with AIS recurrence risk, and in patients with grade 3 hypertension, its areas under the ROC curve for predicting AIS recurrence was 0.869 with a specificity of 0.893 and a sensitivity of 0.737.@*CONCLUSION@#Serum Lp-PLA2 concentration is an independent risk factor and potentially an effective predictor for AIS recurrence in patients with grade 3 hypertension.

Mechanism of bigelovin in treatment of imiquimod-induced psoriasiform mouse model / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of bigelovin on mouse model of imiquimod-induced psoriatic itch and its mechanism. Methods Psoriasis-like mouse model was established by applying imiquimod cream on the back skin of mouse. Psoriasis area and severity index, pathological changes, the expression levels of inflammatory factors and related molecular biological data were used as effect indicators. The changes of the above parameters were observed after administration of different concentrations of bigelovin. Then the possible mechanism of the effects was further analysed.Results Compared with the model group, bigelovin significantly decreased the symptoms of skin lesions and reduced the PASI score. Bigelovin alleviated epidermal thickening and reduced the expression of Ki67 in a dose-dependent manner. The expression levels of inflammatory factors were reduced in both skin and serum.The percentage of Th17 cells was reduced and the percentage of Treg cells was increased in the lymph node.In addition, bigelovin also inhibited the phosphorylation of P65 protein and significantly reduced the nuclear localization of P65, suggesting that bigelovin might inhibit the activation of P65 protein. Conclusions The effect of bigelovin on improving the signs and symptoms of imiquimod-induced psoriasis mice may be related to the inhibition of P65 protein phosphorylation in keratinocytes.

Utility of single fiber electromyography in the differential diagnosis of hyperthyroidism associated with ocular myasthenia gravis and Graves ophthalmopathy / 临床神经病学杂志

Objective To assess the utility of single fiber EMG (SFEMG)in the differential diagnosis of hyperthyroidism associated with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG)and Graves ophthalmopathy.Methods SFEMG was performed in orbicularis oculi muscle of 2 groups of patients.including 32 patients with hyperthyroidism associated with OMG,and 35 patients with Graves ophthalmopathy.The parameters of SFEMG between different groups were compared.Results The mean jitter was (96.2 ± 23.7),(42.8 ± 12.6)μs in hyperthyroidism associated with OMG and patients with Graves Orbitopathy. M50of the percentage of jitter ＞55 μs was 92% and 5% in the 2 groups respectively.M50of the percentage of block was 25% and 0 in the 2 groups respectively.Fiber density was (1.9 ± 0.4)and (1.7 ± 0.5)in the 2 groups respectively.There was significant difference in those parameters of SFEMG between the patients in 2 groups(t＝15.56,Z＝9.26,Z＝7.35,all P＜0.01).Conclusion SFEMG of orbicularis oculi muscle shows significantly increased jitter and block in hyperthyroidism associated with OMG,which can help to differentiate hyperthyroidism associated with OMG from Graves ophthalmopathy.

Changes of cognitive function and its correlated factors in patients with first acute cerebral ischemic stroke / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the changes of cognitive impairment and its correlated factors in patients with first acute cerebral ischemic stroke.Methods Five hundred and sixty-eighty patients,admitted to our hospital from July 2010 to June 2011 and met the diagnostic criteria of first acute cerebral ischemic stroke,were chosen in our study; neuropsychological evaluation was conducted within 1 week of acute cerebral ischemic stroke.The comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation battery included mini-mental state examination (MMSE),Digit span,Mattis dementia scale,Rey complex figure test,stroop test,World Health Organization and University of California-Los Angeles auditory verbal learning test,semantic category verbal fluency test and clock drawing test,which contained tests for memory,attention,executive function,information processing capability,visuospatial and visuo constructive functions.Gender,age,histories of hypertension and smoking,and levels of blood pressure,random blood glucose,fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose,cholesterin,triglyceride,low density lipoprotein-C (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) were noted and the relations between cognitive function and both blood sugar and blood lipid levels were analyzed.Results (1) The abnormal rates of these patients in MMSE,Mattis dementia scale,attention deficit disorder,immediate logical memory disorder,delayed logical memory disorder,instant auditory memory disorder,delayed auditory memory disorder,visual memory disorder,executive function disorder,information processing disorder,and visuospatial and visuo constructive disorder were 78.2％,72.5％,26.5％,56.3％,60.9％,74.6％,98.2％,83.8％,62.7％,4.9％ and 77.7％,respectively.In patients with different blood glucose levels,significant differences were found on scores of MMSE,Mattis dementia scale,attention scale (P＜ 0.05); furthermore,the scores ofMMSE,Mattis dementia scale,attention scale in patients with impaired fasting glucose were obviously lower as compared with those in other groups (P＜0.05).The scale of above cognitive domains showed no significant difference in patients with different types of hyperlipidemias (P＞0.05); the scores of execution ability and visual space structure capability in patients with HDL-C were higher than those in normal density lipoprotein-C and LDL-C (P＜0.05),and the higher level of density lipoprotein-C,the higher scores of visual space structure capability (P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis found that the total MMSE scores were associated with gender,age,and levels of fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose; the independent risk factors of executive function were gender,age and HDL-C level; the ability of memory was correlated with age and HDL-C level.Visuospatial and visuo constructive function was associated with gender,age and mRS scores; the information processing ability was only correlated with HDL-C level.Conclusion In patients with acute cerebral ischemic stroke,the cognitive impairment is extensive and severe,with a prevalence of about 75％,mainly having disorders in memory,executive ability,spatial structure; glucose levels,especially impaired fasting glucose level show most obvious influence in cognitive impairment;HDL-C level helps keep normal cognitive function; age,gender,HDL-C level are the most important factors of cognitive function.

Clinical analysis of 192 cases of nosocomial pneumonia induced by acute stroke / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the bacteriological distribution of nosocomial pneumonia induced by acute stroke, and to improve the preventative and therapeutic measures. Methods The clinical data of 192 patients with nosocomial pneumonia induced by acute stroke were analyzed respectively. Results Among the 192 cases, 13 pathogenic microorganisms and 116 strains were cultivated, and the first 4 strains were Escherichia coli, Psendomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella and Staphylococcus aurens. Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to imipenem, and Gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to vancomycin. Conclusion The main pathogens of nosocomial pneumonia in acute stroke patients may be Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The measures improving the therapeutic outcome of acute stroke include the enhancement of nursing quality, prevention of cross infection in hospital, increasing predictability of the occurrence of pneumonia induced by acute stroke, and the control of pneumonia.

Nimodipine increases blood-brain barrier permeability after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rats / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To study the effect of nimodipine on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and cerebral infarct volume in mrs after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Methods Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by a 2-hour suture occlusion of the unilateral middle cerebral artery followed by reperfusion in 150 rats which were randomized into nimodipine and normal saline groups. Immediately after suture withdrawal to allow reperfusion, the two groups of rats were subjected to intraperitoneal injections of 2 mg/kg nimodipine (nimodipine group) or normal saline (saline group) at a 12-hour interval. At the time points of 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after the reperfusion, the BBB permeability of the rats was evaluated with fluorophotometry and transmission electron microscopy, and the infect volume was estimated using TTC staining. Results The BBB permeability and the percentage of cerebral infarct volume increased gradually with prolonged reperfusion, and the BBB permeability presented with two peak increment occurring at 12 and 48 h of reperfusion, respectively. Nimodipine injection significantly increased the BBB permeability and the infarct volume in comparison with those in the saline group (P<0.05). Conclusion Cerebral ischemia and reperfusion destroys the integrity of the BBB and aggravates the ischemic cerebral infarction in rats, and the use of nimodipine after reperfusion further worsens these pathologies.