Analysis of clinical outcomes of simplified treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis with adjacent segment degeneration by MAST Quadrant / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the method and clinical effect of MAST Quadrant for lumbar spondylolisthesis with adjacent segment degeneration.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From April 2014 to January 2016, 36 cases of lumbar spondylolisthesis with adjacent segment degeneration were treated by MAST Quadrant(target nerve decompression and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion or articulationes zygapophysiales fusion by unilateral fixation with MAST Quadrant). Twenty-three cases were degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis and 13 cases were isthmic lumbar spondylolisthesis. According to Meyerding grade of spondylolisthesis, 16 cases were grade I, 17 cases were grade II, and 3 cases were grade III. Visual analogue score (VAS), Oswesty Disability Index (ODI) and JOA score were used to evaluate the clinical outcome.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The amount of intraoperative bleeding was 230 to 480 ml with an average of 340 ml and the amount of postoperative blood loss was 15 to 80 ml with an average of 43 ml. Operative time was 176 to 240 min with an average of 193 min; X-ray exposure time was 2 to 6 s with an average of 3.6 s. Two cases were complicated with dural tear without nerve injury during operation. Thirty cases were followed up from 12 to 17 months with an average of 15.2 months. VAS scores for preoperative, 5 days, 3 months after surgery were 7.6±1.7, 1.9±0.4, 0.8±0.4 respectively, and there was significant difference before and after operation(<0.05). The ODI scores for preoperative and 3 months after surgery were 35.9±1.2 and 3.7±0.7 respectively, and there was significant difference before and after operation(<0.05). JOA scores for preoperative, 5 days, 1 months, 3 months after surgery were 13.2±0.4, 24.4±0.4, 27.4±0.1, 27.9±0.5 respectively, and there was significant difference before and after operation(<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MAST Quadrant can be applied to treat lumbar spondylolisthesis with adjacent segment degeneration, and the minimally invasive sugical technique is a safe and effective method, with the advantage of simple operation, fast recovery.</p>

Correlation between premature ejaculation and redundant prepuce / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the correlation between redundant prepuce and premature ejaculation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-two cases suffering from premature ejaculation and redundant prepuce were treated with circumcision. They were asked to fill the investigating questionnaire about the changes of ejaculatory latent period, patients' and their wives' satisfaction with sexual life before and after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During 12 months after circumcision, 28 cases were cured and 11 cases were efficacious. The curative rate was 54.9% and effective rate was 76.5%. Twelve cases with no responding continued to be treated with routine methods, such as psychotherapy, daub narcotic to glans of penis and taking medicine to treat chronic prostatitis, which were used before circumcision but still no effects. During 18 months after circumcision, 4 cases were cured and 5 cases were efficacious.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Redundant prepuce had direct or indirect relationship with premature ejaculation. The circumcision is one of the effective methods to treat premature ejaculation.</p>

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene and the brachial artery endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes without angiopathy / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene and endothelial dysfunction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and ten type 2 diabetic patients without angiopathy were selected randomly, and PCR technique was used to determine their ACE genotypes. High resolution ultrasonography was performed to measure the changes in brachial artery diameter at rest, after reactive hyperemia (with increased flow producing an endothelium-dependent dilation) and after sublingual glyceryltrinitrate (GNT, an endothelium-independent dilator). Meanwhile, 50 healthy individuals were selected randomly as controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In type 2 diabetes mellitus and control groups, the percentages for flow-mediated arterial dilation in patients with DD genotypes were 3.38% and 3.67% respectively, which were significantly lower than those in patients with II genotypes (4.12% and 4.68% respectively, P<0.05). The baseline blood vessel size, baseline blood flow and GNT induced dilation in both groups showed no significant differences among ACE genotypes (P>0.05). By multiple stepwise regression analysis, reduced flow-mediated arterial dilation was associated with age, baseline vessel size, low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), Lp(a), D allele, fasting blood glucose (FBG), postparandial blood glucose (PPBG), HbA1c, duration of diabetes in type 2 diabetic patients (P<0.0005).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ACE DD genotype is related to endothelium-dependent arterial dilation in the early stage of type 2 diabetes mellitus and in healthy individuals.</p>