Plantar Pressure Changes and Correlating Risk Factors in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Preliminary 2-year Results of a Prospective Study / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Plantar pressure serves as a key factor for predicting ulceration in the feet of diabetes patients. We designed this study to analyze plantar pressure changes and correlating risk factors in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We recruited 65 patients with type 2 diabetes. They were invited to participate in the second wave 2 years later. The patients completed identical examinations at the baseline point and 2 years later. We obtained maximum force, maximum pressure, impulse, pressure-time integral, and loading rate values from 10 foot regions. We collected data on six history-based variables, six anthropometric variables, and four metabolic variables of the patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Over the course of the study, significant plantar pressure increases in some forefoot portions were identified (P < 0.05), especially in the second to forth metatarsal heads. Decreases in heel impulse and pressure-time integral levels were also found (P < 0.05). Plantar pressure parameters increased with body mass index (BMI) levels. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) changes were positively correlated with maximum force (β = 0.364, P = 0.001) and maximum pressure (β = 0.366, P = 0.002) changes in the first metatarsal head. Cholesterol changes were positively correlated with impulse changes in the lateral portion of the heel (β = 0.179, P = 0.072) and pressure-time integral changes in the second metatarsal head (β = 0.236, P = 0.020). Ankle-brachial index (ABI) changes were positively correlated with maximum force changes in the first metatarsal head (β = 0.137, P = 0.048). Neuropathy symptom score (NSS) and common peroneal nerve sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) changes were positively correlated with some plantar pressure changes. In addition, plantar pressure changes had a correlation with the appearance of infections, blisters (β = 0.244, P = 0.014), and calluses over the course of the study.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>We should pay attention to the BMI, HbA1c, cholesterol, ABI, SCV, and NSS changes in the process of preventing high plantar pressure and ulceration. Some associated precautions may be taken with the appearance of infections, blisters, and calluses.</p>

Investigation on distribution of HBV genotype and serotype from Tibetan in Tongde, Qinghai / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the distribution of HBV genotype and serotype from Tibetan in Tongde, Qinghai.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for amplification of S gene and C gene of HBV from sera carried by Tibetan chronic HBV carrier in Tongde, Qinghai, then the HBV DNA positive products were sequenced by direct sequencing. Genotype and serotype were identified by analysis of sequence result.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>271, which come from 311 sera samples with positive HBsAg randomly selected from natural community, were amplified and sequenced in both S gene and C gene successfully, 10 (3.7%), 261 (96.3%) out of them were identified as genotype C, recombinant between genotypes C and D respectively; 259 (95.6%), 10 (3.7%), 2 (0.7%) belonged to serotype ayw2, adr, adw2 respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The recombinant between genotypes C and D was the main genotype in Tibetan chronic carrier with hepatitis Bin Tongde, Qinghai; the serotype of this areas was consisted largely of ayw2.</p>

Investigating genotype of HCV distribution among residents in a "blood donation" village in Hebei Province / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate genotype of HCV infection among residents in a rural village, Hebei Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood samples of the 520 residents were collected, and C/E1 of HCV genome of the 483 samples were obtained by RT-PCR amplifying, and the gene sequences were analyzed and the polygenetic tree were drawn by the software Mega 4.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 483 subjects, HCV-RNA positive objectives are 70, positive prevalence is 14.5%, genotyping for all the samples successfully, including genotypes 1b and 2a, which are 36 (51.4%), 34 (48.6%) respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HCV RNA positive rate is 14.5%, which is higher than general people. Subtypes 1b and 2a seemed to be the dominant genotypes of HCV in Zhao county area of Hebei Province.</p>