Evaluation of left ventricular systolic function and synchrony in patients with essential hypertension by longitudinal strain and peak strain dispersion / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of longitudinal peak strain( LPS ) and peak strain dispersion ( PSD ) in evaluating left ventricular systolic function and synchrony in patients with essential hypertension . Methods Fifty‐five patients with essential hypertension were enrolled , including 30 patients with non‐left ventricular hypertrophy ( NLV H ) , 25 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy ( LV H ) , at the same time , 30 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group . Echocardiography was performed in all three groups ,and two‐dimensional dynamic images of the left ventricular apical four‐chamber ,three‐chamber ,and two‐chamber′s long‐axis view s were collected for three consecutive cardiac cycles . T he myocardial layer‐specific strain was used to measure the LPS of the left ventricular myocardium of subendocardium ,the middle layer ,the subepicardium ,and the myocardial strain and the PSD of the w hole myocardial layers . Correlation analysis and ROC curve analysis were performed . Results T he LPS in the control group ,NLV H group and LV H group were decreased in turn from inner to out myocardial layers . Compared with the control group , the LPS in the subendocardial , middle , subepicardial ,and w hole myocardial layer of NLV H group were decreased ( P ＜ 0 .05 ) , and the subepicardial myocardial LPS was slightly lower than that in the control group ,the difference was not statistically significant ( P ＞ 0 .05 ) . T he LPS in the subendocardial , middle , subepicardial ,and whole myocardial layer of LV H group were all reduced ( P＜0 .05) . Between the NLV H group and LV H group , the declines of the LPS in the subendocardial and middle layer in the LV H group were statistically significant ( P ＜0 .05) ,the LPS in the subepicardial layer and the w hole myocardial layer had no significant difference ( P ＞0 .05) . Compared with the control group ,the PSD of the NLVH group and the LVH group increased ( P ＜ 0 .05 ) . Compared with the NLV H group ,the PSD of the LV H group increased ( P ＜0 .05) . Inter‐ventricular septum thickness ( IVSd) and the LPS in the subendocardial ,middle ,subepicardial , and w hole myocardial layer were negatively correlated ( r ＝ －0 .537 ,－0 .518 ,－0 .266 ,－0 .471 ; all P ＜0 .05) , left ventricle posterior wall thickness ( LVPWd ) and the LPS in the subendocardial , middle , subepicardial ,and whole myocardial layer were negatively correlated ( r ＝ －0 .539 , －0 .524 , －0 .283 ,－0 .478 ;all P ＜0 .05) . T he area under the ROC curve ( AUC) of the LPS in the subendocardial ,middle , subepicardial ,and w hole myocardial layer and PSD for the diagnosis of hypertension were 0 .685 ,0 .652 , 0 .510 ,0 .623 ,0 .995 ,respectively . T he cut‐off values were －21 .70% ,－18 .90% ,－16 .95% ,－19 .45% , 46 .50 ms , and the sensitivities were 94 .4% , 83 .3% , 77 .8% , 94 .4% , 100% , respectively , and the specificities were 47 .8% ,52 .2% ,39 .1% ,39 .1% ,95 .7% ,respectively . Conclusions T he layer‐specific strain can quantitatively evaluate myocardial longitudinal strain in patients with essential hypertension , provide a non‐invasive test for early diagnosis of hypertensive heart disease ,and the evaluation of left ventricular myocardial stratification . PSD for evaluating primary synchronous changes in left ventricular myocardial contraction in patients with hypertension has certain advantages .

Acupuncture for female depression: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>to observe the effect differences and safety between acupuncture and sham acupuncture for female depression on the basis of conventional western medicine therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-two patients with depression who met the criteria were randomly assigned into an observation group and a control group, 21 patients in each group. The basic treatment in the two groups was fluoxetine. The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) and bilateral Shangqu (KI 17). Sham acupuncture was used at the above points in the control group. The treatment was given once a day on the first 3 days and once every 3 days after that, totally for 8 weeks. The scores of self-rating depression scale (SDS) and Montgomery Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) were compared before and after 4-week and 8-week treatment in the two groups. The effects and adverse reactions were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 4-week and 8-week treatment, the SDS and MADRS scores were significantly lower than those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.05), and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (both <0.05). The improvements of SDS and MADRS scores in the observation group before and after treatment were better than those in the control group (both <0.05). The total effective rates of SDS, MADRS scores were 85.7% (18/21), 90.5% (19/21) in the observation group, which were better than 38.1% (8/21), 57.1% (12/21) in the control group (both <0.05). The adverse reactions in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture combined with fluoxetine are effective and safe for female depression.</p>

Effects of water extraction of Salvia miltiorrhiza in sperm quality of mice / 实用医学杂志

Objective To research effects of water extraction of Salvia miltiorrhiza in sperm quality of mice. Methods Forty adult male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, including low concentration group, medium concentration group, high concentration group, control group and positive control group in eight mice in each group. The low, medium and high concentration groups were given by gavage with 1 500, 3 000 and 6 000 mg/kg water extraction of salvia miltiorrhiza once a day respectively, while the control group was given gavage with 10 mL/kg normal saline daily, as well as the positive control group was injected with 100 mg/kg cyclophosphamide once; All mice were sacrificed after 30 days. We measured the weight gain, viscera coefficient and sperm quality in each mouse. Results There were no statistical difference in the weight of every week, increase of the weight, testis and epididymis coefficients among the control group, the low, medium and high concentration groups (P > 0.05), while the weight and weight increase were significantly higher than that in the positive control group (P < 0.05). Sperm concentration, viability, morphology, motility, PR, VSL, VAP of low, medium and high concentrations group were significantly improved than the control group (P < 0.05), and the sperm quality in the four groups were higher than that in the positive control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Water extraction of salvia miltiorrhiza can obviously improve the sperm viability, morphology, and motility of mice.