Retrospective study of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis in 124 patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma, and the impact on survival rate and quality of life. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 124 cases (122 males and 2 females with age range from 36 to 78 years old) with laryngopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who were initially treated in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2014 to December 2017 was performed. The clinical data included tumor location, pathological T stage, pathological N stage, invasion of thyroid gland, central lymph node metastasis, surgical procedures and so on. Patients were grouped according to if presence of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis. With follow-up, the survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method, and tumor recurrence and metastasis were evaluated. Results: Of the patients, 12 patients had thyroid involvement and 5 patients had central lymph node metastasis. The incidence of thyroid involvement was 8.16% (8/98) in pyriform sinus, 1/18 in posterior pharyngeal wall and 3/8 in posterior cricoid wall, with statistically significant difference (χ2=15.076,P=0.008). The incidence of central lymph node metastasis was 1.02% (1/98) in pyriform sinus, 3/18 in posterior pharyngeal wall and 1/8 in posterior cricoid wall, also with statistically significant difference (χ2=11.205, P=0.008). There was no statistical correlation between thyroid invasion or central lymph node metastasis and gender, smoking or alcohol exposure history and tumor pathological differentiation (all P>0.05). The 3-year overall survival rate was 80.65% and the 3-year recurrence free rate was 85.48%. Totally 24 patients died in 3 years, including 4 cases in thyroid invasion group and 1 case in central lymph node metastasis group. Local recurrence occurred in 18 patients, including 4 cases in thyroid invasion group and 1 case in central lymph node metastasis group. There was no significant difference in survival between patients with and without thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis (all P>0.05). There were significantly difference in 3-year overall survival and relapse-free survival among the groups with different T stages, N stages, pathological stages and tumor pathological differentiation levels (all P<0.05). There were significantly differences in the levels of serum calcium and FT3 between the groups with or without thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The incidences of thyroid invasion and central lymph node metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma are rare, and the risk of occurrence is related to the primary site of tumor. Comprehensive evaluation, correct decision-making and accurate treatment could be helpful to cure radically the tumor, to prevent recurrence and to improve the quality of life of patients.

Correlation between chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome / 中国实用内科杂志

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2 DM)and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS). METHODS: The data of 153 hospitalized T2 DM patients aged 40-65 years were collected; the demograhic data was recorded, biochemical indicators were recorded and analyzed, and the patients were screened for chronic complications of diabetes and OSAS. The patients with ketosis, acidosis and infection, and those who were addicted to alcohol,smoking or drug or with mental illness, or severe organ dysfunction were excluded.According to whether OSAS was combined, they were divided into the OSAS group and the control group were divided into groups. The differences in the incidence of chronic complications between the two groups were compared.Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between chronic complications and OSAS.RESULTS: The incidence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN)in the OSAS group was higher than in the control group(45% vs. 26.9%, P=0.017). The incidence of coronary heart disease was significantly higher in the OSAS group than in the control group(20% vs. 8.6%, P=0.038). The differences were statistically significant.Spearman correlation analysis showed that OSAS was positively correlated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy(P=0.021)and coronary heart disease(P=0.041). CONCLUSION: OSAS may be associated with peripheral neuropathy and coronary heart disease in patients with T2 DM.

Recent development of natural and reconstituted lipoprotein based nano drug delivery vehicles / 药学学报

Lipoproteins are biological lipids carriers. The natural and reconstituted lipoprotein based drug delivery systems have been extensively developed in recent years. This article reviews the development of natural and reconstituted low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein based vehicles in the antitumor area.

Studies on the influencing factors on the drug release from sodium alginate matrices / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the in vitro influencing factors on drug release from matrices with sodium alginate as the hydrophilic polymer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sodium alginate hydrophilic matrix tablets were prepared by direct compression method with theopylline as a model drug. The in vitro influencing factors on drug release behavior from matrices were studied by investigating the swelling, water uptake and erosion characteristics of pure sodium alginate matrices.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results showed that drug release rate and drug release mechanism were both related to the viscosity of sodium alginate used in matrices, pH values and ionic strength of dissolution media and rotation speeds.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Sodium alginate can be tailor-made to suit the demands of applicants in sustained delivery systems as a good candidate of hydrophilic polymer.</p>