Repetitive Nerve Stimulation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>Background</b>Nowadays, it is widely known that decremental responses in low-frequency repetitive nerve stimulation (LF-RNS) are frequently observed in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The pathological mechanism of this phenomenon remains unknown. This study aimed to illuminate the features of RNS in Chinese patients with ALS.</p><p><b>Methods</b>Clinical and electrophysiological data of 146 probable and definite ALS patients who underwent RNS were retrospectively enrolled and analyzed. LF-RNS (3 Hz) was performed in trapezius, deltoid, abductor digiti minimi (ADM), quadriceps femoris, and tibialis anterior. High-frequency RNS (HF-RNS, 10 Hz) was performed only in ADM. The two-sample t-test and Chi-squared test were used for statistical analysis.</p><p><b>Results</b>Decremental responses to LF-RNS (≥10%) in at least one muscle were detected in 83 (56.8%) of the cases and were most commonly seen in trapezius and deltoid. The incidence of decremental response was higher in patients with upper limb onset. Incremental responses to HF-RNS (≥60%) in ADM were observed in 6 (5.6%) of the cases. In 106 muscles with decremental response, 62 (57.4%) muscles had a continuous decremental pattern, more than a U-shape pattern (37 cases, 34.3%). Nineteen cases showed definite decrements in LF-RNS tests in trapezius, while no abnormalities were found in the electromyography and neurological examination of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, supplied by the accessory nerve as well.</p><p><b>Conclusions</b>Decremental responses in the RNS are commonly observed in ALS patients. The findings regarding the trapezius indicated that some ALS onsets could be initiated by a "dying back" process, with destruction of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) before motor neurons. Incremental responses in the ADM implied damage of the NMJs involved both the post and presynaptic membranes.</p>

Relationship between socs3 mRNA expression and jak2v617f point mutation in bcr-abl negative patients with myelo-proliferative disease / 中国实验血液学杂志

To investigate the relationship between socs3 mRNA expression and jak2v617f point mutation in bcr-abl negative patients with myelo-proliferative disease (MPD), 62 bcr-abl negative MPD patients (26 cases of PV, 26 cases of ET, 9 cases of IMF, and one case of CNL) were arranged as experiment group, and the others (20 cases of CML, 10 cases of AL and 15 healthy volunteers) were arranged as control group. All the diagnosis had been made according to the 2001 WHO criteria. jak2v617f point mutation was detected by AS-PCR and confirmed by direct sequencing. The expression level of socs3 mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. The association jak2v617f point mutation with socs3 mRNA expression in bcr-abl negative MPD patients was observed and analyzed. The results showed that among 62 bcr-abl negative MPD patients, the somatic jak2v617f point mutation was positive in 44 patients (PV 23, ET 15, IMF 5, CNL 1) while negative in the other 18 patients and control group. The expression of socs3 mRNA could be detected in 39 patients from 44 jak2v617f mutation positive patients and in 10 patients from 18 jak2v617f mutation-negative patients. There was a statistically significant difference in socs3 mRNA expression rates between jak2v617f mutation positive and negative group (chi(2) = 8.44, p < 0.005). There was a statistically significant difference in socs3 mRNA expression levels between jak2v617f mutation positive and negative groups (p = 0.035). It is concluded that there is a statistically significant difference in the expression level of socs3 mRNA in the patients between jak2v617f mutation positive group and negative group.