Establishment and validation of a nomogram-based predictive model for idiopathic aldosteronism / 中华内科杂志

Objective: To establish and validate a nomogram-based predictive model for idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with the collected clinical and biochemical data of patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) including 249 patients with unilateral primary aldosteronism (UPA) and 107 patients with IHA, who were treated at the Department of Endocrinology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from November 2013 to November 2022. Plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and plasma renin concentration (PRC) were measured by chemiluminescence. Stepwise regression analysis was applied to select the key predictors of IHA, and a nomogram-based scoring model was developed. The model was validated in another external independent cohort of patients with PA including 62 patients with UPA and 43 patients with IHA, who were diagnosed at the Department of Endocrinology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. An independent-sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 test were used for statistical analysis. Results: In the training cohort, in comparison with the UPA group, the IHA group showed a higher serum potassium level [M(Q1, Q3), 3.4 (3.1, 3.8) mmol/L vs. 2.7 (2.1, 3.1) mmol/L] and higher PRC [4.0 (2.1, 8.2) mU/L vs. 1.5 (0.6, 3.4) mU/L] and a lower PAC post-saline infusion test (SIT) [305 (222, 416) pmol/L vs. 720 (443, 1 136) pmol/L] and a lower rate of unilateral adrenal nodules [33.6% (36/107) vs. 81.1% (202/249)]; the intergroup differences in these measurements were statistically significant (all P<0.001). Serum potassium level, PRC, PAC post-SIT, and the rate of unilateral adrenal nodules showed similar performance in the IHA group in the validation cohort. After stepwise regression analysis for all significant variables in the training cohort, a scoring model based on a nomogram was constructed, and the predictive parameters included the rate of unilateral adrenal nodules, serum potassium concentration, PAC post-SIT, and PRC in the standing position. When the total score was ≥14, the model showed a sensitivity of 0.65 and specificity of 0.90 in the training cohort and a sensitivity of 0.56 and specificity of 1.00 in the validation cohort. Conclusion: The nomogram was used to successfully develop a model for prediction of IHA that could facilitate selection of patients with IHA who required medication directly.

Research on the formulation and revision of standard limits for antimony,boron and vanadium in the "Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB5749-2022)" in China / 中华预防医学杂志

China is rich in antimony, boron, and vanadium mineral resources, which have been detected in environmental water bodies and drinking water. During the revision process of the "Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB5749-2006)", research and evaluation are focused on three indicators: antimony, boron and vanadium. Vanadium is added and the limit value of boron is adjusted. This study reviews and discusses the technical contents related to the revision of the antimony, boron and vanadium, including the environmental presence levels, exposure status, health effects, and the revision of the standard limits of these three indicators. Suggestions are also made for the implementation of this standard.

New insights on aldosterone-producing cell clusters in the pathogenesis of primary aldosteronism / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Primary aldosteronism(PA) is one of the most common secondary hypertension, the pathogenesis is still not fully understood. Aldosterone synthase(CYP11B2) was thought to be continuously expressed in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. In recent years, it is found that there were discontinuous CYP11B2 positive cell clusters in adrenal cortex via immunohistochemical staining, and proposed the concept of aldosterone-producing cell clusters(APCC). Thenceforwarding a growing body of studies suggest that there may be a potential causal link between APCC and PA. This article summarizes the latest studies on APCC and provide an update on the potential role of APCC in the pathogenesis of PA.

Application of SNPstream for medical genetics research / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To introduce the principle, procedure, efficacy and application of SNPstream genotyping technology.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Genotyping results of 152 SNPs were used to analyze the feasibility, call rate and accuracy of SNPstream technology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For the 152 selected SNPs, 122 SNPs can be genotyped with SNPstream, for which 116 SNPs were successfully genotyped. Replication study showed that the repeatability of genotyping is 99%. When the allele cluster was clear, the accuracy can reach 100%. But when the allele cluster was obscure, the accuracy was only 93.8%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SNPstream technology has the advantages of high accuracy, flexible throughput, and high cost performance, and may have a wide application for medical genetics research.</p>

Relationship between acute dipterex poisoning and oxidative stress and free radical damage / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study relationship between acute dipterex poisoning and oxidative stress and free radical damage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-two patients with acute dipterex poisoning (ADPP) and ninety-two healthy adult volunteers (HAV) were enrolled in the study with randomized controlled trial design. Plasma levels of vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE), as well as level of lipoperoxide (LPO) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the red blood cells (RBC), were determined by spectrophotometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Levels of VC and VE, and activities of SOD and AChE were (37.35 +/- 9.98) micromol/L, (16.57 +/- 4.54) micromol/L, (1 785 +/- 154) U/g Hb and (213.1 +/- 57.6) U/g Hb, respectively, in the ADPP group, significantly lower than those in the HAV group, (55.34 +/- 15.98) micromol/L, (25.66 +/- 7.24) micromol/L, (2 124 +/- 185) U/g Hb and (305.3 +/- 83.6) U/g Hb, respectively. Plasma level of LPO was (35.20 +/- 5.29) nmol/g Hb in the ADPP group, significantly higher than that in the HAV group, (27.87 +/- 4.66) nmol/g Hb. Partial correlation analysis suggested that there existed negative correlation between activity of AChE in the RBC and plasma level of LPO (r = -0.274, P = 0.013) and positive correlation between activity of AChE in the RBC and plasma levels of VC and VE, and activity of SOD in the RBC (r = 0.333, P = 0.002, r = 0.269, P = 0.015 and r = 0.248, P = 0.026, respectively) in the ADPP, adjusted for age. Coefficient of reliability alpha was 0.682 (P < 0.001), with a standardized alpha of 0.868 (P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There exist severe oxidative stress and free radical damage in patients with acute dipterex poisoning.</p>