Needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training for post-stroke cognitive impairment: a multi-center randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVES@#To compare the efficacy of needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training and electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training in the treatment of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI).@*METHODS@#A total of 206 patients with PSCI were randomized into a needle retaining group (103 cases, 9 cases dropped out) and an electroacupuncture group (103 cases, 6 cases dropped out). In addition to the conventional basic medical treatment and the rehabilitation treatment, in the needle retaining group, electroacupuncture at Shenting (GV 24) and Baihui (GV 20) was applied, with continuous wave of 50 Hz in the first 15 min and with disperse-dense wave of 2 Hz/50 Hz in the last 15 min, the needles were continuously retained for 1 h after electroacupuncture, during which cognitive training was adopted; in the electroacupuncture group, cognitive training was performed after the same electric stimulation exerted for 30 min, without additional needles retaining. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week for totally 8 weeks in the two groups. Before and after 8-week treatment, the TCM syndrome score was observed; before and after 4,8-week treatment, the scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and ability of daily living were observed in the two groups. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated after 8-week treatment.@*RESULTS@#After 8-week treatment, the TCM syndrome scores were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05); the TCM syndrome score in the needle retaining group was higher than that in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05).After 4,8-week treatment, the scores of MMSE, MoCA and ability of daily living were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05); MMSE, MoCA scores after 4,8-week treatment and ability of daily living score after 8-week treatment in the needle retaining group were higher than those in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 90.4% (85/94) in the needle retaining group, which was superior to 82.5% (80/97) in the electroacupuncture group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Both needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training and electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training can effectively treat PSCI, improve the clinical symptom, cognitive function and ability of daily living in PSCI patients. Needle retaining after electroacupuncture combined with cognitive training has a better therapeutic effect.

The value of endoscopic mucosal resection for dysplasia and early-stage cancer of the esophagus and gastric cardia / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the long-term effect and clinical value of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) with transparent cap for dysplasia and early-stage cancer of the esophagus and gastric cardia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From September 1996 to June 2007, 154 lesions in the esophagus or gastric cardia of 147 patients were treated using EMR with transparent cap. Among the lesions, there were 69 early-stage squamous-cell carcinomas in 64 patients and 47 squamous cell precancerous lesions of the esophagus in 45 patients, with an average lesion size of (14.8 +/- 6.1) mm (range, 3-40 mm), furthermore, there were 23 early-stage adenocarcinomas in 23 patients and 15 precancerous lesions in the gastric cardia in 15 patients, with an average lesion size of (8.2 +/- 4.3) mm (rang, 5-25 mm). All lesions were finally confirmed histopathologically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 154 lesions, 139 (90.3%) were resected completely through EMR procedure. A close relationship between the complete resection rate and the lesion size was observed. The bigger the lesion size, the lower the complete resection rate. Endoscopic follow-up was carried out in 7 patients for more than 10 years, in 43 for 5 - 10 years, in 31 for 3 - 5 years and in 66 for less than 3 years. Of 11 dead patients during following-up, 10 died of other diseases, only 1 of recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 96.2% for early-stage esophageal cancer, and 100% for early cancer of the gastric cardia. Perioperative complications included oozing bleeding in 5 patients (3.4%) and stricture in 1 (0.7%), no perforation occurred in this series.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Endoscopic mucosal resection is suitable to treat precancerous lesions or early-stage esophageal cancers without invasion into submucosa. Compared with conventional resection through open thoracotomy, similar long-term survival and curative effect can be achieved by this EMR treatment, preserving a good quality of life.</p>

Clinical value of esophageal mucosal iodine stain during esophagoscopy for patients without swallowing symptoms / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical value of esophageal mucosal iodine stain during esophagoscopy for patients with early esophageal carcinoma or precancerous lesions without swallowing symptoms, through analyzing the correlation between endoscopic findings and pathological results of biopsy on the suspicious spots.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>For 366 patients examined by iodine stain during esophagoscopy, the position, size, shape and boundary of all visible unstained lesions were recorded and multiple biopsies were taken on the unstained spots.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Before iodine stain, 462 lesions had been discovered in 366 patients. However, 478 abnormal lesions stained in 341 patients were detected after iodine stain, the remaining 25 gave no abnormal findings. More than 1/3 of patients were found to have more than 2 abnormally stained lesions. 28.4% of them (104 cases) had moderate or severe dysplasia or early esophageal cancer. The sensitivity of iodine stain in this series was 89.8%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Iodine stain is very useful in detecting occult early esophageal carcinoma and precancerous lesions. The degree of coloration and the margin of suspicious spots are closely correlated with the pathological results.</p>

The NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 C609T polymorphism and susceptibility to esophageal cancer / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of the NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) C609T polymorphism with susceptibility to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in a northern Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The NQO1 C609T genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) analysis in 193 patients with ESCC and 141 unrelated healthy controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency of the T allele (null) among ESCC patients was significantly higher than that among healthy controls (Chi-square=4.86, P=0.028). The NQO1 C/C and C/T genotype distribution among ESCC patients was not significantly different from that among healthy controls (Chi-square= 2.27 and 0.127; P=0.132 and 0.721, respectively). However, the T/T genotype frequency among ESCC patients was significantly higher than that among healthy controls (Chi-square=4.39, P=0.036). The NQO1 T/T genotype significantly increased the risk for developing ESCC, compared to the combination of C/C and C/T genotypes, with the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.81 (95%CI: 1.04-3.15). This increased susceptibility exhibited pronouncedly in patients with family history of upper gastrointestinal cancers (adjusted OR=2.22, 95%CI 1.18-4.17).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Determination of the NQO1 C609T genotype may be used as a stratification marker to predicate high-risk individuals for ESCC.</p>

p53 gene polymorphism with susceptibility to esophageal cancer and lung cancer in Chinese population / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of p53 codon 72 polymorphism with susceptibility to esophageal cancer and lung cancer in the northern Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>p53 codon 72 genotyping was performed by amplifying DNA fragments with sequence specific primers among 173 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 98 with non-small cell lung carcinoma as well as 136 healthy controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant difference of p53 allelotype and genotype distribution was observed between esophageal cancer and lung cancer patients. The Pro allele frequency was significantly higher among esophageal cancer and lung cancer patients than among healthy controls (P value was 0.024 and 0.027 respectively). There were no significant differences in Pro/Arg and Arg/Arg genotype frequency among cancer patients and healthy controls (P > 0.05). However, the Pro/Pro genotype frequency was significantly higher among esophageal cancer and lung cancer patients than among healthy controls (P value was 0.041 and 0.026 respectively). The risk of Pro homozygotes for both esophageal cancer and lung cancer was about 2 times against Arg homozygotes with adjusted odds ratio of 2.12 (95% CI = 1.13 - 4.01) and 2.30 (95% CI = 1.13 - 4.93), respectively. There was no interaction between p53 Pro/Pro genotype and smoking status to the risk for esophageal cancer and lung cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the northern Chinese population, p53 Pro/Pro genotype is an independent risk factor for both esophageal cancer and lung cancer. The possible common genetic basis of the development of these two cancers is suggested by this study.</p>