Clinical characteristics of abnormal savda syndrome type in human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients: A cross-sectional investigation in Xinjiang, China / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the distribution of abnormal hilit syndromes in traditional Uighur medicine (TUM) among human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients, and to find out the clinical characteristics of abnormal savda syndrome type HIV/AIDS patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Between June and July in 2012, 307 eligible HIV/AIDS patients from in-patient department and out-patient clinics of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region the Sixth People's Hospital in Urumqi were investigated. TUM syndrome differentiation was performed by a senior TUM physician. Each participant completed a Sign and Symptom Check-List for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (SSC-HIV) questionnaire. Depression was evaluated by using Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression Questionnaire. Blood specimen was collected from each participant to test the levels of blood chemicals.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of 307 HIV/AIDS patients, 189 (61.6%) were abnormal savda syndrome type, 118 (38.4%) were non-abnormal-savda syndrome type. Mean CD4 counts of abnormal savda syndrome type patients was (227.61±192.93) cells/µL, and the prevalence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated cystatin C were 49.7%, 28.6%, and 44.7%, which were significantly higher than those in the non-abnormal-savda syndrome type patients (26.3%, 16.0% and 25.0%,P<0.05). In addition, depression (79.9%) and HIV/AIDS-related symptoms such as fatigue (42.3%), back aches (40.7%), lack of appetite (33.9%), night sweats (31.7%) were more common among abnormal savda syndrome patients (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Abnormal savda syndrome is the dominant syndrome among HIV/AIDS patients, and they present a more sever clinical manifestation.</p>

Comparison on efficacy and safety between domestic levosimendan versus dobutamine for patients with acute decompensated heart failure / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the efficacy and safety of domestic levosimendan versus dobutamine for patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ADHF patients from 8 medical centers were recruited in this multicenter, blind, positive-controlled, randomized study and received 24 h intravenous levosimendan (n = 114) or dobutamine (n = 114) therapy. SWAN-GANZ catheter was performed in patients with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≥ 15 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) and cardiac index (CI) ≤ 2.5 L·min(-1)×m(-2) (n = 39 each).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with baseline level, LVEF increased [(31.56 ± 9.69)% vs. (28.44 ± 7.08)%, P < 0.01] at 24 h in both groups. LVEF increase at 24 h was similar between two groups [(3.11 ± 6.90)% vs. (3.00 ± 6.63)%, P > 0.05]. The PCWP decrease at 24 h was significantly greater in levosimendan group than in dobutamine group [(-8.90 ± 7.14) mm Hg vs. (-5.64 ± 6.83) mm Hg, P = 0.04]. Decrease in NT-proBNP at 3 days was also more significant in levosimendan group than in dobutamine group [the percentage change compared to baseline: (-22.36 ± 38.98)% vs. (-8.56 ± 42.42)%, P < 0.01]. Dyspnea improvement at 24 h was more significant in levosimendan group than in dobutamine group. The incidences of adverse reactions and events were similar between two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>LVEF improvement is similar between dobutamine and domestic levosimendan while greater decreases in PCWP and NT-proBNP are achieved with domestic levosimendan in patients with ADHF.</p>

Relationship between plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and GRACE risk stratification in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level obtained on admission and global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) scores and the value for risk stratification in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 231 NSTE-ACS patients admitted in our hospital between June 2009 and September 2010 were included [161 patients with unstable angina (UA) and 70 patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)]. On admission plasma NT-proBNP was measured in all patients. The GRACE risk score were used for risk assessment. Patients were followed up for 6 months and incidence of new or recurrent myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, cardiac death, heart failure (MACE) was recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>According to GRACE risk stratification, there were 62 low-risk patients, 78 middle-risk patients and 91 high-risk patients. lgNT-proBNP level on admission increased in proportion to increasing risk defined by GRACE risk stratification and lgNT-proBNP positively correlated with GRACE risk score (r = 0.59, P < 0.001). The GRACE risk score was the highest in the fourth NT-proBNP quartile (P < 0.001 vs. lowest, second and third quartiles). GRACE score was significantly higher in patients with NT-proBNP level above the 75 percentile compared patients with NT-proBNP under the 75 percentile (P < 0.001). MACE occurred in 9 [3.9% (9/231)] patients during follow up. ROC analysis showed AUC of on admission NT-proBNP was 0.831 (SE = 0.062, P = 0.001, 95%CI 0.711 - 0.952) and AUC of GRACE risk score was 0.799 (SE = 0.079, P = 0.002, 95%CI 0.644 - 0.954) for predicting the short-term risk of MACE (P = 0.75).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>On admission plasma NT-proBNP level parallels GRACE risk score in NSTE-ACS patients, both on admission plasma NT-proBNP level and GRACE risk score are valuable parameters for risk stratification in patients with NSTE-ACS and increased NT-proBNP level and GRACE values are predictors for increased short-term risk of MACE.</p>

Proliferation, migration and apoptosis activities of endothelial progenitor cells in acute coronary syndrome / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>There are numerous articles on the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in different disease conditions. However, the functional properties of EPCs in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are still uncertain. Here we aimed to study the number and functions of EPCs in ACS patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients were enrolled with admitted ACS (n = 25) and another 25 gender-, age-, atherosclerotic risk factors-matched stable coronary artery disease (CAD) controls. EPCs were defined as CD34(+)/CD133(+)/VEGFR-2(+) and quantified by flow cytometry. Moreover, functional properties of EPCs including colony-forming unit (CFU), proliferation, migration as well as apoptosis were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was detected in all patients as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The two groups had similar medication and clinical characteristics on admission. The EPCs in ACS patients were more than 2.6 times that in stable CAD subjects (15.6 ± 2.7 vs. 6.0 ± 0.8/100 000 events, P < 0.01). CFU was not statistically different between the two groups (10.8 ± 2.9 vs. 8.2 ± 1.8, number/well, P > 0.05). Furthermore, EPCs isolated from ACS patients were significantly impaired in their proliferation (0.498 ± 0.035 vs. 0.895 ± 0.067, OD value, P < 0.01) and migration capacity (20.5 ± 3.4 vs. 30.7 ± 4.3, number/well, P < 0.01) compared with controls. Moreover, the apoptosis cell in cultured EPCs was drastically increased in ACS group ((18.3 ± 2.1)% vs. (7.8 ± 0.4)%, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Patients with ACS exhibited apparently increased circulating EPCs as well as cultured apoptosis percentage together with a remarkable impairment of proliferation and migration activities compared with stable CAD subjects.</p>

Pharmacokinetics of paroxetine tablet in healthy Chinese volunteers / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the pharmacokinetics of paroxetine tablet in Chinese healthy volunteers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty healthy subjects received a single oral dose of 40 mg paroxetine tablet. The plasma concentrations of paroxetine were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the measurements were analyzed with 3P97 program.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The plasma concentration curve of paroxetine following a single oral dose administration conformed to the two-compartment open model. The main pharmacokinetics parameters of paroxetine were: C(max)64.74-/+18.43 ng/ml, T(max)5.64-/+1.84 h, t(1/2) 20.03-/+5.33 h, AUC(0-120) 976.47-/+309.49 ng.h/ml, and AUC(0-inf) 1086.75-/+376.54 ng.h/ml.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The pharmacokinetics of paroxetine in human body conforms to the two-compartment open model.</p>