Relationship between psychological distress and T lymphocyte in HIV/AIDS patients / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between psychological distress and T lymphocyte counts in HIV/AIDS patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 102 HIV/AIDS patients were measured by symptom check list (SCL-90), self-rating depressive scale (SDS) and self-rating anxiety scale (SAS). Patients were divided into 2 groups based on CD4+ T lymphocyte counts < 0.2 x 10(9)/L (group A) and > or = 0.2 x 10(9)/L(group B).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>77 cases (75.49%) had psychological problems, including depression, relationship problems, psychosis, force etc. The prevalence of depression and anxiety were 67.65% (69/102) and 43.13% (44/102) respectively. The symptom of depression and anxiety of patients in group A were severer than those in group B (P < 0.05). The CD4+ T lymphocyte counts were significantly negatively correlated with the total score, depression score, paranoid score and psychosis score of SCL-90 (all P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Most of the HIV/AIDS patients were in an obviously abnormal psychological status. The psychological distress symptom of HIV/AIDS patients might had negative effects on the number of CD4+ T lymphocyte.</p>

Dose of glucocorticosteroids in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To survey the dose of glucocorticosteroids administered in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and assess the effect of glucocorticosteroid doses in improving the patients' lung function.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective analysis was conducted among 225 SARS patients treated in our in 2003. Oxygenation index was used as the effectness index, and the criteria for effectiveness was defiend as increase of the value of OI by 20% or above.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Glococoticostecoids were used in 59.56% of the SARS cases. The average value of OI before intravenous use of glucocorticosteroids was 237.08 mmHg, and that after the administration was 335.08 mmHg. The glucocorticosteroid doses that produce better effects were 1-3 mg/kg and 160-240 mg daily, with the total accumulative dose of 1000-2000 mg. The optimal duration of glucocorticosteroid use was 8-14 days.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>For SARS treatment, Glucocorticosteroids can effectively ameliorate the SARS patients' lung symptoms and improve the lung function. The appropriate daily dose of glucocorticosteroids is 1-3 mg/kg or 160-240 mg/d for a duration of 8-14 d; the accumulative dose should be controlled around 1500 mg.</p>

Association of serum leptin and insulin resistance with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship among serum leptin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), body mass index (BMI) and dyslipidema in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-two patients with NAFLD were divided into mild, moderate and severe NAFLD groups according histological examination results of the liver. Twenty healthy volunteers were chosen as the normal control (NC) group. Fasting insulin, glucose, leptin and lipid levels were measured in the 82 patients with NAFLD and the BMI calculated. IR index of the patients was calculated according to the HOMA method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Leptin, HOMA-IR index, BMI and dyslipidemia showed significant differences between NAFLD and NC groups (P<0.05 or 0.01). Leptin and HOMA-IR index increased with the exacerbation of NAFLD, both of which were positively correlated with the severity of NAFLD.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Increased leptin level, HOMA-IR, BMI and dyslipidemia can be important risk factors of NAFLD, and serum leptin level and HOMA-IR are positively correlated with the severity of NAFLD.</p>