Serum antibody levels in COVID-19 patients six months after hospital discharge / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo investigate the level of serum antibodies in COVID-19 patients six months after discharge， and to provide data to evaluate the duration of IgM， IgG and neutralizing antibody titers in the patients. MethodsEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to determine the antibody levels of IgM and IgG， and the new coronavirus live virus neutralization test was used to detect the neutralizing antibodies in the plasma of 181 recovered patients. ResultsThe IgG positive rate was 92.27% （167/181） in COVID-19 patients six months after discharge， while the lgM positive rate was 28.18% （51/181）. Six months after hospital discharge， 117 recovered patients （64.64%） were positive for IgG antibodies and negative for IgM antibodies， indicating that they had produced stable antibodies. This result suggested that they had been infected with the new coronavirus （SARS-CoV-2） and were in the recovery stage. The positive detection rate of neutralizing antibodies was as high as 91.71%. ConclusionSix months after infection with SARS-CoV-2， IgG antibodies produced in the patients continue to exist， and the neutralizing antibodies maintain a high and stable level. Results of this study have important guiding significance for future research on the durability of new coronavirus antibodies.

Serum antibody levels in COVID-19 patients six months after hospital discharge / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo investigate the level of serum antibodies in COVID-19 patients six months after discharge， and to provide data to evaluate the duration of IgM， IgG and neutralizing antibody titers in the patients. MethodsEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to determine the antibody levels of IgM and IgG， and the new coronavirus live virus neutralization test was used to detect the neutralizing antibodies in the plasma of 181 recovered patients. ResultsThe IgG positive rate was 92.27% （167/181） in COVID-19 patients six months after discharge， while the lgM positive rate was 28.18% （51/181）. Six months after hospital discharge， 117 recovered patients （64.64%） were positive for IgG antibodies and negative for IgM antibodies， indicating that they had produced stable antibodies. This result suggested that they had been infected with the new coronavirus （SARS-CoV-2） and were in the recovery stage. The positive detection rate of neutralizing antibodies was as high as 91.71%. ConclusionSix months after infection with SARS-CoV-2， IgG antibodies produced in the patients continue to exist， and the neutralizing antibodies maintain a high and stable level. Results of this study have important guiding significance for future research on the durability of new coronavirus antibodies.

Value of the Ratio of Occluder Versus Atrial Septal Length for Predicting Arrhythmia Occurrence after Transcatheter Closure in Children with Ostium Secundum Atrial Septal Defect / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Transcatheter occlusion has been applied to treat ostium secundum atrial septal defect (OS ASD) since 1997. During the clinical practice, several postoperative complications including arrhythmia have been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the value of the ratio of atrial septal occluder (ASO) versus atrial septal length (ASL) for predicting arrhythmia occurrence after transcatheter closure in children with OS ASD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six hundred and fifty-one children diagnosed with OS ASD underwent occlusion procedures after completing routine examinations. The onsets and types of arrhythmia both during and after the occlusion procedures were monitored. Treatments were given based on the individual types of arrhythmia. The binary logistic regression analysis and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used in the analysis of value of the ratio of ASO/ASL for predicting postoperative arrhythmia occurrence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Transcather occlusions were conducted in 651 children, among whom 7 children had different types and degrees of arrhythmia, with an incidence of 1.1%. The types of arrhythmia included sinus bradycardia, atrial premature beats, bundle branch block, and different degrees of atrioventricular block. Normal electrocardiograph findings were resumed in these 7 patients following active therapies such as corticoids, nutrition, and surgeries. The binary logistic regression and ROC analysis suggested that the ratio of ASO/ASL exhibited an intermediate predictive value for predicting arrhythmia occurrence after occlusion procedures. A cut-off value of 0.576 in the ratio provided a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 76.2% with an area under the ROC curve of 0.791 (95% confidence intervals, 0.655-0.926; P < 0.05) in predicting arrhythmia occurrence after the closure procedures.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The ratio of ASO/ASL might be a useful index for predicting arrhythmia occurrence after closure procedures in children with OS ASD.</p>

A Retrospective Study of 1,526 Cases of Transcatheter Occlusion of Patent Ductus Arteriosus / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases and began to get treated by transcatheter occlusion since 1997 in China. Since then, several devices have been invented for occluding PDA. This study aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility, safety, and efficacy of transcatheter occlusion of PDA with different devices.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One thousand five hundred and twenty-six patients (537 boys, 989 girls) with PDA from January 1997 to September 2014 underwent descending aortogram and transcatheter occlusion procedure. We retrospectively analyzed data of these patients, including gender, age, weight, size and morphology of PDA, and devices used in transcatheter occlusion, outcomes, and postoperational complications.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Median age and median weight were 4.0 years (range: 0.3-52.0 years old) and 15.3 kg (range: 4.5-91.0 kg), respectively. Mean ductal diameter, aortic ductal diameter, ductal length, and pulmonary artery pressure were 3.50 ± 2.15 mm, 10.08 ± 2.46 mm, 7.49 ± 3.02 mm, and 30.21 ± 17.28 mmHg, respectively. Morphology of PDA assessed by descending aortogram was of type A in 1428 patients, type B in 6 patients, type C in 79 patients, type D in 4 patients, and type E in 9 patients according to the classification of Krichenko. Of all the 1526 patients, 1497 patients underwent transcatheter PDA closure, among which 1492 were successful. Devices used were Amplatzer duct occluder I (ADO I, 1280, 85.8%), Cook detachable coils (116, 7.8%), ADO II (ADO II, 68, 4.6%), muscular VSD occluder (12, 0.8%), and Amplatzer vascular plug (16, 1.0%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Excellent occlusion rates with low complication rates were achieved with all devices regardless of PDA types. With transcatheter occlusion technique and devices developing, more patients with PDA can be treated with transcatheter closure both safely and efficiently.</p>

A long-term follow-up study on the clinical treatment of 75 cases with primary endocardial fibroelastosis / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize and analyze the effects of treatment and prognosis of infants with endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) in different states of the illness undergone relevant therapies, and to understand the roles of different treatments for improving the prognosis of the disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data of 75 cases with EFE admitted into Anzhen Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from August 1984 to June 2006 were analyzed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Of the 75 cases with EFE (40 males and 35 females), with the onset age ranged from 20-days to two years and eight months, 69 cases were treated normally and followed up in the Outpatient Department of the Hospital after discharge, the follow-up rate was 92%, with the follow-up span from six months to 23 years (5.7 years in average). During the follow-up, six cases (8.7%) died. (2) The total curative rate of EFE patients was 46.4% (32/69), while the improvement rate was 40.6% (28/69), the total rate of the cure and improvement was 87%. (3) The average value of ejection fraction (EF) of left ventricle of all the patients returned to normal two years after treatment (EF value was 55.86 ± 2.85), the percentage of patients with normal left ventricle EF at 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years after treatment was 42.6% (26/61), 64.4% (29/45), 70.7% (29/41) and 84.6% (22/26), respectively. The average value of cardiothoracic (C/T) ratio became normal three years after treatment through X ray examination (0.50 ± 0.01), however the average value of the LVDD had not been returned to normal 3 years after treatment. At 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years after treatment, the proportion of patients with normal LVDD was 0% (0/61), 13.3% (6/45), 53.7% (22/41) and 84.6% (22/26), respectively. (4) The average value of EF became normal one year after treatment in the glucocorticoid group (EF value 58.44 ± 5.10) in 37 cases scored < 22 at the first visit, while the average value of C/T normalized two years after treatment (0.50 ± 0.00); The average value of EF became normal three years after treatment in the glucocorticoid plus cyclophosphamide group (EF 57.33 ± 3.43) in 29 cases scored < 22 at the first visit, however the average value of the C/T and the LVDD did not return to normal 3 years after treatment. (5) Use of IVIG reduced the percentage of patients who received cyclophos-phamide. (6) The recovery of intimal thickness was slow in EFE patients, the span was four years on the average (1 - 8 years), the percentage of patients whose endocardium became normal 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years after treatment was 9.85% (6/61), 22.2% (10/45), 51.2% (21/41), 100% (29/29).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The long-term continuous normal treatment of patients with EFE showed good therapeutic effects. For severe and refractory cases, immunotherapy must be strengthened and maintained for longer time. For those who clinically recovered, the quantity of activity should be restricted after the treatment is discontinued, and the re-examination should be done timely for further management.</p>