Association between vitamin D level and blood eosinophil count in healthy population and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with blood eosinophil count in healthy population and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).@*METHODS@#We analyzed the data of a total 6163 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examination in our hospital between October, 2017 and December, 2021, who were divided according to their serum 25(OH)D level into severe vitamin D deficiency group (< 10 ng/mL), deficiency group (< 20 ng/mL), insufficient group (< 30 ng/mL) and normal group (≥30 ng/mL). We also retrospectively collected the data of 67 COPD patients admitted in our department from April and June, 2021, with 67 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination in the same period as the control group. Routine blood test results, body mass index (BMI) and other parameters were obtained from all the subjects, and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between 25(OH)D levels and eosinophil count.@*RESULTS@#The overall abnormal rate of 25(OH)D level (< 30 ng/mL) in the healthy individuals was 85.31%, and the rate was significantly higher in women (89.29%) than in men. Serum 25(OH)D levels in June, July, and August were significantly higher than those in December, January, and February. In the healthy individuals, blood eosinophil counts were the lowest in severe 25(OH)D deficiency group, followed by the deficiency group and insufficient group, and were the highest in the normal group (P < 0.05). Multivariable regression analysis showed that an older age, a higher BMI, and elevated vitamin D levels were all risk factors for elevated blood eosinophils in the healthy individuals. The patients with COPD had lower serum 25(OH)D levels than the healthy individuals (19.66±7.87 vs 26.39±9.28 ng/mL) and a significantly higher abnormal rate of serum 25(OH)D (91% vs 71%; P < 0.05). A reduced serum 25(OH)D level was a risk factor for COPD. Blood eosinophils, sex and BMI were not significantly correlated with serum 25(OH)D level in patients with COPD.@*CONCLUSION@#Vitamin D deficiency is common in both healthy individuals and COPD patients, and the correlations of vitamin D level with sex, BMI and blood eosinophils differ obviously between healthy individuals and COPD patients.

Immune checkpoint pathways in immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma / 国际口腔科学杂志·英文版

With the understanding of the complex interaction between the tumour microenvironment and immunotherapy, there is increasing interest in the role of immune regulators in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Activation of T cells and immune checkpoint molecules is important for the immune response to cancers. Immune checkpoint molecules include cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death 1 (PD-1), T-cell immunoglobulin mucin protein 3 (TIM-3), lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3), T cell immunoglobin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (TIGIT), glucocorticoid-induced tumour necrosis factor receptor (GITR) and V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA). Many clinical trials using checkpoint inhibitors, as both monotherapies and combination therapies, have been initiated targeting these immune checkpoint molecules. This review summarizes the functional mechanism and use of various immune checkpoint molecules in HNSCC, including monotherapies and combination therapies, and provides better treatment options for patients with HNSCC.

Relationship of TN-C, MMP-9 and TGF-β1 with aorta atherosclerotic plaues in mice / 中华老年心脑血管病杂志

Objective To study the relationship of TN-C,MMP-9 and TGF-β1 expression with aorta atherosclerotic plaue stability in mice on long-term high fat diet.Methods Fifty male apo E/ mice on high fat diet served as an experimental group and 50 male C57BL/6 mice on basic diet served as a control group.The morphology of plaques was observed with HE staining and the expression of TN-C,MMP-9 and TGF-β1 was detected with immunohistochemical staining.Results The serum TC and LDL-C levels were significantly higher in experimental group than in control group at weeks 16,24,32 and 40 (P＜0.05).The serum TG level was significantly higher in experimental group than in control group at week 16 (P＜0.05) and was significantly lower in experimental group than in control group at week 40 (P＜0.05).With the lengthening of the feeding time,the plaque area,the ratio of plaque to lumen area,and the expression of TN-C and MMP-9 increased gradually,but the expression of TGF-β1 decreased gradually (P＜0.05).Conclusion The expression of TN-C,MMP-9 and TGF-β1 can show the stability of atherosclerotic plaques.

Effects of different treatment methods on renal anemia in maintenance hemodialysis patients with hyperparathyroidism secondary to uremia / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective To observe the effects of three treatment methods on renal anemia in maintenance hemodialysis patients with hyperparathyroidism secondary to uremia and analyze the influencing factors of erythropoietin (EPO) dosage. Methods A total of 55 maintenance hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism at the hemodialysis center of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University from January 2015 to December 2016 were retrospectively divided into three groups according to different treatment methods, parathyroidectomy +forearm transplantation group (surgery group, n=16), cinacalcet treatment group (n=6), and calcitriol treatment group (n=33), respectively. The hemoglobin level and erythropoietin dosage were measured before treatment and in the 3rd month, the 6th month and the 12th month after treatment. The changes of hemoglobin and erythropoietin dosage in the three groups before and after treatment were observed, and the mixed effect model was used to analyze the difference of the change of hemoglobin and erythropoietin dosage among three groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of EPO dosage after one year. Results The levels of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in the surgery group and the cinacalcet group before treatment were significantly higher than that in the calcitriol group (both P<0.05). In the 12th month after treatment, the levels of iPTH decreased significantly in the patients of surgery group and the cinacalcet group compared with those before treatment (both P<0.05). The levels of serum alkaline phosphatase, serum calcium and serum phosphorus in the surgery group also decreased significantly compared with those before treatment (all P<0.05). The mixed effect model analysis showed that the hemoglobin level of surgery group was on an upward trend after the treatment, and the overall level was significantly higher than cinacalcet and calcitriol treatment group (P=0.007). There was no significant difference in the dosage change of erythropoietin (EPO) in the three groups over time. However, the intra-group comparison of the mixed effect model showed that the dosage of EPO in the 12th month was significantly lower than that of before the treatment in surgery group (P=0.007). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that dialysis vintage (B=-0.064, P=0.012) and ferritin ≥ 500 μg/L (B=0.645, P=0.032) were independent influencing factors of EPO dosage. The longer the dialysis vintage, the less EPO dosage, and more EPO dosage were observed in patients with ferritin ≥ 500 μg/L. Conclusions Parathyroidectomy and forearm transplantation is more effective in reducing EPO dosage and improving renal anemia in maintenance hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Dialysis vintage and ferritin are independent influencing factors for the dosage of EPO.