Effect of local unstable atherosclerotic plaque on plaque formation in the carotid artery and abdominal aorta of rabbits / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the effect of local unstable atherosclerotic plaque on plaque formation in the carotid and aortic arteries of rabbits.@*METHODS@#Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into atherosclerosis model group, highfat diet feeding group, and normal chow feeding group (blank control group). In the model group, carotid artery balloon injury was induced after 4 weeks of high-fat diet feeding. Eight weeks later, all the rabbits were euthanized for histopathological examination of the carotid artery and abdominal aorta, and the mean intimal thickness and plaque to lumen area ratio were measured using image analysis software. Venous blood samples were collected from the rabbits for blood lipid analysis.@*RESULT@#At the ends of 4, 8 and 12 weeks, the rabbits in the model group and high-fat feeding group, but not those in the blank control group, all showed significant weight gain compared with their body weight at 0 week (P < 0.05). The mean intimal thickness was significantly greater in atherosclerosis model group than in the other two groups (P < 0.05). In atherosclerosis model group, the mean intimal thickness and plaque to lumen area ratio in the injured carotid artery were significantly greater than those in the contralateral carotid artery and abdominal aorta (P < 0.05). At the end of the 12 weeks, the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density cholesterol (HDL-C) and highsensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) were all significantly higher in the model group and high-fat feeding group than in the blank control group (P < 0.05); the levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, or HDL-C did not differ significantly between the model group and high-fat feeding group (P>0.05), but the level of CRP was significantly higher in arteriosclerosis model group (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Local unstable atherosclerotic plaque can increase the level of CRP and promote the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery and abdominal aorta in rabbits.

Risk factors for peritoneal dialysis drop-out in patients with end-stage kidney disease / 第二军医大学学报

Objective To analyze the baseline detection indicator and clinical data of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and to identify the risk factors for PD drop-out in ESKD patients, so as to provide reference for selecting dialysis modes. Methods The baseline data of 99 ESKD patients starting to receive PD in Changzheng Hospital, Second Military University from July 2011 to July 2012, were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into drop-out group (including patients who were dead and turned to hemodialysis) and continuous PD group according to whether they were dropped out during a follow-up of 3 years. Correlation analysis was done for preoperative examination indices and clinical data to identify the risk factors of PD drop-out. Results Ten renal transplant patients and 6 who were lost in follow-up were excluded and finally there were 83 patients included. Fifty patients were in the continous PD group and 33 patients were dropped out during a 3-year follow-up period, with 19 died and 14 transferred to hemodialysis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that presence of diabetes (P=0.003, HR:3.61, 95% CI:1.57-8.30), hyperphosphatemia (P<0.001, HR:1.65, 95% CI:1.26-2.13), and high serum total bilirubin (P=0.006, HR:1.11, 95% CI:1.03-1.19) were the independent risk factors of PD drop-out. In addition, age (P=0.035, HR:1.05, 95% CI:1.00-1.07) and anemia (P=0.016, HR:0.96, 95% CI:0.94-0.99) were the independent risk factors for all-caused mortality. Conclusion Presence of diabetes, hyperphosphatemia, and high serum total bilirubin are possible independent risk factors of PD drop-out.