Comparison of effectiveness and cost of different HCV testing strategies in high-risk populations in China.

High-risk populations are the predominant populations affected by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and there is an urgent need for efficient and cost-effective HCV testing strategies for high-risk populations to identify potential undiagnosed HCV-infected individuals. This study compared several commonly used testing strategies and conducted effectiveness and cost analysis to select the appropriate testing strategy for diagnosing HCV infection in high-risk populations. Among the 2093 samples from high-risk populations in this study, 1716 were HCV negative, 237 were current HCV infection, 137 were past HCV infection, and three were acute early HCV infection. It was found that out of 237 patients with HCV current infection, Strategy A could detect 225 cases, with a missed detection rate of 5.06%, and the total cost was 33 299 RMB. In addition, Strategy B could detect 237 cases of current HCV infection, and the HCV missed detection rate was 0.00%, and the total cost was 147 221 RMB. While 137 cases of past HCV infection could be distinguished by strategy C, but 14 cases with current HCV infection were missed, with an HCV-positive missed detection rate of 5.91%, and the total cost for Strategy C was 43 059 RMB. In conclusion, in high-risk populations, the HCV positivity rate is typically higher. If feasible, the preferred approach is to directly conduct HCV RNA testing, which effectively minimizes the risk of missing cases. However, in situations with limited resources, it is advisable to initially choose a highly sensitive method for anti-HCV screening, followed by HCV RNA testing on reactive samples.

The signal-to-cutoff ratios to predict HCV infection among people who inject drugs.

People who inject drugs (PWIDs) are primarily the high-risk population for HCV infection. This study aims to determine the optimal cut-off values for predicting HCV infection status based on the Signal-to-Cutoff (S/CO) ratio. In this study, a total of 719 PWIDs' samples were collected, and performed for screening test by ELISA assay, and followed by RIBA assay and NAT assay to detect HCV antibody and HCV RNA levels, respectively. The findings revealed that the prevalence of HCV infection among PWIDs was 54.66% (393/719), and the false-positive rate of HCV antibody detection by ELISA assay among PWIDs was only 3.85% (16/416). In addition, when the optimal cut-off value for S/CO ratio was 2.0, the sensitivity and specificity of HCV antibody were 100.00% and 93.55%, respectively. And when the optimal cut-off value for S/CO ratio was 21.36, the sensitivity and specificity of HCV RNA positive were 89.90% and 72.73%, respectively. In conclusion, the status of HCV infection can be predicted based on the S/CO ratios of the ELISA assay, which can improve diagnosis and facilitate timely treatment to effectively prevent the spread of HCV infection.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients: a single-center retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS: We retrospectively collected and compared the data of patients with CDH admitted between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021(study group) with the CDH patients admitted before the pandemic between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019 (control group). RESULTS: During the pandemic, 41 patients with CDH diagnosed prenatally were transferred to our hospital, and 40 underwent surgical repair. The number of patients treated in our hospital increased by 24.2% compared with the 33 patients before the pandemic. During the pandemic, the overall survival rate, postoperative survival rate and recurrence rate were 85.4%, 87.5% and 7.3%, respectively, and there were no significant differences compared with the control group (75.8%, 83.3% and 9.1%, respectively). The average length of hospital stay in patients admitted during the pandemic was longer than that in the control group (31 days vs. 16 days, P < 0.001), and the incidence of nosocomial infection was higher than that in the control group (19.5% vs. 3%, P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: CDH patients confirmed to be SARS-CoV-2 infection-free can receive routine treatment. Our data indicate that the implementation of protective measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with appropriate screening and case evaluation, do not have a negative impact on the prognosis of children.

Propofol Augments Paclitaxel-Induced Cervical Cancer Cell Ferroptosis In Vitro.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is common in women. The present standardized therapies including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are still not enough for treatment. Propofol is the most commonly used intravenous anesthetic agent for induction and maintenance of anesthesia and has been shown to exert anti-malignancy effects on cancer cells, inducing oxidative stress and apoptosis. However, the biological effects of propofol have not yet been systematically assessed. In this study, we examined the ferroptosis-related changes caused by propofol and the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel besides apoptosis in vitro. Methods: Cervical cancer cell lines (C-33A and HeLa) were treated with propofol alone (1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 µg/ml) or in combination with paclitaxel (0.5, 1, and 5 µg/ml). The viability was assessed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, morphological changes of mitochondria were examined using transmission electron microscope (TEM), cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and intracellular ferrous ions were determined by fluorescence microscope or confocal microscopy. The expression and cellular localization of apoptosis and ferroptosis-related molecules were detected by Western blot and multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC), respectively. Calcusyn software was used to determine whether propofol has a synergistic effect with paclitaxel. Results: Propofol and paclitaxel inhibited C-33A and HeLa cell viability. There were also synergistic effects when propofol and paclitaxel were used in combination at certain concentrations. In addition, propofol promoted paclitaxel-induced cervical cancer cell death via apoptosis. ROS level and Fe2+ concentrations were also influenced by different drug treatments. Furthermore, propofol, propofol injectable emulsion, and paclitaxel induced ferroptosis-related morphological changes of mitochondria in C-33A and HeLa cells. Ferroptosis-related signaling pathways including SLC7A11/GPX4, ubiquinol/CoQ10/FSP1, and YAP/ACSL4/TFRC were found to be changed under drug treatments. Conclusion: Propofol showed synergistic anticancer effects with paclitaxel in cervical cancer cells. Propofol and paclitaxel may induce ferroptosis of cervical cancer cells besides apoptosis.

[Deep Learning-based Risk Prediction Model for Postoperative Healthcare-associated Infections].

Objective To develop a risk prediction model combining pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative vital signs for postoperative healthcare-associated infection(HAI)based on deep learning. Methods We carried out a retrospective study based on two randomized controlled trials(NCT02715076,ChiCTR-IPR-17011099).The patients who underwent elective radical resection of advanced digestive system tumor were included in this study.The primary outcome was HAI within 30 days after surgery.Logistic regression analysis and long short-term memory(LSTM)model based on iteratively occluding sections of the input were used for feature selection.The risk prediction model for postoperative HAI was developed based on deep learning,combining the selected pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative vital signs,and was evaluated by comparison with other models.Finally,we adopted the simulated annealing algorithm to simulatively adjust the vital signs during surgery,trying to explore the adjustment system that can reduce the risk of HAI. Results A total of 839 patients were included in this study,of which 112(13.3%)developed HAI within 30 days after surgery.The selected pre/intraoperative risk factors included neoadjuvant chemotherapy,parenteral nutrition,esophagectomy,gastrectomy,colorectal resection,pancreatoduodenectomy,hepatic resection,intraoperative blood loss>500 ml,and anesthesia time>4 h.The intraoperative vital signs significantly associated with HAI were in an order of heart rate>core body temperature>systolic blood pressure>diastolic blood pressure.Compared with multivariable Logistic regression model,random forest model,and LSTM model including vital signs only,this deep learning-based prediction model performed best(ACC=0.733,F1=0.237,AUC=0.728).The simulation via simulated annealing algorithm reduced the incidence of postoperative HAI.Moreover,the incidence decreased most in the case of reducing the initial annealing temperature and choosing the last 20% of surgery procedure. Conclusions This study developed a risk prediction model for postoperative HAI based on deep learning,which combined pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative basic vital signs.Using simulated annealing algorithm to adjust intraoperative vital signs could reduce the incidence of postoperative HAI to some extent.

[Influence of Pain-depression Comorbidity on Quality of Life in Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder].

Objective To investigate the incidence,treatment,therapeutic effect,and impact on quality of life of pain-depression comorbidity in the patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder(NMOSD).Methods The NMOSD patients comorbid with pain visiting the out-patient clinic of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were interviewed in a face-to-face manner by neurologists for evaluating the neurologic disease.Pain,depression,and quality of life were evaluated by anesthesiologists based on the brief pain inventory,the Beck depression inventory-Ⅱ,and the MOS 36-item short form health survey scales,respectively.Results Totally 81 patients were included in this study,among which 38(46.9%)patients comorbid with depression were enrolled in the comorbidity group.The pain severity showed no significant difference between the two groups(3.3±3.1 vs. 2.3±2.2,P=0.087).The daily life activities and health-related quality of life were more severely influenced in the patients with comorbidity than in the patients without comorbidity as illustrated by the breif pain inventory[general activity and normal work(P=0.001);mood,relationship with other people,and enjoyment of life(all P<0.001);walking ability(P=0.004);sleep(P=0.016)]and the MOS 36-item short form health survey scales[physical functioning(P=0.001);role-physical,bodily pain,general health,vitality,social functioning,role-emotional,mental health(all P<0.001)].Only 30.9% of pain sufferers received analgesic medications,with the mean pain reduction percentage of(53.6±28.9)%.None of the patients in this study took antidepressants.Conclusions Pain-depression comorbidity was common in NMOSD patients and severely influenced the quality of life of the patients.However,only a few patients received analgesic or antidepressant medications.Pain-depression comorbidity in NMOSD patients should be scrutinized.

Regional anesthesia and cancer recurrence in patients with late-stage cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Whether regional anesthesia may help to prevent disease recurrence in cancer patients is still controversial. The stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis is a key factor that defines prognosis and is one of the most important sources of heterogeneity for the treatment effect. We sought to update existing systematic reviews and clarify the effect of regional anesthesia on cancer recurrence in late-stage cancer patients. METHODS: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to September 2020 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that assessed the effect of regional anesthesia on cancer recurrence and overall survival (OS) compared with general anesthesia. Late-stage cancer patients were primarily assessed according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer Cancer Staging Manual (eighth edition), and the combined hazard ratio (HR) from random-effects models was used to evaluate the effect of regional anesthesia. RESULTS: A total of three RCTs and 34 cohort studies (including 64,691 patients) were identified through the literature search for inclusion in the analysis. The risk of bias was low in the RCTs and was moderate in the observational studies. The pooled HR for recurrence-free survival (RFS) or OS did not favor regional anesthesia when data from RCTs in patients with late-stage cancer were combined (RFS, HR = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58-2.18, P = 0.729, I2 = 76%; OS, HR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.63-1.18, P = 0.345, I2 = 48%). Findings from observational studies showed that regional anesthesia may help to prevent disease recurrence (HR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.78-0.96, P = 0.008, I2 = 71%) and improve OS (HR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79-0.98, P = 0.022, I2 = 79%). CONCLUSIONS: RCTs reveal that OS and RFS were similar between regional and general anesthesia in late-stage cancers. The selection of anesthetic methods should still be based on clinical evaluation, and changes to current practice need more support from large, well-powered, and well-designed studies.

Assessing Empathy in Anesthesia Residents with the Chinese Version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy: A Pilot Standardized Patient Program.

Objectives To validate the reliability of the Chinese version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) in physician-standardized patient (SP) encounter. We also tried to examine the agreement between video-based ratings and in-room ratings, as well as the agreement between the faculty ratings and SP ratings. Methods The CARE was translated into Chinese. Forty-eight anesthesia residents were recruited to make preoperative interview in SP-counter. Performance of each resident was graded by in-room raters, video raters and SP raters. Consistency between different raters was examined. Results The Chinese-CARE measure demonstrated high scale reliability with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.95 and high consistency in the in-room ratings in intraclass correlation (coefficient=0.888,P<0.001). Despite a good consistency in intraclass correlation, video ratings were significantly higher than in-room ratings (39.6±7.1vs. 24.0±10.0,P<0.001), and Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that the pass/fail rate was significantly higher based on video ratings than based on in-room ratings (45/48vs. 22/48, P<0.001). SP ratings had a moderate consistency with in-room faculty ratings (coefficient=0.568,P<0.001), and there was no significant difference between the pass/fail rates based on the in-room ratings and SP ratings (22/48vs. 28/48, P=0.12). Conclusions The Chinese-CARE measure is reliable in the assessment of empathy during preoperative anesthesia interview. In-room and video ratings are not equivalent, while SP may provide a feasible alternative for the faculty rater in the assessment of communication skills with an appropriate measure.

Electroacupuncture Attenuates Neuropathic Pain and Comorbid Negative Behavior: The Involvement of the Dopamine System in the Amygdala.

Neuropathic pain (NeuP) is an important clinical problem accompanying negative mood symptoms. Neuroinflammation in the amygdala is critically involved in NeuP, and the dopamine (DA) system acts as an important endogenous anti-inflammatory pathway. Electroacupuncture (EA) can improve the clinical outcomes in NeuP, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of EA on pain and pain-related depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors and explore the role of the DA system in the effects of EA. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the chronic constrictive injury (CCI) model to induce NeuP. EA treatment was carried out for 30 min once every other day for 3 weeks. The results showed that CCI caused mechanical hyperalgesia and depressive and anxiety-like behaviors in rats and neuroinflammation in the amygdala, such as an increased protein level of TNFα and IL-1ß and activation of astrocytes. EA treatment significantly improved mechanical allodynia and the emotional dysfunction induced by CCI. The effects of EA were accompanied by markedly decreased expression of TNFα, IL-1ß, and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) in the amygdala. Moreover, EA treatment reversed CCI-induced down-regulation of DA concentration, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression, and DRD1 and DRD2 receptors. These results suggest that EA-ameliorated NeuP may possibly be associated with the DA system to inhibit the neuroinflammation in the amygdala.

Evaluation of seven rapid diagnostic tests for detection of hepatitis C virus antibodies in China.

Rapid diagnostic tests as an attractive alternative to enzyme immunoassay could identify hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected persons more expeditiously. The availability of high performing and quality-assured rapid diagnostic tests are essential to scale-up HCV screening. The study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of seven domestic HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits. The kits were evaluated by using HCV serum panels, including HCV basic panel, analytical specificity panel, mixed titre performance panel, characteristic panel, seroconversion panel, and genotype qualification panel. The results showed that clinical sensitivity, clinical specificity and analytical specificity of seven rapid diagnostic tests kits ranged from 94% (95% CI: 83.2-98.6) to 100% (95% CI: 91.5-100). Furthermore, specimens with HCV genotypes 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6 could be detected by HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits, whereas specimens with genotypes 1a and 2b could not be detected. Additionally, most HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits had great performance in diagnosing different titres and/or different bands samples, but some low S/CO value specimens may not be fully detected by few rapid diagnostic test kits. In conclusion, seven HCV rapid diagnostic tests reagents presented high sensitivity, specificity, good anti-interference and detection ability of early infection, which could meet the requirements of clinical HCV antibody screening.

[Characteristics and Management of High-risk Maternal Patients in General Tertiary Hospital].

Objective To analyze the characteristics of high-risk maternal patients and evaluate the multidisciplinary medical care system we established correspondingly. Method We collected and analyzed the medical records of high-risk maternal patients who received medical care from January 1,2017 to December 31,2020 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Results Ninety-eight high-risk maternal patients were included in this study,and 84.7%(83/98)of them were combined with different severe systemic diseases.Under the multidisciplinary medical care system,91 patients showed improved conditions and were discharged,and the other 7 cases had poor prognosis. Conclusions General tertiary hospitals in Beijing are receiving maternal patients with more high-risk complications.Considering the high risk and diverse diseases of maternal patients admitted to our hospital,we established a medical care system composed of a multidisciplinary panel of experts for high-risk maternal patients to improve the medical care and prognosis of the patients with high efficiency.

Review of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder with Pain-Depression Comorbidity.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system predominantly targeting optic nerves and the spinal cord. The prevalence of the disease is much higher in Asia than in other parts of the world. Pain can be detected in more than 80% of NMOSD patients, with evoked pain mostly being caused by painful tonic muscle spasms and neuropathic pain as the most characteristic types. Depression is often comorbid with pain, and their comorbidity can severely influence quality of life. In recent years, studies have found considerable overlaps between the mechanisms of pain and depression; however, their association remains unclear. This article reviews the epidemiology, mechanism, evaluation and treatment of pain-depression comorbidity in NMOSD patients.

Anesthetic Considerations in a 98-year-old Man with Periprosthetic Femoral Shaft Fracture.

A 98-year-old male patient with history of hemiarthroplasty suffered periprosthetic fracture of right femoral shaft and developed acute coronary event in three days after hospitalization. Femoral nerve and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve blocks combined with general anesthesia were implemented for the internal fixation surgery. The recovery was uneventful after discharge. In this case report, we discussed the main considerations of anesthesia specifically for this complicated case.

[Adding Ondansetron in Morphine Intravenous Analgesia Pump for Prevention of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Women].

Objective To evaluate the application of adding ondansetron in morphine intravenous analgesia pump for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting(PONV)in women. Methods Data of surgical female inpatients who received general anesthesia and postoperative intravenous analgesia with morphine in our center from January 1st,2013 to December 31st,2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Based on whether ondansetron was added,patients were divided into the observation group(n=834) and the control group(n=856). Outcome variables including morphine consumption,visual analogue scale(VAS) score,nausea score,and total times of vomiting within 48 hours after surgery were collected and compared. Results Age(t=0.432,P=0.665),morphine consumption during the first post-operative day(t=0.599,P=0.548) and during the second post-operative day(t=0.236,P=0.813),maximum VAS score of postoperative pain during movement during the first post-operative day [3(2,4) vs. 3(2,5);Z=1.850,P=0.064] and at rest during the second post-operative day [0(0,1) vs. 0(0,1);Z=1.511,P=0.131] were not significantly different between two groups. While the maximum VAS score of postoperative pain at rest during the first post-operative day [0(0,2) vs.0(0,2);Z=2.435,P=0.015] and during movement during the second post-operative day [3(1,3)vs.3(2,4);Z=3.445,P=0.001] were significantly different between two groups. The maximum score of postoperative nausea(χ2=9.810,P=0.020) and cumulative frequency of postoperative vomiting(Z=3.726,P=0.002)in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group during the first post-operative day;however,there was no significant difference during the second post-operative day(χ2=5.017,P=0.170;Z=0.000,P=1.000). Logistic regression analysis showed that adding ondansetron in morphine intravenous analgesia pump was an independent influencing factor of reduced postoperative nausea. The probability of nausea during the first post-operative day was 0.781 time(P=0.015)of that in the control group and 0.736 time(P=0.030)during the second post-operative day. Conclusion Adding ondansetron in morphine intravenous analgesia pump may reduce PONV in women.

Efficacy and Safety of a Continuous Wound Catheter in Open Abdominal Partial Hepatectomy.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of continuous local anesthetic wound infiltration following open abdominal partial hepatectomy. Methods We performed a prospective, non-randomized, concurrent and controlled study. Patients undergoing open abdominal partial hepatectomy, according to their willingness, accepted one of the following managements for the postoperative pain: continuous wound catheter (CWC) infiltration, patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), patient-controlled intravenous analgesia of morphine (PCIAM), and patient-controlled intravenous analgesia of sufentanil (PCIAS). The primary outcome was postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at rest and on movement. Secondary outcomes included consumption of rescue medication, side effects, and complications associated with postoperative pain management. Results From August 2013 to December 2013, 80 patients were allocated to receive CWC (n=10), PCEA (n=22), PCIAM (n=29), or PCIAS (n=19). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, percentage of resected liver, operation time, and Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale, there was no significant difference in the VAS scores at rest or on movement between Group CWC and the other groups, namely PCEA, PCIAM, and PCIAS, at 4, 12, 48, and 72 hours postoperatively (all P>0.05). The need for rescue medication was not significantly different between Group CWC and the other three groups at 48 and 72 hours postoperatively (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting or anal exsufflation time between group CWC and the other three groups (all P>0.05). No severe adverse effects associated with continuous wound infiltration were observed during the study period. Conclusions CWC has a comparable analgesic effect compared with traditional analgesia Methods at most time points postoperatively. CWC is a safe alternative for the postoperative analgesic management of open liver surgery.

Hemodynamic Changes in Patients Undergoing Pericardiectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the hemodynamic changes in patients undergoing pericardiectomy at different operational stages. METHODS: Totally 16 consecutive patients receiving radical pericardiectomy were enrolled in this observational study. Hemodynamic variables were monitored continuously by pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output(PiCCO)system. Totally,three sets of intraoperative hemodynamic parameters were obtained at three different stages of pericardiectomy. RESULTS: During the pericardiectomy,the cardiac index[CI,(1.9±0.6),(2.7±0.6),(3.0±0.5)L·min(-1)·m(-2);P<0.05]and stroke volume index[SI,(22.5±8.7),(29.9±8.5),(30.1±8.5)dyn·s·cm(-5)·m(2);P<0.05]showed significant improvement,whereas central venous pressure[CVP,(17.1±5.0),(13.3±3.9),(12.3±3.0)mmHg;P<0.05]decreased significantly. Global end-diastolic volume index[GEDVi,(533±156),(580±153),(559±144)ml·m(-2);P<0.05]increased and stroke volume variation[SVV,(15.6±6.1)%,(10.8±4.2)%,(9.4±5.4)%;P<0.05]decreased intra-operatively. The majority of the above-mentioned hemodynamic improvements occurred after the resection of pericardium over the left ventricular outflow tract(LVOT). CONCLUSIONS: PiCCO system can serve as a reliable,less invasive hemodynamic monitoring method during pericardiectomy. Resection of the pericardium over the LVOT is the most important step of the pericardiectomy.

[Comparison of NucliSens HIV-1 QT and Amplicor HIV-1 monitor 1.5 in detecting HIV-1 viral load].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of detecting HIV-1 load by using NucliSens HIV-1 QT and Amplicor HIV-1 monitor 1.5 assays. METHODS: Eighty-two clinical samples were collected and HIV viral load was determined with the above-mentioned two methods. RESULTS: The number of samples in which values obtained by NucliSens HIV-1 QT and Amplicor HIV-1 monitor 1.5 differed by <0.5 log10 RNA copies/ml and in which the viral load was undetectable accounted for 88.9 percent of the measures. The correlation coefficient between the two methods was 0.956 in 56 samples of Deltalog10 VL<0.5. CONCLUSION: The results of HIV-1 viral load determination with the two methods are highly comparable.

[Effect of duration and temperature of sample preservation on the result of peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte count in HIV/AIDS patients].

BACKGROUND: By analyzing the CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte count of whole blood from HIV/AIDS patients, which were stored at different temperatures for various durations, the authors studied the ideal preserving condition for whole blood and processed, in a purpose of guaranteeing the accuracy of clinical testing of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte count. METHODS: Blood from 34 HIV carriers/AIDS patients, were kept at 4 degrees C for 2, 24, 48, or 72 h, and tested for CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte count using cytometric analysis. Part of the blood was processed, and kept at degrees C or room temperature for 2, 24, 48, or 72 h, then tested for CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte count. The results were compared statistically in parallel. RESULTS: Whole blood and processed samples preserved at degrees C showed no statistical difference in CD4+ T lymphocyte count among different preserving durations (P greater than 0.05), but CD8+ T lymphocyte counts were significantly different at 72 h (P less than 0.05). Processed samples at 72 h were significantly different in CD4+ T lymphocyte count(P less than 0.05), and significantly different in CD8+ T lymphocyte count at 24 h (P less than 0.05). At room temperature, samples at different duration were not significantly different in CD4+ T lymphocyte count, but significantly different in CD8+ T lymphocyte count at 48 and 72 h (P less than 0.05). CONCLUSION: There were stable results for performing analysis of the CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte count of the anticoagulated blood within 48 h. At room temperature, there were stable results for performing the analysis of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte count of processed samples within 24 h. Between 24 h and 48 h, although CD4+ count was stable, CD8+ count showed significant changes, so the ratio of CD4 to CD8 changed accordingly.