The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and circulating tau levels: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that impairs memory, thinking, language, and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest of tasks. Tau protein, the major component of neurofibrillary tangles, is considered a key mediator of AD pathogenesis. The association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and circulating tau remains unclear. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between OSA and circulating tau via quantitative analysis. METHODS: A systematic search of Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science were performed. The mean values of circulating total tau (T-tau) and phosphorylated tau (P-tau) in OSA and control groups were extracted. Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated by using a random-effect model or fixed-effect model. RESULTS: A total of seven studies comprising 233 controls and 306 OSA patients were included in this study. The meta-analysis showed that the circulating T-tau level was significantly higher in OSA patients than those in the control group (SMD = 1.319, 95% CI = 0.594 to 2.044, z = 3.56, p < .001). OSA patients also had significantly higher circulating P-tau level than control group (SMD = 0.343, 95% CI = 0.122 to 0.564, z = 3.04, p = .002). CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis demonstrated that both circulating T-tau and P-tau levels were significantly increased in OSA subjects when compared with non-OSA subjects. Larger sample-size studies on the association between OSA and circulating tau are still required to further validate our results.

Effect of positive airway pressure on glomerular filtration rate in patients with sleep-disordered breathing: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has been suggested to be associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Positive airway pressure (PAP) is an effective treatment for SDB, but the impact of PAP therapy on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in patients with SDB remains unclear. The present meta-analysis was performed to determine whether PAP therapy could increase GFR. DESIGN: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane library was performed for literature published up to January 2016. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated to estimate the treatment effects of pre- and post-PAP therapy. RESULTS: A total of eight studies with 240 patients were pooled into a meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that there was no change of GFR before and after PAP treatment in SDB patients (SMD = 0.010, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = -0.331 to 0.350, z = 0.06, p = 0.956), Subgroup analyses indicated that GFR was significantly increased after PAP treatment in elder patients (≥55 years) (SMD = -0.283, 95 % CI = -0.518 to -0.047, z = 2.35, p = 0.019) and patients with therapeutic duration ≥ 3 months (SMD = -0.276, 95 % CI = -0.522 to -0.031, z = 2.20, p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis suggested that PAP treatment had no impact on GFR in SDB patients. However, longer PAP usage for SDB patients significantly improved GFR. In elder SDB subjects, PAP was also associated with a statistically significant increase in GFR.

[Pulmonary cryptococcosis: analysis of 38 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features, radiology, diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary cryptococcosis. METHODS: A total of 38 cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis, confirmed by pathological examinations at Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University from March 2003 to February 2010, were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: All of the cases were community-acquired. The patients consisted of 29 males and 9 females, aged from 21 to 70 years. There were no underlying diseases in 29 cases. The CD(4) cell numbers were normal in 20 patients. Radiological study showed that the majority of the lesions (35 cases) were close to the pleura. Lower lungs were often involved (left 21 and right 23). Pulmonary nodules, either solitary nodules (11 cases) or multiple nodules (16 cases), were the most common CT finding. The lesions had a higher standardized uptake value (SUV) in 4 patients with a PET-CT scan. The lung specimens of 33 cases were obtained by CT guided transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy. The disease was cured in 34 cases, and improved in 3 cases, but 1 died. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary cryptococcosis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions of the lungs. The disease has some characteristics on radiology, such as multiple lesions, always close to the pleura and occurs frequently in the lower lungs. CT guided percutaneous biopsy is a safe and effective method for diagnosis.

[Study on injuries and ways of coping to them among primary and middle school students in one rural area of Anhui province].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the current epidemiological characteristics of injuries among primary and middle school students in one rural area of Anhui province and to explore the relationship between the ways of coping and related injuries. METHODS: Through cluster sampling methods, all students from 3 to 9 grades in 5 primary schools and 3 middle schools in Changfeng county of Anhui province were investigated with questionnaire. All participants completed an anonymous questionnaire concerning their experiences with injuries during the 12 months preceding the survey. The ways of coping to injuries were evaluated by Trait Coping Style Questionnaire. Factors associated with injuries were identified using a negative binomial regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 2917 students, the annual event-based rate of injuries was 17.4 per 100 students. Positive coping score had no significant differences between the injury and non-injury groups (33.98 ± 6.38 vs. 33.66 ± 6.37) (t = 0.979, P = 0.328). The score of negative coping style was higher in injury group than in non-injury group (27.65 ± 7.79 vs. 26.54 ± 7.62) (t = 2.775, P = 0.006). Statistically, the annual injury rates were significantly different in three groups on their negative styles of coping (χ(2) = 6.131, P = 0.013). Data from the multivariable negative binomial regression analysis, after adjusted for demographic characteristics, showed no significant difference on the relationship between positive coping style and injury incidence. Those with moderate negative style of coping had lower risks compared to those with highly negative one (IRR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.63 - 0.94). CONCLUSION: Negative ways of coping was an important risk factor for injuries. Data from our research suggested that psychological preventive measure need to be taken to improve the style of coping. It was also important to promote the related personality development in planning the strategies for future prevention on injuries.

[Study on the current status and influential factors of neglect of left-behind children in rural area of Anhui province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the status and influential factors of those neglect of left-behind children in rural area, and to provide bases for the development of intervention measures. METHODS: 2917 students were selected as the study subjects from Changfeng county of Anhui province with cluster sampling method and were evaluated by a Parents-Child Conflict Tactics Scales and questionnaire on influential factors. RESULTS: 1694 left-behind children, accounted for 58.1% of the total students, were surveyed in this investigation. The prevalence rates of neglect, among total children, left-behind children, non-left-behind children were 67.4%, 70.2%, 63.5%, respectively. The prevalence of neglect among left-behind children was higher than that among non-left-behind children (χ(2) = 14.322, P < 0.000). There were no significant associations with the neglect rate of left-behind children regarding gender or age differences. Result from multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the neglect among the left-behind children were associated with family dysfunction (OR values of moderate and serious family dysfunctions compared to good family function were 1.628 and 2.341, respectively) and the rate of keeping in touch with parents (OR values of sometimes and seldom keeping in touch compared to regular in touch were 1.299 and 1.844, respectively). The starting age of being left-behind (OR values of starting age that being left-behind from 6 to 10 and ≤ 5 years relative to starting age of left-behind ≥ 11 years were 0.703 and 0.630, respectively) appeared to be the protection factor to the neglect of those left-behind children. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that the status of neglect among the left-behind children was serious. Prevention programs on the issue should target on a number of factors, including the characteristics of the children them-selves, as well as on the family of the children.