Transmission and clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in 104 outside-Wuhan patients, China

BackgroundCases with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emigrated from Wuhan escalated the risk of spreading in other cities. This report focused on the outside-Wuhan patients to assess the transmission and clinical characteristics of this illness. MethodsContact investigation was conducted on each patient who admitted to the assigned hospitals in Hunan Province (geographically adjacent to Wuhan) from Jan 22, 2020 to Feb 12, 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics, medication therapy and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Patients were confirmed by PCR test. ResultsOf the 104 patients, 48 (46.15%) were imported cases and 56 (53.85%) were indigenous cases; 93 (89.42%) had a definite contact history with infections. Family clusters were the major body of patients. Transmission along the chain of 3 "generations" was observed. Mean age was 43 (rang, 8-84) years (including 3 children) and 49 (47.12%) were male. Most patients had typical symptoms, 5 asymptomatic infections were found and 2 of them infected their relatives. The median incubation period was 6 (rang, 1-32) days, of 8 patients ranged from 18 to 32 days. Just 9 of 16 severe patients required ICU care. Until Feb 12, 2020, 40 (38.46%) discharged and 1 (0.96%) died. For the antiviral treatment, 80 (76.92%) patients received traditional Chinese medicine therapy. ConclusionsFamily but not community transmission occupied the main body of infections in the two centers. Asymptomatic transmission demonstrated here warned us that it may bring more risk to the spread of COVID-19. The incubation period of 8 patients exceeded 14 days.

Formulation of Criterion for Clinical Application of Shuxuetong Injection by Clinical Pharmacists in Our Hospital Based on Evidence Quality Evaluation Method / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To provide reference for strengthening clinical application of key monitoring drugs and promoting rational drug use in clinic. METHODS： Based on evidence-based medicine， taking key monitoring drugs Shuxuetong injection as example， clinical evidence of domestic and foreign clinical studies were collected. The included literatures were graded according to the quality of GRADE evidence and recommended strength system. Evidence-based medicine evidence for the indications of Shuxuetong injection were evaluated， and criterion for clinical use of Shuxuetong injection was formulated in Huaihua First People’s Hospital （our hospital）. RESULTS： The main content of criterion for clinical application of Shuxuetong injection formulated by our hospital was that there was A-level evidence support for acute ischemic cerebral infarction， but it was weakly recommended and only used for adjuvant therapy； there was B-level evidence support for anticoagulation （for preventing DVT）， diabetic peripheral nerve lesion， but it was weakly recommended； there was only C-level or D-level evidence support for other indications， it was strongly recommendation against use. CONCLUSIONS： Clinical pharmacists formulate the criterion for clinical application of Shuxuetong injection by evidence quality evaluation method， provide reference for clinical application management of key monitoring drug and play an important effect on rational drug use in clinic.

Gastrectomy with either wedge resection of the pancreas or pancreaticosplenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction invading the pancreas: a comparison study / 中华外科杂志

Objective@#To compare the outcomes of gastrectomy with either wedge resection of the pancreas or pancreaticosplenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) invading pancreas.@*Methods@#From May 2005 to December 2015, a total of 64 patients with AEG invading pancreas underwent gastrectomy with either wedge resection of pancreas (n=25) or pancreaticosplenectomy (n=39) at Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fourth Hospital, Hebei Medical University. There were 53 males and 11 females, with a mean age of 60.2 years (range: 39 to 77 years). According to the AJCC esophageal cancer staging system, 8th edition, there were 27 patients in phase T4N0M0, 18 in phase T4bN1M0, 9 in phase T4bN2M0 and 10 in phase T4bN3M0. Follow-up was carried out every 6 months. The t-test for the measurement data and the χ2 test, Fisher exact test or Wilcoxon ran-sum test for the enumeration data were used between the two groups. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and compared using the Log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was undertaken using the Cox proportional hazard model (forward stepwise regression).@*Results@#In 39 patients who underwent pancreaticosplenectomy, incision infection occurred in 5 patients, anastomotic leak, peritoneal infection, lung infarction each occurred in 1 patient. There was 1 respiratory failure and 1 peritoneal infection in 25 patients undergoing wedge resection of the pancreas. There were no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the 2 groups (8/39 vs. 2/25, P=0.292), and no postoperative death in the study. Fifty-seven patients were followed up, with a follow-up rate of 89.1%. The 5-year overall survival rate was 32.3% in patients who underwent simultaneous gastrectomy and pancreaticosplenectomy, compared to 0 in those who underwent gastrectomy and wedge resection of the pancreas (χ2=4.484, P=0.034). The 5-year overall survival rate for patients who undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy was 32.3%, compared to 17.2% in whom underwent surgery alone (χ2=4.186, P=0.041).@*Conclusions@#Survival benefit from R0 resection by simultaneous gastrectomy and pancreaticosplenectomy for AEG invading the pancreas can be achieved. Adjuvant chemotherapy is necessary for these patients.

Chronic and acute models of retinal neurodegeneration TrkA activity are neuroprotective whereas p75NTR activity is neurotoxic through a paracrine mechanism.

In normal adult retinas, NGF receptor TrkA is expressed in retinal ganglion cells (RGC), whereas glia express p75(NTR). During retinal injury, endogenous NGF, TrkA, and p75(NTR) are up-regulated. Paradoxically, neither endogenous NGF nor exogenous administration of wild type NGF can protect degenerating RGCs, even when administered at high frequency. Here we elucidate the relative contribution of NGF and each of its receptors to RGC degeneration in vivo. During retinal degeneration due to glaucoma or optic nerve transection, treatment with a mutant NGF that only activates TrkA, or with a biological response modifier that prevents endogenous NGF and pro-NGF from binding to p75(NTR) affords significant neuroprotection. Treatment of normal eyes with an NGF mutant-selective p75(NTR) agonist causes progressive RGC death, and in injured eyes it accelerates RGC death. The mechanism of p75(NTR) action during retinal degeneration due to glaucoma is paracrine, by increasing production of neurotoxic proteins TNF-α and α(2)-macroglobulin. Antagonists of p75(NTR) inhibit TNF-α and α(2)-macroglobulin up-regulation during disease, and afford neuroprotection. These data reveal a balance of neuroprotective and neurotoxic mechanisms in normal and diseased retinas, and validate each neurotrophin receptor as a pharmacological target for neuroprotection.

Characteristics of Etiology of Community Acquired Pneumonia in Elderly / 中华医院感染学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate the pathogenic causes of community acquired pneumonia(CAP) in the elderly and to guide experience antibiotic therapy.METHODS An etiological study was performed on 204 elder patients with CAP in the Cadres Medical Department of Beijing Shijitan Hospital from May 2005 to Apr 2008.The count scores were by CURB-65 scoring system.RESULTS Pathogens were identified in 204 patients: there were Mycoplasma pneumoniae(42,20.6%),Streptococcus pneumoniae(30,14.7%),Haemophilus influenzae(24,11.8%),Chlamydia pneumoniae(17,8.3%),Klebsiella pneumoniae(14,6.9%),Escherichia coli(7,3.4%),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(5,2.5%),Staphylococcus aureus(4,2.0%),Legionella pneumophila(2,1.0%),and Acinetobacter baumannii(1,0.5%).The score,by CURB-65 scoring system,of mixed infected patients was higher than single infections.CONCLUSIONS Atypical pathogens have important role in elderly CAP,the most common pathogenare Gram-negative bacilli,S.aureusand fungi.Mixed infection couldn′t be ignored.