[Analysis on application value of Fu's subcutaneous needling for intercostal pain after surgery of osteoporotic thoracic vertebral compression fracture].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy on pain degree, quality of life, serum 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in patients with intercostal pain after surgery for osteoporotic thoracic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) and explore the application value of Fu's subcutaneous needling in treatment of post-operative intercostal pain. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with intercostal pain after OVCF surgery were divided into a medication group and a Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy group, with 30 cases in each group. In the medication group, zoledronic acid injection, salmon calcitonin injection, calcitonin D tablets and mecobalamin tablets were prescribed. The duration of treatment was 8 weeks. In the Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy group, on the base of treatment as the medicine group, Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy was provided for 2 weeks，once every other day. The needle is inserted 6 cm away from the most painful point. Separately, in 2, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, as well as in 16 weeks after treatment, the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the generic quality of life inventory-74 (GQOLI-74) were adopted to evaluate intercostal pain and quality of life in the patients of both groups and analyze the incidence of adverse reaction. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure the levels of serum 5-HT and NPY. RESULTS: Compared with the results before treatment, in 2, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment as well as in 16 weeks after treatment, VAS scores of both groups were all reduced (P<0.05), GQOLI-74 scores increased obviously (P<0.05) and the levels of serum 5-HT and NPY increased obviously (P<0.05) in the two groups. In 2, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment as well as in 16 weeks after treatment, VAS score in the Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy group was lower than that in the medication group (P<0.05), GQOLI-74 score and the levels of serum 5-HT and NPY were higher than those in the medication group (P<0.05). During the treatment and in 16 weeks after treatment, the difference was not significant in the incidence of adverse reaction between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy can relieve intercostal pain and improves the quality of life in the patients after surgery for OVCF.

Effects of a concomitant single oral dose of rifampicin on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin in a two-phase, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study in healthy Chinese male subjects.

BACKGROUND: Pravastatin is a potent cholesterol-lowering agent; ~34% of an oral dose of pravastatin is eliminated unchanged through biliary and urinary excretion. Rifampicin is an inducer of drug metabolism enzymes, and it affects the activities of transporters involved in pravastatin disposition. Drug-drug interaction between rifampicin and pravastatin is possible because of the effects of rifampicin on the activities of drug transporters. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of a single oral dose of rifampicin on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin. METHODS: Healthy Chinese male volunteers were recruited for this 2-phase, single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The subjects were randomly divided into 2 groups to receive either rifam-picin or placebo concomitantly with pravastatin. All subjects received a 20-mg oral dose of pravastatin on days 1 and 9, separated by an 8-day washout period. Subjects in the rifampicin group received a single 600-mg oral dose of rifampicin on day 1 and placebo on day 9; those in the placebo group received placebo on day 1 and a single 600-mg oral dose of rifampicin on day 9. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine plasma concentrations of pravastatin for up to 12 hours after administration. RESULTS: Twelve volunteers participated in the study (6 per group). The mean (SD) age of the subjects was 20 (2) years (range, 18-25 years). The mean height of the subjects was 174 (4) cm (range, 168-180 cm), and the mean weight was 69.2 (3.7) kg (range, 65-77 kg). The mean pharmacokinetic parameters for pravastatin that changed significantly were as follows (rifampicin and placebo groups, respectively): C(max) (315.7 [227.2] and 115.8 [77.5] ng . mL(-1) [P = 0.009]); AUC(0-12) (604.8 [73.3] and 259.0 [133.4] ng . h . mL(-1) [P < 0.001]); AUC(0-infinity)) (623.3 [248.8] and 275.1 [58.5] ng . h . mL(-1) [P < 0.001]); and apparent oral clearance (CL/F) (0.52 [0.18] and 1.30 [0.58] L . h(-1) . kg(-1) [P < 0.001]). No significant changes in the T(max) or t((1/2)) of pravastatin were observed. All subjects tolerated pravastatin well during both phases of the study, with or without coadministration of rifampicin. None of the subjects withdrew from the study. CONCLUSION: Coadministration of a single oral dose of rifampicin significantly increased the plasma concentration of pravastatin in this group of healthy Chinese male subjects.