Bioinformatics analysis to reveal the key genes related to obstructive sleep apnea.

PURPOSE: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is induced by obstruction of the upper airway, which can raise multiple health risks. This study is designed to reveal the key genes involved in OSA. METHODS: GSE38792 was extracted from Gene Expression Omnibus database, including ten visceral adipose tissues from OSA patients and eight visceral adipose tissues from normal controls. Differential expression analysis was conducted using limma package, and then the functions of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed using DAVID database, followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and integrated regulatory network analysis was performed using Cytoscape software. RESULTS: A total of 368 DEGs (176 upregulated and 192 downregulated) were identified in OSA samples. Epstein-Barr virus infection (involving IL10RB, MAPK9, and MAPK10) and olfactory transduction were the main pathways separately enriched for the upregulated genes and the downregulated genes. After the PPI network was built, the top ten network nodes (such as TXN) were selected according to node degrees. Two significant PPI network modules were identified. Moreover, the integrated regulatory network was constructed. CONCLUSION: IL10RB, MAPK9, MAPK10, and TXN might function in the pathogenesis of OSA.

The correlation between obstructive sleep apnea and diabetic neuropathy: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and diabetic neuropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After working out searching strategy, literatures were screened from the electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library. R 3.12 was utilized to perform meta-analysis, and odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to present effect size. Heterogeneity was assessed by χ2-based Q test and I2 statistics. Publication bias was estimated by Egger's test and sensitivity was evaluated by leave one out methods. RESULTS: According to the criteria, a total of 11 studies with 1842 patients were enrolled in this study. With a significant heterogeneity (Q=31.83, I2=68.60%), the random effects model was utilized to assess the effect size of pooled data. A remarkable correlation was identified OSA and diabetic neuropathy (OR=1.84, 95% CI: 1.18-2.87) without publication bias (t=1.68, P=0.13). Meanwhile, the result of leave one out performed a well sensitivity. Moreover, the subgroup analyses presented that OSA was significantly correlated with type 1 diabetic neuropathy (OR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.19-3.25), but no remarkable correlation was identified between OSA and type 1 (OR=1.84, 95% CI: 0.86-3.93) or 1+2 (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 0.43-3.92) diabetic neuropathy. CONCLUSION: OSA was significantly correlated with neuropathy in type 1 diabetes, but not in type 2 and type 1+2 diabetes.

The outcome and the influencing factors of the age of onset in post-mortem of chronic bronchitis patients: a retrospective study.

Purpose: Chronic bronchitis is thought to occur in elderly patients, and smoking seems to be an important risk factor. The outcomes related to the age of onset in patients with chronic bronchitis are still unclear. Patients and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on deceased patients whose diagnosis included bronchitis from 2010 to 2016. Patients were separated into two groups according to the age of onset (Group I, age ≤50 years old; Group II, age >50 years old). Information regarding disease course, smoking history, death age, number of admissions per year, Hugh Jones Index, and self-reported comorbidities of the patients was recorded. Results: The courses of chronic cough and sputum were 33.38±7.73 years and 14.44±8.60 years in Group I and Group II, respectively (p<0.05). The death ages of Group I and Group II were 77.65±7.87 years and 84.69±6.67 years, respectively (p<0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between the number of hospital admissions per year and the age of onset. The age of onset was negatively associated with daily smoking count (r=-0.210) and total smoking count (r=-0.146). In Group I, there were fewer cases of coronary heart disease (OR =0.41 [0.24-0.71]), neurological diseases (OR =0.48 [0.24-0.97]), and total comorbidities (OR =0.67 [0.54-0.85]) than in Group II. Conclusion: Patients with early onset chronic bronchitis had a longer history, younger death age, poorer health status, and lower incidence of comorbidities.

Chyloptysis with chylopericardium, a rare case and mini-review.

BACKGROUND: Chyloptysis is reflux of chyle into the lungs and is a rare manifestation of primary chylous disorders. CASE PRESENTATION: Over 29 months, on the basis of x-rays, a 33-year-old female was repeatedly misdiagnosed with recurrent right-sided pneumonia; her symptoms included a recurrent cough, the appearance of cheese-like sputum, and diffuse pulmonary exudates. There was a history that abundant fluid in the pericardium was confirmed with echocardiography to have been present and asymptomatic for 4 years. Lymphangiography and surgery confirmed that the terminal portion of the thoracic duct was compressed by thick fibrous tissue and the vascular sheath of the internal jugular vein. Chyloptysis caused by high peribronchial lymphatic pressure was diagnosed and surgical intervention relieved the symptoms. CONCLUSION: Chyloptysis is rare and easy to misdiagnose but is a typical symptom of chylous reflux syndrome.