An Ultrasound Model to Predict the Short-Term Effects of Endovascular Stent Placement in the Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis.

Purpose: The present study aimed to explore the predictive ability of an ultrasound linear regression equation in patients undergoing endovascular stent placement (ESP) to treat carotid artery stenosis-induced ischemic stroke. Methods: Pearson's correlation coefficient of actual improvement rate (IR) and 10 preoperative ultrasound indices in the carotid arteries of 64 patients who underwent ESP were retrospectively analyzed. A predictive ultrasound model for the fitted IR after ESP was established. Results: Of the 10 preoperative ultrasound indices, peak systolic velocity (PSV) at stenosis was strongly correlated with postoperative actual IR (r = 0.622; P < 0.01). The unstable plaque index (UPI; r = 0.447), peak eccentricity ratio (r = 0.431), and plaque stiffness index (ß; r = 0.512) moderately correlated with actual IR (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the resistance index (r = 0.325) and the dilation coefficient (r = 0.311) weakly correlated with actual IR (P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between actual IR and the number of unstable plaques, area narrowing, pulsatility index, and compliance coefficient. In combination, morphological, hemodynamic, and physiological ultrasound indices can predict 62.39% of neurological deficits after ESP: fitted IR = 0.9816 - 0.1293ß + 0.0504UPI - 0.1137PSV. Conclusion: Certain carotid ultrasound indices correlate with ESP outcomes. The multi-index predictive model can be used to evaluate the effects of ESP before surgery.

Human cytomegalovirus prevalence and distribution of glycoprotein B, O genotypes among hospitalized children with respiratory infections in West China, 2009-2014.

OBJECTIVES: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an important pathogen causing morbidity and mortality in children. HCMV prevalence in children with respiratory infections has not been investigated in West China. Previous studies have suggested that glycoproteins genotypes may be associated with different clinical presentations, but the associations were controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCMV infection in children with respiratory infections, the distributions of gB, gO genotypes among these isolates and their potential predictive roles for the development of symptoms in children. METHODS: A total of 1709 respiratory specimens were obtained from hospitalised children with respiratory symptoms from 2009 to 2014 for the confirmation of HCMV infection. Glycoprotein B,O genotyping was carried out by multiplex nested PCR and sequencing. RESULTS: The overall infection rate was 10.8%, and dominant genotypes were gB1 (74.2%) and gO1 (37.1%). Clinical characteristics differed between infants and children >1 year of age. Infants infected with HCMV had a higher frequency of fever (P < 0.001), cough (P < 0.001), rhinorrhea (P < 0.001), expectoration (P = 0.001) and diarrhoea (P = 0.005). Children <1 year age infected with gB1 had a higher rate of cough (P = 0.0192). CONCLUSIONS: Infants infected with HCMV had a severe clinical outcome. gB1 may negatively associate with clinical presentations and quality of life in these children. The prevalence of HCMV infection and genotype distribution emphasises the importance of HCMV screening, vaccination and control for transmission.

[The Antimicrobial Resistance Analysis of 73 Strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolated from Infant Respiratory Tract].

OBJECTIVE: To preliminary study of the resistance mechanisms of S. pneumoniae (S. pn) by determining the resistance rates and gene of S. pn isolated from the lower respiratory tract infection infants. METHODS: Drug susceptibility test with disk diffusion and broth micro-dilution was conducted to evaluate the resistance rates of 73 strains of S. pn isolated from the lower respiratory tract infection infants to penicillin, levofloxacin and other 10 antibiotics. PCR method was used to analysis the antimicrobial resistant genes tet M, mef A, erm A, erm B and int Tn of the isolates. RESULTS: The antibiotic resistance rates of the S. pn isolates to erythromycin, clindamycin and tetracycline were 95. 9%, 94. 5%, 87. 7% and 0% to vancomycin when tested with disk diffusion method. The antibiotic resistance rates of these isolates to penicillin, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone were 45. 2%, 47. 9% and 46. 6% respectively when tested with broth micro-dilution method. The carrier frequencies of tet M, mef A, erm A, erm B, int Tn genes in the 73 isolates were 91. 8%, 63. 0%, 58. 9%, 39. 7% and 61. 6% respectively. CONCLUSION: The S. pn strains isolated from infant respiratory tract in Chengdu perform a serious drug resistance problem, especially to routine antibiotics like erythromycin, clindamycin and tetracycline and cephalosporin, the resistance rate to levofloxacin, chloramphenicol remained at a low level; the resistance to tetracycline was closely related with the tet M gene fragment, the resistance to macrolide was mainly decided by active efflux pump and secondarily by the alternation of gene targeting, int Tn had close relation with tet M, erm B.