Patients with early-onset primary Sjögren's syndrome have distinctive clinical manifestations and circulating lymphocyte profiles.

OBJECTIVES: To further investigate the clinical characteristics and circulating lymphocyte profiles of patients with early-onset primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHOD: Data of 333 patients with pSS were analysed retrospectively. Early onset was defined as a pSS diagnosis at an age of 35 years or younger. The clinical, laboratory and immunophenotypic profiles of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were compared between early- and later-onset pSS. RESULTS: Thirty-six (10.81%) patients matched the definition of early-onset pSS, with age at disease onset being 28.97 (5.53) years. Elevated serum IgG level (77.14% vs 31.16%, P <0.001), low C3 (41.67% vs 20.20%, P =0.004) and C4 levels (27.78% vs 6.40%, P <0.001), anti-SSA positivity (91.67% vs 51.85%, P <0.001) and anti-SSB positivity (50% vs 20.54%, P <0.001) were more frequent in early-onset patients. The frequencies of hematological (80.56% vs 52.53%, P =0.001), renal (19.44% vs 5.05%, P =0.005) and mucocutaneous involvement (50% vs 22.56%, P <0.001) were significantly higher in the early-onset pSS group, which showed a higher 2010 EULAR SS Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) [11(6.25-17) vs 7(3-12); P =0.003], compared with the later-onset group. In addition, profound CD4+ T-cell lymphopenia was found in patients with early-onset. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with early-onset pSS have distinctive clinical manifestations and greater activation of the cellular immune system, present with more severe clinical symptoms and immunological features, have increased activation of circulating T cells and have an unfavourable prognosis. Thus, they require more positive treatment with glucocorticoids and/or immunosuppressants and merit closer follow-up and regular monitoring.

The application of serum HBV RNA detection in anti-HBV treatment / 中华检验医学杂志

The persistence of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the nucleus of liver cells is a key factor that hinders the cure of chronic hepatitis B. However,it is difficult to eliminate cccDNA with existing anti-HBV therapy. Recent studies have found that serum HBV RNA may be a new indicator reflecting the activity of cccDNA in hepatocytes and evaluating the clinical efficacy of CHB patients . This article reviews recent advances in the properties,detection methods,and clinical significance of HBV RNA, particularly the application of antiviral therapy in CHB patients.

Clinical distribution and drug resistance of 179 isolates of Streptococcus agalactia / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To investigated the clinical distributions and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactia strains isolated from the patients .Methods The identification and susceptibility of the strains were mainly measured by automatic VITEK‐Ⅱ system ,the K‐B disc diffusion tests were used for the resistance test of erythromycin ,meropenem ,and D‐test .Results The iso‐lates were mainly from urine (63 .1% ) ,genital tract(7 .8% ) and wound secretion(6 .7% ) .They were obtained from patients in dif‐ferent situations ,including 110 patients who were older than 50 years old (61 .5% ) ,113 female patients (63 .1% ) ,12 gravidas (6 .7% ) ,3 vertical transmitted newborns(1 .7% ) ,and 82 patients with cancer ,undergoing chemo radiotherapy ,with diabetes ,tuber‐culosis or after operations(45 .8% ) .The resistant rates of the isolated Streptococcus agalactia to erythromycin and clindamycin were 42 .9% -93 .3% and 41 .9% -80 .0% respectively .The positive rate of D‐test was 4 .1% .The strains were highly resistant to tet‐racycline(>80% ) ,while the resistance to penicillin was below 10% except in 2008 .All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and meropenem .Only one strain was resistant to Quinupristin‐dalfopristin .Conclusion Streptococcus agalactia infection in adults most‐ly cause genitourinary tract ,skin and soft tissue infections .There were more females than males with Streptococcus agalactia infec‐tion .Penicillin andβ‐lactams are still the first choice for the treatment .Erythromycin ,clindamycin and tetracycline should be used with caution under the guidance of laboratory susceptibility test results .