Hamilton rating scale for depression-24 (HAM-D24) as a novel predictor for diabetic microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

The study was designed to investigate whether the hamilton rating scale for depression (24-items) (HAM-D24) can be used to predict the diabetic microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. 288 hospitalized patients with T2DM were enrolled. Their diabetic microvascular complications including diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot as well as demographic, clinical data, blood samples and echocardiography were documented. All the enrolled patients received HAM-D24 evaluation. The HAM-D24 score and incidence of depression in T2DM patients with each diabetic microvascular complication were significantly higher than those in T2DM patients without each diabetic microvascular complication. After the adjustment of use of insulin and hypoglycemic drug, duration of T2DM, mean platelet volume, creatinine, albumin, fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin type A1C, left ventricular ejection fraction, respectively, HAM-D24 score was still significantly associated with diabetic microvascular complications (OR = 1.188-1.281, all P < 0.001). The AUC of HAM-D24 score for the prediction of diabetic microvascular complication was 0.832 (0.761-0.902). 15 points of HAM-D24 score was considered as the optimal cutoff with the sensitivity of 0.778 and specificity of 0.785. In summary, HAM-D24 score may be used as a novel predictor of diabetic microvascular complications in T2DM patients.

Association between neutrophilic granulocyte percentage and depression in hospitalized patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Previous researches reveal that depression is associated with increased inflammatory markers. As a simple and cheap inflammatory marker, we hypothesize that neutrophilic granulocyte percentage is associated with depression in hospitalized heart failure patients, whose prevalence of depression is at a very high level. METHODS: Three hundred sixty-six cases of hospitalized heart failure patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45% and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II-IV were enrolled. All the enrolled patients received Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (24-items) (HAM-D24). The demographic, clinical data, blood samples and echocardiography were documented. The Pearson simple linear correlation was performed to evaluate the confounding factors correlated with HAM-D24 depression index. The significantly correlated factors were enrolled as independent variables in Logistic regression to determine the risk or protective factors for depression, which was taken as dependent variable. RESULTS: Two hundred ten cases of hospitalized heart failure patients (57.4%) had depression. Among them, 134 patients (63.8%) had mild depression, 58 patients (27.6%) had moderate depression and 18 patients (8.6%) had severe depression. Pearson simple linear correlation revealed that in hospitalized patients with heart failure, the neutrophils granulocyte percentage was positively correlated with the HAM-D24 depression index (r = .435, p < .001). After the adjustment of age, BMI, number of members of the household, smoking index, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, hemoglobin, TC, LDL-C, creatinine, cystatin-C, TBIL and albumin, the neutrophils granulocyte percentage is still significantly associated with depression in hospitalized heart failure patients (OR = 1.046, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The neutrophils granulocyte percentage may be used as a new marker for depression in hospitalized heart failure patients.

Prevalence of premature ejaculation and its correlation with chronic prostatitis in Chinese men.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a common and serious health problem affecting the quality of life of men. We evaluated the prevalence of premature ejaculation (PE) in Chinese men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome and studied its correlation to chronic prostatitis. METHODS: A total of 15,000 men (aged 15-60 years) were randomly recruited to take part in a survey to provide questionnaire-elicited information for sociodemographics, sexual function, National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, and International Index of Erectile Function 5-item questionnaire. The eligible subjects of the present investigation were married with sexual activity. RESULTS: Responses were collected from 12 743 men (84.95%). Of these men, 1071 (8.4%) reported having prostatitis-like symptoms. The incidence of chronic prostatitis was 4.5% (n = 571) for the entire group. Of the 7372 eligible men, the incidence of prostatitis-like symptoms, chronic prostatitis, and PE was 10.5% (n = 771), 5.0% (n = 370), and 15.3% (n = 1127), respectively. The group with PE had worse National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index scores (P < .05) and lower International Index of Erectile Function 5-item questionnaire scores (P < .05) than the patients without PE. Also, the percentage of prostatitis-like symptoms in the PE group was greater than that in the non-PE group (P < .05). The prevalence of PE was 64.1% and 36.9% in the prostatitis-like symptom and chronic prostatitis group, respectively, of the 7372 eligible men. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study showed a high prevalence of PE in patients with chronic prostatitis. An examination of the prostate, physically and microbiologically, should be considered during the assessment of patients with PE.

The prevalence of prostatitis-like symptoms in China.

PURPOSE: We studied the prevalence of prostatitis-like symptoms and identified their associated risk factors in a population based Chinese sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A volunteer group of 15,000 eligible men residing in Beijing, Anhui, Xi'an, Guangzhou and Gansu cities or provinces were invited randomly to take part in the survey to complete a questionnaire that elicited information regarding sociodemographics, Eysenck personality questionnaire, current stress and health ratings, lifestyle, medical history, expressed prostatic secretion evaluation, score of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index and International Index of Erectile Function-5. RESULTS: Information on 12,743 (84.95%) men was collected. Of these men 1,071 (8.4%) reported prostatitis-like symptoms (mean National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index pain score 7.55 +/- 3.22). The percent of chronic prostatitis was 4.5% (571) among the symptoms group according to past urological history and expressed prostatic secretion evaluation. Subjects with prostatitis-like symptoms (mean age 34.56 +/- 13.48 years) had higher mean pain and urinary symptoms scores (7.53 +/- 3.22 and 2.84 +/- 2.72, respectively) compared with subjects without prostatitis-like symptoms (1.18 +/- 2.32 and 0.72 +/- 1.66 for pain and urinary symptoms scores, respectively, mean age 30.7 +/- 10.17) (pain and symptoms scores, p <0.05). The quality of life score was 6.03 +/- 2.88 and 3.83 +/- 2.55 in groups with symptoms or nonsymptoms, respectively (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Prostatitis-like symptoms are a multifactorial problem affecting men of all ages (15 to 60 years) and demographics, and the prevalence is high in China. The syndrome is closely related to alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, frequent intercourse, as well as fatigue, pressure and too little sleep. These findings suggest that risk factors for this condition are largely modifiable and highlight potential targets for future prevention.

Treatment of chronic prostatitis in Chinese men.

The aim of this study is to assess the status of treatment of chronic prostatitis (CP) in Chinese men. A population-based cross-sectional survey was performed, in which 15 000 men aged between 15 and 60 years were randomly selected to receive a questionnaire designed to assess National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptoms Index (NIH-CPSI) status, therapeutic efficacy and 28 other items. A total of 12 743 men (84.95%) completed the questionnaire, of whom 1 071 (8.4%) were identified as having prostatitis-like symptoms and 517 (4.5%) were diagnosed with CP according to NIH-CPSI criteria and prostatitis-like symptomatology. Of the CP patients, 372 (65%) underwent long-term routine treatment 12 times per year. Additionally, 217 (72.8%) patients received antibiotic therapy and 215 (79.3%) men showed therapeutic effects. The treatment cost USD 1 151 (8 059 yuan) per person per year on average. Most CP patients received routine treatment, in most cases with antibiotics. Treatment was costly and most CP patients were not satisfied with its effectiveness. Antibacterial treatment might have been effective primarily in patients with bacterial disease.

[Changes in potassium channel currents of prostate epithelial cell of old rats and significance thereof].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potassium channel currents and response thereof to the blocker of potassium channel in epithelium of prostate of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. METHODS: The dorsolateral lobes of prostates of 20 3-month-old (adult) male SD rats and 20 12-month-old (elderly) SD rats were removed, cut into small pieces of the size of 1 approximately 2 mm(3) in phosphate-buffered Ca(2+)-free Ringer's solution, and digested by collagenase IV for 25 min. Then the tissue chunks were put into fresh solution and gently agitated. These cells were cultured for one week. Pan-keratin immunocytochemistry was conducted. The potassium channel current of the prostate epithelium was recorded by whole-cell voltage clamp. Tetraethylammonium (TEA), a blocker of calcium-activated potassium channel of the concentration of 1 mmol/L, and 1 mol/L + 1 mmol/L 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), blocker of voltage-dependent potassium channel inhibitor, were sequentially added into the extra-cellular fluid and the current density was recorded. RESULTS: TEA specifically inhibited the K(Ca) current After the addition of TEA and TEA + 4-AP, the current density at the potential of +80 mv of the 12-month-old rats was (18.48 +/- 1.7) pA/pF, significantly higher than that of the 3-month-old rats [(10.84 +/- 1.54) pA/pF, P < 0.01]. The original peak current of the 3-month-old rats was (9.5 +/- 1.8) pA/pF and became (5.4 +/- 3.1) pA/pF after the addition of TEA, decreased by 44% (P < 0.01); and the peak current of the 12-month-old rats was (19.1 +/- 2.9) pA/pF and became (7.2 +/- 3.2) pA/pF after the addition of TEA, decreased by 63% (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Elderly rats have stronger potassium channel currents than adult rats, and their K(Ca) current is more sensitively to TEA. Aging is related to decreased prostate gland cell secretion.

[The plasmid harboring cry26Aa may contribute to the phenomenon of spore-crystal connection in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. finitimus].

Parasporal crystal in B. thuringiensis subsp. finitimus T02 forms inside the exosporium and remains attached to the spore after mother cell lysis. Two crystal protein gene cry26Aa and cry28Aa were cloned from this strain. The relationship between the phenomenon of spore-crystal connection and the plasmids was investigated in this work. Mutants BMB1151 curing of the plasmid harboring cry26Aa, and BMB1152 curing of all plasmids were obtained from B. thuringiensis subsp. finitimus T02.The spore-crystal connection didn't appeared when cry26Aa and cry28Aa were transformed back into the strain BMB1152 by shuffle vector alone or in combination together. It suggested the plasmids of B. thuringiensis subsp. finitimus TD2 may contribute to the phenomenon. When gene cry26Aa was transformed back into in the strain BMB1151, spore-crystal connection didn't form either. So the plasmid harboring cry26Aa may also contribute to the phenomenon of spore-crystal connection in B. thuringiensis subsp. finitimus T02.

[Potassium channel blocker regulates the proliferation of prostatic epithelial cells in SD rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the regulatory effect of potassium channel blocker (tetraethylammonium [TEA], aminopyridine [4-AP], glibenclamide [Glib]) on the proliferation of SD rat prostatic epithelial cells in vitro. METHODS: The primary culture was prepared by collagenase dissociation of minced prostatic tissues. Cells were cultured in serum-free prostate epithelial cell growth media and identified by immunocytochemical studies. TEA and 4-AP at the concentration of 1, 5 and 10 mmol/L and Glib at the concentration of 10, 50 and 100 mol/L were added, and after 24, 48 and 72 hours of culturing, a cell column diagram was drawn and the cell number counted. The post-passage cell growth was observed by MTT assay and Hoechst33258 nucleus staining. RESULTS: The cultured cells showed the typical morphological features of epithelia, with positive stain. MTT assay and Hoechst33258 staining showed that TEA, 4-AP and Glib at the increasing concentration effected different degrees of proliferation of prostatic epithelial cells after 24, 48 and 72 h (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The potassium channel blocker is a direct physiological regulator of the proliferation of SD rat prostatic epithelial cells.

[Epidemiological study of chronic prostatitis patients with depression symptoms].

OBJECTIVE: To study the depression symptoms in chronic prostatitis (CP) patients, and explore the correlation between depression symptoms and CP. METHODS: The Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) , NIH-CPSI, IIEF-5, and a self-designed questionnaire were employed in 1500 cases of CP patients. RESULTS: A total of 1426 effective questionnaires were collected. The mean score of SDS was (44.24 +/- 10.20), significantly higher than that of the domestic norm (P = 0.000). With the score limitation set at > or = 53, 309 (21.7%) of the CP patients had symptoms of depression, of whom 176 (12.3%) were rated by SDS as in the mild, 114 (8.0%) in the moderate and 19 (1.3%) in the severe state of depression. The dominating symptoms as listed in SDS were exactly the stimulating and provoking factors of CP. The scores of SDS were significantly correlated with disease course, CPSI score, IIEF score and times and cost of treatment (P < 0.01), while no correlation was observed with age and WBC counts in EPS. CONCLUSION: CP patients mostly have depression problems, which are closely correlated with CP and contribute to the recurrence, refractoriness and discontinued outcome of the disease.