[Efficacy of shenqi fuzheng injection combined with chemotherapy in treatment of acute leukemia and its effect on T-lymphocyte subsets, serum IFN-gamma, IL-10 and IL-2].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) combined with chemotherapy in treatment of patients with acute leukemia and its effect on the levels of T-lymphocyte subsets (CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8) and serum interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and IL-2. METHODS: Sixty-five patients with initial treating acute leukemia were randomly divided into 2 groups, the SFI group (n = 32) treated with SFI plus chemotherapy (CT), the control group (n = 33) treated with CT only. The remission rate, changes of peripheral mature neutrophilic granulocyte (PMNG) count, T-lymphocyte subsets, serum IL-10 and IL-2 before and after treatment were determined. RESULTS: The remission rate in the two groups showed no obvious difference (P > 0.05). After CT for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd weeks, the PMNG count decreased in both groups, showing significant difference as compared with that before CT (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The PMNG count at the end of the 3rd and 4th week of CT remounted to higher than that at 1st and 2nd week, and the increment in the SFI group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The levels of CD4, CD4 /CD8, IFN-gamma and IL-2 all increased in the two groups after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), however, that of IL-10 was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). The difference between the two groups in these criteria after treatment was also significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: SFI can improve and regulate the immune function of the patients with acute leukemia undergoing CT, it could promote bone marrow cells proliferation and enhance the efficacy.

[Clinical efficacy and T-lymphocyte subset, serum interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-2(IL-2) levels on treatment of chronic aplastic anemia patients by shenfu injection combined with stanozol and cyclosporin A].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Shenfu injection (SFI) and influence on T-lymphocyte subset, serum level of interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha), interleukin-2(IL-2) in patients with chronic aplastic anemia (CAA) based on treating with stanozol and cyclosporin A. METHOD: 60 patients with CAA were randomly divided into two groups, 30 patients in the SFI group were treated with SFI (100 mL which contains Ginsenoside 0.8 mg x mL(-1) and aconitine 1.8 microg x mL(-1) by adding it in 500 mL of 5% glucose every day) plus stanozol and cyclosporin A and 30 patients in the control group treated with slanozol and cyclosporin A alone for 2 months. The clinical efficacy was observed. The change of T-lymphocyte subset analyzed by flow cytometry and the levels of serum IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2 measured with ELISA method were also observed before and after treatment. RESULT: After treatment, the total effective rate of the SFI group was higher than that in the control group, but it did not showing significant difference. The CD4/CD8 levels were significantly increased (1.76+/-0.49, P< 0.01) and CD8 levels were significantly lowered (22.57+/-6.30, P < 0.01) in the SFI group after treatment. Serum levels of lFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-2 were lower in both groups, and the level of TNF-alpha and IL-2 in the SFI group (0.710+/-0.213) ng x L(-1) and (0.639+/-0.247) ng x L(-1) was significantly lowered than that in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: SFI might believe the hemopoietic inhibition so as to promote the recovery of hemopoietic function through improving the T-lymphocyte subset and reducing the release of hemopoietic negative regulatory factors such as IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-2.

[The relationship between beta fibrinogen gene-455G/A polymorphisms and Budd-Chiari syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the -455G-->A substitution on influencing fibrinogen levels and morbidity in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). METHODS: 53 patients with BCS diagnosed by color Doppler-ultrasound and venography and 105 healthy persons as control were observed. Assay of plasma fibrinogen was performed by the method of enzymatic reaction. DNA was extracted from white cells using the phenol/chloroform method. beta fibrinogen gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques using thermostable Taq polymerase under conditions recommended by the manufacturer. RESULTS: The frequencies of -455GA+AA genotype were significantly increased in patients with BCS compared with normal controls (P <0.05, OR=2.04, 95% CI: 1.03-4.02). There was a significant difference in plasma fibrinogen levels between BCS subjects and control subjects (P <0.01). Either in patients with BCS or in healthy controls, the plasma fibrinogen levels was significantly increased seen in the subjects with -455A alleles (0.01< P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: beta fibrinogen gene -455G/A polymorphism is associated with increased plasma fibrinogen levels and may be an important risk factor in the pathogenesis of BCS.

[Effect of shenfu injection on recovery of intestinal function, cellular immunity, serum interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in children with intestinal obstruction after operation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Shenfu injection (SFI) on recovery of intestinal function, T-lymphocyte subsets (CD4, CD8 and CD4/CD8), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in children with intestinal obstruction after surgical operation. METHODS: Ninety-eight children suffering from intestinal obstruction after emergent surgical operation were divided into the SFI group (n = 50, treated with SFI after operation) and the control group (n = 48, treated with surgical operation alone). The intestinal function recovery rate (IFRR), T-lymphocyte subsets, serum levels of IL-2 and TNF-alpha in them were observed. RESULTS: After being treated for 7 days, the IFRR in the SFI group was 84.0%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (62.5%, P < 0.05). CD4, CD4/CD8 levels increased in the SFI group after treatment (P < 0.05), while in the control group, CD8 increased significantly after treatment (P < 0.05) and higher than that in SFI group (P < 0.01). IL-2 level was much higher in the SFI group after treatment than that in the control group (P < 0.05). TNF-alpha level significantly lowered in both groups (P < 0.01), and the level in the SFI group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: SFI could promote the recovery of intestinal function, improve and regulate the immune function of the children after operation for intestinal obstruction.

[Study on efficacy of treatment of acute leukemia by shengfu injection in combination with chemotherapy and the effect on cellular immunity, serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of treatment of acute leukemia by Shengfu Injection (SFI) in combination with chemotherapy and the effect of treatment on T-lymphocyte subsets (CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). METHODS: Sixty-one patients with acute leukemia of initiatory treating were randomly divided into two groups, the 31 patients in the treated group were treated with SFI plus chemotherapy and the 30 patients in the control group treated with chemotherapy alone. The remission rate, changes of absolute number of peripheral mature neutrophils, T-lymphocyte subsets, serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha before and after treatment were observed. RESULTS: The remission rate was higher in the treated group than that in the control group but the difference was insignificant (P > 0.05). The restoring of peripheral mature neutrophils in the treated group was higher than that in the control group, from the 3rd week of treatment, the difference was significant (all P < 0.05). CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio after treatment increased in both groups, the increment was more obvious in the treated group than that in the control group significantly (P < 0.05). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha lowered in both groups after treatment significantly(all P < 0.01), but the decrement was greater in the treated group with significant difference to the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: SFI could improve and regulate the immune function in acute leukemia patients undergoing chemotherapy and enhance the therapeutic effect.

Hyperhomocysteinemia and the MTHFR C677T mutation in Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HH) is a factor that predisposes individuals to thrombosis, and the C677T mutation in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is known to give increased plasma homocysteine. However, little is known about their roles in Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). This study evaluated the roles of HH and the MTHFR C677T mutation in patients with BCS. We compared 41 BCS patients with 80 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. The mean plasma homocysteine level was significantly higher in patients with BCS (20.15 +/- 5.78 micromol/L) compared with normal controls (15.80 +/- 6.58 micromol/L), P < 0.01. HH (>19.5 micromol/L in men and >15.0 micromol/L in women) was detected in 15 (36.59%) patients and in 14 (17.5%) controls (odds ratio [OR], 2.72; 95% confidence internal [CI], 1.17-6.32). The prevalence of the mutated MTHFR 677TT genotype and the 677T allele in normal controls was 10.0% and 31.3%, respectively. The mutant 677T homozygotes and alleles were more frequent in patients with BCS than in controls (22.0% vs. 10.0%, 0.025 < P < 0.05; 45.1% vs. 31.3%, 0.025 < P < 0.05). The relative risk of BCS among the carriers of 677TT was significantly increased (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.1-10.0). The mutant MTHFR heterozygous 677C/T carriers were not significantly increased in patients with BCS compared with controls (46.3% vs. < 2.5%, P > 0.05). The relative risk OR of BCS among carriers of 677C/T was 1.6 (95% CI, 0.7-3.6). This study suggests that both HH and the homozygous C677T mutation in the MTHFR gene are important risk factors of BCS.