Effects of Xuebijing Injection for Patients With Sepsis-induced Acute Kidney Injury After Wenchuan Earthquake.

Context • Earthquakes are devastating disasters that have claimed countless lives in the past, partially owing to the danger of direct and indirect injuries to vital organs. In the deadly earthquake that occurred in Sichuan Province of China on May 12, 2008, some victims suffered from severe damage to multiple organs and tissue and developed sepsis, a systematic inflammatory reaction resulting from infection and trauma. Xuebijing injection (CCXG) could beneficial for improvement of clinical symptoms in those patients, but no research has yet examined its potential. Objective • The study intended to investigate whether a combination of conventional treatment and CCXG was superior to conventional treatment alone, or the control group (CG), in the treatment of clinical symptoms in patients with sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Design • The study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of individuals who were injured in an earthquake that occurred in the Sichuan Province of China on May 12, 2008, and who developed AKI. Setting • The study took place in the hospital associated with Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Chengdu, Sichuan, China). Participants • Participants were 55 injured individuals who were treated at the hospital. The CG included 27 patients and the CCXG group included 28 patients. Intervention • Both the intervention group (CCXG group) and the CG received the conventional treatment. The CCXG group was also given intravenous drips containing 100 mL of CCXG. The CG was given 100 mL of a 10% normal saline injection in addition to conventional treatment. Both received the treatments within 30 to 40 min, 3 ×/d. Outcome Measures • Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatine phosphate kinase (CPK), serum creatinine (Cr), interleukin 1 (IL-1), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured before treatment and on days 5, 7, and 10 after treatment. Results • The levels of CPK, BUN, Cr, and IL-6 for both groups were significantly lower than at baseline on day 5, 7, and 10 after treatment (P < .05). The levels of the CCXG group were significantly lower than those of the CG group on days 5, 7, and 10 (P < .05). Conclusions • As a supplement, CCXG is an effective method of improving the clinical symptoms of sepsis-induced AKI.

Effect of Panax notoginseng in patients with multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions caused by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the combination of conventional treatment and Panax notoginseng (PN group) is superior to conventional treatment alone (CG group) in reducing the clinical symptoms of patients with multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients treated for multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions with either conventional treatment (n = 17) or P. notoginseng (n = 18). Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores and arterial oxygen saturation were measured at baseline and at 1 and 2 weeks following treatment. The duration of mechanical ventilation, systemic analgesics, and hospital stay were also recorded. RESULTS: VAS scores in the PN group were lower than in the CG group at 1 week (p < 0.01) and at 2 weeks (p < 0.05). Arterial oxygen saturation in both groups was higher after treatment than at baseline (p < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (p > 0.05). The duration of mechanical ventilation, systemic analgesics administration, and hospital stay in the PN group was remarkably decreased as compared to the CG group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combining conventional treatment and P. notoginseng seems to be an efficient method that can improve the clinical symptoms of multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions.

Static balance and the limits of stability in postmenopausal women and their relationship with bone mineral density / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To characterize the static balance and limits of stability (LOS) of postmenopausal women and evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and balance.Methods Sixty women more than 12 months past menopause and aged 50 to 60 years were included in the study.Group 1 (n =20) consisted of women with normal BMD,group 2 (n =20) women with osteopenia,and group 3 (n =20) women with osteoporosis.The static balance of all the participants was evaluated in upright postural situations for 60 s with the eyes open and with the eyes elosed.Their LOS was quantified using a force platform.Results There was no significant difference in static balance parameters or LOS among the 3 groups.The static balance parameters were not significantly different in either the eyes-open or eyes-closed situation in the osteoporosis and osteopenia groups.The medial and lateral LOS were greater than the anterior and posterior limits in all 3 groups.The anterior LOS was greater than the posterior limits among the women with osteopenia and normal density.Conclusion In postmenopausal women aged 50 to 60 years,BMD did not show any significant association with static balance or LOS.Postmenopausal women had better postural control in the mediolateral than in the anteroposterior direction.In postmenopausal women with osteoporosis,postural control in the anterior direction deteriorates from age 50 to 60.