[Effect of panlong needling at Jiaji (EX-B 2) on motor dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease of liver and kidney deficiency: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the curative effect of panlong needling at Jiaji (EX-B 2) combined with western medication and western medication alone on motor dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) of liver and kidney deficiency. METHODS: A total of 98 patients with PD were randomly divided into an acupuncture and medication group (49 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a western medication group (49 cases,1 case was removed). The patients in the western medication group were given oral of levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride tablets, 125 mg each time, three times a day in the 1st week, and the dose was increased according to the needs of the patients' condition from the 2nd week until 250 mg each time, three times a day, for 16 consecutive weeks. On the basis of the same western medication treatment as the western medication group, panlong needling was applied at Jiaji (EX-B 2) from C2 to L5 in the acupuncture and medication group, once a day, 20 times as a course of treatment, for 4 consecutive courses. The scores of unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS-Ⅲ, UPDRS-Ⅳ), TCM symptoms score, and 39-item Parkinson's disease questionnaire (PDQ-39) score were evaluated before treatment, after treatment and during follow-up of 1 month after treatment, respectively. The safety of the two groups was compared. RESULTS: After treatment and during follow-up, except the PDQ-39 score of the western medication group, the scores of UPDRS-Ⅲ, UPDRS-Ⅳ, TCM syndrome and PDQ-39 were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), and the scores of above indexes in the acupuncture and medication group were lower than those of the western medication group (P<0.05). The total incidence of adverse reactions in the acupuncture and medication group was 10.4% (5/48), which was lower than 29.2% (14/48) in the western medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Panlong needling at Jiaji (EX-B 2) combined with western medication could significantly improve the motor dysfunction and clinical symptoms, improve the quality of life and has high safety, and the efficacy is superior to western medication alone.

Clinical observation of recombinant human endostatin in treating relapsed refractory multiple myeloma.

Recombinant human endostatin (rhES) can inhibit multiple myeloma, while its clinical efficacy in treating relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) has not been assessed. One hundred and eleven RRMM patients were treated with four different regimens: combination of VD (velcade+dexamethasone) and rhES (n = 25), Thalidomide (Tha) and VD (VTD, n = 22) combination, rhES and conventional chemotherapy combination (n = 32), and combination of conventional chemotherapy and Tha (n = 32). Significant differences were found in progression-free survival (PFS) between rhES combination groups and conventional chemotherapy combination groups. No statistical difference was found in overall response rate, overall survival or incidences of adverse effects. The combination of rhES with VD or conventional chemotherapy is active in patients with RRMM and prolongs the PFS to improve the quality of life.

[Impact evaluation of universal salt iodization on spectrum of thyroid diseases in Changzhou area, Jiangsu, China].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of universal salt iodization using monitoring data on correctional status of iodine deficiency and hospitalized thyroid diseases. METHODS: Retrospective survey was conducted to collect medical records of hospitalized thyroid disease cases. Routine monitoring data on population iodine nutrition status and goiter prevalence were analyzed. RESULTS: The coverage of adequately iodized salt was consistently above 95%. Hospitalization rate of thyroid diseases rose steadily, and peaked at 54.5 per 100,000. The proportion of hospitalized thyroid disease among hospitalized diseases also rose with female and those aged above 40 years old mostly affected. The proportion of hospitalized hyperthyroidism among total hospitalized thyroid disease rose from 13.6% to 34.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Universal salt iodization might eliminate iodine deficiency while other impact still exists. However, the benefits of universal salt iodization should be far overweight the adverse effects.