[Bushen Daozhuo Granules for type â ¢ prostatitis: A multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and efficacy of Bushen Daozhuo Granules (BDG) in the treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial included 478 patients with type Ⅲ prostatitis, 290 in the trial group and 188 as controls, the former treated with BDG at 200 ml bid and the latter with tamsulosin hydrochloride sustainedrelease capsules at 0.2 mg qd, both for 4 weeks. Before treatment, after 4 weeks of medication, and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal, we obtained the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIHCPSI) scores and compared the safety and effectiveness rate between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the NIHCPSI score was markedly decreased in the control group after 4 weeks of medication (21.42 ± 4.02 vs 15.67 ± 3.65, P < 0.05) but showed no statistically significant difference from that at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (19.03 ± 3.86) (P>0.05), while the NIHCPSI score in the trial group was remarkably lower than the baseline both after 4 weeks of medication and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (10.92 ± 2.06 and 12.91 ± 2.64 vs 21.58 ± 3.67, P < 0.05). The trial group exhibited both a higher rate of total effectiveness and safety than the control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: BDG is safe and effective for the treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with vinorelbine-containing regimens in elderly patients with locally advanced breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with vinorelbine-containing regimens in elderly patient with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2002 to 2006, 14 female elderly patients with LABC underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy with vinorelbine-containing regimens. Vinorelbine alone or in combination with pirarubicin/epirubicin was administered every 3 weeks (25 mg/m2, i.v., day 1 and day 8). All 14 patients received 2-6 cycles of chemotherapy. RESULTS: The median age was 68.5 years (range 65 to 78 years). Six patients had stage IIIA breast tumor, 7 stage IIIB and 1 stage IIIC. There was 1 complete response and 10 partial responses, with an overall response rate of 78.57%, and stable disease in 3 patients (21.43%); there were no patients with progressive disease before surgery. After a median follow-up of 35 months, the estimated 3-year disease-free and overall survival rates were 57% and 69%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of the current study showed that vinorelbine-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy was effective and well-tolerated in elderly patients with LABC.

[In-situ Study on Effects of Combined Amendment on Translocation Control of Pb and Cd in Soil-Vegetable System].

An in-situ study aiming at remedying arid land complexly polluted with Pb and Cd by using combined amendment LS (a mixture of limestone and sepiolite with a ratio of 2 : 1) was conducted in a mining area in southern Hunan, China. The main objectives of this study were to discuss the effects of LS application at different amounts (0 , 2, 4, 8 g x kg(-1)) on the adsorption and accumulation of Pb and Cd in eggplant and amaranth, and to control the translocation and transportation of Pb and Cd among different parts of eggplant and amaranth. The results showed that: (1) Application of LS significantly increased soil pH values and decreased contents of exchangeable Pb and Cd in soil. (2) Application of LS led to an obvious reduction in contents of Pb and Cd in different parts of eggplant and amaranth. Compared with the control group, the contents of Pb and Cd in edible part of eggplant were decreased by 44.7% - 78.6% and 36.0%-78.7%, and those reductions for amaranth were 45.8%-59.1% and 40.0%-87.2%, respectively, when the LS applying ratios ranged 2-8 g x kg(-1). (3) Application of LS reduced the translocation factors of Pb and Cd among different parts of these two kinds of vegetables. The translocation ability of Cd among root, stem, and fruit (in eggplant) or leave (in amaranth) in these two vegetables was greater than that of Pb. However, application of LS with different amounts did not change the sequence of translocation factors of Pb and Cd among different parts of these two kinds of vegetables.

Comparison of compensatory sweating and quality of life following thoracic sympathetic block for palmar hyperhidrosis: electrocautery hook versus titanium clip.

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracic sympathetic block is an effective, safe, and minimally invasive method for treatment of primary hyperhidrosis. The purpose of this study was to decide which one of using electrocautery hook and titanium clip is the appropriate procedure for primary palmar hyperhidrosis by assessing the compensatory sweating (CS) and quality of life (QOL) of patients after sympathetic block. METHODS: Between October 2007 to August 2010, 120 patients with primary palmar hyperhidrosis were randomly divided into two groups, electrocautery hook group (60 patients) and titanium clip group (60 patients). All patients were treated by sympathetic block at T4 level. The CS was graded based on severity and location; the QOL was classified to 5 different levels based upon the summed total scores (range from 20 to 100) before and after surgery. The variables were compared. RESULTS: The postoperative follow-up period was 2 months. All patients were cured. Three patients in electrocautery hook group and 1 patient in titanium clip group had a unilateral pneumothorax on chest X-ray, but none of them was necessary to have chest drainage. Neither perioperative mortality nor serious complications such as cardiac arrhythmia or arrest were observed during the operation. No bradycardia or Horner's syndrome occured. CS was not more common in patients in titanium clip group than in those in electrocautery hook group (P = 0.001). Moderate and severe CS was few in all patients, and there was no significant difference between two groups (P = 0.193). Most of the patients feel a notable improvement of the the QOL; nevertheless, there was no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.588). CONCLUSIONS: Both electrocautery hook and titanium clip used for sympathetic block at the T4 level are effective, safe, and minimally invasive for palmar hyperhidrosis. Because of the lower severity of CS and the similar improvements in the QOL after operation, we prefer to use of titanium clip for treating palmar hyperhidrosis.