[Study on treatment of climacteric depression with bushen tiaogan qingxin recipe].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of bushen tiaogan qingxin recipe (BTQR) on Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD), monoamine meurotransmitter and endocrinal function in patients with climacteric depression, and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: Patients were randomly divided into two groups, the 25 patients in the treated group treated with BTQR and 15 patients in the control group treated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The HAMD scoring, levels of 5-HT, NE in plasma, serum estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined before and after treatment, and the thickness of endometrium was measured by B-Doppler ultrasonographic technique. RESULTS: The total effective rate, evaluated by the HAMD score reducing rate, in the treated group was 87.2%, and in the control group was 67.3%, showing significant difference (P<0.05). After treatment, 5-HT decreased (P<0.01), NE increased (P<0.05) and 5-HT/NE ratio lowered (P<0.01) in the treated group; E2 increased in both groups; FSH, LH and FSH/LH ratio decreased in the treated group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), FSH/LH ratio decreased in the control group (P<0.05). The thickness of endometrium increased in the control group after treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The mechanism of BTQR in treating climacteric depression might be related with its actions in: (1) To regulate the synthesis and release of monoamine neurotransmitter; (2) To adjust reproductive endocrine function; (3) To coordinate the neuroendocrinal function.

[Relationship between left ventricular diastolic function and plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration during severe pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between the left ventricular diastolic function and plasma level of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) among patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) syndrome. METHODS: The left ventricular diastolic function was evaluated by Doppler echocardiography, and plasma BNP level was tested by radioimmunoassay among 36 pregnant women with severe PIH, 32 normal pregnant women, and 21 normal non-pregnant women of childbearing age. RESULTS: The parameters such as peak mitral flow velocity in early diastole (E), E-wave velocity-time integral (EVTI), the ratio of peak mitral flow velocity in early diastole and peak A-wave velocity in late diastole (E/A), peak pulmonary venous diastolic forward flow velocity (D) and D-wave velocity-time integral (DVTI) of the 36 severe PIH patients were significantly lower than those of the 32 normal pregnant women and those of the 21 normal non-pregnant women of child-bearing age. But the parameters such as A, A-wave velocity integral (AVTI), and peak pulmonary venous diastolic forward flow velocity (AR) were significantly higher than those of the normal pregnant women and those of the normal non-pregnant women of child-bearing age. E/A ratio, D and DVTI of the normal pregnant women were significantly lower than those of the normal non-pregnant women of child-bearing age, however, A, AVTI, S/D, and AR were significantly higher than those of the normal non-pregnant women of child-bearing age. The BNP concentration of the normal pregnant women was significantly higher than that of the normal non-pregnant women of childbearing age, but significantly lower than that of the severe PIH patients. There were significant correlations between left ventricular diastolic function variables (E/A ratio and AR) and BNP concentration in normal pregnant women and in PIH patients. CONCLUSION: The left ventricular diastolic function is slightly damaged in normal pregnant women and significantly damaged in patients with severe PIH. The plasma BNP level of pregnant women can become an excellent index to predict their left ventricular diastolic function.