Hemostatic Effect of Hemocoagulase Agkistrodon on Surgical Wound in Breast Cancer Surgery.

Objective To evaluate the hemostatic effect of hemocoagulase agkistrodon on surgical wound in breast cancer surgery. Methods Totally 60 patients undergoing breast cancer surgery were enrolled in this prospective,randomized,double-blinded,and controlled study. All the patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and signed the informed consent. Hemocoagulase agkistrodon (2 U) was injected 20 minutes before surgery and 4 and 24 hours after surgery in the intervention group (n=30),whereas normal saline was used instead in the control group (n=30). The volume of intraoperative bleeding,wound drainage volume 1-3 days after surgery,and total drainage volume were recorded. Meanwhile,the change of blood coagulation function,treatment safety,and clinical outcomes were observed. Results The intra-operative hemorrhage volume of the intervention group [(95.0±48.3)g] was significantly lower than that of the control group [(144.8±105.4)g] (t=-2.07,P=0.044). The volume of total drainage of the intervention group [(166.7±71.2)g] was significantly lower than that of the control group [(251.4±166.3)g] (t=-2.29,P=0.029). The hemoagglutination indicators were similar in the two groups and no complication such as thrombosis occurred. The length of hospital stay of the intervention group [(15.00±3.53)d] was similar to that of the control group [(15.92±2.32)d] (t=-1.057,P=0.297). No research drug-related adverse event was occurred in our study. Conclusion Hemocoagulase agkistrodon has good hemostatic effect for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery without increasing the risk of thrombosis.

[Treatment options for elderly breast cancer patients over 70 years old].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and therapeutics of elderly patients with breast carcinomas. METHODS: A total of 312 patients ( ≥ 70 years old) admitted into Breast Center of Beijing Hospital from September 1997 to September 2011 were included for this retrospective study. Their clinical characteristics, treatment options and prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: They accounted for 14.6% (312/2137) of breast cancer patients treated during the same period. The predominant complaint was palpable mass (n = 250, 80.1%). 90.4% (n = 282) of them were complicated with other diseases. The major pathologic type was invasive ductal carcinoma of non-special type (n = 248, 79.5%). The positive rate of estrogen receptor (ER) and(or) progesterone receptor (PR) was 75.3% (n = 235), and 15.7% (n = 49) cases were Cerb-B2 (+ + +) . The 5, 10-year overall survival were 75.0% and 41.8% respectively. TNM stage, vascular thrombosis, operative regimen and adjuvant therapy were prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical operation and endocrine therapy are the first choice remedies for elderly patients. And the major prognostic factors are TNM stage, vascular thrombosis and treatment regimens.

Association of complement factor H gene polymorphisms with age-related macular egeneration susceptibility.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to confirm whether I62V and Y402H polymorphisms of complement factor H (CFH) were risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHOD: 109 AMD patients and 165 AMD-free controls were enrolled in the study. The I62V and Y402H polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length of polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the X2 test to assess the relationship of I62V and Y402H polymorphisms with AMD risk. Analysis of haplotype and stratification by age and smoking status was conducted as well. RESULTS: AA genotype and A allele of I62V polymorphism was significantly associated with increased risk for AMD (OR=3.75, 95% CI=1.70-8.30; OR=1.64, 95% CI=1.14-2.36). For Y402H polymorphism, CT genotype showed strong effects on the occurrence of AMD (OR=2.10, 95% CI=1.04-4.27). Moreover, C allele was also a risk factor for AMD (OR=1.95, 95% CI=1.02-3.72). The haplotypes analysis suggested that the risk for AT haplotype carriers was high, compared with GT haplotype (OR=3.91, 95% CI=2.58-5.94). In addition, we found that smoking status could affect the genotype distribution of Y402H polymorphism (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that CFH polymorphisms I62V and Y402H might be associated with the susceptibility to AMD in Chinese population.