[Associations of all-cause mortality with admission blood pressure variability during multiple hospitalizations in acute decompensated heart failure].

Objective: To investigate whether admission blood pressure (BP) variability during multiple hospitalizations is associated with all-cause mortality independent of baseline BP in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Methods: Patients with ADHF admitted to the Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from September 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. The risk of all-cause mortality associated with indices of BP variability, including mean admission BPs, standard deviation of BP and coefficient of variation of BP during multiple hospitalizations was assessed, using Cox regression model. Results: A total of 1 006 ADHF patients (mean aged (69.3±13.5) years; 411 (40.8%) female; 670 (66.6%) with preserved ejection fraction) were enrolled. During a median follow-up of 1.54 years, 47.0% of patients died. In all ADHF patients, after adjusting for confounding factors, for every 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in SD and coefficient of variation (CV) of systolic BP, the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 10% and 11%, respectively (SD: HR, 1.10, 95%CI, 1.01-1.21, P=0.029, CV: HR, 1.11, 95%CI, 1.02-1.21, P=0.017); for every 1-SD increase in the mean of diastolic BP, the risk of all cause mortality decreased by 25% (HR, 0.75; 95%CI, 0.65-0.87; P<0.001). In ADHF patients with preserved ejection fraction, after accounted for potential confounders, higher SD and CV of admitted systolic and diastolic BP were significantly associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality, regardless of whether confounding factors were adjusted (P≤0.049); After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 18% and 19% for every 1-SD increase in SD and CV of systolic BP, while the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 11% and 15% for every 1-SD increase in SD and CV of diastolic BP. In ADHF patients with reduced ejection fraction, after adjusting for confounding factors, the higher the mean admission systolic BP during multiple hospitalizations, the lower the risk of total mortality (HR, 0.68; 95%CI, 0.47-1.00; P=0.049). Conclusions: In patients with ADHF, independent of baseline BP, BP variability during multiple hospitalizations was strong predictor of all-cause mortality.

Association of serum uric acid change with mortality, renal function and diuretic dose administered in treatment of acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hyperuricemia is reportedly associated with poor outcome in acute heart failure (AHF). The association between changes in Uric acid (UA) levels with renal function change, diuretic doses, and mortality in patients with AHF were studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive patients hospitalized with AHF were reviewed (n = 535). UA levels were measured at admission and either at discharge or on approximately the seventh day of admission. Patients with an UA change in the top tertile were defined as having an increase (UA-increase) and were compared to those outside the top tertile (non-UA-increase). The endpoint was all-cause mortality, with a mean follow-up duration of 22.2 months. Patients in the UA-increase group presented with greater creatine increase (P < 0.001), and were administered a higher average daily dose of loop diuretic (P = 0.016) compared with the non-UA-increase group. In-hospital UA-increase was associated with higher risk of mortality even after adjusting for confounding variables including creatine change and diuretic dosage [harzard ratio (HR) 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-2.30, P = 0.042]. In patients with hyperuricemia on admission, UA-increase was associated with increased mortality (adjusted HR 2.21, 95% CI 1.38-3.52, P = 0.001). Whereas, in those without admission hyperuricemia, UA-increase had no significant association with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in UA during in-hospital treatment is associated with an increase in creatine levels and daily diuretic dose. Mortality associated with increased UA is restricted to patients who already have hyperuricemia at admission. A combination of UA levels at admission and UA changes on serial assessment during hospitalization may be additional value in the risk stratification of AHF patients.

Changes in erectile organ structure and function in a rat model of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

There is a growing recognition of the association between chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and erectile dysfunction (ED); however, most of the reports are based on questionnaires which cannot distinguish between organic and functional ED. The purpose of this study was to determine the exact relationship between CP/CPPS and ED, and to investigate the changes in erectile organ structure and function in a rat model of CP/CPPS. We established a rat model of experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP), which is a valid model for CP/CPPS. Erectile function in EAP and normal rats was comparable after cavernous nerve electrostimulation. The serum testosterone and oestradiol levels, ultrastructure of the corpus cavernosum and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the two groups were similar; however, there was a decrease in smooth muscle-to-collagen ratio and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression and an increase in transforming growth factor-beta 1 expression was observed in EAP rats. Thus, organic ED may not exist in EAP rats. We speculate that ED complained by patients with CP/CPPS may be psychological, which could be caused by impairment in the quality of life; however, further studies are needed to fully understand the potential mechanisms underlying the penile fibrosis in EAP rats.

Psychiatry teaching in China.

A brief introduction of Psychiatry in China is presented, including the history, present status, content of textbooks and the arrangement of lecture hours and clinical practice.