Characteristics, prognostic determinants of monocytes, macrophages and T cells in acute coronary syndrome: protocol for a multicenter, prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute coronary syndrome(ACS) is the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Immune response has been confirmed to play a vital role in the occurrence and development of ACS. The objective of this prospective, multicenter, observational study is to define immune response and their relationship to the occurrence and progressive of ACS. METHODS: This is a multicenter, prospective, observational longitudinal cohort study. The primary outcome is the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including in-stent restenosis, severe ventricular arrhythmia, heart failure, recurrent angina pectoris, and sudden cardiac death, and stroke one year later after ACS. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, treatments, and outcomes are collected by local investigators. Furthermore, freshly processed samples will be stained and assessed by flow cytometry. The expression of S100A4, CD47, SIRPα and Tim-3 on monocytes, macrophages and T cells in ACS patients were collected. FOLLOW-UP: during hospitalization, 3, 6 and 12 months after discharge. DISCUSSION: It is expected that this study will reveal the possible targets to improve the prognosis or prevent from occurrence of MACE in ACS patients. Since it's a multicenter study, the enrollment rate of participants will be accelerated and it can ensure that the collected data are more symbolic and improve the richness and credibility of the test basis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Center. Ethical approval was obtained from the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University. The dissemination will occur through the publication of articles in international peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2200066382.

[Shenfu Qiangjing decoction improves non-inflammatory and non-liquefied semen in kidney-yang deficiency men].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of Shenfu Qiangjing Decoction (SQD) in the treatment of non-inflammatory and non-liquefied semen in infertile males with kidney-yang deficiency. METHODS: Sixty cases of male infertility caused by non-inflammatory and non-liquefied semen with kidney-yang deficiency were equally and randomly divided into an SQD and a control group, the former given oral SQD and the latter vitamin C tablets plus intramuscular chymotrypsin. Both groups were observed for sperm viability, sperm motility, serum testosterone, seminal plasma PSA and improvement of kidney-yang deficiency symptoms before and after the medication. The therapeutic effects were evaluated according to the semen liquefaction within 60 min. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in the improvement of kidney-yang deficiency symptoms after the medication between the SQD and control groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) , and in sperm viability and motility of the SQD group before and after the treatment (P < 0.01) as well as between the two groups after the medication (P < 0.05). The levels of serum T and seminal plasma PSA also showed significant differences before and after the treatment in the SQD group (P < 0.01) and between the two groups after the medication (P < 0.05). The rate of total effectiveness was 93.3% in the SQD and 76.7% in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: SQD can shorten the semen liquefaction time in patients with non-inflammatory and non-liquefied semen and restore semen liquefaction to normal in over 90% of the patients. Meanwhile it can also improve the low testosterone level resulting from various kidney-yang deficiency symptoms.