ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the effects of acupuncture at Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)on the expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB),inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS),and nitric oxide(NO)of NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway in L5 spinal nerve root of lumbar disc herniation(LDH)model rats and explore the mechanism of acupuncture in LDH treatment.Methods:Forty specific-pathogen-free healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group,a model group,acupuncture group 1,and acupuncture group 2,with 10 rats in each group.The non-compression nucleus protrusion model was made by puncturing L4-L5 spinous process space and injecting autologous nucleus suspension.Acupuncture at bilateral Shenshu(BL23),Dachangshu(BL25),and Weizhong(BL40)was carried out in acupuncture group 1,and acupuncture at bilateral Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)in acupuncture group 2.All rats were treated with balanced reinforcing and reducing needling manipulations,and the needles were retained for 30 min/time with one episode of needling manipulation every 10 min,once a day,14 times in total.The threshold value of paw withdrawal pain was measured by a thermal stimulation pain instrument;the serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The pathomorphological changes of spinal nerve roots were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining;quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect iNOS mRNA expression in spinal nerve roots;the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression in spinal nerve roots was detected by the immunofluorescence method.Results:Compared with the sham operation group,the threshold of paw withdrawal pain in the model group was decreased,and the expression levels of serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO were increased;HE staining showed many degenerated and dissolved Schwann cells in spinal nerve roots with vacuolar changes;meanwhile,the expression levels of NF-κB and iNOS proteins,and the iNOS mRNA in spinal nerve roots were increased.Compared with the model group,the paw withdrawal pain thresholds in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were increased,and the increase in acupuncture group 2 was greater(P<0.05);the expression levels of serum NF-κB,iNOS,and NO in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,especially in acupuncture group 2(P<0.01);the vacuolar changes of spinal nerve roots,and the degeneration and lysis of Schwann cells in acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,which were more obvious in acupuncture group 2;the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression and the iNOS mRNA expression levels in spinal nerve roots of acupuncture group 1 and acupuncture group 2 were decreased,especially in acupuncture group 2(P<0.01).Conclusion:Acupuncture at Houxi(SI3)and Huantiao(GB30)can improve the morphology of spinal nerve roots,inhibit the NF-κB and iNOS protein expression levels in spinal nerve roots and the serum NO level,and relieve the pain caused by inflammation of spinal nerve roots,which may be one of the mechanisms of acupuncture in LDH treatment.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the situation of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who re-engaging treatment after dropping-out during anti-retroviral therapy (ART), and the influencing factors of ART re-engagement in Yunnan Province.Methods:The total dropping-out cases of ART up to December 31, 2018, including cases of lost-of-follow-up and withdrawing medications in Yunnan Province were included. The status of drop-out and demographic data were collected from survey questionnaires and the extracted medical-visiting records from the China National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program Database of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Chi-square test was used in statistical analysis and logistic regression was applied in analyzing factors related with re-engagement.Results:Among the total 6 075 cases with HIV infection which were recorded with the status of drop-out during ART in Yunnan Province, 5 340(87.9%) cases were confirmed drop-out, 540(8.9%) cases were false dropping-out due to belated medical visiting records, 109(1.8%) cases provided invalid answers or had no response to survey questionnaire, and 86(1.4%) cases failed to report results. Among 5 340 confirmed drop-out cases, the findings showed that 923(17.3%) cases were tracked and successfully re-initiated ART, 2 327(43.6%) cases could not be contacted, 1 443(27.0%) cases refused ART, 100(1.9%) cases died, 39(0.7%) cases came back for treatment by self-willing, 91(1.7%) cases were detained, and 417(7.8%) cases were in other situations. Tracking the dropping-out cases were through the workers based on the health facilities including ART clinics, centers for disease control and prevention and the community-based organizations. They tracked the dropping-out cases by phone, through household visiting or face-to-face communication. Statistically significant differences were found in the proportion of patients re-engagement by gender, re-engagement age, route of infection, education level and time from entry to last loss ( χ2=6.14, 21.26, 8.24, 17.69, 12.75, respectively, all P<0.050). The logistic regression suggested that the protective factors related with the re-engagement included female (adjusted odds ratio (a OR)=1.34, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.12 to 1.61, P=0.002), re-engagement age≤30 year-old (a OR=1.78, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.55, P<0.001), age of 31 to 60 year-old (a OR=1.33, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.76, P=0.043), education level with primary school to high school or technical secondary school (a OR=1.56, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.01, P<0.001), the period>24 months between first initiating ART and dropping-out (a OR=1.37, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.70, P=0.004). Conclusions:The program of tracking and re-engagement for ART dropping-out patients in Yunnan Province needs multi-department participation and investing large resources, but the success rate of tracking and re-engagement is not high. The protective factors related with re-engagement are female, re-engagement age≤60 year-old, education level with primary school to high school or technical secondary school, the period>24 months between first initiating ART and dropping-out.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the influence factors of mortality among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).Methods Retrospective cohort study of 652 children initiated HAART from 2005 to 2014 was conducted,and enrolled patients were followed-up until December,2015.Survival data was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model was used to identify independent predictors of mortality among these children on HARRT.Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used for comparison between groups.Results Overall,26 of the children died over a follow-up period of 3 116.24 child-years,with a mortality rate of 0.83 per 100 child-years.Twelve (46％)of deaths occurred during the first six months after starting HAART.Cox regression analysis of variables showed that the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stages Ⅲ/Ⅳ (hazard rate [HR] =10.717,95％confidence interal [95％ CI]:4.189-4.749,P =0.000),baseline hemoglobin ＜ 80 g/L (HR =14.768,95 ％ CI:5.721-38.125,P =0.000),tuberculosis co-infection (HR =4.794,95％ CI:2.105-10.918,P =0.000),baseline CD4+T lymphocyte ＜ 50 cells/μL (HR =4.219,95％ CI:1.524-11.680,P =0.006),weight-for-age z-score ＜-2 (HR =2.983,95 ％ CI:1.094-8.135,P =0.033) were independently associated with death,whereas the age ＜ 7 year-old at HAART initiation was protectire (HR =0.293,95％ CI:0.126-0.684,P =0.005).Conclusions The mortality of children receiving HAART is strongly associated with WHO stages Ⅲ/Ⅳ,hemoglobin ＜ 80 g/L,weight-for-age z-score ＜-2,tuberculosis co-infection and older age at treatment.