Relationships between genetic polymorphisms of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 and septic shock in a Chinese Han population / 世界急诊医学杂志（英文）

@#BACKGROUND: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) is a cell surface receptor expressed on neutrophils and monocytes. TREM-1 acts to amplify inflammation and serves as a critical mediator of inflammatory response in the context of sepsis. To date, the predisposition of TREM-1 gene polymorphisms to septic shock has not been reported. This study was designed to investigate whether TREM-1 genomic variations are associated with the development of septic shock. METHODS: We genotyped two TREM-1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, rs2234237 and rs2234246) and evaluated the relationships between these SNPs and septic shock on susceptibility and prognosis. RESULTS: TREM-1 rs2234246 A allele in the promoter region was significantly associated with the susceptibility of septic shock in recessive model (AA, OR=3.10, 95％Cl 1.15 to 8.32, P=0.02), and in codominant model (AG, OR=0.72, 95％Cl 0.43–1.19, P=0.02; AA, OR=2.71, 95％Cl 1.00–7.42;P=0.03). However, in three inherited models (dominant model, recessive model, and codominant model), none of the assayed loci was significantly associated with the prognosis of septic shock. The non-survivor group demonstrated higher plasma IL-6 levels (99.7±34.7 pg/mL vs. 61.2±26.5 pg/mL, P<0.01) than the survivor group. Plasma concentrations of IL-6 among the three genotypes of rs2234246 were AA 99.4±48.9 pg/mL, AG 85.4±43 pg/mL, and GG 65.3±30.7 pg/mL (P<0.01). The plasma concentrations of IL-6 in patients with AA genotypes were significantly higher than those in patients with GG genotypes (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: TREM-1 genetic polymorphisms rs2234246 may be significantly correlated only with susceptibility to septic shock in the Chinese Han population.

Value of C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of arteriosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the value of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the diagnosis of arteriosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 771 patients with essential hypertension and 243 healthy individuals, and all the subjects were measured for carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and serum CRP level using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The value of CRP in the diagnosis of arteriosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension was evaluated according to the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was evaluated with cfPWV> or =9 m/s as the golden diagnostic standard.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The hypertensive patients had significantly higher cfPWV and serum CRP concentration than the healthy individuals (16.51-/+1.6 vs 9.81-/+1.1, P<0.001; 4.96-/+1.15 vs 3.52-/+0.33, P<0.001, respectively). CRP showed significant positive correlations to systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) (r=0.584, P<0.001; r=0.624, P<0.001), and when controlled for age, SBP and PP, CRP was found in close correlation to cfPWV (r=0.746, P<0.001). The AUCROC of CRP was 0.907, and the peak point of the ROC curve was 3.85 mg/L, at which point CRP showed a diagnostic sensitivity of 83.9% and specificity of 86.8% with a misdiagnosis rate of 13.2% for arteriosclerosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Arteriosclerosis and nonspecific inflammation are prevalent in patients with essential hypertension, and CRP with the cutoff value of 3.85 mg/L may serve as a sensitive indicator for arteriosclerosis diagnosis in these patients.</p>

Variation of serum soluble CD14 levels in patients with chronic heart failure / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the patterns of serum soluble CD14 (sCD14) and C-reactive protein (CRP) alterations in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and investigate the correlations of sCD14 variation to the etiology, clinical symptoms, and the number of mononuclear cells in these patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study involved 246 CHF patients stratified according to their etiology and clinical symptoms, with 107 normal individuals serving as the control group. Blood samples were collected from these patients the next day after admission and also from the control subjects for measuring serum sCD14 and CPR levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and rate nephelometry, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The CHF patients had significantly higher serum levels of sCD14 and CRP than the control subjects (P<0.01). In the CHF patients, serum sCD14 and CRP levels differed significantly in the patients with clinical symptoms of different severities (F=3.787, P=0.024), and those with moderate and severe symptoms had significantly higher levels than the asymptomatic patients (P<0.05). The difference in etiologies also resulted in significant difference in sCD14 levels (P<0.05), which were significantly lower in coronary artery disease group than in hypertension group (P<0.05). Significant positive correlations were found between sCD14 and the CRP levels in the CHF patients (r=0.227, P=0.018) and between sCD14 level and the clinical symptoms (r=0.206, P=0.001), but sCD14 level was not correlated to the absolute or relative number of mononuclear cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Serum sCD14 and CRP levels are significantly elevated in CHF patients, but this condition may vary as the etiologies and clinical symptoms differ. Increased mononuclear cells do not contribute to the elevation of serum sCD14.</p>

Mechanisms of losartan for inhibition of myocardial fibrosis following myocardial infarction in rats / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of losartan on cardiac mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA in rats after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).</p><p><b>METHOD</b>AMI was induced in male SD rats by ligation of the left coronary artery. The survived rats were randomly divided into AMI group, losartan group, and sham-operated group. The cardiac functions of the rats were assessed by echocardiogram and hemodynamics, and the contents of angiotensin II (Ang II) and aldosterone (Ald) in the myocardial tissues were determined by radioimmunoassay. The collagen density in the myocardial tissues were calculated by Masson's trichrome staining and the expression of MR mRNA were determined by real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both the contents of AngII and Ald in the myocardial tissues increased significantly in AMI group compared with those in the sham-operated group (P<0.01). The expression of MR mRNA and collagen density in the myocardial tissues also increased significantly than that in sham-operated group (P<0.01). After four weeks of losartan treatment, the contents of AngII and Ald in the myocardial tissues decreased significantly (P<0.05) and the expression of MR mRNA was also considerably lowered (P<0.01) in comparison with those in the AMI group. Treatment with losartan also resulted in significant decrease of the collagen density in the myocardial tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Losartan may reduce reactive fibrosis not only by attenuating the Ald signaling pathway but also by decreasing the expression of MR.</p>

The Research of Pulse Wave Velocity and Heart Rate Variability in patients with Isolated Systolic Hypertension / 中华高血压杂志

Objective To investigate the characteristics of pulse wave velocity(PWV)and heart rate variability (HRV)and evaluate their feasibility in grading the cardiovascular risk in patients with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH).Methods Eighty-nine ISH patients and systolic-diastolic hypertension patients(DH,n=98)admitted in our hospital were submitted carotid-radial PWV(crPWV),carotid femoral PWV(cfPWV)and HRV,ISH patients were categorized depending on their risk grade as:low risk group(n=3),moderate risk group(n=17),high risk group(n=35)and very high risk group(n=34).Results The cfPWV in ISH patients is significantly higher than that of sys-diastolic hypertension group(ISH: 399.6?48.2 vs sys diastolic hypertension:374.3?39.7 cm/s,P0.05).The LF in ISH group are markedly higher than those in DH(ISH:4.35?1.07 log ms~2 vs 3.78?0.82 log ms~2,P 0.05).LF are markedly positive correlated with the degree of the total cardiovascular risk(rs=0.438,P

Clinical observation and study of mechanisms of needle-picking therapy for primary infertility of abnormal sperm / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To search for the best method for increasing clinical therapeutic effect on primary abnormality of sperm.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixty-eight cases of infertility were randomly divided into a treatment group of 85 cases and a control group of 83 cases. The treatment group were treated with needle-picking at bilateral Shengzhi points, Dicong Shenjing points and L2 Shenjing points as main. The control group were treated with oral administration of Wuzi Yanzong Pills [symbol: see text]. Their therapeutic effects were observed in 3 hospitals.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate of 83.5% and the pregnancy rate of the patient's wife of 78.8% in the treatment group, and corresponding figures were 54.2% and 43.4% in the control group, with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01); and reproductive hormones improved significantly after treatment in the two groups (P < 0.01); after treatment, superoxide dismulase (SOD) activity and Zn content in semen were elevated and cadmium level decreased significantly in the treatment group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Needle picking therapy can significantly improve and regulate endocrine function, increase quality of semen and elevate pregnancy rate of the patient's wife for the patient of primary abnormal sperm.</p>