Cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery treated with thermosensitive moxibustion with different dosages: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type (CSA) treated with thermosensitive moxibustion at different dosages.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty cases of CSA were randomized into a saturated moxa dosage group and a regular moxa dosage group, 30 cases in each one. The thermosensitive moxibustion was adopted in the two groups. The mild suspended moxibustion was applied at two acupoints with the strongest thermosensitization. In the saturated moxa dosage group, the moxibustion time was determined by the disappearance of thermosensitization. In the regular moxa dosage group, 15 min was required on each acupoint. The treatment was given twice a day for first 4 days in the two groups. Since the 5th day, the treatment was given once a day, continuously for 10 times, and totally 14 days were required. The score of symptoms and function and clinical efficacy were compared between the two groups before and after treatment as well as 6-month follow-up after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The curative and effective rate was 56.7% (17/30) after treatment and 60.0% (18/30) in 6-month follow-up after treatment in the saturated moxa dosage group, which were superior to 26.7% (8/30) and 30.0% (9/30) in the regular moxa dosage group respectively (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The scores of clinical symptoms and function after treatment and in follow-up were improved apparently as compared with those before treatment in both groups (all P < 0.01). The scores of clinical symptoms and function after treatment and in follow-up in the saturated moxa dosage group were increased much more apparently than those in the regular moxa dosage group (after treatment: 22.32 +/- 4.64 vs 17.43 +/- 3.21; in follow-up: 23.01 +/- 4.76 vs 18.32 +/- 2.13, both P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The thermosensitization moxibustion of saturated dosage achieves the superior short-term and long-term efficacies in the treatment of CSA as compared with the regular moxibustion dosage.</p>

Expression and role of urotensin II on the lung of patients with pulmonary hypertension with congenital heart disease / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the expression of urotensin II (UII) on the lung of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) with congenital heart disease and investigate the meaning of this phenomenon.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Thirty eight patients with CHD were divided into three groups according to pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) measured in cardiac catheterization and surgery: normal pulmonary pressure group (N group, PASP < 30 mm Hg, n = 10), mild PH group (M group, PASP ≥ 30 mm Hg, n = 15), severe or moderate PH group (S group, PASP ≥ 50 mm Hg, n = 13). The expression of UII protein and UII mRNA in pulmonary arterioles were measured separately by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis and in situ hybridization (ISH) analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>(1) The results of UIIIHC staining: The UII protein expression of group M was higher than that of group N (20.22 ± 3.58 vs. 14.34 ± 2.18, P < 0.01), but less than group S (20.22 ± 3.58 vs. 28.92 ± 3.22, P < 0.05). (2) The results of UIIISH mRNA staining were similar to IHC staining, the A value of group M was higher than group N (12.51 ± 2.02 vs. 8.85 ± 1.41, P < 0.05), less than that of group S(12.51 ± 2.02 vs. 25.35 ± 4.33, P < 0.01). (3) Correlation study: there was a positive correlation between the A values of UIIIHC and pulmonary hypertension (r = 0.64, P < 0.01, n = 38), a positive correlation between the A values of UIIISH and pulmonary hypertension (r = 0.58, P < 0.01, n = 38).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There was the expression of Urotensin II protein and mRNA in the lung of pulmonary hypertension patients with congenital heart disease, and these expression may involve the formation of pulmonary hypertension of congenital heart disease.</p>

Effects of carvedilol on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in autoimmune myocarditis in mice / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of carvedilol on the expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Fas in autoimmune myocarditis (AM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 60 inbred male BALB/C mice 4 - 5 weeks of age were divided at random into 3 groups as follows: AM group (n = 20), carvedilol group (n = 20) and control group (n = 20). The mice were sacrificed after gathering blood specimens by taking out the eyeballs and hearts tissue. The histological and ultrastructural changes were observed under light microscope and electron microscope. The concentrations of cardiac troponin I (cTn I) were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to analyze the contents of Bcl-2, Bax and Fas, TUNEL to detect the apoptotic index in myocardial cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were large number of lymphocyte and monocyte infiltrates under light microscope and karyopyknosis and chromatin gathered along the nuclear membrane under electron microscope in AM group. There were no inflammations and chromatin gathering in group C. Compared with control group, the Bcl-2, Bax and Fas protein expression significantly elevated in AM group (23.48 ± 2.24 vs. 6.64 ± 1.60, 26.15 ± 2.02 vs. 5.09 ± 0.85, 21.22 ± 3.62 vs. 5.86 ± 1.37, P < 0.01). The histopathologic scores (2.60 ± 0.31 vs. 2.02 ± 0.26, P < 0.05) and karyopyknosis of carvedilol group decreased as compared with AM group. The Bcl-2, Bax and Fas protein expression (17.13 ± 1.94 vs. 23.48 ± 2.24, 17.66 ± 2.62 vs. 26.15 ± 2.02, 16.79 ± 2.83 vs. 21.22 ± 3.62, P < 0.05), AI [(16.61 ± 4.67)% vs. (24.51 ± 4.70)%, P < 0.05] and contents of cTnI [(1.878 ± 0.48) ng/ml vs. (1.102 ± 0.23) ng/ml, P < 0.05] also decreased in carvedilol group compared with AM group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Carvedilol could protect against AM by alleviating cardiomyocyte apoptosis.</p>