Cerebral infarction as the first symptom in acute promyelocytic leukemia: A case report and literature review / 中南大学学报(医学版)

In the clinical settings, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and complications such as hemorrhage are commonly seen in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients, whereas thrombosis is rarely reported. We reported a case here that the patient presented with cerebral infarction as the first manifestation. During the admission, the patient encountered differentiation syndrome, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hemorrhage, and myocardial ischemia, as well as bleeding and thrombosis complications. Hence the patient was diagnosed as DIC. After the treatment of blood transfusion instead of anticoagulation, his condition was stable and the remission was completely achieved. The treatment experience provides guides for other patients with similar complications of simultaneous bleeding and thrombosis.

Five-case report for transvenous epicardial pacemaker implantation via coronary sinus in patients after prosthetic tricuspid valve replacement / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Five patients after prosthetic tricuspid valve, who received pacemaker implantation via coronary sinus during Oct, 2011 and Jul, 2014, were enrolled. Pacemakers were implanted via coronary vein in 5 patients without complications. The stimulation thresholds keep stable and symptoms (such as short breath and fatigue) were disappeared during the follow-up. For patients after tricuspid valve replacement, implantation of pacemaker via coronary sinus provides a safe and invasive approach and avoids opening the chest again.

Effect and Mechanism of Interleukin-8 on Survival and Apoptosis of Hypoxic Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / 中国循环杂志

Objective: To investigate the effect of interleukin-8 (IL-8) on survival and apoptosis of hypoxic human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with its mechanisms. Methods: Hypoxic HUVECs were induced by CoCl2. HUVECs were cultured with different concentrations of CoCl2 or IL-8 and the survival rates of HUVECs were examined. Normal or hypoxic HUVECs were incubated with IL-8 or simultaneously incubated with anti-IL-8 or Akt inhibitor LY294002 for 48h. The HUVECs survival rate was detected by MTT method, apoptosis rate was measured by Annexin V-FITC/PI method, the protein expressions of Caspase-3, phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) and GSK-3βser9 (pGSK-3βser9) were evaluated by Western blot analysis. Results: By 12 h incubation with low concentration of CoCl2 (50, 100 μmol/L), HUVECs proliferation were improved, P Conclusion: IL-8 could down-regulate caspase-3 and up-regulate pAkt and pGSK-3βser9 expressions in HUVECs and therefore, inhibit the apoptosis and improve the survival of hypoxic HUVECs.

Clinical efficacy study on calming liver and restraining Yang formula in treating patients with mild or moderate degree of essential hypertension / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of calming the liver and restraining the Yang formula in treating patients with mild or moderate degree of essential hypertension (syndrome of hyperactivity of liver-Yang), and to explore its mechanism in lowering blood pressure.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The 348 patients with EH of stage I , II were randomly divided into two groups, the 174 patients in the treated group were treated with the calming the liver and restraining the Yang formula, and the 174 patients in the control group were treated with amlodipine. The treatment course for them all was 12 weeks. The related clincial symptoms score and quality of life score estimated before and after treatment at 4th week, 8th week and 12th week were observed. Before and after treatment, the ambulatory blood pressure (AMBP), heart rate, blood lipid, serum livels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), Angiotensin-II (Ang II) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were measured respectively in 40 patients of the treared group and 40 patients of the control group.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>After treatment, the treatment in the treated group showed an effect better than that in the control group in terms of nigh-time blood pressure reducing rate (P < 0.05). The reducing blood pressure variability and total effective rate in the treated group were no significant than that in the control group. In respect of reducing symptomatic scores on dizzy, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, disturbed and dry and bitter of mouth, ameliorating quality of life score, decreasing the levels of heart rate, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) in the treated group were showing marked improvement as compared with that in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.1). The improvement in the level of Ang II , Hs-CRP and CGRP before treatment in two groups were more significant than that after treatment (P < 0.05). However There were no difference in after treatment between the treated group and the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The calming the liver and restraining the Yang formula shows favorable efficacy in lowering blood pressure on the patients with mild or moderate degree of essential hypertension. It can reduce the clincial symptoms, improve the quality of life, regulate blood lipid metabolism. Its mechanism may be related to the functional relieving inflammatory reaction and inhibition the activity of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS).</p>

Dendritic cells and coronary collateral circulation in coronary heart disease / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the relationship between the number,phenotype and functional status of dendritic cells (DCs) and coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in coronary heart disease (CHD).@*METHODS@#Forty patients with severe coronary stenosis were recruited and divided into a CCC formation group (Group A, n=22) and a non-CCC formation group (Group B, n=18). Density gradient centrifugation was applied to separate the mononuclear cells (MNCs) from coronary artery blood samples, and MNCs were cultured and proliferated in vitro. The morphology of DCs was observed under converted microscope. The number of harvested cells and DCs was counted by hematocytometer. Flow cytometry was applied to investigate the phenotype and the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). Mixed lymphocyte reaction was used to test the function of DCs to stimulate the proliferation of T lymphocytes. Stimulation index (SI) was calculated and compared.@*RESULTS@#(1) After in vitro proliferation, DCs were cultured successfully from the mononuclear cells from coronary artery blood samples and the morphology of DCs was not different in the 2 groups. (2) The number of mononuclear cells (MNC no) was (3.95+/-1.41)*10(6), in the CCC group and (2.76+/-0.92)*10(6) in the non-CCC group. The MNC number was significantly increased in the CCC group (P=0.003). (3) The number of DCs was (1.54+/-0.96)*10(6) in the CCC group, and (0.99+/-0.46)*10(6) in the non-CCC group (P=0.033). (4)There was no statistical significance in the percent of CD1a+, CD1a+CD80+, CD1a+CD83+, CD1a+CD86+ cells, and MFI in the 2 groups (P>0.05). (5) SI was 4.96+/-2.30 in the CCC group, whereas 2.66+/-1.04 in the non-CCC group. The SI in the CCC group increased significantly(P=0.0003).@*CONCLUSION@#In CHD patients with severe coronary stenosis, patients with CCC formation have higher number of DCs and stronger potential of T lymphocyte stimulation.

Effects of valsartan and indapamide on plasma cytokines in essential hypertension / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Objective To investigate and compare the effect of valsartan and indapamide on inflammatory cytokines in hypertension. Methods Forty-one untreated patients with mild to moderate hypertension and 20 age- and sex-matched normotensives were enrolled in this study. Hypertensives were treated with indapamide 1.5 mg/d (n=20) or valsartan 80 mg/d (n=21) for 4 weeks, and blood samples for determining monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 (MIP-1α), sP-selectin, asymmetric dimethylarginin (ADMA), angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ), and 6-keto-PGF1α were collected before the treatment and 4 weeks after the treatment. Results Hypertensives exhibited significantly higher blood pressure, as well as elevated plasma levels of MCP-1, MIP-1α, sP-selectin and serum level of ADMA compared with the normotensives. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in serum 6-keto-PGF1α and AngⅡ between the hypertensives and the normotensives. After the treatment with indapamide or valsartan for 4 weeks, both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures, though still higher than those of the normotensives, decreased markedly. After the treatment with indapamide for 4 weeks, MCP-1, MIP-1α and sP-selectin slightly decreased, but not statistically significant (P＞0.05). Those cytokines decreased significantly after being treated with valsartan for 4 weeks [(19.16±3.11) pg/mL vs (16.08±2.67) pg/mL, P＜0.05; (27.74±8.36) pg/mL vs (17.64±7.59) pg/mL, P＜0.05; (2.67±3.18) pg/mL vs (6.15±2.94) pg/mL, P＜0.01]. In the 2 treatment groups, 6-keto-PGF1α markedly increased [(61.96±20.81) pg/mL vs (96.72±25.89) pg/mL, P＜0.05; (63.25±16.92) pg/mL vs (143.22±43.45) pg/mL, P＜0.01]; ADMA decreased significantly [(1.35±0.74) pg/mL vs (0.98±0.56) μmol/L, P＜0.05; (1.31±0.68) pg/mL vs (0.71±0.52) μmol/L, P＜0.01]. Though AngⅡ slightly increased, no statistical significance was found (P＞0.05). Conclusion The levels of MCP-1, MIP-1α, sP-selectin and ADMA were elevated in mild to moderate hypertensives. Valsartan and indapamide have similar blood pressure lowering effect. Valasartan exerts more significant effect on cytokines than indapamide does.