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ObjectiveTo explore the clinical characteristics of neurobrucellosis in Kashi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, thus improve the diagnosis and treatment. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 18 cases of neurobrucellosis who were admitted to the First People's Hospital of Kashi Prefecture between December 2019 and January 2024. ResultsThe study included 9 males and 9 females, with a median age of 36 years (range: 17-54.5). A clear epidemiological history was found in all the 18 brucllosis patients, 12 of whom presented with meningoencephalitis, 5 meningitis, and 1 encephalitis. Two comorbided with spinal meningitis, 2 osteoarthritis and 1 epididymitis. Most frequently reported clinical symptoms were headache, fever and fatigue. The prevalence rates of brucellosis by rose bengal plate agglutination test (RBPT) and serum agglutination test (SAT) were 11/12 and 8/9, respectively. Two of 10 patients had positive blood cultures, four of 16 had positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures and five of five were detected to be positive by next-generation sequencing (NGS) for pathogens in CSF. CSF showed exudative changes and elevated number of leukocytes, with predominance of single nucleated cells. All patients were treated with the combined use of two to four from the drugs like doxycycline, rifampicin, ceftriaxone, cefixime, minocycline, levofloxacin and sulfanilamide. Most patients had a favorable prognosis. ConclusionsNeurobrucellosis should be considered in all patients with central nervous system manifestations from endemic areas. If there are exudative changes in CSF, differential diagnoses can be made by serological testing, blood culture, CSF culture and NGS. NGS could significantly increase the accuracy for neurobrucellosis diagnosis.
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ObjectiveTo investigate the diagnostic efficacy and optimal cut-off values of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and alpha-fetoprotein variant L3 (AFP-L3) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsA total of 1 080 patients with HBV-related HCC (HBV-HCC) who were diagnosed for the first time and not yet treated in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from January 2019 to July 2022 were enrolled as HCC group in the study, among whom there were 620 patients with CNLC Ⅰa-Ⅱa HCC, and in addition, 346 patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis B (CHB group) and 293 patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC group) were enrolled as controls. The diagnostic efficacy of AFP and AFP-L3% in screening for HBV-related early-stage HCC was analyzed, including sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC). The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between two groups; the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the Bonferroni method was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsThe HCC group had significantly higher levels of AFP and AFP-L3% than the CHB group and the LC group (H=542.479 and 418.974, both P<0.001). In early-stage HCC, AFP and AFP-L3% had an optimal cut-off value of 8.7 ng/mL and 5%, respectively, and AFP alone had the largest AUC of 0.816, with a sensitivity of 66.9% and a specificity of 85.1%. There was no significant difference in AUC between AFP-L3%+AFP and AFP alone (Z=0.609, P=0.543), but both AFP-L3%+AFP and AFP alone had a significantly larger AUC than AFP-L3% alone (AFP vs AFP-L3%: Z=8.173, P<0.001; AFP+AFP-L3% vs AFP-L3%: Z=8.802, P<0.001). ConclusionAFP has a good value and is superior to AFP-L3% in the diagnosis of HBV-related early-stage HCC, and the screening cut-off value of AFP should be lowered in order to improve the detection rate of early-stage HCC.
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Objective@#To evaluate the efficacy and safety of DCV-based DAAs therapy for chronic HCV infected Chinese patients.@*Methods@#An open-label, non-randomized, prospective study was designed. Fifty-two patients with chronic HCV infection were enrolled. Among them, there was one patient after liver transplantation, 2 patients after kidney transplantation, 3 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and 4 patients with HBV infection. Thirteen cases with chronic hepatitis C (one compensated cirrhosis) who were negative for resistance-related variants [NS5A RAS (-)] of gene 1b and NS5A were treated with daclatasvir (DCV) + asunaprevir (ASV) for 24 weeks. Twenty-five cases of CHC (six compensated cirrhosis) with GT 1b, 2a, 3a, 3b, 6a were treated with DCV + SOF ± RBV for 24 weeks. 8 cases with decompensated cirrhosis of gene 1b and NS5A RAS(-) were given DCV + SOF + RBV regimen for 12 weeks. Six cases with decompensated cirrhosis, of gene 2a, 1b, 2a, 3a, 3b, were given DCV + SOF + RBV regimen for 24 weeks. HCV RNA, blood routine test, liver and kidney function, and upper abdominal ultrasound/MRI were measured at baseline, 4 weeks of treatment, end of treatment, and 12 weeks of follow-up. The incidence of adverse events and laboratory abnormalities during treatment were recorded. A t-test was used to compare the measurement data between two groups, and analysis of variance was used to compare the measurement data between multiple groups.@*Results@#Sixteen patients (100%) achieved SVR12 after treatment, with 0% recurrence rate. Rapid virological response (RVR) of the four treatment regimens were 76.92%, 54.17%, 87.50%, and 83.33%, respectively, and 32 patients achieved 100% virological response after the completion of treatment. The incidence of adverse events of chronic hepatitis C with cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis was 62.5% and 64.29%, respectively. The most common adverse event was fatigue in CHC (25.00%), and elevated indirect bilirubin in decompensated cirrhosis (42.86%). No serious adverse drug events, deaths or adverse reactions occurred.@*Conclusion@#DCV-based DAAs regimen is promising option for the treatment of HCV genotypes, compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and HCV infection after liver/kidney transplantation in china. Above all, it has high SVR12 with good tolerability and safety profile.
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Objective@#To investigate the clinical effect and safety of entecavir (ETV) versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in the treatment of previously untreated HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with a high viral load.@*Methods@#A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 152 HBeAg-positive CHB patients with a high viral load (HBV DNA≥106 IU/ml) who were firstly treated with ETV (ETV group) or TDF (TDF group), with 76 patients in each group. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV DNA, HBeAg, anti-HBe, creatinine, and creatine kinase were measured at baseline, and the patients were followed up and evaluated at weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, and 96 of treatment. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to analyze cumulative complete virologic response, HBeAg seroconversion, and ALT normalization rate. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify the influencing factors for virologic response. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.@*Results@#There were no significant differences in ALT normalization rate between the ETV group and the TDF group at weeks 4, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 of treatment (18.1%/55.6%/83.3%/90.3%/93.1%/97.2% vs 16.0%/53.6%/75.4%/94.2%/100%/100%, P > 0.05). There were also no significant differences in virologic response rate between the ETV group and the TDF group at weeks 48 and 96 of treatment (89.5%/97.3% vs 93.4%/98.7%, P > 0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that the baseline parameters were not predictive factors for virologic response. At week 48 of treatment, the TDF group had a significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than the ETV group (14.5% vs 3.9%, P = 0.048); at week 96 of treatment, there was no significant difference in HBeAg seroconversion rate between the two groups (15.8% vs 7.9%, P = 0.132). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in cumulative ALT normalization rate, cumulative HBV DNA undetectable rate, and cumulative seroconversion rate. Only one patient in the ETV group experienced virologic breakthrough from weeks 60 to 72 of treatment, and there were no serious adverse reactions.@*Conclusion@#TDF and ETV had similar clinical effects, HBeAg seroconversion rate, and safety in previously untreated HBeAg-positive CHB patients with a high viral load.
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Objective To assess the application of a new scoring system for severity evaluation of acute-on-chronic liver failure induced by hepatitis B.Methods A total of 399 patients (203 survivals and 196 deaths) with acute-on-chronic liver failure induced by hepatitis B were collected from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University during January 2003 and June 2008.All patients were graded with the new scoring system and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) at critical stage (survivals) or terminal stage (deaths).The survival rates and fatality rates of patients who were graded by two scoring systems were analyzed and compared.Results With MELD system,the fatality rate was 11.89% (17/143) in patients with scores of 15-26,64.68% (141/218) with scores of 27-48,and 100% (38/38) with scores of 49-69.No score range with fatality rate of 0 was found.While with the new scoring system,the survival rate was 99.2% (126/127) when the severity scores were between 2 to 8,and patients with scores 2,3,4,5,6 and 8 were all survived; the fatality rates were gradually raised from 4.2% (1/24) with scores of 9-17 to 100% (82/82) with scores of 18 and above.Conclusion The new scoring system is more objective,simple and sensitive than MELD system,which can be used for severity evaluation of acute-onchronic liver failure induced by hepatitis B.
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Objective To establish a scoring system for evaluating the severity of hepatitis B patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure and to compare the validity of this system with model for end-stage liver disease (MELD). Methods MELD score was used in hepatitis B patients with acuteon-chronic liver failure who were divided into survival group (203 cases) and death group (196 cases).Seven clinical relative indices, including prothrombin activity, serum creatinine, hepatic encephalopathy, accompanying infections, serum total bilirubin, the dimension of liver, the amount of ascites, were selected for evaluating the severity. Each index was graded with 1 to 4 points based on the severity. Then the total score was counted by adding up scores of each index. T test and area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were used to evaluate the difference and similarity of the two systems. Results According to the new scoring system, the total score was 8. 07±3. 14 in the survival group and 16. 91 ±3. 54 in the death group. There was a statistically significant difference between these two groups (t = 26.125. P<0.01). In 81.32% of survival patients, their scores ranged from 3.91 to 12.23, while in 81.32% of dead patients, their scores ranged from 12.23 to 21.60. The two ranges overlapped at 12.23. According to the MELD system, the total score was 26. 43 ±5. 58 in the survival group and 40. 16 ±10. 22 in the death group. The difference between the two groups was statistically different (t = 16. 566, P<0. 01). In 61.02% of survival patients, the MELD scores ranged from 21. 49 to 31. 19, while in 61. 02% of the dead patients, the MELD scores ranged from 31. 19 to 48. 94. The two ranges overlapped at 31.19. The areas under ROC of the new scoring system and MELD system were 0.960 (95% CI: 0. 944-0. 977) and 0.886 (95% C/;0. 852 - 0. 920). No overlap was found in these two 95%CJ and there was a statistically significant difference. Conclusions The new scoring system is applicable for evaluating the severity and prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure in hepatitis B patients. The sensitivity of this new scoring system is approximate to the MELD system.
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Objective To investigate the risk factors of hepatitis B virus(HBV) re-infection after orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT)and to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of hepatitis B immunoglobulin(HBIG)combined with nucleos(t)ide analogues. Methods The study included 160 patients with HBVrelated liver diseases who underwent OLT in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from October 2003 to Augest 2007, 117 of whom were treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues before OLT;and all patients were received HBIG i. m and nucleos(t)ide analogues treatment after OLT. Preoperative data of the patients were retrospectively reviewed, and HBV re-infection was assessed prospectively. Independent t test was used to compare normally distributed data and Fisher's exact test was used for the comparison of rates among groups. Results HBV re-infection Was observed in 19 patients after OLT with a rate of 11. 88%(19/160), which was not correlated with HBV DNA loads, HBeAg and the duration of antiviral therapy before OLT(r=0.108, 0.127 and 0.033, P>0.05). Of 19 patients with HBV re-infection, 17 were treated with lamivudine after OLT, and HBV YMDD mutants were detected in 8. The YMDD positive group had a higher HBV DNA level than YMDD negative group(7.0 ± 2.0 log copies/mL vs 3.2 ± 2.5 log copies/mL, t = 3.531, P=0.003). Among above 17 patients, 12 received adefovir add-on treatment, and3 received entecavir instead of lamivadine; all achieved satisfactory responses. Conclusions Low dose of HBIG combined with long-term use of nucleos(t)ide analogues can effectively prevent HBV re-infection after OLT. HBV YMDD mutation may be the primary reason for HBV re-infection in the patients treated with lamivudine after OLT.
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Objective To evaluate the long-term prognosis of patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis after treatment with nucleos (t) ide analogues. Methods Totally 94 patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis were enrolled, 53 in nucleos(t) ide group, 41 in control group, and both received routine treatments. Patients in nucleos (t)ide analogue group also received lamivudine ( 100 mg/d), or adefovir ( 10 mg/d), or entecavir (0.5 rag/d). The follow-up was terminated for those who developed hepatocellular carcinoma, received liver transplantation, died or refused the treatment. Serum biochemical markers, Child-Pugh grades and clinical outcomes were compared between two groups at the end of following up. Results After nucleos (t) ide analogues therapy, ALT, AST, globulin ( Glb), and TBil decreased, while Alb and cholinesterase (CHE) increased in the nucleos(t)ide group, and Chiid-Pugh scores decreased in 43 (81.1%) patients. While in the control group, ALT, AST, Glb and TBil did not show significant changes, but the CHE was significantly lower than before ( t = 5. 225, P < 0. 01 ). More patients in nucleos (t)ide group showed improvements in Child-Pugh grades, and there was significant difference between the two groups (X2 = 52.16, P <0.01). The incidence of HCC is lower in nucleos(t) ide group (0%) than that in the control group ( 19.5% ) ( X2 = 23.07, P < 0.01 ). The incidence of death and liver transplantation between two groups did not show siguificant difference. Conclusions Nucleos(t) ide analogues therapy can significantly improve biochemical status of liver functions in patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma may decline and the long-term prognosis can be improved.
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The research is focused on the current situation and shortcomings in teaching of practical physical diagnostics.In the experimental group regular teachers are in charge of teaching and strengthening the physical examination training of students,and in the contrast group the teaching missions are distributed to different teachers in different departments,and the differences of the teaching effects between the two groups are thus discussed.The result reveals that the scores of the physical examination test in the experimental group is better than that in the contrast group,and the difference is significant(P