Prognostic value of serum IL-6 in patients with multiple myeloma / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of serum IL-6 (sIL-6) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). The sIL-6 level in 288 patients with MM was retrospectively analyzed, and the clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with different IL-6 level were compared. The newly diagnosed patients with MM were divided into two groups: the low sIL-6 group (sIL-6 < 100 pg/ml) and the high sIL-6 group (sIL-6 ≥ 100 pg/ml). The results showed that high sIL-6 level was more common in patients with ECOG score>3, myeloma bone disease (MBD) between grade 2 to 4, and high creatinine level. There was no significant differences in age, abnormal karyotype percentage, chromosome 13q14 abnormality percentage, CD138(+)/CD38(+) cells percentage and the level of calcium, phosphorus, albumin, C-reactive protein, β2-MG, lactate dehydrogenase, hemoglobin, platelet between the two groups at diagnosis, and also no significant difference in response to initial induction chemotherapy among the two groups. The overall survival was significantly different between the low and high IL-6 groups (P = 0.04, 35 m vs 29 m), but no difference in time to progress between the two groups (P = 1.93, 23 m vs 14 m). It is concluded that the sIL-6 level correlates with the clinical characteristics and prognosis. Radioimmunoassay is an appropriate measurement for human IL-6 in serum, and suitable for clinical application.

Relationship between eye dominance and handedness in two different methods among university students / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To evaluate the relationship between eye dominance and hand preference among university students with respect to dominant hemisphere. METHODS: A total of 179 university students (mean age ±SD was 19.4±1.6 years) were included in the study. The subject population was composed of 110 females (61.5%) and 69 males (38.5%) volunteered for examina-tion. Eye dominance was determined by two different methods named Gündoan and McManus tests. Handed-ness was also determined by two different methods as Edinburgh Handedness Inventory Oldfield (1971) and McManus tests. The reliability of the survey was examin-ed using a test-retest method.RESULTS: Without gender difference right/left eye dominance were found respectively for 110 (61.5%), 69 (38.5%) subjects by Gündoan test. When the same subjects were re-tested by McManus method the right/left eye dominance was found respectively for 128 (71.5%), 51 (28.5 %). The results of these two methods were related significantly, with an agreement score κ=0.256 (P<0.01). In females the right/left eye dominance were found respectively as 62 (56.4%), 48 (43.6%) by Gündoan test as it was found respectively 74 (67.3%), 36 (32.7%) for the same subjects when re-tested by McManus test method. The results of these two tests for females were related significantly by Fisher exact test (P<0.05), with agreement score κ=0.239 (P<0.01). In males the right/left eye dominance were found respectively as 48 (69.6%), 21 (30.3%) in Gündoan test method as it was found 54 (78.3%), 15(21.7%) for the same subjects when re-tested by McManus test (P>0.05). Right handedness ratios were 91.6% (n=164) and 91.1% (n=163) in Oldfield and McManus tests, respec-tively. Statistical agreement between these two methods was also represented with a high score (κ=0.753, P<0.01). The statistical relationship correlation between eye dominance and throwing hand was found significant by McManus test methods (Fisher exact test P<0.017) with an agreement score phi=0.193, P<0.05.CONCLUSION: The marked right handedness was observed among university students in both two hand preference tests. According to McManus test the throwing hand seems to have more consistent relation with the right eye dominance. Throwing hand and dominant eye seems to be a most reliable way for detecting functional asymmetry and cerebral laterality.