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ObjectiveTo investigate whether anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody can improve the efficacy and safety of cryoablation combined with lenvatinib in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 232 patients with unresectable HCC who were treated at The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022, among whom 128 received cryoablation combined with lenvatinib (double combination) and 104 received cryoablation combined with lenvatinib and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (triple combination). Propensity score matching was performed at a ratio of 1∶1, and finally there were 86 patients in each group. The two groups were evaluated in terms of objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AEs). The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Survival curves were plotted, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate of patients in both groups, while the log-rank test was used for comparison between the two groups. The Cox regression model was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) and perform the univariate and multivariate analyses of influencing factors for prognosis. ResultsThe median follow-up time was 28 months, and there were 33 deaths (38.0%) in the triple combination group and 40 deaths (46.0%) in the double combination group. Compared with the double combination group, the triple combination group had significantly higher ORR (35.6% vs 14.5%, P=0.008) and DCR (86.1% vs 64.1%, P=0.003). OS and PFS in the triple combination group were significantly higher than those in the double combination group (P=0.045 and 0.026). The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analyses showed that treatment regimen (HR=0.60, P=0.038) and alpha-fetoprotein level (HR=2.37, P=0.001) were independent risk factors for OS, and treatment regimen (HR=0.65, P=0.025), diabetes mellitus (HR=1.94, P=0.005), whether or not to have received local treatment (HR=0.63, P=0.014), and distant metastasis (HR=0.58, P=0.009) were independent risk factors for PFS. There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of AEs between the two groups (P>0.05). ConclusionFor patients with unresectable HCC, the triple combination of cryoablation, lenvatinib, and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody significantly improves the treatment outcome and survival of patients compared with the double combination of cryoablation and lenvatinib, without increasing AEs, which provides a clinical basis for optimizing the treatment regimen for unresectable HCC.
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Objective To investigate the role of P-I-R classification and Laennec grading in evaluating histological changes in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis after receiving antiviral therapy, as well as the association of these two evaluation systems with clinical prognosis. Methods A total of 218 patients from 14 centers were consecutively screened from October 2013 to October 2014, and these patients were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis based on pathology (Ishak score ≥5), received antiviral therapy for 72 weeks, completed two liver biopsies, and met the P-I-R classification criteria. The 218 patients were divided into non-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) group with 186 patients and HCC group with 32 patients. The chi-square test and the Fisher's exact test were used for comparison of categorical data between groups. For the comparison of HCC after antiviral therapy, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used for continuous variables, and for the comparison of P-I-R classification and Laennec grading, the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for continuous variables. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratio ( HR ) and 95% confidence interval ( CI ), and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence rate of HCC. Results After 72 weeks of antiviral therapy, there was a significant difference in P-I-R classification between the non-HCC group and the HCC group ( P < 0.001). There were significant differences in the distribution of Laennec grading and P-I-R classification before and after antiviral therapy ( P < 0.001). After antiviral therapy, the 218 patients were divided into 4A group with 33 patients, 4B group with 71 patients, and 4C group with 114 patients according to Laennec grading, and there were significant differences between these three groups in platelet count (PLT) ( H =36.429, P < 0.001), liver stiffness measurement (LSM) ( H =13.983, P =0.004), Ishak score ( χ 2 =23.060, P < 0.001), and HAI score ( P < 0.001). After antiviral therapy, the 218 patients were divided into R group with 70 patients, I group with 52 patients, and P group with 96 patients according to P-I-R classification, and there were significant differences between these three groups in PLT ( H =7.193, P =0.028), LSM ( H =6.238, P =0.045), Ishak score ( χ 2 =7.986, P < 0.001), HAI score ( P =0.002), and HCC ( P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the incidence rate of HCC between the P and R groups based on P-I-R classification ( HR =24.21, 95% CI : 0.46-177.99, P =0.002). After adjustment for other confounding factors, P-I-R classification was an independent predictive factor for HCC ( HR =12.69, 95% CI : 4.63-34.80, P =0.002). Conclusion Both P-I-R classification and Laennec grading can reflect the features and changes of fibrosis before and after antiviral therapy, and P-I-R classification is more sensitive to fibrosis changes after antiviral therapy. P-I-R classification (after treatment) can be used to assess the risk of HCC in patients after antiviral therapy.
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Liver fibrosis is the inevitable course for the progression of chronic hepatitis B to liver cirrhosis and is also the most important risk factor for hepatocarcinogenesis, and therefore, blocking and reversing liver fibrosis is an important strategy to effectively reduce the development of chronic hepatitis B cirrhosis and liver cancer. There are currently no effective drugs and measures for the treatment of liver fibrosis in Western medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has unique advantages in the treatment of liver fibrosis; however, due to a lack of strict and standardized clinical research, there is still no high-quality evidence for support from the aspect of evidence-based medicine (EBM). With subsidies from National Science and Technology Major Project in the 12th and 13th five-year plans, the authors conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on compound Biejia Ruangan tablets combined with entecavir in blocking and reversing chronic hepatitis B liver fibrosis. With liver biopsy as the gold standard, 1000 patients were enrolled to confirm the efficacy of compound Biejia Ruangan tablets combined with entecavir in blocking and reversing liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and this study has become the first clinical trial investigating the anti-liver fibrosis effect of TCM supported by high-quality EBM evidence, bringing great hope to patients with chronic liver diseases and helping TCM move towards the world. This article introduces these research findings and reviews the current status and challenges of TCM in blocking and reversing liver fibrosis.
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Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of percutaneous cryoablation combined with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in elderly patients with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma aged 70 years or older. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 92 elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were admitted to The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2014 to January 2018, among whom 46 underwent cryoablation alone (CRYO group) and 46 underwent cryoablation combined with PEI (combination therapy group). The two groups were compared in terms of clinical outcome, adverse reactions, and changes in liver function parameters after treatment, and the patients were followed up to observe tumor recurrence and survival. The t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and the log-rank test was used for comparison of survival curves. The Cox regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors for survival and prognosis. Results There was no significant difference in the response rate of initial ablation between the combination therapy group and the CRYO group (89.1% vs 73.9%, P > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the CRYO group and the combination therapy group in overall survival time and tumor-free survival rate after surgery ( P > 0.05), and compared with the CRYO group, the combination therapy group had significantly lower 1-, 2-, and 3-year local tumor progression rates (20%/21%/21% vs 30%/46%/46%, χ 2 =4.187, P 0.05), but 3 patients in the CRYO group experienced serious adverse reactions, while no patients in the combination therapy group experienced such reactions. Conclusion For elderly patients with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma, cryoablation combined with PEI is safer and more effective than cryoablation alone and can significantly reduce local tumor progression rate.
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Liver cirrhosis is a major global health burden worldwide due to its high risk of morbidity and mortality. Role of terlipressin for the management of liver cirrhosis-related complications has been recognized during recent years. This paper aims to develop evidence-based clinical practice guidance on the use of terlipressin for liver cirrhosis-related complications. Hepatobiliary Study Group of Chinese Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association invited gastroenterologists, hepatologists, infectious disease specialists, surgeons, and clinical pharmacists to formulate the clinical practice guidance based on comprehensive literature review and experts' clinical experiences. Overall, 10 major statements regarding efficacy and safety of terlipressin in liver cirrhosis - related complications were proposed. Terlipressin can be beneficial for the management of cirrhotic patients with acute gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). However, the evidence regarding the use of terlipressin in cirrhotic patients with ascites, post-paracentesis circulatory dysfunction and bacterial infections, as well as in those undergoing hepatic resection and liver transplantation remains insufficient. Terlipressin - related adverse events, mainly including gastrointestinal symptoms, electrolyte disturbance, and cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events, should be closely monitored. The current clinical practice guidance supports the use of terlipressin for gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and HRS in liver cirrhosis. High-quality studies are needed to further clarify its potential effects in other liver cirrhosis-related complications.
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Portal hypertension refers to a series of clinical manifestations caused by elevated pressure of the portal vein system, which can cause portal hypertension by causing portal venous obstruction and / or increased blood flow. A typical clinical manifestation in patients with decompensated cirrhosis is portal hypertension. A severe complication of portal hypertension is esophagogastric varices bleeding, refractory ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy. The effective reduction of portal pressure can reduce the incidence of complications, improve the prognosis and reduce the mortality. At present, the commonly used clinical methods for reducing portal hypertension include drug therapy, minimally invasive interventions, surgical treatment, and liver transplantation. This article reviews the current status of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine for portal hypertension.
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Background:Dang gui (Apiaceae; Angelica sinensis radix) is among the most often used Chinese medicinal plants. However, hardly anything is known about its value chain and its influence on the main marker compounds of the drug. The aim of this study is to investigate the value chain of dang gui in Gansu and Yunnan, and the analysis of the marker compounds ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide concentration in relation to quality criteria such as the production area and size of the roots. Methods: During six months of field research in China, semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders of the value chain were undertaken and plant material was collected. High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) was used for semi-quantitative analysis of ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide. Results: Small-scale household cultivation prevails and in Gansu-in contrast to Yunnan-the cultivation of dang gui is often the main income source of farmers. Farmers and dealers use size and odor of the root as main quality criteria. For Chinese medicine doctors, Gansu as the production area is the main criterion. Higher amounts of ferulic acid in plant material from Yunnan compared to Gansu were found. Additionally, a negative relation of root length with both ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide as well as head diameter with ferulic acid were found. Conclusions: HPTLC is a valid method for semi-quantitative analysis of the marker compounds of dang gui. However, the two main marker compounds cannot explain why size and smell of the root or production area are seen as quality criteria. This hints at the inherent difficulty to correlate quality notions of medicinal plants with specific chemical compounds. With respect to this, more attention should be paid to quality in terms of cultivation and processing techniques.
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Objective To assess the prevalence of c-Kit and FLT3 gene mutations in core binding factor related acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML) and analyze the karyotype characteristics of the CBF-AML patients. Methods Mutations of c-Kit, FLT3-ITD and FLT3-TKD were detected by genomic DNA PCR and sequencing, and the karyotype changes were analyzed in 48 newly diagnosed CBF-AML patients. Results c-Kit aberrations were detected in 13(27.1 %) out of 48 patients, including 5 cases with exon 8 mutation and 8 cases with exon 17 mutation. c-Kit was more prominent in t(8;21) AML patients than in inv(16) AML patients [(33.3 %(9/27) vs 19.0 %(4/21), P<0.05]. Only 1 case (2.1 %) had FLT3-ITD mutation (FLT3-ITD+) and 3 cases (6.3 %) had FLT3-TKD mutation (FLT3-TKD +). Prevalence of RUNX1-RUNX1T1 with additional chromosome abnormality was as high as 25.9 %(7/27), in which sex chromosome elimination was the most common one, while prevalence of CBFβ-MYH11 with additional chromosome abnormality was low. Conclusion c-Kit gene mutations and RUNX1-RUNX1T1 additional chromosome abnormalities are common in patients with CBF-AML and would be helpful for individualized treatment studies.
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Objective To explore the treatment effect and comfort of colostomy surgery with fecal water der-matitis around stoma after application of multilayer soft silicone dressings.Methods Approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee and the patients'informed consent,120 patients were divided into the hydrocolloid dressings group ( the control group) and multi-layer soft silicone dressing group (the treatment group),60 cases in each group.Before treatment,after treatment 24h and 36h,DET score,GCO score and the treatment effect were evaluated.Results After treated for 24h,the DET,GCO scores and treatment effects ( in the control group,cured in 3 cases,effective 45 cases, in the treatment group 5 patients were cured,effective in 46 cases) had no significant differences between the two groups (t=-2.624,P>0.05,t=-0.429,P>0.05,χ2 =0.519,P>0.05).After treated for 36h,the DET,GCO scores and treatment effects ( in the control group:cured in 29 cases,effective in 25 cases,in the treatment group:51 patients were cured,effective in 9 cases) had significant differences between the two groups ( t=-5.022,P<0.01,t=12.784,P<0.01,χ2 =6.316,P<0.05).Conclusion Colostomy fecal water dermatitis around stoma after application of multilayer soft silicone dressings can significantly improve the patients'comfort.
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Epithelial cellular adhesion molecule (EpCAM)is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in epithelial tissues and most epitheli-al-derived malignant tumors.EpCAMis associated with cell adhesion,migration,proliferation,and differentiation,as well as tumor devel-opment and progression.In recent years,EpCAMhas been identified as a stem cell marker of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).This paper elucidates the roles of EpCAMin the diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of HCC,which shed light on the potential molecular targeted thera-py in future.
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V2/V3 conformational epitope antibodies that broadly neutralize HIV-1 (PG9 and PG16) have been recently described. Since an elicitation of previously known broadly neutralizing antibodies has proven elusive, the induction of antibodies with such specificity is an important goal for HIV-1 vaccine development. A critical question is which immunogens and vaccine formulations might be used to trigger and drive the development of memory B cell precursors with V2/V3 conformational epitope specificity. In this paper we identified a clonal lineage of four V2/V3 conformational epitope broadly neutralizing antibodies (CH01 to CH04) from an African HIV-1-infected broad neutralizer and inferred their common reverted unmutated ancestor (RUA) antibodies. While conformational epitope antibodies rarely bind recombinant Env monomers, a screen of 32 recombinant envelopes for binding to the CH01 to CH04 antibodies showed monoclonal antibody (MAb) binding to the E.A244 gp120 Env and to chronic Env AE.CM243; MAbs CH01 and CH02 also bound to transmitted/founder Env B.9021. CH01 to CH04 neutralized 38% to 49% of a panel of 91 HIV-1 tier 2 pseudoviruses, while the RUAs neutralized only 16% of HIV-1 isolates. Although the reverted unmutated ancestors showed restricted neutralizing activity, they retained the ability to bind to the E.A244 gp120 HIV-1 envelope with an affinity predicted to trigger B cell development. Thus, E.A244, B.9021, and AE.CM243 Envs are three potential immunogen candidates for studies aimed at defining strategies to induce V2/V3 conformational epitope-specific antibodies.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Epitopes/immunology , HIV Antibodies/immunology , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , Epitopes/genetics , Female , HIV Envelope Protein gp120/genetics , HIV-1/genetics , Humans , Neutralization Tests , Protein Binding , Surface Plasmon ResonanceABSTRACT
Walnuts are a major crop of many countries and mostly cultivated in large-scale plantations with few cultivars. Landraces provide important genetic reservoirs; thus, understanding factors influencing the geographic distribution of genetic variation in crop resources is a fundamental goal of agrobiodiversity conservation. Here, we investigated the role of human settlements and kinship on genetic variation and population structure of two walnut species: Juglans regia, an introduced species widely cultivated for its nuts, and J. sigillata, a native species cultivated locally in Yunnan. The objectives of this study were to characterize sympatric populations of J. regia and J. sigillata using 14 molecular markers and evaluate the role of Tibetan villages and kin groups (related households) on genotypic variation and population structure of J. regia and J. sigillata. Our results based on 220 walnut trees from six Tibetan villages show that although J. regia and J. sigillata are morphologically distinct, the two species are indistinguishable based on microsatellite data. Despite the lack of interspecific differences, AMOVAs partitioned among villages (5.41%, P = 0.0068) and kin groups within villages (3.34%, P = 0.0068) showed significant genetic variation. These findings suggest that village environments and familial relationships are factors contributing to the geographic structure of genetic variation in Tibetan walnuts.
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Objective To explore clinical application of coronary artery imaging with 64-slice spiral CT.Methods 46 patients with coronary heart disease were undergone both coronary artery imaging with 64-slice spiral CT and coronary angiography,and the effects on coronary display respectively were compared Results Coronary display in coronary artery imaging with 64-slice spiral CT was better than that of the coronary angiography, which was a inspection pattern of noninvasive coronary display. Conclusion Coronary artery imaging with 64-slice spiral CT can accurately evaluate coronary artery stenosis, which was worth to application.
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Objective To find out the requirement and to evaluate the effect of post-abortion counseling and education (PACE) among unmarried abortion adolescents.Methods The subjects of the study were unmarried adolescents from 10 to 24 years of age who wanted induced abortion in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from December 2007 to April 2008.Totally 122 subjects received the intervention of PACE were considered as intervention group.Meanwhile,67 subjects refused the intervention of PACE were considered as no intervention group.Two groups were both investigated the requirements of PACE before abortion and were followed-up at one year after abortion.Results 97.4% (184/189) of 189 unmarried abortion adolescents were willing to receive PACE,48.1% (91/189) of them hoped to receive PACE when saw the doctor,72.0% (136/189) of them required face-to-face counseling during PACE.During the year after abortion,74% (57/77) cases in intervention group and 24% (10/41) cases in no intervention group took effective contraception (P< 0.01 ),while 1% (1/77) of intervention group and 10% (4/41) of no intervention group had unwanted pregnancy.There were significant different for the rate of unwanted pregnancy between two groups (P=0.034).Conclusion For unmarried abortion adolescents,the intervention of PACE may markedly increase the rate of effective contraception used and decrease the rate of another unwanted pregnancy.
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Objective To establish rat model of impact spinal cord injury, observe the pathological changes of the model and assess its stability, reproducibility and consistency. Methods Moderate and severe spinal cord injury (SCI) models were established by using modified weight drop device. The pathological and functional changes after SCI were observed by means of BBB scoring, electrophysiology,immunohistochemistry and electronic microscopy so as to estimate the reproducibility of rat models and their consistency with severity of SCI. Results Locomotion and nerve impulse transduction along the spinal cord measured by motorial and sensory evoked potentials recovered gradually over time after SCI.However, the recovery rate of moderate SCI group was better than that of severe SCI group. Histological and immunohistochemical experiments showed that the glial scar as well as cavity were formed after SCI.Whereas, compared with moderate SCI group, the injury of severe SCI group was severer, with less spared tissue. Electronic microscopic observation displayed that hemorrhage, edema, neutrophilic granulocytic infiltration and chromatin margination of glia arose at day 1 after SCI. Vacuolization of mitochondria, degeneration of axon with edema could be seen at 2 weeks after injury. Degeneration of myelin and deposition of collagen fibril emerged at 8 weeks postinjury. Conclusions The rat models of impact SCI established in this study can distinguish the graded injury, and significantly correlate with the behavioral,electrophysiological and pathological outcomes, which indicates that the models possess good stability, reproducibility and consistency. Glial scar with cavity marked by GFAP or Vimentin is the pathological hallmark after SCI, and thereby GFAP or Vimentin can be used as a marker for demarcate the border of glial scar.
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BACKGROUND:Hepatocyte transplantation has attracted more and more attention as a therapeutic measure for liver failure and genetic metabolic liver diseases.OBJECTIVE:TO evaluate the efficacy and safety of human hepatocyte transplantation in treating hepatitis B related liver failure in one case by a 2-year follow-up.DESIGN:A case-report of 2-year follow-up.SETTING:No.9 Department of Infectious Diseases,Bioengineering Research Room,the 302 Hospital of Chinese PLA.PARTICI PANT:One inpatient with hepatitis B related liver failure was selected from the 302 Hospital of Chinese PLA.and she was diagnosed according the laboratory tests.The transplanted hepatocytes were originated frOm the healthy liver of a 24-year-old man,who had signed the protocol for liver donation before death.METHODS:The hepatocyte transplantation was completed in the Department of Radiology,the 302 Hospital of Chinese PLA in December 2004.Liver was isolated to obtain human primary hepatocytes, and then cryopreserved.The hepatocytes were transplanted into recipient spleen via femoral vein after resuscitation.The clinical symptoms,changes of blood biochemical indexes,and changes of spleen MRI signals were observed before and after operation.The patient was reexamined every half a year after operation, including liver function, blood coagulation function,B-mode ultrasonography,gastroscopy and MRI,and she was followed up for 2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Liver function,blood coagulation function, imaging indexes, immunological indexes,complication and rejection.RESULTS:①Totally(1-2)×1010 hepatocytes were harvested,and the viability of rewarmed hepatocytes was 60%,and finally 2×109 hepatocytes were transplanted.②Two months later,the clinical symptoms of the recipient were obviously ameliorated,and serum bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)were obviously decreased,while prothrombin activity was markedly increased.20 months later,the MRI results showed that there was hepatocyte image in spleen.Two years after operation.the total bilirubin level was 20 μmol/L,direct bilirubin level was 7 μmol/L, alanine aminotransferase was 416.75 nkat/L,AST was 533.44 nkat/L,albumin was 37 g/L,prothrombin activity was 90%,which were all obviously ameliorated as compared with those before operation(474.5 μmol/L,340.3 μmol/L,400.08 nkat/L,1 200.24 nkat/L,38 g/L,25%).The patient left the hospital 2 months later and could do light-burdened job.No complications of hydroperitonia and liver function failure, etc.were observed,and no rejection occurred.Several reexaminations by B-mode ultrasonography all indicated the further aggravations of liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices.She was admitted to hospital for twice because of esophageal varices bleeding,and cured by endoscopic variceal sclerosis therapy.CONCLUSION:Hepatocyte transplantation can ameliorate liver function without rejection,but it cannot relieve portal hypertension.
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Objective To study the relation between Child Turcotte classification and pathology, diagonsis, prognosis and fibrosis index as well as its significance. Methods The levels of hyaluronic acid(HA), type Ⅲ procollagen(PCⅢ), Laminin(LN) and type Ⅳ collagen(Ⅳ C) were detected by enzyme linked immunoadsordent assay(ELISA) or radioimmunoassay(RIA). Pathomorphology was observed in 68 patients with cirrhosis. Results Level of HA in serum was positively correlated with cirrhotic severity, but other fibrosis indexes could not reflect cirrhotic severity. Child Turcotte classification was concordant with the pathological changes. The concordance rate of Child Turcotte classification B or C patients with pathologic diagnosis was up to 97.8%. The recovery rate of Child Turcotte classification A patients was up to 95.5%. Fatality rate of Child Turcotte classification C patients was up to 96.9%. Conclusion Child Turcotte classification is closely correlated with the severity of hepatic fibrosis, severity of pathological changes in liver and prognosis of patients. It is of clinical value in the reflection of severity of hepatic cirrhosis.
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Objective To study features and significance of clinical stages and types of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Methods The clinical features of 330 patients with SARS were analyzed by SPSS 11.0 and SDAS software packages, and the standard for classification of clinical stages and types of SARS were studied. Results The disease course of SARS could be divided into four stages, namely, incubation stage, initial stage, climax stage and convalescence stage. The period of incubation stage was 1~12 (5.70?2.45) days. The initial stage was the pathoformic phase during 1 st~10 th (3.98?2.48) days after the onset. The fever was the first symptom and there were usually no catarrhal symptoms. Meanwhile, no abnormality was found in the chest X-ray examination. The climax stage included 3 sequential phases of pulmonary inflammatory exudation, pulmonary tissue consolidation and ARDS or multi-organ failure. In the phase of pulmonary inflammatory exudation, there were serious cough, mild shortness of breath and hypoxemia. Furthermore, chest X-ray examination showed that there was exaggeration of lung markings, haziness or patchy opacity. In the phase of pulmonary tissue consolidation, type I respiratory failure was usually seen in the patients. Shortness of breath and hypoxemia became more serious. Chest X-ray examination showed that the area of consolidation continued to enlarge to include the entire lung. The convalescence stage usually appeared 3 weeks after the onset and lasted for 5~56 (24.37?8.81) days. This stage could further be divided into phase I (complete recovery) and phase II (possible existence of pulmonary fibrosis). SARS could be clinically classified into mild type (ordinary type), severe type and extremely severe type (fulminant type) with a mortality of zero, 5.76% and 61.54%, respectively. There were very great differences in clinical features in three types of SARS. Conclusions SARS could be divided into the incubation stage, initial stage, climax stage and convalescence stage. The climax stage included 3 phases, i.e. pulmonary inflammatory exudation, pulmonary tissue consolidation, and ARDS or MOF. The convalescence stage could be divided into phase I (complete recovery) and phase II (possible existence of pulmonary fibrosis). SARS could be classified as mild type, severe type and extremely severe type.
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Objective To analyze the clinical features of severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) in order to look for premonitory signs of deterioration of patients suffering from SARS. Methods Three hundred and thirty patients with SARS referred to the Chinese Disease Center(CDC) in Beijing were studied retrospectively by SPASS and SDAS software. The data reviewed included clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and X-ray pictures. Results The prognosis of mild SARS was good with a cure ratio of 100%. Chest radiography revealed opacity or small subtle opacity in lung periphery in 53.1%, there were no signs of acute lung injury in 67.2%, and the opacity disappeared rapidly. In patients with severe SARS, the disease course was longer(41.3?5.6day), the duration of high fever was longer (8.66?3.22day), with the highest temperature reaching 39.04?0.71℃. The duration of respiratory insufficiency was also longer(8.80?4.56day), and 71.8% of them manifested acute lung injury, involving a large area of the lung, with central lesions in 21.8% or mixed in 50%. The opacity was denser, and it took a longer period to resolve. The levels of LDH, HBDH, ESR and CK-MB were high, with HBDH/LDH ratio ranged from 0.8 to 1.0. The mortality was high(14.54%). Logistic regression analysis showed that the premonitory mode of deterioration of the disease was P y=1=? s /(1+? s)(S=-10.598+0.102A+0.592B+0.077C+0.494D), with sensitivity of 86.67%, and specificity 80%, and it was correlated with age, duration of respiratory insufficiency, ESR, and duration of high temperature. Conclusions The premonitory mode of deterioration of SARS is a new, simple, low-cost, biomathematically and pathophysiogically based index. It allows the prediction of deterioration and severity of SARS.
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Objective To analyze the clinical and pathological features and responses to therapy of primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis(AIH) overlap syndrome. Methods Comparison was made between 11 patients with PBC/AIH overlap syndrome, 21 cases with type I AIH and 20 cases with PBC (Scheuer stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ), and the emphases was laid upon the clinical manifestations, pathological features and responses to therapy of the patients with PBC/AIH overlap syndrome. Results No significant differences were found in sex, age and course of diseases among the three groups. In PBC/AIH group, the serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (AKP), ?-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GTP), IgM and the frequency of positive anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) and AMA-M2 antibodies were significantly higher than those in the pure AIH group(P