[Value of chitinase-like protein YKL-40 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for predicting refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of chitinase-like protein YKL-40 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for predicting refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in children. METHODS: A total of 50 children with common Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and 22 children with RMPP were enrolled. The two groups were compared in terms of clinical features, laboratory examination results, imaging findings, and YKL-40 levels in BALF. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of YKL-40 in BALF for predicting RMPP. RESULTS: Compared with the common MPP group, the RMPP group had significantly higher incidence rates of fever, shortness of breath, lung consolidation, and pleural effusion (P < 0.05) and significantly higher serum levels of C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.05). The RMPP group had a significantly higher level of YKL-40 in BALF than the common MPP group (P < 0.05). The ROC curve plotted based on the level of YKL-40 in BALF had an area under the ROC curve of 0.750, a sensitivity of 72.7% and a specificity of 64.0% for predicting RMPP. CONCLUSIONS: There is an increase in the level of YKL-40 in BALF in children with RMPP, and the level of YKL-40 in BALF has a certain value for predicting RMPP.

[Association of YKL-40 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with airway damage in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of YKL-40 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) with airway damage in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). METHODS: A total of 60 children with MPP who were admitted to the hospital were enrolled as the MPP group, and 12 children with bronchial foreign bodies were enrolled as the control group. According to the imaging findings, the MPP group was further divided into 3 subgroups: pulmonary patchy shadow (n=34), pulmonary consolidation (n=19) and pulmonary ground-glass opacity (n=7). According to the bronchoscopic findings, the MPP group was further divided into 3 subgroups: mucosal congestion/edema (n=38), mucous secretion (n=18) and plastic bronchitis (n=4). The clinical manifestations and laboratory characteristics of the children with MPP were analyzed, the expression of YKL-40 in BALF was measured. RESULTS: The MPP group had significantly higher levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase and BALF YKL-40 than the control group (P<0.05). The pulmonary consolidation subgroup had significantly higher levels of serum C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase than the pulmonary patchy shadow subgroup (P<0.05), and the pulmonary consolidation and pulmonary ground-glass opacity subgroups had a significantly higher level of BALF YKL-40 than the pulmonary patchy shadow subgroup (P<0.05). The plastic bronchitis subgroup had a significantly higher level of BALF YKL-40 than the mucous secretion and mucosal congestion/edema subgroups (P<0.05). The mucous secretion and plastic bronchitis subgroups had a significantly higher proportion of children with shortness of breath than the mucosal congestion/edema subgroup (P<0.05). The plastic bronchitis subgroup had significantly higher serum levels of C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase than the mucosal congestion/edema subgroup (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The level of BALF YKL-40 is associated with airway damage and disease severity in children with MPP.

The effects of exercise program on burnout and metabolic syndrome components in banking and insurance workers.

To explore the effectiveness of exercise program for banking and insurance workers and clarify the association between exercise, burnout, and metabolic syndrome components. In the process of the study, a practicable worksite exercise program was developed for bank and insurance enterprises. A three-month (12-wk) exercise course was conducted, and its benefits evaluated. Levels of burnout and metabolic syndrome components were analyzed after exercise intervention. After intervention, the indicators of burnout and metabolic syndrome components were significantly improved in both low and high intensity groups, and the improvement were expressed in reduction of waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, person burnout and work-related burnout. A dose-response of burnouts and metabolic syndrome components with exercise intensity are shown (p<0.05). Metabolic syndrome components were independently associated with burnout and exercise intensity in the crude model. After adjustment for potential confounders, waist circumference and systolic blood pressure differences showed significant associations with exercise intensity (p<0.05). This study demonstrated an effective approach to worksite exercise intervention and exercise intensity played an important role to alleviate damage between burnouts and metabolic syndrome components.

An effective physical fitness program for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The aim of this study is to develop a practicable worksite physical fitness program for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Community-based intervention consisting of a three-month exercise course was conducted, and its benefits evaluated. A self-administrated structured questionnaire and physical fitness examination were designed to compare the difference between pre and post intervention. A total of 133 SME workers completed the lifestyle/exercise course and filled out the questionnaire, but 16 were excluded from the exercise group due to health reasons. After the intervention, health indicators such as weight, blood pressure, resting heart rate, waistline, BMI, front and back trunk flexibility, abdominal muscle durability and back muscle strength were significantly improved, and improvements in musculoskeletal disorders were seen in reduced neck pain (18.8%), wrist pain (17.4%), and upper/lower back pain (8.7% and 21.7%, respectively). Cardiovascular risk factors (BMI and resting heart rate) showed a significant improvement related to frequent participation in the program (p=0.02), and the exercise group reported a significant difference in overall health (p=0.02). This study has demonstrated an effective approach to community-based fitness intervention through SMEs.

[Cardiac function of children with bronchial asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the cardiac function of left and right ventricles in children with bronchial asthma at the acute stage and its association with the disease severity. METHODS: The cardiac function was evaluated by using the American Acuson 128XP/10 Doppler echocardiography in 24 children with acute severe bronchial asthma and 40 children with acute mild bronchial asthma. Thirty-four healthy children were used as normal controls. RESULTS: The injury of right ventricle diastolic function was predominant in children with mild asthma, and the right ventricle systolic function was also decreased. The systolic and diastolic function of left ventricle remained normal. In children with severe bronchial asthma, the injury of left ventricle systolic function was commonly seen, and the left ventricle diastolic function and the right ventricle systolic and diastolic function were also damaged. CONCLUSIONS: The cardiac function damage occurs in children with acute bronchial asthma and may be correlated with the disease severity.

[Effect of rhubarb on inflammatory cytokines and complements in patients with systemic inflammation reaction syndrome and its significance].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of rhubarb in treating patients with systemic inflammation reaction syndrome (SIRS) and its mechanism. METHODS: The 40 patients with SIRS in the treated group were treated with conventional treatment plus rhubarb powder orally or by nasal feeding, the 38 patients in the control group were treated with conventional treatment alone. Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was determined by ELISA during the admission and the 3rd day after admission, C-reactive protein (C-RP), complement 3 and 4 (C3, C4) were also determined by auto-scattering turbidimetric quantitative analysis. The parameters were compared between groups and with normal control group. RESULTS: Cure rate in the treated group was significantly higher than that in the control group accompanied with lesser occurrence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and lower mortality. Serum TNF-alpha, C-RP, C3 and C4 in the SIRS patients were increased during admission, which were significantly higher than normal control, but these parameters would be reduced together with the alleviating of symptoms after treatment, particularly after rhubarb treatment. CONCLUSION: Rhubarb could improve the prognosis of patients with SIRS, its major mechanism is that rhubarb has the antagonizing effect against inflammatory cytokines and complements.