RESUMO
Introduction: Inflammation is crucial in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Investigating the correlation between levels of serum inflammatory cytokines (SICs) and the severity of CSU is of great significance for understanding the disease mechanism and finding effective treatment strategies. Aim: In this context, this work was developed. Material and methods: This work involved a researchy group (Res group) of 114 patients with CSU and a control group (Ctrl group) of 100 healthy individuals. SICs including leukotriene B4 (LTB4), leukotriene C4 (LTC4), interleukin (IL) 4 (IL-4), IL-17, IL-31, and tumor necrosis factor-γ (TNF-γ), of patients in different groups were measured and compared. Furthermore, the correlations between each SIC and pruritus severity, duration of pruritus, urticaria activity, and quality of life (QOL) were compared among the patients in different groups. Results: The Res group exhibited higher levels of LTB4, LTC4, IL-4, IL-17, and IL-31 but lower levels of TNF-γ. Great differences (p < 0.05) were found in IL-4, IL-17, and IL-31 among the patients with different pruritus severity, and positive correlations were observed between IL-17 and IL-31 levels and urticaria activity in the patients (p < 0.05). Additionally, levels of IL-4 and IL-31 exhibited a positive association to QOL scores in the patients, with obvious differences (p < 0.05). Conclusions: IL-4, IL-17, and IL-31 showed the strongest correlation with the severity of CSU, which may be attributed to their involvement in immune, inflammatory, and pruritic reactions, exacerbating the disease condition.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To preliminarily explore death risk factors in primary melanoma patients. METHOD: Competing risk model analysis was used using a large sample public cohort and Cox proportional hazard model was compared. RESULT: In the competing risk model analysis, age, gender, ethnicity, stage, site, TMN stage and metastases were the independent risk factors of single primary melanoma (SPM) death. T stage had a particularly important impact on SPM death. T2 stage had a 3.212 times greater risk of interest event than T1 stage [hazard ratio (HR)=3.212, 95%CI: 2.994-3.446], T3 stage was 5.747 times greater than that T1 stage (HR=5.747, 95%CI: 5.337-6.187) and T4 stage had a 7.086 times than T1 stage (HR=7.086, 95%CI: 6.514-7.708). Gender, ethnicity, stage, site, T stage and brain and liver metastases were the independent risk factors of multiple primary melanoma (MPM) death. When some groups had a very high death rate or the reference group had a very low death rate in competing events, the results of Cox proportional hazard model may not be as accurate as the results obtained by fine-Gray regression model. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and therapy, and prevention of tumor progression and metastases of primary melanoma patients are important measures to improve its prognosis and survival.