Objective To study the etiology of primary intrahepatic stones. MethodsThe literatures in the recent years on the etiology of intrahepatic stone were revieved. Results The formation of intrahepatic stone mainly caused by bacteria infection, parasitic infestation, bile stasis, congenital anatomic abnormalities and immunoreaction of bile tract. Further investigation found that metabolic, low protein diet, environment and ethnic factors and gene mutation were considered to play important roles in the formation of the intrahepatic stone. Conclusion The formation of intrahepatic stone is complex and are result of multiple factors. It closely related to the infection and stasis of the bile duct.
ObjectiveTo discuss the clinical characteristics of liver cirrhosis in elderly patients.
MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 67 patients (elderly group) with liver cirrhosis aged ≥60 treated between January 1998 and December 2010. Then, we compared these cases with another 72 liver cirrhosis patients (non-elderly group) aged<60.
ResultsThe incidence of jaundice, ascites and albumin deficiency in the elderly patients was significantly higher than that in the non-elderly patients (P<0.05). Complications in the elderly group were relatively more, including electrolyte imbalance, infections, gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, liver cancer, liver and kidney syndrome and liver and lung syndrome, and the incidence of these complications was all significantly higher than the non-elderly group (P<0.05) except the liver and kidney syndrome (P>0.05). The causes of liver cirrhosis in both groups were similar. The most common cause was hepatitis B virus infection, followed by chronic alcoholism, but in the elderly group, chronic alcoholism, cholestasis, poisoning from medicines and poisons and liver blood circulation disorders were more common than the non-elderly group (P<0.05); hepatitis B and non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis were more common in the non-elderly group than in the elderly group (P<0.05). The elderly group had more Child-Pugh class C cases (P<0.05), while there were more class A cases in the non-elderly group (P<0.05). Twenty-six patients died in the elderly group with a mortality rate of 38.8%; while only 13 died in the non-elderly group with a mortality rate of 18.1%. The difference of mortality rate was significant between the two groups (P<0.05). Common causes of death in the elderly group were infection, hepatic encephalopathy, and electrolyte disorders and gastrointestinal bleeding, while the common causes of death in the non-elderly group were gastrointestinal bleeding and electrolyte disorders.
ConclusionThe etiology, clinical manifestations and prognosis of liver cirrhosis in elderly patients differ from those in younger patients. We must pay more attention on treating complications of liver cirrhosis in elderly patients.
ObjectiveTo study the etiology and clinical features of patients with ophthalmoplegia resulting in vertigo.
MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 45 patients with vertigo caused by ophthamloplegia treated between January 2010 and December 2013. The causes and features of the disease, treatment and outcome were summarized.
ResultsAmong the factors responsible for ophthalmoplegia resulting in vertigo, myasthenia gravis (MG) took the first place (20/45, 44.4%), followed by Graves' ophthalmopathy (9/45, 20.0%), diabetes (5/45, 11.1%), intracranial infection (4/45, 8.9%), medial rectus injury (3/45, 6.7%), orbital tumor (2/45, 4.4%), and Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (2/45, 4.4%). In 36 patients, the lesions located in the neuromuscular junction or muscles (80.0%). The pathogenesis of ophthalmoplegia were almost all caused by systemic diseases (88.9%), and the occurrence of local ophthalmology diseases was fewer (11.1%). Etiological treatments achieved beneficial effects.
ConclusionThe etiology of ophthalmology diseases resulting in vertigo is confusing. We should care more for patients with ophthalmoplegia caused by systemic diseases resulting in ophthalmologic vertigo without vision damage. Careful examinations and proper treatments for etiological factors are necessary in clinical options.
Objective To investigate the causes of chronic cough in Chongqing City and assess the efficacy of specific therapy. Methods A total of 233 consecutively non-selected referred patients ( 136 females) whose cough duration more than eight weeks were studied. Their age[ median ( range) ] was 44. 5( 15-78) yrs and cough duration was 2. 6 ( 0. 2-30) yrs. They were diagnosed using a diagnostic protocol based on the Guideline on Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Cough established by China Medical Association and American College of Chest Physicians. The etiological diagnosis was made according to clinical manifestations, lab examinations, and response to specific therapy. The effects was assessed four weeks after the drug withdraw. Results The cause of chronic cough was confirmed in 216 patients ( 92. 7% ) . Seventeen patients( 7. 3% ) had not been definitely diagnosed. Cough due to a single cause was found in 163 patients ( 75. 45% ) , and due to multiple causes in 53 patients ( 24. 53% ) . The causes included upper airway cough syndrome ( UACS) in 127 patients( 44. 4% ) , cough variant asthma ( CVA) in 73 patients( 25. 5% ) , gastro-esophageal reflux cough ( GERC) in 26 patients( 9. 1%) , postinfectious cough and angiotensin converting enzyme ( ACE) inhibitor-induced cough in 6 patients( 2. 1% ) , atopic cough in 5 patients( 1. 7% ) , chronic bronchitis in 3 patients ( 1. 0% ) , respectively. After specific therapy based on diagnosis, cough cured in 59 patients ( 25. 3% ) , and alleviated in 114 patients ( 49. 3% ) , no response in 40 patients( 17. 1% ) . Conclusion The causes of chronic cough in different areas maybe variant. UACS, CVA and GREC are the main causes of chronic cough in Chongqing City. Specific therapy is effective in majority of patients with chronic cough.
Long-term chronic internal jugular vein (IJV) insufficiency, originally viewed as a non-pathological finding, may result in cerebral venous outflow disturbance, leading to cerebral venous ischemia and cerebral nervous functional disorders. In this article we discuss probable etiologies, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of IJV disturbance, so as to provide some insights for clinicians.
Primary osteoporosis is a severe social problem. It bothers the health of many aged people. Since May 1993, The doubleenergy density of bone test was carried out in postmenopausal women, among them, in 34 cases the concentration of estrogen, calcitonin parathyroidin, calcium and phosphorus in serum were examined. The results were as follows: the bone density decreased obviously while the serum calitonin and parathyroidun levels were high or low, was risen and fallen, but the serum calcium was higher than normal. Three types of osteoporosis in clinicspo stulated: 1.calcitonin and parathyroidin were normal or absent; 2.calcitonin was higher; 3.parathyroidin was higher. The treatment of the different types shouldbe individulized.
Objective To investigate the clinical features, etiology and treatment strategies of patients with delirium in emergency intensive care unit ( EICU) . Methods Patients with delirium during hospitalization between January 2010 and January 2012 were recruited from respiratory group of EICU of Beijing Anzhen Hospital. Over the same period, same amount of patients without delirium were randomly collected as control. The clinical datawere retrospectively analyzed and compared. Results The incidence of delirium was 7.5% ( 42/563) . All delirium patients had more than three kinds of diseases including lung infections, hypertension, coronary heart disease, respiratory failure, heart failure, renal failure, hyponatremia, etc. 50% of delirium patients received mechanical ventilation ( invasive/noninvasive) . The mortality of both the delirium patients and the control patients was 11.9% ( 5 /42) . However, the patients with delirium exhibited longer hospital stay [ 14(11) d vs. 12(11) d, P gt;0. 05] and higher hospitalization cost [ 28, 389 ( 58,999) vs. 19, 373( 21, 457) , P lt;0.05] when compared with the control group. 52.4% ( 22/42) of delirium patients were associated with primary disease. 9. 5% ( 4/42) were associated with medication. 38. 1% (16/42) were associated with ICU environment and other factors. Conclusions Our data suggest that the causes of delirium in ICU are complex. Comprehensive treatment such as removal of the relevant aggravating factors, treating underlying diseases, enhancing patient communication, and providing counseling can shorten their hospital stay, reduce hospitalization costs, and promote rehabilitation.
Objective
To investigate the etiological distribution of the patients with optic neuritis in
China and compare the results with those in western countries.
Methods
Ophthalmological and neurological detailed clinical and laboratorial examinations were performed on 204 patients with primarily diagnosed optic neuritis (ON).
We determined the etiologies using international accepted diagnostic criteria.
Results
Among 113 patrents with ON, 83(73.5%) were considered as with idiopathic
demyelinating optic neuritis ( IDON). Sinusitis was common in these patients but was considered to be the probable cause of ON only in 4. Tuberculo-meningitis caused ON was found in 2 cases and syphilitic ON in 1. The causes of 23 cases (20.4%) were unknown.
Conclusions
Idiopathic demyelinating ON is the most common pathogeny of ON. Despite of
some minor differences of causes and prognosis, the etiology of presumed ON
in our population is similar to that reported in western countries.
(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2006,22:367-369)
In a series of experiments on rats,we have observed that the tensile strength and hydroxyproline content of left colonic anastomosis presented the lowest level on the 3rd and 4th postoperative days. Aprotinin,dimethyl sulfoxide,superoxide dismutase and vitamin A could improve the early coures of healing of colonic anastomosis;hydroxycortisone could retard the early course of healing of anastomosis and vitamin A antaonize the deleterious effect as mentioned above. Perioperative chemotherapy did not impair the early coures of healing of colonic anastomosis. The primary rasection and anastomosis of left colon for complete obstruction could be safety done if colonic content was decompressed before performing anastomosis and abdominal cavity was irrigated with antibiotic solutions afterwards. The mechanism of some factors influencing the healing of colonic anastomosis is discussed.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) as a most frequent arrhythmia has a high incidence of 79% in patients with mitral valve disease. Thrombosis, embolization and serious arrhythmia can be caused by AF. There is the recrudescent tendency in using drugs to recover the sinus rhythm, surgery and radio frequency ablation can only cure a part of patients. By now the pathogenesis of AF is not known clearly. The pathogenesis of AF from virulence gene, cardiac electrophysiology, connecxins, cell ultramicrostructure and cell signaling system are reviewed in this article.