Recently, many researchers paid more attentions to the association between air pollution and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Haze, a severe form of outdoor air pollution, affected most parts of northern and eastern China in the past winter. In China, studies have been performed to evaluate the impact of outdoor air pollution and biomass smoke exposure on COPD; and most studies have focused on the role of air pollution in acutely triggering symptoms and exacerbations. Few studies have examined the role of air pollution in inducing pathophysiological changes that characterise COPD. Evidence showed that outdoor air pollution affects lung function in both children and adults and triggers exacerbations of COPD symptoms. Hence outdoor air pollution may be considered a risk factor for COPD mortality. However, evidence to date has been suggestive (not conclusive) that chronic exposure to outdoor air pollution increases the prevalence and incidence of COPD. Cross-sectional studies showed biomass smoke exposure is a risk factor for COPD. A long-term retrospective study and a long-term prospective cohort study showed that biomass smoke exposure reductions were associated with a reduced decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and with a decreased risk of COPD. To fully understand the effect of air pollution on COPD, we recommend future studies with longer follow-up periods, more standardized definitions of COPD and more refined and source-specific exposure assessments.
Objective To investigate whether long term bronchodilator tiotropium has an acute bronchodilator effect on COPD patients. Methods 46 patients with stable COPD were enrolled in the study.Lung function test was performed before and at 10 min, 20 min, 1 h after inhaling tiotropium. FEV1 , FVC,FEV1/FVC, PEF25% -75% were measured by ambulatory spirometer. The patients were followed up after 1 month.Results The mean FEV1 was ( 1. 110 ±0. 34) L before inhaling tiotropiumand ( 1. 172 ±0. 359) L, ( 1. 221 ±0. 391) L, ( 1. 225 ±0. 392) L at 10 min,20 min, 1 h after inhaling tiotropium, respectively. FEV1 at 1 h after inhaling tiotropiumsignificantly increased compared with that before inhaling tiotropium. FVC also increased and reached highest at 1 h after inhaling tiotropium. PEF25%-75% at 1 h after inhaling tiotropium increased, but there was no significance difference compared with that before inhaling tiotropium. Mean FEV1 was 1. 287 Lafter 1 month, with significant difference compared with baseline. Conclusion Tiotropium can release the symptoms and improve compliance of COPD patients for its acute bronchodilator effect on COPD patients.
Objective
To evaluate the therapeutic effects of vitrectomy on chronic and refractory Behcet′s diseases.
Methods
The clinical data of 8 patients (10 eyes) with Behcet′s diseases from 0.5 to 3 years after vitrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Pre-and post-operative visual acuity, control of inflammation after the surgery, and the recurrence were observed and analyzed. Both of the eyes were involved in all of the patients, including complete Behcet′s diseases in 5 and incomplete in 3.
Results
Vitreous opacity and liquefaction were found in all of the involved eyes, dark retina and thin retinal vessels were seen in most of the eyes, and vascular obstruction or sheath-like changes in different degrees were detected in some eyes. Improvement of visual acuity was observed in all of the eyes which had undergone the treatment after the operation. There was significant difference between the visual acuity before the surgery and at the 1st and 2nd week and the 1st and 6th month after the surgery. During the follow-up period, recurrence of the inflammation was found in 3 eyes within 1 month and in 6 eyes within 6 months; no recurrence was found in 4 eyes after the operation. No acute recurrence of inflammation was found after operation in the involved eyes.
Conclusion
Vitrectomy for chronic and refractory Behcet′s diseases may improve the visual acuity of the involved eyes, and the surgery is safe and effective.
(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2005, 21: 357-359)
Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of single and bilateral lung transplantation in the treatment of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods Chinese and English databases were searched by computer, including PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, Wanfang database, VIP database and CBM. Case-control studies on single lung transplantation or bilateral lung transplantation for COPD were collected from the inception to July 31, 2022. We evaluated the quality of the literature via Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). All results were analyzed using Review Manager V5.3 and STATA 17.0. Results A total of 8 studies were included covering 14076 patients, including 8326 patients in the single lung transplantation group and 5750 patients in the bilateral lung transplantation group. NOS scores were≥6 points. The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no statistical difference in the postoperative 1-year survival between the two groups (P=0.070). The 2-year survival rate (P=0.002), 3-year survival rate (P<0.001), 5-year survival rate (P<0.001), overall survival rate (P＜0.001), postoperative forced expiratory volume in one second/predicted value (P<0.001), postoperative forced vital capacity (P<0.001), and postoperative 6-minute walking distance (P=0.002) were lower or shorter than those in the bilateral lung transplantation group, the postoperative intubation time (P=0.030) was longer than that in the bilateral lung transplantation group. Bilateral lung transplantation group showed better surgical results. There was no statistical difference in the mortality, obliterative bronchiolitis, length of hospitalization, primary graft dysfunction, or postoperative adverse events (P>0.05). Conclusion Bilateral lung transplantation is associated with better long-term survival and postoperative lung function compared with single lung transplantation. In-hospital mortality and postoperative complications are similar between them.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical characteristics of 40 patients with ocular toxocariasis (OT) on the first attendance.
MethodsA total of 40 consecutive patients who were clinically and serologically diagnosed with OT were retrospectively reviewed.
ResultsThe mean age of patients was (12.12±10.42) years. There were 29 males and 11 females. 29 cases presented with decreased vision, 4 children with leukocoria, 2 cases with strabismus and 5 cases was found abnormal during regular eye examination. Initially 8 eyes (20%) were misdiagnosed as retinoblastoma (1 eye), Coat's disease(1 eye), cataract (2 eyes), iridocyclitis (2 eyes) and retinal detachment (2 eyes). 23 eyes had retinal detachment, 19 eyes had cataract. OT was the initial diagnosis for 15 patients (37.5%). The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were NLP to 0.7. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) were performed in 29 eyes, and identified peripheral granulomas in 23 eyes and adjacent tractional retinal detachment in 12 eyes. We also identified 17 cases (68.0%) with elevated IgE level among 25 patients with positive serological antibody test.
ConclusionsTractional retinal detachment, vitreous opacities and cataract are the common clinical findings at the first attendance of OT patients. The adjunctive test of serum total IgE level may be helpful for the diagnosis. The application of UBM and specific IgG detection in serum and intraocular fluid, can also improve the diagnosis.
Technical advances both in cardiac surgery and relating to anesthesia,cardiopulmonary bypass and myocardial protection have significantly improved the prognosis for patients combined with coronary heart disease and heart valve disease. In addition to technology, variable factors that affect operative survival following combined operation include the severity of valvular disease, the number of coronary vessels affected, impairment of left ventricular function and both age and gender differences. In this article, we review the outcome of surgical intervention for heart valve disease combined with coronary heart disease and discuss future prospects in this field.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of using ultrasound to evaluate the internal mammary artery (IMA) and explore the related factors affecting the quality of IMA.MethodsFrom July 2020 to January 2021, for patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, ultrasound was applied to measure bilateral IMA at the parasternal second intercostal space. There were 62 males and 18 females with an average age of 59.9±8.3 years. The clinical data of the patients were recorded and analyzed.ResultsA total of 160 IMA were measured. The IMA was detected in 99.4% (159/160), and the one that was not measured was proved to be occluded by enhanced CT. A total of 157 (98.1%) IMA intima were smooth, 2 (1.3%) were found to have uneven intimal thickening and less smooth, and only 1 (0.6%) was occluded. The intravascular diameter, peak systolic flow rate, peak diastolic flow rate, and blood flow rate of the left second intercostal IMA were 1.9±0.3 mm, 66.8±17.7 cm/s, 6.4 (0.0, 9.7) cm/s, 19.7±9.4 mL/min; and those of the right one were 2.1±0.3 mm, 69.7±18.5 cm/s, 6.0 (0.0, 9.2) cm/s and 22.8±11.5 mL/min, respectively. IMA vessel diameter and blood flow were greater on the right than those on the left side in the same individual (P<0.01). In univariate analysis, sex and body surface area were the factors that influenced the size of the IMA vessel among different individuals, and by linear regression analysis, the size of the IMA vessel was only related to body surface area among different individuals. On univariate analysis, diabetes mellitus was the only factor affecting IMA blood flow, with a mean reduction in blood flow of 18.4% (left) and 21.7% (right) in the diabetic group (P<0.05).ConclusionPreoperative evaluation of the IMA using ultrasound over the parasternal second intercostal space is easy, noninvasive, and has a high success rate. The internal diameter of the IMA is positively correlated with body surface area, and blood flow is significantly reduced in patients with diabetes.
Studies of evidence-based medicine have provided much important evidence, clarified problems, and guided the clinical practice in the treatment of renal diseases. As examples, several therapeutic problems in renal hypertension, renal anemia and low protein diet for the patients with chronic kidney disease are discussed in this paper.
Objective To investigate the expression of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in rat′s retina injured by ischemia-reperfusion, and the effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on the expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1. Method The model of retinal ischemia-reperfusion was set up in 60 SD rats, which were divided into two groups with 30 rats in each: ischemia-reperfusion group and ischemia-reperfussion with injection of PDTC group. The left cephalic artery of each rat was ligated, and the right side was the control. Every group was subdivided into group 1 hour, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after ischemia-reperfusion injury, and with 5 rats in each group. mRNA of NF-κB and ICAM-1 mRNA was measured by in situ hybridization (ISH) method in rat′s retina. Every rat underwent electroretinography (ERG) at the corresponding time before executed by neck breaking. Results In ischemia-reperfusion group, expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1 was detected at the 6th hour after ischemia-reperfusion, reached the highest level at the 24th hour, and weakened gradually later. In ischemia-reperfusion with injection of PDTC group, expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1 was detected at the 12th hour after ischemia-reperfusion, and reached the highest level at the 24th hour but lower than that in ischemia-reperfusion group. No expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1 was found in the control group. The relative recovery rate of ERG a and b wave amplitude in ischemia-reperfusion groups was lower than that in ischemia-reperfusion with injection of PDTC group at every stage(P＜0.01 ). The lowest relative recovery rate of ERG a and b wave amplitude in different stages in both of the 2 groups was at the 24th hour(P＜0.01). Conclusions NF-κB and ICAM-1 may play an important role in retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury, as the inhibitor of NF-κB, PDTC may relieve the retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2004，20：175-178)
ObjectiveTo investigate the role of Aspergillus in the severe refractory exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).MethodsThe clinical data of two COPD patients suffering from refractory acute exacerbations were analyzed and the relevant literature were reviewed.ResultsTwo patients were male, aging 72 and 64 years respectively. Both of them had a history of frequent acute exacerbations with severe COPD recently. Meanwhile, they received intravenous use of antibiotics repeatedly, one of them took oral corticosteroids to control wheezing, but failed. Their serum Aspergillus-specific IgG antibody was weakly positive. Besides traditional treatment, they received additional antifungal therapy, and the symptoms alleviated. There was no acute exacerbation in the half a year follow-up period after appropriate therapy.ConclusionsAspergillus colonization, sensitization, infection should be considered in patients with severe COPD. When Aspergillus-associated evidence are acquired, antifungal therapy will be unexpected helpful.
