Constipation is a significant manifestation of a number of psychological disorders.Published papers recommend using self-assessment questionnaires for discriminating psychological from non-psychological constipated pa...Constipation is a significant manifestation of a number of psychological disorders.Published papers recommend using self-assessment questionnaires for discriminating psychological from non-psychological constipated patients before operating on them but reports from major surveys revealed that general practitioners failed to diagnose 70%of depressed patients using self-assessment questionnaires.Lower circulating concentrations of progesterone,17-hydroxyprogesterone,cortisol,testosterone,androstenedione,and dehydroepiandrostenedione sulfate(DHEAS) during the follicular phase in constipated young women compared with respective controls were found during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycles. During the luteal phase of the cycle,reductions were identified in estriol,cortisol and testosterone in the constipated group.Likewise,circulating concentrations of DHEAS were found to be lower in depressed patients than comparable healthy controls.DHEAS/cortisol ratios in morning serum and salivary samples were lower than those retrieved during other times of the day in depressed patients.The idea of recognizing major depression in constipated patients by measuring DHEAS/cortisol ratios in saliva and serum may be plausible but this possibility needs to be confirmed in well-designed studies.展开更多
Background:Antenatal corticosteroids(ACS)can significantly improve the outcomes of preterm infants.This study aimed to describe the ACS use rates among preterm infants admitted to Chinese neonatal intensive care units...Background:Antenatal corticosteroids(ACS)can significantly improve the outcomes of preterm infants.This study aimed to describe the ACS use rates among preterm infants admitted to Chinese neonatal intensive care units(NICU)and to explore perinatal factors associated with ACS use,using the largest contemporary cohort of very preterm infants in China.Methods:This cross-sectional study enrolled all infants born at 24^(+0)to 31^(+6)weeks and admitted to 57 NICUs of the Chinese Neonatal Network from January 1st,2019 to December 30th,2019.The ACS administration was defined as at least one dose of dexamethasone and betamethasone given before delivery.Multiple logistic regressions were applied to determine the association between perinatal factors and ACS usage.Results:A total of 7828 infants were enrolled,among which 6103(78.0%)infants received ACS.ACS use rates increased with increasing gestational age(GA),from 177/259(68.3%)at 24 to 25 weeks’gestation to 3120/3960(78.8%)at 30 to 31 weeks’gestation.Among infants exposed to ACS,2999 of 6103(49.1%)infants received a single complete course,and 33.4%(2039/6103)infants received a partial course.ACS use rates varied from 30.2%to 100%among different hospitals.Multivariate regression showed that increasing GA,born in hospital(inborn),increasing maternal age,maternal hypertension and premature rupture of membranes were associated with higher likelihood to receive ACS.Conclusions:The use rate of ACS remained low for infants at 24 to 31 weeks’gestation admitted to Chinese NICUs,with fewer infants receiving a complete course.The use rates varied significantly among different hospitals.Efforts are urgently needed to propose improvement measures and thus improve the usage of ACS.展开更多
Our understanding of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF） has undergone major changes in recent years. IPF is the most common of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. It remains the most often diagnosed, accounting...Our understanding of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF） has undergone major changes in recent years. IPF is the most common of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. It remains the most often diagnosed, accounting for 50% to 60% of all cases. It is also associated with a worse prognosis than most of the interstitial lung diseases. The number of deaths related to IPF is nearly 14 times greater than those from asbestosis, while a recent estimate has suggested prevalence in the United States ranging from 14.0 to 42.7 cases per 100 000 population, depending on the criteria used for diagnosis,展开更多
PURPOSE AND METHODS: Open-heart surgery with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with an inflammatory cascade which contributes to the development of postoperative complications including multiple or...PURPOSE AND METHODS: Open-heart surgery with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with an inflammatory cascade which contributes to the development of postoperative complications including multiple organ failure. To provide an update on the subject, we briefly review the recent English-language literature. RESULTS: During CPB, various factors have been recognized to induce a complex inflammatory response. Based on an enhanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms, therapeutic strategies have been developed to reduce this inflammatory reaction and its subsequent damaging effects. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting may result in less inflammatory injury as compared with the conventional maneuver, which can in turn, diminish the incidence of cardiac, renal, or neurological dysfunction. It is also clear that improving the biocompatibility of CPB materials can lead to a better patient recovery. Inasmuch as the pathophysiology involved appears to be multifactorial, it is unlikely that a single intervention could achieve the desired goal. Both pharmacologic strategies, such as steroid pretreatment, and modification of mechanical devices, such as the use of heparin-coated CPB circuits, could have important clinical implications. The balance pro- and anti-inflammatory responses may be crucial in limiting the extent of inflammatory injury. CONCLUSIONS: To date, the concept of organ protection should no longer be limited to the individual organ. Instead, investigations must be extended to focus on a systemic level.展开更多
文摘Constipation is a significant manifestation of a number of psychological disorders.Published papers recommend using self-assessment questionnaires for discriminating psychological from non-psychological constipated patients before operating on them but reports from major surveys revealed that general practitioners failed to diagnose 70%of depressed patients using self-assessment questionnaires.Lower circulating concentrations of progesterone,17-hydroxyprogesterone,cortisol,testosterone,androstenedione,and dehydroepiandrostenedione sulfate(DHEAS) during the follicular phase in constipated young women compared with respective controls were found during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycles. During the luteal phase of the cycle,reductions were identified in estriol,cortisol and testosterone in the constipated group.Likewise,circulating concentrations of DHEAS were found to be lower in depressed patients than comparable healthy controls.DHEAS/cortisol ratios in morning serum and salivary samples were lower than those retrieved during other times of the day in depressed patients.The idea of recognizing major depression in constipated patients by measuring DHEAS/cortisol ratios in saliva and serum may be plausible but this possibility needs to be confirmed in well-designed studies.
基金Tianjin Key Medical Discipline(Specialty)Construction Project(No.TJYXZDXK-039A)
文摘Background:Antenatal corticosteroids(ACS)can significantly improve the outcomes of preterm infants.This study aimed to describe the ACS use rates among preterm infants admitted to Chinese neonatal intensive care units(NICU)and to explore perinatal factors associated with ACS use,using the largest contemporary cohort of very preterm infants in China.Methods:This cross-sectional study enrolled all infants born at 24^(+0)to 31^(+6)weeks and admitted to 57 NICUs of the Chinese Neonatal Network from January 1st,2019 to December 30th,2019.The ACS administration was defined as at least one dose of dexamethasone and betamethasone given before delivery.Multiple logistic regressions were applied to determine the association between perinatal factors and ACS usage.Results:A total of 7828 infants were enrolled,among which 6103(78.0%)infants received ACS.ACS use rates increased with increasing gestational age(GA),from 177/259(68.3%)at 24 to 25 weeks’gestation to 3120/3960(78.8%)at 30 to 31 weeks’gestation.Among infants exposed to ACS,2999 of 6103(49.1%)infants received a single complete course,and 33.4%(2039/6103)infants received a partial course.ACS use rates varied from 30.2%to 100%among different hospitals.Multivariate regression showed that increasing GA,born in hospital(inborn),increasing maternal age,maternal hypertension and premature rupture of membranes were associated with higher likelihood to receive ACS.Conclusions:The use rate of ACS remained low for infants at 24 to 31 weeks’gestation admitted to Chinese NICUs,with fewer infants receiving a complete course.The use rates varied significantly among different hospitals.Efforts are urgently needed to propose improvement measures and thus improve the usage of ACS.
文摘Our understanding of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF） has undergone major changes in recent years. IPF is the most common of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. It remains the most often diagnosed, accounting for 50% to 60% of all cases. It is also associated with a worse prognosis than most of the interstitial lung diseases. The number of deaths related to IPF is nearly 14 times greater than those from asbestosis, while a recent estimate has suggested prevalence in the United States ranging from 14.0 to 42.7 cases per 100 000 population, depending on the criteria used for diagnosis,
文摘PURPOSE AND METHODS: Open-heart surgery with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with an inflammatory cascade which contributes to the development of postoperative complications including multiple organ failure. To provide an update on the subject, we briefly review the recent English-language literature. RESULTS: During CPB, various factors have been recognized to induce a complex inflammatory response. Based on an enhanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms, therapeutic strategies have been developed to reduce this inflammatory reaction and its subsequent damaging effects. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting may result in less inflammatory injury as compared with the conventional maneuver, which can in turn, diminish the incidence of cardiac, renal, or neurological dysfunction. It is also clear that improving the biocompatibility of CPB materials can lead to a better patient recovery. Inasmuch as the pathophysiology involved appears to be multifactorial, it is unlikely that a single intervention could achieve the desired goal. Both pharmacologic strategies, such as steroid pretreatment, and modification of mechanical devices, such as the use of heparin-coated CPB circuits, could have important clinical implications. The balance pro- and anti-inflammatory responses may be crucial in limiting the extent of inflammatory injury. CONCLUSIONS: To date, the concept of organ protection should no longer be limited to the individual organ. Instead, investigations must be extended to focus on a systemic level.
