The role and research progress of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head(NONFH)is one of the most common orthopedic diseases,influenced by multiple signaling pathways and inflammatory factors.The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is closely related to various biological processes such as apoptosis,autophagy,and metabolism in cells.Increasing evidence suggests that it plays an important role in the development of femoral head necrosis.This paper aims to explore the mechanism of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of NONFH by analyzing its regulation of lipid metabolism,cell apoptosis and autophagy,and intravascular coagulation.This study provides new insights for the research of NONFH.

Effect of <i>Qing’e Pill</i>plus <i>Salvia</i>on Non-Traumatic Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head of Idiopathic Type in Earlier Stage: A Case Report of a Twelve-Month of Period

Background: Compromised circulatory and bone/lipid metabolic dysfunction are two major contributors to non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Qing’e pill plus Salvia has significant anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic action, and it could also regulate bone formation and remodeling by suppressing osteoclasts. Case Report: We describe a case of a 62-year- old man with ONFH of idiopathic type in earlier stage that could not be adequately controlled with oral non-steroidal analgesics and restoring bone loss agents for past 3 years. After six months treatment with Qing’e pill plus Salvia, the plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apolipoprotein A1 (apo A1), apolipoprotein B (apo B), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and blood viscosity were measured on an empty stomach. The Harris scores were maintained during a six months follow-up after discontinuation of Qing’e pill plus Salvia. Discussion: Our case has shown that plasma levels of inflammatory and atherosclerotic relaxed factors and the Harris scores may be controlled with herbal medication in ONFH of idiopathic type in earlier stage that could not be adequately controlled with oral non-steroidal analgesics and restoring bone loss agents.

Superior Retinacular Artery Did Not Occlude in a Rat Model of the Non-Traumatic Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

Non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is believed to be avascular necrosis. Certainly, a disruption of a supplying artery induces necrosis in the supplying artery-dominant region. However, when an abnormality such as cell apoptosis, or another reason, is developed in the supplying artery-dominant region, it induces a disruption of the supplying artery. Therefore, to prove that ONFH is avascular necrosis, it is necessary to demonstrate the disruption of the supplying artery prior to histological osteonecrosis development. Here we investigate histologically, using a rat model, whether disruption of the supplying artery occurs before the initial development of ONFH following corticosteroid treatment. Rats were given imiquimod and methylprednisolone, and were sacrificed 1, 2, 3, 7 or 14 days after the last injection. At the sacrifice, the rat was perfused with 20 ml black Indian ink through the left ventricle. ONFH was observed in the Imiquimod + Methylprednisolone group at 7 and 14 days. The osteonecrotic area was not stained with perfused black Indian ink. However, the lateral portion of the femoral head near the superior retinacular artery was stained with the ink. In conclusion, the present study shows that the superior retinacular artery did not occlude before the initial development of ONFH histologically in rats.

Surgical Treatment of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Using Minimally Invasive Surgical Drilling and Cancellous Grafting at Brazzaville University Hospital

Introduction: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONTF) is a debilitating condition. Several treatments have been proposed with controversial results. The aim of our study was to evaluate treatment by surgical drilling coupled with in situ cancellous grafting. Materials and methods: Our study was a case-control study conducted at Brazzaville University Hospital from 1st January 2018 to 31 December 2023. It compared two groups of patients with ONTF: non-operated (13 patients, 20 hips) and operated (22 patients, 35 hips). We used the visual digital scale (VDS) for pain assessment, the Merle D’Aubigne-Postel (MDP) scoring system for clinical and functional assessment, and the evolution of necrosis. Results: The group of non-operated patients had a mean age of 35.69 ± 3.4 years, no improvement in pain with an EVN above seven at the last recoil and a mean global MDP score falling from 12.7 before offloading to 10.13 at one year. The group of patients operated on had a mean age of 37.86 ± 7.02 years, a significant reduction in pain (p = 0.00004) and a significantly increased MDP score (p = 0.0034). A comparison of the two groups of patients showed significant stabilization of the necrotic lesions in the operated patients (p = 0.00067), with better satisfaction in the same group. Conclusion: Surgical drilling combined with grafting in the treatment of early-stage ONTF has improved progress in our series. The technique is reproducible and less invasive. It has made it possible to delay unfavorable progression and, consequently, hip replacement surgery.

Survey study of the etiology of non-traumatic altered consciousness in the Emergency Department at Suez Canal University Hospital in Egypt

BACKGROUND Disorders of consciousness including coma in non-trauma patients can be caused by a wide variety of pathologies affecting the central nervous system.They represent a frequent challenge in emergency medicine and are combined with a very high in-hospital mortality.Hence,early treatment of these patients is vital and increases the likelihood of a good outcome.AIM To identify the causes of altered consciousness presentation to the Emergency Department at Suez Canal University Hospital.METHODS This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 87 patients with acute non-traumatic disturbed level of consciousness(DLOC)at the Emergency Department.RESULTS The mean age of the studied patients was 60.5±13.6 years.Among them,60%were males and 40%were females.The most common cause of acute non-traumatic DLOC was systemic infection,such as sepsis and septic shock(25.3%),followed by respiratory causes(24.1%)and neurological causes(18.4%).CONCLUSION The most common cause of acute non-traumatic DLOC was systemic infections followed by respiratory and neurological causes.

Epidemiological and Diagnostic Features of Non-Traumatic Gonalgia in Adults in Bouake (Ivory Coast): About 140 Patients

Background: Non traumatic gonalgia is the second most common reason for rheumatology consultations and accounted for 15.6% of rheumatological disorders in Abidjan. Objective: The aim of this work was to study the epidemiological and diagnostic features of non-traumatic gonalgia (NTG) in a black adult population from sub-Saharan Africa. Patients and Methods: This was a five-year retrospective descriptive study (January 2014 to December 2018) of black sub-Saharan African adult patients with non traumatic gonalgia seen in the rheumatology department of the Bouake University Hospital in Côte d’Ivoire. Results: Of 2198 patients seen for rheumatological conditions, 140 had non traumatic gonalgia (6.4%). The mean age of patients was 56.13 ± 13.3 years (extremes 20 and 87 years), and the sex ratio was 0.43 (42 men and 98 women). Gonalgia without swelling was observed in 33.6% of cases. Symptoms were predominantly progressive (97.1%), chronic (82.1%) and bilateral (50%). The causes of TNM were gonarthrosis (85%), septic arthritis (7.1%), reactive arthritis (2.9%), gout (2.9%), rheumatoid arthritis (1.4%) and chondrocalcinosis (0.7%). Gonarthrosis (119/140) was bilateral in 65 patients, bi- or tri-compartmental in 83, radiographic stage (Kellgren and Lawrence) III in 80 and IV in 15. A germ was isolated in two cases of septic arthritis (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae). Conclusion: GNT is common in rheumatology practice in Bouake, and mainly affects women in their fifties. It is most often a chronic bilateral gonalgia, with gonarthrosis as the main etiology.

Ten Years of Epidemiological and Diagnostic Aspects of Non-Traumatic Anterior Uveitis at Campus Teaching Hospital of Lome-Togo

Background: Uveitis is a serious disease which dangerous complications can jeopardize the visual prognosis. Anterior uveitis (AU) is the inflammation of the anterior uvea which is composed of the iris and the ciliary body. The objective of the study was to identify the epidemiological and etiological determinants of non-traumatic anterior uveitis at the Campus Teaching Hospital of Lomé. Materials and methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study of the records of patients diagnosed with anterior uveitis (AU) without a notion of trauma in the ophthalmology department of CHU Campus of Lomé from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019 (10 years). Results: 141 cases of uveitis, representing a prevalence of 0.18%. Female predominance, with a sex ratio of 0.76. Mean age was 34.74 ± 13.20 years. Decreased visual acuity was the primary complaint (34.40%), followed by ocular pain (28%). Non-traumatic anterior uveitis was unilateral in 87.2% of cases. Retro-corneal precipitates were present in all patients. 61.60% of patients had Tyndall in the anterior chamber. The etiology of non-traumatic AU was undetermined in 76.80% of cases. Toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis and syphilis were the main etiologies found. Conclusion: Non-traumatic anterior uveitis is relatively rare but serious, often affecting young subjects. It is a pathology that engages eye health professionals, not only because of the difficulties involved in diagnosing the etiology, but also because of its progression which sometimes leads to blindness.

Ten Years of Epidemiological and Diagnostic Aspects of Non-Traumatic Anterior Uveitis at Campus Teaching Hospital of Lome-Togo

Background: Uveitis is a serious disease which dangerous complications can jeopardize the visual prognosis. Anterior uveitis (AU) is the inflammation of the anterior uvea which is composed of the iris and the ciliary body. The objective of the study was to identify the epidemiological and etiological determinants of non-traumatic anterior uveitis at the Campus Teaching Hospital of Lomé. Materials and methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study of the records of patients diagnosed with anterior uveitis (AU) without a notion of trauma in the ophthalmology department of CHU Campus of Lomé from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019 (10 years). Results: 141 cases of uveitis, representing a prevalence of 0.18%. Female predominance, with a sex ratio of 0.76. Mean age was 34.74 ± 13.20 years. Decreased visual acuity was the primary complaint (34.40%), followed by ocular pain (28%). Non-traumatic anterior uveitis was unilateral in 87.2% of cases. Retro-corneal precipitates were present in all patients. 61.60% of patients had Tyndall in the anterior chamber. The etiology of non-traumatic AU was undetermined in 76.80% of cases. Toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis and syphilis were the main etiologies found. Conclusion: Non-traumatic anterior uveitis is relatively rare but serious, often affecting young subjects. It is a pathology that engages eye health professionals, not only because of the difficulties involved in diagnosing the etiology, but also because of its progression which sometimes leads to blindness.

Bone palsy eliminates granules to regulate Wnt/PI3K-AKT signaling pathway and intervene in hormonal osteonecrosis of the femoral head in rabbits

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of osteopathic osteopathy on hormonal osteonecrosis in rabbits by regulating the Wnt/PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.Methods:Thirty clean-grade New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into control group,model group and experimental group,and all except for the control group,allogeneic serum combined with glucocorticoids were used to establish animal models of simulated hormonal osteonecrosis of the femoral head.After successful modeling,the experimental group was given the model group and the control group the same amount of normal saline,and the experimental group was given bone palsy granule concentrate according to the equivalent dose of humans and rabbits,once a day for 8 weeks,and after intraperitoneal anesthesia,blood was collected from the extracorporeal heart and the serum ALP and TGF-β1 levels were detected by immunoenzyme-linked adsorption.The experimental animals were sacrificed,,and the bilateral femoral heads of rabbits were removed for hematoxylin-eosin staining,and the apoptosis of cells in the femoral head area was observed by TUNEL staining.RT-qPCR analyzed the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 genes,and Western blot detected the expression levels of pathway proteins Wnt,β-catenin,GSK-3β,AKT and p-AKT.Results:Compared with the control group,the expression levels of ALP and TGF-β1 in rabbit bone tissue in the model group decreased significantly(P<0.05),the bone trabeculae were sparse and thinned,the number of hollow bone fosses and the number of apoptosis-positive cells increased significantly(P<0.05),the expression of pro-apoptotic gene Bax was increased,and the expression of anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 was inhibited(P<0.05).After the intervention and treatment of bone palsy granules,the hollow bone depression and apoptosis of rabbit bone tissue in the experimental group were effectively improved(P<0.05).In addition,compared with the model group,the osteopathic elimination particles could upregulate the expression of ALP and TGF-β1(P<0.05),promote the expression of pathway proteins Wnt andβ-catenin,increase the phosphorylation level of AKT,and downregulate the expression of GSK-3β(P<0.05).Conclusion:Under glucocorticoids,osteoblast development dysfunction and apoptosis increase.Bone palsy granules can regulate the two signaling pathways of Wnt/PI3K-AKT,promote osteoblast development and inhibit apoptosis,effectively maintain bone metabolic balance,prolong the collapse time of the femoral head,and further treat osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Management of Non-Traumatic Urological Emergencies at Souro Sanou University Teaching Hospital of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)

Background: Generally, urological emergencies are assumed not to be very common, however, recent reports showed that they constitute an important aspect of the day-to-day urological practice. If not well and promptly managed, they may lead to serious morbidity or mortality. Objectives: To study the pattern of presentation, diagnosis and outcome of management of non-traumatic urological emergencies seen at the Emergency Department of Souro Sanou University Hospital in Bobo-Dioulasso. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective and descriptive study over four years. It included patients of all ages and both sexes, admitted for non-traumatic urological emergencies in the surgical emergency department of Souro Sanou University Hospital. It took place from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. Results: A total of 584 patients were reviewed in our study. Non-traumatic urological emergencies account for 6.3% of all surgical emergencies seen during the study period. The male-to-female ratio was 9.2 to 1. The mean age of the patients was 51.9 ± 23.9 years. Forty-five per cent of the patients presented within 48 hours of symptoms. The vast majority of the patients presented with difficulties with passing urine (41.6%), followed by cases of hematuria (18.4%). On admission, 154 patients (26.4%) presented with severe conditions such as anemia as seen in 40.9% of the cases and deterioration in the general health condition as seen in 34.4% of the patients. Leukocytosis was noted in 18.7% of the patients and anemia in 17.9%. Urine culture was positive in 15.4% of the patients and Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen found (40.6%). Ultrasound was the most requested examination (81.2%), followed by a computerized tomography (CT) scan (22%). The most frequent diagnoses were urine retention (42.9%), hematuria (16.9%) and renal colic (10.1%). Emergency interventions were carried out in 525 patients (89.9%) who include bladder catheterization (46.1%), bladder lavage and/or bladder irrigation (20.9%) and suprapubic cystocatheterization (10.1%). Most of the patients (61.3%) were discharged after a mean stay in the hospital of about 5.1 ± 7.5 days. A mortality rate of 3.8% was also recorded among the patients studied. Conclusion: Non-traumatic urological emergencies are common and are an important aspect of daily urological practice. The majority of the patient presents late with usually a severe form of the disease, which adversely affects the outcome even after treatment.

A Qualitative Study of the Triage of Patients with Non-Traumatic Acute Abdomen

Objective: To explore the work experience of medical staff in the emergency department of a general hospital in the triage of patients with non-traumatic acute abdomen to formulate corresponding intervention measures and branch evaluation tools. Methods: With descriptive phenomenology as the research method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the medical staff in a tertiary hospital in Nanjing from February 1st to 10th, 2023, and Colaizzi seven-step analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 17 emergency medical staff were interviewed in this study. Four themes were derived from the analysis of the data: the etiology of acute abdomen is complex, so it is difficult to categorize them: acute abdomen requires immediate treatment, but the treat will be delayed if the categorization is inaccurate;the high pressure of nurses and the accuracy in categorizing the patients are problems that should be addressed. Conclusion: The categorization of patients with non-traumatic acute abdomen is challenging. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out corresponding intervention and formulate appropriate departmental evaluation tools to improve the accuracy of categorization of patients with acute abdomen.

Design and Implementation of a Control System to Mitigate Osteonecrosis in Orthopedic Bone Drilling Procedures

The drilling process in orthopedic surgery can sometimes lead to an undesired increase in temperature,which can cause serious damage to bones and soft tissues.This overheating is typically identified as a temperature above 47℃,known as the critical limit,and can result in the condition known as osteonecrosis.This study aims to develop a new control system,using a proportional-integral-derivative(PID)controller,to prevent overheating and the resulting osteonecrosis.The bone temperature is constantly measured using a thermocouple and,when it reaches the critical temperature of 47℃,the cooling device is activated by the PID-controlled system.This new control system makes the drill machine with cooling device more user-friendly and allows surgeons to set a desired temperature level manually.

Current concepts on osteonecrosis of the femoral head

It is estimated that 20000 to 30000 new patients are diagnosed with osteonecrosis annually accounting for approximately 10% of the 250000 total hip arthroplasties done annually in the United States. Thelack of level 1 evidence in the literature makes it difficult to identify optimal treatment protocols to manage patients with pre-collapse avascular necrosis of the femoral head, and early intervention prior to collapse is critical to successful outcomes in joint preserving procedures. There have been a variety of traumatic and atraumatic factors that have been identified as risk factors for osteonecrosis, but the etiology and pathogenesis still remains unclear. Current osteonecrosis diagnosis is dependent upon plain anteroposterior and frog-leg lateral radiographs of the hip, followed by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). Generally, the first radiographic changes seen by radiograph will be cystic and sclerotic changes in the femoral head. Although the diagnosis may be made by radiograph, plain radiographs are generally insufficient for early diagnosis, therefore MRI is considered the most accurate benchmark. Treatment options include pharmacologic agents such as bisphosphonates and statins, biophysical treatments, as well as joint-preserving and joint-replacing surgeries. the surgical treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head can be divided into two major branches: femoral head sparing procedures(FHSP) and femoral head replacement procedures(FHRP). In general, FHSP are indicated at pre-collapse stages with minimal symptoms whereas FHRP are preferred at post-collapse symptomatic stages. It is difficult to know whether any treatment modality changes the natural history of core decompression since the true natural history of core decompression has not been delineated.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head: An update in year 2012

Osteonecrosis is a phenomenon involving disruption to the vascular supply to the femoral head, resulting in articular surface collapse and eventual osteoarthritis. Although alcoholism, steroid use, and hip trauma remain the most common causes, several other etiologies for osteonecrosis have been identified. Basic science research utilizing animal models and stem cell applications continue to further elucidate the pathophysiology of osteonecrosis and promise novel treatment options in the future. Clinical studies evaluating modern joint-sparing procedures have demonstrated significant improvements in outcomes, but hip arthroplasty is still the most common procedure performed in these affected younger adults. Further advances in joint-preserving procedures are required and will be widely studied in the coming decade.

Association of Toll-like receptor 4 Signaling Pathway with Steroid-induced Femoral Head Osteonecrosis in Rats

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is frequently observed in patients treated with excessive corticosteroids. However, the pathogenesis of corticosteroid-induced osteonecrosis remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Toil-like receptor 4 （TLR4） signaling pathway in steroid-induced femoral head osteonecrosis in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intramus- cularly with 20 mg/kg methylprednisolone （MP） for 8 weeks, twice per week. The animals were sacri- ficed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the last MP injection, respectively, and then allocated to the 2-, 4- and 8-week model groups （n=24 each）. Rats in the control group （n=12） were not given any treatment. Histopathological analysis was performed and the concentration of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase （TRAP） in plasma was determined. The activation of osteoclasts in the femoral head was assessed by TRAP staining. The expression of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF6 and NF-Id3 p65 that are involved in TLR4 signaling, and MCP-1 production were detected by using real-time PCR （RT-PCR） and Western blotting. The results showed that the osteonecrosis in the femoral head was clearly observed and the concentra- tion of TRAP in the plasma was increased in the model rats. The femoral head tissues in MP-treated rats were positive for TRAP and the intensity of TRAP staining was greater in MP-treated rats than in con- trol rats. As compared with the control group, the mRNA expression of TLR4 signaling-related factors was enhanced significantly at 4 and 8 weeks, and the protein levels of these factors increased signifi- cantly with time. It was concluded that MP could induce the femoral head osteonecrosis in rats, which was associated with osteoclast activation via the TLR4 signaling pathway. These findings suggest that TLR4 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of steroid-induced osteonecrosis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor for the treatment of femoral head osteonecrosis: An experimental study in canines

AIM To evaluate the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head(ONFH) with the use of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF).METHODS In 30 mature beagles(6 groups of 5 beagles) ONFH was induced cryosurgically and one of the following solutions was administered locally in the femoral head(FH) in each group: Single injection of 500 μg VEGF(t-VEGFμ group); single injection of 500 ng VEGF(t-VEGFn group); continuous delivery of 500 μg VEGF through osmotic micropump(t-VEGFpump-μ group); continuous delivery of 500 ng VEGF through osmotic micropump(t-VEGFpump-n group); single injection of 0.9% sodium chloride(t-NS group), while one group that served as control group did not receive any local solution(No-t group). FHs were retrieved 12 wk postoperatively, underwent decalcification and hematoxylin/eosin and toluidine blue staining. In two canines per group, one half of FH was processed without decalcification and stained with modified Masson Trichrome. Histological sections were observed by light microscopy and measured with a semi-automatized bone histomorphometry system and Bone Volume/Total Volume(BV/TV), Marrow Volume/Total Volume(MaV/TV), and Trabecular Thickness(TbT h) were assessed. Standard and robust tests(Welch, Brown Forsythe) of analysis of variance along with multiple comparisons, were carried out among the categories.RESULTS The untreated(No-t) group had signs of osteonecrosis, whereas the VEGF groups revealed reversal of the osteonecrosis. Statistical analysis of the decalcified specimens revealed a significantly better BV/TV ratio and a higher Tb Th between the VEGF treatment groups(except the t-VEGFn group) and the No-t group or the control t-NS group. Single dose 500 μg VEGF group had significantly better BV/TV ratio and higher Tb Th when compared to the No-t group(50.45 ± 6.18 vs 29.50 ± 12.27, P = 0.002 and 151.44 ± 19.07 vs 107.77 ± 35.15, P = 0.161 respectively) and the control t-NS group(50.45 ± 6.18 vs 30.9 ± 6.67, P = 0.004 and 151.44 ± 19.07 vs 107.14 ± 35.71, P = 0.151 respectively). Similar differences were found for the prolonged VEGF delivery/pump groups of 500 μg and 500 ng. Analysis of the totality of specimens(decalcified/non-decalcified) enhanced the aforementioned differences and additionally revealed significant differences in the comparison of the TbT h.CONCLUSION In an experimental model of ONFH in canines it was found that local treatment with VEGF leads to bone tissue remodeling and new bone formation.

Role of Electromagnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head in Early Stages

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is a disorder that leads to collapse and osteoarthritis in young patients. This study examines the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic fields [PEMF] in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the head in precollapse bone stages. A retrospective evaluation was done of 51 patients including 70 hips with symptomatic osteonecrosis of the hip treated with pulsed electromagnetic fields. Criteria for inclusion in the study group were evidence of osteonecrosis and absence of collapse of the femoral head. The average follow-up was 26 months (range, 18 - 90). Etiologies included idiopathic (40 cases), steroid use (26) and alcohol (4). To demonstrate the existence of osteonecrosis and its evolution, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and plain radiography techniques were used. Results: Procedures were radiological success in 80% of cases, and no progression to collapse in 88.57% of hips. Eight of the 70 hips had radiographic progression to collapse. This study suggests that selected PEMF reduce the incidence of progression of osteonecrosis of femoral head in early stage.

Potential role of the compound Eucommia bone tonic granules in patients with osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis is a major source of pain,disability,and socioeconomic cost worldwide.Osteonecrosis is a disabling disorder that frequently occurs in the younger population aged from 20-50 years.The compound Eucommia bone tonic granules,a traditional Chinese medicine,can alleviate the damage of osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis.AIM To investigate the potential role of the compound Eucommia bone tonic granules(Eucommia)in the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis.METHODS One-hundred forty osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis cases admitted to our hospital from January 2013 to December 2017 were selected.Patients were divided into two groups:Eucommia-meloxicam group and meloxicam group.Clinical efficacy and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index(WOMAC)score were evaluated according to the evaluation criteria of orthopedic diseases.The levels of bone-GLA protein,interleukin-17,recombinant human S100 calcium binding protein A12,sphingosine 1-phosphate,cystatin C,creatinine,and hemoglobin in peripheral blood were determined.RESULTS The total effective rate in the two osteoarthritis groups was not different,but the total effective rate in the two osteonecrosis groups was significantly different.The overall efficacy of Eucommia-meloxicam group was superior to that of the meloxicam group.WOMAC showed that pain,stiffness,and dysfunction in the two groups of osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis before and after treatment were significantly different.The concentration of recombinant human S100 calcium binding protein A12,sphingosine 1-phosphate,cystatin C,creatinine,and hemoglobin before and after treatment in the Eucommia-meloxicam group and meloxicam group of osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis were significantly different,and the two treatment groups were significantly different from each other for osteoarthritis.CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that Eucommia can effectively enhance the curative effect of meloxicam,and the combination of Eucommia and meloxicam is superior to meloxicam alone.

Etiology of non-traumatic acute abdomen in pediatric emergency departments

Acute abdominal pain is a common complaint in pediatric emergency departments. A complete evaluation is the key factor approaching the disease and should include the patient's age, any trauma history, the onset and chronicity of the pain, the related symptoms and a detailed physical examination. The aim of this review article is to provide some information for physicians in pediatric emergency departments, with the age factors and several causes of non-traumatic acute abdominal pain. The leading causes of acute abdominal pain are divided into four age groups: infants younger than 2 years old, children 2 to 5, children 5 to 12, and children older than 12 years old. We review the information about acute appendicitis, intussusception, HenochSchnlein purpura, infection, Meckel's diverticulum and mesenteric adenitis. In conclusion, the etiologies of acute abdomen in children admitted to the emergency department vary depending on age. A complete history and detailed physical examination, as well as abdominal imaging examinations, could provide useful information for physicians in the emergency department to narrow the differential diagnosis of abdominal emergencies and give a timely treatment.

Surgical management of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in patients with sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease is a known risk factor for osteonecrosis of the hip.Necrosis within the femoral head may cause severe pain,functional limitations,and compromise quality of life in this patient population.Early stages of avascular necrosis of the hip may be managed surgically with core decompression with or without autologous bone grafting.Total hip arthroplasty is the mainstay of treatment of advanced stages of the disease in patients who have intractable pain and are medically fit to undergo the procedure.The management of hip pathology in sickle cell disease presents numerous medical and surgical challenges,and the careful perioperative management of patients is mandatory.Although there is an increased risk of medical and surgical complications in patients with sickle cell disease,total hip arthroplasty can provide substantial relief of pain and improvement of function in the appropriately selected patient.