Helicobacter pylori eradication combined with folic acid in the treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis: a long-term follow-up study

Objective To investigate the clinical and pathological outcome of gastric mucosa lesions in chronic atrophic gastritis treated with Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)eradication combined with folic acid(three months treatments).Methods From December 2009 to December2010,outpatients with chronic atrophic gastritis were selected and divided into H.pylori positive group and H.

Pseudoaneurysm formation following transarterial embolization of traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula with detachable balloon:An institutional cohort long-term study

BACKGROUND The goal of therapy for traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula(TCCF)is the elimination of fistula while maintaining patency of the parent artery.The treatment for TCCF has evolved from surgery to endovascular management using detachable balloons,coils,liquid embolic agents,covered stents,or flow-diverter stent through arterial or venous approaches.Despite the withdrawal of detachable balloons from the market in the United States since 2004,transarterial embolization with detachable balloons has currently remained the best initial treatment for TCCF in several countries.However,the pseudoaneurysm formation following transarterial detachable balloon embolization has rarely been observed in long-term follow-up.AIM To determine the occurrence and long-term follow-up of pseudoaneurysm after transarterial detachable balloon for TCCF.METHODS Between January 2009 and December 2019,79 patients diagnosed with TCCF were treated using detachable latex balloons(GOLDBAL)of four sizes.Pseudoaneurysm sizes were stratified into five grades for analysis.Initial and follow-up assessments involved computed tomography angiography at 1 month,6 month,1 year,and longer intervals for significant cases.Clinical follow-ups occurred semi-annually for 2 years,then annually.Factors analyzed included sex,age,fistula size and location,and balloon size.RESULTS In our cohort of 79 patients treated for TCCF,pseudoaneurysms formed in 67.1%,with classifications ranging from grade 0 to grade 3;no grade 4 or giant pseudoaneurysms were observed.The majority of pseudoaneurysms did not progress in size,and some regressed spontaneously.Calcifications developed in most large pseudoaneurysms over 5-10 years.Parent artery occlusion occurred in 7.6%and recurrent fistulas in 16.5%.The primary risk factors for pseudoaneurysm formation were identified as the use of specific balloon sizes,with balloon SP and No.6 significantly associated with its occurrence(P=0.005 and P=0.002,respectively),whereas sex,age,fistula size,location,and the number of balloons used were not significant predictors.CONCLUSION Pseudoaneurysm formation following detachable balloon embolization for TCCF is common,primarily influenced by the size of the balloon used.Despite this,all patients with pseudoaneurysms remained asymptomatic during long-term follow-up.

Follow-up study of hepatitis C virus infection in uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis for 30 months

INTRODUCTIONA high prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus(HCV)(range from 3.3%-80%)has beenreported in hemodialysis(HD)patients,andworrisome as it often becomes chronic and induceschronic liver disease,therefore thenephrologists face a major challenge of how toprevent it.The main route of HCV transmission

Natural history of chronic hepatitis C in patients on hemodialysis: Case control study with 4-23 years of follow-up

AIM:Hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection is very common among end-stage kidney disease patients on hemodialysis,but its natural history is not known. METHODS:In this study,189 dialysis patients(case) positive for HCV antibodies who were followed up for more than 4 years were compared with twice as many sex/age matched controls with chronic hepatitis C who were diagnosed in the same month as the case and followed up for comparable periods.The longest follow-up was 23 years in dialysis cases. The disease activities were graded into'asymptomatic'if ALT was less than 40(35 in cases)IU/L,'low activities'if ALT was 40(35)-79 IU/L,and'high activities'if ALT was above 80 IU/L during the last or latest 4 year period. RESULTS:All 25 dialysis cases who were followed up for more than 15 years were asymptomatic and 15 of them were negative for HCV RNA.Of the 50 controls followed up for more than 15 years,34 had high activities,and none deared HCV RNA.There were 60 controls who were asymptomatic, but they were all positive for HCV RNA,while 22.3% of asymptomatic dialysis cases were RNA negative.No dialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C progressed to cirrhosis, whereas the disease progressed to cirrhosis in more than one quarter of the controls.These differences were highly significant(P<0.0001). CONCLUSION:Chronic hepatitic C among hemodialysis patients is mild in disease activity,and is not progressive, perhaps due to immunological abnormalities in these patients. Hepatic C virus is frequently cleared in asymptomatic dialysis patients during a long course.A possible mechanism for viral clearance is viral particle destruction on the surface of the dialyzer membrane.

Heart-shaped anastomosis for Hirschsprung's disease: Operative technique and long-term follow-up

AIM: To study the long-term therapeutic effect of 'heartshaped' anastomosis for Hirschsprung's disease.METHODS: From January 1986 to October 1997, we performed one-stage 'heart-shaped' anastomosis for 193 patients with Hirschsprung's disease (HD). One hundred and fiftytwo patients were followed up patients (follow-up rate 79%).The operative outcome and postoperative complications were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS: Early complications included urine retention in 2patients, enteritis in 10, anastomotic stricture in 1, and intestinal obstruction in 2. No infection of abdominal cavity or wound and anastomotic leakage or death occurred in any patients. Late complications were present in 22 cases,including adhesive intestinal obstruction in 2, longer anal in 5, incision hernia in 2, enteritis in 6, occasional stool stains in 7 and 6 related with improper diet. No constipation or incontinence occurred in any patient.CONCLUSION: The early and late postoperative complication rates were 7.8% and 11.4% respectively in our 'heartshaped anastomosis' procedure. 'Heart-shaped'anastomosis procedure for Hirschsprung's disease provides a better therapeutic effect compared to classic procedures.

P300 change and cognitive behavioral therapy in subjects with Internet addiction disorder A 3-month follow-up study

Event-related potential studies of cognitive function in addiction behaviors have focused on the P300 event-related potential component. The current study investigated the association between P300 component and Internet addiction disorder. We found that individuals with Internet addiction disorder exhibited significantly longer P300 latencies than controls （N2： P = 0.035; P3a： P = 0.031 P3b： P = 0.043） and similar P300 amplitudes compared to control participants. After 3 months of cognitive behavioral therapy, P300 latencies decreased significantly in the P3a and P3b （P3a： P = 0.045; P3b： P = 0.062）. These results suggest that deficits in cognitive function may be involved in Internet addiction disorder, and that clinical psychological treatment may be effective.

Association of extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease in a province of western Hungary with disease phenotype:Results of a 25-year follow-up study

AIM:IBD is a systemic disease associated with a large number of extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs).Our aim was to determine the prevalence of EIMs in a large IBD cohort in Veszprem Province in a 25-year follow-up study. METHODS:Eight hundred and seventy-three IBD patients were enrolled (ulcerative colitis/UC/:619,m/f:317/302, mean age at presentation:38.3 years,average disease duration:11.2 years;Crohn's disease/CD/:254,m/f:125/129, mean age at presentation:32.5 years,average disease duration:9.2 years).Intestinal,extraintestinal signs and laboratory tests were monitored regularly.Any alteration suggesting an EIMs was investigated by a specialist. RESULTS:A total of 21.3% of patients with IBD had EIM (UC:15.0%,CD:36.6%).Age at presentation did not affect the likelihood of EIM.Prevalence of EIMs was higher in women and in CD,ocular complications and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) were more frequent in UC.In UC there was an increased tendency of EIM in patients with a more extensive disease.Joint complications were more frequent in CD (22.4% vsUC 10.2%,P<0.01).In UC positive family history increased the risk of joint complications (OR:3.63).In CD the frequency of type-1 peripheral arthritis was increased in patients with penetrating disease (P=0.028).PSC was present in 1.6% in UC and 0.8% in CD.Dermatological complications were present in 3.8% in UC and 10.2% in CD,the rate of ocular complications was around 3% in both diseases.Rare complications were glomerulonephritis,autoimmune hemolytic anaemia and celiac disease. CONCLUSION:Prevalence of EIM in Hungarian IBD patients is in concordance with data from Western countries.The high number of EIM supports a role for complex follow-up in these patients.

Survivors of COVID-19 exhibit altered amplitudes of low frequency fluctuation in the brain: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study at 1-year follow-up

Although some short-term follow-up studies have found that individuals recovering from coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)exhibit anxiety,depression,and altered brain microstructure,their long-term physical problems,neuropsychiatric sequelae,and changes in brain function remain unknown.This observational cohort study collected 1-year follow-up data from 22 patients who had been hospitalized with COVID-19(8 males and 11 females,aged 54.2±8.7 years).Fatigue and myalgia were persistent symptoms at the 1-year follow-up.The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed that compared with 29 healthy controls(7 males and 18 females,aged 50.5±11.6 years),COVID-19 survivors had greatly increased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(ALFF)values in the left precentral gyrus,middle frontal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus of operculum,inferior frontal gyrus of triangle,insula,hippocampus,parahippocampal gyrus,fusiform gyrus,postcentral gyrus,inferior parietal angular gyrus,supramarginal gyrus,angular gyrus,thalamus,middle temporal gyrus,inferior temporal gyrus,caudate,and putamen.ALFF values in the left caudate of the COVID-19 survivors were positively correlated with their Athens Insomnia Scale scores,and those in the left precentral gyrus were positively correlated with neutrophil count during hospitalization.The long-term follow-up results suggest that the ALFF in brain regions related to mood and sleep regulation were altered in COVID-19 survivors.This can help us understand the neurobiological mechanisms of COVID-19-related neuropsychiatric sequelae.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University(approval No.2020 S004)on March 19,2020.

36-Month Follow-Up Study of Post-Intervention Chronic Heart Failure Patients

Aim: Although numerous studies of disease management and case management of chronic heart failure (CHF) have been carried out, length of effectiveness after program commencement has not been examined, so we examined a follow-up study at 36 months after program commencement. Methods: Participants went for follow-up visits to one Japanese clinic which specializes in internal cardiovascular medicine and they were given diagnoses of CHF. 104 outpatients participated in this study and randomized control trial was implemented. An educational program was implemented for 6 months. The data were collected at baseline, 3, 6, 9, 12 months from both intervention and control groups and at 24 and 36 months from the intervention group. Results: There was significant improvement in New York Heart Association (NYHA) in the intervention group between baseline and 36 months. Improvement in weight monitoring and activities or exercise in the intervention group continued up to 36 months. Meanwhile, sodium restricted diets and quitting smoking and/or drinking depended on individual preference and it was difficult to make improvements in these areas. Conclusions: The educational program showed promise in preventing CHF outpatients from deteriorating significantly on a long-term basis as self-monitoring of activity and weight continued significantly and there were no participants with CHF who deteriorated in the intervention group at 36 months after program commencement, although the program aimed only to provide illness and self-management knowledge. On the other hand, future work will need to compare participants in this program to a control group over an extended period of time with consideration for relieving the burden of the control group.

A Long-Term Study of Efficacy of Patients with Macular Edema Secondary to BRVO Treated with Ranibizumab Combined with Compound Salvia

Purpose: To study the long-term efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab injection combined with in-travenous compound salvia injection drip in the treatment of patients with macular edema sec-ondary to branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO). Methods: Sixty-five patients of branch retinal vein occlusion with macular edema were analyzed retrospectively. Thirty-seven patients in the treat-ment group were treated with ranibizumab injection combined with intravenous compound salvia injection drip, twenty-eight patients in the control group were treated with ranibizumab injection only. All patients were recorded and analyzed changes of clinical efficacy after 3 months, 6 months after a course of treatment of 6 months. Results: During 3 months after 6 months’ treatment, there were 5 patients having recurrence in the treatment group, while there were 9 in control group, the rate of recurrence between the two groups had significant difference (P < 0.05);during 3 - 6 months after a course of treatment, there were 2 patients having recurrence in the treatment group, while there were 4 in control group, the rate of recurrence between the two groups had significant difference (P < 0.05);however, the treatment group’s BCVA was better than control group, and the difference between the two groups had significance (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Ranibizumab injection combined with intravenous compound salvia injection drip could effectively reduce the impossibility of recurrence, improve the visual activity and bring better therapeutic efficacy in patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion. The treatment showed great potential in the clinical use.

Follow-up Study of Retreatment TB Patients with Sputum Smear and/or Culture Positive Two Years after They were Declared Cured with First-line Anti-TB Drugs in Shandong Province

This study aimed to learn the recurrence rate in the retreatment TB patients with sputum smear and/or culture positive （ss＋ and/or c＋） two years after they were declared cured, and to explore causes of recurrence in order to improve long-time treatment outcome. 5 cities were selected as research locations. Recurrence of TB was judged by chest X-ray examination together with sputum smear and culture examination.

A comprehensive study of long-term skeletal changes after spinal cord injury in adult rats

Spinal cord injury（SCI）-induced bone loss represents the most severe osteoporosis with no effective treatment.Past animal studies have focused primarily on long bones at the acute stage using adolescent rodents. To mimic chronic SCI in human patients, we performed a comprehensive analysis of long-term structural and mechanical changes in axial and appendicular bones in adult rats after SCI. In this experiment, 4-month-old Fischer 344 male rats received a clinically relevant T13 contusion injury. Sixteen weeks later, sublesional femurs, tibiae,and L4 vertebrae, supralesional humeri, and blood were collected from these rats and additional non-surgery rats for micro-computed tomography（m CT）, micro-finite element, histology, and serum biochemical analyses.At trabecular sites, extreme losses of bone structure and mechanical competence were detected in the metaphysis of sublesional long bones after SCI, while the subchondral part of the same bones showed much milder damage. Marked reductions in bone mass and strength were also observed in sublesional L4 vertebrae but not in supralesional humeri. At cortical sites, SCI induced structural and strength damage in both sub- and supralesional long bones. These changes were accompanied by diminished osteoblast number and activity and increased osteoclast number and activity. Taken together, our study revealed site-specific effects of SCI on bone and demonstrated sustained inhibition of bone formation and elevation of bone resorption at the chronic stage of SCI.

Follow-up study on ThinPrep cytology test-positive patients in tropical regions

BACKGROUND As shown in the statistics from the World Health Organization,it is estimated that approximately 75000 new cases of cervical cancer occur every year in China.In 2008,33000 people died of cervical cancer in China.It is proven that most women are at risk of cervical cancer.The progression from human papillomavirus(HPV)infection to cervical cancer can be several years or decades,which offers a unique opportunity to prevent cancer.AIM To observe the changes in ThinPrep cytology tests(TCT)and HPV infection in patients who were detected to be positive via TCT screening of cervical cancer and further explore the biopsy results.METHODS This paper performed a follow-up study on 206 cervical cancer screening-positive patients of 12231 total cases from our previous research.We conducted an observational study on the TCT results based on the interpretation of The Bethesda System.RESULTS Over a 5-year period,10 cases received consistent follow-up.The proportions of cases in which glandular epithelial lesions were detected increased over the follow-up period.The differences between the years were statistically significant(P<0.01).Over the 5 years,the proportion of patients whose squamous epithelial lesions transformed into glandular epithelial lesions increased yearly.Annual positive rates of HPV infection were:year 1,73%(24/33);year 2,43%(6/14);year 3,36%(9/25);year 4,50%(9/18);and year 5,25%(6/24).The positive detection rate after biopsy over a 9-year period was 29%.CONCLUSION The follow-up study for 5 years to 9 years revealed a tendency to change from squamous epithelial lesions to glandular epithelial lesions and an improvement of the disease(which had not been reported previously).The HPV test indicated a high negative conversion ratio of the viral infection.However,the follow-up cases were not found to have persistent infection of high-risk HPV.Therefore,early intervention of cervical cancer screening is necessary.Low re-examination compliance,patient education,and preventive measures should be enhanced.

Long-Term Study of Lake Evaporation and Evaluation of Seven Estimation Methods: Results from Dickie Lake, South-Central Ontario, Canada

Establishing satisfactory calculation methods of lake evaporation has been crucial for research and manage-ment of water resources and ecosystems. A 30 year dataset from Dickie Lake, south-central Ontario, Canada added to the limited long-term studies on lake evaporation. Evaporation during ice-free season was calcu-lated separately using seven evaporation methods, based on field meteorology, hydrology and lake water temperature data. Actual evaporation determined during a portion of a year was estimated using a lake en-ergy budget model, and the estimation was used as reference evaporation for evaluation of the seven methods. The deviation of method-induced evaporation from the reference evaporation was compared among the seven methods, and a performance rank was proposed based on the root mean squared deviation and coeffi-cient of efficiency. As for the whole ice-free season (roughly May to November), the water balance was the best method, followed by Makkink, DeBruin-Kejiman, Penman, Priestley-Taylor, Hamon, and Jensen-Haise methods. As for shorter duration (a week to a month), the DeBruin-Kejiman was the best method, followed by Penman, Priestley-Taylor, Makkink, Hamon, Jensen-Haise, and water balance method. Annual and sea-sonal changes of energy budget terms and the compensation function of lake heat storage in evaporation flux were also analyzed.

Stent-assisted coiling of intracranial carotid ophthalmic segment aneurysm segment aneurysms:Long-term follow-up from a single center

Background:To evaluate the efficacy of stent-assisted coiling(SAC)for the treatment of carotid ophthalmic segment aneurysm segment aneurysms(OSAs)of the internal carotid artery(ICA)through detailed long-term follow-up of a large patient cohort.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 88 consecutive patients with OSAs between January 2009 and January 2020 at our center.Angiographic results were evaluated using the modified Raymond grading system and clinical outcomes were evaluated using the mRS scale.The primary endpoints were major aneurysm recurrence and poor clinical outcomes for at least 18 months of follow-up.The patients were asked to attend clinical follow-up assessments and possibly undergo DSA or MR via telephone.Results:We enrolled 88 patients with 99 OSAs treated with coiling,of whom 76 were treated with SAC.The coiling procedures were successful in all 88 patients.Overall,complications occurred in 8 patients(9.1%).No procedure-related mortality was observed.67(76.1%)experienced immediate aneurysm occlusion at the end of the procedure.Long-term angiographic follow-up(18 months)was available in 45/88 aneurysms(51%)(average 18.7±5.2 months).Four patients continued their follow-up for 5 years after initial aneurysm treatment.After a clinical follow-up time of 28.7 months(range,12-51 months),85 patients(95.5%)achieved favorable clinical outcomes(mRS scores of 0-2).Conclusions:This study indicates that SAC treatment is a safe and effective therapeutic alternative for ruptured and unruptured OSAs.The procedural risks are low with relatively long-term effectiveness.

Spouses Who Donate Seem to Be the Winners – A Questionnaire Study of Kidney Donors Long-Term

Background:Living donor kidney transplantations have been performed at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden since 1965. In this study we wanted to explore the living kidney donor’s long-term experiences of the donation. Methods: Of 1110 consecutive living donors throughout 1965-2005, 823 were available for our questionnaire study. Results:Totally 692 replied to the questionnaire, 65% were females. The most common relation to the recipients was siblings (284), parents (262) and spouses (96). Time since donation was median 15 years (2 - 43). The initiative to donate came from the donors themselves in 69%. The dominating motives for donation were a wish to help, worries about the recipient not receiving a transplant and the knowledge that one could live a normal life with one kidney. The majority of the donors, felt well informed about potential risks both short-term and long-term. Depression post donation was reported by few donors, 2.3% and persisting pain by 4.3%. Comparisons between sibling donors and spouse donors show a significant difference (p Conclusions:Our study shows that the donor population is in good psychosocial health. It is a positive progress that spouses can be living kidney donors - they seem to be the winners.

Follow-Up Study of a Multiple Myeloma Patient Successfully Treated with Clarithromycin (CAM), Low-Dose Lenalidomide and Low-Dose Dexamethasone: Significance and Possible Mechanism of Action of CAM as an Add-On Therapy

Background: Recently, high efficacy of the chemotherapeutic regimen combining clarithromycin (CAM) with lenalidomide (Len) and dexamethasone (Dex) (BiRD) in treating multiple myeloma (MM) patients has been reported. However, the exact mechanism of added CAM has not been fully elucidated. This case report will provide helpful information for understanding the significance and the mechanism of action of CAM as an add-on therapy. Patient: A 78-year-old female patient with IgA-λ type MM was treated with low-dose Len coupled with low-dose Dex (low Rd), and excellent response was achieved for long term, but she later became refractory to this treatment. Then, CAM was added to low Rd (low Rd-CAM, i.e., modified BiRD therapy). This add-on-therapy was found to be effective, but later suspended because of pneumonitis. Then, low-dose Len coupled with CAM (low R-CAM) treatment was applied;but effect of this Dex-free treatment was insufficient. Thus, low Rd-CAM was reapplied and satisfactory reduction of IgA was achieved. This fact suggests that low Rd-CAM is the favorable combination, Dex is requisite and CAM might have enhanced the effect of Dex. In this case, various serum cytokines were examined during the course of illness. Only interleukin-6 showed apparent increase, and tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β, soluble IL-2 receptors and C-reactive protein showed the slight increase during low Rd-CAM treatment. The results seem somewhat conflicting, but it seems that intricate cytokine response due to immune activation might have occurred during low Rd-CAM treatment.

The First Case of Free Radial Forearm Skin Flap:A 40-Year Follow-Up Study

Background The radial forearm skin flap(RFSF)was first introduced by the Chinese scholar Guofan Yang and has since been used for nearly 40 years.The many advantages of RFSF have been investigated in this study.Case presentation In this case,a female patient underwent RFSF surgery in 1979.In 2016 and 2018,two interviews were held to evaluate her subjective postoperative experience.In addition,overall donor site evaluation was conducted based on general health checkups and tests;tests for appearance,tactile sensitivity,muscle strength,and motor function;and CTA.Results The flap survived well,and the donor site recovered without hand necrosis in the 1970s.In 2018,the patient was in good health condition and expressed her satisfaction with the surgery.The patient did not suffer from any postoperative complications such as diminished sensation of the donor site or donor site dysfunction;in the evaluation of hand and finger function,there was no point where functional reduction of the donor site was noted.CTA revealed compensatory blood supply with enlargement in the diameter of the ulnar and interosseous artery.Conclusion After a nearly 40-year follow-up,the patient who underwent the first free radial forearm flap transplantation expressed satisfaction with the operative outcomes.The examination showed good results at the recipient site with little donor site deformities and good compensatory blood supply.

Isolated mitral valve replacement with Guangdong-Ⅰ porcine bioprostheses in rheumatic heart valve disease: analysis of 166 cases with long-term follow-up

Objective To study the long-term effects of mitral valve replacement with bioprostheses in rheumatic heart valve disease. Methods 166 patients with rheumatic heart valve disease underwent isolated mitral valve replacement from Jan. 1978 to Dec. 1985. 79 Patients were male and 87 female. Patients’ age ranged from 11 to 53 years [mean (29.4 ± 9.9) years]. The patients were classified into two groups: group 1 (age【 30 years) included 84 patients, group 2 (age≥30 years) 82 cases. Mean CTR is 0.68 *0.08. Most patients were in NYHA function class Ⅲ-Ⅳ. 76. 3% of patients had atrial fibrillation. 6 patients had pre-operative cerebral vascular accidents. Postoperative deaths were excluded. Follow-up extended from 0.4 year to 19.4 years. Results Actuarial estimate of survival rate at 14 years is (52.5 ± 7.0)%. Heart function was improved to class Ⅰ - Ⅱ in most of patients. Late structural valve deterioration occurred in 89 patients. Among them, 59 were re-operated. Actuarial estimate of freedom from