《金匮要略》急证治法辨识

其理论具有较高的临床实用价值及指导意义 ,对后世临床医学的发展有着重大的贡献和深远的影响。

Use of infliximab in the prevention and delay of colectomy in severe steroid dependant and refractory ulcerative colitis

AIM: To determine if infliximab can prevent or delay surgery in refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: UC patients who failed to have their disease controlled with conventional therapies and were to undergo colectomy if infliximab failed to induce a clinical improvement were reviewed. Patients were primarily treated with a single 5 mg/kg infliximab dose. The Colitis Activity Index (CAI) was used to determine response and remission. Data of 8 wk response and colectomy rates at 6 mo and 12 mo were collected. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were included, 7 with UC unresponsive or intolerant to Ⅳ hydrocortisone, and 8 with active disease despite oral steroids (all but one with therapeutic dosage and duration of immunomodulation). All the Ⅳ hydrocortisone-resistant/intolerant patients had been on azathioprine/6-MP < 8 wk. At 8 wk, infliximab induced a response in 86.7% (13/15) with 40% in remission (6/15). Within 6 mo of treatment 26.7% (4/15) had undergone colectomy and surgery was avoided in 46.6% (7/15) at 12 mo. The colectomy rate at 12 mo in those on immunomodulatory therapy < 8 wk at time of infliximab was 12.5% (1/8) compared with 100% (7/7) in patients who were on long-term maintenance immunomodulators (P < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Infliximab prevented colectomy due to active disease in immunomodulatory-na?ve, refractory UC patients comparable to the use of Cyclosporine. In patients, however, on effective dosage and duration of immunomodulation at time of infliximab therapy colectomy was not avoided.

Diagnosis and treatment of acute rejection in the first case of human living-related small bowel transplantation with a long-term survival in China

AIM： To report the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of acute rejection in the first case of living-related small bowel transplantation with a long-term survival in China. METHODS： A 18-year-old boy with short gut syndrome underwent living-related small bowel transplantation, with the graft taken from his father （44-year old）. A segment of 150-cm distal small bowel was resected from the donor. The ileo-colic artery and vein from the donor were anastomosed to the infrarenal aorta and vena cava of the recipient respectively. The intestinal continuity was restored with an end-to-end anastomosis between the recipient jejunum and donor ileum, and the distal end was fistulized. FK506, MMF and prednisone were initially used for post-transplant immunosuppression. Endoscopic observation and mucosal biopsies of the graft were carried out through the terminal ileum enterostomy; serum was collected to detect the levels of IL-2R, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-8. The change of the graft secretion and absorption was observed. RESULTS： Acute rejection was diagnosed promptly and cured. The patient was in good health, 5 years after living- related small bowel transplantation. CONCLUSION： The correct diagnosis and treatment of acute rejection are the key to the long-term survival after living-related small bowel transplantation.

Different profile of cytokine synthesis according to the severity of acute pancreatitis

AIM: To evaluate the cellular synthetic ability of cytokines involved in pro- and anti-inflammatory reactions in patients with AP.METHODS: Sixty-seven patients with AP (16 severe,51 mild) and 10 controls were included in the study.Cultures of whole blood were performed in samples obtained within the first 72 h from the onset of pain.Serum levels of interleukins (IL) 6, 8, 10, and TNF-α were measured at baseline and in the supernatant of cultures with (functional reserve) or without stimulation with phytohemaglutinin.RESULTS: Basal levels of cytokines were significantly higher in patients with severe AP. A significant increase of all pro-inflammatory cytokines vs basal levels was observed in the supernatant after 24 h of whole blood cultures in patients, but not in controls. In contrast, IL-10 increased significantly in the supernatant of cultures only in patients with mild AP. Cells showed a statistically significant functional reserve for all IL in patients with mild, but only for pro-inflammatory cytokines in patients with severe AP.CONCLUSION: A marked activation of immune system may be observed in patients with AP, being balanced between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients with mild but not severe AP. A reduced functional reserve for the synthesis of IL-10 may be observed in patients with severe AP, which might lead to a worst prognosis.

Focus on acute diarrhoeal disease

Diarrhoea is an alteration of normal bowel movement characterized by an increase in the water content, volume, or frequency of stools. Diarrhoea needs to be classified according to the trends over time （acute or chronic） and to the characteristics of the stools （watery, fatty, inflammatory）. Secretory diarrhoeas, mostly acute and of viral aetiology in more than 70% of cases, are by far the most important subtype of diarrhoeas in terms of frequency, incidence and mortality （over 2.5 million deaths/year in developing countries）. Natural and synthetic opiates such as morphine, codeine, and Ioperamide which react with endogenous opiates （enkephalins, beta-endorphins, dynorphins） mainly act on intestinal motility and slow down transit. An antidiarrhoeal drug developed in recent years, racecadotril, acts as an enkephalinase inhibitor. Clinical studies have shown that it is just as effective as ioperamide in resolving acute diarrhoea but with greater reduction in pain and abdominal distension. Some studies have explored the prevalence of diarrhoea in old age. An epidemiological study carried out in Italy by 133 General Practitioners on 5515 elderly outpatients reported a prevalence of diarrhoea, defined according to the Rome criteria, of 9.1%. Infectious diseases （19%） and drug use （16%） were the most common causes of diarrhoea in old age. Regardless of the cause, the treatment of elderly patients with diarrhoea must include rehydration and nutritional support. Every year, more than 50 million tourists travel from industrialized countries to places where hygiene levels are pool. At least 75% of those travelling for short periods mention health problems, and in particular traveller＇s diarrhoea.

Hepatorenal syndrome

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a "functional" and reversible form of renal failure that occurs in patients with advanced chronic liver disease. The distinctive hallmark feature of HRS is the intense renal vasoconstriction caused by interactions between systemic and portal hemodynamics. This results in activation of vasoconstrictors and suppression of vasodilators in the renal circulation. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, as well as current and emerging therapies of HRS are discussed in this review.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury:A review of practical points

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury(CI-AKI) is oneof the most common causes of AKI in clinical practice.CI-AKI has been found to be strongly associated with morbidity and mortality of the patients.Furthermore,CI-AKI may not be always reversible and it may be associated with the development of chronic kidney disease.Pathophysiology of CI-AKI is not exactly understood and there is no consensus on the preventive strategies.CI-AKI is an active research area thus clinicians should be updated periodically about this topic.In this review,we aimed to discuss the indications of contrastenhanced imaging,types of contrast media and their impact on nephrotoxicity,major pathophysiological mechanisms,risk factors and preventive strategies of CI-AKI and alternative non-contrast-enhanced imaging methods.

Ascending retrocecal appendicitis presenting with right upper abdominal pain:Utility of computed tomography

Acute appendicitis is a common surgical condition that is usually managed with early surgery, and is associated with low morbidity and mortality. However, some patients may have atypical symptoms and physical findings that may lead to a delay in diagnosis and increased complications. Atypical presentation may be related to the position of the appendix. Ascending retrocecal appendicitis presenting with right upper abdominal pain may be clinically indistinguishable from acute pathology in the gallbladder, liver, biliaw tree, right kidney and right urinary tract. We report a series of four patients with retrocecal appendicitis who presented with acute right upper abdominal pain. The clinical diagnoses at presentation were acute cholecystitis in two patients, pyelonephritis in one, and ureteric colic in one. Ultrasound examination of the abdomen at presentation showed subhepatic collections in two patients and normal findings in the other two. Computed tomography （CT） identified correctly retrocecal appendicitis and inflammation in the retroperitoneum in all cases. In addition, abscesses in the retrocecal space （n = 2） and subhepatic collections （n = 2） were also demonstrated. Emergency appendectomy was performed in two patients, interval appendectomy in one, and hemicolectomy in another. Surgical findings confirmed the presence of appendicitis and its retroperitoneal extensions. Our case series illustrates the usefulness of CT in diagnosing ascending retrocecal appendicitis and its extension, and excluding other in- fiammatory conditions that mimic appendicitis.

State-of-the-art of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease research in 2008

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are two of the leading causes of chronic intestinal conditions in the world. This issue of World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG ) presents a series of papers from world experts who discuss the current knowledge and opinions on these important conditions. Although great strides have been made in the diagnosis, treatment and pathology of IBS and IBD; much has yet to be explained. The etiologies and risk factors of these multifactorial conditions remain elusive. Specific diagnostic biomarkers need to be developed and safer treatments developed. The burden of IBS and IBD on the healthcare system is felt with repeated medical care visits and high costs. IBS and IBD patients can account for 30%-50% of office visits at gastroenterology services/clinics. Over one million people have IBD in the United States, with 30 000 new cases being diagnosed every year. One-quarter million people in the UK are afflicted with IBD. The cost of medical care in the United States for IBD is estimated to be $1.8 billion/year.

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in operated stomach: Outcome of 105 cases

AIM: To compare the causes and clinical outcome of patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGB) and a history of gastric surgery to those with AUGB but without a history of gastric surgery in the past.METHODS: The causes and clinical outcome were compared between 105 patients with AUGB and a history of gastric surgery, and 608 patients with AUGB but without a history of gastric surgery.RESULTS: Patients who underwent gastric surgery in the past were older (mean age: 68.1±11.7 years vs 62.8±17.8 years, P= 0.001), and the most common cause of bleeding was marginal ulcer in 63 patients (60%). No identifiable source of bleeding could be found in 22 patients (20.9%) compared to 42/608 (6.9%) in patients without a history of gastric surgery (P = 0.003). Endoscopic hemostasis was permanently successful in 26 out of 35 patients (74.3%) with peptic ulcers and active bleeding or non-bleeding visible vessel. Nine patients (8.6%) were operated due to continuing or recurrent bleeding,compared to 23/608 (3.8%) in the group of patients without gastric surgery in the past (P= 0.028). Especially in peptic ulcer bleeding patients, emergency surgery was more common in the group of patients with gastric surgery in the past [9/73 (12.3%) vs 19/360 (5.3%), P = 0.025].Moreover surgically treated patients in the past required more blood transfusion (3.3±4.0 vs 1.5±1.7, P = 0.0001) and longer hospitalization time (8.6±4.0 vs 6.9±4.9 d,P = 0.001) than patients without a history of gastric surgery. Mortality was not different between the two groups [4/105 (3.8%) vs 19/608 (3.1%)].CONCLUSION: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding seems to be more severe in surgically treated patients than in non-operated patients.

Pancreatic endocrine and exocrine changes in celiac disease

Although there is a great deal of information on celiac disease and associated involvement of other non-intestinal sites,data on concomitant changes in the structure and function of the pancreas is limited. The present review critically examines pancreatic endocrine changes that have been well documented in the literature,including insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Pancreatic exocrine alterations may also occur,and if severe,marked malnutrition with pancreatic failure and ductal calcification have been observed. Finally,other pancreatic disorders have been recorded with celiac disease.

Study on protecting effects of Baicalin and Octreotide on hepatic injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis

AIM: To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of Baicalin and Octreotide on hepatic injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: The SAP rat models were prepared and randomly assigned to the model control group, Baicalin treated group, and Octreotide treated group while other healthy rats were assigned to the sham-operated group. Rat mortality, levels of ALT, AST, liver and pancreas pathological changes in all groups were observed at 3, 6 and 12 h after operation. Tissue microarray (TMA) sections of hepatic tissue were prepared to observe expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 protein and Caspase-3, and changes of apoptotic indexes.RESULTS: Rat survival at 12 h, expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3 protein and apoptotic indexes of liver were all significantly higher in treated groups than in model control group. While the liver and pancreas pathological scores, contents of ALT, AST, and expression levels of Bcl-2 protein were all lower in treated groups than in the model control group. CONCLUSION: Both Baicalin and Octreotide can protect rats with SAP by decreasing the contents of ALT, AST and expression levels of Bcl-2 protein, and improving the expression levels of Bax protein, Caspase-3 protein, and inducing apoptosis.

Hepatorenal syndrome: Update on diagnosis and treatment

Acute kidney injury(AKI) is a common complication in patients with end-stage liver disease and advanced cirrhosis regardless of the underlying cause. Hepatorenal syndrome(HRS), a functional form of kidney failure, is one of the many possible causes of AKI. HRS is potentially reversible but involves highly complex pathogenetic mechanisms and equally complex clinical and therapeutic management. Once HRS has developed, it has a very poor prognosis. This review focuses on the diagnostic approach to HRS and discusses the therapeutic protocols currently adopted in clinical practice.

Acute kidney injury from different poisonous substances

AIM To report our experience of acute kidney injury(AKI) developed after exposure to poisonous substance.METHODS Retrospective study where data was collected from case records of patients coming to this institute during January 1990 to May 2016.This institution is a tertiary care center for renal care in the metropolitan city of Karachi,Pakistan.History of ingested substance,symptoms on presentation,basic laboratory tests on arrival,mode of treatment and outcome were recorded from all patients and are presented here.Patients developing AKI after snake envenomation or scorpion stings are not included in this study.RESULTS During studied period 184 cases of AKI developing after poisoning were seen at our institution.The largest group was from paraphenyline diamine poisoning comprising 135 patients,followed by methanol in 8,organophosphorus compounds in 5,paraquat in 5,copper sulphate in 5,tartaric acid in 4,phenobarbitone in 3 and benzodiazipines,datura,rat killer,fish gall bladder,arsenic,boiler water,ammonium dichromate,acetic acid and herbs with lesser frequency.In 8 patients multiple substances were ingested in combination.Renal replacement therapy was required in 96% of patients.Complete recovery was seen in 72.28% patients,20% died during acute phase of illness.CONCLUSION It is important to report poisonous substances causing vital organ failure to increase awareness among general population as well as health care providers.

Novel biomarkers of acute kidney injury: Evaluation and evidence in urologic surgery

atients undergoing urologic surgery are at risk of acute kidney injury （AKI） and consequently long-term deterioration in renal function. AKI is further associated with signifcantly higher odds of perioperative complications, prolonged hospital stay, higher mortality and costs. Therefore, better awareness and detection of AKI, as well as identifcation of AKI determinants in the urological surgery setting is warranted to pre-empt and mitigate further deterioration of renal function in patients at special risk. New consensus criteria provide precise definitions of diagnosis and description of the severity of AKI. However, they rely on serum creatinine （SCr）, which is known to be an inaccurate marker of early changes in renal function. Therefore, several newurinary and serum biomarkers promise to address the gap associated with the use of SCr. Novel biomarkers may complement SCr measurement or most likely improve the diagnostic accuracy of AKI when used in combinations. However, novel biomarkers have to prove their clinical applicability, accuracy, and cost effectiveness prior to implementation into clinical practice. Most preferably, novel biomarkers should help to positively improve a patient’s long-term renal functional outcomes. The purpose of this review is to discuss currently available biomarkers and to review their clinical evidence within urologic surgery settings.

Prostatic surgery associated acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury(AKI) is associated with extended hospital stays,high risks of in-hospital and long-term mortality,and increased risk of incident and progressive chronic kidney disease.Patients with urological diseases are a high-risk group for AKI owing to the coexistence of obstructive uropathy,older age,and preexistent chronic kidney disease.Nonetheless,precise data on the incidence and outcomes of postoperative AKI in urological procedures are lacking.Benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer are common diagnoses in older men and are frequently treated with surgical procedures.Whereas severe AKI after prostate surgery in general appears to be unusual,AKI associated with transurethral resection of the prostate(TURP) syndrome and with rhabdomyolysis(RM) after radical prostatectomy have been frequently described.The purpose of this review is to discuss the current knowledge regarding the epidemiology,risk factors,outcomes,prevention,and treatment of AKI associated with prostatic surgery.The mechanisms of TURP syndrome and RM following prostatic surgeries will be emphasized.

Clinicopathological spectrum of snake bite-induced acute kidney injury from India

AIM To study the clinico-pathological spectrum of snake bite-induced acute kidney injury(AKI).METHODS A retrospective study of patients admitted at Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital,Shimla with snake bite-induced AKI from July 2003 to June 2016.Medical records were evaluated for patient's information on demographic,clinical characteristics,complications and outcome.Outcomes of duration of hospital stay,requirement for intensive care unit support,treatment with dialysis,survival and mortality were analyzed.The survival and non survival groups were compared to see the difference in the demographic factors,clinical characteristics,laboratory results,and complications.In patients subjected to kidney biopsy,the findings of histopathological examination of the kidney biopsies were also analyzed.RESULTS One hundred and twenty-one patients were diagnosed with snake bite-induced AKI.Mean age was 42.2 ± 15.1 years and majority(58%) were women.Clinical details were available in 88 patients.The mean duration of arrival at hospital was 3.4 ± 3.7 d with a range of 1 to30 d.Eighty percent had oliguria and 55% had history of having passed red or brown colored urine.Coagulation defect was seen in 89% patients.The hematological and biochemical laboratory abnormalities were:Anemia(80.7%),leukocytosis(75%),thrombocytopenia(47.7%),hyperkalemia(25%),severe metabolic acidosis(39.8%),hepatic dysfunction(40.9%),hemolysis(85.2%) and rhabdomyolysis(68.2%).Main complications were:Gastrointestinal bleed(12.5%),seizure/encephalopathy(10.2%),hypertension,pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) and disseminated intravascular coagulation(9.1% each),hypotension and multi organ failure(MOF)(4.5% each).Eighty-two percent patients required renal replacement therapy.One hundred and ten(90.9%) patient survived and 11(9.1%) patients died.As compared to the survival group,the white blood cell count(P = 0.023) and bilirubin levels(P = 0.006) were significant higher and albumin levels were significantly lower(0.005) in patients who died.The proportion of patients with pneumonia/ARDS(P = 0.001),seizure/encephalopathy(P = 0.005),MOF(P = 0.05) and need for intensive care unit support(0.001) was significantly higher and duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter(P = 0.012) in patients who died.Kidney biopsy was done in total of 22 patients.Predominant lesion on kidney biopsy was acute tubular necrosis(ATN) in 20(91%) cases.In 11 cases had severe ATN and in other nine(41%) cases kidney biopsy showed features of ATN associated with mild to moderate acute interstitial nephritis(AIN).One patient only had moderate AIN and one had patchy renal cortical necrosis(RCN).CONCLUSION AKI due to snake bite is severe and a high proportion requires renal replacement therapy.On renal histology ATN and AIN are common,RCN is rare.

Biochemical metabolic changes assessed by ^(31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy after radiation-induced hepatic injury in rabbits

AIM： To compare the features of biochemical metabolic changes detected by hepatic phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy （^31p MRS） with the liver damage score （LDS） and pathologic changes in rabbits and to investigate the diagnostic value of ^31p MRS in acute hepatic radiation injury. METHODS： A total of 30 rabbits received different radiation doses （ranging 5-20 Gy） to establish acute hepatic injury models. Blood biochemical tests, ^31p MRS and pathological examinations were carried out 24 h after irradiation. The degree of injury was evaluated according to LD5 and pathology. Ten healthy rabbits served as controls. The MR examination was performed on a 1.5 T imager using a 1H/^31P surface coil by the 2D chemical shift imaging technique. The relative quantities of phosphomonoesters （PME）, phosphodiesters （PDE）, inorganic phosphate （Pi） and adenosine triphosphate （ATP） were measured. The data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS： （1） Relative quantification of phosphorus metabolites： （a） ATP： there were significant differences （P 〈 0.05） （LDS-groups：control group vs mild group vs moderate group vs severe group, 1.83±0.33 vs 1.55±0.24 vs 1.27±0.09 vs 0.98±0.18; pathological groups： control group vs mild group vs moderate group vs severe group, 1.83±0.33 vs 1.58±0.25 vs 1.32±0.07 vs 1.02±0.18） of ATP relative quantification among control group, mild injured group, moderate injured group, and severe injured group according to both LDS grading and pathological grading, respectively, and it decreased progressively with the increased degree of injury （r = -0.723, P = 0.000）. （b） PME and Pi; the relative quantification of PME and Pi decreased significantly in the severe injured group, and the difference between the control group and severe injured group was significant （P 〈 0.05） （PME： 1DS- control group vs LDS-severe group, 0.86±0.23 vs 0.58±0.22, P = 0.031; pathological control group vs pathological severe group, 0.86±0.23 vs 0.60±0.21, P = 0.037; Pi： LDS-control group vs LDS-severe group, 0.74±0.18 vs 0.43±0.14, P = 0.013; pathological control group vs pathological severe group, 0.74±0.18 vs 0.43±0.14, P = 0.005） according to LDS grading and pathological grading, respectively. （c） PDE; there were no significant differences among groups according to LDS grading, and no significant differences between the control group and experimental groups according to pathological grading. （2） The ratio of relative quantification of phosphorus metabolites： significant differences （P 〈 0.05） （LDS- moderate group and LDS-severe group vs LDS-control group and LDS-mild group, 1.94±0.50 and 1.96±0.72 vs 1.43±0.31 and 1.40±0.38） were only found in PDE/ATP between the moderate injured group, the severe injured group and the control group, the mild injured group. No significant difference was found in other ratios of relative quantification of phosphorus metabolites.CONCLUSION： ^31p MRS is a useful method to evaluate early acute hepatic radiation injury. The relative quantification of hepatic ATP levels, which can reflect the pathological severity of acute hepatic radiation injury, is correlated with LDS.