AIM: To assess the safety of bismuth used in Helicobacter pylori (H pylorl) eradication therapy regimens. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched (up to Octob...AIM: To assess the safety of bismuth used in Helicobacter pylori (H pylorl) eradication therapy regimens. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched (up to October 2007) to identify randomised controlled tri- als comparing bismuth with placebo or no treatment, or bismuth salts in combination with antibiotics as part of eradication therapy with the same dose and duration of antibiotics alone or, in combination, with acid suppresion. Total numbers of adverse events were recorded. Data were pooled and expressed as relative risks with 95% confidence intervals (CI).RESULTS: We identified 35 randomised controlled trials containing 4763 patients. There were no serious adverse events occurring with bismuth therapy. There was no statistically significant difference detected in total adverse events with bismuth rrelative risk (RR) = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.87-1.16], specific individual adverse events, with the exception of dark stools (RR = 5.06; 95% CI: 1.59-16.12), or adverse events leading to withdrawal of therapy (RR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.54-1.37). CONCLUSION: Bismuth for the treatment of H py/ori is safe and well-tolerated. The only adverse event occurring significantly more commonly was dark stools.展开更多
Gynura root has been used extensively in Chinese folk medicine and plays a role in promoting microcirculation and relieving pain.However,its hepatic toxicity should not be neglected.Recently,we admitted a 62-year old ...Gynura root has been used extensively in Chinese folk medicine and plays a role in promoting microcirculation and relieving pain.However,its hepatic toxicity should not be neglected.Recently,we admitted a 62-year old female who developed hepatic veno-occlusive disease(HVOD)after ingestion of Gynura root.Only a few articles on HVOD induced by Gynura root have been reported in the literature.It is suspected that pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Gynura root might be responsible for HVOD.In this paper,we report a case of HVOD and review the literature.展开更多
ABM: To introduce the basic methods of gray relational analysis (GRA) and to illustrate its applications in gastroenterology. METHODS: With the essential formulae of GRA and several typically practical examples, the p...ABM: To introduce the basic methods of gray relational analysis (GRA) and to illustrate its applications in gastroenterology. METHODS: With the essential formulae of GRA and several typically practical examples, the procedure of GRA was introduced. Examples were drawn from the gastroenterological studies. Thus the trait of GRA could be demonstrated. RESULTS: The superiority of GRA in gastroenterological study was proved by the examples. CONCLUSION: GRA can be applied mechanically or flexibly in gastroenterology.展开更多
To evaluate the effect of silymarin on the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT) in patients with liver diseases. METHODSA systematic...To evaluate the effect of silymarin on the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT) in patients with liver diseases. METHODSA systematic review with meta-analysis of ramdomized and controlled clinical trials was performed, evaluating the effects of sylimarin in patients with hepatic diseases, published by January 31, 2016. Clinical trials were sought on the basis of The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in the Cochrane Library, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs and Clinical Trials. The trials with adult and elderly patients of both sexes, with Liver Diseases who took oral silymarin supplementation, as extract or isolated, as well as Silymarin combined with other nutrients, were included. The trials should provide information about the intervention, such as dosages and detailing of the product used, besides the mean and standard deviation of serum levels of ALT, AST and γGT of the baseline and at the end of the intervention. RESULTSAn amount of 10904 publications were identified. From those, only 17 were included in the systematic review and 6 in the meta-analysis, according to the used selection criteria. In this meta-analysis, the results indicated a reduction of 0.26 IU/mL (95%CI: -0.46-0.07, P = 0.007) at the level of ALT and 0.53 IU/mL (95%CI: -0.74-0.32, P = 0.000) at the serum levels of AST after using the silymarin, both, statistically significant, but with no clinical relevance. There was no significant change in the γGT levels. Subgroup analyzes were also performed for the biochemical markers in relation to the type of intervention, whether silymarin isolated or associated with other nutrients and the time of intervention (whether ≥ 6 mo or < 6 mo). Significant differences were not found. The evaluated studies presented a high degree of heterogeneity and low methodological quality in the carried out analysis. CONCLUSIONSilymarin minimally reduced, but without clinical relevance, the serum levels of ALT and AST. It is necessary to carry out studies with more appropriate methodological designs.展开更多
To investigate the prevalence and association of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).METHODSSA comprehensive literature search was completed from inception until October 2016. Studies t...To investigate the prevalence and association of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).METHODSSA comprehensive literature search was completed from inception until October 2016. Studies that reported prevalence, relative risks, odd ratios, hazard ratios or standardized incidence ratio of H. pylori among ESRD patients were included. Participants without H. pylori were used as comparators to assess the association between H. pylori infection and ESRD. Pooled risk ratios and 95%CI was calculated using a random-effect model. Adjusted point estimates from each study were combined by the generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird.RESULTSOf 4546 relevant studies, thirty-seven observational studies met all inclusion criteria. Thirty-five cross-sectional studies were included in the analyses to assess the prevalence and association of H. pylori with ESRD. The estimated prevalence of H. pylori among ESRD patients was 44% (95%CI: 40%-49%). The pooled RR of H. pylori in patients with ESRD was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.59-1.00) when compared with the patients without ESRD. Subgroup analysis showed significantly reduced risk of H. pylori in adult ESRD patients with pooled RR of 0.71 (95%CI: 0.55-0.94). The data on the risk of ESRD in patients with H. pylori were limited. Two cohort studies were included to assess the risk of ESRD in patients with H. pylori. The pooled risk RR of ESRD in patients with H. pylori was 0.61 (95%CI: 0.03-12.20).CONCLUSIONThe estimated prevalence of H. pylori in ESRD patients is 44%. Our meta-analysis demonstrates a decreased risk of H. pylori in adult ESRD patients.展开更多
Background Frailty is a new prognostic factor in cardiovascular medicine due to the aging and increasingly complex nature of elderly patients. It is useful and meaningful to prospectively analyze the manner in which f...Background Frailty is a new prognostic factor in cardiovascular medicine due to the aging and increasingly complex nature of elderly patients. It is useful and meaningful to prospectively analyze the manner in which frailty predicts short-term outcomes for elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods Patients aged 〉 65 years, with diagnosis of ACS from cardiology department and geriatrics department were included from single-center. Clinical data including geriatrics syndromes were collected using Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment. Frailty was defined according to the Clinical Frailty Scale and the impact of the co-morbidities on risk was quantified by the coronary artery disease (CAD)--specific index. Patients were followed up by clinical visit or telephone consultation and the median follow-up time is 120 days. Following-up items included all-cause mortality, unscheduled return visit, in-hospital and recurrent major adverse cardiovascular events. Multivariable regression survival analysis was performed using Cox regression. Results Of the 352 patients, 152 (43.18%) were considered frail according to the study instrument (5-7 on the scale), and 93 (26.42%) were considered moderately or se- verely frail (6-7 on the scale). Geriatrics syndromes including incontinence, fall history, visual impairment, hearing impairment, constipation, chronic pain, sleeping disorder, dental problems, anxiety or depression, and delirium were more frequently in frail patients than in non-frail patients (P = 0.000, 0.031, 0.009, 0.014, 0.000, 0.003, 0.022, 0.000, 0.074, and 0.432, respectively). Adjusted for sex, age, severity of coro- nary artery diseases (left main coronary artery lesion or not) and co-morbidities (CAD specific index) by Cox survival analysis, frailty was found to be strongly and independently associated with risk for the primary composite outcomes: all-canse mortality [Hazard Ratio (HR) = 5.393; 95% CI: 1.477-19.692, P = 0.011] and unscheduled return visit (HR - 2.832; 95% CI: 1.140-7.037, P = 0.025). Conclusions Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment and Clinical Frail Scale were useful in evaluation of elderly patients with ACS. Frailty was strongly and independently associated with short-term outcomes for elderly patients with ACS.展开更多
Patients with kidney diseases continue to experience significant cardiovascular disease(CVD) morbidity and mortality. Although there are many important risk factors playing a role in the pathogenesis of CVD in chronic...Patients with kidney diseases continue to experience significant cardiovascular disease(CVD) morbidity and mortality. Although there are many important risk factors playing a role in the pathogenesis of CVD in chronic kidney disease(CKD) patients, dyslipidemia(elevated triglycerides, elevated oxidized low-densitylipoprotein and low/dysfunctional low high-density) represents one of the modifiable risk factors. Renal failure patients have unique lipid abnormalities which not only have complex role in pathogenesis of CVD but also cause relative resistance to usual interventions. Most of the randomized trials have been in hemodialysis population and data from CKD non-dialysis, peritoneal dialysis and renal transplant populations is extremely limited. Compared to general population, evidence of mortality benefit of lipid lowering medications in CKD population is scarce. Future research should be directed towards establishing long term benefits and side effects of lipid lowering medications, through randomized trials, in CKD population.展开更多
Guo-Qiang XuFor a long time, it was believed that apoptosis and necrosis were the main pathways for cell death, but a growing body of research has shown that there are other pathways. Among these, necroptosis, a regul...Guo-Qiang XuFor a long time, it was believed that apoptosis and necrosis were the main pathways for cell death, but a growing body of research has shown that there are other pathways. Among these, necroptosis, a regulatory caspase-independent, programmed cell death pathway, is supposed to be of importance in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The mechanism of regulating, in-ducing and blocking necroptosis is a complex process that involves expression and regulation of a series of molecules including receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase like protein. By blocking or downregulating expression of key molecules in the necroptotic pathway, intestinal inflammation can be affected to some extent. In this paper, we introduce the concept of necroptosis, its main pathway, and its impact on the pathogenesis ofinfammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other intestinal diseases, to explore new drug targets for intestinal diseases, including IBD.展开更多
Hypertension (HTN) develops very early in childhood chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is linked with rapid progression of kidney disease, increased morbidity and mortality hence the imperative to start anti-hyperte...Hypertension (HTN) develops very early in childhood chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is linked with rapid progression of kidney disease, increased morbidity and mortality hence the imperative to start anti-hypertensive medication when blood pressure (BP)is persistently 〉 90th percentile for age, gender, and height in non-dialyzing hypertensive children with CKD. HTN pathomechanism in CKD is multifactorial and complexly interwoven. The patient with CKD-associated HTN needs to be carefully evaluated for co-morbidities that frequently alter the course of the disease as successful treatment of HTN in CKD goes beyond life style modification and anti-hypertensive therapy alone. Chronic anaemia, volume overload, endothelial dysfunction, arterial media calcifcation, and metabolic derangements like secondary hyperparathyroidism, hyperphosphataemia, and calcitriol deficiency are a few co-morbidities that may cause or worsen HTN in CKD. It is important to know if the HTN is caused or made worse by the toxic effects of medications like erythropoietin, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-infammatory drugs. Poor treatment response may be due to any of these co-morbidities and medications. A satisfactory hypertensive CKD outcome, therefore, depends very much on identifying and managing these co-morbid conditions and HTN promoting medications promptly and appropriately. This review attempts to point attention to factors that may affect successful treatment of the hypertensive CKD child and how to attain the desired therapeutic BP target.展开更多
In this review, we focused on the relationship between central blood pressure and chronic kidney diseases(CKD). Wave reflection is a major mechanism that determines central blood pressure in patients with CKD. Recent ...In this review, we focused on the relationship between central blood pressure and chronic kidney diseases(CKD). Wave reflection is a major mechanism that determines central blood pressure in patients with CKD. Recent medical technology advances have enabled non-invasive central blood pressure measurements. Clinical trials have demonstrated that compared with brachial blood pressure, central blood pressure is a stronger risk factor for cardiovascular(CV) and renal diseases. CKD is characterized by a diminished renal autoregulatory ability, an augmented direct transmission of systemic blood pressure to glomeruli, and an increase in proteinuria. Any elevation in central blood pressure accelerates CKD progression. In the kidney, interstitial inflammation induces oxidative stress to handle proteinuria. Oxidative stress facilitates atherogenesis, increases arterial stiffness and central blood pressure, and worsens the CV prognosis in patients with CKD. A vicious cycle exists between CKD and central blood pressure. To stop this cycle, vasodilator antihypertensive drugs and statins can reduce central blood pressure and oxidative stress. Even in early-stage CKD, mineral and bone disorders(MBD) may develop. MBD promotes oxidative stress, arteriosclerosis, and elevated central blood pressure in patients with CKD. Early intervention or prevention seems necessary to maintain vascular health in patients with CKD.展开更多
Ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions of the stom- ach in rats. However, it remains unknown whether ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions in the small intestine. Four strain gauge transducers were implanted ...Ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions of the stom- ach in rats. However, it remains unknown whether ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions in the small intestine. Four strain gauge transducers were implanted on the antrum, duodenum, proximal and distal jejunum. After an overnight fast, gastrointestinal (GI) contrac- tions were recorded in freely moving conscious rats. Spontaneous phase m-like contractions were observed at every 13-16 min in rat GI tract. The fasted motor patterns were replaced by the fed motor pattern imme- diately after food intake. Two minutes after finishing the spontaneous phase Ill-like contractions in the antrum, acyl ghrelin (0.8, 2.4 and 8.0 μg/kg per min) was con- tinuously infused for 30 min. Three-five minutes after the starting ghrelin infusion, augmented phase Ⅲ-like contractions were observed at the antrum, duodenum, and jejunum. Ghrelin infusion (0.8, 2.4 and 8.0μg/kg per min) significantly increased motility index of phase Ⅲ-like contractions at the antrum and jejunum in a dose dependent manner, compared to that of saline in- jection. Thus, it is likely that exogenously administered ghrelin causes phase Ⅲ-like contraction at the antrum, which migrates to the duodenum and jejunum. The possible role of 5-HT, in addition to ghrelin, in mediating intestinal migrating motor complex (MMC), is discussed.展开更多
Small bowel diverticulosis represents an uncommon disorder (except for Meckel diverticulum) often misdiagnosed since it causes non-specific gastroin- testinal symptoms. Most of times the diagnosis is carried out in ca...Small bowel diverticulosis represents an uncommon disorder (except for Meckel diverticulum) often misdiagnosed since it causes non-specific gastroin- testinal symptoms. Most of times the diagnosis is carried out in case of related complications, such as diverticulitis, hemorrhage, perforation or obstruction. Intestinal obstruction can be caused by inflammatory stenosis due to repeated episodes of diverticulitis, volvulus, intussusception or jejunal stones. Herein we report a case of multiple jejunal diverticula causing chronic gastrointestinal obstruction.展开更多
AIM To performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine any possible differences in terms of effectiveness, safety and tolerability between existing colon-cleansing products in patients with inflammatory b...AIM To performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine any possible differences in terms of effectiveness, safety and tolerability between existing colon-cleansing products in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.METHODS Systematic searches were performed( January 1980-September 2016) using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CENTRAL and ISI Web of knowledge for randomized trials assessing preparations with or without adjuvants, given in split and non-split dosing, and in high(> 3 L) or low-volume(2 L or less) regimens. Bowel cleansing quality was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included patient willingness-torepeat the procedure and side effects/complications.RESULTS Out of 439 citations, 4 trials fulfilled our inclusion criteria(n = 449 patients). One trial assessed the impact of adding simethicone to polyethylene glycol(PEG) 4 L with no effect on bowel cleansing quality, but a better tolerance. Another trial compared senna to castor oil, again without any differences in term of bowel cleansing. Two trials compared the efficacy of PEG high-volume vs PEG low-volume associated to an adjuvant in split-dose regimens: PEG low-dose efficacy was not different to PEG high-dose; OR = 0.84(0.37-1.92). A higher proportion of patients were willing to repeat low-volume preparations vs high-volume; OR = 5.11(1.31-20.0). CONCLUSION In inflammatory bowel disease population, PEG lowvolume regimen seems not inferior to PEG high-volume to clean the colon, and yields improved willingness-torepeat. Further additional research is urgently required to compare contemporary products in this population.展开更多
Objective To clarify the association between rs1050450 polymorphism in Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) and the risk of cardi-ovascular diseases (CVD) by performing a meta-analysis of published studies. There is g...Objective To clarify the association between rs1050450 polymorphism in Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) and the risk of cardi-ovascular diseases (CVD) by performing a meta-analysis of published studies. There is growing evidence from different study types for an association of the GPx-1 polymorphism and cardiovascular outcomes, but observational studies have so far shown inconsistent results. Me-thods Relevant publications were searched through PubMed, Embase database databases and the Cochrane Library. We used odds ratios (ORs) with 95%confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the strength of association under the best genetic model. Both Q statistic and the I2 were used to check heterogeneity. Meta-regression analysis was performed to explore heterogeneity source. Sensitivity analysis, cumulative me-ta-analysis analysis and publication bias were used to test the reliability of the results. Results Data were available from two cohort studies and 8 case-control studies involving 1,430 cases and 3,767 controls. The pooled ORs for overall CVD risk was 1.36 with 95%CI:1.08-1.70 under a co-dominant model, and that for East Asian subgroup was 1.84 (95%CI:1.39-2.43). Substantial heterogeneity for ORs were de-tected among all the included studies, mainly caused by ethnic differences between East Asian and non-East Asian populations. Although Egger's regression test suggested no statistical significant publication bias, Begg's funnel plot exhibited obvious asymmetry. The statistical significance disappeared after adjusting for potential publication bias in the overall studies. However, no substantial publication bias was found in the East Asian subgroup. Conclusions GPx-1 gene Pro198Leu and Pro197Leu polymorphisms considerably increased the risk of CVD in the East Asian population. Large-scale investigations are needed to confirm the results in different ethnicities.展开更多
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a necroinflammatory liver disease of unknown etiology that occurs in children and adults of all ages. Characteristics are its autoimmune features,hyperglobulinemia (IgG),and the presence ...Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a necroinflammatory liver disease of unknown etiology that occurs in children and adults of all ages. Characteristics are its autoimmune features,hyperglobulinemia (IgG),and the presence of circulating autoantibodies,as well as a response to immunosuppressant drugs. Current treatment consists of prednisone and azathioprine and in most patients this disease has become very treatable. Over the past 2 years,a couple of new insights into the genetic aspects,clinical course and treatment of AIH have been reported,which will be the focus of this review. In particular,we concentrate on genome-wide microsatellite analysis,a novel mouse model of AIH,the evaluation of a large AIH cohort for overlap syndromes,suggested novel criteria for the diagnosis of AIH,and the latest studies on treatment of AIH with budenoside and mycophenolate mofetil.展开更多
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are endangered with the highest mortality rate compared to other chronic diseases. Cardiovascular events account for up to 60% of the fatalities. Cardiovascular calcifcations af...Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are endangered with the highest mortality rate compared to other chronic diseases. Cardiovascular events account for up to 60% of the fatalities. Cardiovascular calcifcations affect most of the CKD patients. Most of this calcification is related to disturbed renal phosphate handling. Fibroblast growth factor 23 and klotho defciency were incriminated in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification through different mechanisms including their effects on endothelium and arterial wall smooth muscle cells. In addition, deficient klotho gene expression, a constant feature of CKD, pro-motes vascular pathology and shares in progression of the CKD. The role of gut in the etio-pathogenesis of systemic infammation and vascular calcifcation is a newly discovered mechanism. This review will cover the medical history, prevalence, pathogenesis, clinical relevance, different tools used to diagnose, the ideal timing to prevent or to withhold the progression of vascular cal-cification and the different medications and medical procedures that can help to prolong the survival of CKD patients.展开更多
Metabolic syndrome(Met S) is a term used to denote a combination of selected,widely prevalent cardiovascular disease(CVD)-related risk factors.Despite the ambiguous definition of Met S,it has been clearly associated w...Metabolic syndrome(Met S) is a term used to denote a combination of selected,widely prevalent cardiovascular disease(CVD)-related risk factors.Despite the ambiguous definition of Met S,it has been clearly associated with chronic kidney disease markers including reduced glomerular filtration rate,proteinuria and/or microalbuminuria,and histopathological markers such as tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis.However,the etiological role of Met S in chronic kidney disease(CKD) is less clear.The relationship between MetS and CKD is complex and bidirectional,and so is best understood when CKD is viewed as a common progressive illness along the course of which MetS,another common disease,may intervene and contribute.Possible mechanisms of renal injury include insulin resistance and oxidative stress,increased proinflammatory cytokine production,increased connective tissue growth and profibrotic factor production,increased microvascular injury,and renal ischemia.MetS also portends a higher CVD risk at all stages of CKD from early renal insufficiency to end-stage renal disease.Clinical interventions for MetS in the presence of CKD should include a combination of weight reduction,appropriate dietary modification and increase physical activity,plus targeting of individual CVD-related risk factors such as dysglycemia,hypertension,and dyslipidemia while conforming to relevant national societal guidelines.展开更多
The clinical spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection associated disease has changed significantly over the past decade, mainly due to the wide availability and improvement of combination antiretrovi...The clinical spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection associated disease has changed significantly over the past decade, mainly due to the wide availability and improvement of combination antiretroviral therapy regiments. Serious complications associated with profound immunodeficiency are nowa-days fortunately rare in patients with adequate access to care and treatment. However, HIV infected patients, and particularly those with acquired immune defciency syndrome, are predisposed to a host of different water, electrolyte, and acid-base disorders (sometimes with opposite characteristics), since they have a modified renal physiology (reduced free water clearance, and relatively increased fractional excretion of calcium and magnesium) and they are also exposed to infectious, inflammatory, endocrinological, oncological variables which promote clinical conditions (such as fever,tachypnea, vomiting, diarrhea, polyuria, and delirium), and may require a variety of medical interventions (antiviral medication, antibiotics, antineoplastic agents), whose combination predispose them to undermine their homeostatic capability. As many of these disturbances may remain clinically silent until reaching an advanced condition, high awareness is advisable, particularly in patients with late diagnosis, concomitant inflammatory conditions and opportunistic diseases. These disorders contribute to both morbidity and mortality in HIV infected patients.展开更多
Urinary incontinence(UI) is a common condition affecting adult women of all ages and it could have a negative infl uence on quality of life. The etiology of UI is multifactorial, but some of the most important risk fa...Urinary incontinence(UI) is a common condition affecting adult women of all ages and it could have a negative infl uence on quality of life. The etiology of UI is multifactorial, but some of the most important risk factors are obesity and ageing, as well as adverse obstetric events. Pregnancy and delivery per se have been implicated in the etiology of UI. Although several studies have demonstrated a direct association between UI and vaginal delivery in short, medium and long-term, the role of childbirth on the risk of UI remains controversial. The mechanical strain during delivery may induce injuries to the muscle, connective and neural structures. Vaginal birth can be associated with relaxation or disruption of fascial and ligamentous supports of pelvic organs. Parity, instrumental delivery, prolonged labor and increased birth weights have always been considered risk factors for pelvic floor injury. Also genetic factors have been recently raised up but still there are not appropriate guidelines or measures to reduce signifi cantly the incidence of UI. The role of pelvic fl oor muscle training(PFMT) in the prevention and treatment of UI is still unclear. However, PFMT seems to be useful when supervised training is conducted and it could be incorporated as a routine part of women's exercise programmes during pregnancy and after childbirth.展开更多
文摘AIM: To assess the safety of bismuth used in Helicobacter pylori (H pylorl) eradication therapy regimens. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched (up to October 2007) to identify randomised controlled tri- als comparing bismuth with placebo or no treatment, or bismuth salts in combination with antibiotics as part of eradication therapy with the same dose and duration of antibiotics alone or, in combination, with acid suppresion. Total numbers of adverse events were recorded. Data were pooled and expressed as relative risks with 95% confidence intervals (CI).RESULTS: We identified 35 randomised controlled trials containing 4763 patients. There were no serious adverse events occurring with bismuth therapy. There was no statistically significant difference detected in total adverse events with bismuth rrelative risk (RR) = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.87-1.16], specific individual adverse events, with the exception of dark stools (RR = 5.06; 95% CI: 1.59-16.12), or adverse events leading to withdrawal of therapy (RR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.54-1.37). CONCLUSION: Bismuth for the treatment of H py/ori is safe and well-tolerated. The only adverse event occurring significantly more commonly was dark stools.
文摘Gynura root has been used extensively in Chinese folk medicine and plays a role in promoting microcirculation and relieving pain.However,its hepatic toxicity should not be neglected.Recently,we admitted a 62-year old female who developed hepatic veno-occlusive disease(HVOD)after ingestion of Gynura root.Only a few articles on HVOD induced by Gynura root have been reported in the literature.It is suspected that pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Gynura root might be responsible for HVOD.In this paper,we report a case of HVOD and review the literature.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30271158
文摘ABM: To introduce the basic methods of gray relational analysis (GRA) and to illustrate its applications in gastroenterology. METHODS: With the essential formulae of GRA and several typically practical examples, the procedure of GRA was introduced. Examples were drawn from the gastroenterological studies. Thus the trait of GRA could be demonstrated. RESULTS: The superiority of GRA in gastroenterological study was proved by the examples. CONCLUSION: GRA can be applied mechanically or flexibly in gastroenterology.
文摘To evaluate the effect of silymarin on the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT) in patients with liver diseases. METHODSA systematic review with meta-analysis of ramdomized and controlled clinical trials was performed, evaluating the effects of sylimarin in patients with hepatic diseases, published by January 31, 2016. Clinical trials were sought on the basis of The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in the Cochrane Library, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs and Clinical Trials. The trials with adult and elderly patients of both sexes, with Liver Diseases who took oral silymarin supplementation, as extract or isolated, as well as Silymarin combined with other nutrients, were included. The trials should provide information about the intervention, such as dosages and detailing of the product used, besides the mean and standard deviation of serum levels of ALT, AST and γGT of the baseline and at the end of the intervention. RESULTSAn amount of 10904 publications were identified. From those, only 17 were included in the systematic review and 6 in the meta-analysis, according to the used selection criteria. In this meta-analysis, the results indicated a reduction of 0.26 IU/mL (95%CI: -0.46-0.07, P = 0.007) at the level of ALT and 0.53 IU/mL (95%CI: -0.74-0.32, P = 0.000) at the serum levels of AST after using the silymarin, both, statistically significant, but with no clinical relevance. There was no significant change in the γGT levels. Subgroup analyzes were also performed for the biochemical markers in relation to the type of intervention, whether silymarin isolated or associated with other nutrients and the time of intervention (whether ≥ 6 mo or < 6 mo). Significant differences were not found. The evaluated studies presented a high degree of heterogeneity and low methodological quality in the carried out analysis. CONCLUSIONSilymarin minimally reduced, but without clinical relevance, the serum levels of ALT and AST. It is necessary to carry out studies with more appropriate methodological designs.
文摘To investigate the prevalence and association of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).METHODSSA comprehensive literature search was completed from inception until October 2016. Studies that reported prevalence, relative risks, odd ratios, hazard ratios or standardized incidence ratio of H. pylori among ESRD patients were included. Participants without H. pylori were used as comparators to assess the association between H. pylori infection and ESRD. Pooled risk ratios and 95%CI was calculated using a random-effect model. Adjusted point estimates from each study were combined by the generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird.RESULTSOf 4546 relevant studies, thirty-seven observational studies met all inclusion criteria. Thirty-five cross-sectional studies were included in the analyses to assess the prevalence and association of H. pylori with ESRD. The estimated prevalence of H. pylori among ESRD patients was 44% (95%CI: 40%-49%). The pooled RR of H. pylori in patients with ESRD was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.59-1.00) when compared with the patients without ESRD. Subgroup analysis showed significantly reduced risk of H. pylori in adult ESRD patients with pooled RR of 0.71 (95%CI: 0.55-0.94). The data on the risk of ESRD in patients with H. pylori were limited. Two cohort studies were included to assess the risk of ESRD in patients with H. pylori. The pooled risk RR of ESRD in patients with H. pylori was 0.61 (95%CI: 0.03-12.20).CONCLUSIONThe estimated prevalence of H. pylori in ESRD patients is 44%. Our meta-analysis demonstrates a decreased risk of H. pylori in adult ESRD patients.
文摘Background Frailty is a new prognostic factor in cardiovascular medicine due to the aging and increasingly complex nature of elderly patients. It is useful and meaningful to prospectively analyze the manner in which frailty predicts short-term outcomes for elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods Patients aged 〉 65 years, with diagnosis of ACS from cardiology department and geriatrics department were included from single-center. Clinical data including geriatrics syndromes were collected using Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment. Frailty was defined according to the Clinical Frailty Scale and the impact of the co-morbidities on risk was quantified by the coronary artery disease (CAD)--specific index. Patients were followed up by clinical visit or telephone consultation and the median follow-up time is 120 days. Following-up items included all-cause mortality, unscheduled return visit, in-hospital and recurrent major adverse cardiovascular events. Multivariable regression survival analysis was performed using Cox regression. Results Of the 352 patients, 152 (43.18%) were considered frail according to the study instrument (5-7 on the scale), and 93 (26.42%) were considered moderately or se- verely frail (6-7 on the scale). Geriatrics syndromes including incontinence, fall history, visual impairment, hearing impairment, constipation, chronic pain, sleeping disorder, dental problems, anxiety or depression, and delirium were more frequently in frail patients than in non-frail patients (P = 0.000, 0.031, 0.009, 0.014, 0.000, 0.003, 0.022, 0.000, 0.074, and 0.432, respectively). Adjusted for sex, age, severity of coro- nary artery diseases (left main coronary artery lesion or not) and co-morbidities (CAD specific index) by Cox survival analysis, frailty was found to be strongly and independently associated with risk for the primary composite outcomes: all-canse mortality [Hazard Ratio (HR) = 5.393; 95% CI: 1.477-19.692, P = 0.011] and unscheduled return visit (HR - 2.832; 95% CI: 1.140-7.037, P = 0.025). Conclusions Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment and Clinical Frail Scale were useful in evaluation of elderly patients with ACS. Frailty was strongly and independently associated with short-term outcomes for elderly patients with ACS.
文摘Patients with kidney diseases continue to experience significant cardiovascular disease(CVD) morbidity and mortality. Although there are many important risk factors playing a role in the pathogenesis of CVD in chronic kidney disease(CKD) patients, dyslipidemia(elevated triglycerides, elevated oxidized low-densitylipoprotein and low/dysfunctional low high-density) represents one of the modifiable risk factors. Renal failure patients have unique lipid abnormalities which not only have complex role in pathogenesis of CVD but also cause relative resistance to usual interventions. Most of the randomized trials have been in hemodialysis population and data from CKD non-dialysis, peritoneal dialysis and renal transplant populations is extremely limited. Compared to general population, evidence of mortality benefit of lipid lowering medications in CKD population is scarce. Future research should be directed towards establishing long term benefits and side effects of lipid lowering medications, through randomized trials, in CKD population.
基金Supported by Medical Science Research Foundation of Health Bureau of Zhejiang Province,No.WKJ-ZJ-1516
文摘Guo-Qiang XuFor a long time, it was believed that apoptosis and necrosis were the main pathways for cell death, but a growing body of research has shown that there are other pathways. Among these, necroptosis, a regulatory caspase-independent, programmed cell death pathway, is supposed to be of importance in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The mechanism of regulating, in-ducing and blocking necroptosis is a complex process that involves expression and regulation of a series of molecules including receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase like protein. By blocking or downregulating expression of key molecules in the necroptotic pathway, intestinal inflammation can be affected to some extent. In this paper, we introduce the concept of necroptosis, its main pathway, and its impact on the pathogenesis ofinfammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other intestinal diseases, to explore new drug targets for intestinal diseases, including IBD.
文摘Hypertension (HTN) develops very early in childhood chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is linked with rapid progression of kidney disease, increased morbidity and mortality hence the imperative to start anti-hypertensive medication when blood pressure (BP)is persistently 〉 90th percentile for age, gender, and height in non-dialyzing hypertensive children with CKD. HTN pathomechanism in CKD is multifactorial and complexly interwoven. The patient with CKD-associated HTN needs to be carefully evaluated for co-morbidities that frequently alter the course of the disease as successful treatment of HTN in CKD goes beyond life style modification and anti-hypertensive therapy alone. Chronic anaemia, volume overload, endothelial dysfunction, arterial media calcifcation, and metabolic derangements like secondary hyperparathyroidism, hyperphosphataemia, and calcitriol deficiency are a few co-morbidities that may cause or worsen HTN in CKD. It is important to know if the HTN is caused or made worse by the toxic effects of medications like erythropoietin, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-infammatory drugs. Poor treatment response may be due to any of these co-morbidities and medications. A satisfactory hypertensive CKD outcome, therefore, depends very much on identifying and managing these co-morbid conditions and HTN promoting medications promptly and appropriately. This review attempts to point attention to factors that may affect successful treatment of the hypertensive CKD child and how to attain the desired therapeutic BP target.
文摘In this review, we focused on the relationship between central blood pressure and chronic kidney diseases(CKD). Wave reflection is a major mechanism that determines central blood pressure in patients with CKD. Recent medical technology advances have enabled non-invasive central blood pressure measurements. Clinical trials have demonstrated that compared with brachial blood pressure, central blood pressure is a stronger risk factor for cardiovascular(CV) and renal diseases. CKD is characterized by a diminished renal autoregulatory ability, an augmented direct transmission of systemic blood pressure to glomeruli, and an increase in proteinuria. Any elevation in central blood pressure accelerates CKD progression. In the kidney, interstitial inflammation induces oxidative stress to handle proteinuria. Oxidative stress facilitates atherogenesis, increases arterial stiffness and central blood pressure, and worsens the CV prognosis in patients with CKD. A vicious cycle exists between CKD and central blood pressure. To stop this cycle, vasodilator antihypertensive drugs and statins can reduce central blood pressure and oxidative stress. Even in early-stage CKD, mineral and bone disorders(MBD) may develop. MBD promotes oxidative stress, arteriosclerosis, and elevated central blood pressure in patients with CKD. Early intervention or prevention seems necessary to maintain vascular health in patients with CKD.
文摘Ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions of the stom- ach in rats. However, it remains unknown whether ghrelin causes interdigestive contractions in the small intestine. Four strain gauge transducers were implanted on the antrum, duodenum, proximal and distal jejunum. After an overnight fast, gastrointestinal (GI) contrac- tions were recorded in freely moving conscious rats. Spontaneous phase m-like contractions were observed at every 13-16 min in rat GI tract. The fasted motor patterns were replaced by the fed motor pattern imme- diately after food intake. Two minutes after finishing the spontaneous phase Ill-like contractions in the antrum, acyl ghrelin (0.8, 2.4 and 8.0 μg/kg per min) was con- tinuously infused for 30 min. Three-five minutes after the starting ghrelin infusion, augmented phase Ⅲ-like contractions were observed at the antrum, duodenum, and jejunum. Ghrelin infusion (0.8, 2.4 and 8.0μg/kg per min) significantly increased motility index of phase Ⅲ-like contractions at the antrum and jejunum in a dose dependent manner, compared to that of saline in- jection. Thus, it is likely that exogenously administered ghrelin causes phase Ⅲ-like contraction at the antrum, which migrates to the duodenum and jejunum. The possible role of 5-HT, in addition to ghrelin, in mediating intestinal migrating motor complex (MMC), is discussed.
文摘Small bowel diverticulosis represents an uncommon disorder (except for Meckel diverticulum) often misdiagnosed since it causes non-specific gastroin- testinal symptoms. Most of times the diagnosis is carried out in case of related complications, such as diverticulitis, hemorrhage, perforation or obstruction. Intestinal obstruction can be caused by inflammatory stenosis due to repeated episodes of diverticulitis, volvulus, intussusception or jejunal stones. Herein we report a case of multiple jejunal diverticula causing chronic gastrointestinal obstruction.
文摘AIM To performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine any possible differences in terms of effectiveness, safety and tolerability between existing colon-cleansing products in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.METHODS Systematic searches were performed( January 1980-September 2016) using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CENTRAL and ISI Web of knowledge for randomized trials assessing preparations with or without adjuvants, given in split and non-split dosing, and in high(> 3 L) or low-volume(2 L or less) regimens. Bowel cleansing quality was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included patient willingness-torepeat the procedure and side effects/complications.RESULTS Out of 439 citations, 4 trials fulfilled our inclusion criteria(n = 449 patients). One trial assessed the impact of adding simethicone to polyethylene glycol(PEG) 4 L with no effect on bowel cleansing quality, but a better tolerance. Another trial compared senna to castor oil, again without any differences in term of bowel cleansing. Two trials compared the efficacy of PEG high-volume vs PEG low-volume associated to an adjuvant in split-dose regimens: PEG low-dose efficacy was not different to PEG high-dose; OR = 0.84(0.37-1.92). A higher proportion of patients were willing to repeat low-volume preparations vs high-volume; OR = 5.11(1.31-20.0). CONCLUSION In inflammatory bowel disease population, PEG lowvolume regimen seems not inferior to PEG high-volume to clean the colon, and yields improved willingness-torepeat. Further additional research is urgently required to compare contemporary products in this population.
文摘Objective To clarify the association between rs1050450 polymorphism in Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) and the risk of cardi-ovascular diseases (CVD) by performing a meta-analysis of published studies. There is growing evidence from different study types for an association of the GPx-1 polymorphism and cardiovascular outcomes, but observational studies have so far shown inconsistent results. Me-thods Relevant publications were searched through PubMed, Embase database databases and the Cochrane Library. We used odds ratios (ORs) with 95%confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the strength of association under the best genetic model. Both Q statistic and the I2 were used to check heterogeneity. Meta-regression analysis was performed to explore heterogeneity source. Sensitivity analysis, cumulative me-ta-analysis analysis and publication bias were used to test the reliability of the results. Results Data were available from two cohort studies and 8 case-control studies involving 1,430 cases and 3,767 controls. The pooled ORs for overall CVD risk was 1.36 with 95%CI:1.08-1.70 under a co-dominant model, and that for East Asian subgroup was 1.84 (95%CI:1.39-2.43). Substantial heterogeneity for ORs were de-tected among all the included studies, mainly caused by ethnic differences between East Asian and non-East Asian populations. Although Egger's regression test suggested no statistical significant publication bias, Begg's funnel plot exhibited obvious asymmetry. The statistical significance disappeared after adjusting for potential publication bias in the overall studies. However, no substantial publication bias was found in the East Asian subgroup. Conclusions GPx-1 gene Pro198Leu and Pro197Leu polymorphisms considerably increased the risk of CVD in the East Asian population. Large-scale investigations are needed to confirm the results in different ethnicities.
文摘Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a necroinflammatory liver disease of unknown etiology that occurs in children and adults of all ages. Characteristics are its autoimmune features,hyperglobulinemia (IgG),and the presence of circulating autoantibodies,as well as a response to immunosuppressant drugs. Current treatment consists of prednisone and azathioprine and in most patients this disease has become very treatable. Over the past 2 years,a couple of new insights into the genetic aspects,clinical course and treatment of AIH have been reported,which will be the focus of this review. In particular,we concentrate on genome-wide microsatellite analysis,a novel mouse model of AIH,the evaluation of a large AIH cohort for overlap syndromes,suggested novel criteria for the diagnosis of AIH,and the latest studies on treatment of AIH with budenoside and mycophenolate mofetil.
文摘Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are endangered with the highest mortality rate compared to other chronic diseases. Cardiovascular events account for up to 60% of the fatalities. Cardiovascular calcifcations affect most of the CKD patients. Most of this calcification is related to disturbed renal phosphate handling. Fibroblast growth factor 23 and klotho defciency were incriminated in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification through different mechanisms including their effects on endothelium and arterial wall smooth muscle cells. In addition, deficient klotho gene expression, a constant feature of CKD, pro-motes vascular pathology and shares in progression of the CKD. The role of gut in the etio-pathogenesis of systemic infammation and vascular calcifcation is a newly discovered mechanism. This review will cover the medical history, prevalence, pathogenesis, clinical relevance, different tools used to diagnose, the ideal timing to prevent or to withhold the progression of vascular cal-cification and the different medications and medical procedures that can help to prolong the survival of CKD patients.
文摘Metabolic syndrome(Met S) is a term used to denote a combination of selected,widely prevalent cardiovascular disease(CVD)-related risk factors.Despite the ambiguous definition of Met S,it has been clearly associated with chronic kidney disease markers including reduced glomerular filtration rate,proteinuria and/or microalbuminuria,and histopathological markers such as tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis.However,the etiological role of Met S in chronic kidney disease(CKD) is less clear.The relationship between MetS and CKD is complex and bidirectional,and so is best understood when CKD is viewed as a common progressive illness along the course of which MetS,another common disease,may intervene and contribute.Possible mechanisms of renal injury include insulin resistance and oxidative stress,increased proinflammatory cytokine production,increased connective tissue growth and profibrotic factor production,increased microvascular injury,and renal ischemia.MetS also portends a higher CVD risk at all stages of CKD from early renal insufficiency to end-stage renal disease.Clinical interventions for MetS in the presence of CKD should include a combination of weight reduction,appropriate dietary modification and increase physical activity,plus targeting of individual CVD-related risk factors such as dysglycemia,hypertension,and dyslipidemia while conforming to relevant national societal guidelines.
文摘The clinical spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection associated disease has changed significantly over the past decade, mainly due to the wide availability and improvement of combination antiretroviral therapy regiments. Serious complications associated with profound immunodeficiency are nowa-days fortunately rare in patients with adequate access to care and treatment. However, HIV infected patients, and particularly those with acquired immune defciency syndrome, are predisposed to a host of different water, electrolyte, and acid-base disorders (sometimes with opposite characteristics), since they have a modified renal physiology (reduced free water clearance, and relatively increased fractional excretion of calcium and magnesium) and they are also exposed to infectious, inflammatory, endocrinological, oncological variables which promote clinical conditions (such as fever,tachypnea, vomiting, diarrhea, polyuria, and delirium), and may require a variety of medical interventions (antiviral medication, antibiotics, antineoplastic agents), whose combination predispose them to undermine their homeostatic capability. As many of these disturbances may remain clinically silent until reaching an advanced condition, high awareness is advisable, particularly in patients with late diagnosis, concomitant inflammatory conditions and opportunistic diseases. These disorders contribute to both morbidity and mortality in HIV infected patients.
文摘Urinary incontinence(UI) is a common condition affecting adult women of all ages and it could have a negative infl uence on quality of life. The etiology of UI is multifactorial, but some of the most important risk factors are obesity and ageing, as well as adverse obstetric events. Pregnancy and delivery per se have been implicated in the etiology of UI. Although several studies have demonstrated a direct association between UI and vaginal delivery in short, medium and long-term, the role of childbirth on the risk of UI remains controversial. The mechanical strain during delivery may induce injuries to the muscle, connective and neural structures. Vaginal birth can be associated with relaxation or disruption of fascial and ligamentous supports of pelvic organs. Parity, instrumental delivery, prolonged labor and increased birth weights have always been considered risk factors for pelvic floor injury. Also genetic factors have been recently raised up but still there are not appropriate guidelines or measures to reduce signifi cantly the incidence of UI. The role of pelvic fl oor muscle training(PFMT) in the prevention and treatment of UI is still unclear. However, PFMT seems to be useful when supervised training is conducted and it could be incorporated as a routine part of women's exercise programmes during pregnancy and after childbirth.