Crohn's disease in adults: Observations in a multiracial Asian population

AIM： To determine the demography and clinical presentation of CD and secondly to determine any differences in the prevalence between the different ethnic groups in a multiracial Asian population. METHODS： Patients with CD who were seen in 2001- 2003 in the University of Malaya Medical Centre （UMMC） were enrolled in this study. Prevalence of disease was calculated for the group as a whole and by race with hospital admissions per ethnic group as the denominator. RESULTS： Thirty-four patients were diagnosed to have CD. Basic demographic data of patients; male：female 17：17; mean age 29.1 years （±13.5 years）; ethnic group： Malays 5 （14.7%）, Chinese 12 （35.3%） and Indians 17 （50%）. Twenty-six （76.5%） were diagnosed under the age of 40 and 8 （23.5%） were diagnosed over the age of 40. Location of the disease was as follows： ileocolonic 13 （38.2%）, terminal ileum only 9 （26.5%）, colon only 8 （23.5%）, and upper gastrointestinal 4 （11.8%）. Sixteen （47.1%） had penetrating disease, 9 （26.5%） had stricturing disease and 9 （26.5%） had nonpenetrating and non-stricturing disease. The hospital admission prevalence of CD was 26.0 overall, Indians 52.6, Chinese 6.9, and Malays 9.3 per 10^5 admissions per ethnic group. The difference between Indians and Malays： [OR 5.67 （1.97, 17.53）P〈 0.001] was statistically significant but not between the Indians and the Chinese [OR 1.95 （0.89, 4.35） P= 0.700]. The difference between the Chinese and the Malays was also not statistically significant. [OR 2.90 （0.95, 9.42）P= 0.063]. CONCLUSION： The clinical presentation of CD is similar to the Western experience. Although the overall prevalence is low, there appears to be a clear racial predominance among the Indians.

中国美貌人群软组织侧貌美学研究

目的:探讨中国美貌人群软组织侧貌数据,为正畸、正颌及整形的临床诊疗提供参考依据。方法:选取国内电影、电视剧及海报中美貌明星软组织侧貌图30张,使用计算机图像处理技术进行图像标准化,同时选取普通人群软组织侧貌图30张为对照。设定标志点14个,软组织测量项目19个,使用Vceph6.0进行图像测量,分别对比美貌男性与女性、美貌人群与普通人群的差异。结果:美貌男性下唇倾角、上唇高大于美貌女性;美貌男性鼻突角和上唇倾角大于普通男性,上唇颏突角和下唇颏突角小于普通男性;美貌女性鼻唇角、上下唇突角大于普通女性,下唇颏突角小于普通女性,差别均有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论:中国美貌人群相对于普通人群具有较为直立的软组织侧貌;美貌人群两性间美学特征存在差异,男性下唇倾角大于女性。

Racial differences in the anatomical distribution of colorectal cancer:a study of differences between American and Chinese patients

AIM: To compare the racial differences of anatomical distribution of colorectal cancer (CRC) and determine the association of age, gender and time with anatomical distribution between patients from America (white) and China (oriental).METHODS: Data was collected from 690 consecutive patients in Cleveland Clinic Florida, U.S.A. and 870consecutive patients in Nan Fang Hospital affiliated to the First Military Medical University, China over the past 11years from 1990 to 2000. All patients had colorectal adenocarcinoma diagnosed by histology and underwent surgery.RESULTS: The anatomical subsite distribution of tumor,age and gender were significantly different between white and oriental patients. Lesions in the proximal colon (P＜0.001) were found in 36.3 % of white vs 26.0 % of oriental patients and cancers located in the distal colon and rectum in 63.7 % of white and 74 % of oriental patients (P＜0.001). There was a trend towards the redistribution from distal colon and rectum to proximal colon in white males over time, especially in older patients (＞80 years).No significant change of anatomical distribution occurred in white women and Oriental patients. The mean age at diagnosis was 69.0 years in white patients and 48.3 years in Oriental patients (P＜0.001).CONCLUSION: This is the first study comparing the anatomical distribution of colorectal cancers in whites and Chinese patients. White Americans have a higher risk of proximal CRC and this risk increased with time. The proportion of white males with CRC also increased with time.Chinese patients were more likely to have distal CRC and developed the disease at a significantly earlier age than white patients. These findings have enhanced our understanding of the disease process of colorectal cancer in these two races.

Clinicopathological and molecular genetic analysis of 4 typical Chinese HNPCC families

AIM: To study the clinicopathological and molecular genetic characteristics of typical Chinese hereditary nonpolyposis cotorectal cancer (HNPCC) families. METHODS: Four typical Chinese HNPCC families were analyzed using microdissection, microsatellite instability analysis, immunostaining of hMSH2 and hMLH1 proteins and direct DNA sequencing of hMSH2 and hMLH1 genes. RESULTS: All five tumor tissues of 4 probands from the 4 typical Chinese HNPCC families showed microsatellite instability at more than two loci (MSI-H or RER+ phenotype). Three out of the 4 cases lost hMSH2 protein expression and the other case showed no hMLH1 protein expression. Three pathological germline mutations (2 in hMSH2 and 1 in hMLH1), which had not been reported previously, were identified. The same mutations were also found in other affected members of two HNPCC families,respectively. CONCLUSION: Typical Chinese HNPCC families showed relatively frequent germline mutation of mismatch repair genes. High-level microsatellite instability and loss of expression of mismatch repair genes correlated closely with germline mutation of mismatch repair genes. Microsatellite instability analysis and immunostaining of mismatch repair gene might serve as effective screening methods before direct DNA sequencing. It is necessary to establish clinical criteria and molecular diagnostic strategies more suitable for Chinese HNPCC families.

Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA microsatellite instability in hepatocellular carcinoma in Chinese

AIM：To study the nuclear microsatellite instability (nMSI) at BAT26 and mitochondral microsalellite instability (mtMSI) in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and the relationship between nMSI and mtMSI.METHODS: nMSI was observed with PCR and mtMSI with PCR-SSCP in 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma.RESULTS:mtMSI was detected in 11 out of the 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (21.2%). Among the 11 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with mtMSI, 7 occured in one locus and 4 in 2 loci. The frequency of mtMSI in the 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma showed no correlation to sex, age,infection of hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis as well as positive AFP of the patients (P>0.05). In addition, nMSI was detected in 3 out of 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (5.8%) and there was no correlation of the incidence of mtMSI to that of nMSI (P>0.05).CONCLUSION:mtMSI may be involved in the coccurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and it is independent of nMSI.