Yiqing Li

Topical propranolol hydrochloride gel for superficial infantile hemangiomas

SummaryThe clinical efficacy and safety of topical propranolol hydrochloride gel in the treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas (IHs) were assessed. Fifty-one cases of IHs from Oct. 2010 to Sept. 2011 were subjected to the topical propranolol hydrochloride gel intervention in Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing Military Commands, China. Changes in size, texture, color, peak systolic velocity of the hemangiomas, resistance index and adverse effects were observed. The results were evaluated by using Achauer system, and responses of IHs to pranpronolol were considered scale II (poor) in 4 patients (17.24%), scale II (moderate) in 18 patients (24.14%), scale III (good) in 22 patients (44.83%) and scale IV (excellent) in 7 patients (13.79%). The response of superficial hemangiomas was significantly better than other hemangiomas (P<0.05), and no differences in response were found among different primary sites (P>0.05). Our study indicates that topical application of 3% propranolol hydrochloride gel is effective and safe in treating IHs.The clinical efficacy and safety of topical propranolol hydrochloride gel in the treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas (IHs) were assessed. Fifty-one cases of IHs from Oct. 2010 to Sept. 2011 were subjected to the topical propranolol hydrochloride gel intervention in Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing Military Commands, China. Changes in size, texture, color, peak systolic velocity of the hemangiomas, resistance index and adverse effects were observed. The results were evaluated by using Achauer system, and responses of IHs to pranpronolol were considered scale II (poor) in 4 patients (17.24%), scale II (moderate) in 18 patients (24.14%), scale III (good) in 22 patients (44.83%) and scale IV (excellent) in 7 patients (13.79%). The response of superficial hemangiomas was significantly better than other hemangiomas (P<0.05), and no differences in response were found among different primary sites (P>0.05). Our study indicates that topical application of 3% propranolol hydrochloride gel is effective and safe in treating IHs.

Genetic analysis should be included in clinical practice when screening for antithrombin deficiency

Antithrombin (AT) deficiency increases the risk of thrombosis. Current evidence shows that some SERPINC1 mutations responsible for antithrombin deficiency often present a slightly decreased or normal activity and therefore could not be detected by functional tests. This study was designed to compare activity assays and direct genetic analyses in identifying hereditary antithrombin deficiency. In total, 400 consecutive patients with venous thrombosis were enrolled. Functional assays showed that 16 of the 400 individuals had decreased antithrombin activity, and 14 of them were confirmed by genetic analysis. Of the remaining 384 patients, 95 individuals without a known risk factor and 95 individuals with predisposing factors were also selected for gene sequencing. Eight additional causative mutations were identified in nine individuals and they should also be considered as antithrombin deficiency. In addition, a recurrent mutation, p.Arg356_Phe361del, was characterised. The mutant appeared to have a partially impaired secretion and a reduction in functional activity by 50 %. This study indicated that including genetic analysis in screening tests for identifying antithrombin deficiency was essential. Specifically, a genetic analysis of SERPINC1 is strongly recommended when individuals experience unprovoked thrombotic diseases, even if the AT activities are normal.

Analysis of 287 patients with aortic dissection: general characteristics, outcomes and risk factors in a single center.

SummaryThe general characteristics, outcomes and risk factors of the patients with aortic dissection (AD) were evaluated in a single medical center. From January 2002 to December 2008, 284 patients with AD were treated and followed-up at our institution, including 105 cases of type A AD and 179 cases of type B AD. The patients in each type were divided into three groups according to management: medical treatment group (A or B), open surgery group (A or B), and stent-graft group (A or B). The characteristics and follow-up outcomes were compared between the groups or subgroups. The results showed that there was significant difference in the prognosis for type A AD between medical treatment group and open surgery group, but there was no significant difference in the prognosis for type B AD between medical treatment group and stent-graft group. Independent risk factors of follow-up mortality for patients with type A AD included a history of atherosclerosis (HR, 3.807; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.489 to 7.611; P=0.003), in-hospital hypotension/shock (HR, 4.687; 95% CI, 1.846 to 11.900; P=0.001), in-hospital myocardial ischemia or infarction (HR, 3.734; 95% CI, 1.613 to 8.643; P=0.002), pleural effusion (HR, 2.210; 95% CI, 1.080 to 4.521; P=0.030), branch vessel involvement (HR, 2.747; 95% CI, 1.202 to 6.278; P=0.016) and surgical treatment (HR, 0.177; 95% CI, 0.063 to 0.502; P=0.001). And there were insignificant independent predictors for mortality of the patients with type B AD. It was concluded that there were significant differences in characteristics and one year mortality between type A AD and type B AD, but after one year, there was no significant difference in the mortality and complications of them. There were several discordant risk factors of AD, such as female gender, age, thrombus, abrupt onset of pain that were considered as the risk factors in some papers. And there was no definite risk factor of mortality in this study in the patients with type B AD.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with right heart involvement—A report of 4 cases and literature review

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a rare benign neoplasm which originates from the smooth muscle cells and is usually confined to the pelvic venous system. Rarely, intracaval and intracardiac extension has been described. Death can occur as a result of intracardiac involvement. We reported 4 cases of IVL with right heart involvement (intracardiac leiomyomatosis, ICL). Three of them suffered recurrent sudden syncope, and the other one was totally asymptomatic. All of them were successfully treated through one-stage operation under extracorporeal circulation.SummaryIntravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a rare benign neoplasm which originates from the smooth muscle cells and is usually confined to the pelvic venous system. Rarely, intracaval and intracardiac extension has been described. Death can occur as a result of intracardiac involvement. We reported 4 cases of IVL with right heart involvement (intracardiac leiomyomatosis, ICL). Three of them suffered recurrent sudden syncope, and the other one was totally asymptomatic. All of them were successfully treated through one-stage operation under extracorporeal circulation.

Anemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus associated with peripheral arterial disease progression in Chinese male patients.

OBJECTIVE Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a chronic occlusive disease mainly occurred in elderly adults. Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) mainly occurring from small or medium sized arteries of the lower extremities is one of the most common causes of PAD. The gender-related differences of circulating risk factors in diabetic patients with ASO in China remain unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the gender-related differences in the pattern of several potential risk factors between male and female patients with ASO and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). DESIGN AND METHODS Clinical profiles and risk factors were analyzed in 323 Chinese patients with ASO and 112 patients were confirmed with T2D. Severities of limb ischemia were staged according to Fontaine classification. RESULTS The significant inverse correlation was seen between the increased age and hemoglobin. The significant positive correlation was seen between the increased age, urea and creatinine both in the non-diabetic and diabetic male patients. The expression levels of hemoglobin significantly correlate with the classification of Fontaine clinical symptoms in Chinese male patients with T2D/ASO. CONCLUSION The study is the first report indicating that the gender-related differences of circulating risk factors are associated with T2D patients with ASO in China. Anemia in Chinese male patients with T2D/ASO may play an important role in peripheral arterial disease progression.

Serum uric acid is associated with increased risk of idiopathic venous thromboembolism in high HDL-C population: A case-control study

Many studies have indicated that metabolic disorders are positively correlated with idiopathic venous thromboembolism (VTE), whereas the risk factor serum uric acid (SUA) for idiopathic VTE has yet to be investigated. In this retrospective case-control study, 276 idiopathic VTE patients and 536 gender- and age-matched control subjects were included. The subjects in the case and control groups exhibiting common known VTE risk factors and the patients with a first VTE onset in one month were excluded. For the control group, primary and secondary VTE patients were excluded. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and current smoking were significantly associated with idiopathic VTE in the univariate analysis. Hyperuricemia was detected in 56/276 (20.29%) idiopathic patients compared with 71/536 (13.25%) in the control group. HDL-C was considered the most prominent interactive factor for SUA in idiopathic VTE by the interaction analysis. After testing for the interaction terms, SUA was closely associated with idiopathic VTE in the high HDL-C population (P=0.0026 for interaction), while there was no such correlation in the low HDL-C group. The results indicated no obvious correlation between triglyceride and hypertension to idiopathic VTE. In conclusion, SUA is closely associated with an increased risk of idiopathic VTE in the high HDL-C population. The abnormality of SUA may act as an important linkage between atherosclerosis and idiopathic VTE through HDL-C.

Hepatic recruitment of CD11b+Ly6C+ inflammatory monocytes promotes hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury

Monocytes infiltrate damaged liver tissue during noninfectious liver injury and often have dual roles, perpetuating inflammation and promoting resolution of inflammation and fibrosis. However, how monocyte subsets distribute and are differentially recruited in the liver remain unclear. In the current study, the subpopulations of infiltrating monocytes were examined following liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice using flow cytometry. CD11b+Ly6C high (Ly6Chi) cells (inflammatory monocytes) and CD11b+Ly6C low cells (reparative monocytes) were recruited into the liver following I/R injury. Treatment with clodronate-loaded liposomes, which transiently deplete systemic macrophages, alleviated hepatic damage. Mice genetically deficient in C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), or its receptor C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), exhibited diminished hepatic damage compared with wild-type mice following I/R, by controlling intrahepatic inflammatory Ly6Chi monocyte accumulation. In addition, the CCR2 specific inhibitor RS504393 alleviated hepatic I/R injury. The results suggest that the CCR2/ CCL2 axis an important role in monocyte infiltration and may represent a novel target for the treatment of liver I/R injury.

Improvement in Cerebral and Ocular Hemodynamics Early after Carotid Endarterectomy in Patients of Severe Carotid Artery Stenosis with or without Contralateral Carotid Occlusion

Purpose. To investigate the alternation in cerebral and ocular blood flow velocity (BFV) in patients of carotid stenosis (CS) with or without contralateral carotid occlusion (CO) early after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Patients and Methods. Nineteen patients underwent CEA for ≥50% CS. Fourteen patients had the unilateral CS, and five patients had the ipsilateral CS and the contralateral CO. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and Color Doppler Imaging (CDI) were performed before and early after CEA. Results. In patients with unilateral CS, significant improvements in BFV were observed in anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) on the ipsilateral side after CEA. In patients of ipsilateral CS and contralateral CO, significant improvements in BFV were observed in the ACA and MCA not only on the ipsilateral side but also on the contralateral side postoperatively. The ipsilateral ophthalmic artery (OA) retrograde flows in two patients were recovered to anterograde direction following CEA. The BFV in short posterior ciliary artery (SPCA) of the ipsilateral side significantly increased postoperatively irrespective of the presence of contralateral CO. Conclusions. CEA improved cerebral anterior circulation hemodynamics especially in patients of unilateral CS and contralateral CO, normalized the OA reverse flow, and increased the blood perfusion of SPCA.

Carbohydrate Antigens as Potential Biomarkers for the Malignancy in Patients with Idiopathic Deep Venous Thrombosis： A Retrospective Cohort Study

SummaryA variety of biomarkers have been identified in recent prospective and retrospective reports as being potentially predictive of venous thromboembolis (VTE), particularly idiopathic deep venous thrombosis (IDVT). This study identified a serum tumor biomarker for early screening of IDVT. A total of 128 IDVT patients (54 females and 74 males; average age: 50.9±17.4 years) were included. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), ferritin, β2-microglobulin, cancer antigen (CA) 125, CA 15-3, CA 19-9, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), prostate specific antigen (PSA), free PSA (f-PSA), and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) in patients with IDVT were detected. Malignancies were histo- or cytopathologically confirmed. Of the 128 IDVT patients, 16 (12.5%) were found to have malignancies. Serum CEA, CA 125, CA 15-3, and CA 19-9 were found to be helpful for detecting malignancies in IDVT patients. Our study revealed a positive association between these markers and tumors in IDVT patients. On the other hand, SCC and AFP were not sensitive enough to be markers for detecting tumors in patients with IDVT. No significant differences were found in positive rates of ferritin and β2-microglobulin between tumor and non-tumor groups, and no significant difference exists in serum levels of ferritin and β2-microglobulin between the two groups. Carbohydrate antigens, CA 15-3 in particular, may be useful for differential diagnosis and prediction of malignancies in patients with IDVT.

Treatment of multiple aneurysms.

This study presented a rare case of fast-growing multiple aneurysms. A male patient rapidly developed multiple aneurysms involving the aortic arch and the carotid, internal iliac, right femoral, and left popliteal arteries over a period of 2 months, accompanied by fever, hyperfibrinogenemia, thrombocythemia, and folliculitis-like skin lesions. He underwent aneurysmectomy and revascularization of the left popliteal artery, stent implantation in the right superficial femoral artery, and local repair of the tibioperoneal trunk artery. An 18-month follow-up showed that his condition was controlled by anticoagulation and immunosuppressive therapy. Despite the effective treatment of his disease, the exact cause was not established.