ObjectiveTo investigate the implication of serum CA19-9 in patients with pulmonary interstitial fibrosis (PF). MethodsOne PF patient was followed up for 5 years, and the levels of serum CA19-9, arterial oxygen pressure and changes of chest CT scanning were recorded and analyzed.Furthermore, another 24 PF patients with the level of serum CA19-9 exceeding the cut-off value (37 U/mL) and 30 healthy controls were recruited, and the pulmonary function was compared between the PF patients and the healthy controls. ResultsDuring the 5-year follow-up, the serum CA19-9 increased gradually from 53.45 U/mL to > 1200 U/mL with progressive reticulation of the lungs proven by the chest CT scanning, and the arterial oxygen pressure in rest without oxygen inhalation decreased from 54 mm Hg to 32 mm Hg.Compared to the healthy controls, the PF patients had significantly higher serum CA19-9 levels [73.8(38.1-1200.0) U/mL vs.6.9(2.0-19.1) U/mL, P < 0.01] and worse diffusion function [55.0(12.7-87.8) mL·min-1·mm Hg-1 vs. 90.4(82.0-134.0) mL·min-1·mm Hg-1, P < 0.05].There was a significantly negative relationship between the elevation of CA19-9 and diffusion function (r=-0.997, P < 0.01). ConclusionSerum CA19-9 may increase in PF patients, which may be an indicator for poor prognosis.
ObjectiveTo investigate the disease spectrum and cost constitution of patients aged over 65 years with respiratory diseases in Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from 2010 to 2014. MethodsThe inpatients' clinical data and costs were collected from hospital information system. The diseases were classified and the cost constitution were analyzed. The data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software. ResultsThe total number of the inpatients aged over 65 years was 17600 from 2010 to 2014, with more males (64.0%) than females (36.0%). The patients aged 76.9 years on average and were mainly in the 65-89 age group which accounted for 94.4%. The patients were mainly distributed in geriatric department, respiratory department and emergency department, accounting for 78.2% of the total. The top three respiratory diseases were pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary tumor accounting for 86.5% of the total with more males than females. There was an upward trend in the proportion of pulmonary tumor, bronchiectasis and pulmonary tuberculosis, and a downward trend in the proportion of asthma, COPD and pneumothorax. The average length of hospital stay decreased from 17.6 days to 16.0 days since 2010, and the average cost per capita increased from ￥20162.6 yuan to ￥30015.1 yuan since 2010. The proportion of drug cost to inpatients hospitalization cost decreased from 57.2% to 48.8% since 2010. ConclusionsPneumonia, COPD and pulmonary tumor are main respiratory diseases of inpatients over 65 years in Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from 2010 to 2014. The male inpatients are more than female inpatients. The incidence of pulmonary tumor and pulmonary tuberculosis rises, and of asthma and COPD goes down. The incidence of lung tumor is increasing in younger age groups. The average length of hospital stay and the proportion of drug cost have declined in recent five years, while the average cost per capita has increased.