Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of combined therapy of Gankang Granule and Entecavir for patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods A total of 118 patients with chronic hepatitis B treated between January 2012 and January 2013 were randomly divided into treatment group (n=59) and control group (n=59). Patients in the treatment group were treated with Gankang Granule and Entecavir, while those in the control group were treated with Entecavir alone. Results Before treatment, there was no significant difference between the two groups in such liver fibrosis evaluation indexes as hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (LN), procollagenⅢ(PCⅢ), and collegen typeⅣ(CⅣ) (P > 0.05). After treatment, the two groups had significant differences in HA, LN, PCⅢ, and CⅣ(P < 0.05). After 48 weeks of treatment, the alanine aminotransferase recovery rate was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05); but there was no significant difference in hepatitis B virus DNA negative conversion rate, hepatitis B e antigen negative conversion rate and hepatitis B e antibody seroconversion rate (P > 0.05). Forty-eight weeks after treatment began, 45 patients underwent liver biopsy which showed that liver fibrosis alleviation was significantly better in the treatment group than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions Gankang granule combined with antiviral drug Entecavir for chronic hepatitis B is better in protecting the liver and alleviating hepatic fibrosis than the sole Entecavir. The combined method is worthy of being promoted.
Objective To observe the effect of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) on the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) in epiretinal membrane of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Methods Atotal of 35 patients (35 eyes) with PDR and underwent plana vitrectomy were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into non-PRP group (19 patients, 19 eyes) and PRP group (16 patients, 16 eyes) depends on if they had received PRP before surgery. The epiretinal membranes stripped during operation were collected for pathological examination. The histopathological features was observed by haematoxylin and eosin stain. The expression of CD34, COX-2 and VEGF, and microvessel density (MVD) were measured by immunohistochemistry method. Results Many new dispersed capillary blood vessels were found in the thick epiretinal membranes of non-PRP group, while scattered small blood vessels were found in the relatively thin epiretinal membranes of PRP group. MVD value was (7.42±1.39) in the non-PRP group and (4.56±1.22) in the PRP group, which was lower than the non-PRP group (t=6.41, P<0.01). The expression of CD34, COX-2 and VEGF in the tissues of epiretinal membrane in PRP group were obviously lower than the non-PRP group (t=6.147, 5.944, 7.445; P<0.01). Conclusion PRP can effectively inhibit the expression of COX-2 and VEGF in epiretinal membrane of PRP patients.