Objective To investigate present status of health care in peri-brain-death and analyze its effectiveness and health economic characteristics. Method Retrospective analysis of case series was conducted and a total of 940 patients from surgical intensive care unit (SICU) were reviewed on treatment and part of direct medical expenditure. The patients admitted from Jun. 1999 to Dec. 2000 and Nov. 2001 to Jun. 2002 were included in this study. Data were processed by SPSS 10.0. Results Patients were included if they had two of the three symptoms for at least one hour: deep coma, pupillar light reflex disappear, and no autonomic respiratory. Ultimately 115 patients were included, with a total cost of ￥2 515.9 per day for each case, whereas mortality was 99.10%. Mortality increased with the state of peri-brain-death prolonged. Eighty percent of patients included were dead within 72 hours after admission. Conclusions Attempts to resuscitate patients of peri-brain-death have been the most widely applied in China, however, it resulted in great unnecessary consumption of health resources. It is of great importance to promote legislation of brain death in China.
Objective We aimed to investigate the attitude and suggestion from doctors, pharmacists and civil servants concerning brain death and organ transplantation and the legislation. Methods A questionnaire with 10 sections and 44 questions was designed and distributed. The effective questionnaire data was then recorded and checked for descriptive analysis. Results In 1 400 questionnaires distributed, 1 063 were responded and 969 of them were valid and analyzed. The respondents showed an incomplete understanding of brain death and organ transplantation laws. Seventy-four percent of the respondents recognized and accepted the standard of brain death. They agreed that legislation should be involved in the removal of organs for transplantation, the future use of the organs, and insurance and compensation for the donor for possible health risks induced by organ removal. Of the 969 respondents, 92% considered it necessary to have legislation in brain death and organ transplantation, and 61% thought that it is time to legislate. Conclusion Legislation for brain death and organ transplantation is urgent and timely in China. The laws must include the respective rights and obligations of patients, close relatives, and medical institutions. Educating the public about brain death and organ transplantation should also be encouraged in a variety of ways.
Twenty-one patients(male 18 cases,femal 3 cases)died of primary liver cancer after operation are reviewed.The liver tumors were located in the right lobe(13 cases),left lobe(3 cases),middle position of liver(4 cases)and hepatic hilum(1 cases).The average diameter of the tumors were 9.0cm.All the patients had suffered from liver cirrhosis and were operated on (most of them partial hepatectomy).The times of death were about 7 days,7-14 days later after operation.The data suggest that causes of death were different from the different stage after operation.The relations between partial hepatectomy and hepatic failure,and the liver cirrhosis and liver regeneration are discussed.
Objective To analyze death causes and relevant factors in victims of Wenchuan earthquake．Methods Medical records of 27 dead patients admitted to W est China Hospital during the first 30 days after Wenchuan earthquake were analyzed retrospectively．Patient census data，diagnoses，dispositions，and prognoses were collected． Results A total of 2702 patients with earthquake related injuries were admitted to West China Hospital．The overall mortality rate was 1％(27／2702 patients)．The death were associated with age≥70．severe cerebral injuries and severe underlying illness．Mortality rate was highest in aged patients with comorbidities．Conclusions Insufficient pre-hospital treatment and inappropriate transfer procedure may contribute to the early death．Complicated with comorbidities is the leading cause of late death．Earlier involvement of intensivist in medical intervention in such a disaster is demanded．
Objective To investigate the expression of FLIP in the lung of rats and the protective effect in development of acute lung injury( ALI) with the adenovirus vector carrying FLIP gene( Ad-FLIP)inhaled. Methods Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into four groups, with 12 rats in each gruop. In treatment group, ALI rats model was eatablished by LPS intraperitoneal injection and then inhaled Ad-FLIP vector. In prevention group, the animals were infected with Ad-FLIP vector before ALI model wasestablished. Two control groups of treatment and prevention received Ad-EGFP vectors respectively.Pathological changes of lung were observed under light microscope. Wet/dry weight ( W/D) of lung lobes and lung permeability index( LPI) were also measured. The mRNA and protein expressions of FLIP in lungwere investigated by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Results Lung histopathological changes were alleviated, the index of W/D and LPI were significantly lower, the expressions of FILP mRNA and protein in the lung were elevated both in the treatment group and prevention group compared to thecontrol groups ( all P lt;0. 01) . Conclusion Ad-FLIP transfection can up-regulate the expression of FLIP in lung of rats, and might protect respiratory membrane and lessen pulmonary edema to prevent the development of ALI.
Abstract： Objective To summarize surgical experiences and explore risk factors of patients undergoing repeated heart valve surgery. Methods Clinical records of 325 consecutive patients who underwent repeated heart valve surgery from January 1998 to December 2008 in Changhai Hospital of Second Military Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. There were 149 male patients and 176 female patients with their average age of （47.1±11.8） years. Following variables were collected: preoperative morbidity， heart function， indications and surgical strategies of repeated heart valve surgery， postoperative mortality and morbidity， which were compared with those clinical data of patients who underwent their first heart valve surgery during the same period. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine risk factors of perioperative death of patients undergoing repeated heart valve surgery. Results The main reasons for repeated heart valve surgery were mitral valve restenosis after closed mitral commissurotomy and new other valvular diseases. Postoperatively， 28 patients died in the early-stage with the overall mortality of 8.6% （28/325）. The main reasons of in-hospital death included low cardiac output syndrome （LCOS）and acute renal failure. Compared with patients undergoing their first heart valve surgery， patients who underwent repeated heart valve surgery were more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD)， New York Heart Association (NYHA） classⅢ-Ⅳ， and atrial fibrillation， preoperatively. Their cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross clamp time were comparatively longer. They also had more postoperative morbidities such as LCOS， acute renal failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome （ARDS）. Multivariate logistic regression showed that preoperative critical state （OR=2.82， P=0.002）， cardiopulmonary bypass time longer than 120 minutes （OR=1.13， P=0.008）， concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting （OR=1.64， P=0.005）， postoperative LCOS（OR=4.52， P＜0.001）， ARDS （OR=3.11， P＜0.001） and acute renal failure （OR=4.13， P＜0.001）were independent risk factors of perioperative death of patients undergoing repeated heart valve surgery. Conclusion Repeated heart valve surgery is a difficult surgical procedure with comparatively higher risks. Full preoperative assessment of the valvular lesions， proper timing for surgery and perioperative management are helpful to reduce postoperative mortality and morbidity.
Objective To analysis correlation factors for preoperative sudden death of patients with type A aortic dissection in order to determine clinical management strategy.?Methods?We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 52 patients with type A aortic dissection who were admitted in Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from January 2003 to January 2010. According to the presence of preoperative death, all the patients were divided into two groups, 9 patients in the preoperative sudden death （PSD）group including 7 males and 2 females with their mean age of 52.0±12.1 years；43 patients in the control group including 31 males and 12 females with their mean age of 51.5±10.9 years. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used for analysis of preoperative factors related to sudden death.?Results?Univariate analysis result showed 7 candidate variables：body mass index （BMI, Wald χ2=2.150, P=0.143）, time of onset （Wald χ2=2.711, P= 0.100）, total cholesterol （TC, Wald χ2=1.444, P=0.230）, low density lipoprotein cholesterol （L-C, Wald χ2=1.341, P=0.247）, aortic insufficiency （AI, Wald χ2=2.093, P=0.148）, aortic sinus involvement （Wald χ2=3.386, P=0.066）and false lumen thrombosis （Wald χ2=7.743, P=0.005）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BMI （Wald χ2=4.215, P=0.040, OR=1.558）and aortic sinus involvement （Wald χ2=4.592, P=0.032, OR=171.166 ）were preoperative risk factors for sudden death, and thrombosed false lumen （Wald χ2=5.097, P=0.024, OR=0.011）was preoperative protective factor for sudden death.?Conclusion?Type A aortic dissection patients with large BMI and/or aortic sinus involvement should receive operation more urgently than others and patients with thrombosed false lumen may have relatively low risk of preoperative sudden death.
Objective To observe the expression of programed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligands including PD-L1 and PD-L in peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients. Methods Forty patients with DR (DR group) and 20 healthy controls (control group) were included in this study. There were 20 patients with non-proliferative DR (NPDR) and 20 patients with proliferative DR (PDR). Peripheral Blood samples were obtained from two groups. Real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 mRNA expression in PBMCs. The clinical data was analyzed in DR group and controls, also in PDR group and NPDR group. Results The results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 mRNA in DR group were significantly lower than those in the control group (t=-2.060, -2.562; P=0.043, 0.013). There was no significant difference in PD-L2 mRNA expression between DR and control group (t=-0.857，P=0.395). Compared with the NPDR group, the lower expression level of PD-1 mRNA and higher expression level of PD-L1 and PD-L2 mRNA in PDR group were observed, but the differences were not statistically significant (t=-1.335, 0.987, 0.131; P=0.190, 0.334, 0.897). Conclusion PD-1 and PD-L1 mRNA expression in PBMCs of DR patients is decreased compared with controls, but there are no differences in PD-L2 mRNA expression in them.
Objective To observe the histological changes and apoptosis of retinal cells in pigmented rabbits treated by transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) with different laser power. Methods Fourteen pigmented rabbits (28 eyes) were divided averagely into seven groups（control group, 50, 70, 90, 110, 130, and 150 mW group）according to different laser power of TTT. Light microscopy was performed to observe the histological changes, and TDT-mediated biotin-dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) technique and flow cytometry (FCM) examination were used to detect the apoptotic cells 24 and 48 hours after photocoagulation, respectively. Results The color of retinal burn speckles changed from offwhite to white and super white with the diameter enlarged gradually as the laser power of TTT increased. The results of light microscopy revealed that compared with the control group, the retinal tissue did not change much in 50-70 mW group; in 90-130 mW group, the retinal structure was integrated, but the cone and rod cells became swollen and condensed nuclei and cytoplasmic vacuolization were seen in the inner nuclear layer. The difference of retinal structure in 50-130 mW group 24 and 48 hours after photocoagulation and control group was not significant. In 150 mW group, tumefaction and degeneration were observed in each layer of retina and the inner and outer segments of photoreceptor cells lost 24 hours after photocoagulation, and obvious necrosis and cell loss of retinal tissues were detected hours after photocoagulation. The results of TUNEL examination indicated that positive cells were found in outer nuclear layer in each photocoagulation group which increased as the laser power of TTT was enhanced; the apoptosis gradually involved the inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer. The results of flow cytometry (FCM) examination showed the peak of apoptotic cells in each photocoagulation group 24 hours after photocoagulation. Conclusion Under certain subthreshold photocoagulation (50-70 mW), retinal tissue of rabbits does not change much but apoptosis of photoreceptor cells increase significantly. As the laser power of TTT increases, the retinal tissues become swollen, degenerated and even necrotic; cellular apoptosis gradually involves the inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22:249-252)
Objective To detect the apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in vitro induced by verteporfin-photodynamic therapy. Methods Cultured vascular endothelial cells and human RPE cells were incubated with verteporfin at a concentration of 1.0 mu;g/ml which was equivalent to the initial plasma level of verteporfin in clinical therapy. Each kind of cells were divided into 6 groups according to different time of incubation: 0, 5, 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes group. After incubated, the cells were illuminated by the laser light with the maximum wavelength of absorption of verteporfin (wavelength: 689 nm, power density: 600 mW/cm2) with the power of 2.4 J/cm 2for 83 seconds. The percentage of cellular apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry 3 hours after PDT, and the measurement was repeated thrice. Results The proportion of cellular apoptosis 3 hours after PDT were 0.01plusmn;0.01, 0.25plusmn;0.02, 0.32plusmn;0.02, 0.41plusmn;0.04, 0.49plusmn;0.03 and 0.61plusmn;0.02, respectively in 0-120 minutes group of vascular endothelial cells; and 0.02plusmn;0.01, 0.22plusmn;0.01, 0.31plusmn;0.02, 0.38plusmn;0.03, 0.47plusmn;0.05 and 0.58plusmn;0.03 respectively in 0-120 minutes group of RPE cells. The proportion of cellular apoptosis of both kinds of the cells increased as the incubation time was prolonged. There was no significant difference of the percentage of cellular apoptosis between the accordant time groups in the two kinds of cells (P＞0.05). Conclusions Cellular apoptosis can be quickly induced by verteporfin-PDT both in human vascular endothelial cells and RPE cells; under the same condition in vitro, PDT has no obvious selection for the apoptosis of the two kinds of cells. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 253-255)