Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
-
Sword bean (SB; Canavalia gladiata) is a perennial vine used as a food and medicinal plant in Asia. SB is rich in nutrients, such as flavonoids and urease, and has various functions, including beneficial effects on dysentery, nausea, and hemorrhoids, as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Various plant parts are used; however, little is known about the physiological effects of SB pods (SBP). In this study, the anti-obesity effects of SBP extract were evaluated. ⋯ SBP extract exerts an anti-obesity effect by inhibiting lipogenesis-related factors and activating fat-catabolizing factors; it is, therefore, a promising functional food and natural anti-obesity agent.
-
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was a disease predominantly affecting young females about 40 years ago; however, it has been increasingly diagnosed in elderly individuals. Few studies have investigated the features of elderly patients with PAH. This review provides an overview of the characteristics of elderly patients with PAH compared to young patients. ⋯ Moreover, it was noted that elderly patients underwent combination drug regimens less frequently and exhibited poorer treatment responses than young patients. Finally, it was found that elderly PAH patients experienced poorer survival than young patients. The differences among five survival prediction models and their applicability in predicting the prognosis of PAH patients are discussed.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
A prospective, randomized study assessing different modalities for flushing totally implanted vascular access device in children with malignancy.
The totally implanted vascular access device (TIVAD) is commonly used in patients with malignant tumors requiring chemotherapy or long-term intravenous infusion and those with difficulty placing peripheral venous catheters. It could also be used to draw blood in pediatric patients. Thus, how to maintain the patency and longevity of TIVAD is always emphasized. ⋯ In this study, the risk of TIVAD catheter occlusion was only related to puncture frequency regardless of the heparin flush composition or patient characteristics. A high puncture frequency of TIVAD during the 3.5-year study period significantly increased the risk of catheter occlusion. Besides, flushing and locking solutions for TIVAD using heparin at 10 U/mL was effective as using heparin at 100 U/mL regardless of the flushing volume of 10, 20, or 30 mL.
-
Unfavorable prognoses are often accompanied for hyperglycemic stroke patients. This study aimed to construct a hyperglycemia/diabetes-derived polygenic risk score (PRS) to improve the predictive performance for poor outcome risks after a stroke and to evaluate its potential clinical application. ⋯ The hyperglycemia/diabetes-derived PRS was associated with poor outcomes after an AIS, but further studies are needed to validate its use for clinical applications.
-
This study aimed to investigate the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC). ⋯ Our study showed that CTCs in PSCC may represent a valuable marker for differentiating PSCC from other tumors. Based on the correlation with some clinical parameters, CTC analysis is possibly relevant for noninvasive monitoring of disease progression and prognosis. The results also suggested a potential role of CTCs in preventing overtreatment, such as inguinal lymph node dissection.