Medicine
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Male fertility has gradually become a worldwide problem. Because of the limitation of treatment, many drugs have been used for improving sperm quality. Among them, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), as a treatment of diabetic neuropathy, has been applied to improve the quality of sperm in clinical practice, with satisfactory effect. However, there is still no systematic review on the field of male infertility treating with oral ALA. ⋯ Efficacy and safety of oral ALA on male sperm quality in infertile men will be assessed. The results will be published in a public issue journal to provide evidence-based medical evidence for urologists and andrologists to make better clinical decisions.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Efficacy and safety of Cortex Eucommiae (Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) extract in subjects with mild osteoarthritis: Study protocol for a 12-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major degenerative disease that affects the elderly. The global prevalence of OA is increasing annually. However, current treatments are unable to halt the progress of OA. At present, pharmacological treatments such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors control the pain; however, there may be side effects to these medications. We hypothesized that Cortex Eucommiae (CE; Eucommia ulmoides Oliver) extract, which is used as a dietary supplement, may slow down or prevent OA. ⋯ This clinical trial is expected to provide evidence of the efficacy and safety of CE extract as a treatment for mild OA.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Thyroid imaging reporting and data system combined with Bethesda classification in qualitative thyroid nodule diagnosis.
We aimed to investigate the value of the combined use of high-resolution ultrasound thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) classification and thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology (Bethesda classification) for the qualitative diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. ⋯ The combination of high-resolution ultrasonography TI-RADS classification and US-FNAC (Bethesda classification) can improve the accuracy of malignant thyroid nodules diagnosis.
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Observational Study
Concomitant lung adenocarcinoma and pulmonary cryptococcosis confirmed by pathologic examinations.
To describe the characteristics of concomitant lung cancer and pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) cases. A total of 8 patients with lung cancer and coexisting PC, who were admitted to Fuzhou Pulmonary Hospital of Fujian from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2015 and whose diagnoses were confirmed by pathological examinations, were studied. One patient had a history of diabetes mellitus and 1 had a history of treated with surgery. ⋯ One patient with advanced lung cancer and PC was treated with antifungal therapy in combination with antineoplastic chemotherapy, but she failed to improve and died 10 months after symptom onset during the follow-up period. PC coexisting with pulmonary carcinoma is rare. PC can manifest as pulmonary nodules and mimic malignant lesions, so it must be considered during a differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, especially in immunosuppressed patients.
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Observational Study
Modified double-opposing Z-plasty for patients with Veau I cleft palate: Are lateral relaxing incisions necessary?
Low fistula rate and a satisfactory speech outcome were previously reported by adopting a modified Furlow palatoplasty using small double-opposing Z-plasty (DOZ). The purposes of this study were to (1) describe the technical standardization of further modification of this small DOZ using the medial incision (MIDOZ) approach for Veau I cleft repair; (2) assess the early postoperative outcomes of a single surgeon's experience using this technique; and (3) evaluate the temporal association of this standardization with the necessity of lateral relaxing incisions. A prospective study (n = 24) was performed consecutively to non-syndromic patients with Veau I cleft palate who underwent MIDOZ approach. ⋯ No postoperative complications, such as bleeding, flap necrosis, dehiscence or fistula were observed. The prospective group had a significantly (all P < .05) higher rate of hamulus fractures (n = 48, 100%) and a lower rate of lateral relaxing incisions (n = 1, 2%) than the retrospective group (n = 16, 32%; n = 26, 52%). This technical standardization for performing palatoplasty using MIDOZ approach provided adequate Veau I cleft palate closure, without fistula formation, and with a low need of lateral relaxing incisions.