Int J Med Sci
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Aim: Tolvaptan, an oral vasopressin-2 antagonist, sometimes improves hepatic edema including ascites in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. In this study, we examined the effectiveness and survival advantage in patients with the long-term administration of tolvaptan. Methods: A total of 115 patients with refractory ascites who were treated with tolvaptan were retrospectively analyzed based on their clinical records. ⋯ Child-Pugh (classification C), HCC complication, and serum sodium levels (≥133 mEq/L) were determined as independent prognostic factors impacting overall survival (OS). Although there were no significant differences in OS between tolvaptan responders and non-responders, the responders without re-exacerbation within 3 months showed significantly longer OS than those with re-exacerbation within 3 months. Conclusion: A persistent therapeutic response, but not early response to tolvaptan, was associated with favorable survival of decompensated cirrhotic patients.
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Comparative Study
Clinical efficacy of three types of autogenous bone grafts in treatment of single-segment thoracic tuberculosis: A retrospective cohort study.
A retrospective study investigated and compared the results of lamina with spinous process (LSP), transverse process strut (TPS) and iliac graft (IG) as bone graft in thoracic single-segment spinal tuberculosis(TB) with the one-stage posterior approach of debridement, fusion and internal instrumentation. 99 patients treated from January 2012 to December 2015 were reviewed. LSP was performed in 35 patients (group A), TPS was undertaken in 33 patients (group B), and IG was carried out in 31 patients (group C). Surgical time, blood loss, hospitalization time, drainage volume, and follow-up (FU) duration were recorded. ⋯ The bony fusion at a mean time 12.90±3.91 months in group A was longer than that in group B (6.75±1.55 months) and group C (5.52±1.64 months) (P<0.05). No significant difference was found at the mean segmental angle, mean intervetebral height of preoperation and final FU among the groups (P>0.05). In conclusion, the LSP and TPS as bone graft are reliable, safe, and effective for single-segment stability reconstruction for surgical management of thoracic TB and TPS could be new bone graft methods.
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Background: In patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, whether new pulmonary lesions will continue to develop after treatment was unknown. This study aimed to determine whether new pulmonary lesions will develop after treatment in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, and investigate their CT features and outcomes. Methods: This retrospective study included 56 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia from January 20 to March 5, 2020. ⋯ The newly developed lesions were usually multiple (38, 90.5%), distributed in the previously involved (39, 92.9%) or uninvolved (27, 64.3%) lobes, and manifested as ground-glass opacities (GGOs) with consolidation (23, 54.8%) or pure GGOs (19, 45.2%). After their occurrence, the new lesions in most patients (32, 76.2%) showed direct absorption, whereas those in some patients (10, 23.8%) progressed before absorption. Conclusion: During treatment, most patients with COVID-19 pneumonia will develop new pulmonary lesions, which usually manifest as multiple GGOs distributed around the primary lesions or in previously uninvolved lobes, and are subsequently absorbed directly.
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The COVID-19 pandemic is a novel infectious disease pandemic with the agent SARS-CoV-2 virus which is currently affecting and causing damage globally. The outbreak has been crossing over 200 countries in the world. In the situation of the outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam has first sixteen typical cases confirmed positive updated to Feb 28th, 2020. ⋯ Vietnam has been reported as an effective country for prevention and control the outbreak of COVID-19. We retroactive reviewed our experience with 16 positive cases isolation. This article aims to present the first cohort of COVID-19 patients updated to Feb 28th, 2020 in Vietnam and sharing the national response to the pandemic.
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Background: Chuanxiong Rhizoma is one of the traditional Chinese medicines which have been used for years in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the mechanism of Chuanxiong Rhizoma in DN has not yet been fully understood. Methods: We performed network pharmacology to construct target proteins interaction network of Chuanxiong Rhizoma. ⋯ NR3C2 also displayed good docking scores with Wallichilide and Sitosterol (8.13 and 8.34, respectively), revealing good binding forces to active compounds of Chuanxiong Rhizoma. Conclusions: Chuanxiong Rhizoma might take part in the treatment of DN through pathways associated with steroid hormone, estrogen, thyroid hormone and IL-17. KCNH2, NCOA1, KDR, ADRB2 and NR3C2 were proved to be the hub targets, which were closely related to corresponding active ingredients of Chuanxiong Rhizoma.