Medicine
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Case Reports
Eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis in an infant: A case report.
Parasitic eosinophilic meningitis is rarely observed in infants. The diagnosis of this disease is complicated by its atypical and severe clinical manifestations. ⋯ A. cantonensis is the most common cause of parasitic eosinophilic meningitis cases in Southeast Asia. Physicians treating infants who live in areas where A. cantonensis is endemic and who present with irritability, abnormal motor function, and elevated eosinophil count should be aware of the disease to provide timely and rational therapy to the patients.
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Observational Study
Association analysis of CHRNA3 polymorphisms with schizophrenia in a Chinese Han population: A case-control study.
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a highly heritable, chronic, severe psychiatric disorder associated with significant financial costs to families and societies. In this case-control study, we investigated the associations between seven SNPs in CHRNA3 gene and the risk of SCZ. A total of 1071 (384 cases and 687 controls) unrelated subjects were recruited for our association study. ⋯ According to our results, in genetic model analysis, rs12914385 and rs8040868 are associated with decreased risk of SCZ in female subgroup; rs3743075 is associated with decreased risk of SCZ in subgroup with age <45; while rs3743077 and rs2869546 are associated with increased risk of SCZ. Haplotype analysis suggested that the 3 variants comprised 1 block, and that the haplotype Ars938682Crs12914385Crs2869546 was significantly correlated with an increased risk of SCZ in the subgroup with age ≥45. Our data indicate potential associations between CHRNA3polymorphisms and SCZ susceptibility, and the significant variants identified in our study may be used as genetic biomarkers for SCZ susceptibility in Chinese Han population.
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Observational Study
Performance assessment of the inpatient medical services of a clinical subspecialty: A case study with risk adjustment based on diagnosis-related groups in China.
Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) have been receiving increasing attention in health service research in China. In the present study, we used the 2014 Beijing-Diagnosis Related Groups (BJ-DRGs) to evaluate the inpatient service performance of the clinical subspecialty "major operation of the digestive system" of a cancer specialist hospital. The research hospital is one of 16 public municipal hospitals overseen by the Beijing Health Bureau ("16 hospitals"). ⋯ The mortality rates of the middle-low risk groups (GB15 and GB25) in the research hospital and the 16 hospitals were zero, while the mortality rates for the middle-high risk groups (GB11 and GB23) in the research hospital were significantly lower than those in 16 hospitals. The service capacity of the subspecialty steadily increased in the research hospital. However, the hospital must offer more attention to complex digestive disease cases (GB11/GB23) and strictly control hospitalization expenses, while maintaining the advantages of service efficiency and quality.
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Observational Study
The association between MCP-1, VEGF polymorphisms and their serum levels in patients with diabetic foot ulcer.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate distribution of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) -2518A/G and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -634G/C polymorphisms in type 2 diabetes melitus patients (T2DM) presenting diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). Additionally, we evaluated the effects of these 2 polymorphisms on serum levels of MCP-1 and VEGF in the study population. Patients diagnosed with T2DM without or with DFU were recruited in the study. ⋯ Analysis for VEGF -634G/C polymorphisms indicated that the prevalence of CC genotype and C allele of the polymorphisms was decreased in DFU patients, compared with T2DM patients (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.17-0.77, P = .008 and OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.43-0.91, P = .015, respectively). DFU patients carrying CC genotype had a higher level of VEGF than those with other genotypes (P = .007). MCP-1 -2518A/G and VEGF -634G/C polymorphisms may involve in occurrence and progress of DFU through regulating transcription activity of the genes.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Retracted Publication
CONSORT-epidural dexmedetomidine improves gastrointestinal motility after laparoscopic colonic resection compared with morphine.
We have previously shown that epidural dexmedetomidine, when used as an adjunct to levobupivacaine for control of postoperative pain after open colonic resection, improves recovery of gastrointestinal motility compared with morphine. ⋯ Compared with morphine, epidural dexmedetomidine is a better adjunct to levobupivacaine for control of postoperative pain after laparoscopic colonic resection.