Exp Ther Med
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αII-spectrin breakdown products are regarded as potential biomarkers for traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of the present study was to further evaluate these biomarkers by assessing their clinical utility in predicting the severity of injury and clinical outcome of patients with TBI. Eligible patients with acute TBI (n=17), defined by a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of ≤8, were enrolled. ⋯ The levels and dynamic changes of SBDPs in CSF exhibited a close association with GOS at 30 days after injury. The levels of SBDPs differed significantly between patients grouped according to prognosis (P<0.05). These results suggest that in the early period after TBI, the levels and dynamic changes of SBDPs in CSF can be useful in the prediction of the severity of injury and clinical outcome of patients.
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The present study examined the effects of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β3, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1) gene transduction, using a lentiviral vector, on rabbit intervertebral disc degeneration in vivo, with the intention of investigating their potential use in gene therapy. A model of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration was created by needle puncture into the annulus fibrosus of 15 New Zealand white rabbits. Empty lentivirus or recombinant lentiviral plasmid lenti-TGFβ3-P2A-CTGF-T2A-TIMP1 was injected into degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs (representing the control and experimental groups, respectively), whilst untreated degenerative lumbar intervertebral discs served as the puncture group. ⋯ Furthermore, the expression levels of type II collagen and aggrecan in the puncture and control groups were significantly lower than in the experimental group (P<0.05). In conclusion, lenti-TGFβ3-P2A-CTGF-T2A-TIMP1 co-transduction can promote synthesis of aggrecan and type II collagen in degenerative intervertebral discs, thereby delaying intervertebral disc degeneration. These results indicate the potential of gene therapy in treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.
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The present study aimed to investigate whether the addition of fentanyl to the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block procedure may improve analgesic duration following cesarean delivery. A total of 147 nulliparous women with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II, scheduled for elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia, were enrolled in the present study. All patients underwent cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia with 10 mg bupivacaine and 10 µg fentanyl, after which the patients underwent an ultrasound-guided bilateral TAP block with either 0.375% ropivacaine (group TR; n=48), 0.375% ropivacaine and 50 µg subcutaneous fentanyl (group TRSF; n=49), or a mixture of 0.375% ropivacaine and 50 µg fentanyl (2.5 µg/ml; group TRF; n=50) per side. ⋯ Fentanyl consumption, VAS pain scores, side effects and patient satisfaction were similar among the three groups; however, the demand for fentanyl was significantly decreased in the TRSF and TRF groups at 2 h postoperatively (P=0.001 and 0.002, respectively), as compared with group TR. No complications attributed to the TAP block were detected. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that the addition of 2.5 µg/ml fentanyl to the TAP block procedure was unable to improve analgesia following cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia.
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Septic encephalopathy (SE) is a diffuse cerebral dysfunction resulting from a systemic inflammatory response, and is associated with an increased risk of mortality. The pathogenesis of SE is complex and multifactorial, but unregulated immune imbalance may be an important factor. The current retrospective study examined the clinical data of 86 patients with severe sepsis who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University (Xiamen, China) from January, 2014 to January, 2015. ⋯ An area under the curve analysis of a receiver operating characteristic curve of the two indicators revealed that these were equally powerful measures in prediction of SE (Z=1.247, P>0.05). The present results confirm that SE leads to higher mortality in patients with severe sepsis, and demonstrate that immune imbalance is important in the development of SE. The proportion of CD4+ T-lymphocytes present were revealed in the current study to be a powerful predictor of SE in patients with severe sepsis.
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The efficacy and safety of physiotherapeutic prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients with heparin contraindication remains unclear. In the present study it was hypothesized that physiotherapy prophylaxis with intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) would be safe and effective for patients unable to receive low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). In addition, this study investigated whether a combined therapy of IPC with LMWH would be more effective for the prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in critical patients. ⋯ Patients exhibited an improved response to LMWH + ICP compared with IPC or LMWH alone, while no significant difference was detected between the IPC and LMWH groups. These results were applicable to patients that had a Wells score of ≥3; however, no significant differences in DVT incidence were observed among the patients who had a Wells score of <3. In this observational study, LMWH + ICP appeared to be more effective than either treatment alone in treating critically ill trauma patients with severe injuries that are at high risk for VTE and bleeding simultaneously.