Objective To evaluate the efficacy of long-term inhaled salmeterol / fluticasone combined with low-dose oral erythromycin in patients with bronchiectasis. Methods Sixty-two patients with bronchiectasis after exacerbation and maintained stable were randomly divided into three groups. Group A was treated with low-dose oral erythromycin, group B inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone, and group C inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone plus low-dose oral erythromycin. The study duration lasted for 6 months. The clinical symptoms, dyspnea scale, exacerbation frequency, and pulmonary function parameters were measured and compared. Results Fifty-four patients completed the whole study and 8 cases withdrew. The results showed that 6 months of low-dose erythromycin therapy can improve the clinical symptoms, whille exacerbation frequency was also decreased. Inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone improved lung function, however, had no effect on cough, expectoration and exacerbation frequency. Inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone combined with erythromycin was more significantly effective in improving lung functions as well as symptoms. Conclusions Long-terminhaled salmeterol/fluticasone combined with low-dose oral erythromycin can improve the clinical symptoms and lung function, decrease the frequency of exacerbation in patients with bronchiectasis. It may be as an alternative to the maintenance treatment of bronchiectasis.
肺癌是全球范围内肿瘤致死的最常见原因，其死亡率超过了结肠癌、乳腺癌和前列腺癌之和[1]。虽然肺癌已成为全球最主要的死因之一，然而在其治疗方面仍然缺乏根本有效的方法。肿瘤的化学预防（chemoprevention）是一项有效的措施[2]，其含义是：应用天然或人工合成化合物阻断、逆转或预防侵袭性肿瘤的发生，降低具有侵袭性或有临床表现的癌症的发生率。肿瘤化学预防药物研究已成为目前肿瘤学和药学的研究热点之一。
Objective To investigate the effect of glucocorticoid on the expression levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL)-matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)/tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP) system in bone tissues of femoral head of rats, and to discuss its interrelated action mechanism in glucocorticoid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (ANFH). Methods Forty adult Sprague Dawley rats, weighing 250-300 g, half males and half females, were randomly divided into 4 groups: high dose glucocorticoid group (HD, n=10), medium dose glucocorticoid group (MD, n=10), low dose glucocorticoid group (LD, n=10), and control group (n=10). The rats in HD group, MD group, and LD group were intramuscularly injected with 25.0, 12.5, and 7.0 mg/kg of prednisolone respectively, and the rats in the control group were injected with physiological saline. After 4 weeks intervention, the osteonecrosis of left femoral heads was observed by HE staining, total RNA was extracted from the right femoral head bone tissue and the mRNA expression levels of OPG, RANKL, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were detected by RT-PCR. Results After injection of prednisolone, 4 rats of HD group and 1 rat of MD group died of systemic failure caused by the decreased food and weight culminating in cachexia. HE staining showed that the integrity of bone trabecula and osteon was destroyed at different levels, discontinuous bone chips formed, and osteocytes were replaced by granulation tissue in some lacunae in HD, MD, and LD groups; the integrated osteon was observed, the lamellar structure formed concentric circles around the blood vessel and osteocytes were seen in the lacunae in the control group. The necrosis rates of femoral head were 83.3% (5/6), 66.7% (6/9), 30.0% (3/10), and 0 (0/10) in HD, MD, LD, and control groups. The results of RT-PCR showed: the mRNA expression levels of the OPG, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 in HD, MD, and LD groups were lower than those in the control group, showing significant differences (P lt; 0.05) and there was negative correlation with the hormone dosage. The difference in OPG expression was significant between the hormone groups (P lt; 0.05); the differences in the TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expressions were not significant between the LD group and MD group (P gt; 0.05), but there were significant differences when compared with HD group (P lt; 0.05). The RANKL, MMP-2, and MMP-9 mRNA expression levels in HD, MD, and LD groups were higher than those in the control group and there was a positive correlation with the hormone dosage, showing significant differences when compared MD and HD groups with control group (P lt; 0.05); there was no significant difference in RANKL expression between HD group and MD group (P gt; 0.05), but there was significant difference when compared HD and MD groups with LD group (P gt; 0.05); no significant difference was observed in the MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression between MD group and LD group (P gt; 0.05), but the differences were significant when compared with HD group (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion Glucocorticoid-induced ANFH may be related to the expression levels of OPG/RANKL-MMP/TIMP mRNA regulated by glucocorticoid.
Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus and glucocorticoid for oral lichen planus (OLP). Methods The Cochrane review’s method was adopted and computer-based retrieval was performed on The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMbase, CBM, and CNKI (from their establishment to November 2010) to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the clinical efficacy of tacrolimus in treating OLP with that of triamcinolone. The study was selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the data were collected, and the methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated. The RevMan 5.0.25 software was applied for statistical analyses. Results Four RCTs involving 164 patients were included. Two studies showed that the tacrolimus effectively reduced lesion area and alleviated pain of patients with OLP. The results of meta-analyses showed that the total effective rate of tacrolimus was not higher than that of glucocorticoid (OR=4.38, 95%CI 0.67 to 28.73), and there was no significant difference between the tacrolimus group and the glucocorticoid group in adverse events during the treatment session (OR=3.49, 95%CI 0.49 to 24.84), and there was no significant difference in recurrence rate between those two groups (OR=0.82, 95%CI 0.27 to 2.46). Conclusion Topical tacrolimus can remarkably improve the OLP sign (lesion area) and symptom (pain), which is in line with the findings of other non-RCTs. The current evidence proves that the tacrolimus is similar to glucocorticoid in terms of the total effective rate of treating OLP, the incidence of side reaction during treatment, and the recurrence rate after stopping treatment. Some studies included in this systematic review apply different assessment methods, hence more RCTs with high-quality, multi-center, and therapeutic evaluation indexes with corresponding evaluation methods are required to provide more reliable evidence.
Objective Glucocorticoid is the main cause of non-traumatic avascular necrosis of femoral head. To explore the changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the bone microvascular endothel ial cells treated with glucocorticoid so as to investigate the pathogenesis of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head. Methods The cancellous bone of femoral head was harvested from voluntary donators undergoing total hip arthroplasty, and then the bone microvascular endothel ial cells were isolated by enzyme digestion. The cells at passage 3 were cocultured with different concentrations of hydrocortisone (0, 0.03, 0.10, 0.30, and 1.00 mg/mL) for 24 hours. MTT assay was used for the inhibitory rate of cell prol iferation, flow cytometry for apoptosis rate, and fluorescence probe for the production of ROS and xanthine oxidase (XOD). Results At 2-3 days primary culture, the cells were spindle and arranged l ike cobbles and they reached confluence after 1 week. The inhibitory rates of cell prol iferation in 0.03, 0.10, 0.30, and 1.00 mg/mL groups were 20.22% ± 2.97%, 22.94% ± 4.52%, 43.98% ± 3.35%, and 78.29% ± 3.85%, respectively; and 2 high-concentration groups (0.30 and 1.00 mg/mL groups) were significantly higher (P lt; 0.05) than 2 low-concentration groups (0.03 and 0.10 mg/mL groups). The apoptosis rates in 0, 0.03, 0.10, 0.30, and 1.00 mg/mL groups were 0.10% ± 0.01%, 0.23% ± 0.02%, 1.83% ± 0.04%, 6.34% ± 0.11%, and 15.33% ± 0.53%, respectively; 2 high-concentration groups (0.30 and 1.00 mg/mL groups) were significantly higher (P lt; 0.05) than 0 mg/mL group. In 0, 0.30, and 1.00 mg/ mL groups, the ROS levels were 57.35 ± 7.11, 120.47 ± 15.68, and 166.15 ± 11.57, respectively, and the XOD levels were 0.017 9 ± 0.000 9, 0.028 3 ± 0.001 7, and 0.067 7 ± 0.004 1, respectively; there were significant differences in the levels of ROS and XOD among 3 groups (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion Increasing of ROS production in bone microvascular endothel ial cells can be induced by high concentration glucocorticoid, and it can result in cell injury
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy of preoperative corticosteroids use as an adjunctive treatment for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with choroidal detachment (RRDCD). MethodsA evidence-based medicine study. The National Library of Medicine's PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and WanFang database were searched. Clinical controlled studies were selected the study object was RRDCD patients and the interventions were preoperative corticosteroids used as an adjunctive treatment. The search was conducted from January 2000 to January 2022. Duplicated, incomplete, or irrelevant articles were excluded. The conventional meta-analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy of corticosteroids used before surgery. The network meta-analysis was used to directly or indirectly compare the efficacy of oral corticosteroids or intravenous dexamethasone, peribulbar injection of glucocorticoids, prednisolone acetate eye-drops, intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and posterior sub-tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide. Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot. ResultsAccording to the search strategy, 43 articles were initially retrieved, and 929 eyes of 13 articles were finally included for analysis; 6 and 10 articles were included in the traditional meta-analysis and the network meta-analysis. Among the 6 studies included in the conventional meta-analysis, 5 studies were retrospective and 1 study was a randomized controlled trial, involving a total of 575 eyes. The analysis results showed that there was no significant difference in the primary retinal reattachment rate between the corticosteroids group and the control group [odds ratio (OR)= 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67-3.53, P=0.314]. Among the 10 studies included in the network meta-analysis, 7 studies were retrospective trials, 2 studies were randomized controlled trials, and 1 study was prospective trial, involving a total of 575 eyes. The analysis results showed that there were significant differences in the primary retinal reattachment rate between the triamcinolone acetonide intravitreal injection group and the no corticosteroid treatment group (OR=4.09, 95%CI 1.06-15.79). Sub-tenon injection triamcinolone acetonide had a higher incidence rate of ocular hypertension than oral glucocorticoid or intravenous dexamethasone (OR= 4.47, 95%CI 1.42-14.13). ConclusionsTriamcinolone acetonide intravitreal injection before surgery can improve the primary retinal reattachment rate in RRDCD patients. Patients with the posterior sub-tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide should be alert to elevated intraocular pressure.
Objective To investigate the potential effect of glucocorticoids (referred to as 'hormones' here) on decreasing case fatality rate in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). Methods The clinical data of a cohort of 93 patients that were diagnosed with HIV-negative PJP at Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital between April 2019 and April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were classified into two groups based on the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2), specifically PaO2 ≥70 mm Hg and PaO2 <70 mm Hg. The association between case fatality rate and various factors such as underlying diseases, hormone use, mechanical ventilation, and others was examined. Results Over a period of three years, 93 cases of HIV-negative PJP were identified. The most prevalent underlying diseases were solid organ transplantation (n=34, 36.6%), rheumatic system diseases (n=26, 28.0%), and malignant tumors (n=15, 16.1%). 51 cases had arterial PaO2 levels ≥70 mm Hg, while 42 cases had levels <70 mm Hg. Moreover, 19 patients required invasive ventilation, 39 patients were treated with non-invasive ventilation, while 50 patients received oxygenation using a nasal cannula. Out of the 93 patients, 31 died from the disease, resulting in an overall case fatality rate of 33.3%. Meanwhile, 62 patients survived. In patients with arterial PaO2 levels ≥70 mm Hg, the administration of hormones did not significantly affect the case fatality rate (P > 0.05); In patients with arterial PaO2 level <70 mm Hg, the administration of hormones did not significantly affect the case fatality rate (P > 0.05). Conclusion Hormone use did not contribute to improved survival rates in HIV-negative PJP patients, regardless of arterial PaO2 level.
Objective To investigate the percentage of CD4 + CD25 + Treg cells and expression of Foxp3 mRNA in asthmatic patients and the impacts of inhaled steroids.Methods The percentages of CD4 +CD25 + Treg cells was assayed by flow cytometry and the expression of Foxp3 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the patients with chronic persistent asthma before and after steroids inhalation in comparison with healthy control. The forced expired volumin one second/predicted value( FEV1% pred) and peak expired flow( PEF) were measured by spirometry. Results The level of CD4 + CD25 + Treg cells and the expression of Foxp3 mRNA were lower in asthmatics before steroids treatment than those in control ( P lt; 0. 05) which were increased significantly after steroids treatment ( P lt; 0. 05) .FEV1% pred and PEF were declined significantly than those in control but improved markedly after treatment ( P lt; 0. 05) . Conclusions The insufficiency of amount and function of immue-suppressive CD4 + CD25 +Treg cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Inhaled steroids can improve the lung function of asthmatics by upregulating the level of CD4 + CD25 + Treg and Foxp3.