Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most common type of valvular heart disease. Mitral valve repair/replacement can improve the prognosis of patients with severe MR, but a large proportion of patients cannot tolerate surgical procedures due to comorbidities and surgical risks. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is a kind of treatment for mitral valve disease in which an artificial valve is delivered to the mitral valve annulus through a catheter and released into place, with the advantages of no thorax opening, less trauma and high safety. Early clinical studies of TMVR have shown good results, but still face many challenges. Strict indications are effective measures to reduce surgical risks and postoperative complications. This article explores the relevant indications of TMVR by analyzing several studies at home and abroad.
Patients with brain metastases are more prone to developing life-threatening neurological symptoms. Initial therapies include surgery, whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), and stereotactic radiotherapy. With the progress of stereotactic radiotherapy, the indication of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is gradually expanding, and the indications for surgery and WBRT gradually narrowed. The existing studies have shown that SRS can significantly benefit patients who are <50 years old with single brain metastasis, but the specific scope of the application with SRS is still controversial, and a large number of the phase Ⅲ randomized multicenter trials designed around the controversies are also developing. This review summarizes the results of clinical research and came to the conclusion. Firstly, postoperative adjuvant SRS in the treatment of brain metastases is superior to postoperative adjuvant WBRT. Secondly, using SRS in the elderly patients with multiple brain metastases are safe and effective. Thirdly, the use of targeted therapy in patients with brain metastases thereby delaying SRS may lead to poor prognosis. The focus of future research include selection of optimal timing for adjuvant targeted therapy after SRS and the appropriate patient population, as well as prevention of recurrence and metastasis after lacal treatment.
Science is a system of knowledge that reflects the essential connections and laws of the objective world. Classification of disciplines is a subsystem of science, which involves the development of human cognition which evolved from the scientific category to the department of higher education, and then formation of a complex management system. Nowadays with the rapid development of science and technology which triggering numerous complex social problems, an increasing trend of scientific integration calls for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and education. In the 1990s, evidence-based medicine was emerged in the self-doubting of medical science, and extended to other fields of medicine, health policy and social sciences, forming an interdisciplinary evidence-based science system. Evidence-based science is an embodiment of scientific integration, and also the carrier and mechanism of cross-disciplinary convergence. It attempts to break through barriers of disciplines and management, and promotes interdisciplinary research, during which it has encountered many difficulties due to limitations of traditional disciplines. Evidence-based science does not provide an intrusion or transformation of thinking paradigm into other disciplines, but rather an equal dialogue to promote broader discipline collaboration and a new round of self-improvement, so as to constantly explore novel methods and theories to solve emerging problems, achieve continuous improvement, and pursue excellence.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is rather common in Southeast Asia and Southern China. The standard treatment for NPC is intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). A large number of the NPC survivors benefit from the IMRT, while some suffer from the late toxicities which can be life-threatening or significantly erode the patients’ quality of life and functional status, especially in the locally advanced NPC. Nowadays the late radiotherapy-related toxicities have been the most important concern for the radiotherapists and patients, who look forward to the better long-term tumor local control and overall survival. Therefore, we carried out a review about the late radiotherapy-related toxicities of the vital organs at risk after IMRT for NPC patients.
The primary principle of evidence-based medicine is that the best clinical decision-making is derived from clinical problems with combination of patient’s preferences with clinical experience and the best evidence. Evidence-based medicine by its nature, is a specific application on the evaluation of medical hypothesis. It also emphasize the importance of humanism in clinical practice. Our study explored the scientific and humanistic characteristics of evidence-based medicine from the prospective of philosophy, so as to facilitate the extensive application of evidence based practice paradigm in other fields.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of levetiracetam (LEV) added on to usual care, in treating children refractory partial seizure epilepsy.MethodsWe searched the Cochrane library, EMBASE and PubMed between January 1998-January 2017, We systematically searched CNKI database and Wanfang data, Chinese biology medline and the manual retrieval related magazines.RevMan 5.3 statistical software for Meta analysis.ResultsAccording to the enrollment criteria, fourtrials were included involving 498 participants according to the intent-to-treat, 268 for LEV, and 230 for placebo groups.We assessed the following outcomes: 50% or greater seizure reduction, seizure freedom, adverse effects, proportion of dropouts and quality of life. There was no evidence of statistical heterogeneity between trials.We assessed outcomes by using a meta-analysis to calculate odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). For the 50% or greater reduction in focal seizure frequency outcome, the OR was significantly in favour of LEV [OR=2.94, 95% CI(1.99, 4.34)].Participants were significantly more likely in LEV groups than placebo groups to get seizure free[OR=5.31, 95% CI(2.49, 11.32)]. There was no significance between LEV groups and placebo groupsin the rate of Treatment withdrawal[OR=0.76, 95% CI(1.32, 1.82)]. Somnolence[OR=2.57, 95% CI(1.36, 4.86)]and changes in behaviour [OR=2.54, 95% CI(1.56, 4.14)] were significantly associated with LEV. Other adverse effects were not significantly associated with LEV in children.ConclusionThe existing evidence suggests that LEV add in treatment of children refractory epilepsy have definite curative effect, LEV long-term treatment effect is stable, good security, retention rate is higher, can be used in clinical further promotion.
Objective To analyze the causal relationship between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metabolites and tic disorder (TD) based on two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods CSF metabolites data from humans were downloaded from genome-wide association study databases, and CSF metabolites were selected as exposure factors. single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated with the exposure factors and independent of each other were selected as instrumental variables. The TD dataset from the Finngen database was downloaded, including 365 cases of TD and 411 816 controls. Analysis was conducted using inverse variance weighting, MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using leave-one-out, and multiple-effects testing was conducted using MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO. Heterogeneity was detected using Cochran’s Q. Results A total of 9 CSF metabolites were found to have a causal relationship with the occurrence and development of TD (P<0.05), with a total of 394 SNPs included in the analysis. Inverse variance weighting results showed that N-acetylneuraminic acid [odds ratio (OR)=2.715, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.102, 6.961), P=0.030], γ-glutamylglutamine [OR=1.402, 95%CI (1.053, 1.868), P=0.021], lysine [OR=2.816, 95%CI (1.084, 7.319), P=0.034] could increase the risk of TD. Cysteinylglycine disulfide [OR=0.437, 95%CI (0.216, 0.885), P=0.021], propionylcarnitine [OR=0.762, 95%CI (0.616, 0.941), P=0.012], pantothenate [OR=0.706, 95%CI (0.523, 0.952), P=0.023], gulareic acid [OR=0.758, 95%CI (0.579, 0.992), P=0.044], and cysteine-glycine [OR=0.799, 95%CI (0.684, 0.934), P=0.005] could reduce the risk of TD. The results of leave-one-out sensitivity analysis were stable, and no horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity was observed. Conclusions N-acetylneuraminic acid, γ-glutamylglutamine, and lysine can increase the risk of TD, but cysteinylglycine disulfide, propionylcarnitine, pantothenate, gulagic acid and cysteine-glycine can reduce the risk of TD. However, the mechanism of their effects on TD still needs to be further explored.
Medicine bears the responsibility for human health. Technical competence, service standards, professional ethics and social accountability constitute the soul of this profession. The principles of nonmaleficence, beneficence, respect for autonomy and justice help to establish good doctor-patient relationship and regulate medical services, which has been fixed by international and domestic professional norms. Besides to ensure its truth, effectiveness and safety, medical research also should require certain rendering of subject's autonomy, minimizing risks and maintaining social justice. Some procedures have established for supporting it. Modern medical education furnishes suitable human resources for medical profession, which directly affects the accessibility and outcomes of health services. Its objectives, operations and assessments are increasingly taking shape. Faced with the current issues of healthcare equity, worsening doctor-patient relationship, scandals and ethical controversies in medical research, and the failing of medical education to fully match social needs, evidence-based medical methodology is extending to policy and social sciences for identifying and creating high-quality scientific evidence to improve the quality of decision-making.
Objectives To assess the effectiveness and safety of any form of therapy compared with glucocorticoid for the treatment of oral lichen planus. Method The Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2007), MEDLINE (1966-2007), EMbase (1966-2007), CBM (1978-2005), CNKI (1989-2007), and VIP (1989-2007) were searched for randomized controlled trials or quasi-randomized controlled trials. Quality assessment and data extraction were performed by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was performed for the results of homogeneous studies by RevMan 4.2.9 software.Results Finally, 14 studies involving 9 therapy methods were included. Four studies were concerned with cyclosporine.We performed a meta-analysis of 3 studies. The results showed there was no statistically significant difference in the curative effect of cyclosporine and the steroid with RR 2.94 and 95%CI 1.03 to 9.97. The results showed that the curative effect of total glucosides of paenia plus topical application of triamcinolone acetonide (RR0.21, 95%CI 0.10 to 0.44),tacrolimu (RR 0.18 and 95%CI 0.05 to 0.72), and pimecrolimus (WMD –0.50 and 95%CI –0.85 to –0.15) were better than glucocorticoid. There was a statistically significant difference between fluocinolone acetonide and retinoic acid in terms of curative effect with RR 3.20 and 95%CI 1.03 to 9.97. The curative effect of mesalazine (RR 0.42 and 95%CI 0.05 to 3.54), Mycostatin paste plus desamethasone paste (RR 1.23 and 95%CI 0.93 to 1.61), triamcinolone acetonide plus vitamin B12 ( RR 0.50 and 95%CI 0.05 to 4.94), chitin (RR 1.30 and 95%CI 0.86 to 1.96) was similar with that of glucocorticoid.Conclusion Statistical analysis showed the curative effect of total glucosides of paenia combined with triamcinoloneacetonide is better than glucocorticoid. Due to the mistakes of theincluded studies designs,,further high-quality,largescale randomized controlled trials are required to confirm the effectiveness and safety of this therapy method.