Incidence of Low Body Mass Index in the Elderly in Forensic Cases—A Possible Marker for Frailty Syndrome?

Diagnosing frailty syndrome at autopsy may be difficult if no adequate clinical history is provided. As low body mass index (BMI) may be associated with frailty in the elderly, the following study was undertaken to determine the percentage of medicolegal cases with BMIs < 18.5 in decedents aged over 75 years. Review was undertaken over three time periods: January to December 1986, January to December 2006, and January to December 2012. In 1986, 16% (15 of 93) of individuals aged ≥75 years had BMIs < 18.5, in 2006, 15% (50 of 336), and in 2012, 13% (35 of 274). In no case was frailty syndrome mentioned. This study demonstrates that frailty syndrome appears to be an underappreciated diagnosis in forensic practice despite a significant percentage of elderly decedents (13–16% over a 27‐year period) having low BMIs. Prospective assessment of this group is required to determine the incidence and contribution to mortality of frailty syndrome in a forensic context.     

食管癌患者放化疗后中医证型的相关影响因素

目的 观察消风散加减方联合依巴斯汀治疗风热型荨麻疹的临床疗效。 方法 将63例风热型荨麻疹患者按随机数字表法随机分为治疗组（n=32）和对照组（n=31）,对照组患者口服依巴斯汀,治疗组口服依巴斯汀和消风散加减方,疗程2周。治疗前、治疗7 d末、治疗14 d末,分别观察两组患者荨麻疹活动度评分（urticaria activity score,UAS）和皮肤病生活质量指数（the dermatology life quality index,DLQI）,治疗7 d和14 d末,分别观察两组临床疗效。 结果 治疗前和治疗7 d末,两组UAS及DLQI比较,差异均无统计学意义（P>0.05）;治疗14 d末,两组UAS和DLQI比较,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗7 d末和14 d末,两组UAS和DLQI均较前一时点显著降低（P<0.05）。治疗14 d末,两组临床疗效比较,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）,治疗组临床疗效优于对照组。两组荨麻疹痊愈时间以及复发率比较,差异均无统计学意义（P>0.05）。 结论 消风散加减方联合依巴斯汀治疗急性荨麻疹疗效确切,其长期疗效优于单用依巴斯汀。     

Unexpected Serotonin Syndrome,Epileptic Seizures,and Cerebral Edema Following 2,5‐dimethoxy‐4‐bromophenethylamine Ingestion

4‐bromo‐2,5‐dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C‐B) is a designer drug. In Europe, 2C‐B is easily obtained and used for recreational purposes. It is known for its stimulating effects similar to those of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine, although in higher doses it has more hallucinogenic effects. Here, we report a case of 2C‐B ingestion, confirmed by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry, in an 18‐year‐old man. The neurological consequences were severe, including the development of serotonin syndrome and severe brain edema. Supportive therapy resulted in a stable condition, although, after several months, the patient still suffered from severe neurological impairment due to the drug‐induced toxicity. This case showed that 2C‐B could not be identified with the drugs of abuse screening routinely used in Dutch hospitals. The use of 2C‐B carries many risks, with potentially profound neurological damage, that both consumers and healthcare physicians are unaware of.     

HCN4 Gene Variations in Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome in the Southern Han Chinese Population,

Sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome (SUNDS) is widely considered to be related to hereditary fatal arrhythmias. Hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐gated channel 4 (HCN4) channels are widely distributed in sinus myocytes and play a profound role in generating pacemaker electro‐activity in cardiomyocytes. In the present study, the potential correlation between HCN4 gene variations and the occurrence of SUNDS was investigated. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples of both 119 unrelated SUNDS patients and 184 healthy individuals and screened for candidate HCN4 gene variants. One missense heterozygous variant c.1578C>T (Ala195Val) and four synonymous heterozygous variants c.1552C>T, c.2833C>T, c.3823C>T, and c.4189C>A were discovered in the SUNDS cases. The missense variant c.1578C>T (Ala195Val) was absent in 163 recruited controls and 105 persons of the Southern Han Chinese population, had in‐silico prediction indications as damaging, and was reported prevalent in sudden infant death, and is thus likely to be involved in SUNDS.     

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome: Reports of Fatal Cases

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is one of the more clinically challenging effects of cannabis consumption. It is characterized by cyclic attacks of nausea and vomiting in chronic cannabinoid users and learned behavior of compulsive hot bathing. The deaths of a 27‐year‐old female, a 27‐year‐old male, and a 31‐year‐old male with a history of CHS are reported. The decedents had a history of cyclical nausea and vomiting, chronic cannabinoid use and negative laboratory, radiological and endoscopic findings. All presented to the emergency department with nausea and vomiting in the days preceding death and were treated symptomatically. Toxicological analysis revealed tetrahydrocannabinol in postmortem blood. The cause of death of two of the three cases was attributed to CHS. CHS was appreciated in the third case but was not the cause of death. These three cases demonstrate the importance of recognizing CHS as a potential cause or contributing factor to death in cannabinoid user.     

肾康颗粒对慢性肾炎脾肾亏虚证患者血清超敏C-反应蛋白及凝血功能的影响

目的 观察慢性肾炎脾肾亏虚证患者血清超敏C-反应蛋白（high-sensitive C-reactive protein, hs-CRP）和凝血功能的变化及肾康颗粒对其干预作用。方法 选择慢性肾炎脾肾亏虚证患者55例,随机将其分为对照组28例和试验组27例,并设正常组20例。两组患者均给予常规基础治疗,试验组在此基础上加服肾康颗粒,疗程共8周。比较两组治疗后临床疗效,检测治疗前后尿白蛋白肌酐比值(urinary albumin to creatinine ratio,UACR)、24 h 尿蛋白定量(24-hour urine protein,24hUP)、血白蛋白（albumin, Alb）、血尿素氮(blood urea nitrogen, BUN)、血肌酐(serum creatinine, SCr)、hs-CRP、凝血酶原时间(prothrombin time,PT)、部分凝血活酶时间(activated partial thromboplastin time,APTT)、凝血酶时间（thrombin time,TT）和纤维蛋白原(fibrinogen,Fib)的变化。结果 试验组临床疗效显著优于对照组(P<0.05)。两组患者治疗后24hUP、UACR均较治疗前降低,血Alb较治疗前升高(P<0.05),试验组改善程度优于对照组(P<0.05)。两组患者治疗前血清hs-CRP、Fib水平较正常组显著升高,PT、APTT、TT明显缩短(P<0.05),治疗后两组血清hs-CRP、Fib水平较治疗前明显下降,PT、APTT、TT较治疗前明显延长(P<0.05）,试验组改善程度优于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 肾康颗粒能有效改善慢性肾炎脾肾亏虚证患者的临床症状,减少尿蛋白,其作用机制可能与降低血清hs-CRP,抑制体内微炎性反应,改善高凝状态有关。     

降黄散熏蒸治疗湿热内蕴型新生儿黄疸55例

目的 观察降黄散熏蒸治疗湿热内蕴型新生儿黄疸的临床疗效及安全性。方法 将110例黄疸新生儿按区组随机法分为治疗组和对照组,每组55例。两组患儿均接受蓝光照射,治疗组加用降黄散熏蒸治疗,对照组加用茵栀黄颗粒口服,均治疗5 d,观察两组临床疗效及安全性。结果 两组临床疗效比较,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。治疗后两组患儿血清总胆红素水平均较治疗前明显降低（P＜0.05）,两组治疗前后血清总胆红素差值比较,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。治疗组患儿黄疸消退时间较对照组明显缩短（P＜0.05）,不良反应发生率明显低于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论 降黄散熏蒸治疗湿热内蕴型新生儿黄疸具有黄疸消退时间短、不良反应少、疗效显著的优势。     

宫廷理筋手法治疗纤维肌痛综合征临床观察

目的 观察宫廷理筋手法治疗纤维肌痛的疗效。方法 应用宫廷理筋手法对30例纤维肌痛患者进行6周的治疗,采用纤维肌痛影响量表（fibromyalgia impact questionnaire, FIQ）测评患者的生活质量,采用数字分级量表（numerical rating scale, NRS）和压痛点数评价疼痛的变化情况。结果 与治疗前比较,治疗后患者的FIQ和NRS评分均显著降低,压痛点数显著减少,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论 宫廷理筋手法对纤维肌痛综合征有显著的临床疗效。     

针灸配合少腹逐瘀汤治疗寒湿凝滞型盆腔炎症疾病临床观察

目的 观察针灸配合少腹逐瘀汤内服治疗寒湿凝滞型盆腔炎症疾病的临床疗效。方法 将60例寒湿凝滞型盆腔炎症疾病患者,随机分为治疗组与对照组,每组30例。治疗组给予针灸配合少腹逐瘀汤加减口服,对照组给予少腹逐瘀汤口服。观察两组患者疼痛缓解时间、临床症状体征总积分改善情况、子宫动脉收缩期最高血流速度变化情况以及临床综合疗效。结果 治疗组疼痛缓解时间较对照组显著缩短（P＜0.05）;治疗1周及2周后治疗组症状体征总积分改善均明显优于对照组（P<0.05）;与治疗前比较,两组患者治疗后子宫收缩期最高血流速度均显著降低（P＜0.05）,且治疗组降低幅度显著大于对照组（P＜0.05）;治疗组临床疗效显著优于对照组（P<0.05）。结论 针灸配合少腹逐瘀汤内服治疗寒湿凝滞型盆腔炎症疾病疗效明显,对于缓解疼痛、改善临床症状具有良好疗效。     

216例辅助化学治疗期乳腺癌患者中医证候分布和演变规律研究

目的探讨辅助化学治疗期乳腺癌患者的中医证候及其变化规律。方法采集216例辅助化学治疗期乳腺癌患者的四诊信息,通过聚类分析结果结合专家经验归纳出中医证候的分布和演变规律。结果化学治疗开始前患者多表现为脾虚与肝郁两证,第2周期化学治疗结束后患者表现为脾气虚证、肝郁化火证、心肝实热证,第4周期化学治疗结束后患者表现为肝、脾、胃三脏阴血不足为主的证候,第6周期化学治疗结束后患者出现心、肝、脾、胃等多脏腑不足的证候。结论在辅助化学治疗期,患者中医证型总体以虚证为主;在化学治疗前期,主要为肝脾两脏的气病;随着化学治疗的延续,由阳病转为阴病;后期患者逐渐表现为类似五脏羸弱的证候。