Safety of levocetirizine treatment in young atopic children: An 18-month study

There are more than 40 H(1)-antihistamines available worldwide. Most of these medications have never been optimally studied in prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trials in children. The aim was to perform a long-term study of levocetirizine safety in young atopic children. In the randomized, double-masked Early Prevention of Asthma in Atopic Children Study, 510 atopic children who were age 12-24 months at entry received either levocetirizine 0.125 mg/kg or placebo twice daily for 18 months. Safety was assessed by: reporting of adverse events, numbers of children discontinuing the study because of adverse events, height and body mass measurements, assessment of developmental milestones, and hematology and biochemistry tests. The population evaluated for safety consisted of 255 children given levocetirizine and 255 children given placebo. The treatment groups were similar demographically, and with regard to number of children with: one or more adverse events (levocetirizine, 96.9%; placebo, 95.7%); serious adverse events (levocetirizine, 12.2%; placebo, 14.5%); medication-attributed adverse events (levocetirizine, 5.1%; placebo, 6.3%); and adverse events that led to permanent discontinuation of study medication (levocetirizine, 2.0%; placebo, 1.2%). The most frequent adverse events related to: upper respiratory tract infections, transient gastroenteritis symptoms, or exacerbations of allergic diseases. There were no significant differences between the treatment groups in height, mass, attainment of developmental milestones, and hematology and biochemistry tests. The long-term safety of levocetirizine has been confirmed in young atopic children.     

Expression of CⅡTA Gene in Five Human Malignant Hematological Cell Lines and Its Significance

The role of MHC class Ⅱ transactivator (CⅡTA) in constitutive or IFN-γ inducib|e expression of HLA molecules in human malignant hematological cell lines was investigated. The expression of HLA molecules and CⅡTA protein was detected by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. The expression of CⅡTA gene was determined by RT-PCR. The capability of peripheral blood T cell reaction stimulated by tumor cells was monitored by mixed lymphocyte reaction. It was found that the HLA Ⅱ-positive tumor cells expressed the CⅡTA quite well, andthe expression of HLA Ⅰ＋Ⅱ was increased in the tumor cells with constitutive or inducible expression of CⅡTA after induced by IFN-γ. The tumor cells which did not express CⅡTA after in-duced by IFN-γ were not response to the expression of HLA Ⅱ promoted by IFN-γ. It suggests a correlation between the inability of some malignant hematological cell lines in response to IFN-γ for HLA expression and the deficiency in the inducible expression of CⅡTA, indicating CⅡTA might take part in the regu|ation of HLA Ⅰ＋Ⅱ expression in the tumor cells, which might p|ay an important role in tumor immunologic escape.     

Utilization of care in haemophilia: a resource-based method for cost analysis from the Haemophilia Utilization Group Study (HUGS)

Summary.  The Haemophilia Utilization Group Study (HUGS) was created 10 years ago to examine the annual utilization and cost of haemophilia-related healthcare services. Retrospective chart reviews for 336 patients with haemophilia A receiving treatment in one of five comprehensive haemophilia treatment centres (HTCs) during 1995 were completed through interview of the provider. This method provided adequate collection of data from patient charts without the abstractor having direct access to patient health information. Utilization data were used to impute the costs of different components of care (e.g. physician visits, factor VIII concentrate, emergency room, hospitalization). The total annual cost of care was $139 102 (SD $304 033). Factor VIII concentrate costs comprised the largest proportion of these costs; mean factor VIII concentrate use was 128 517 units per patient per year. Unbilled physician utilization accounted for 7.8% of the mean total physician costs per annum, while mean allied healthcare costs accounted for 33.5% of the total annual allied healthcare costs per patient. In the ordinary least-squares regression model, higher costs were associated with severe factor VIII deficiency, arthropathy, more comorbid conditions, an inhibitor to factor VIII concentrate, infusing through a port and prophylaxis. Although factor VIII concentrate is the most costly component, the treatment of haemophilia uses many healthcare resources. HUGS has demonstrated that patient clinical characteristics and physician practices predominantly drive the costs of haemophilia care. Specifically, patients with more severe arthropathy had greater healthcare costs. As future funding decisions are made, it is important to provide for all components of care.     

负载型丝光沸石催化剂的催化性能研究

运用二元碱氮置换吸附红外光谱法、分子筛孔径分布测定技术、XPS技术,考察了丝光沸石表面酸性与孔结构的相互关系、钯在丝光沸石上分布情况和价态及其与沸石的相互作用。结果表明,随着丝光沸石脱铝程度的增加,表面出现大量不规整晶格,存在较多的次级孔道。强质子酸中心主要分布在它的“外表面”。钯在其表面富集,并与“外表面”上的质子酸中心协同作用,促进了轻质烷烃异构化反应。     

原发性干燥综合征与人类组织相容性抗原—DRβ基因

原发性干燥综合征（ＰＳＳ）的病因未明，其中可能涉及遗传因素。用序列特异性引物聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ－ＳＳＰ）法对７０例ＰＳＳ患者和１３６名正常人进行人类组织相容性抗原（ＨＬＡ）－ＤＲβ基因分型。发现ＰＳＳ患者群体的ＨＬＡ－ＤＲ３、ＤＲ５２及ＤＲ２的基因频率明显高于正常对照组，而ＨＬＡ－ＤＲ５及ＤＲ９的基因频率则相反，提示ＰＳＳ的发病与ＤＲ３、ＤＲ５２及ＤＲ２呈正相关；而和ＤＲ９、ＤＲ５呈负相关。２个ＰＳＳ患者家族的姐妹与患者具有相同的遗传因素，且和ＰＳＳ患者群体测定的正相关基因相一致。ＰＳＳ患者的主要自身抗体（抗ＳＳＡ抗体及抗ＳＳＢ抗体）与ＨＬＡ－ＤＲ５２之间有明显的相关性，因而表明ＰＳＳ的发病和遗传因素有关。     

外伤性截瘫合并耳聋11例临床分析

初步分析了11例外伤性截瘫合并耳聋患者,指出外伤性截瘫多有慢性肾功能不全、肾性贫血等并发症。这些并发症对耳聋的发生有一定的影响,但长时间或反复使用耳毒性药物是一个不可忽视的重要因素。作者对此提出了预防耳聋的一些具体措施,可供临床参考或借鉴。     

中国18城市新生儿死因研究

我们于1988年5月～1989年4月对我国18城市19所医院住院分娩的60960例活产婴进行了前瞻性调查研究.60960例中死亡556例,总死亡率9.12‰,其中死亡率男高于女,早产、低体重儿高于过期产儿和足月、正常体重儿,三胎和双胎高于单胎.前6位死因依次为窒息(或羊水胎粪吸入)、呼吸系统疾病、感染、畸形、颅内出血和硬肿症.并对各种死因在不同孕周、体重以及不同日龄组中的分布特点及主要防治对策进行了分析讨论.