Objective To systematically evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of raltitrexed plus cisplatin in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) when compared with other chemotherapy regimens. Methods We electronically searched PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library and Chinese Biomedicine Database to March, 2007. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs were identified, and Revman 4.2.10 was applied for statistical analyses. Results One RCT involving 250 patients was included, which compared raltitrexed plus cisplatin versus cisplatin alone in the treatment of MPM. In the intention-to-treat population, the median survival time was statistically longer in the raltitrexed plus cisplatin group as compared to cisplatin alone group. (11.4 versus 8.8 months, P=0.048). The incidence of grade 3/4 toxicities was similar between the two groups. Conclusion The current evidence available showed that, the combination of raltitrexed and cisplatin may prolong the survival time for MPM patients, with a low incidence of grade 3/4 toxicities. However, more high-quality RCTs are required to further define its clinical effectiveness.
Objective To investigate the expression of aquaporin-1（AQP-1） on pleura in rats with carrageenan-induced pleural effusion and explore the role of AQP-1 in effusion formation.Methods Fifty-six healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal control group and 6 pleuritis groups（6，12，24，36，48 and 72 h groups respectively）.The rat model of inflammatory pleurisy was induced by injecting l-Carrageenan into the pleural cavity.The expression of AQP-1 on pleura was detected with immunohistochemistry.The mRNA and protein expression of AQP-1 on visceral pleura and parietal pleura were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot assay respectively.The volume of pleural effusions were measured.Results The volume of pleural effusion was 2.10±0.22，4.10±0.15，4.40±0.36，3.20±0.27，2.60±0.18，0.12±0.02 mL in the 6，12，24，36，48 and 72 h pleuritis groups respectively.AQP-1 were mainly expressed on visceral and parietal pleural mesothelial cells and capillary endothelial cells，and significantly increased in all pleuritic rats The mRNA and protein expression of AQP-1 on parietal pleura increased after 6 h and reached peak level at 24 h in pleuritic groups.The mRNA and protein expression of AQP-1 on visceral pleura increased after 12 h and reached peak level at 24 h in pleuritic groups.The expression of AQP-1 on parietal pleura at 12 h and 24 h in pleuritic groups was correlated positively with the volume of pleural effusion（r=0.857，r=0.846，all Plt;0.01）.The expression of AQP-1 on visceral pleura at 24 h in pleuritic groups was positively correlated with the volume of pleural effusion（r=0.725，Plt;0.05）.Conclusion The expression of AQP-1 on pleura were increased in rats with e carrageenan-induced pleural effusion.AQP-1 may play a role in pleural fluid transportation in pleural effusion.
Objective To compare the effects of heparin versus urokinase injection intrapleurally in the management of pleural thickening and adhesion due to tuberculous exudative pleurisy. Methods Sixty patients with tuberculous pleurisy were allocated into three groups randomly. Sodium heparin ( heparin group) , urokinase ( urokinase group) , and 0. 9% saline ( control group) were intrapleurally injected respectively. The concentrations of fibrinogen and D-dimer in pleural effusion were measured before and after the injection. The duration of absorption and the total drainage volume of pleural effusion were recorded. The pleural thickness and adhesion were observed two months after the injection. Results In 72 hours after the intrapleural injection, the concentration of fibrinogen( g/L) in the pleural effusion was significantly increased in the heparin group( 1. 13 ±0. 44 vs 0. 34 ±0. 19, P lt; 0. 001) , and significantly decreased in the urokinase group( 0. 25 ±0. 16 vs 0. 38 ±0. 15, P lt; 0. 05) when compared with baseline. Concentrations of D-dimer in the pleural effusions were significantly higher than those at baseline in both the heparin group and the urokinase group( 57. 0 ±17. 6 vs 40. 0 ±15. 4, P lt; 0. 05; 74. 5 ±16. 4 vs 43. 8 ±14. 9, P lt; 0. 001) . There were no significant differences in the absorption duration of pleural effusion among the three groups( P gt;0. 05) . The total drainage volume of pleural effusion was higher in the heparin group and the urokinase group compared to the control group( P lt;0. 01) . And the total volume of pleural effusion was significantly higher in the heparin group and the urokinase group than that in the control group( 2863 mL and 2465 mL vs 1828 mL,P lt;0. 01) . Two months after the intervention, the pleura were thinner[ ( 1. 37 ±0. 82) mm and ( 1. 33 ±0. 85) mmvs ( 3. 06 ±1. 20) mm, P lt; 0. 01] and the incidence of pleural adhesion was significantly lower[ 15% and 20% vs 50% , P lt; 0. 05] in the heparin and the urokinase groups than those in the control group.Conclusion Intrapleural heparin has similar effects with urokinase for prevention pleural thickness andadhesion in tuberculous pleurisy with good availability and safety.
Objective To investigate the expression of aquaporin-1( AQP-1) in pleural mesothelial cells ( PMCs) and the influence of glucose thereupon. Methods Rat PMCs were isolated, cultured, and divided into two groups, ie. a glucose group, cultured with glucose of different concentrations for 24 hours,and a control group, cultured in D-MEM/ F-12 medium. The 100 mmol / L glucose group was administered at the time points of 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours respectively. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression of AQP-1. Results The absorbance values of AQP-1 protein expression were 54. 02 ±4. 61, 127. 84 ±9. 41, and 231. 62 ±22. 63, respectively in the PMCs treated with glucose of the concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mmol / L, all significantly higher than those in the control group( 22. 45 ±2. 16, all P lt; 0. 01) . The absorbance values of AQP-1 protein expression were 24. 68 ±2. 56, 58. 68 ±3. 67, 89. 61 ±6. 62, and 113. 41 ±7. 65 in the PMCs treated with glucose of the concentration of 100 mmol / L after 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours, all significantly higher than those in the control group ( 11. 81 ±1. 45, P lt;0. 01) .Conclusions Glucose induces the expression of AQP-1 mRNA and protein. AQP-1 participates in the pleural fluid formation.
Objective To investigate the expression of aquaporin-1( AQP1 ) in visceral and parietal pleura in SD rats and to examine the effect of AQP1 on pleural fluid turnover. Methods Five groups( n = 24 ) of SD rats were randomly assigned to received intrapleural injection of dexamethasone,lipopolysaccharide, erythromycin, hypertonic saline and normal saline, respectively. The AQP1 protein in pleural was detected with immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of AQP1 under stimulations at different time points was measured by real time RT-PCR. Results AQP1 was immunolocalized predominantly to the microvessels and mesothelial cells of visceral and parietal pleura. The extent of AQP1expression in parietal pleura was less than that in visceral pleura[ ( 4. 14 ±1. 12) ×104 copy /μg vs ( 7. 43 ±2. 02) ×104 copy / μg, P lt;0. 05] . AQP1 expression increased at all phases in the dexamethasone group andthe hypertonic saline group, whereas decreased in the erythromycin group and the lipopolysaccharide group.Conclusion The stimulations of dexamethasone, lipopolysaccharide, erythromycin and hypertonic saline can significantly change the AQP1 expression in pleura, which indicate that AQP1 may contribute to the accumulation and clearance of pleuritic fluids.
【Abstract】Objective To explore the differential diagnostic value of major fibrinolytic parameters in pleural fluid. Methods Tissue-type plasminogen activator( t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1( PAI-1) in pleural fluid at the first thoracentesis were measured with ELISA and D-dimer was measured with immunoturbidimetry. Results Eighty-four patients with pleural effusion were enrolled, among which 40 with malignant effusion, 33 with infectious effusion and 11 with transudative effusion. t-PA level was higher in malignant and transudative pleural fluid than that in infectious pleural fluid[ ( 52. 49 ±31. 46) ng /mL and ( 58. 12 ±23. 14) ng /mL vs ( 37. 39 ±22. 44) ng /mL, P lt; 0. 05] , but was not statistically different between malignant pleural fluid and transudative ( P gt; 0. 05) . PAI-1 level was higher in malignant and infectious pleural fluid than that in transudative [ ( 164. 86 ±150. 22) ng/mL and ( 232. 42 ±175. 77) ng/mL vs ( 46. 38 ±16. 13) ng/mL, P lt; 0. 01] , but was not statistically different between malignant and infectious pleural fluid( P gt;0. 05) . D-dimer levels in the three types of pleural fluid were significantly different, which was ( 23. 66 ±25. 18) mg/L, ( 6. 36 ±10. 87) mg/L and ( 66. 90 ±42. 17) mg/L in malignant, transudative and infectious pleural fluid, respectively. As single-item detection for malignant pleural fluid, the cutoff of t-PA was gt; 38. 7 ng/mL( area under ROC curve was 64. 0 ) , with sensitivity of 60. 0% , specificity of 63. 6%, positive predictive value of 66. 7%, negative predictive value of 56. 8% and accuracy of 61. 6% .The cutoff of D-dimer was lt; 27. 0 mg/L( area under ROC curve was 85. 5) , with sensitivity of 84. 8% ,specificity of 72. 5% , positive predictive value of 85. 3% , negative predictive value of 71. 8% and accuracy of78.1%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of combined examination( t-PA + D-dimer) were 92. 5% , 60. 6% , 74. 0% , 87. 0% , 78. 1% , respectively.Conclusions The t-PA, PAI-1 and D-dimer levels are significantly different in the three types of pleural fluid. The detection of fibrinolytic parameters in pleural fluid, especially the value of D-dimer,may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion.
Objective To investigate the feasibility of detection of epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) exon 19 deletions and exon 21 L858R mutations in pleural effusion fromnon-small-cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) patients by mutant enriched PCR assay. Methods The mutations of exon 19 and 21 of EGFR gene in pleural samples fromthirty NSCLC patients were analyzed using both the mutant-enriched PCR assay and the non-enriched PCR assay. Results Ten ( 33. 3% , 10/ 30) exon 19 deletions and five ( 16. 7% , 5/30) exon 21 L858R mutation were detected by the mutant-enriched PCR assay, while only 6 cases ( 20. 0% ) and 1 case ( 3. 3% ) were detected by the non-enriched PCR assay respectively. The difference of mutation detection rate of EGFR gene between the two methods was statistically significant ( P = 0. 032) . Mutations were detected in all of partial responders ( 2 /4) among the four patients who received gefitinib therapy. Conclusions Mutant-enriched PCR assay can detect EGFR exon 19 deletions and exon 21 L858R mutation in pleural effusion from NSCLC patients effectively, economically and accurately. It may be a valuable biomarker for gefitinib therapy in advanced NSCLC.
Objective To investigate the value of tumor type M2 pyruvate kinase ( M2-PK) in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion. Methods A total of 146 patients with pleural effusion during January 2006 to December 2008 were recruited at the department of respiratory medicine of the Shantou Affiliated Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen Medical College. Pleural effusion was malignant in 72 cases ( 52 cases with lung cancer and 20 cases with metastatic lung cancer) and benign in 74 cases ( 54 cases with infective pleural effusion and 20 with transudation effusion) . The patients were divided into a malignant pleural effusion group, an infective pleural effusion group, and a transudation group.Then the infective group was further divided into subgroups of tuberculosis pleural effusion group andparapneumonic effusion group. The concentration of tumor M2-PK in pleural fluid obtained during the first thoracocentesis was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA) . Results The concentration of tumor M2-PK was significantly higher in the malignant pleural effusion group compared with the benignpleural effusion groups ( P lt; 0. 01) . Significant differences were also found in the concentration of tumor M2-PK between malignant pleural effusion caused by lung cancer and metastatic lung cancer( P lt; 0. 05) .When the cutoff value of tumor M2-PK was set at 18. 68 U/mL, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion was 87. 6% , 86. 0% , and 87. 4%, respectively. Furthermore,the detection of tumor M2-PK in combination with CEA showed better diagnostic sensitivity( 96. 0% ) ,specificity ( 85. 0% ) , and accuracy ( 91. 1% ) . Conclusions The detection of tumor M2-PK in pleural effusion is of some clinical significance in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant pleural effusion.The detection of tumor M2-PK in combination with CEA is a good diagnostic tool with high sensitivity andspecificity.
Objective To assess clinical outcomes of therapeutic video-mediastinoscopy （VMS）. Methods Clinical data of 82 patients undergoing VMS in Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University from December 2008 to October 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them，24 patients received therapeutic VMS，including 18 men and 6 women with their median age of 56 （22-81） years. Three patients underwent operation through a neck incision，4 patients through a parasternal incision，and 17 patients through a lateral intercostal incision. Five patients received local anesthesia and basal anesthesia，and all the other patients received general anesthesia through single-lumen or double-lumen endotracheal intubation. Results Twelve patients with pleural effusion underwent pleural or lung biopsy and talc pleurodesis. Pathology examination showed malignant diseases in 11 patients and tuberculous pleural effusion in 1 patient. The median operation time was 35 （30-50） minutes，and postoperative hospital stay was 3-6 days. These patients were followed up for 1 month without recurrence of pleural effusion. Ten patients with mediastinal mass received pathological diagnosis and complete mass resection with their median operation time of 55 （30-270） minutes and median hospital stay of 7 （5-40） days. Two patients with hyperhidrosis underwent bilateral intercostal VMS sympathectomy. Their operation time was 60 minutes and 50 minutes respectively，and their hospital stay was 3 days. Postoperatively their sweating symptoms obviously resolved. They were followed up for 3 months，and their hands，feet and armpit were warm and dry. There was no in-hospital death in this group. Two patients （8.3%） had postoperative complications including 1 patient with phrenic nerve injury and another patient with pneumonia. Opioid analgesic drugs were not used postoperatively in 9 patients. Conclusion Therapeutic VMS is a safe，effective，minimally invasive and cosmetic procedure，but it is not suitable for resection of a large mediastinal mass.
Abstract： Objective To summarize early clinical result of total cavopulmonary connection, and analyze the risk factors contributing to prolonged postoperative recovery. Methods Between February 2009 and August 2010, 58 patients with functional univentricular complex congenital heart disease received total cavopulmonary connection in Beijing Fu Wai Hospital. All of them were diagnosed by echocardiogram and angiography including 26 patients with single ventricle, 10 patients with tricuspid atresia, 4 patients with pulmonary artery atresia, 5 patients with double outlet rightventricle, 1 patient with transposition of great arteries, and 12 patients with corrected transposition of the great arteries.Fifty seven patients underwent extracardiac conduit total cavopulmonary connection, and only one patient underwent total cavopulmonary connection with an intracardiac lateral tunnel. According to their postoperative pleural drainage volume and duration, these 58 patients were divided into a large pleural drainage volume group (17 patients with 10 males and 7 females, mean age of 8.61±6.73 years）that included patients with large volume and long duration of pleural drainage, and a little pleural drainage volume group (41 patients with 15 males and 26 females, mean age of 7.21±4.24 years) . A univariable analysis was conducted to compare the risk factors that effected recovery result between the two groups. Results There was no death in hospital period. The average length of hospital stay was 12.30±9.80 d . Average drainage time (18.00±5.50 d versus 5.00±2.20 d , t= -1.967, P ＜ 0.05）, drainage volume (12.30±2.60 ml/(kg·d) versus 2.80±1.70 ml/(kg·d), t=-3.221, P ＜ 0.05), and hospital stay (20.10±7.20 d versus 7.20±1.10 d, t=-2.003, P ＜ 0.05） of the large pleural drainage volume group were significantly larger or longer than those of the little pleural drainage volume group. Univariate analysis showed that preoperative pulmonary pressure measured by catheter in the large pleural drainage volume group was significantly higher than that in the little pleural drainage volume group (17.42±5.34 mm Hg versus 13.91±5.22 mm Hg，t=-2.073，P ＜ 0.05). Conclusions The mortality and major morbidities after total cavopulmonary connection are low in the current era. Preoperative high pulmonary pressure is a risk factor for large amount of pleural drainage and prolonged recovery.