[The clinical characteristics of 346 patients with IgG4-related disease]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of IgG₄-related disease (IgG₄-RD)so as to improve the understanding of IgG₄-RD in China. Methods: IgG₄-RD patients were recruited from Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2011 and January 2016. All patients were followed-up for more than 6 months. The demographic characteristics, symptoms, organ involvements, laboratory examinations and treatment efficacy were evaluated and analyzed. Results: A total of 346 patients were finally enrolled, including 230 males (66.5%) and 116 females (33.5%). The mean age of disease onset was (53.8±14.2) years old. The mostly common involved organs were lymph nodes (56.4%) and submandibular glands (52.6%). Other affected organs and manifestations included: swelling of the lacrimal glands (46.5%), autoimmune pancreatitis (38.4%), pulmonary involvement (28.0%), sclerosing cholangitis (25.4%), naso-sinusitis (23.4%), parotid gland swelling (21.7%), retroperitoneal fibrosis (19.9%), large arteries involvement (9.5%), kidney involvement (obstructive nephropathy caused by retroperitoneal fibrosis was excluded) (6.9%), skin lesions (6.4%). Rare features consisted of thyroid glands, pituitary glands, gastrointestinal tract, pachymeningitis, pericardium, sclerosing mediastinitis and orchitis. The majority of patients had multi-organ involvement, such as 74.3% patients with 3 and more, 18.2% and 7.5% patients with 2 and single organ involvement respectively. The average IgG₄-RD responder index (IgG₄-RD RI) was 13.21±5.70. History of allergy was found in 172 (49.7%) patients. As to the laboratory tests, elevated serum IgG₄ levels were confirmed in 285 (94.1%) patients, which was positively correlated with IgG₄-RD RI. There were 33.5% patients receiving monotherapy of glucocorticoid, 52.6% treated with glucocorticoids combined with immunosuppressive agents, 4.9% patients with immunosuppressant only, and 9.0% patients with mild disease not receiving medication. The majority (336, 97.1%) patients improved the above regimens. Conclusion: IgG₄-RD is a systemic fibro-inflammatory disease with multiple organ involvement. The mostly common involved organs include lymph node, submandibular glands, and pancreas. Glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents were effective for IgG₄-RD.

Degradation of chloramphenicol by potassium ferrate (VI) oxidation: kinetics and products

The oxidation of chloramphenicol (CAP) by potassium ferrate (VI) in test solution was studied in this paper. A series of jar tests were performed at bench scale with pH of 5-9 and molar ratio [VI/CAP] of 16.3:1-81.6:1. Results showed that raising VI dose could improve the treatment performance and the influence of solution pH was significant. VI is more reactive in neutral conditions, presenting the highest removal efficiency of CAP. The rate law for the oxidation of CAP by VI was first order with respect to each reactant, yielding an overall second-order reaction. Furthermore, five oxidation products were observed during CAP oxidation by VI. Results revealed that VI attacked the amide group of CAP, leading to the cleavage of the group, while benzene ring remained intact.

[Clinical study of zhinu-I,-II in treating 61 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura]

The article studied 61 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, they were classified and treated with Chinese herbal medicine Zhinu (ZN) -I, -II, in comparison with 30 cases of patients treated with prednisone. The results showed that the effect of prednisone was more effective than ZN- I, -II in four weeks (P < 0.05). On the contrary, follow up for 12 months, the effect of ZN-I, -II were more effective than prednisone (P < 0.05) and the possibility of recurrence was lower (P < 0.01). In addition, blood platelet counts of the patients treated with ZN-I, -II increased slower, but lasting for longer term. The conclusion indicated that the ZN-I, -II were safe and effective. There was no obvious side effects.