Coagulation Function Tests Research Articles

Clinical and therapeutic features of acute cholecystitis in diabetic patients.

The present study aimed to compare the clinical, paraclinical, intraoperative findings, and postoperative complications in acute cholecystitis in diabetic patients vs. non-diabetic patients. A 2-year retrospective study was performed on the patients who underwent emergency cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis between 2017 and 2019 at the 4th Department of Surgery, Emergency University Hospital Bucharest. The diabetic subgroup numbered 46 eligible patients and the non-diabetic one 287 patients. Demographics, the severity of the clinical forms, biological variables (including white cell count, urea, creatinine, coagulation and liver function tests) comorbidity status, surgical approach, postoperative complications, and hospital stay were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed to assess comparative results between the aforementioned data (SPSS V 13.0). The CCI and ASA risk classes were increased in the diabetic group, with 34.78% of patients having 3 or more associated comorbidities. No statistically significant associations were demonstrated between diabetes and the severity of the cholecystitis and risk for conversion. Postoperatively both minor complications such as surgical site infections and major cardiovascular events were more common in the diabetic subgroup (P=0.0254), well associated with the preoperative status and baseline cardiovascular comorbidities. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe procedure for diabetic patients, which can provide the best outcomes, by decreasing the risks of surgical wounds. Attentive perioperative care and good glycemic control must be provided to minimize the risk of complications.

Application Value of Coagulation Function Test in Prognosis of Patients with Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

<p><span lang="EN-US">Objective: to explore the application value of coagulation function test in the prognosis of patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Methods: from December 2018 to December 2019, 100 patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases were randomly selected as the study group. According to the follow-up results of patients, they were divided into study group A (good prognosis, n = 64) and study group B (disability or death, n = 36) 100 subjects served as the control group. The test results of coagulation function of the two groups were analyzed retrospectively. The test results of the study group before and after treatment were compared with those of the control group, and the test results of the study group A and study group B after treatment were compared. Results: the coagulation function of the study group after treatment was significantly improved compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05), and there was a significant difference between the two groups before treatment (P < 0.05), and there was no difference after treatment (P > 0.05); after treatment, the coagulation function of study group A and study B was significantly different (P < 0.05). Conclusion: coagulation function test has a certain application value for the prognosis of patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and can be used as an index to judge the patient’s condition and treatment effect, which has good application value in clinical practice.</span></p>

Assessing bleeding risk in 18 children with Osteogenesis imperfecta

Assessing bleeding risk in 18 children with <i>Osteogenesis imperfecta</i>

Safety and efficacy of a nerve matrix membrane as a collagen nerve wrapping: a randomized, single-blind, multicenter clinical trial.

A new nerve matrix membrane derived from decellularized porcine nerves has been shown to retain the major extracellular matrix components, and to be effective in preventing adhesion between the nerve anastomosis sites and the surrounding tissues in a rat sciatic nerve transection model, thereby enhancing regeneration of the nerve. The effectiveness of the membrane may be attributed to its various bioactive components. In this prospective, randomized, single-blind, parallel-controlled multicenter clinical trial, we compared the safety and efficacy of the new nerve matrix membrane with a previously approved bovine tendon-derived type I collagen nerve wrapping. A total of 120 patients with peripheral nerve injury were recruited from Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, and Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, China. The patients were randomly assigned to undergo end-to-end and tension-free neurorrhaphy with nerve matrix membrane (n = 60, 52 male, 8 female, mean age 41.34 years, experimental group) or tendon-derived collagen nerve wrapping (n = 60, 42 male, 18 female, mean age 40.17 years, control group). Patients were followed-up at 14 ± 5, 30 ± 7, 90 ± 10 and 180 ± 20 days after the operation. Safety evaluation included analyses of local and systemic reactions, related laboratory tests, and adverse reactions. Efficacy evaluation included a static 2-point discrimination test, a moving 2-point discrimination test, and a Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination. Sensory nerve function was evaluated with the British Medical Research Council Scale and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination. The ratio (percentage) of patients with excellent to good results in sensory nerve recovery 180 ± 20 days after the treatment was used as the primary effectiveness index. The percentages of patients with excellent to good results in the experimental and control groups were 98.00% and 94.44%, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the results of routine blood tests, liver and renal function tests, coagulation function tests, or immunoglobulin tests at 14 and 180 days postoperatively between the two groups. These findings suggest that the novel nerve matrix membrane is similar in efficacy to the commercially-available bovine-derived collagen membrane in the repair of peripheral nerve injury, and it may therefore serve as an alternative in the clinical setting. The clinical trial was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, China (approval No. 20160902) on October 8, 2016, the Institutional Ethics Committee of the First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, China (approval No. 160518-088) on December 14, 2016, and the Institutional Ethics Committee of Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, China (approval No. 2016-10-01) on December 9, 2016. The clinical trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR2000033324) on May 28, 2020.

Clinical features of isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection in the emergency department: a single center retrospective study

Isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection (ISMAD) is a relatively rare disease and often lacks specificity in its clinical presentation, diagnosing it in emergency departments quickly and accurately is a challenge. The study was conducted to understand the basic characteristics of ISMAD including age of onset, risk factors, gender difference and whether D-dimer can be used as a biomarker for its detection. We retrospectively analyzed patients with ISMAD admitted to the emergency department of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from September 1, 2017 to September 30, 2020. The data included the patient’s basic information and the first laboratory test results after admission, including routine blood, liver function, renal function and coagulation function tests. Statistical analysis of results was done using GraphPad Prism 5. There were a total of 17 (15 male and 2 female) patients with a mean age of 52.53 ± 7.11 years diagnosed with ISMAD. Out of these, 7 (41%) patients had history of hypertension, 7 (41%) had history of smoking and/or alcohol intake, and almost all patients experienced significant abdominal pain and fullness. Four patients (24%) were initially misdiagnosed. The laboratory test results of renal, liver function tests and myocardial enzymology were in their normal ranges. In coagulation results, the positive rates of fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) and D-dimer were 29% and 35%, respectively. We compared these ISMAD results with our previous results for acute aortic dissection (AAD). D-dimer and FDP levels were lower in the ISMAD than in the AAD patients (P = 0.0004, P = 0.0325, respectively), and negative rates of D-dimer and FDP in ISMAD (65%, 71%) were higher than in AAD patients (14%, 24%) (P &lt; 0.0001, P = 0.0003, respectively). In our study, ISMAD mostly occurred in middle-aged male patients with known hypertension or active smoking status. Misdiagnosis was common (24% of cases). Since D-dimer and FDP levels proved to be of limited diagnostic value, an abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) scan should be conducted in patients with unclear abdominal pain at an early stage of their diagnostic workup.

Risk Factors of Influenza-Associated Necrotizing Encephalopathy in Children

Objective: A case-control study of Influenza-Associated Necrotizing Encephalopathy (IANE) in children was conducted to explore the risk factors for the diagnosis of IANE, and to provide a predictive reference for the diagnosis of IANE. Methods: The children with IANE who received treatment in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2020 were selected as the study group, and the children with Influenza-Associated Encephalopathy (IAE) group who received treatment in the same period were selected as the control group. The blood biochemical, coagulation function and cerebrospinal fluid test results of the two groups were analyzed by univariate analysis. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine the optimal threshold point of each index for the indicators with statistically significant differences in univariate analysis results, and multivariate Logistic stepwise regression analysis was performed according to the optimal threshold points. Results: In the IANE group, there were 32 children, including 20 males and 12 females, aged 60 (35, 84) months. There were 40 children in IAE group, including 26 males and 14 females, aged 58 (23, 97) months. Univariate results showed that serum Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactate Dehydrogenase (CSF LDH) and Cerebrospinal Fluid Protein (CSF PRO) in the IANE group were significantly higher than those in the IAE group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P 535 U/L (OR = 31.264, 95% CI: 5.892 - 165.878, P 0.49 g/L (OR = 7.695, 95% CI: 1.052 - 56.305, P = 0.044) were independent risk factors for IANE. Conclusion: For children with influenza whose neurological symptoms appear rapidly and persist in the early stages of the disease, blood LDH > 535 U/L and CSF PRO > 0.49 g/L are independent risk factors for IANE.

Emergency Biosafety Management Practice in Laboratory of Shelter Hospital.

At the end of 2019, the novel coronavirus infection outbroke in Wuhan, Hubei Province. On Feb. 2, 2020, Wuhan, as the worst-hit region, began to build “shelter hospital” rapidly to treat patients with mild illness. The shelter hospital has multiple functions such as emergency treatment, surgical treatment and clinical test, which can adapt to emergency medical rescue tasks. Based on the characteristics that shelter hospital only treats patients with mild illness, tests of shelter laboratory, including coronavirus nucleic acid detection, IgM/IgG antibody serology detection, monitoring and auxiliary diagnosis and/or a required blood routine, urine routine, C-reactive protein, calcitonin original, biochemical indicators (liver enzymes, myocardial enzymes, renal function, etc.) and blood coagulation function test etc, were used to provide important basis for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In order to ensure laboratory biosafety, it is necessary to first evaluate the harm level of various specimens. In the laboratory biosafety management, the harm level assessment of microorganisms is the core work of biosafety, which is of great significance to guarantee biosafety. As an emergency deployment affected by the environment, shelter laboratory must possess strong mobility. This paper will explore how to combine the biosafety model of traditional laboratory with the particularity of shelter laboratory to carry out effective work in response to the current epidemic.

Correlation analysis of coagulation dysfunction and liver damage in patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia: a single-center, retrospective, observational study

Background The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently breaking out worldwide. COVID-19 patients may have different degrees of coagulopathy, but the mechanism is not yet clear. We aimed to analyse the relationship between coagulation dysfunction and liver damage in patients with COVID-19. Methods A retrospective analysis of 74 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the First People’s Hospital of Yueyang from 1 January to 30 March 2020 was carried out. According to the coagulation function, 27 cases entered the coagulopathy group and 47 cases entered the control group. A case control study was conducted to analyse the correlation between the occurrence of coagulation dysfunction and liver damage in COVID-19 patients. Results Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), markers of liver damage, were positively correlated with coagulopathy (p = 0.039, OR 2.960, 95% CI 1.055–8.304; and p = 0.028, OR 3.352, 95% CI 1.137–9.187). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), and total bilirubin (TBIL) were not statistically correlated with coagulopathy. According to the diagnosis and treatment plan, the included cases were classified into mild, moderate, severe, and critical. The results showed that the occurrence of coagulation dysfunction had no statistical correlation with the severity of COVID-19. Conclusion Coagulation dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 is closely related to liver damage. A longer course of the disease may cause a vicious circle of coagulopathy and liver damage. Clinicians need to closely monitor coagulation and liver function tests and to give prophylactic or supportive therapy when needed.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia complicated with cerebral venous thrombosis in 14 children

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and management of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) complicated with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). Methods: The clinical data of 14 ALL children complicated with CVT who were admitted to Department of Pediatrics of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital and underwent chemotherapy from January 2011 to October 2019 were collected retrospectively. The clinical manifestations, coagulation function, imaging findings, treatment plan and prognosis of patients were analyzed. Results: CVT was diagnosed in 14 (2.8%, 14/505) cases, with a median age of 10 (3-14) years at onset, 11 cases occurred in the stage of induction remission, and the acute onsets were mainly characterized by convulsions (9 cases), consciousness disorders (6 cases) and headache (4 cases). Coagulation function test showed that, before the CVT, antithrombin Ⅲ activity was lower than 60% in 8 cases, D-dimer elevated on the day of onset in 8 cases. Arteriovenous angiography showed filling defects in single (9 cases) or multiple (5 cases) venous sinuses. The most common site of venous sinus enlargement was superior sagittal sinus (10 cases). Secondary cerebral hemorrhage was found in 5 cases. Anticoagulation therapy included combination of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and warfarin in 9 cases, sequential application of LMWH and warfarin in 2 cases, and LMWH alone in 3 cases. Patients accepted further asparaginase and no CVT recurrence or progression was found. Conclusions: The secondary coagulation dysfunction during induction remission chemotherapy is the major risk factor for CVT in ALL, which needs active monitoring and early prevention. Arteriovenous angiography can diagnose accurately, and the prognosis of anticoagulant therapy with LMWH and warfarin is optimistic.

Evaluation of Remote Pharmacist-Led Outpatient Service for Geriatric Patients on Rivaroxaban for Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ObjectiveThis study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of remote medication management of rivaroxaban by pharmacists for geriatric patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA single-site, prospective cohort study was conducted among patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation who received rivaroxaban therapy from July 2019 to December 2019. Patients in the pharmacist-led education and follow-up service (PEFS) group were managed remotely by a pharmacist. In contrast, those in the usual care (UC) group were managed by other providers. Data of routine blood tests, coagulation function tests, which also included cardiac function parameters were collected. The number and type of provider encounters, interventions related to rivaroxaban therapy, the occurrence of thromboembolism or bleeding, and the time of the first outpatient visit after discharge were recorded.ResultsA total of 600 patients were recruited, and results of 381 patients were analyzed in the end, of which 179 patients were from the PEFS group and 202 were from the UC group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the occurrence ratio of systemic thrombosis, heart failure (LVEF < 40%), and left atrial dilation, which was defined as enlargement of left atrial diameter (LAD) > 40 mm. The cumulative incidences of bleeding complications, such as gastrointestinal tract and skin ecchymosis, were significantly higher in the UC group (12.4% vs. 6.1%, P=0.038; 4.5% vs. 0.6%, P=0.018). There was no significant difference after pharmacist intervention in terms of thrombosis occurrence ratio between the two groups (P = 0.338, HR: 0.722, 95% CI: 0.372-1.405). Remote instruction by a pharmacist reduced outpatient service frequency within the first 30 days after discharge (23.7% vs. 1.1%, P < 0.001). However, more patients in the PEFS group presented for the first outpatient revisit later than 40 days post-discharge (12.8% vs. 21.3%, P < 0.001).ConclusionRemote pharmacist-led medication instruction of rivaroxaban could reduce bleeding complications of the gastrointestinal tract and skin ecchymosis and postpone the first outpatient revisit after discharge.

Analysis of hemostatic effect and safety of tranexamic acid in primary simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty

To explore the effect of tranexamic acid (TXA) on the transfusion rate, dominant blood loss, and postoperative complications in simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty (SBTHA). A clinical data of 72 patients who underwent the primary SBTHA between January 2010 and December 2018 was retrospectively analyzed. A single dose of 15 mg/kg TXA was administered intravenously before 5-10 minutes of operation in 48 patients of trial group and 24 patients were not treated with TXA in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05) in the gender, age, body mass index, the type of disease, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grading, comorbidity, and preoperative hospital stay, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, coagulation function tests. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative transfusion rate, dominant blood loss, complication, and hospital stay were recorded and compared between the two groups. The median operation time of the trial group was 208.0 minutes, and that of the control group was 202.5 minutes, with no significant difference ( Z=-1.046, P=0.295). Postoperative transfusion was performed in 26 patients (54.2%) in the trial group and 21 patients (87.5%) in the control group, and the difference of transfusion rate between the two groups was significant ( χ 2 =7.843, P=0.005). However, there was no significant difference in the amount of transfused suspended red blood cells and plasma between the two groups ( P>0.05). The median intraoperative blood loss was 550 mL in the trial group and 600 mL in the control group, with no significant difference ( Z=-1.378, P=0.168). The postoperative drainage volume and median dominant blood loss in the trial group were (542±269) and 1 050 mL, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(710±316) and 1 270 mL] ( P<0.05). There was 1 case of skin tension blisters around the incision, 1 case of lower limb numbness and muscle strength loss, and 1 case of lacunar cerebral infarction in the trial group, while in the control group, there was 1 case of skin ecchymosis around the incision and 1 case of bilateral lower limb numbness and muscle strength loss, which showed no significant difference in the incidences of complications ( P>0.05). No pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis was found in the two groups. The median postoperative hospital stay and median total hospital stay were 9.0 and 13.0 days in the trial group, while 9.0 and 13.0 days in the control group, respectively, with no significant difference ( P>0.05). For patients who are treated with the primary SBTHA, TXA can reduce transfusion rate and perioperative dominant blood loss, and has a good hemostatic effect without increasing complications of incision, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, and hospital stay. Therefore, TXA is relative safe.

Efficacy and safety study of direct-acting oral anticoagulants for the treatment of chronic portal vein thrombosis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

This study is designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for the treatment of chronic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis patients. In a prospective cohort study, patients were divided into DOACs group (oral rivaroxaban tablets or dabigatran etexilate capsules) and control group (no anticoagulant treatment). Based on propensity score matching method, 40 patients with cirrhosis and chronic PVT in each of the groups were recruited for this study. CT portal venography was used to monitor the portal vein area. Color Doppler ultrasound was used to monitor the portal vein flow rate. Biochemical testing and thromboelastography (TEG) were also used for monitoring the status of PVT. After 3 months of DOACs treatment, the complete/partial recanalization rate of DOACs was 12.8% (5/39). After 6 months of DOACs treatment, the PVT complete/partial recanalization rate of DOACs was 28.2% (11/39). The recanalization rate and portal vein flow velocity improvement were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Patients' total bilirubin level and Child-Pugh scores were improved in the DOACs group. The TEG coagulation index was lower in the DOACs group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the DOACs group and control group in the cases of bleeding (P > 0.05). DOACs are effective and safe for chronic PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis. The TEG can predict the risk of bleeding in patients with chronic PVT in cirrhosis, which is more sensitive than conventional coagulation function test.

Retrospective analysis of laboratory testing in 54 patients with severe- or critical-type 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia

Timely analysis of the laboratory characteristics associated with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) can assist with clinical diagnosis and prognosis. This study is a collection of clinical data from 54 hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Zhongfa Xincheng district of China at Tongji Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 28, 2020 to February 11, 2020. The average age of the patients was 61.8 ± 14.5 years, and the predominant age group was 50–79. The proportion of critical-type patients with comorbidities was higher than that of severe-type patients. Lymphocyte counts were significantly reduced in routine bloodwork for all patients, but significantly lower in critical-type patients than that in severe-type patients. Prolongation of prothrombin times (PT) and elevation of fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs) and D-dimers (D-Ds) were detected in coagulation function tests, and more significant changes were observed in critical-type patients compared to severe-type patients. Serum ferritin levels were sensitive to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection but could not be used for disease assessment. In addition, levels of two inflammatory factors, soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly increased in all patients, but higher in critical-type patients than in severe-type patients. Moreover, kidney injury was the second-most common organ affected by COVID-19 followed by heart and liver. Kidney and heart injury were more severe in critical-type patients than in severe-type patients. All of the 31 severe-type patients recovered. Of the critical-type patients, six died and 17 recovered. The length of hospital stay for critical-type patients was significantly longer for severe-type patients. In summary, increased lymphocyte counts, prolonged PT, secondary increases in fibrinolytic activity and increases in sIL-2R and IL-6 are typical features of COVID-19 and are associated with disease severity.

Early diagnostic test for acute fatty liver of pregnancy: a retrospective case control study

BackgroundEarly diagnosis is important to lower the mortality rate of acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP). The Swansea criteria is commonly used to diagnose AFLP, but some terms could only be reached when symptoms and signs have progressed, or are not efficient in clinical practice. Therefore, it is necessary to select cost effective tests to simplify and facilitate early suspicion of acute fatty liver of pregnancy.MethodsThis is a retrospective study of 28,800 medical records at the Second Xiangya Hospital from 2009 to 2015, including 41 patients with AFLP and 172 other diseases that could show similar symptoms to AFLP. The evaluated variables included past history of liver diseases, blood pressure, gastrointestinal symptoms, blood count, liver function test, coagulation function test and blood sugar test. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predict value and negative predict value were calculated for models in diagnosing AFLP.ResultsThe significant variables associated with AFLP included gastrointestinal symptoms, blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg, aminotransferase> 42 IU/l, total bilirubin> 0.8 mg/dl, total bilirubin acid> 10.0 μmol/L, activated partial prothrombin time(APTT) > 34 s, prothrombin time(PT) > 14 s, white blood cells> 11 *106/l and blood sugar< 72 mg/dl. Gastrointestinal symptoms +aminotransferase +bilirubin +bile acid +APTT/PT showed 97.6% sensitivity and 97.1% specificity to diagnose AFLP. Adding blood pressure, blood sugar or white blood cells decreased the accuracy of the statistical model.ConclusionsApplication of a statistical model including maternal symptoms, biochemical and haematological parameters has high diagnostic accuracy for earlier identification of AFLP. However, this finding needs to be tested in another cohort to determine whether this statistical model has the same performance.

A survey of precision diagnosis and management capacity of pulmonary embolism in 90 hospitals of China.

To conduct a survey of diagnostic facility and therapeutic capability of Pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) in 90 hospitals throughout China. It was a cross-sectional study among the participating hospitals of the National Key Research & Development Program of China-the Precision Research of Standardized Management and Application of Pulmonary Thromboembolism to obtain the equipment and application of radiological facility to diagnose PE, laboratory tests for thrombophilia, coagulation function and the availability of anticoagulants and thrombolysis agents. CT pulmonary arteriography is capable in all 90 hospitals, 71.11% of the hospitals could perform ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy, 24.44% of the hospitals do not routinely perform right heart evaluation by echocardiography. Protein C and protein S activity can be detected in half of the hospitals and warfarin pharmacogenomics tests can be conducted in 40 hospitals. Immune turbidimetry was used as the detection method of D-dimer in 72.37% hospitals. About 81.11% of participating hospitals were equipped with new novel oral anticoagulants, all of which were equipped with Rivaroxaban. The hospitals are capable for standardized diagnosis and management PE, while the capability of precise stratification, coagulation function tests, thrombophilia screening and pharmacogenomics requires further improvement.

Obstetric anesthesia in China: associated challenges and long-term goals.

Obstetric anesthesia in China: associated challenges and long-term goals.

One case of abnormal fibrinogenemia and literature review

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of abnormal fibrinogenemia. Methods On July 30, 2018, one case of patient with abnormal fibrinogenemia who was admitted at First People′s Hospital of Zigong was selected as the research subject. The patient was female, and 52 years old. The tests of pure tone audiometry, coagulation function were performed in this patient. And FGA, FGB and FGG genes of patients were sequenced. Patient was diagnosed and treated based on her clinical manifestations, laboratory test results. Follow-up was conducted until August 2019. Retrospective analysis method was used to collect the clinical data of this patient, and to analyze her clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment process. In addition, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, PubMed database were searched for the same case reports as the patient′s genetic mutation. The retrieval time is from the database inception to December 31, 2018. This article summarizes types of genetic mutations related to this patient with abnormal fibrinogenemia, patients′ bleeding and thrombotic symptoms, and so on. This study meets the requirements of the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki revised in 2013. Results ① On July 30, 2018, the patient was admitted to Department of Otorhinolaryngology of First People′s Hospital of Zigong due to left hearing loss for 1+ months . The patient complained of tinnitus, dizziness, low back pain, no oral cavity and gingival bleeding, no subcutaneous petechiae and ecchymosis, no hemoptysis, no abdominal pain and diarrhea, no black stools, etc.. The patient was in good health, and there was no history of bleeding and thrombosis in the first and second degree relatives of the family. ② After the patient was admitted, pure tone audiometry showed that moderate-severe sensorineural hearing loss of the left ear. Results of coagulation function test showed that prothrombin time (PT) was 11.3 s, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was 23.4 s, thrombin time (TT) was 48.4 s, and fibrinogen value was 0.31 g/L. ③ Sequencing results of the FGA gene of this patient showed that c. 104G>A (p.Arg35His) missense mutation in exon 2 and c. 16A>G (p.Ile6Val) missense mutation in exon 1, and all were heterozygous mutations. ④ The patient was diagnosed with abnormal fibrinogenemia and left sensorineural hearing loss. Given that the patient and family members had no history of bleeding and thrombotic diseases, the patient had no oral and gum bleeding; no subcutaneous petechiae, ecchymosis, hematemesis, hemoptysis; no bleeding tendency such as melena, the patient was not given special treatment such as fibrinogen infusion, but only clinical observation. At end of follow-up, general condition of the patient was good. ⑤ The results of literature review showed that patients of abnormal fibrinogenemia with c. 104G>A (p.Arg35His) heterozygous mutation in exon 2 and c. 16A>G (p.Ile6Val) heterozygous mutation in exon 1 of FGA gene, which were the same mutations of the patient in this study, were 23 and 1 cases, respectively. Among them, only 2 patients with c. 104G>A (p.Arg35His) heterozygous mutation in exon 1 of FGA gene showed bleeding and thrombosis symptoms. Conclusions Abnormal fibrinogenemia has a variety of clinical manifestations. Some patients manifest as without any clinical symptoms, but others can also manifest as bleeding or thrombosis. The diagnosis of the disease is mainly based on its family history, clinical manifestations, abnormal results of blood coagulation tests, identification of genetic mutations, and adheres to the principle of individualization. No special treatment is required for asymptomatic abnormal fibrinogenemia patients without a history and family history of bleeding and thrombosis. Key words: Fibrinogens, abnormal; Mutation; Fibrinogen; Hemorrhage; Thrombosis; Abnormal fibrinogenemia

An Unusual Cause of Dysphagia

An Unusual Cause of Dysphagia

The prescription of direct oral anticoagulants in the elderly: An observational study of 19 798 Ambulatory subjects

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly prescribed to elderly people, but the epidemiologic data for this population remains scarce. We compared the elderly population taking DOACs and those not taking DOACs (noDOAC). We included individuals over 75years old, affiliated to Mutualité Sociale Agricole of Burgundy (a French regional health insurance agency), who had been refunded for a prescribed DOAC between 1st and 30th September 2017. The DAOC group (DAOCG) and noDOAC group (noDOACG) were compared in terms of demographic conditions, registered chronic diseases (RCD), and number and types of prescribed drugs. In the DOACG, we compared the type of prescribing physician and laboratory monitoring for novel prescriptions (initial) and prescription refills (≥ 3months). Of the 19798 included patients, 1518 (7.7%) were prescribed DAOCs and 18280 (92.3%) were not. Mean and median age was 85years in the 2 groups (DOACG and noDOACG). In the DOACG, there were more men (50% vs 40.2%), more RCD (88.9% vs 68.7%) and more drugs per prescription (6±2.8 vs 5±2.9) (All P<.01). The DOACG also took more antihypertensive drugs. The most commonly prescribed DOACs were apixaban (42.9%) followed by rivaroxaban (38.4%) and dabigatran (18.6%). Complete blood count, serum creatinine and coagulation function tests were requested for 69.4%, 75% and 22.2%, respectively, of patients prescribed DAOCs. The DOACG had more RCD and drugs per prescription than the noDOACG; routine laboratory monitoring was insufficient. What's known Platelet aggregation inhibitors (low-dose) are recommended for secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in patients suffering from symptomatic atherosclerosis. The main risk of this treatment is bleeding. What's new A prescription for platelet aggregation inhibitors was found in 34% of geriatric inpatients in this prospective study. Compliance to guidelines was better for symptomatic peripheral artery disease than for primary prevention in accordance with recent publications. Geriatric comorbidities had no impact on the prescription of platelet aggregation inhibitors. Underuse of platelet aggregation inhibitors was observed in 11.3% of cases and overuse in 13.7% of cases.

Unexplained liver dysfunction in a young Chinese man with eosinophilia

A 37-year-old man complained of a 7 months’ history of yellowish skin and sclera accompanied by fatigue, pruritus and dry mouth, with a history of subcutaneous masses on his elbow....