Rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury: clinical characteristics and intensive care unit transfer analysis.

Background: Information on rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) in the emergency department or general ward is limited.

Aim: To assess the risk factors, outcomes and clinical correlates with intensive care unit (ICU) transfer of patients with rhabdomyolysis-associated AKI.

Methods: Patients with rhabdomyolysis were divided into the rhabdomyolysis-associated AKI group and the rhabdomyolysis without AKI group.

[Analysis on regional homogeneity of resting brain during balance acupuncture-induced analgesic effect in migraine patients without aura].

Objective: To observe the relationship between the analgesic effect of balance acupuncture and functional changes in brain in patients with migraine without aura.

Methods: A total of 40 cases of migraine without aura were equally randomized into a headache-acupoint group and a sham-acupoint group. When acupuncture given, a filiform needle was inserted into the headache-acupoint (the midpoint of the depression region anterior to the juncture of the first and second metatarsal bones on the dorsum of the foot) or the sham point (the midpoint of the depression region anterior to the juncture site between the 3 and 4 metatarsal joints of the dorsum of the foot) about 25-40 mm deep and manipulated for a while till the patient experienced feelings of electric shock and numbness, then withdrawn immediately.

Recurrent gain-of-function USP8 mutations in Cushing's disease.

Cushing's disease, also known as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenomas (PAs) that cause excess cortisol production, accounts for up to 85% of corticotrophin-dependent Cushing's syndrome cases. However, the genetic alterations in this disease are unclear. Here, we performed whole-exome sequencing of DNA derived from 12 ACTH-secreting PAs and matched blood samples, which revealed three types of somatic mutations in a candidate gene, USP8 (encoding ubiquitin-specific protease 8), exclusively in exon 14 in 8 of 12 ACTH-secreting PAs.

[An instant pain-relief effect of balance acupuncture for relieving sore throat in acute pharyngitis patients].

Objective: To observe the instant effect of "Balance Acupuncture" in relieving sore throat in patients with acute pharyngitis.

Methods: A total of 74 acute pharyngitis patients with sore throat were randomly assigned to treatment group (Balance Acupuncture, n = 36) and placebo acupuncture group (sham acupoint, n = 38). Patients of the Balance Acupuncture group were treated by acupuncture stimulation of bilateral "Yantong" (sore throat) point (the mid-point of the second metacarpal bone on the radial side) and those of the sham acupoint group were treated by acupuncture stimulation of the sham point (the site 1 cm lateral to the mid-point between the ulnar endpoint of the cubic transverse striation and that of the wrist-palm transverse striation).

A preliminary study on the medical expenditure of Chinese medicine and integrative medicine treatment for influenza A (H1N1) in the fever clinics.

Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of Chinese medicine and integrated Chinese and Western medicine for influenza A (H1N1) in the fever clinics and its relevant expenditure.

Methods: A prospective survey on the clinical epidemic observation and follow-up was conducted from July 2009 to October 2009 with a self-developed questionnaire whose contents including the clinical data of the confirmed 149 H1N1 cases and their relevant therapeutic expenditure. The patients were assigned to the Chinese medicine group (22 cases treated by Chinese medicine alone) and integrative medicine group (124 cases treated by both Chinese medicine and Western medicine).