Introduction: The aim of our study was to investigate the relative efficiency and adverse effects of various treatments of steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) in children, and to determine factors associated with relapse risk in these patients. Materials and Method: We retrospectively studied the data from 690 SSNS children treated in referral center over 25 years. The analyzed treatmen...

The anti-inflammatory effects of the new steroidal antedrug, 21-acetyloxy-9α-fluoro-11β-hydroxyl-3, 20-dioxo-1, 4-pregnadieno-[16α, 17α-d] isoxazoline (FP-ISO-21AC), on nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) production, were investigated together with its parent steroid prednisolone (PRED). PRED is one of the anti-inflammatory steroids but has systemic side effects which limit the use of it...

Disturbances of lipid metabolism are frequently encountered after renal transplantation and have been ascribed to the use of cyclosporine (CsA) and corticosteroids, but the individual contribution of each of these drugs remains uncertain. The individual effects of CsA and prednisone (Pred) on serum lipid and (apo)lipoprotein levels were compared in a prospective randomized trial. All patients r...

We aimed to compare impulse oscillation system (IOS) and traditional pulmonary function tests (PFTs) for the assessment of the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and to assess the use of IOS parameters to identify patients who were forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)%pred < 50%.Patients with COPD (n = 215) were enrolled at the Ninth Hospital of Xi'an Affiliated Ho...

Severe chronic congestive heart failure (CCHF) is known to induce a restrictive ventilatory defect, with a small decrease in lung transfer factor for carbon monoxide (TLCO). The aim of the present work was to assess the reversibility of this dysfunction. We studied a group of 47 patients with CCHF, before and one year after heart transplantation. The measurements included static and dynamic lun...

The British Thoracic Society and American College of Chest Physician guidelines outline criteria for investigating patients for lung cancer surgery. However, the guidelines are based on relatively old studies. Therefore, the relationship between pulmonary function test results and surgical outcome were studied prospectively in a large cohort of lung cancer patients. From January 2001 to Decembe...

This study evaluated small airway dysfunction and emphysematous destruction of lung parenchyma in cigarette smokers, using chest expiratory high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (PFT). The degree of emphysematous destruction was classified by visual scoring (VS) and the average HRCT number at full expiration/full inspiration (E/I ratio) calculated in 63 male sm...

Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) has a structure similar to heparan sulfate, which exerts anti‑inflammatory effects via inhibiting elastase (Ela) activity. Release of Ela along the glomerular capillary wall may induce glomerular injury and proteinuria. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of LMWH on steroid‑sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) and the potential underlying mech...