Combined effect of octreotide and Dachaihu decoction on treatment of severe acute pancreatitis

AIM: To investigate the combined effect of octreotide and Dachaihu decoction on the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis(SAP). METHODS: Wistar rats(n=50) were randomly divided into sham group, SAP group, octreotide group, Dachaihu decoction group and combination group. The quantity of ascites was measured. The levels of amylase, alanine aminotransferase and creatinine in the serum were examined. The morphological changes of the pancreatic tissues were observed by HE staining. The activation of NF-κB and IκBα expression were determined by Western blot. The mRNA expression with ICAM-1 and IL-1 was detected by qPCR.RESULTS: Combined treatment with octreotide and Dachaihu decoction effectively reduced the quantity of ascites and the levels of amylase, alanine aminotransferase and creatinine in the serum in SAP rats. Moreover, combined treatment significantly inhibited SAP-induced activation of NF-κB and decrease in IκBα protein expression, accompanied by a decrease in ICAM-1 and IL-1 mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Combination of octreotide with Dachaihu decoction effectively attenuates SAP by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway and ICAM-1 and IL-1 expression.     

Euthyroid sick syndrome in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy before treatment with anticonvulsant drugs

Euthyroid sick syndrome is a common finding in dogs and is attributable to nonthyroidal illness or treatment with any of a variety of drugs such as phenobarbital. In dogs with epilepsy, treatment with anticonvulsant drugs can lead to subnormal plasma thyroid hormone concentrations despite normal thyroid function. One-hundred thirteen dogs with seizure activity were retrospectively evaluated to determine the influence of idiopathic epilepsy (IE) on thyroid hormone concentrations. Blood samples were taken from 60 dogs with IE before initiation of anticonvulsant therapy. Control groups consisted of 34 dogs with IE and receiving anticonvulsants and 19 dogs with secondary epilepsy. Thyroid concentrations consistent with euthyroid sick syndrome were diagnosed in 38% of dogs with untreated IE without clinical signs of hypothyroidism or concomitant diseases. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.363, P = .01) between seizure frequency and plasma thyroid hormone concentrations: the longer the interval between 2 seizure events, the higher the serum total thyroxine concentration. There was no correlation between the degree of alteration of thyroid hormone concentrations and the time span between the most recent seizure event and blood collection, the type of the most recent seizure event, the duration of the complete seizure history, or the predominant seizure type. These results suggest that IE can be a reason for euthyroid sick syndrome in dogs. The effect of phenobarbital on plasma thyroid hormone concentrations must be investigated in future studies, as it might be less pronounced than expected.     

Influence of Isoflurane General Anesthesia or Anesthesia and Surgery on Thyroid Function Tests in Dogs

Background: Anesthesia and surgery affect thyroid function tests in humans but have not been studied in dogs. Hypothesis: Anesthesia and anesthesia with surgery will affect thyroid function tests in dogs. Animals: Fifteen euthyroid dogs. Methods: Prospective, controlled, interventional study. Dogs were assigned to one of 3 groups: control, general anesthesia, and general anesthesia plus abdominal exploratory surgery. Dogs in the anesthesia and surgery groups were premedicated with acepromazine and morphine, induced with propofol, and maintained on isoflurane. Samples for measurement of serum thyroxine (T₄), free T₄ (fT₄) by equilibrium dialysis, triiodothyronine (T₃), reverse T₃ (rT₃), and thyroid‐stimulating hormone concentrations were collected from each dog immediately before premedication, at multiple times during anesthesia, surgery, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours after anesthesia, once daily for an additional 5 days, and once 14 days after anesthesia. Sampling was performed at identical times in the control group. Results: Serum T₄ decreased significantly from baseline in the surgery and anesthesia groups compared with the control group at 0.33 (P= 0.043) and 1 hour (P= 0.018), and 2 (P= 0.031) and 4 hours (P= 0.037), respectively, then increased significantly in the surgery group compared with the control group at 24 hours (P= 0.005). Serum T₃ decreased significantly from baseline in the anesthesia group compared with the control group at 1 hour (P= 0.034). Serum rT₃ increased significantly from baseline in the surgery group compared with the control and anesthesia groups at 8 (P= 0.026) and 24 hours (P= 0.0001) and anesthesia group at 8, 12, 24, and 36 hours (P= 0.004, P= 0.016, P= 0.004, and P= 0.014, respectively). Serum fT₄ increased significantly from baseline in the surgery group compared to the control at 24 hours (P= 0.006) and at day 7 (P= 0.037) and anesthesia group at 48 hours (P= 0.023). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Surgery and anesthesia have a significant effect on thyroid function tests in dogs.     

Detection of serum MDA,NO and INOS in patients with SARS andits clinical significance

AIM: To observe free radicals (MDA, NO) and iNOS of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to explore its significance. METHODS: MDA, NO₂^-/NO₃^- and iNOS were determined in SARS patients during the early, recovery and follow-up stage, front doctors and nurses (contact group) and health people (health control). RESULTS: The level of MDA during first stage was higher than that of recovery stage and the MDA level of recovery stage was higher than that of follow-up stage, contact group, and health control group (P<0.01). The content of NO₂^-/NO₃^- during early stage was higher than that of other groups, and the NO₂^-/NO₃^- contents of recovery stage, follow-up stage were higher than that of contact group and health control group (P<0.01), respectively. The mean of iNOS during early stage was highest than that of other stages (P<0.01) and the mean of recovery stage was higher than that of contact group (P<0.05), there were no difference in iNOS activity among any other groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The pathological injury in pathogenesis of SARS is related to free radicals.