Background Elevated homocysteine （Hcy） has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular events in atrial fibrillation （AF） pa- tients, while the age-related expression pattern of plasma Hcy in AF remains unk...Background Elevated homocysteine （Hcy） has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular events in atrial fibrillation （AF） pa- tients, while the age-related expression pattern of plasma Hcy in AF remains unknown. The study was aimed to investigate the effect of ad- vanced age on plasma Hcy levels and its association with ischemic stroke in non-valvular AF patients. Methods A total of 2562 consecu- tive patients with non-valvular AF and 535 controls were enrolled and divided into six age groups. Plasma Hcy levels were analyzed among different age groups, and the effect of advanced age on Hcy was investigated. Results Plasma Hcy levels did not show any difference among groups aged below 65 years, while it increased sharply in patients aged 65-74 years and aged over 75 years （15.7 ±4.6 μmol/L, 17.1 ±4.9 μmol/L, both P 〈 0.01 compared with the first four age groups）. Hcy was much higher in AF patients than in controls at the same age group （all P 〈 0.05）. The proportion of patients with hyperhomocysteinemia increased gradually with age from 32.3%, 29.2%, 31.2%, 32.4%, 45.9%, to 51.4% in six age groups. The concentration of Hcy in AF patients with ischemic stroke increased progressively with age, and was higher than those without stroke at the same age. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age 65-74 years [odds ratios （OR）： 1.742, 95% confidence interval （CI）： 1.223-2.482, P = 0.002] and age ≥ 75 years （OR： 2.637, 95% CI： 1.605-4.335, P 〈 0.001） were significantly independent predictors of elevated plasma Hcy levels. Conclusions Advanced age was significantly associated with elevated Hcy levels, which may provide a possible explanation for the progressive increase in ischemic stroke especially in elderly AF patients.展开更多
Objective To evaluate the current cornea donation awareness of tissue donors in the city of Nanjing, China Methods Altogether 2000 registered tissue donors in the Red Cross Eye Bank of Nanjing by the end of 2010 and ...Objective To evaluate the current cornea donation awareness of tissue donors in the city of Nanjing, China Methods Altogether 2000 registered tissue donors in the Red Cross Eye Bank of Nanjing by the end of 2010 and 2000 control residents of Nanjing in February to June 2011 were randomly selected to par- ticipate in our field questionnaire survey. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding the understand- ing of cornea donation, the attitude toward cornea donation, and attitude toward legislation and free dona- tion. The awareness of cornea donation between the registered tissue donors and residents was compared. Related factors of the willingness to donate corneas and to become a tissue donor were evaluated with uni- variate and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 1867 （response rate： 93.4%） tissue donors and 1796 （response rate： 89.8%; ef- fective questionnaires： 1697） residents participated in this survey. For the questions about the knowledge of cornea donation, 90.3% tissue donors （residents： 78.9%） knew that donated corneas could be used for transplantations; 71.2% tissue donors （residents： 47.6%） knew that the appearance would not be destroyed after cornea donation; 70.7% tissue donors （residents： 20.0%） knew the formalities to become a cornea do- nor. For attitude toward cornea donation, 82.2% tissue donors （residents： 45.1%） were willing to donate corneas or eyeballs after death; 84.0% tissue donors （residents： 30.2%） had discussed with their families about donation; 85.1% tissue donors （residents： 24.8%） supported their families＇ or friends＇ cornea donation For attitude toward legislation and free donation, 88.3% tissue donors （residents： 61.3%） approved of legis- lation to regular cornea donation; 72.2% tissue donors （residents： 38.8%） thought that cornea or organ do- nation should be gratis. The difference between two groups was significant （P〈0.001）. However, some tissue donors did not know cornea donation well, some even opposed the legislation of cornea donation and free donation protocol. For the factors influencing the willingness to donate corneas, population was the mostrelevant factor （P〈0.O01）, since tissue donors were more willing to donate corneas than residents. Other significantly related factor were age, gender, occupation, and education level （P〈0.001 ）, while political status or religion were not significant. For the factors related to becoming a tissue donor, older age, male, white-collars （including white-collar, civil servant, teacher, soldier, lawyer, salesman, healthcare provider）, higher education level, party members （including the Chinese Communist Party members, democratic party members, and the CommunistYouth League members） （P〈0.05）. Conclusions The registered tissue donors have better understanding and more positive attitude to- wards cornea donation than control residents do. They approve of the legislation of cornea donation and free donation protocol. It may be more effective to target the population of over 58 years old, male, white-collars, well-educated people, and party members in the promotion of cornea donation.展开更多
基金This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 81670294, 81200141） Beijing Novel Program （No. 2011081, Z131103000413116）.
文摘Background Elevated homocysteine （Hcy） has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular events in atrial fibrillation （AF） pa- tients, while the age-related expression pattern of plasma Hcy in AF remains unknown. The study was aimed to investigate the effect of ad- vanced age on plasma Hcy levels and its association with ischemic stroke in non-valvular AF patients. Methods A total of 2562 consecu- tive patients with non-valvular AF and 535 controls were enrolled and divided into six age groups. Plasma Hcy levels were analyzed among different age groups, and the effect of advanced age on Hcy was investigated. Results Plasma Hcy levels did not show any difference among groups aged below 65 years, while it increased sharply in patients aged 65-74 years and aged over 75 years （15.7 ±4.6 μmol/L, 17.1 ±4.9 μmol/L, both P 〈 0.01 compared with the first four age groups）. Hcy was much higher in AF patients than in controls at the same age group （all P 〈 0.05）. The proportion of patients with hyperhomocysteinemia increased gradually with age from 32.3%, 29.2%, 31.2%, 32.4%, 45.9%, to 51.4% in six age groups. The concentration of Hcy in AF patients with ischemic stroke increased progressively with age, and was higher than those without stroke at the same age. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age 65-74 years [odds ratios （OR）： 1.742, 95% confidence interval （CI）： 1.223-2.482, P = 0.002] and age ≥ 75 years （OR： 2.637, 95% CI： 1.605-4.335, P 〈 0.001） were significantly independent predictors of elevated plasma Hcy levels. Conclusions Advanced age was significantly associated with elevated Hcy levels, which may provide a possible explanation for the progressive increase in ischemic stroke especially in elderly AF patients.
基金Supported by the Key Medical Science and Technology Development Projects of Nanjing City (ZKX08009)
文摘Objective To evaluate the current cornea donation awareness of tissue donors in the city of Nanjing, China Methods Altogether 2000 registered tissue donors in the Red Cross Eye Bank of Nanjing by the end of 2010 and 2000 control residents of Nanjing in February to June 2011 were randomly selected to par- ticipate in our field questionnaire survey. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding the understand- ing of cornea donation, the attitude toward cornea donation, and attitude toward legislation and free dona- tion. The awareness of cornea donation between the registered tissue donors and residents was compared. Related factors of the willingness to donate corneas and to become a tissue donor were evaluated with uni- variate and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 1867 （response rate： 93.4%） tissue donors and 1796 （response rate： 89.8%; ef- fective questionnaires： 1697） residents participated in this survey. For the questions about the knowledge of cornea donation, 90.3% tissue donors （residents： 78.9%） knew that donated corneas could be used for transplantations; 71.2% tissue donors （residents： 47.6%） knew that the appearance would not be destroyed after cornea donation; 70.7% tissue donors （residents： 20.0%） knew the formalities to become a cornea do- nor. For attitude toward cornea donation, 82.2% tissue donors （residents： 45.1%） were willing to donate corneas or eyeballs after death; 84.0% tissue donors （residents： 30.2%） had discussed with their families about donation; 85.1% tissue donors （residents： 24.8%） supported their families＇ or friends＇ cornea donation For attitude toward legislation and free donation, 88.3% tissue donors （residents： 61.3%） approved of legis- lation to regular cornea donation; 72.2% tissue donors （residents： 38.8%） thought that cornea or organ do- nation should be gratis. The difference between two groups was significant （P〈0.001）. However, some tissue donors did not know cornea donation well, some even opposed the legislation of cornea donation and free donation protocol. For the factors influencing the willingness to donate corneas, population was the mostrelevant factor （P〈0.O01）, since tissue donors were more willing to donate corneas than residents. Other significantly related factor were age, gender, occupation, and education level （P〈0.001 ）, while political status or religion were not significant. For the factors related to becoming a tissue donor, older age, male, white-collars （including white-collar, civil servant, teacher, soldier, lawyer, salesman, healthcare provider）, higher education level, party members （including the Chinese Communist Party members, democratic party members, and the CommunistYouth League members） （P〈0.05）. Conclusions The registered tissue donors have better understanding and more positive attitude to- wards cornea donation than control residents do. They approve of the legislation of cornea donation and free donation protocol. It may be more effective to target the population of over 58 years old, male, white-collars, well-educated people, and party members in the promotion of cornea donation.
