Objective.To evaluate the utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) compared with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in assessing vessel inflammation of Takayasu arteritis (TA).Methods.This is a retrospective analysis of 71 patients with TA who had undergone carotid CEUS. Twenty-two of 71 patients underwent FDG-PET after CEUS. Clinical disease activity was assessed by Kerr criteria and the Indian Takayasu Clinical Activity Score 2010 (ITAS2010). We investigated the correlation between carotid vascularization on CEUS and clinical data. The consistency of carotid CEUS and PET data has been analyzed for TA disease activity.Results.There was a statistically significant correlation between the results of CEUS and ITAS2010 (p = 0.004) or Kerr criteria (p < 0.001). According to ITAS2010, thirty-four of 71 patients with TA were clinically inactive. Assessment of 34 TA patients with clinically inactive disease yielded 11 CEUS scans that showed active lesions (visual grade ≥ 2) in the left or right carotid artery. In 22 cases that underwent CEUS and FDG-PET, 12 were active and 10 were inactive on the basis of ITAS2010. Moreover, bilateral carotid CEUS vascularization score positively correlated with vascular FDG uptake in these patients with TA (p = 0.004). When vascular inflammation was defined as FDG uptake with visual grade ≥ 2, carotid CEUS showed sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 80%.Conclusion.For TA patients with clinically inactive disease, CEUS could help clinicians to identify active lesions in the carotid vascular region. Carotid CEUS may be a rapid and cost-effective imaging tool in the followup of patients with TA.

Objective: To explore the expression and significance of CD28, ctla-4, CD80 and CD86 in ankylosing spondylitis. Methods: Flow cytometry was used to test in January 2016-January 2017 in our hospital was 73 cases of ankylosing spondylitis patients and 40 normal controls CD28, CTLA 4, CD80 and CD86 weeks outside expression in lymphocytes. By ELISA method, the lgA serum immunoglobulin IgG, IgM and hypersensitive c-reactive protein (hs CRP) and blood sedimentation (ESR) levels, and to explore, CD80, CD86 and CD28, CTLA-4, age, duration of the hs CRP, ESR, Bath AS functional index (BASFI) and Bath AS measurement index (BASMI) relevance. Results: The levels of CD28, ctla-4, CD80 and CD86 were significantly higher in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (P<0.05). The levels of IgG and IgA in patients with ankylosing spondylitis were higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The CD28 level of peripheral blood was positively correlated with ESR and BASFI index (P<0.05), which was negatively correlated with hs-crp and BASMI index (P<0.05). The ctla-4 has negative correlation with ESR, hs-crp and BASMI index (P<0.05), and has no relationship with the BASFI index. CD80 was negatively correlated with ESR, BASFI index and BASMI index (P<0.05), and had no relationship with hs-crp. CD80 has positive correlation with hs-crp and BASMI index (P<0.05), which has no relation with ESR and BASFI index. Conclusion: The patients with ankylosing spondylitis is a total stimulus molecular CD28, CTLA 4, higher CD80, CD86 clear expression, the body is in a state of immune activation, has close relationship with immune dysfunction, monitoring peripheral CD28, CTLA 4, CD80, CD86 level is helpful for the early detection of disease, determine the illness treatment strategy.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Tongxuekang capsule in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Single-centred, open self-control methods before and after administration were performed in different time length of 14 days, 28 days, 56 days and 84 days to observe for improvement by evaluating knee joint pain scores, WOMAC scores, and doctors and patients' scores on the overall condition of the disease before and after treatment. Results: A total of 34 patients with primary knee osteoarthritis from October 2016 to September 2017 were enrolled in Xijing Hospital. There were 7 males and 27 females with an average age of 54 years and an average body mass index of 25 kg/m2. Joint pain scores, WOMAC scores, and doctors' and patients' overall scores for the disease were significantly improved compared to prior treatment, with no significant adverse reactions in all patients. Conclusion: Tongxuekang capsule is safe and effective in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis and thus, can be used as a treatment option. In order to conduct further studies on the effectiveness and safety of consumption with the use of the capsule in a larger population, an increase in the sample size of the current study is necessary.