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Plasma Cathepsin S and Cathepsin S/Cystatin C Ratios Are Potential Biomarkers for COPD
Purpose. This study aimed to examine whether plasma levels of cathepsin S or its inhibitor, cystatin C, may serve as biomarkers for COPD. Patients and Methods. We measured anthropometrics and performed pulmonary function tests and chest CT scans on 94 patients with COPD and 31 subjects with productive cough but no airflow obstruction (“at risk”; AR). In these subjects and in 52 healthy nonsmokers (NS) and 66 healthy smokers (HS) we measured plasma concentrations of cathepsin S and cystatin C using an ELISA. Data were analyzed using simple and logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results. Cathepsin S and cystatin C plasma levels were significantly higher in the COPD and AR groups than in the NS and HS groups (p < 0.01). Among the COPD patients and AR subjects, plasma cathepsin S levels and cathepsin S/cystatin C ratios, but not cystatin C levels, were negatively related to severe airflow limitation (% FEV1 predicted < 50%; p = 0.005) and severe emphysema as assessed by low attenuation area (LAA) score on chest CT scans (LAA ≥ 8.0; p = 0.001). Conclusion. Plasma cathepsin S and cathepsin S/cystatin C ratios may serve as potential biomarkers for COPD
トウニョウビョウ ケア ノ リスク マネージメント
The number of diabetics has been increasing in recent years. The diabetics are under varioustreatments, including the improvement of life habit and the medication for diabetes with insulin.Our hospital set a team of diabetic care, which is composed of a diabetic specialist, certified diabeteseducators(CDEs), nurses, dietricians and pharmacists. This team takes great care of the diabetics.For medical safety measures, the department of risk management was organized in our hospital.The department investigated the cases of Hiyari-Hatto within 1 year and 3 months, from 2005to 2006, and found that 3% of them was the diabetic case, which was caused by the nurses exceptCDEs. Therefore the department made the manual of diabetic therapy in cooperation with theCDEs. All the staffs in our hospital were educated by the seminars according to the manual. Theknowledge about the diabetic therapy proved to be mostly accurate one year after the last seminar.For the improvement of medical safety, the department of risk management helps the CDEswith holding the educational seminars by giving the informations after analyzing the cases of Hiyari-Hatto and the questionnaires following the seminars