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Objectives: The study aimed to explore the association of sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Method: Skeletal muscle mass, serum 25(OH)D levels, and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed., Results: The prevalence of OP, sarcopenia, and vitamin D deficiency in RA patients was significantly higher than in controls (all P < 0.001). The percentage of GC use was 56.9%, and the prevalence of GIOP was 38.1% in 480 RA patients. The prevalence of OP in RA patients without sarcopenia was lower than that in RA patients with sarcopenia (P < 0.05). In RA patients with and without GC, the prevalence of OP in patients without sarcopenia was significantly lower than that in patients with sarcopenia (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05). Female sex (OR = 54.737; 95% CI: 7.103-421.809; P < 0.0001), age (OR = 1.078; 95% CI: 1.048-1.110; P < 0.0001), sarcopenia, and vitamin D deficiency (OR = 2.250; 95% CI: 1.246-64.065; P = 0.007) were risk factors for GIOP in RA patients., Conclusions: GIOP is associated with sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency and is widespread among Chinese patients with RA. Key points ·Percentage of using GC and the prevalence of OP were all high in Chinese patients with RA. ·GIOP was widely existed in Chinese RA patients, which was associated with sarcoprnia and vitamin D deficiency., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

Objectives: To explore the synergistic effect of vitamin D deficiency and sarcopenia on vertebral osteoporostic fracture (VF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: A total of 188 patients with RA and 158 control subjects were enrolled. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the total hip, neck of femur, lumbar vertebra 1-4, and skeletal muscle mass was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and biological electrical impedance, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D was tested by electrochemiluminescence. The prevalence of VF and osteoporosis (OP) were compared between RA and controls. The synergism of sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency on VF in patients with RA was tested by χ 2 test and logistic regression., Results: The prevalence of OP at all measured sites and VF in RA patients were all higher than those in controls (P < 0.0001). The incidence of VF in RA either with sarcopenia or with vitamin D deficiency was higher than for those without sarcopenia or without vitamin D deficiency (χ 2  = 5.069, P = 0.027, χ 2  = 8.822, P = 0.001). Age, disease duration, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), DAS28, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), Sharp score, and body mass index (BMI) were significantly different between RA with sarcopenia or not (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis found that age (OR = 1.095, 95%, CI: 1.044-1.150, P < 0.0001) was a significant risk factor for VF in patients with RA, while high skeletal muscle mass (SMI) (OR = 0.513, 95% CI: 0.327-0.804, P = 0.004) was a protective factor for VF in RA patients., Conclusions: VF, sarcopenia, and vitamin D deficiency are common in patients with RA. Sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency may be risk factors for the incidence of VF in RA patients., Key Points: • RA patients had a higher incidence of OP and VF, also a high prevalence of sarcopenia and vitamin D deficiency. • Vitamin D deficiency and sarcopenia may might have a synergistic effect on VF in RA. • Aging and sarcopenia are risk factors for VF in RA patients, and sarcopenia were associated with disease activity and structural damage., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

Objective: To investigate the rate of subclinical inflammation in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)/anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α drug-induced clinical remission and to explore factors influencing clinical and imaging remission., Methods: One hundred twenty-five patients with axSpA followed up for at least 6 months were enrolled in this prospective study and randomly divided into two groups. Ninety patients were treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α or anti-TNF-α combined with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (anti-TNF-α treatment group), and thirty-five patients were treated with only NSAIDs (non anti-TNF-α treatment group). The improvements in the clinical remission rate, imaging remission rate, and disease parameters before and after the different treatments were compared. Risk factors for clinical and imaging remission were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis., Results: The clinical and imaging remission rate was increased after treatment especially in the anti-TNF-α group (P < 0.001). The remission rate of imaging in the group with clinical remission was higher than that in the group with clinical non-remission (P < 0.05). After treatment, the remission rates of imaging in the clinical remission and non-remission group were significantly higher than those before treatment (P < 0.0001). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher CRP was a risk factor for failure of clinical remission in axSpA (OR = 2.034, 95% CI:1.595 ~ 2.617, P < 0.001), while higher ASDAScrp was a risk factor for failure of imaging remission (OR = 1.306, 95% CI:1.026 ~ 1.688, P < 0.05). Anti-TNF-α treatment was a protective factor for both clinical (OR = 0.234, 95% CI:0.091 ~ 0.605, P < 0.05) and imaging remission (OR = 0.511, 95% CI:0.286 ~ 0.914, P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Even after regular treatment, some clinical remission patients continued to have evidence of subclinical inflammation. Higher CRP and ASDAScrp are risk factors for clinical and imaging non-remission in axSpA respectively, Continuous NSAID treatment (more than 1 year) can effectively improve clinical and MRI inflammation in patients, but anti-TNF-α treatment is more beneficial for clinical and imaging remission. Key Points • Some patients achieving ASDAScrp remission status continue to have inflammation when assessed with objective imaging techniques. • MRI can sensitively measure bone marrow inflammation and may provide a more accurate assessment of remission. • Controlling inflammation, especially reducing CRP and ASDAScrp levels, is a key factor for achieving clinical and imaging remission in patients with axSpA., (© 2021. International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had higher incidences of sarcopenia, falls, osteoporosis, and vertebral osteoporotic fractures (VOPF). Sarcopenia was associated with longer disease duration, higher disease activity, and more severe RA. The interactive effect of sarcopenia and falls was associated with a higher risk of VOPF in patients with RA., Purpose: Whether sarcopenia and falls are a risk factor for vertebral fracture in RA patients has not been demonstrated. This study aimed to explore the incidence of vertebral osteoporotic fracture (VOPF) and its relationship with sarcopenia and falls in RA patients., Methods: A total of 474 RA patients and 156 controls were enrolled in this study. Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray examinations of the vertebral column (T4-L4) were used for the semiquantitative assessment of VOPF. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Skeletal muscle mass was measured by direct segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (DSM-BIA method)., Results: RA patients had an increased risk of sarcopenia (62.4% vs 9.0%, x 2  = 47.478, P < 0.001), falls (30.2% vs 3.2%), osteoporosis (OP) (33.5% vs 12.8%, x 2  = 134.276, P < 0.001), and VOPF (20.3% vs 3.8%, x 2  = 47.478, P < 0.001) than controls. Patients with sarcopenia were more likely to have VOPF than RA without sarcopenia (24.0% vs 14.0%, x 2  = 6.802, P = 0.009). RA with sarcopenia and prior falls had the highest incidences of VOPF (36.7%). Older age (OR = 1.056, P < 0.001, 95% CI 1.030-1.083), falls (OR = 2.043, P = 0.003, 95% CI 1.238-3.371), OP (OR = 1.819, P = 0.034, 95% CI 1.046-3.163), and usage of glucocorticoids (GCs) (OR = 1.862, P = 0.022, 95% CI 1.093-3.172) were risk factors for VOPF in RA patients, while a higher skeletal muscle index (SMI) was a protective factor (OR = 0.754, P = 0.038, 95% CI 0.578-0.984) for VOPF in RA patients., Conclusions: The interactive effect of sarcopenia and falls is associated with a higher risk of VOPF in patients with RA., (© 2021. International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the synergistic effect of sarcopenia and poor balance on osteoporotic vertebral fracture (VOPF) in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: A total of 238 RA patients and 158 normal subjects were enrolled in the case-control study. Poor balance capability (Berg balance scale (BBS) score < 40) and sarcopenia (skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) <7.0 (male)/5.7 (female)) between RA patients and normal subjects were compared. Associations of poor balance capability or sarcopenia with disease activity, structural damage, and joint function in different groups were also investigated., Results: The incidence of sarcopenia in RA was 58.4%, significantly higher than that in controls (P<0.0001). Moreover, the percentages of low balance capacity (BBS<40) in RA were 43.7%, which was higher than that in controls (P<0.0001). The prevalence of VOPF in the case group was 19.3%, which was higher than that in the controls (P<0.0001). In the RA group, compared to RA patients without VOPF, RA patients with VOPF had higher percentages of poor balance and sarcopenia (P<0.05). Compared with RA patients without sarcopenia or good balance, RA patients with sarcopenia or poor balance had a higher incidence of VOPF, higher disease activity, severer structural damage, and worse joint function (P<0.05). The incidence of VOPF in patients combined with good balance and non-sarcopenia (4.8%) was significantly lower than that in patients combined with poor balance and sarcopenia (38.2%) (P<0.0001). Logistic regression indicated that higher SMI and higher BBS scores were protective factors for VOPF in RA patients, while age was a risk factor for VOPF in RA patients (P<0.0001)., Conclusion: Sarcopenia and poor balance are popular in Chinese patients with RA, and they are associated with disease activity and structural damage. There is a synergistic effect of sarcopenia and poor balance on VOPF in RA. Key Points • Sarcopenia and balance capability were popular (about a half) in patients with RA. • Sarcopenia and poor balance had a synergistic effect on VOPF in RA., (© 2021. International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

Objectives: To explore the associations of FKBP4 and FKBP5 gene polymorphisms with disease susceptibility, glucocorticoid (GC) efficacy, anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients., Methods: All subjects were collected from the First and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in Hefei, China, during 2011 to 2015. In the case-control study, 541 SLE patients and 543 controls were recruited. In the follow-up study, 466 patients completed the 12-week follow-up and then were divided into GC-sensitive and GC-insensitive groups. Genotyping was determined using Multiplex SNaPshot technique. Data were analyzed using chi-square test and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses., Results: rs4713904, rs9368878, and rs7757037 of FKBP5 were associated with depression in SLE patients (rs4713904, P BH  = 0.037; rs9368878, P BH  = 0.001; rs7757037, P BH  = 0.003). Moreover, rs4713904 was associated with GC efficacy in males with SLE (P BH  = 0.011). The rs755658 of FKBP5 was associated with improvement in social function (P BH  = 0.022) and mental component summary (P BH  = 0.028). The rs4713907 of FKBP5 was related to improvement in total score of SF-36, bodily pain, and mental component summary score (all P BH  = 0.018). Furthermore, the rs12582595 of FKBP4 was correlated with general health improvement (P BH  = 0.033). No associations were seen between FKBP4/FKBP5 gene polymorphisms and SLE susceptibility and anxiety., Conclusions: FKBP5 gene polymorphisms may be associated with depression and GC efficacy of SLE patients. Meanwhile, the genetic polymorphisms of FKBP4 and FKBP5 genes may be associated with HRQOL improvement in SLE patients. Key Points • FKBP5 gene polymorphisms were associated with depression of SLE patients. • FKBP5 gene polymorphisms were associated with GC efficacy of SLE patients. • FKBP5 gene polymorphisms were associated with HRQOL improvement in SLE patients. • FKBP4 gene polymorphisms were associated with HRQOL improvement in SLE patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship of serum hemoglobin (HB) level with disease activity and structural damage in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: A total of 890 RA patients and 890 normal subjects were enrolled in the case-control study. A HB threshold of< 110 g/L (women) and < 120 g/L (men) was used to determine anemia. All the patients were divided into three groups: non-anemia group (HB ≥ 120 g/L (male) or 110 g/L (female)), mild anemia group ((90 g/L < HB < lower limit of normal), and medium to severe anemia group (HB ≤ 90 g/L). Serum HB level and anemia prevalence between RA patients and normal subjects were compared. Associations of HB level with disease activity, structural damage, and function of joint in different groups were also investigated., Results: The average of HB level in RA was (109.08 ± 17.96)g/l, which was lower than that in controls (136.75 ± 14.57)g/l (P < 0.001). Anemia was observed in 47% of the RA patients, while prevalence of anemia in control group was only 4.4%. In RA group, percentages of non-anemia, mild anemia, and medium to severe anemia were 47%, 38%, and 15%. Compared with non-anemia RA patients, RA patients with anemia had higher disease activity, severer structural damage and worse function of joint (P < 0.001). With the increase of anemia, the disease activity, structural damage, and dysfunction of joints increased significantly (P < 0.05-0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that HB level was negatively correlated with disease activity parameters, degree of joint destruction, and function (P < 0.05-0.001). Logistic regression indicated that serum HB level was protective factors for disease activity and structural damage in RA (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: HB level was significantly related to disease activity and structural damage in RA patients.Key Points• Inflammatory anemia was popular (about a half) in patients with RA.• HB level was related to disease activity and structural damage in RA patients.

The authors regrets that the original published version of this article contained errors.

Objectives: To explore the prevalence and risk factors of osteoporosis (OP) and vertebral osteoporotic fracture (VOPF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray examination of the vertebral column (T4-L4) was used for the semi-quantitative assessment of VOPF. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry., Results: Of 865 RA patients, the prevalence of OP and VOPF was 33.6% and 20.2%, respectively. Patients with OP or VOPF were older, and had longer term use and a larger daily amount and cumulative dose of glucocorticoids (GCs), longer disease duration, and higher Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores and Sharp scores than patients without OP or VOPF (P < 0.05). OP was also correlated with higher disease activity. The patients treated with GCs had higher incidences of OP and VOPF than the patients without GCs (P < 0.05). The cutoff values in the area under curve (AUC) of the daily dose or treatment course of GCs-VOPF were 9 mg and 37.5 days. Older age, female sex, and a higher Sharp score were risk factors for OP in RA patients, while higher BMI was a protective factor. Older age and a high GC daily dose were risk factors for VOPF in RA patients., Conclusions: RA patients have a high prevalence of OP and VOPF. Older age, female sex, lower BMI, and higher activity and severity of RA are closely related with OP. Older age and a higher GC daily dose are risk factors for VOPF in RA patients. Key Points • Older age, female sex, lower BMI, and a higher Sharp score were risk factors for OP in RA patients. • Older age and a high GC daily dose were risk factors for VOPF in RA patients. • OP and VOPF in RA patients were correlated with longer disease duration and higher severity of RA.

To systematically evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of miRNAs as potential biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Studies were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and China Biology Medicine (CBM) disc database, and languages were limited in English and Chinese. QUADAS-2 tool was applied to assess the quality of eligible studies. Random-effect model was applied to calculate pooled effects of miRNAs on diagnosing SLE. Subgroup analysis was used to explore the sources of heterogeneity. All data were calculated and analyzed by Meta-Disc 1.4 and RevMan 5.3 software. Six eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of miRNAs were 0.75(95% CI 0.71-0.79), 0.72(95% CI 0.66-0.78), and 8.79(95% CI 4.91-15.73), respectively. The pooled positive likelihood ratio was 2.71(95% CI 2.20-3.33) and negative likelihood ratio was 0.34(95% CI 0.24-0.48). The area under the curve was 0.787. The subgroup analysis showed that the number of healthy controls might be the sources of heterogeneity. MiRNAs in blood have moderate accuracy and influence on diagnosing SLE, and the exact diagnostic value should be confirmed by further studies.

Usage of glucocorticoid (GC) is a strong risk factor of osteoporosis (OP) and osteoporotic fracture (OPF) in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Controlling GC daily dosage and shortening GC course are helpful in preventing glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) and OPF for Chinese patients with RA., Introduction: This study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of GIOP, and also identify influences of GC daily dosage and GC treatment course for GIOP in Chinese patients with RA., Methods: Seven hundred and ninety patients with RA and 158 normal subjects were enrolled in the study. Clinical and laboratory features and medications of GC were recorded in detail. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in all subjects., Results: BMD at all measured sites in RA was significantly lower than that in control group. Prevalence of OP was obviously higher in RA with GC group (41.6%), compared with RA without GC group (29.4%). Prevalence of OPF in group of RA with GC (21.0%) was higher than that in group of RA without GC (13.3%). Usage of GC, female, and age were risk factors for the occurrence of OP and OPF in RA, while body mass index (BMI) was the protective factor of OP. Prevalence of GIOP and OPF had statistical significance among groups of different treatment courses with GC, whereas no statistical difference was found among groups with different daily dosages of GC., Conclusions: GIOP exists generally in Chinese patients with RA, which relates to treatment course not daily dosage of GC. Usage of GC is also the risk factor for the happening of OPF in Chinese patients with RA.

Osteoporosis (OP) is one of the signs of bone damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The 14-3-3η protein is an inflammatory protein, which has been reported to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is to determine the serum levels of 14-3-3η protein, evaluate its diagnostic value in early RA, and clear out its significance in RA with secondary osteoporosis. Two hundred fifty-nine RA patients and 80 age and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Assays of serum 14-3-3η protein were done for all participants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to measure bone mineral density (BMD). Serum 14-3-3η protein level was significantly high in RA (2.49/4.72), compared with controls (P < 0.0001). Positive rate of 14-3-3η protein in RA was 97.3%, which was higher than that in controls (χ 2  = 276.641, P < 0.0001). Serum 14-3-3η protein level in early RA was significantly higher than that in established RA (3.91/4.82 vs 2.01/3.29, Z = 2.624, P < 0.05). The positive rate among three groups (normal control, early RA group, established RA group) differed from each other (χ 2  = 131.396, P < 0.0001). Results of ROC curve indicated the cutoff point of 14-3-3η protein for diagnosis of early RA was 0.879 ng/ml (P < 0.0001). Linear correlation analysis found that serum 14-3-3η protein positively correlated with VAS and HAQ (P < 0.0001), negatively correlated with BMD at lumbar spine and femur in RA (P < 0.0001). Serum 14-3-3η protein among groups of bone mass normal (2.73/3.79), osteopenia (3.15/4.86), and osteoporosis (6.34/6.42) was different in early RA patients (χ 2  = 7.974, P < 0.05). Serum 14-3-3η protein levels increase significantly in patients with RA (especially in early RA). There are close relationships between serum 14-3-3η protein and clinical symptoms and osteoporosis in patients with RA.

In our previous study, we found that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene genetic polymorphisms may play a major role in the efficacy of glucocorticoids (GCs) in Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The aim of this study is to explore the association of GR gene genetic polymorphisms and improvement of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Chinese SLE patients treated with GCs. A total of 195 Chinese SLE patients were treated with GCs for 12 weeks. The HRQOL of patients was measured with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) at baseline and 12 weeks. Polymorphisms of GR gene were genotyped by using multiplex SNaPshot method. One hundred eighty-four patients (94.36 %) completed the 12-week follow-up. Twenty-three single-nucleotide polymorphisms of GR gene were genotyped. There was a significant association between rs10482672 polymorphism and improvement in physical function (P = 0.043), general health (P = 0.024), and social function (P = 0.013). The rs12656106 polymorphism was associated with improvement in the total score of SF-36 (P = 0.014), physical function (P = 0.013), general health (P = 0.010), vitality (P = 0.015), social function (P = 0.004), physical component summary (P = 0.016), and mental component summary (P = 0.014). The rs4912905 polymorphism was associated with improvement in bodily pain (P = 0.040) and general health (P = 0.038). The rs4912911 polymorphism was associated with improvement in general health (P = 0.026) and vitality (P = 0.027). The rs4986593 polymorphism was associated with improvement in bodily pain (P = 0.034). The rs7719514 polymorphism was associated with improvement in vitality (P = 0.002) and mental component summary (P = 0.041). We also found a significant association between rs9324924 polymorphism and improvement in physical function (P = 0.040), bodily pain (P = 0.007), and general health (P = 0.019). These results indicate that there may be an association of GR gene rs10482672, rs12656106, rs4912905, rs4912911, rs4986593, rs7719514, and rs9324924 polymorphisms with improvement of HRQOL in Chinese SLE patients treated with GCs.

The review of the genus Pielomastax is given. The genus consists of 14 species distributed in China. Pielomastax cladopygidium n. sp. is described from Shaanxi Province. An annotated list of species and key to species of Pielomastax is provided.

Background: Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common plasticizer used in industrial and diverse consumer products. Animal studies indicate DEHP caused developmental, reproductive, and hepatic toxicities. However, human studies of the potential effects of DEHP are limited., Methods: The exposed site with a history of over 20 years of waste plastic recycling was located in Hunan Province, China. The reference site without known DEHP pollution source was about 50 km far away from the exposed site. In this study, 181 workers working in plastic waste recycling and 160 gender-age matched farmers were recruited. DEHP concentrations in water and cultivated soil samples, serum thyroid-stimulating hormone, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and micronuclei frequency in human capillary blood lymphocytes were analyzed., Results: Mean levels of DEHP were greater in environment at the recycling site than at reference site (industry wastewater for the exposed: 42.43 μg/l; well water: 14.20 vs. 0.79 μg/l, pond water: 135.68 vs. 0.37 μg/l, cultivated soil: 13.07 vs. 0.81 mg/kg, p < 0.05 for all). The workers had higher median levels of MDA (3.80 vs. 3.14 nmol/ml) and urinary 8-OHdG (340.37 vs. 268.18 μmol/mol creatinine) and decreased SOD activities (112.15 vs. 123.82 U/ml) than the reference group (p < 0.01 for all). Multivariate analysis revealed that the history of working in waste plastic recycling was an independent risk factor for the increased urinary 8-OHdG levels in the male workers (p < 0.01)., Conclusions: The occupational DEHP exposure might contribute to oxidative deoxyribonucleic acid damage in the male workers.

The treatment of an intrinsic midbrain tumour has always been controversial due to the precarious nature of its location. We report a rare example of a cavernoma located in the ventral mesencephalon and presented clinically as Holmes' tremor. In order to access this vital portion of midbrain, we chose a fronto-temporal trans-sylvian route via an orbito-zygomatic craniotomy. The cavernoma was removed en bloc with a longitudinal pial incision between the fronto-pontine fibers and the pyramidal tracts in the peduncle. After the operation, the tremor dramatically disappeared. Through a review and analysis of the literature, we discuss the surgical strategy for management of an anterior midbrain cavernoma. With an optimal surgical approach, fairly safe entry zones on the anterior face of the rostral brainstem may be accessible, which makes it possible for successful resection of a ventral mesencephalic cavernoma without postoperative complications.

An ultra-sensitive colorimetric method to quantitate hundreds of polynucleotide molecules by gold nanoparticles with silver enhancement has been developed. The hybridization products from the target polynucleotides with biotin-labeled probes and gold nanoparticle-functioned oligonucleotides were immobilized to microplates via avidin-biotin system, and the absorbance signals of gold nanoparticles were amplified by silver enhance solution. This sandwich colorimetric assay can detect as few as 600 molecules for single-strand oligonucleotides and as few as 6000 molecules for double-strand polynucleotides in a 50 microL reaction system.