1.Palpitations, Shortness of Breath, Weakness in Limbs, Edema, and Dyspnea: A Rare Inflammatory Myopathy with Positive Aniti-mitochondrial Antibodies and Cardiac Involvement
Chunsu LIANG ; Xuchang ZHANG ; Ning ZHANG ; Lin KANG ; Xiaohong LIU ; Jiaqi YU ; Yingxian LIU ; Lin QIAO ; Yanli YANG ; Xiaoyi ZHAO ; Ruijie ZHAO ; Na NIU ; Xuelian YAN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(1):248-255
This article presents a case study of a patient who visited the Geriatric Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital due to "palpitations, shortness of breath for more than 2 years, limb weakness for 6 months, edema, and nocturnal dyspnea for 2 months". The patient exhibited decreased muscle strength in the limbs and involvement of swallowing and respiratory muscles, alongside complications of heart failure and various arrhythmias which were predominantly atrial. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of multiple autoantibodies and notably anti-mitochondrial antibodies. Following a comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with anti-mitochondrial antibody-associated inflammatory myopathy. Treatment involved a combination of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, along with resistance exercises for muscle strength and rehabilitation training for lung function, resulting in significant improvement of clinical symptoms. The case underscores the importance of collaborative multidisciplinary approaches in diagnosing and treating rare diseases in elderly patients, where careful consideration of clinical manifestations and subtle abnormal clinical data can lead to effective interventions.
2.Exploring the feasibility of narrative medical records:from concept to clinical practice
Fei LI ; Jianli WANG ; Naishi LI ; Liming ZHU ; Jiaxin ZHOU ; Cuiwen FA ; Menglan LIN ; Yongqing HAN ; Chenyanwen ZHU ; Zhong HE ; Xiaohong NING
Chinese Medical Ethics 2024;37(11):1263-1269
Based on the theoretical reflection on the reflective function of medical records,the important findings in the practice of medical records writing in the field of palliative care,and conceptual analysis of narrative medicine tools,combined with empirical investigation materials and analysis,this paper focused on the practice of medical records writing for reflection and research.The main contents include defining the concept of narrative medical records,which are medical records used in clinical practice that incorporate narrative content;clarifying their characteristics and functions at different levels;and exploring practical paths for their application in clinical practice.Based on an in-depth exploration of the uniqueness of narrative medicine practice at Peking Union Medical College,it also emphasized the necessity of writing medical records with narrative thinking.Specifically,it focused on using narrative thinking and forms to enhance the improvement of current medical records writing,and further sought a general framework and multiple possibilities for narrative medicine clinical pathways.
3.Mechanism and potential of vitamin C supplementation in sarcopenia prevention and treatment
Xu LIU ; Bo CHEN ; Ke NING ; Xiaohong CHEN
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(27):4405-4412
BACKGROUND:Vitamin C,as an essential nutrient,has a wide range of biological effects and a variety of biological functions related to the pathogenesis of sarcopenia.Vitamin C supplementation is expected to be a novel prevention and treatment measure for sarcopenia. OBJECTIVE:To review recent research advances in the application of vitamin C in the pathogenesis and treatment of sarcopenia,and to discuss the potential role of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and possible mechanistic pathways based on published evidence. METHODS:The first author performed a computer search of PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI and other databases for relevant studies involving vitamin C in sarcopenia.The search keywords were"vitamin C,ascorbic acid,L-ascorbic acid,ascorbate,antioxidants,oxidative stress,sarcopenia,muscular atrophy,muscle weakness,muscle development,skeletal muscle regenerate,muscles,skeletal muscle"in English and Chinese,respectively.The search period was from each database inception to July 2023.After screening,85 articles were included for further review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Ensuring adequate dietary vitamin C intake or maintaining normal circulating levels of vitamin C will help to reduce age-related muscle loss and decrease the prevalence of sarcopenia.In addition,vitamin C supplementation is also useful for improving skeletal muscle mass,strength and physical function with potential synergistic effects in exercise strategies for sarcopenia.The effects of vitamin C on sarcopenia may be via the following biological mechanisms:vitamin C limits the activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway mainly by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in skeletal muscle,thus positively regulating protein metabolic homeostasis,and may enhance mitochondrial antioxidant defenses through its antioxidant effects to maintain healthy mitochondrial function.In addition,vitamin C affects myoblast proliferation,differentiation and myotube size,mainly by increasing the expression of myogenic regulatory factors and activating protein synthesis signaling pathways,which contribute to the promotion of muscle development as well as the repair and regeneration of damaged muscle tissue.The positive effects of vitamin C in sarcopenia need to be studied in large samples and with optimized designs for important influencing factors,such as the choice of supplementation dose and duration,the design of exercise prescription when vitamin C is combined with an exercise intervention,and the assessment of the redox status of the individual.It is recommended that future studies should be conducted in older patients with sarcopenia(<50 μmol/L)with suboptimal vitamin C status to investigate the efficacy of a combined intervention of long-term supplementation with 1 000 mg/d vitamin C(for 6 months or longer)with at least two or more types of multi-type combined exercise,with supplementation timed to take place at 1 hour after the end of the exercise,and with monitoring of markers of oxidative damage produced during the exercise such as malondialdehyde or protein hydroxyl levels were monitored.In conclusion,the optimal dose and timing of vitamin C supplementation for older adults with sarcopenia needs to be explored more,while the appropriate design of exercise prescriptions(especially the type and intensity of exercise)needs to be further determined.
4.Clinicians'Practice and Opinions on Sedation Therapy in End-Stage Patients
Jiawen YU ; Hongju LIU ; Jinmin PENG ; Xiaoyan DAI ; Ying ZHENG ; Di SHI ; Xiaohong NING ; Yuguang HUANG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2024;46(1):62-67
Objective To investigate clinicians'practice and opinions on sedation therapy in end-stage patients at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.Methods From August,2022 to April,2023,an online questionnaire survey was conducted among clinicians involved in end-stage patient management.Results A total of 205 questionnaires were distributed,with an effective response rate of 56.1% .Among the clinicians,55.7% of them had experience of applying sedation therapy in end-stage patients;85.2% of clinicians believed that se-dation could relieve the suffering of terminal patients from physical refractory symptoms;75.7% of clinicians considered that sedation therapy could be used to relieve agony from psycho-existential distress.Most clinicians had concerns about sedation therapy due to the lack of legal support(86.1% )and the lack of understanding of patients or families(59.1% ).The majority(90.4% )of clinicians were willing to receive training on palliative sedation.Conclusions A majority of clinicians agree that sedation therapy could relieve the physical distress and psycho-existential distress in end-stage patients.However,most clinicians have concerns about the application of sedation therapy due to the lack of legal support.It is necessary to enhance the training on palliative sedation.
5.Construction of the Whole Process Management Model of Hospice and Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic
Yaoxin ZENG ; Xiaohong NING ; Ying ZHENG ; Zhiyuan ZHANG ; Yiyou WANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Qian KANG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2024;46(2):210-216
Objective To construct a scientific and practical management model of the hospice and pal-liative care outpatient clinic and provide a reference for the operation and development of the outpatient clin-ic.Methods The basic framework of the whole process management model of hospice and palliative care outpa-tient clinic was determined preliminarily by literature analysis,qualitative interviews and experts group meet-ings.Two rounds of consultation were conducted among 18 experts in hospice and palliative care and medical-nursing combined outpatient service by the Delphi method.Results The questionnaire response rates of the two rounds of expert consultation were both 100%and the authority coefficients of the two rounds of expert consultation were 0.88 and 0.91,respectively.Finally,the whole process management model of hospice and palliative care out-patient clinic was constructed,which was composed of three first-level indicators including staff composition,work structure and effect evaluation,5 second-level indicators and 62 third-level indicators.Conclusion The construc-ted whole process management model is scientific,innovative and continuous,which can provide a reference for the operation and development of the hospice and palliative care outpatient clinic.
6.Experience of Integrative Palliative Care at Peking Union Medical College Hospital
Ruixuan GENG ; Ying ZHENG ; Chenchen SUN ; Xi ZENG ; Hongyan FANG ; Wenqian ZHAN ; Yuanfeng YU ; Qin YANG ; Xiaoyan DAI ; Xiaohong NING
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2024;46(5):706-710
Objective To summarize the experience of integrative palliative care at Peking Union Medi-cal College Hospital and provide a reference for promoting the integrative palliative care model.Methods Twenty cases receiving integrative palliative care at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were collected.The clinical characteristics,reasons for initiating integrative palliative care,the process of integrative palliative care,and feedback from these cases were summarized.Results Insomnia(11 cases,55%)and pain(9 cases,45%)were the most common symptoms requiring control in the 20 cases.The integrative palliative care team assisted in medical decision-making for 17 cases(85%),prepared end-of-life for 9 cases(45%),assisted in the transfer for 3 cases(15%),and provided comfort care for all the 20 cases(100%).Conclusions The integrative palliative care model can help alleviate suffering in end-of-life patients and provide support to patients'families and the original medical teams.This model is worth further promotion within class A tertiary hospitals.
7.Model of Palliative Care in General Hospitals:A Field Study Based on the Peking Union Medical College Hospital
Zidan WANG ; Xiaohong NING ; Peng YUE
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2024;46(5):711-719
Objective To describe the palliative care model in the Peking Union Medical College Hos-pital and provide a reference for the palliative care work in other general hospitals.Methods A field study was carried out at the Palliative Medicine Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.Data were collected by participatory observation,in-depth interviews,and physical collection,and the thematic analysis was performed to refine the themes and analyze the results.Results A total of 9 themes were obtained and the"Banyan Tree Model"was summarized.Conclusion The palliative care model in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital is suitable for the development of palliative care in general hospitals and has a reference value.
8.Impact of Sarcopenia on Long-term Outcomes in Elderly Inpatients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Cohort Study
Ning ZHANG ; Xiaohong LIU ; Lin KANG ; Wei CHEN ; Xuan QU ; Minglei ZHU ; Xiaohong SUN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;15(6):1348-1355
To investigate the collective influence of sarcopenia on the extended prognosis of hospitalized elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Patients with T2DM aged 65 years and older, who were admitted to the Geriatrics Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2017 and January 2021, were consecutively enrolled in the study. The presence of sarcopenia was evaluated based on the diagnostic criteria established by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia(AWGS) in 2014. Additionally, assessments were made on the patients' comorbidities, functional status, nutritional status, and geriatric syndromes. Follow-up was conducted through outpatient visits and telephone calls to monitor outcomes such as severe disability, rehospitalization, and all-cause mortality. Cox regression analysis was performed to investigate the impact of concurrent sarcopenia on the long-term prognosis of hospitalized elderly individuals with T2DM. A total of 244 elderly inpatients with T2DM who met specific criteria were included in the study, comprising 110 males(45.1%) and 134 females(54.9%), with ages ranging from 65 to 93 years and a median age of 74 years. Sarcopenia was observed in 25.4%(62/244) of patients. Over a follow-up period of three to seven years(median 5.6 years), elderly T2DM patients with sarcopenia exhibited significantly higher rates of severe disability, rehospitalization, and all-cause death compared to those without sarcopenia(all The prevalence of sarcopenia is notably high among hospitalized elderly patients with T2DM, greatly affecting their long-term prognosis. It is imperative for clinicians to prioritize screening and implement interventions for sarcopenia in elderly T2DM patients to improve their quality of life and overall prognosis.
9.China's Healthcare System Urgently Needs the Integration of Palliative Care
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;15(1):12-17
With the rapid development of medical technology, human dying process has been technicalized and medicalized, but the pain caused by ageing and terminal disease remains widespread. However, Palliative care can alleviate this kind of pain and improve the quality of life for end-stage patients.Over the years, China has introduced a series of policies and laws to include hospice care in the national health system from the legislative level, most healthcare providers, however, are incompetent and unable to understand and deliver palliative care, resulting in the poor quality of death in China. Integration of palliative care into the health system needs to be gradually implemented, by unifying definitions and principles, advocating palliative care practice in clinical work, initiating education in medical students, developing palliative care networks in primary healthcare system, formulating national-level development indicators, and emphasizing localized development, with the hope of avoiding futile or inappropriate treatments at the end of life.
10.Investigation on Clinical Oncology Teaching Among Medical Students
Zhiyang ZHANG ; Lin ZHAO ; Yajuan SHAO ; Xiang WANG ; Ningning LI ; Xiaohong NING ; Yuping GE
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;15(1):223-228

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