Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study was undertaken to analyze the epidemiological factors and evaluate the current status of treatment in patients with AF in Mainland China. Methods Retrospective analysis of hospital records were taken from patients with primary diagnosis of AF, discharged from January 1999 to December 2001. A total of 9297 cases (mean age 65.5 years) with AF were enrolled from 40 hospitals in major parts of China. Results The percentage of hospital admissions with AF was gradually increased comparing to those of total cardiovascular admission during three years, with the average of 7.9%. The cases distribution progressively rose with age. The causes and associated conditions of AF: advanced age 58.1%, hypertension 40.3%, coronary heart disease 34.8%, heart failure 33.1%, rheumatic valvular disease 23.9%, idiopathic AF 7.4%, cardiomyopathy 5.4%, diabetes 4.1%. The most common coexistence among these variables was advanced age with hypertension. Permanent AF almost accounted for half of these cases (49.5%), paroxysmal and persistent AF were 33.7% and 16.7%, respectively. Paroxysmal AF was mainly treated with rhythm control (56.4%). However, 82.8% of patients with chronic AF had therapeutic strategy of rate control. In patients with persistent AF, the cardioversion had been attempted in cases more than 50%, with only 31.1% of these patients who could maintain stabilized sinus rhythm. The prevalence of stroke in this group was 17.5%. In nonvalvular AF patients the risk factors that significantly associated with stroke included advanced age, history of hypertension, coronary heart disease and type of AF. Sixty-four point five percent of these patients received antithrombotic therapy with dominated use of antiplatelet agents. The long-term prevention with anticoagulants only accounted for 6.6%. In this investigation patients with antiplatelets as well as patients with anticoagulants showed significant lower stroke rate in comparison with those managed neither. However, the difference between antiplatelets and anticoagulants in terms of stroke rate was not significant. Conclusions Most epidemiological factors of AF from this group showed highly in accordance with those from the reports from other countries, such as age distribution, causes and associated conditions, type of AF, dominantly with approach of rate control. Both antiplatelet and anticoagulant treatments significantly reduced stroke rate. But there was no significant difference between these two kinds of treatments in reducing stroke rate.

Hypertension has become a major public health problem in the world. Entrusted by Society of Cardiovascular Diseases, China Association of Chinese Medicine, the experts reached consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) based on the theory of TCM syndrome differentiation, evidence-based medicine, review of previous literatures, experience of famous prestigious Chinese physician, and expert consultation. The key pathogenesis, the characteristics of syndrome, and the regularity of medication of traditional famous formulas for hypertension were collected and summarized. This consensus could be used for reference of TCM and integrative medicine doctors.

Composite resin bonding technology is the primary treatment method for dental restorations. With the development of polymer chemical materials, the properties, characteristics and applications of adhesive composite resins have changed greatly. Based on the previous edition guidelines and considered the property of composite resin materials, many Chinese dental experts recently discussed and reached a new consensus which mainly focused on the indications, operation specifications and matters needing attention in composite resin restoration technology.
Composite Resins ; Consensus ; Dental Bonding ; Dental Cements ; Dental Restoration, Permanent ; Resin Cements ; Surface Properties

Multiple drug use is very common in the elderly， which will significantly increase drug interactions and adverse drug reactions. Cardiovascular disease complicated with neuropsychiatric disease is the most common multi-disease comorbidity among the elderly， and it is also one of the disease combinations involving the most multiple drug use. In order to reduce the adverse clinical outcomes of the elderly in China， Chinese Society of Clinical Pharmacy of Chinese Medical Association organized relevant experts to develop Expert Consensus on Risk Prevention and Control of Multiple Drug Use in Elderly Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases and Neuropsychiatric Diseases in China by using foreign drug use risk assessment tools and combining relevant evidence-based results， and further promote its application in clinical disease treatment practice to reduce the adverse clinical outcomes of the elderly in China.

Although there are unified criteria for the clinical diagnosis and grading of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), clinical features and neuropathological patterns vary considerably among the neonates with HIE due to birth asphyxia in the same classification. The patterns and progression of brain injury in HIE, which is closely associated with long-term neurodevelopment outcomes, can be well shown on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but different sequences may lead to different MRI findings at the same time. It is suggested that diffusion-weighted imaging sequence be selected at 2-4 days after birth, and the conventional MRI sequence at 4-8 days. The major patterns of brain injury in HIE on MRI are as follows: injury of the thalamus and basal ganglia and posterior limbs of the internal capsules; watershed injury involving the cortical and subcortical white matter; focal or multifocal minimal white matter injury; extensive whole brain injury. Severe acute birth asphyxia often leads to deep grey matter injury (thalamus and basal ganglia), and the brain stem may also be involved; the pyramidal tract is the most susceptible white matter fiber tract; repetitive or intermittent hypoxic-ischemic insults, with inflammation or hypoglycemia, usually cause injuries in the watershed area and deep white matter. It is worth noting that sometimes the pattern of brain injury among those described above cannot be determined exactly, but rather a predominant one is identified; not all cases of HIE have characteristic MRI findings.
Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; Brain Injuries ; classification ; diagnostic imaging ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods

Neonates are easily suffering from local or systematic infections due to their vulnerable skin barrier function, which leads to the increasing risk of death. Therefore, it is important to protect neonatal skin integrity and prevent neonatal skin injury in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Based on Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) and current evidence, the guidelines for neonatal skin management in the NICU were developed to provide recommendations on routine skin care and prevention and treatment of iatrogenic skin injury of neonates for health care providers.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Skin

Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; Consensus ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; adverse effects