Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Yiqi Huoxue Huatan Yangxin (IHHY) Decoction for treatment of unstable angina pectoris patients. Methods Totally 165 cases of patients with unstable angina pectoris were collected and divided into observation group (84 groups) and control group (81 patients) by semi-random method. Patients in both groups received western medical, and patients in observation group were added with IHHY Decoction, one dosage a day, twice a day, orally. The therapeutic course for both groups was 4 weeks, with 4 weeks follow up. Angina pectoris grade and ECG effect in both groups were observed. Blood viscosity, fibrinogen, serum NO, superoxide dismutase (SOD), plasma levels of endothelin (ET), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), 6-keto-PGF1α, were measured, and TCM syndrome score was observed. The incidence of all adverse reactions was recorded. Results After treatment, the angina pectoris grade of both groups were lower than before, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The total effective rate of ECG was 69.0% (58/84) in the observation group and 65.4% (53/81) in the control group, without statistical significance (P>0.05). Compared with before treatment, whole blood viscosity, plasma fibrinogen, levels of ET and TXB2 decreased, while the levels of NO and 6-keto-PGF1αincreased (P<0.05). Whole blood viscosity, plasma fibrinogen, levels of ET and TXB2 in the observation group were lower than the control group after treatment, while the level of NO was higher than the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). There was no statistical significance in TCM syndrome before and after treatment in both groups. There was no abnormality in liver and kidney. Conclusion On the basis of routine treatment, IHHY Decoction can significantly relieve the symptoms of unstable angina and maintain the balance of vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Jiangzhi Xiaoban Tables facilitating routine Western medicine therapy on coronary plaque and inflammatory factors in patients with coronary heart disease angina (CHDA) of blood stasis obstruction syndrome. Methods Totally 156 patients were divided into TCM group and control group with randomized parallel controlled method, with 78 cases in each group. The control group orally took aspirin enteric-coated tablets and trimetazidine hydrochloride tablets and received symptomatic treatment. On the basis of control group,TCM group received Jiangzhi Xiaoban Tablets,4 tablets per time,three times per day,for 12 weeks. Angina pectoris, TCM curative effect, electrocardiogram, TCM symptom scores, TPS, SSS, CADS and inflammatory factors before and after treatment in both groups were evaluated. Results 12 and 10 cases in TCM group and control group were lost, respectively. The total effective rate of angina pectoris was 89.39% (59/66) in the TCM group and 72.06% (49/68) in the control group. The total effective rate of TCM efficacy was 90.09% (60/66) in the TCM group and 67.65% (46/68) in the control group. TCM group better than the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the numbers of ST segment down shift, T wave lowering and T wave inverting decreased in both groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the numbers of ST segment down shift, T wave lowering and T wave inverting in the TCM group were less than the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, SAQ scores in both groups increased, while TCM syndrome score decreased significantly. SAQ scores in the TCM group after treatment were higher than the control group, while TCM score were lower than the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the TPS, SSS and CADS of the patients with blocking coronary lesions decreased in both groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the ratio of TPS, SSS and CADS of the patients with blocking coronary lesions in TCM group was lower than the control group (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β1 and MCP-1 decreased in both groups after treatment (P<0.05). The levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1 in the TCM group were better than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Jiangzhi Xiaoban Tables facilitating routine Western medicine therapy can stabilize coronary plaque of CHDA of blood stasis obstruction syndrome, which may realize cardiomyocyte protection by inhibiting inflammatory factors.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis C ; blood ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis C Antibodies ; blood ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of Jiangzhi Xiaoban Tablet (JXT) in improving heartfunction of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and speckle trackingimaging (STI) technology.

METHODSRecruited were 60 inpatients with confirmed CHD by coronary angiography at First Affiliated Hospital, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2013to November 2014. They were assigned to the treatment group (group A) and the control group (groupB) according to random digit table, 30 cases in each group. Patients in group A took JXT, 0.45 g/tablet,4 tablets each time, 3 times per day, while those in group B took Simvastatin Tablet, 20 mg/tablet, 1 tablet each time, once per evening. The therapeutic course for all was 8 weeks. The long axis view of theheart of 18 segments STI Peak strain LS and TDI peak systolic Sa parameters were performed in all patients before and after treatment.

RESULTSBefore treatment segments of STI strain LS and TDI longitudinal peak systolic peak Sa were not statistically different between the two groups (P > 0.05). Each segment of STI peak longitudinal strain LS and TDI peak systolic Sa in the two groups were higher after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment each segment of STI parameters of LS and eachTDI segment parameters of Sa were significantly lower in group B than in group A (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJXT could improve heart function of CHD patients to different degrees, and its curative effect was betterthan that of routine Western medicine (Simvastatin Tablets) treatment.

Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart ; drug effects ; Humans ; Simvastatin ; therapeutic use ; Tablets

INTRODUCTIONLittle was known about the association between colorectal adenomas and cardiovascular risk factors in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to assess the association between rectosigmoid adenomas and related factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThis was a hospital-based, cross-sectional study. We analysed subjects receiving self-referred health examinations at 1 medical centre in Taiwan between 2001 and 2004. In total, 4413 subjects were enrolled in this study. There were 2444 men (55.4%) and 1969 women (44.6%). The mean age was 49.3 +/-12.3 years (range, 20 to 87). All subjects underwent a 60-cm flexible sigmoidoscopic examination and laboratory survey. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were expressed using a multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSIn the fi nal model, increasing age (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03-1.06), hypertriglyceridemia (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.07-2.07), and alcohol consumption (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.47-3.04) were the risk factors for rectosigmoid adenomas in men. Increasing age was the only risk factor for rectosigmoid adenomas in women (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06).

CONCLUSIONAge, hypertriglyceridemia and alcohol consumption are associated with rectosigmoid adenomas in men, and only age is significantly associated with rectosigmoid adenomas in women.

Adenoma ; complications ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; complications ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Rectal Neoplasms ; complications ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Sigmoid Neoplasms ; complications ; Young Adult

Background/Aims: Obstacles exist in facilitating hepatitis C virus (HCV) care cascade. To increase timely and accurate diagnosis, disease awareness and accessibility, in-hospital HCV reflex testing followed by automatic appointments and a late call-back strategy (R.N.A. model) was applied. We aimed to compare the HCV treatment rate of patients treated with this strategy compared to those without. Methods: One hundred and twenty-five anti-HCV seropositive patients who adopted the R.N.A. model in 2020 and another 1,396 controls treated in 2019 were enrolled to compare the gaps in accurate HCV RNA diagnosis to final treatment allocation. Results: The HCV RNA testing rate was significantly higher in patients who received reflex testing than in those without reflex testing (100% vs. 84.8%, P<0.001). When patients were stratified according to the referring outpatient department, a significant improvement in the HCV RNA testing rate was particularly noted in patients from non-hepatology departments (100% vs. 23.3%, P<0.001). The treatment rate in HCV RNA seropositive patients was 83% (83/100) after the adoption of the R.N.A. model, among whom 96.1% and 73.9% of patients were from the hepatology and non-hepatology departments, respectively. Compared to subjects without R.N.A. model application, a significant improvement in the treatment rate was observed for patients from non-hepatology departments (73.9% vs. 27.8%, P=0.001). The application of the R.N.A. model significantly increased the in-hospital HCV treatment uptake from 6.4% to 73.9% for patients from non-hepatology departments (P<0.001). Conclusions The care cascade increased the treatment uptake and set up a model for enhancing in-hospital HCV elimination.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of Shin-I essential oil inhalation on blood lactate changes in rats subjected to treadmill exercise.

METHODS: Adult male Sprague Dawley rats (n=12) were randomly divided into the control or the Shin-I group. Rats were subjected to a treadmill exercise program (15 m/min for 30 min). After exercise, rats were exposed to 200 µL of water or Shin-I essential oil, respectively, using a nebulizer for 180 min during the recovery period. Blood samples were collected every 15 min. Blood glucose and lactate concentrations were determined in a CMA 600 analyzer.

RESULTS: The basal glucose and lactate levels were no significantly different between two groups. After exercise, glucose levels were slightly increased to about 110%-120% of the basal level in both groups. Lactate levels of both groups reached to 110%-140% of basal levels during exercise. In the recovery period, lactate levels further increased to 180% of the basal level and were maintained at a plateau in the control group. However, lactate levels gradually decreased to 60%-65% of the basal level in the Shin-I group. Lactate clearance was significantly enhanced after Shin-I essential oil inhalation.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence that Shin-I essential oil inhalation may accelerate recovery after exercise in rats.

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who failed antiviral therapy are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study assessed the potential role of metformin and statins, medications for diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia (HLP), in reducing HCC risk among these patients. Methods: We included CHC patients from the T-COACH study who failed antiviral therapy. We tracked the onset of HCC 1.5 years post-therapy by linking to Taiwan’s cancer registry data from 2003 to 2019. We accounted for death and liver transplantation as competing risks and employed Gray’s cumulative incidence and Cox subdistribution hazards models to analyze HCC development. Results: Out of 2,779 patients, 480 (17.3%) developed HCC post-therapy. DM patients not using metformin had a 51% increased risk of HCC compared to non-DM patients, while HLP patients on statins had a 50% reduced risk compared to those without HLP. The 5-year HCC incidence was significantly higher for metformin non-users (16.5%) versus non-DM patients (11.3%; adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio [aSHR]=1.51; P=0.007) and metformin users (3.1%; aSHR=1.59; P=0.022). Statin use in HLP patients correlated with a lower HCC risk (3.8%) compared to non-HLP patients (12.5%; aSHR=0.50; P<0.001). Notably, the increased HCC risk associated with non-use of metformin was primarily seen in non-cirrhotic patients, whereas statins decreased HCC risk in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients. Conclusions Metformin and statins may have a chemopreventive effect against HCC in CHC patients who failed antiviral therapy. These results support the need for personalized preventive strategies in managing HCC risk.

Background/Aims: Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) plus ribavirin (RBV) for Child-Pugh B/C hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis are limited. Methods: We included 107 patients with Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis receiving SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response rates at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) for the evaluable population (EP), modified EP, and per-protocol population (PP) were assessed. Thesafety profiles were reported. Results: The SVR12 rates in the EP, modified EP and PP were 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.5–94.2%), 94.1% (95% CI, 87.8–97.3%), and 100% (95% CI, 96.2–100%). Number of patients who failed to achieve SVR12 were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR12 rates were comparable regardless of patient characteristics. One patient discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-four patients had serious AEs and six died, but none were related to SOF/VEL or RBV. Among the 96 patients achieving SVR12, 84.4% and 64.6% had improved Child-Pugh and model for endstage liver disease (MELD) scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a baseline MELD score ≥15 was associated with an improved MELD score of ≥3 (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.16–14.71; P=0.02). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1 had more significant estimated glomerular filtration rate declines than patients with CKD stage 2 (-0.42 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P=0.01) or stage 3 (-0.56 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P<0.001). Conclusions SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated for Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis.

Background/Aims: Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) plus ribavirin (RBV) for Child-Pugh B/C hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis are limited. Methods: We included 107 patients with Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis receiving SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response rates at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) for the evaluable population (EP), modified EP, and per-protocol population (PP) were assessed. Thesafety profiles were reported. Results: The SVR12 rates in the EP, modified EP and PP were 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.5–94.2%), 94.1% (95% CI, 87.8–97.3%), and 100% (95% CI, 96.2–100%). Number of patients who failed to achieve SVR12 were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR12 rates were comparable regardless of patient characteristics. One patient discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-four patients had serious AEs and six died, but none were related to SOF/VEL or RBV. Among the 96 patients achieving SVR12, 84.4% and 64.6% had improved Child-Pugh and model for endstage liver disease (MELD) scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a baseline MELD score ≥15 was associated with an improved MELD score of ≥3 (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.16–14.71; P=0.02). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1 had more significant estimated glomerular filtration rate declines than patients with CKD stage 2 (-0.42 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P=0.01) or stage 3 (-0.56 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P<0.001). Conclusions SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated for Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis.