Objective To investigate the value of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.Methods Twenty-two cases of clinically suspected sarcoidosis underwent bronchoscopy and ultrasound bronchoscopy examination,including endobronchial biopsy (EBB),transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB),and EBUS-TBNA.The biopsy samples of EBB,TBLB,and EBUS-TBNA were paraffin-embedded for hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining and acid-fast staining,respectively.Differences in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis were compared among EBB,TBLB,and EBUS-TBNA.The diagnostic performance of EBUS-TBNA was evaluated.Interventional pulmonology diagnostic strategy of sarcoidosis was analyzed.Results Among all the 22 patients with suspected sarcoidosis,20 cases were diagnosed as sarcoidosis,1 case was small cell lung cancer,and 1 case was lymphoma.The number of patients who were diagnosed by EBB,TBLB,and EBUS-TBNA was 6 cases,9 cases,and 16 cases,respectively;and their diagnostic yield was 30.0％,45.0％,and 80.0％,respectively.The diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA was significantly better than the other two (P =0.005).Combined EBB and EBUS-TBNA,the diagnostic yield was 85.0％.Combined TBLB and EBUS-TBNA,the diagnostic yield was 90.0％.Combined those three,the diagnostic yield was 95.0％.EBUS-TBNA diagnostic yield was affected by the location and size of lymph nodes.The diagnostic yield of subcarinal lymph nodes and paratracheal lymph nodes by EBUS-TBNA was significantly better than that of Hilar lymph nodes (x2 =4.29,P ＜0.05),EBUS-TBNA showed better diagnostic yield for the lymph nodes whose diameter was greater than 2cm (x2 =4.067,P ＜ 0.05).EBUS-TBNA had fewer complications.Most patients only had a little bleeding in puncture site.Conclusions EBUS-TBNA contributed to diagnose sarcoidosis,while TBLB and EBB had a complementary value in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis by EBUS-TBNA.

Objective To observe the effect of Tingli-Dazao-Xiefei decoction combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer with pleural effusion. Methods A total of 90 patients who met the inclusion criteria from January to June 2017, were randomly divided into treatment group and control group. All patients were treated with intrapleural administration of cisplatin chemotherapy once a week, while patients in treatment group received additional treatment of taking Tingli-Dazao-Xiefei decoction daily.Changes of clinical efficacy, traditional Chinese medical (TCM) symptom score and Karnofsky score were observed 4 weeks later. Results After 4 weeks of treatment, there was no difference in the total effective rate between the two groups (χ2=1.600, P=0.659). The total effective rate was 71.1% (32/45) in treatment group, including 11 cases of complete remission and 20 cases of partial remission, while it was 64.4% (29/45) in control group including 10 of complete remission and 19 of partial remission. After treatment, the TCM symptom scores in the treatment group(20.81 ± 1.92 vs.8.93 ± 1.27;t=34.619,P<0.001)and control group(20.28 ± 1.36 vs.13.22 ± 1.63; t=22.310, P<0.001) were significantly lower than those before the treatment. After treatment, the TCM symptom scores(8.93 ± 1.27 vs. 13.22 ± 1.63,t=13.927)in the treatment group were significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.001).The Karnofsky score(95.6% vs. 80.0%,χ2=3.728)in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). There was no difference in the incidence of adverse reactions. Conclusions The theray of Tingli-Dazao-Xiefei decoction combined with chemotherapy could achieved the similar clinical effect of cisplatin chemotherapy treatment, while it showed the advantage of improving TCM syndrome score and the quality of life.

Objective: To observe the relationship between impaired myocardial untwisting and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with autoimmune diseases (AD). Methods: In this retrospective study, 95 AD patients (27 males, (38.6±14.2) years old) were enrolled as AD group and 71 gender and age matched healthy subjects (24 males, (37.6±12.2) years old) were enrolled as control group, all underwent transthoracic echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in our hospital between January 2014 and June 2018. Left ventricular untwisting and diastolic function parameters were measured. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify related factors of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in AD patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to identify the diagnosis value of untwisting parameters for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in AD patients. Results: Compared with control group, left ventricular ejection fraction was lower (58(47, 66)% vs. 67 (62, 71) %, P<0.001), E/e′ was higher (10.78 (7.28, 13.65) vs. 6.30 (5.55, 7.25) , P<0.001), isovolumic relaxation time was longer (73.5 (56.5, 88.0) ms vs. 62.0 (58.0, 68.5) ms, P<0.001),and untwist slope during isovolumic relaxation period (USIR) was lower (31.92 (14.09, 54.92) °/s vs. 59.90 (40.09, 87.18) °/s, P<0.001) in AD group than in control group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed heart rate (OR=0.885, 95%CI 0.840-0.931, P<0.001), E/e′ (OR=0.655, 95%CI 0.537-0.798, P<0.001) and USIR (OR=0.986, 95%CI 0.974-0.998, P=0.020) were independently related with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in AD patients. ROC curve showed that area under the curve (AUC) was 0.919 (P<0.001), sensitivity was 87.6%, and specificity was 88.7%, when combining the heart rate, E/e′, and USIR as assessment parameters for the diagnosis of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in AD patients at a cutoff of 0.51. Conclusions Impairment of myocardial untwisting indicates the presence of early stage left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in AD patients. USIR may be a sensitive parameter to evaluate early stage left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in AD patients.

Objective: To analysis the manifestations of chest CT imaging in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients complicated with pulmonary cryptococcosis. Methods: The clinical data of 72 AIDS patients complicated with pulmonary cryptococcosis were analyzed retrospectively. There were 3 cases (4.2%) diagnosed with pulmonary cryptococcosis by biopsy, including 1 case of pulmonary cryptococcosis and 2 cases of disseminated cryptococcosis; 69 cases (95.8%) with pulmonary manifestations and clinically diagnosed with pulmonary cryptococcosis, including 43 cases of cryptococcal meningitis and 26 cases of disseminated cryptococcosis. The imaging features of chest CT, in terms of the morphology, size, number, distribution, internal features and margins of the lesions were analyzed. Results: The chest CT findings were solid nodules or mass in 49 cases (68.1%), patchy shadows in 40 cases (55.6%), cavitary nodules or mass in 10 cases (13.9%), mediastinal and hilar lymph node enlargement in 17 cases (23.6%) and pleural effusion in 10 cases (13.9%). Conclusion The chest CT findings of AIDS patients complicated with pulmonary cryptococcosis mainly are multiple solid nodules or masses, patchy shadows and solitary cavitary pulmonary nodules or mass. For early diagnosis and treatment, cryptococcus screening should be performed in HIV-infected patients with pulmonary nodules or mass on chest CT.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.

Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.