Objective To investigate the protective effects of elctroacupuncture(EA)at Zusanli(ST36) points on intestinal villas damage and mucosal permeability induced by small intestine pro-inflammatory factors in rats with intestinal ischemia/reperfusion(I/R). Methods 30 Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly divided into three groups(each,n=10):intestinal I/R group(model group),intestinal I/R+EA ST36 group(EA group)and intestinal I/R+sham EA group(SEA group). Rats were subjected to superior mesenteric artery(SMA)clamping at its root part to occlude the vessel for 30 minutes,followed by reperfusion for 60 minutes to form intestinal I/R models. Rats in EA group received EA at the bilateral ST36 points(2-3 mA,2-100 Hz)for 30 minutes immediately after ischemia,those in SEA group received EA at bilateral sham points(the point was located at 0.5 cm away from ST36 point in its lateral side)with the same frequency and intensity of stimulation as EA group for 30 minutes,and those in model group received no treatment. Animals were sacrificed 60 minutes after reperfusion and segments of distal part of ileum were harvested,then the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6)in intestinal tissue were measured. Histopathologic changes were viewed and graded via light microscopy. A solution of fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-dextran was injected into the lumen of the segment of intestine 30 minutes after reperfusion,systemic blood was drawn via abdominal aorta puncture at 60 minutes after reperfusion,and then the level of FITC-dextran in blood was measured to determine the changes in intestinal permeability. Results Compared to the model group and SEA group,EA ST36 significantly attenuated intestine TNF-α(pg/mg:3.01±0.50 vs. 8.65±1.02,8.42±1.41,both P<0.05)and IL-6 levels(pg/mg:2.51±0.15 vs. 6.34±0.86,6.13±1.12,both P<0.05),successfully maintained low gut injury scores(1.50±0.33 vs. 3.18±0.39,3.04±0.37,both P<0.05), and significantly reduced permeability of the distal ileum and the content of FITC-dextran(μg/L:282.42±73.92 vs. 856.22±229.47,844.22±239.47,both P<0.05). However,there were no significant differences in all above variables between SEA and model group(all P>0.05). Sections of distal ileum from animals in the model group and SEA group showed no obvious difference histologically,and the pathological manifestations were villous tip necrosis, blunt-shaped and collapse. Compared to the model group and SEA group,the intestinal villous injury in animals of EA group was much milder. Conclusion In rats with intestinal I/R injury,EA ST36 points has protective effect on the gut that is possibly due to the fact it may obviously lower the levels of the pro-inflammatory factors of small intestinal tissue,alleviate mucosal insult of gut and reduce the mucosal permeability.

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacies ofentecavir and adefovir in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and cirrhosis when administered as monotherapies using a 240-week course.

METHODSNinety patients diagnosed with CHB and cirrhosis (compensated or decompensated) were randomly divided into two treatment groups for administration of either entecavir (0.5 mg/day, oral; n =38) or adefovir (10 mg/day, oral; n =52) for 240 weeks. All participants underwent B-ultrasound and were tested for levels of HBV-DNA, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and various serological markers of the hepatitis B virus at baseline and at treatment weeks 24, 48, 96, 144, 192, and 240. Instances of drug-related complications and adverse reactions were recorded. Patients who did not achieve complete virological response by treatment week 48 or who experienced virological breakthrough at any time during the study course were recorded and started on an appropriate combination therapy regimen. Statistical analyses were carried out using the t-test, chi-square test, and Cox regression modeling.

RESULTSThe dropout rate in the entecavir group was 2.6% and in the adefovir group was 13.5%. At treatment week 240, significantly more patients in the entecavir group had undetectable serum HBV-DNA (91.9% vs. adefovir group: 57.8%; x2=10.362, P=0.001), a negative conversion rate of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) (46.2% vs. adefovir group: 24%; x2=5.055, P=0.025), and rate of HBeAg seroconversion (23.1% vs. adefovir group: 8%, P=0.047).The entecavir group and the adefovir group showed no significant differences upon per-protocol analysis and intention-to-treat analysis, nor in the rates of hepatocellular carcinoma development (entecavir group: 8.1% vs. adefovir group: 6.7%; x2=0.000, P=1.000) or mortality (entecavir group: 8.1% vs. adefovir group: 4.4%; x2=0.051, P=0.821). The possibility of achieving undetectable serum HBV-DNA was 2.761 times higher in the entecavir group than in the adefovir group (95.0% CI: 1.630 to 4.679). The possibility of HBeAg seroconversion was 0.192 times higher for males than for females (95.0% CI: 0.046 to 0.806).

CONCLUSIONCompared to adefovir, entecavir provides high efficiency and rapid viral suppression as a monotherapy for CHB patients when administered in a 240-week course.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase ; Antiviral Agents ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Biomarkers ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Female ; Guanine ; analogs & derivatives ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Neoplasms ; Male ; Organophosphonates ; Time Factors ; alpha-Fetoproteins

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical effect of elbasvir/grazoprevir in the treatment of patients with genotype 1b chronic hepatitis C (CHC). MethodsA total of 99 patients with genotype 1b CHC and compensated cirrhosis who received elbasvir/grazoprevir treatment for 12 weeks and completed treatment and follow-up for 12 weeks after drug withdrawal in Tianjin Third Central Hospital from December 2018 to October 2019 were enrolled. Related clinical data, serological markers, virological indices, and liver stiffness measurement were collected at baseline, at the end of treatment, and at week 12 after drug withdrawal, and virologic response was observed. The Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed rank sum test were used to observe virologic response rate and the changes in liver function and liver stiffness measurement at the end of treatment and at week 12 after drug withdrawal, and the safety of elbasvir/grazoprevir was evaluated. ResultsFor the 99 patients treated with elbasvir/grazoprevir for 12 weeks, the proportion of patients with HCV RNA below the lower limit of detection was 100% at the end of treatment and 99% at week 12 after drug withdrawal. There were significant reductions in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) from baseline to the end of treatment (Z=-5.857 and -5.941, both P＜0.05). Liver stiffness measurement decreased from 10.5 kPa at baseline to 8.0 kPa at week 12 after drug withdrawal (Z=-4.036, P＜0.05). Among the 99 patients, 24 patients with compensatory cirrhosis reached a virologic response rate of 100% at the end of treatment and at week 12 after drug withdrawal, as well as significant reductions in ALT and AST from baseline (both P＜0.05), and liver stiffness measurement decreased from 21.1 kPa at baseline to 17.5 kPa at the end of treatment (Z=-1.832, P=0.067) and 13.6 kPa at week 12 after drug withdrawal (Z=-3.182, P=0.001). Compared with the non-liver cirrhosis group, the liver cirrhosis group had significantly greater reductions in liver stiffness measurement (P＜0.05). The patients had good tolerance throughout the treatment, and 4 patients reported mild adverse events during the treatment. ConclusionPatients with genotype 1b CHC have a high virologic response rate to elbasvir/grazoprevir in the real world, with significant improvements in liver function and liver stiffness measurement and good tolerance.

Objective:To study the antimicrobial activity of diacerein on common pathogens of the ocular surface in vitro.Methods:Pathogens were collected from patients with ocular surface infections in Henan Eye Hospital, including Gram-positive cocci and bacilli, Gram-negative bacilli, filamentous fungi, and Candida.The antimicrobial activity of diacerein was determined by the K-B agar diffusion method, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the micro-liquid method.Levofloxacin and voriconazole were used as the control of antibacterial and antifungal drug, respectirely.Results:Diacerein showed antibacterial activity against 42 strains of Gram-positive cocci and 10 strains of Gram-positive bacilli, its inhibition zone diameters for Staphylococcus epidermidis, S.aureus, S.intermedius and Gram-positive Corynebacterium were not significantly different from those of levofloxacin (all at P>0.05). Its MIC range of diacetate against Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, S. intermedius and other Staphylococci was 1-32 μg/ml, and its respective MIC 90 was 16, 8, 16, and 32 μg/ml.Diacerein had no bacteriostatic effect on 23 strains of Gram-negative bacilli, 10 strains of filamentous fungi and 3 strains of candida. Conclusions:Diacerein has antibacterial effects against Gram-positive Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium isolated from the ocular surface, but shows no antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacilli and fungi.Diacerein offers a new drug option and method for the treatment of bacterial keratitis.

Accurate classification of the acetabular injuries and appropriate treatment plan are great challenges for orthopedic surgeons because of the irregular anatomical structure of the acetabulum and aggregation of important vessels and nerves around it. Letournel-Judet classification system has been widely applied to classify acetabular fractures. However, there are several limitations, including incomplete inclusion of fracture types, difficulty in understanding and insufficient guidance for surgical treatment, etc. Serious complications such as traumatic arthritis are common due to wrong classification and diagnosis and improper selection of surgical strategy, which brings a heavy burden to the society and families. Three-column classification, based on anatomic characteristics, has advantages of containing more fracture types and being easy to understand, etc. To solve the problems existing in the diagnosis and treatment process based on Letournel-Judet classification, achieve accurate diagnosis and treatment of patients with acetabular fractures, and obtain satisfactory prognosis, the Orthopedic Trauma Emergency Center of Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University and the Trauma Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Orthopedic Association organized experts from relevant fields to formulate the Expert consensus on the accurate diagnosis and treatment of acetabular fractures based on three-column classification ( version 2023) in terms of principles of evidence-based medicine. Based on the three-column classification, 15 recommendations were proposed, covering the diagnosis, treatment, complication prevention and management, etc, so as to provide reference for accurate diagnosis and treatment of acetabular fractures.

Objective To investigate the level of glycosylated albumin (GA) in liver cirrhosis patients with different Child-Pugh classes and its application value in predicting liver function. Methods A total of 486 patients with liver cirrhosis who were hospitalized in Tianjin Third Central Hospital from January 1 to December 31, 2019, were enrolled, among whom 227 patients had liver cirrhosis without diabetes and 259 patients had liver cirrhosis with diabetes. The patients were divided into groups according to Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, and fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and percentage of GA (GA%) were measured. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between three groups, and the Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner test was used for further comparison between two groups. Scatter plots and fitting curves were plotted for CTP score and GA% to evaluate the association between them and calculate the cut-off value. Results For the cirrhosis patients without diabetes, there were significant differences between the patients with different Child-Pugh classes in GA% ( χ 2 =24.809, P < 0.001), fasting blood glucose ( χ 2 =11.899, P =0.003), and glycosylated hemoglobin ( χ 2 =13.607, P =0.001); further pairwise comparison showed that there was a significant difference in GA% between Child-Pugh class A/B liver cirrhosis patients without diabetes and Child-Pugh class C liver cirrhosis patients ( P < 0.05), Child-Pugh class A patients had a significantly higher level of fasting blood glucose than Child-Pugh class B patients ( P < 0.05), and Child-Pugh class A patients had a significantly higher level of glycosylated hemoglobin than Child-Pugh class B/C patients ( P < 0.05). For the patients with liver cirrhosis and diabetes, there were significant differences between the patients with different Child-Pugh classes in GA% ( χ 2 =10.734, P =0.005) and fasting blood glucose ( χ 2 =16.295, P < 0.001); further pairwise comparison showed that Child-Pugh class C liver cirrhosis patients with diabetes had a significantly lower GA% than Child-Pugh class A/B patients ( P < 0.05) and Child-Pugh class A patients had a significantly lower fasting blood glucose level than Child-Pugh class B patients ( P < 0.05). The fitting curve showed that GA% increased with the increase in CTP score in the liver cirrhosis patients without diabetes, reached the highest value at the CTP score of 6.5, and then started to decrease, with the lower value at the CTP score of 11.5, which showed a curvilinear relationship; in the liver cirrhosis patients with diabetes, GA% first increased and then decreased with the increase in CTP score, with a cut-off value of 8. Conclusion GA% first increases and then decreases along with the progression of liver cirrhosis. There is a significant difference in GA between liver cirrhosis patients with different Child-Pugh classes, suggesting that the reduction in GA is closely associated with liver function decompensation in end-stage liver cirrhosis.

Critical ultrasonography(CUS) is different from the traditional diagnostic ultrasound,the examiner and interpreter of the image are critical care medicine physicians.The core content of CUS is to evaluate the pathophysiological changes of organs and systems and etiology changes.With the idea of critical care medicine as the soul,it can integrate the above information and clinical information,bedside real-time diagnosis and titration treatment,and evaluate the therapeutic effect so as to improve the outcome.CUS is a traditional technique which is applied as a new application method.The consensus of experts on critical ultrasonography in China released in 2016 put forward consensus suggestions on the concept,implementation and application of CUS.It should be further emphasized that the accurate and objective assessment and implementation of CUS requires the standardization of ultrasound image acquisition and the need to establish a CUS procedure.At the same time,the standardized training for CUS accepted by critical care medicine physicians requires the application of technical specifications,and the establishment of technical specifications is the basis for the quality control and continuous improvement of CUS.Chinese Critical Ultrasound Study Group and Critical Hemodynamic Therapy Collabration Group,based on the rich experience of clinical practice in critical care and research,combined with the essence of CUS,to learn the traditional ultrasonic essence,established the clinical application technical specifications of CUS,including in five parts:basic view and relevant indicators to obtain in CUS;basic norms for viscera organ assessment and special assessment;standardized processes and systematic inspection programs;examples of CUS applications;CUS training and the application of qualification certification.The establishment of applied technology standard is helpful for standardized training and clinical correct implementation.It is helpful for clinical evaluation and correct guidance treatment,and is also helpful for quality control and continuous improvement of CUS application.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with thrombocytopenia and its effect on platelet count (PLT). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 83 CHC patients with thrombocytopenia (PLT < 150×10 9 /L) who received the DAA treatment regimen without interferon for 12-24 weeks in Tianjin Third Central Hospital from April 2018 to March 2019, and the changes in virologic response, liver function parameters, PLT, and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were evaluated at the end of treatment (EOT) and at week 12 after EOT. Quantitative data accord with normal distribution were compared by repeated measures ANOVA. Normal transformation was performed before the comparison between skewed data, then repeated measures ANOVA was carried out. A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the predictive factors for PLT elevation, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to analyze the value of LSM in predicting PLT elevation after treatment. Results Among the 83 CHC patients with thrombocytopenia, 61.4% had liver cirrhosis, and the rate of sustained virologic response at week 12 after the end of treatment (SVR12) was 98.8%. From baseline to EOT and SVR12, the patients had significant reductions in the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, and globin, a significant increase in the serum level of albumin, and a significant reduction in LSM (all P < 0.05). For all patients, PLT at EOT and SVR12 was significantly higher than that at baseline [EOT vs baseline: (110.4±44.6)×10 9 /L vs (97.8±33.2)×10 9 /L, P < 0.01; SVR12 vs baseline: (109.0±47.7)×10 9 /L vs (97.8±33.2)×10 9 /L, P < 0.01]. At SVR12, there were significant differences in the proportion of patients with liver cirrhosis, baseline LSM, and baseline white blood cell count between the PLT elevation group and the non-PLT elevation group (all P < 0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that LSM was an independent predictive factor for significant PLT elevation after DAA treatment (odds ratio=0.929, 95% confidence interval: 0.864-0.999, P < 0.05). Baseline LSM had an area under the ROC curve of 0.644 in predicting PLT elevation, with a sensitivity of 81.0% and a specificity of 48.6% at a cut-off value of 20.15 kPa. The patients with PLT > 100×10 9 /L at baseline had a greater increase in PLT( P < 0.05). Conclusion CHC patients with thrombocytopenia have significant improvements in liver function and LSM after receiving DAA treatment and obtaining SVR12, and baseline LSM is an independent predictive factor for PLT elevation. There is a significant increase in PLT from baseline to EOT and SVR12.