1.Lactitol in treatment of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial
Houyu LIU ; Hong SHI ; Zhijun FU ; Liang ZHU ; Weizhong CHEN
Chinese Medical Journal 1998;111(2):0-0
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lactitolin the treatment of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy.Methods From September 19, 1995 to April 25, 1996, 31cases of cirrhotic patients with subclinical hepaticencephalopathy were divided into two groups. Sixteen casesreceived an average of 1.05 ml/day (range from 0.55-1.75ml/kg/day) of 40% lactitol solution orally three times a day toachieve one to two semiformed stools/day for two weeks. Fifteencases were given placebo (5%GW) 10 ml orally three times a dayas control also for 2-week period. The drug and the placebowere the same in colour, package, and taste. The patients'subjective response to treatment and any adverse eventoccurring were recorded before and after two-week's treatment.Assessment of response included two psy-chometric tests[number connection test (NCT) and digitsymbol test (DS)],somatosensory evoked potentialsDepartment of Digestion,(SSEP), blood ammonia and the clinical evaluation of mentalstatus.Results Two of 15 patients in control group had notundergone the reassessment due to overt hepatic encephalopathy,one in stage 3, and the other in stage 4. The remaining 13patients completed the study. In 16 patients completed withlactitol treatment, none showed the evidence of overt hepaticencephalopathy. After a two-week treatment, the blood ammonia,latency of N2, P2, N3, P3 and inter-peak latency of N1-P2,N1-N3 of SSEP were significantly decreased and the NCT, DS weremarkedly improved (P<0.01). The differences found in thecontrol group were not statistically significant. Adverseeffects of lactitol such as flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, andvomiting were mild and transient, and did not affect thetreatment.Conclusion It is suggested that lactitol is a safe andeffective drug for the treatment of subclinical hepaticencephalopathy, and the optimal dose and regimen should beindividually prescribed. It's efficacy in long-term treatmentneeds to be investigated further.
2.Progress in methodological research on bridging the efficacy-effectiveness gap of clinical interventions (1): to improve the validity of real-world evidence
Zuoxiang LIU ; Zilin LONG ; Zhirong YANG ; Shuyuan SHI ; Xinran XU ; Houyu ZHAO ; Zuyao YANG ; Zhu FU ; Haibo SONG ; Tengfei LIN ; Siyan ZHAN ; Feng SUN
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2024;45(2):286-293
Objective:Differences between randomized controlled trial (RCT) results and real world study (RWS) results may not represent a true efficacy-effectiveness gap because efficacy-effectiveness gap estimates may be biased when RWS and RCT differ significantly in study design or when there is bias in RWS result estimation. Secondly, when there is an efficacy- effectiveness gap, it should not treat every patient the same way but assess the real-world factors influencing the intervention's effectiveness and identify the subgroup likely to achieve the desired effect.Methods:Six databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP) were searched up to 31 st December 2022 with detailed search strategies. A scoping review method was used to integrate and qualitatively describe the included literature inductively. Results:Ten articles were included to discuss how to use the RCT research protocol as a template to develop the corresponding RWS research protocol. Moreover, based on correctly estimating the efficacy-effectiveness gap, evaluate the intervention effect in the patient subgroup to confirm the subgroup that can achieve the expected benefit-risk ratio to bridge the efficacy-effectiveness gap.Conclusion:Using real-world data to simulate key features of randomized controlled clinical trial study design can improve the authenticity and effectiveness of study results and bridge the efficacy-effectiveness gap.
3.Progress in methodological research on bridging the efficacy-effectiveness gap of clinical interventions(2): to improve the extrapolation of efficacy
Zuoxiang LIU ; Zilin LONG ; Zhirong YANG ; Shuyuan SHI ; Xinran XU ; Houyu ZHAO ; Zuyao YANG ; Zhu FU ; Haibo SONG ; Tengfei LIN ; Siyan ZHAN ; Feng SUN
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2024;45(4):579-584
Objective:Randomized controlled trials (RCT) usually have strict implementation criteria. The included subjects' characteristics of the conditions for the intervention implementation are quite different from the actual clinical environment, resulting in discrepancies between the risk-benefit of interventions in actual clinical use and the risk-benefit shown in RCT. Therefore, some methods are needed to enhance the extrapolation of RCT results to evaluate the real effects of drugs in real people and clinical practice settings.Methods:Six databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP) were searched up to 31 st December 2022 with detailed search strategies. A scoping review method was used to integrate and qualitatively describe the included literature inductively. Results:A total of 12 articles were included. Three methods in the included literature focused on: ①improving the design of traditional RCT to increase population representation; ②combining RCT Data with real-world data (RWD) for analysis;③calibrating RCT results according to real-world patient characteristics.Conclusions:Improving the design of RCT to enhance the population representation can improve the extrapolation of the results of RCT. Combining RCT data with RWD can give full play to the advantages of data from different sources; the results of the RCT were calibrated against real-world population characteristics so that the effects of interventions in real-world patient populations can be predicted.
4.Mechanism of Xibining Ⅱ Combined with ADSC-Exos in Improving Knee Osteoarthritis by Regulating Mitochondrial Autophagy
Junfeng KANG ; Lishi JIE ; Houyu FU ; Taiyang LIAO ; Lei SHI ; Zishan SU ; Likai YU ; Yibao WEI ; Deren LIU ; Di TIAN ; Jun MAO ; Peimin WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(11):111-119
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Xibining (XBN) and adipose stem cell exosome (ADSC-Exos) in the cases of separate or joint application on cartilage degeneration and mitochondrial autophagy and explore its mechanism of action to improve knee osteoarthritis (KOA). MethodSD rats were divided into a sham operation group (sham group), a model group, an ADSC-Exos group (Exos group), an XBN group, and an ADSC-Exos+XBN group (Exos+XBN group). KOA model was established by using anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). The pain sensitivity status of rats was evaluated, and the degeneration degree of the knee joint and cartilage tissue was detected by Micro-CT and pathological staining. The expression of p62 and LC3B was observed by immunofluorescence, and the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-15 in rats were detected by ELISA. The Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of MMP-3, MMP-13, ADAMTS5, ColⅡ, TIMP, ACAN, PINK1, Parkin, p62, and LC3A/B. ResultCompared with the sham group, rats in the model group showed decreased cold-stimulated foot-shrinkage thresholds and mechanical pain sensitivity thresholds, varying degrees of abrasion and loss of cartilage tissue, degeneration of cartilage tissue, elevated serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-15, and TNF-α levels (P<0.01), and increased protein expression of MMP-3, MMP-13, and ADAMTS5 in cartilage tissue. In addition, the protein expression of ColⅡ, TIMP1, and ACAN was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, rats in each treatment group showed higher cold-stimulated foot-shrinkage thresholds and mechanical pain sensitivity thresholds, reduced cartilage tissue degeneration, lower serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-15, and TNF-α (P<0.05,P<0.01), decreased protein expression of MMP-3, MMP-13, and ADAMTS5, and higher protein expression of Cold, TIMP1, and ACAN in cartilage tissue (P<0.05,P<0.01). Moreover, the changes were the most obvious in the Exos+XBN group. ConclusionBoth ADSCs-Exos and XBN can increase the level of mitochondrial autophagy in chondrocytes and delay cartilage tissue degeneration by promoting the expression of the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway, and the combination of the two can enhance the therapeutic effect.