BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of reducing posterior malleolar fractures via the modified Rammelt transfibular approach. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 26 patients with ankle fractures who met the selection criteria and were admitted between September 2023 and May 2024. There were 13 males and 13 females, aged from 14 to 59 years (median, 43.5 years). Causes of injury included traffic accident (1 case), falls (7 cases), and sprains (18 cases). Time from injury to operation ranged from 1 to 13 days (mean, 3.9 days). According to the Lauge-Hansen classification, there were 5 supination-external rotation type Ⅲ fractures and 21 supination-external rotation type Ⅳ fractures. According to the Bartoníček classification for posterior malleolar fractures, there were 12 type Ⅱ fractures, 10 type Ⅲ fractures, and 4 type Ⅳ fractures. During operation, the fracture was exposed via the modified Rammelt transfibular approach; then, the fracture reduction was achieved under direct vision using techniques such as towel clip traction, posterolateral compression, and lifting with a posterior transverse periosteal elevator; finally, the fracture was fixed using anteroposterior cannulated screws or Kirschner wires. The incision healing was observed after operation. At 4 months after operation, X-ray film and CT were reviewed to evaluate the quality of fracture reduction. The medial clear space, tibiofibular clear space, and the anterior/posterior tibiofibular syndesmotic distances were measured. At last follow-up, the ankle function was assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and the range of motion. RESULTS: The marginal necrosis occurred in 2 lateral malleolar incisions, and superficial infection occurred in 1 lateral malleolar incision; the remaining incisions healed by first intention. All 26 patients were followed up 13-21 months (mean, 15.6 months). X-ray films showed that fractures in 25 patients achieved clinical union within 3-8 months (mean, 5.4 months); 1 case had delayed union of the lateral malleolus. At 4 months after operation, no significant difference was found between the injured and healthy sides in the medial clear space, tibiofibular clear space, or the anterior/posterior tibiofibular syndesmotic distances ( P>0.05). No malreduction of the posterior malleolus or the tibiofibular syndesmosis occurred. At last follow-up, the AOFAS score ranged from 80 to 100 (mean, 91.9). The range of motion ranged from 17° to 22° (mean, 21.0°) in active ankle dorsiflexion and from 40° to 49° (mean, 44.6°) in plantar flexion. Internal fixator was removed in 12 patients at 1 year after operation, with no ankle instability occurring. Ankle joint degeneration was observed in 1 patient at last follow-up. CONCLUSION The modified Rammelt transfibular approach is a safe and reliable technique. It enables precise reduction under direct vision, improves the quality of reduction for the distal tibial articular surface and the tibiofibular syndesmosis, and provides satisfactory ankle functional recovery in short-term follow-up.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Ankle Fractures/diagnostic imaging* ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Adolescent ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult ; Bone Screws ; Ankle Joint/surgery* ; Fibula/surgery* ; Range of Motion, Articular

Cervical spine health issues not only seriously affect patients' quality of life but also impose a heavy burden on the social healthcare system. Existing guidelines lack sufficient clinical guidance on lifestyle and work habits, such as exercise, posture, daily routine, and diet, making it difficult to meet practical needs. To address this, relying on the China Association of Chinese Medicine, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences took the lead and joined hands with more than ten institutions to form a multidisciplinary guideline development group. For the first time, the group developed the Guidelines for Cervical Spine Health Intervention based on evidence-based medicine methods, strictly following the standardized procedures outlined in the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development and the Guiding Principles for the Formulation/Revision of Clinical Practice Guidelines in China (2022 Edition). This proposal systematically explains the methods and steps for developing the guideline, aiming to make the guideline development process scientific, standardized, and transparent.
Humans ; Practice Guidelines as Topic/standards* ; Cervical Vertebrae ; China

Prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death in men worldwide. Radical prostatectomy (RP) is the standard treatment for localized prostate cancer, but the procedure often results in postoperative erectile dysfunction (ED). The poor efficacy of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors after surgery highlights the need to develop new therapies to enhance cavernous nerve regeneration and improve the erectile function of these patients. In the present study, we aimed to examine the potential of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) in preserving erectile function in cavernous nerve injury (CNI) mice. We found that HB-EGF expression was reduced significantly on the 1 st day after CNI in penile tissue. Ex vivo and in vitro studies showed that HB-EGF promotes major pelvic ganglion neurite sprouting and neuro-2a (N2a) cell migration. In vivo studies showed that exogenous HB-EGF treatment significantly restored the erectile function of CNI mice to 86.9% of sham levels. Immunofluorescence staining showed that mural and neuronal cells were preserved by inducing cell proliferation and reducing apoptosis and reactive oxygen species production. Western blot analysis showed that HB-EGF upregulated protein kinase B and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation and neurotrophic factor expression. Overall, HB-EGF is a major promising therapeutic agent for treating ED in postoperative RP.
Animals ; Male ; Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor/therapeutic use* ; Erectile Dysfunction/etiology* ; Mice ; Penis/drug effects* ; Nerve Regeneration/drug effects* ; Penile Erection/drug effects* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/drug therapy* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Prostatectomy/adverse effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a globally life-threatening disease. Presently, few therapeutic medicines are available for treating IS, and rt-PA is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. In fact, many agents showing excellent neuroprotection but no blood flow-improving activity in animals have not achieved ideal clinical efficacy, while thrombolytic drugs only improving blood flow without neuroprotection have limited their wider application. To address these challenges and meet the huge unmet clinical need, we have designed and identified a novel compound AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement. AAPB significantly reduced cerebral infarction and neural function deficit in tMCAO rats, pMCAO rats, and IS rhesus monkeys, as well as displayed exceptional safety profiles and excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rats and dogs. AAPB has now entered phase I of clinical trials fighting IS in China.

Coronavirus-related diseases pose a significant challenge to the global health system. Given the diversity of coronaviruses and the unpredictable nature of disease outbreaks, the traditional "one bug, one drug" paradigm struggles to address the growing number of emerging crises. Therefore, there is an urgent need for therapeutic agents with broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus activity. Here, we provide evidence that ATV006, an anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleoside analog targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), has broad antiviral activity against human and animal coronaviruses. Using mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) as a model, we show that ATV006 has potent prophylactic and therapeutic activity against murine coronavirus infection in vivo. Remarkably, ATV006 successfully inhibits viral replication in mice even when administered 96 h after infection. Due to its oral bioavailability and potency against multiple coronaviruses, ATV006 has the potential to become a useful antiviral agent against SARS-CoV-2 and other circulating and emerging coronaviruses in humans and animals.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.10.012.].