Objective: To investigate the association between the CYP3A5 genetic polymorphism and the serum concentrations of carbamazepine (CBZ), to provide guidance for individualized drug dosing. Methods: Eighty-four epilepsy patients taking CBZ were included in this study. Their clinical data were recorded and CBZ serum concentrations were measured. The CYP3A5 6986 genetic polymorphism was assessed using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP) assay. Patients were divided according to genotype into CYP3A5 expressor (CYP3A5*1/*1 genotype and CYP3A5*1/*3 genotypes) and non-expressor groups (CYP3A5*3/*3). The two groups were compared for the total dose of CBZ, dose of CBZ/kg body weight, serum drug concentration, dose-corrected serum concentration, and standardized serum concentration. Results: The total dose of CBZ and the dose of CBZ/kg body weight was higher in the CYP3A5 expressor group than the non-expressor (P = 0.043 and P = 0.014, respectively). The dose-corrected and standardized serum concentrations were lower in the CYP3A5 expressor group than the non-expressor (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). There was however, no signifi cant difference in serum drug concentration between the two groups (P = 0.487). Conclusions: There was a close relationship between CYP3A5 genetic polymorphism and the serum concentrations of carbamazepine.

Objective To investigate the effect of statin pretreatment on collateral circulation and prognoses of patients with cardiac large artery occlusive stroke.MethodsFifty-three patients with cardiac large artery occlusive stroke admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to July 2019 were selected. All patients had unilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. DSA was used to evaluate the collateral flows, and the differences of collateral flows and prognoses in patients took statins before onset were compared with those did not take statins.ResultsAs compared with patients did not take statins, patients took statins had higher incidences of diabetes and coronary heart disease, lower content of low density cholesterol, higher proportion of patients with good collateral circulation (grading 3 to 4), and lower modified Rankin scale scores 3 months after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P< 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that percentage of patients took statins was independent factors affecting collateral flow in patients with cardiac arterial occlusive stroke(OR=5.000, 95％CI: 1.136-22.006,P=0.033).ConclusionIn patients with cardiac large artery occlusive stroke, statin pretreatment could improve collateral flow and clinical prognoses.

Objective:To compare the ability of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio and triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) in identifying nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods:A total of 11 524 eligible subjects who underwent physical examination in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January to December in 2018 were selected in this research. The correlation between TG/HDL-C, TyG and NAFLD was analyzed by using binary logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of TyG and TG/HDL-C were drawn for identifying NAFLD in male and female, and their diagnostic value for NAFLD was compared.Results:The prevalence of NAFLD increased with TG/HDL-C and TyG. After adjusting for confounding factors, when compared with that in the first quartile group of TG/HDL-C, the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals ( CI) of NAFLD risk in the second, third and fourth quartile groups of TG/HDL-C was 2.380 (2.039-2.779), 3.902 (3.342-4.555) and 7.903 (6.745-9.259), respectively. Compared with that in the first quartile group of TyG, the OR (95% CI) of NAFLD risk in the second, third and fourth quartile groups of TyG was 2.243 (1.923-2.617), 3.918 (3.363-4.565) and 9.002 (7.676-10.559), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of TG/HDL-C and TyG in identifying NAFLD in male was 0.746 and 0.744, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two indexes ( P=0.509 1). The AUCs of TG/HDL-C and TyG in identifying NAFLD in female was 0.785 and 0.799, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001). The cut-off point of TG/HDL-C for identifying NAFLD in male was 1.02, and the cut-off point of TyG for identifying NAFLD in female was 8.55. Conclusions:TG/HDL-C and TyG are closely related to NAFLD in adults. There is no difference between TG/HDL-C and TyG in evaluating NAFLD in male, while TyG is better than TG/HDL-C in evaluating NAFLD in female.

Objective:To investigate and analyze the psychological stress status and influencing factors of medical staff in comprehensive grade A hospitals.Methods:This was a cross-sectional survey using a convenient sampling method. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 2 048 staff members of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from February 25 to June 16, 2022. The questionnaires included the Self-rating Stress Questionnaire (SSQ-53), the Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and the Self-rating Depression Scale. A total of 2 048 questionnaires were distributed and 2 048 were collected. Among them, 2 006 (97.95%) were valid questionnaires, and 2 006 medical staff were ultimately included in the analysis. According to the results of the scale, they were divided into the increased psychological stress group and the non increased psychological stress group. Descriptive analysis, independent sample t-test/chi-square test, correlation analysis, and other methods were used to analyze the psychological stress status of medical staff and the distribution of related factors, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze their influencing factors. Results:A total of 310 (15.5%) out of 2 006 study subjects showed increased psychological stress. Women had a statistically significant increase in physical (14.7% vs 8.0%, χ2=12.40, P<0.001) and emotional dimensions (18.2% vs 13.5%, χ2=5.04, P=0.025) of stress compared to men. The level of psychological stress was positively correlated with anxiety and depression ( r=0.810, 0.749, respectively, P<0.001). Univariate analysis showed that those who were women ( χ2=6.76, P=0.009), with low education backgrounds ( Z=-2.50, P=0.012), nurses ( χ2=15.72, P<0.001), or working in emergency departments ( χ2=13.64, P=0.009) had a higher rate of increased psychological stress, while the serum calcium level in the increased psychological stress group was lower than that in the non increased psychological stress group ( t=2.82, P=0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that low educational backgrounds ( OR=2.238, 95% CI: 1.090-4.597, P=0.028) and working in emergency department ( OR=1.589, 95% CI: 1.012-2.493, P=0.044) were independent risk factors for increased psychological stress of medical staff. Working in administrative and logistics departments ( OR=0.466, 95% CI: 0.229-0.950, P=0.036) and serum calcium level ( OR=0.213, 95% CI: 0.059-0.760, P=0.017) were negatively correlated with increased psychological stress. Conclusions:In comprehensive grade A hospitals, medical staff working in the emergency department or with lower educational backgrounds face greater psychological stress. Serum calcium level is negatively correlated with increased psychological stress, but the causal relationship needs further study.

Objective:To evaluate the status of T, B and NK lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection and low-level viremia after nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment and to provide ideas for solving low-level viremia.Methods:This retrospective study involved 344 patients with chronic HBV infection who had been treated with NAs. They were divided into two groups: low-level viremia group (LLV group) and complete virological response group (CVR group). Clinical data including basic information, biochemistry and coagulation test results, HBV DNA, peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, PD1 and CD28 expression by T lymphocytes, and perforin and granzyme B expression by NK lymphocytes were collected and compared between the two groups. Propensity matching analysis was performed to verify the accuracy of the results.Results:Among the 344 cases, 162 were in the LLV group and 182 in the CVR group. There were no significant differences in disease diagnosis, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or albumin (ALB) level between the two groups ( P>0.05), but the differences in gender and age were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocyte and CD4 + /CD8 + ratios between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), but the expression of PD1 and CD28 by peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes was higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes in the LLV group was higher than that in the CVR group ( P>0.05), and the percentage of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes was also higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of perforin in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P>0.05). The percentage of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of granzyme B in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P<0.05). After propensity score matching, 108 cases in the LLV group and 108 cases in the CVR group showed no significant differences in basic information ( P>0.05); the percentage of CD4 + T lymphocytes and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio in peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group, while the percentage of CD8 + lymphocytes was lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the expression of PD1 and CD28 by CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes remained higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes as well as CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05); no significant difference in the expression of perforin by CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes was found between the two groups ( P>0.05), and the expression of granzyme B remained lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Abnormal number and function of T lymphocytes and decreased function of NK lymphocytes might be related to the development of LLV in patients with chronic HBV infection after treatment. Therefore, in addition to adjusting NAs, targeting of T and NK lymphocytes might also be a feasible measure for future LLV treatment.

To investigate the clinical manifestations and risk factors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cancers. From October 2010 to February 2019, 5 566 SLE patients hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were enrolled. A total of 69 cancer patients were identified, and the clinical characteristics and previous treatment were analyzed. Cervical carcinoma (21.74%, 15/69) and thyroid cancer (21.74%, 15/69) were the most common types of cancer. Most cancers were diagnosed in SLE patients with an age 40~50 years. The disease duration of SLE was from 60~120 months. SLE patients without cancers were usually diagnosed between 20~30 years with duration of symptoms less than 12 months. As to the previous treatment of SLE, the uses of glucocorticoid, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and azathioprine were comparable between patients with cancers and without (P>0.05). However, the use of hydroxychloroquine was more frequent in SLE patients than in patients with cancers (P<0.01). Correlation analysis revealed significant correlation between disease course of SLE (OR=4.25, 95%CI 1.79~10.01,P<0.001), hydroxychloroquine (OR=0.26, 95%CI 0.12~0.59,P<0.001) and cancer risk. Long disease course may be a risk factor for SLE patients to develop cancer, whereas hydroxychloroquine could be a protective factor.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading factor driving mortality worldwide. Iron, an essential trace mineral, is important in numerous biological processes, and its role in CVDs has raised broad discussion for decades. Iron-mediated cell death, namely ferroptosis, has attracted much attention due to its critical role in cardiomyocyte damage and CVDs. Furthermore, ferritinophagy is the upstream mechanism that induces ferroptosis, and is closely related to CVDs. This review aims to delineate the processes and mechanisms of ferroptosis and ferritinophagy, and the regulatory pathways and molecular targets involved in ferritinophagy, and to determine their roles in CVDs. Furthermore, we discuss the possibility of targeting ferritinophagy-induced ferroptosis modulators for treating CVDs. Collectively, this review offers some new insights into the pathology of CVDs and identifies possible therapeutic targets.
Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Ferroptosis ; Iron ; Trace Elements