1.Research progress on the role of N6-methyladenosine modification in atherosclerosis and drug intervention
Xiaolu ZHANG ; Miaoying GENG ; Yun WANG ; Shengyong MENG ; Yijing WANG ; Xijuan JIANG
Chinese Journal of Arteriosclerosis 2024;32(4):277-284
N6-methyladenosine(m6A)modification is one of the most abundant epitranscriptomic modifications in eukaryotic mRNA,with dynamic and reversible properties.This modification process is coordinated by methyltransferases,demethylases,and related m6A binding proteins,which in turn affect mRNA metabolism and function.Increasing evi-dence has indicated that the m6A RNA modification plays an important role in the occurrence and development of athero-sclerosis(As)and other related diseases.This paper provide a comprehensive review of the relationship between m6A RNA modification and As.The entire manuscript summarizes the m6A RNA modification mechanism and its roles in As-related cells including endothelial cells,macrophages,and smooth muscle cells,and discusses the association of m6A RNA modification with risk factors of As such as high-fat diet,ischemia/hypoxia,oscillatory stress,and hypertension.Finally,this review summarizes researches on drug intervention targeting m6A RNA methylation to mitigate As.These studies pro-vide important references for exploring new targets for early diagnosis and treatment of As.
2.Treatment and factors associated with prognosis of hyperkalemia in the emergency department
Yao WU ; Yangyang FU ; Hanqi TANG ; Meng LEI ; Wenlin HAO ; Huadong ZHU ; Shengyong XU ; Jun XU ; Xuezhong YU
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2023;35(3):321-325
Objective:To survey treatment and prognosis of hyperkalemia patients in the emergency department and to analyze factors associated with all-cause in-hospital mortality.Methods:We implemented electronic hospital information system, extracted demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, laboratory findings, potassium lowering therapy and prognosis of hyperkalemia patients [age ≥ 18 years, serum potassium (K +) concentration ≥ 5.5 mmol/L] in the emergency department of Peking Union hospital in Beijing between June 1st 2019 to May 31st 2020. The enrolled subjects were divided into the non-survival group and the survival group according to their prognosis. Univariate analysis and Cox regression model were adopted to analyze factors affecting all-cause in-hospital mortality of hyperkalemia patients. Results:A total of 579 patients [median age 64 (22) years; 310 men (53.5%) and 269 women (46.5%)] with hyperkalemia were enrolled, among which, 317 (54.7%), 143 (24.7%) and 119 (20.6%) were mild, moderate, and severe hyperkalemia, respectively. 499 (86.20%) patients received potassium-lowering therapy, forty-four treatment regimens were administered. Insulin and glucose (I+G, 61.3%), diuretics (Diu, 57.2%), sodium bicarbonate (SB, 41.9%) and calcium gluconate/chloride (CA, 44.4%) were commonly used for the treatment of hyperkalemiain the emergency department. The combination of insulin and glucose, calcium gluconate/chloride, diuretics and sodium bicarbonate (I+G+CA+Diu+SB) was the most favored combined treatment regimen of hyperkalemia in the emergency department. The higher serum potassium concentration, the higher proportion of administrating combined treatment regimen and/or hemodialysis (HD) (the proportion of administrating combined treatment regimen in mild, moderate, and severe hyperkalemia patients were 58.4%, 82.5% and 94.8%; the proportion of administrating HD in mild, moderate, and severe hyperkalemia patients were 9.7%, 13.3% and 16.0%, respectively). The proportion of achievement of normokalaemia elevated as the kinds of potassium lowering treatment included in the combined treatment regimen increased. The proportion of achievement of normokalaemia was 100% in the combined treatment regimen including 6 kinds of potassium lowering therapy. Among various potassium lowering treatments, HD contributed to the highest rate of achievement of normokalaemia (93.8%). 111 of 579 (19.20%) hyperkalemia patients died in hospital. Cox regression model revealed that complicated with cardiac dysfunction predicted higher mortality [hazard ratio ( HR) = 1.757, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.155-2.672, P = 0.009]. Achievement of normokalaemia and administration of diuretics attributed to lower mortality ( HR = 0.248, 95% CI was 0.155-0.398, P = 0.000; HR = 0.335, 95% CI was 0.211-0.531, P = 0.000, respectively). Conclusions:Treatment of hyperkalemia in the emergency department were various. Complicated with cardiac dysfunction were associated with higher mortality. Achieving normokalaemia was associated with decreased mortality.