OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:We aimed to develop a novel visualized model based on nomogram to predict postoperative overall survival.Methods:This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study, including participants with histologically confirmed gastric and colorectal cancer who underwent radical surgery from 11 medical centers in China from August 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018. Baseline characteristics, histopathological data and nutritional status, as assessed using Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) score and the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, were collected. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and Cox regression were used to identify variables to be included in the predictive model. Internal and external validations were performed.Results:There were 681 and 127 patients in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. A total of 188 deaths were observed over a median follow-up period of 59 (range: 58 to 60) months. Two independent predictors of NRS 2002 and Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage were identified and incorporated into the prediction nomogram model together with the factor of age. The model's concordance index for 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival was 0.696, 0.724, and 0.738 in the training cohort and 0.801, 0.812, and 0.793 in the validation cohort, respectively.Conclusions:In this study, a new nomogram prediction model based on NRS 2002 score was developed and validated for predicting the overall postoperative survival of patients with gastric colorectal cancer. This model has good differentiation, calibration and clinical practicability in predicting the long-term survival rate of patients with gastrointestinal cancer after radical surgery.

AIM To establish a UPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous content determination of Asp,Guad,Adeno,Arg,Ade,Cyti,Phe,Leu,Ile,Glu,Ser,Gln,Gly,Ala,Hyp,Thr,Pro and Lys in Asini Corii Colla.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 45℃ thermostatic Waters BEH C18column(2.1 mm×50 mm,1.7 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile(containing 0.1% formic acid)-water flowing at 0.35 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and electron spray ionization source was adopted in positive ion scanning with multiple reaction monitoring mode.Subsequently,chemical pattern recognition was performed by hierarchical clustering analysis,principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis.RESULTS Eighteen nucleosides and free amino acids showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r≥0.999 0),whose average recoveries were 98.0%-104.9% with the RSDs of 1.6%-4.9% .Seventeen batches of samples were clustered into two categories,two principal components demonstrated the accumulative variance contribution rate of 60.75%,Leu,Phe,Ade and Guad were potential index constituents.CONCLUSION This stable and reliable method can be used for the quality control of Asini Corii Colla.

Colectomy ; Colorectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: To study the early clinical efficacy of combined therapy of stage 4 neuroblastoma. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data and follow-up data of 14 children with stage 4 neuroblastoma who were diagnosed in Hong Kong University-Shenzhen Hospital from January 2016 to June 2021. RESULTS: The median age of onset was 3 years and 7.5 months in these 14 children. Among these children, 9 had positive results of bone marrow biopsy, 4 had N-Myc gene amplification, 13 had an increase in neuron-specific enolase, and 7 had an increase in vanilmandelic acid in urine. Based on the results of pathological examination, differentiated type was observed in 6 children, undifferentiated type in one child, mixed type, in one child and poorly differentiated type in 6 children. Of all the children, 10 received chemotherapy with the N7 regimen (including 2 children receiving arsenic trioxide in addition) and 4 received chemotherapy with the Rapid COJEC regimen. Thirteen children underwent surgery, 14 received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 10 received radiotherapy. A total of 8 children received Ch14.18/CHO immunotherapy, among whom 1 child discontinued due to anaphylactic shock during immunotherapy, and the other 7 children completed Ch14.18/CHO treatment without serious adverse events, among whom 1 child was treated with Lu177 Dotatate 3 times after recurrence and is still undergoing chemotherapy at present. The median follow-up time was 45 months for all the 14 children. Four children experienced recurrence within 2 years, and the 2-year overall survival rate was 100%; 4 children experienced recurrence within 3 years, and 7 achieved disease-free survival within 3 years. CONCLUSIONS Multidisciplinary combined therapy is recommended for children with stage 4 neuroblastoma and can help them achieve better survival and prognosis.
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Neuroblastoma/drug therapy* ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Oral and maxillofacial space infections (OMSI) are common diseases of the facial region involving fascial spaces. Recently, OMSI shows trends of multi drug-resistance, severe symptoms, and increased mortality. OMSI treatment principles need to be updated to improve the cure rate. Based on the clinical experiences of Chinese experts and with the incorporation of international counterparts′ expertise, the principles of preoperative checklist, interpretation of examination results, empirical medication principles, surgical treatment principles, postoperative drainage principles, prevention strategies of wisdom teeth pericoronitis-related OMSI, blood glucose management, physiotherapy principles, Ludwig′s angina treatment and perioperative care were systematically summarized and an expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of OMSI was reached. The consensus aims to provide criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of OMSI in China so as to improve the level of OMSI treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of internal fixation with volar locking plate in treating extension and flexion type of distal radius fracture (DRF). METHODS: From January 2015 to June 2018, 103 patients with DRF were retrospectively analyzed. According to original fracture displacement direction, patients were divided into extension fracture(Colles) group and flexion fracture (Smith) group. In Colles fracture group, there were 24 males and 44 females aged from 20 to 79 years old with an average of (59.0±13.4) years old;according to AO classification, 9 patients of type A2, 13 patients of type A3, 16 patientsof type C1, 17 patients of type C2 and 13 patients of type C3;the time from injury to operation ranged from 2 to 9 days with an average of (3.9±0.8) days. In Smith fracture group, there were 15 males and 20 females, aged from 27 to 87 years old with an average of (60.1±15.3) years old;according to AO classification, 4 patienst of A2, 7 patients of A3, 14 patients of C1, 5 patients of C2 and 5 patients of C3;the time from injury to operation ranged from 2 to 6 days with an average of (4.1±0.9) days. Operation time, fracture healing time and postoperative complications were recorded between two groups. Disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score at 6 and 8 weeks, 6 and 8 months were used to evaluate functional recovery of affected limbs during each follow up. Volar tilt, radial inclination and radius height were measured at 8 months after operation. Mayo score was measured at 8 months after operation to evaluate recovery of limb function. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 8 to 30 months with an average of (14.8±4.3) months, and no difference in follow up between two groups ( CONCLUSION Patients with Colles fracture and Smith fracture could receive good reduction and fixation through volar locking plate. The radiographic parameters of both groups recovered satisfactorily after operation. Recovery of volar tilt of Smith fracture group is better than that of Colles fracture group, and early recovery function of Colles fracture group is better than that of Smith group, but there is no significant difference in long-term wrist joint function and incidence of postoperative complications between two groups.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radius Fractures/surgery* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Wrist Joint ; Young Adult

Air Pollution ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; China ; Humans ; Treatment Adherence and Compliance

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation is effective in restoring sinus rhythm and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is increasingly used for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to observe the feasibility and safety of performing AF ablation and LAAC in a single (one-stop) procedure. METHODS: Consecutive AF patients who underwent the combined procedure of AF ablation and LAAC with WATCHMAN device between March 2017 and September 2018 were prospectively enrolled. Baseline and intra-procedural parameters were evaluated. Three-month and subsequent 1-year follow-up were performed in all and earlier-enrolled subjects, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 178 AF patients (94 males, 68.9 ± 8.1 years) underwent the one-stop procedure with CHA2DS2-VASc score 3.3 ± 1.5 and HAS-BLED score 1.6 ± 1.0, respectively. Pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in all patients while additional linear ablation was applied if the operator deemed necessary, yielding immediate ablation success rate of 98.9% (176/178). In the subsequent LAAC, satisfactory seal (residual leak <5 mm) was achieved in all patients. One stroke and four cardiac perforations occurred peri-operatively. At 3-month follow-up, sinus rhythm and satisfactory seal were maintained in 153/178 (86.0%) and 178/178 (100%) patients, respectively. One stroke and one delayed cardiac tamponade occurred, while no device-related thrombus or device migration was observed. During the 1-year follow-up for the earlier enrolled subjects, 52/72 (72.2%) of the patients maintained sinus rhythm. There was no stroke or systemic embolism observed. CONCLUSION Combining catheter ablation and LAAC in a single procedure can be successfully and safely performed in non-valvular AF patients of Chinese population.

Objective:To observe the effect of Dredging Correcting Manipulation on cblC methylmalonic aciduria (MMA). Methods:From October, 2017 to October, 2018, 72 children with cblC MMA combined with growth retardation were divided into control group (n = 36) and experimental group (n = 36) according to the consent of their parents. The control group accepted routine medicine, and the experimental group received Dredging Correcting Manipulation in addition. The Griffiths Development Scale-Chinese version (GDS-C) was used to evaluate the two groups before and after treatment. At the same time, body length, body mass and head circumference were measured. Results:Six cases in the control group and five cases in the experimental group were dropped out. There was no significant difference in the development quotients of GDS-C in gross movement, personal and social, hearing and speech, hand-eye coordination, operation and total quotient between two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). After treatment, all the development quotients increased in both groups (t > 6.110, P < 0.001), and the development quotients of GDS-C in gross movement, personal and social, hand-eye coordination and total quotient were higher in the experimental group than in the control group (t > 2.154, P < 0.05), as well as the body length (t = 2.027, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Dredging Correcting Manipulation can promote the neuropsychological and physical development of children with cblC MMA combined with retardation.