Objective:To introduce the Australian Life Saving Drugs Program ( LSDP) and provide references for medical assistance system for the rare diseases in China. Methods:The main content and characteristics of LSDP were analyzed and compared with the Chinese status quo valuation. Results:Through the orphan drug designation and cost-effectiveness evaluation, eligible drugs are included in LSDP and funded to the rare disease patients. LSDP stip-ulated the strict funding criteria and conditions, established the Guidelines and Disease Advisory Committees, and processed the post-market reviews program in order to guarantee the medication requirements of the patients. Conclu-sions:The Australian experience is worth learning and China should implement a country-led management system for the rare disease and orphan drugs, and explore a medical assisstance system in line with the Chinese national condi-tion based on the catastrophic medical insurances.

Objective:To quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular circumferential and longitudinal strain after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)using speckle-tracking imaging(STI)on echocardiography.Methods:A prospective case-control study was conducted on 47 elderly patients diagnosed with ST-elevation AMI and undergoing percutaneous coronary interference(PCI)in our hospital from August 2017 to June 2020 as PCI-study group.The 35 normal subjects matched for age and sex were as a normal-control group.The longitudinal peak systolic strain(LPSS)and circumferential peak systolic strain(CPSS)were measured using STI at one week and three months after PCI in the two groups.Results:The values of LPSS and CPSS were apical segment > middle segment > basal segment, which was the similar between LPSS and CPSS.Compared with normal-control group, AMI-PCI group showed that CPSS and LPSS in each segment were significantly reduced at 1 week and 3 months after operation.Compared with the control group, all the CPSS and LPSS values were significantly decreased in AMI group at one week after PCI(-12.3±2.7)% vs.(-22.5±1.7)%( t=19.62, P<0.01); (-12.9±3.2)% vs.(-23.1±2.6)%( t=15.43, P<0.01). Both LPSS and CPSS values were improved at a certain extent at three months after PCI compared with AMI group at one week after PCI.The complete CPSS and LPSS values were significantly increased in AMI group at three months after PCI compared with one week after PCI(-16.8±2.6)% vs.(-12.3±2.7)%, ( t=8.23, P<0.01); (-17.0±3.3)% vs.(-12.9±3.2)%( t=6.11, P<0.01). But, there were still significant differences compared with the NC group(-16.8±2.6)% vs.(-22.5±1.7)%( t=11.29, P<0.01); (-17.0±3.3)% vs.(-23.1±2.6)%( t=9.04, P<0.01). Conclusions:The longitudinal and circumferential strain of left ventricle were severely damaged in elderly patients with AMI.The speckle-tracking imaging technique can be used to quantitatively evaluate the left ventricular strain and its improved situation after PCI in elderly AMI patients.