Objective To assess the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy(CIN)in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension(CTEPH)after receiving balloon pulmonary angioplasty(BPA),and to evaluate the effect of the contrast agents on renal function.Methods A total of 143 CTEPH patients,who received BPA at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital of China from December 2018 to May 2022,were enrolled in this study.The clinical data,hemodynamic indicators,and serum creatinine(SC)concentrations within one week before and 48-72 h after BPA were collected.The estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)was calculated according to the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease(MDRD)formula.The SC concentration and eGFR changes before and after each BPA procedure were compared.The incidence of CIN and its risk factors were evaluated,and the changes in hemodynamics,SC and eGFR after the initial and last time of BPA treatment were analyzed.Results A total of 192 BPA procedures were performed in 115 CTEPH patients,including 88 BPA procedures in males and 103 BPA procedures in females.The mean amount of contrast agent used for each BPA was(145.58±47.26)mL.After BPA,12 patients developed 13 times of CIN,with an incidence of 6.8％.There was no significant differences(P＞0.05)in the baseline characteristics and SC concentration before BPA between CIN patients and non-CIN patients.In terms of the hemodynamic indexes,the mixed venous oxygen saturation(SvO2)in CIN patients was significantly lower than that in non-CIN patients(58.58％±10.38％vs.66.15％±8.02％,P=0.002),and no statistically significant differences(P＞0.05)in the other hemodynamic indexes existed between CIN group and non-CIN group.No statistically significant differences in SC concentration and eGFR existed before and after each BPA procedure.In patients who had received several BPA procedures,significant improvements in the SC[(78.09±18.760)μmol/L vs.(82.26±21.37)μmol/L,P＜0.001]and eGFR[(86.08±21.22)mL/(min·1.73 m2)vs.(82.07±22.05)mL/(min·1.73 m2),P=0.007]was achieved when compared with their baseline values.Conclusion CTEPH patients may develop CIN after receiving BPA treatment.After receiving several BPA treatments the patient's clinical symptoms and hemodynamics can be improved,and the patient's renal function is also significantly improved.

Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of non-contrast chest CT in acute pulmonary thromboembolism(APTE).Methods A total of 187 patients with suspected APTE who underwent non-contrast chest CT and computed tomography pulmonary angiography(CTPA)within 2 h were included.Among 187 patients,there were 89 patients with APTE(APTE group)and 98 patients without APTE(control group).The clinical characteristics and chest CT features between the APTE group and the control group were compared.The sensitivity and specificity of non-contrast chest CT findings in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were analyzed.Results Chest CT showed pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign in 35 cases in the APTE group and none in the control group,with the difference was statistically significant(χ2=47.414,P<0.001);Subpleural shadow appeared in 33 cases in the APTE group and 11 cases in the control group,with the difference was statistically significant(χ2=17.327,P<0.001).The sensitivity and specificity of pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were 72.92%,100%and 0%,100%,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of sub-pleural shadow in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were 39.58%,88.78%and 34.15%,88.78%,respectively.The difference was not statistically significant in pleural effusion,pulmonary artery diameter,or pulmonary artery diameter to aorta diameter ratio between the two groups.Conclusion The pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign on non-contrast chest CT is a useful sign of APTE,which can avoid CTPA examination.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of non-contrast chest CT in acute pulmonary thromboembolism(APTE).Methods A total of 187 patients with suspected APTE who underwent non-contrast chest CT and computed tomography pulmonary angiography(CTPA)within 2 h were included.Among 187 patients,there were 89 patients with APTE(APTE group)and 98 patients without APTE(control group).The clinical characteristics and chest CT features between the APTE group and the control group were compared.The sensitivity and specificity of non-contrast chest CT findings in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were analyzed.Results Chest CT showed pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign in 35 cases in the APTE group and none in the control group,with the difference was statistically significant(χ2=47.414,P<0.001);Subpleural shadow appeared in 33 cases in the APTE group and 11 cases in the control group,with the difference was statistically significant(χ2=17.327,P<0.001).The sensitivity and specificity of pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were 72.92%,100%and 0%,100%,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of sub-pleural shadow in the diagnosis of central APTE and peripheral APTE were 39.58%,88.78%and 34.15%,88.78%,respectively.The difference was not statistically significant in pleural effusion,pulmonary artery diameter,or pulmonary artery diameter to aorta diameter ratio between the two groups.Conclusion The pulmonary artery hyperdensity sign on non-contrast chest CT is a useful sign of APTE,which can avoid CTPA examination.

Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.

Objective:To investigate the values of two-dimensional and three-dimensional echocardiographic parameters in predicting pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in chronic pulmonary thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).Methods:A total of 141 patients diagnosed with CTEPH in China-Japan Friendship Hospital from November 2015 to December 2022 were included. Two-dimensional echocardiographic indicators reflecting PVR were constructed according to the calculation formula of PVR: echocardiographic estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP Echo)/left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVIDd), echocardiographic estimated mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP Echo)/LVIDd. sPAP Echo/left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), sPAP Echo/left ventricular cardiac output (LVCO) were measured by three-dimensional echocardiography. The correlations between two-dimensional and three-dimensional echocardiographic ratios and invasive PVR were then analyzed using the Spearman correlation method. Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, cut-off values for the ratios were generated to identify patients with PVR>1 000 dyn·s -1·cm -5. Pre- and postoperative hemodynamics and echocardiographic data were analyzed, as well as the correlation between the reduction rate of the echocardiographic index and PVR in 54 patients who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). Results:sPAP Echo/LVIDd, sPAP Echo/LVEDV and sPAP Echo/LVCO were moderately correlated with PVR( rs=0.62, 0.52, 0.63, both P<0.001). The ratio of sPAP Echo to LVEDV, when greater than or equal to 1.41, had a sensitivity of 0.800 and a specificity of 0.930 for determining PVR >1 000 dyn·s -1·cm -5 (AUC=0.860, P<0.001). Similarly, the ratio of sPAP Echo to LVIDd, when greater than or equal to 2.14, had a sensitivity of 0.647 and a specificity of 0.861 for determining PVR >1000 dyn·s -1·cm -5 (AUC=0.830, P<0.001). The sPAP Echo/LVIDd and mPAP Echo/LVIDd significantly decreased after PEA (both P<0.001). The sPAP Echo/LVIDd and mPAP Echo/LVIDd reduction rate (ΔsPAP Echo/LVIDd and ΔmPAP Echo/LVIDd) were significantly correlated with PVR reduction rate (ΔPVR), respectively ( rs=0.61, 0.63, both P<0.05). Conclusions:Two-dimensional ratio sPAP Echo/LVIDd and three-dimensional ratio sPAP Echo/LVEDV can be used to noninvasively estimate PVR in CTEPH patients. The conventional ratio sPAP Echo/LVIDd is convenient and reproducibly suitable for monitoring the improvement of PVR before and after treatment, and its ratio of 2.14 can predict the significant increase of PVR in CTEPH patients (>1 000 dyn·s -1·cm -5).

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for residual pulmonary hypertension (PH) of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension(CTEPH) after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA).Methods:Patients diagnosed as PH after PEA in China-Japan Friendship Hospital from Oct 2016 to Jun 2022 were included. The indication for BPA was decided on the basis of a consensus of the multi-disciplinary team for all patients with CTEPH. Before treatment, the patient′s exercise tolerance and pulmonary artery flow parameters were evaluated. A comparative analysis of various parameters before BPA treatment and at the last BPA was conducted. 6-min walk distance (6MWD) was analyzed using the paired Wilcoxon test; N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), mixed venous oxygen saturation, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), cardiac index (CI) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were compared using the paired-samples t-test. WHO functional class was compared using McNemar′s test. Results:Twenty patients with a total of 130 vessels underwent 46 sessions of BPA treatment. The postoperative 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) [447 (415, 485) m] showed a significant improvement compared to the preoperative baseline [389 (335, 470) m] ( Z=6.52, P<0.05), Postoperative mixed venous oxygen saturation (72.0%±1.9%) showed a significant improvement compared to the preoperative levels (64.0%±2.7%) ( t=2.14, P<0.05).Postoperatively, plasma NT-proBNP [(351.9±129.9) pg/ml], mPAP [(24.2±1.9) mmHg], and PVR [(3.0±1.4) WU] significantly decreased compared to preoperative levels [(982.5±426.2) pg/ml, (33±2.1) mmHg, (8.0±1.6) WU)] ( t=3.38, 1.22, 2.10, P<0.05 for all). Postoperatively, there was a significant improvement in WHO functional class (Ⅰ，Ⅱ，Ⅲ，Ⅳ: 14, 4, 2, 0 cases) compared to preoperative status (Ⅰ，Ⅱ，Ⅲ，Ⅳ: 0, 13, 5, 2 cases) ( χ2=20.17, P<0.05). Four cases of pulmonary artery dissection and one episode of hemoptysis occurred postoperatively, with no other complications reported. Conclusions:BPA can significantly improve exercise tolerance and hemodynamic parameters for residual PH after PEA. BPA is a relatively safe and effective treatment for residual PH after PEA.

Purpose To observe the CT imaging features of dermatomyosistis patients with anti-melanoma differentiation related genes 5(MDA-5),and to analyze the relationship between CT imaging indicators and short-term prognosis of patients.Materials and Methods Sixty-seven MDA-5-positive dermatomyosistis patients admitted to China-Japan Friendship Hospital from January 2017 to December 2018 were retrospectively included.Prognosis of included patients in one year were followed-up.Analysis of the relationship between chest CT imaging and short-term poor prognosis.Results Among 67 patients,nine patients died in one year.There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups(the death group and the survivor group)in the interstitial lung disease(ILD)imaging types(χ2=0.198,P=0.025)and pulmonary/aortic diameter ratios(U=103.0,P=0.004).CT imaging of dermatomyosistis-ILD with anti-MDA5 antibody positive patients showed organizing pneumonia.Mortality of diffuse alveolar damage type was significantly higher than that of other types.Logistic regression analysis showed that pulmonary/aortic diameter ratio(OR:4.208,P=0.002)was a strong independent risk factor for the death of patients with anti-MDA5 antibody.Conclusion Most patients with anti-MDA5 antibody positive dermatomyositis show ILD,with the main feature of organic pneumonia.Patients with poor prognosis within 1 year have different types of ILD,while the pulmonary/aortic diameter ratio is a strong independent risk factor for the death of dermatomyosistis-ILD with anti-MDA5 antibody positive patients.