1.Current quality status and management countermeasures of occupational health technical services in Zhejiang Province
Qiuliang XU ; Feng HAN ; Peng WANG ; Zhen ZHOU ; Fei LI ; Hongwei XIE ; Yong HU ; Weiming YUAN ; Lifang ZHOU ; Hua ZOU
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(3):341-346
Background The quality of occupational health technical services is directly linked to the protection of workers' health rights and the efficacy of occupational disease prevention and control. However, the industry still faces critical challenges: sporadic instances of institutional non-compliance and persistent irregularities in professional practice continue to undermine overall service performance. Objective To assess the current quality status of occupational health technical services in Zhejiang Province and propose countermeasures for quality improvement, providing a scientific basis for policy optimization and service delivery quality enhancement. Methods A total of 69 occupational health technical service institutions in Zhejiang Province that obtained formal accreditation as of April 30, 2024, were sampled, including 3 public institutions and 66 private institutions (comprising 3 formerly Class-A, 28 formerly Class-B, 11 formerly Class-C, and 24 newly certified institutions). Following the Technical Protocol for Quality Monitoring of Occupational Health Technical Service in Zhejiang Province and the Technical Protocol for Proficiency Testing of Occupational Health Detection in Zhejiang Province, a quality assessment task force comprising national and provincial experts was established. Evaluation was conducted across four dimensions: qualification maintenance and compliance, standardization of technical services, authenticity of technical services, and proficiency testing, utilizing a combination of document review, on-site inspections, and technical skill assessments. Results The occupational health technical service institutions in Zhejiang Province were predominantly private entities (82.5%), with significant disparities in overall service quality. The pass rates for qualification maintenance and compliance, technical service standardization, technical service authenticity, and the excellence rate for laboratory proficiency testing were 81.5%, 80.7%, 97.3%, and 90.4%, respectively. Regarding qualification maintenance, the pass rates for "environmental conditions" (49.8%, 56.7%) and "instrumentation and equipment" (58.2%、65.6%) were significantly lower for formerly Class-C and newly certified institutions compared to other categories. In terms of technical standardization, "standardized on-site inspections" recorded the lowest pass rate (67.4%), with newly certified institutions at only 48.0%. Regarding technical service authenticity, formerly Class-C institutions exhibited issues such as missing raw chromatograms for blank samples (85.7% pass rate). In laboratory proficiency testing, public and formerly Class-A institutions achieved 100% excellence rates, but the performance of formerly Class-C and newly certified institutions was comparatively weak; specifically, the failure rate for organic analysis in formerly Class-C institutions reached 20%; the failure rate for dust testing items in newly certified institutions was 10.3%. Conclusion The overall quality of occupational health technical services in Zhejiang Province still requires significant improvement, particularly in basic institutional conditions, the standardization of on-site inspections, and laboratory proficiency in organic and dust analysis. Formerly Class-C and newly certified institutions should be the primary focus of quality management efforts. Differentiated regulatory strategies are recommended, alongside strengthening interim and ex-post supervision to gradually enhance the quality of occupational health technical services across all institutions.
2.Herbal Textual Research on Patriniae Herba in Famous Classical Formulas
Yu SHI ; Zhen ZENG ; Feng ZHOU ; Yihan WANG ; Yanmeng LIU ; Yang YANG ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):248-257
By consulting ancient and modern literature, this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions, including name, origin, scientific name verification, medicinal parts, production area, quality, harvesting and processing, as well as its nature, taste, and therapeutic effects, in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots, which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However, due to its alias Kucai, there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty, various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing, and throughout history, Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name, though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang, Lujiang, and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa, which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However, while the roots were traditionally used medicinally, the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition, the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records, Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia(present-day eastern Hubei province) and Jiangdong(the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River), but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times, the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried, today, the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times, the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long, the leaves are abundant and green, and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing, ancient methods often involved baking(drying over fire), while modern methods typically involve removing impurities, washing, and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify, eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties, it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat, abscesses, postpartum diseases, and rheumatism, during the Five dynasties period, its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses, and by the modern era, conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste, it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty, it was slightly cold, with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, it was mostly slightly cold and neutral, with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times, it was mostly bitter and neutral, and in contemporary times, it has evolved to a taste of acrid, bitter, and cool. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba, one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources, P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family, and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.
3.Herbal Textual Research on Patriniae Herba in Famous Classical Formulas
Yu SHI ; Zhen ZENG ; Feng ZHOU ; Yihan WANG ; Yanmeng LIU ; Yang YANG ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):248-257
By consulting ancient and modern literature, this article systematically reviews and verifies the historical evolution of the herbal medicine known as Baijiang across various dimensions, including name, origin, scientific name verification, medicinal parts, production area, quality, harvesting and processing, as well as its nature, taste, and therapeutic effects, in order to provide a reference for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba. Patriniae Herba has a long history of use. It derives its name from the distinctive musty odor of its roots, which resembles spoiled soy sauce. However, due to its alias Kucai, there has been much confusion with other plants. Since the Ming dynasty, various plants have been used interchangeably as Baijiang. Herbal textual research showed that Patriniae Herba was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing, and throughout history, Baijiang has been recognized as its standard name, though it has also been known by alternative names such as Luchang, Lujiang, and Suanyi. The main sources used throughout the ages were Patrinia scabiosaefolia or P. villosa, which is consistent with the 1977 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However, while the roots were traditionally used medicinally, the whole plant is now more commonly used in modern practice. In addition, the whole plants of Thlaspi arvense from the Cruciferae family and Sonchus brachyotus from the Compositae family are commonly used as regional substitutes for Baijiang. According to ancient records, Patriniae Herba was primarily found in Jiangxia(present-day eastern Hubei province) and Jiangdong(the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River), but modern literature shows that it is distributed throughout the country without a distinct geographical origin. In ancient times, the roots were harvested in August and sun-dried, today, the whole plant is typically dug up in summer or autumn and sun-dried. In recent times, the quality has been summarized as being best when the roots are long, the leaves are abundant and green, and the aroma is strong. Regarding the processing, ancient methods often involved baking(drying over fire), while modern methods typically involve removing impurities, washing, and then cutting and drying the segments. The effects of Patriniae Herba are to clear heat and detoxify, eliminate blood stasis and drain pus. During the Han and Northern and Southern dynasties, it was used to treat skin diseases caused by heat, abscesses, postpartum diseases, and rheumatism, during the Five dynasties period, its therapeutic applications expanded to include diseases of the five senses, and by the modern era, conditions such as neurasthenia and insomnia were added. Regarding its properties and taste, it was recorded as bitter and neutral during the Han dynasty. By the Tang dynasty, it was slightly cold, with a taste of acrid and bitter. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, it was mostly slightly cold and neutral, with a bitter and salty taste. In the Qing dynasty and modern times, it was mostly bitter and neutral, and in contemporary times, it has evolved to a taste of acrid, bitter, and cool. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that when developing and utilizing famous classical formulas containing Patriniae Herba, one should select the entire herb of the historically mainstream sources, P. scabiosaefolia or P. villosa from the Valerianaceae family, and choose the processing method according to the prescription requirements. It is recommended to use raw products without specific requirements.
4.Nonlinear association of nap duration with anxiety and depressive symptoms among junior high school students
ZHOU Xin,LI Yanqiu,OU Junqi,LIN Jing,FENG Lihui,LIN Ziqiang,GAO Yanhui,LI Lixia
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(4):558-562
Objective:
To explore the association between nap duration with anxiety and depressive symptoms among junior high school students, in order to provide evidence for mental health interventions for adolescents.
Methods:
From May to June 2022, a combination of convenience sampling and cluster sampling was used to select 2 491 students from 2 junior high schools in Haizhu District, Guangzhou City for questionnaire survey and physical examination. The questionnaire collected nap duration, night time sleep duration, bedtime, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), respectively. Log-binomial regression model was used to analyze the association of nap duration with anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as comorbidity among junior high school students, and a restricted cubic spline (RCS) Log-binomial regression model was employed to analyze the non linear relationship after adjusting for covariates.
Results:
The detection rates of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and comorbidity among junior high school students were 13.29%,14.65%,9.19%. After adjusting for covariates such as age, gender and nighttime sleep duration, compared with a school day nap duration of <30 min/d, a nap duration of 30-<60 min/d was associated with a reduced risk of anxiety symptoms ( APR =0.68, 95% CI =0.49-0.98) and comorbidity ( APR =0.56, 95% CI =0.39-0.87)(both P < 0.05 ). Compared with no napping on weekends, a nap duration of 30-<60 min/d was associated with a reduced risk of anxiety symptoms ( APR =0.62, 95% CI =0.41-0.88), depressive symptoms ( APR =0.52, 95% CI =0.34-0.75) and comorbidity ( APR = 0.52 , 95% CI =0.30-0.83)(all P <0.05). RCS curves showed a nonlinear relationship between weekend nap duration and the prevalence of anxiety, depressive symptoms and comorbidity among junior high school students(all P non linear <0.05); weekend nap duration of <120 min was associated with a lower risk of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and weekend nap duration of >180 min was associated with an increased risk.
Conclusions
Appropriate nap duration can help reduce the risk of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and the comorbidity among junior high school students. Adolescents should be guided to reasonably arrange nap duration for promoting physical and mental health.
5.The Role of Lysosomal Dysfunction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Pathogenesis to Targeted Therapies
Yue-Yan WU ; Xin CHEN ; Ce-Fan ZHOU ; Jing-Feng TANG ; Rui ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):609-622
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal cancer with high morbidity rates worldwide. It is a major threat to public health in China, due to the combination of known and new risk factors, such as endemic hepatitis B virus (HBV), dietary aflatoxin exposure, and the occurrence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Although many methods for surveillance and multimodal therapies, such as surgery, local ablation, transarterial therapy, and new systemic agents, have been available, the survival rates of HCC remains poor. They have very limited durable responses, long post-treatment recurrence rates, and high resistance to treatment. This reflects an imperfect picture of the biological cause of the disease and a need for new mechanistic or targeted techniques. A significant characteristic of HCC, in common with other aggressive cancers, is the presence of reprogrammed, hyperactive cell metabolism. Tumor cells hijack metabolic pathways to promote their uncontrolled growth, stress survival, invasion and metastasis. While classical mechanisms such as the Warburg effect, lipid metabolism and glutamine utilization have been understood, the lysosome, which was once viewed as a static “waste disposal unit” to remove old organelles and proteins, is instead a dynamic signaling and metabolic core. The lysosomes incorporate nutrients, energy and stress signals by master regulators such as mTORC1 (activated on its surface) that balance anabolic growth and catabolic recycling to the cellular demands. In HCC, lysosomes are not passive, but are highly active and dysregulated. HCC cells upregulate lysosomes, which scavenge intracellular components via enhanced autophagy and engulf extracellular proteins via macropinocytosis, crucial for survival in the nutrient-poor, hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In addition to metabolism, lysosomes exhibit pro-invasive functions by secreting hydrolases to remodel the extracellular matrix, promote angiogenesis, and suppress stromal immune cells to foster a pro-tumor microenvironment. In a clinical context, lysosomes play an important role in therapeutic resistance: they sequester and inactivate chemotherapeutics via lysosomal sequestration, and enhanced autophagic flux protects the cell from therapy-induced damage, contributing to relapse, as lysosomal dysfunction is a key cause of treatment failure. This makes lysosomes promising yet challenging therapeutic targets in HCC. Recent preclinical and early clinical studies investigate multiple strategies to exploit the susceptibility of lysosomes: lysosome-specific agents, alkalinizing the lysosome lumen or inducing membrane permeabilization and lysosome-dependent cell death; pharmacological inhibition of key lysosomal enzymes or autophagy to impair nutrient recycling and stress adaptation; smart nanotherapeutic agents or antibody-drug conjugates, specifically activated in the acidic lysosomal environment or utilizing lysosomal pathways for efficient intracellular drug release; and combination strategies of lysosome-targeting agents with tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immunotherapy to overcome resistance and achieve synergistic antitumor effects. In summary, our review systematically presents the role of lysosomes in HCC, from metabolic reprogramming and microenvironmental adaptation to therapeutic resistance. By synthesizing the latest mechanistic insights and preclinical advances, this review highlights the indispensable role of lysosomes in the complex HCC biological network, emphasizing that an in-depth understanding of this dynamic organelle holds great promise for developing innovative, targeted therapies, offering new hope for improving the poor prognosis of global HCC patients.
6.Construction and Application of a Real-World Cohort of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Based on a Multimodal Large-Scale Traditional Chinese Medicine Big Data Platform
Zhichao WANG ; Xianmei ZHOU ; Fanchao FENG ; Mengqi WANG ; Xin WANG ; Bin KANG ; Xiaofan YU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Lei XIAO ; Juan LI ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Jia LIU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):961-965
This paper introduces a real-world cohort research model for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) based on the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Dominant Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Data Platform. Firstly, data cleaning is performed by standardizing diagnosis, symptoms, treatment and imaging, intelligently extracting unstructured information, and cleaning and constructing a standardized database. Secondly, for cohort establishment, CAP patients across the province are screened in accordance with CAP diagnostic criteria to build a high-quality disease-specific cohort. Lastly, in terms of protocol design, the characteristics of TCM research and the CAP disease profile are considered to determine appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria, estimate sample size, define interventions, outcomes and economic evaluations, providing a reference for real-world TCM research on CAP.
7.Clinical Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of 1293 Non-Severe Adult Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Treated by the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases:A Multicenter,Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):966-974
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases (abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol) in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine, while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups, including cough resolution rate, sputum resolution rate (assessed by volume, color, and consistency), incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein (CRP), incidence of abnormal white blood cell (WBC) count, and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, gender, smoking status, history of hypertension, and pneumonia severity score (CURB-65), and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure, evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group, the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough, sputum volume, color, and consistency, as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group, while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume, color, and consistency were 1.37, 2.09, and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group, respectively (P<0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension (P<0.05). Specifically, among females, patients aged ≥18 and <65 years, non-smokers, those without hypertension, and those with a CURB-65 score of 0, the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group (P<0.05). From an economic perspective, total hospitalization cost, length of stay, antibiotic cost, and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups (P<0.05). The cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group, while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that, compared with the exposure group, the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY, the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine, the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms, reduce inflammatory markers, promote clinical recovery, and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.
8.Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方)in the Treatment of Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Lung Syndrome:A Multicenter Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Yeqing JI ; Ye MA ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):975-984
ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方, WQF) in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia (CAP) with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter, real-world retrospective cohort study, clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group (those who received oral WQF) and a non‑exposure group (those who did not). The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough, expectoration (sputum volume, color, consistency), and chest pain, levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC), and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age, gender, smoking status, presence of hypertension, and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia (CURB‑65) score, comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate, chest pain remission rate, and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation, cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio (CER) and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio (ICER). Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay, gender, marital status, smoking history, bronchoscopy history, and comorbidities between the groups (P>0.05), but age, CURB-65 score, and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression, the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group (P<0.01). No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC, and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT (P>0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years, smokers, hypertensive patients, those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics, and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 (P<0.05). Among smokers, the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group (P<0.01). No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender, age, hypertension status, or antibiotic type (P>0.05). In terms of economic evaluation, CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group, the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution, indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis, confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome, and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.
9.Construction and Application of a Real-World Cohort of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Based on a Multimodal Large-Scale Traditional Chinese Medicine Big Data Platform
Zhichao WANG ; Xianmei ZHOU ; Fanchao FENG ; Mengqi WANG ; Xin WANG ; Bin KANG ; Xiaofan YU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Lei XIAO ; Juan LI ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Jia LIU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):961-965
This paper introduces a real-world cohort research model for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) based on the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Dominant Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Data Platform. Firstly, data cleaning is performed by standardizing diagnosis, symptoms, treatment and imaging, intelligently extracting unstructured information, and cleaning and constructing a standardized database. Secondly, for cohort establishment, CAP patients across the province are screened in accordance with CAP diagnostic criteria to build a high-quality disease-specific cohort. Lastly, in terms of protocol design, the characteristics of TCM research and the CAP disease profile are considered to determine appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria, estimate sample size, define interventions, outcomes and economic evaluations, providing a reference for real-world TCM research on CAP.
10.Clinical Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of 1293 Non-Severe Adult Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Treated by the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases:A Multicenter,Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):966-974
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases (abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol) in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine, while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups, including cough resolution rate, sputum resolution rate (assessed by volume, color, and consistency), incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein (CRP), incidence of abnormal white blood cell (WBC) count, and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, gender, smoking status, history of hypertension, and pneumonia severity score (CURB-65), and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure, evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group, the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough, sputum volume, color, and consistency, as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP (P<0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group, while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume, color, and consistency were 1.37, 2.09, and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group, respectively (P<0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension (P<0.05). Specifically, among females, patients aged ≥18 and <65 years, non-smokers, those without hypertension, and those with a CURB-65 score of 0, the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group (P<0.05). From an economic perspective, total hospitalization cost, length of stay, antibiotic cost, and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups (P<0.05). The cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group, while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that, compared with the exposure group, the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY, the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine, the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms, reduce inflammatory markers, promote clinical recovery, and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.


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