Objective To compare the long-term survival of elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with surgical versus non-surgical treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of elderly patients aged ≥70 years with ESCC who underwent esophagectomy or radiotherapy/chemotherapy at Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2009 to September 2017. Patients were divided into a surgical group (S group) and a non-surgical group (NS group) according to the treatment method. The propensity score matching method was used to match the two groups of patients at a ratio of 1∶1, and the survival of the two groups before and after matching was analyzed. Results A total of 726 elderly patients with ESCC were included, including 552 males and 174 females, with 651 patients aged ≥70-80 years and 75 patients aged ≥80-90 years. There were 515 patients in the S group and 211 patients in the NS group. The median follow-up time was 60.8 months, and the median overall survival of the S group was 41.9 months [95%CI (35.2, 48.5)], while that of the NS group was only 24.0 months [95%CI (19.8, 28.3)]. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of the S group were 84%, 54%, and 40%, respectively, while those of the NS group were 72%, 40%, and 30%, respectively [HR=0.689, 95%CI (0.559, 0.849), P<0.001]. After matching, 138 patients were included in each group, and there was no statistical difference in the overall survival between the two groups [HR=0.871, 95%CI (0.649, 1.167), P=0.352]. Conclusion Compared with conservative treatment, there is no significant difference in the long-term survival of elderly patients aged ≥70 years who undergo esophagectomy for ESCC. Neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery is still an important choice to potentially improve the survival of elderly patients with ESCC.

Persistent left superior vena cava is a rare venous variant that is often combined with cardiovascular malformations. In thoracic surgery, especially mediastinal tumor resection, neglect of this variant may make the surgery difficult and risky, and careful preoperative imaging interpretation and adequate preoperative evaluation play an important role in the perioperative safety of the patient. In this paper, we reported a case of a 17-year-old female patient with a persistent left superior vena cava combined with mediastinal tumors. She was successfully discharged 5 days after thoracoscopic surgery, and after 3 years of postoperative follow-up, no tumor recurrence was observed.

AIM: To study the effect of recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor(re-bFGF)on cataract patients with low endothelial cell density(ECD)after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.METHODS: Prospective study. A total of 82 patients(82 eyes)with cataract and low ECD who received phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in the hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were selected and divided into observation group(41 eyes)and control group(41 eyes)by random coin tossing method. Both groups were treated with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation, and received postoperative routine treatment. The control group was administrated with recombinant human epidermal growth factor(rhEGF)eye drops(1-2 drops each time, 4 times/day)on the basis of routine treatment, while the observation group was given re-bFGF eye drops(1-2 drops each time, 4 times/day)on the basis of routine treatment, and both groups were treated continuously for 3 mo. The postoperative uncorrected visual acuity recovery, cornea-related indicators [ECD, central corneal thickness(CCT), coefficient of variation in cell area(CV), percentage of corneal endothelial hexagonal cells(HEX)], serum inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-6(IL-6)before and after surgery] and complications were compared between the two groups of patients.RESULTS: There were no differences in preoperative general data between the two groups. At 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery, the visual acuity in the two groups was improved compared with that before surgery(all P<0.05). The levels of corneal ECD and HEX in the observation group at 1 wk, 1 and 3 mo after surgery were higher than those in the control group, while the levels of CCT and CV were lower than those in the control group(all P<0.05). At 3 mo after surgery, levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in tears were lower in the observation group compared to the control group(all P<0.05). The total incidence rate of complications in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, with no statistical significance(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: The application of re-bFGF in cataract patients with low ECD after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation has good clinical value. Additionally, it can relieve the corneal injury, and reduce the burden of inflammation.

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) represents a group of genetically heterogeneous disorders characterized by mutations that lead to profound defects in both humoral and cellular immunity. Transplacental maternal engraftment (TME) is a frequently observed complication in SCID. While most cases of SCID with TME exhibit no substantial impact on disease progression, a subset of patients may encounter diagnostic delays or therapeutic challenges due to TME interference. Furthermore, TME may predispose these individuals to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, thereby increasing diagnostic complexity and treatment risks. This review systematically examines the etiology and clinical manifestations of SCID associated with TME, analyzes its implications for disease management, and evaluates current detection methodologies. The synthesized evidence provides a theoretical foundation for future research and offers potential insights into the clinical diagnosis and management of SCID associated with TME.
Humans ; Severe Combined Immunodeficiency/diagnosis* ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Maternal-Fetal Exchange/immunology* ; Graft vs Host Disease/etiology* ; Animals ; Placenta/immunology*

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of suicidal behavior in children and provide a reference for further developing strategies for preventing childhood suicide.Methods:The medical records of children hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit（PICU）at Beijing Children's Hospital for suicidal behavior in the electronic medical record system from January 1,2018,to December 31,2022 were retrospectively selected.Clinical data of children with suicidal behavior were collected.Results:A total of 3 249 patients were admitted to the PICU,including 62 suicide patients.There were 20(32.3%) males,and 42(67.7%) females,with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.1.The average age was (13.1 ± 1.5) years old,with a minimum age of 7.9 years and a maximum age of 15.7 years.There were 17 (27.4%) children with previously diagnosed mental illnesses.Notably 58.1% children had triggering factors for suicidal behavior.Analysis of suicide methods,53(85.5%) cases were intentional drug ingestion,six(9.7%) cases were jumping from height,and three(4.8%) cases were hanging.Additionally 26.4% cases of poisoning were male,while 66.7% of cases of jumping from height and hanging were male.There was a statistical difference in suicide methods between genders (χ 2=5.704, P=0.025).The poisoning ingestions were classified as 20(37.7%) cases of toxins; 14(26.4%) cases of antidepressants; 10(18.9%) cases of over-the-counter drugs; five(9.4%) cases of other prescription drugs; three(5.7%) cases of sedative drugs; one(1.9%) case of daily chemical.Sources of ingestions: 18(34.0%) cases were purchased personally (pharmacies or online shopping); 16(30.2%) cases were storing medicines at home; 13(24.5%) cases were daily taking antidepressants.Compared with non-poisoning patients,poisoning patients had a significantly shorter PICU duration (Z=-2.884, P=0.004).The total mortality rate of children admitted to PICU due to suicide was 16.1%(10/62).There was a statistical difference in the mortality rate among different suicide methods (χ 2=7.883, P=0.019). Conclusion:School aged children and boys are more likely to choose impulsive and more harmful suicide behaviors such as jumping from heights and hanging,and adolescent girls are more likely to choose intentional poisoning as their suicide method.Attention should be paid to the suicide risk of different age and gender groups.Intentional drug ingestion is the main method of suicide in children.Herbicide poisoning and antidepressant drug poisoning are the leading causes of suicide death.The death risk of suicidal behavior in children may be reduced by controlling the way of getting pesticides (especially herbicides) and obtaining maximum doses of antidepressants.

Objective To investigate and analyze the risk factors of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and the immunological classification of Hp-infected people in community health examination population. Methods Among of the 2 475 residents in a community who underwent health examination in Guangyuan First People's Hospital were selected between July 2022 and April 2023. Western blotting was used to detect and type the Hp antibodies. The risk factors of Hp infection in the community residents were analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis, and the results of immunological typing were compared among patients with different upper digestive tract diseases and chronic diseases. Results The Hp infection rate among of the 2 475 residents who underwent physical examination was 35.64% (882/2475), and the positive rates of type I Hp antibody and type II Hp antibody were 23.72% (587/2 475) and 11.92% (295/2 475) , respectively. There were significant differences in Hp infection rates in gender, age, smoking history, and whether or not people had diabetes (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male, age ≥60 years old, drinking history and diabetes were risk factors of Hp infection in the community health examination population (P<0.05). The positive rate of type I Hp antibody in men and patients with coronary heart disease was higher than that in women and patients without coronary heart disease (P<0.05). Conclusion The infection rate of Hp among health examination population in this community is low, mainly type I. Hp infection is affected by gender, age, drinking history and diabetes. There are more males in the population with type I Hp antibody positivity, and the risk may be higher in patients with coronary heart disease. Clinically, it is necessary to take susceptible population as the focus of prevention and treatment, and take targeted monitoring and diagnosis and treatment measures.

BACKGROUND: There are few multi-city studies on the association between temperature and mortality in basin climates. This study was based on the Sichuan Basin in southwest China to assess the association of basin temperature with non-accidental mortality in the population and with the temperature-related mortality burden. METHODS: Daily mortality data, meteorological and air pollution data were collected for four cities in the Sichuan Basin of southwest China. We used a two-stage time-series analysis to quantify the association between temperature and non-accidental mortality in each city, and a multivariate meta-analysis was performed to obtain the overall cumulative risk. The attributable fractions (AFs) were calculated to access the mortality burden attributable to non-optimal temperature. Additionally, we performed a stratified analyses by gender, age group, education level, and marital status. RESULTS: A total of 751,930 non-accidental deaths were collected in our study. Overall, 10.16% of non-accidental deaths could be attributed to non-optimal temperatures. A majority of temperature-related non-accidental deaths were caused by low temperature, accounting for 9.10% (95% eCI: 5.50%, 12.19%), and heat effects accounted for only 1.06% (95% eCI: 0.76%, 1.33%). The mortality burden attributable to non-optimal temperatures was higher among those under 65 years old, females, those with a low education level, and those with an alternative marriage status. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that a significant association between non-optimal temperature and non-accidental mortality. Those under 65 years old, females, and those with a low educational level or alternative marriage status had the highest attributable burden.
Female ; Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Cities ; Cold Temperature ; Hot Temperature ; Mortality ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Middle Aged ; Male

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of Huangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome （CFS） with Qi deficiency and its effects on TCM syndromes， fatigue symptoms， serum superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and oxidized low-density lipoprotein （ox-LDL） levels. MethodA total of 200 patients with CFS of Qi deficiency were randomly divided into a control group （100 cases） and an observation group （100 cases）. The control group was treated with vitamin B compounds， and the observation group was treated with Huangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture for two weeks. The scores of TCM syndromes， fatigue symptoms， levels of serum SOD， MDA， and ox-LDL and the incidence of adverse reactions were observed and compared before and after treatment in two groups. ResultAfter treatment， the total effective rate of the control group was 54.34% （50/92）， while that of the observation group was 88.54% （85/96）. The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group （χ²=27.13，P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， scores of fatigue self-assessment scale （FSAS）， physical fatigue and mental fatigue， and sleep/rest response scores of fatigue in the two groups after treatment were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， scores of FSAS， physical fatigue and mental fatigue， and sleep/rest response scores of fatigue in the observation group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， TCM syndrome scores in the two groups after treatment were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， TCM syndrome scores in the observation group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， MDA levels in the two groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， ox-LDL levels in the observation group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and SOD levels were significantly increased （P<0.05）. After treatment， compared with those in the control group， the serum MDA and ox-LDL levels in the observation group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the serum SOD was significantly increased （P<0.05）. No serious adverse events or adverse reactions occurred during this clinical trial. ConclusionHuangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture has a good clinical curative effect in the treatment of CFS with Qi deficiency， which can effectively improve the fatigue symptoms of patients， increase the level of SOD， and reduce the level of serum MDA and ox-LDL. It is related to the production of antioxidants， inhibiting the production of lipid peroxides， and improving the body's ability to resist oxidative stress.

Objective:To investigate the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with esophageal cancer (EC).Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 8 458 EC patients who were admitted to Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021 were collected. There were 6 923 males and 1 535 females, aged (64±9)years. There were 3 187 patients undergoing surgical treatment, and 5 271 cases undergoing non-surgical treatment. Observation indicators: (1) incidence of VTE in EC patients; (2) treatment and outcomes of patients with VTE. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was analyzed using the nonparameter rank sum test. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed using the nonparameter rank sum test. Results:(1) Incidence of VTE in EC patients. Of 8 458 EC patients, 175 cases developed VTE, with an incidence rate of 2.069%(175/8 458). Among 175 VTE patients, there were 164 cases of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 4 cases of pulmonary embolism (PE), 7 cases of DVT and PE. There were 59 surgical patients and 116 non-surgical patients. There was no significant difference in thrombus type between surgical and non-surgical EC patients with VTE ( χ2=1.95, P>0.05). Of 3 187 surgical patients, the incidence of VTE was 1.851%(59/3 187), including an incidence of 0.157%(5/3 187) of PE. PE accounted for 8.475%(5/59) of surgical patients with VTE. Of 5 271 non-surgical patients, the incidence of VTE was 2.201%(116/5 271), including an incidence of 0.114%(6/5 271) of PE. PE accounted for 5.172%(6/116) of non-surgical patients with VTE. There was no significant difference in the incidence of VTE or PE between surgical patients and non-surgical patients ( χ2=1.20, 0.05, P>0.05). (2) Treatment and outcomes of patients with VTE. Among 175 EC patients with VTE, 163 cases underwent drug treatment, and 12 cases did not receive treatment. Among 163 cases with drug therapy, 158 cases underwent anticoagulant therapy, 5 cases were treated with thrombolysis. All the 163 patients were improved and discharged from hospital. Conclusions:The incidence of VTE in patients with EC is relatively low, as 2.069%. There is no significant difference in the incidence of VTE or thrombus type between surgical EC patients and non-surgical EC patients.

When partial nephrectomy is performed by posterior abdominal approach, the surgical field is poorly exposed, resulting in increased surgical difficulty and risk of injury.In this study, 28 patients with T 1a stage kidney tumors underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Intraoperatively, exposure of the surgical field was achieved using the percutaneous puncture of the renal fascia suspension technique. There were no dissatisfactory exposures due to peritoneal damage during the surgery, no additional tubes were inserted, and no conversions to open surgery were needed. The operation time was (76.5±20.3) minutes, blood loss was (92.1±18.7) ml, renal artery clamping time was (19.5±4.3) minutes. Postoperatively, there were no complications such as bleeding, infection, or hematuria.