BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of birth defect-related mortality. However, more recent CHD mortality data for China are lacking. Additionally, limited studies have evaluated sex, rural-urban, and region-specific disparities of CHD mortality in China. METHODS: We designed a population-based study using data from the Dataset of National Mortality Surveillance in China between 2008 and 2021. We calculated age-adjusted CHD mortality using the sixth census data of China in 2010 as the standard population. We assessed the temporal trends in CHD mortality by age, sex, area, and region from 2008 to 2021 using the joinpoint regression model. RESULTS: From 2008 to 2021, 33,534 deaths were attributed to CHD. The period witnessed a two-fold decrease in the age-adjusted CHD mortality from 1.61 to 0.76 per 100,000 persons (average annual percent change [AAPC] = -5.90%). Females tended to have lower age-adjusted CHD mortality than males, but with a similar decline rate from 2008 to 2021 (females: AAPC = -6.15%; males: AAPC = -5.84%). Similar AAPC values were observed among people living in urban (AAPC = -6.64%) and rural (AAPC = -6.12%) areas. Eastern regions experienced a more pronounced decrease in the age-adjusted CHD mortality (AAPC = -7.86%) than central (AAPC = -5.83%) and western regions (AAPC = -3.71%) between 2008 and 2021. Approximately half of the deaths (46.19%) due to CHD occurred during infancy. The CHD mortality rates in 2021 were lower than those in 2008 for people aged 0-39 years, with the largest decrease observed among children aged 1-4 years (AAPC = -8.26%), followed by infants (AAPC = -7.01%). CONCLUSIONS CHD mortality in China has dramatically decreased from 2008 to 2021. The slower decrease in CHD mortality in the central and western regions than in the eastern regions suggested that public health policymakers should pay more attention to health resources and health education for central and western regions.
Humans ; Heart Defects, Congenital/mortality* ; Male ; Female ; China/epidemiology* ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Adult ; Child ; Adolescent ; Infant, Newborn ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Aged ; Rural Population

Objective:To investigate the value of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (pSOFA) and pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) in predicting mortality of pediatric sepsis in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) from Southwest China.Methods:This was a prospective multicenter observational study. A total of 447 children with sepsis admitted to 12 PICU in Southwest China from April 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Based on the prognosis, the patients were divided into survival group and non-survival group. The physiological parameters of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS were recorded and scored within 24 h after PICU admission. The general clinical data and some laboratory results were recorded. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to compare the predictive value of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS in mortality of pediatric sepsis.Results:Amongst 447 children with sepsis, 260 patients were male and 187 patients were female, aged 2.5 (0.8, 7.0) years, 405 patients were in the survival group and 42 patients were in the non-survival group. 418 patients (93.5%) met the criteria of SIRS, and 440 patients (98.4%) met the criteria of pSOFA≥2. There was no significant difference in the number of items meeting the SIRS criteria between the survival group and the non-survival group (3(2, 4) vs. 3(3, 4) points, Z=1.30, P=0.192). The pSOFA score of the non-survival group was significantly higher than that of the survival group (9(6, 12) vs. 4(3, 7) points, Z=6.56, P<0.001), and the PCIS score was significantly lower than that of the survival group (72(68, 81) vs. 82(76, 88) points, Z=5.90, P<0.001). The predictive value of pSOFA (AUC=0.82) and PCIS (AUC=0.78) for sepsis mortality was significantly higher than that of SIRS (AUC=0.56) ( Z=6.59, 4.23, both P<0.001). There was no significant difference between pSOFA and PCIS ( Z=1.35, P=0.176). Platelet count, procalcitonin, lactic acid, albumin, creatinine, total bilirubin, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio were all able to predict mortality of sepsis to a certain degree (AUC=0.64, 0.68, 0.80, 0.64, 0.68, 0.60, 0.77, 0.75, 0.76, all P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with SIRS, both pSOFA and PCIS had better predictive value in the mortality of pediatric sepsis in PICU.

Objective To investigate the relationships of serum angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) levels with the severity and prognosis of patients with diabetic nephropathy. Methods A total of 120 patients (diabetic nephropathy group) with diabetic nephropathy were selected from July 2018 to July 2020 and divided into mild group (n=62) and severe group (n=58) according to the staging criteria of diabetic nephropathy; based on the prognosis within 3 years, they were also divided into good prognosis group (n=94) and poor prognosis group (n=26). Additionally, 102 diabetic patients were enrolled as diabetic group, and 81 healthy volunteers were selected as control group. The serum levels of ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 in diabetic nephropathy patients were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of prognosis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to analyze the values of ANGPTL4, FGF-23 and their combination in assessing the severity and prognosis of diabetic nephropathy. Results The levels of ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 in the diabetic nephropathy group and simple diabetic group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); compared with the simple diabetic group, the levels of ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 in the diabetic nephropathy group were significantly increased (P < 0.05); the levels of ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 in the severe group were significantly higher than those in the mild group (P < 0.05); the ROC curve analysis revealed that the areas under the curve (AUCs) for assessing disease severity of ANGPTL4, FGF-23 and their combination were 0.748, 0.781 and 0.858 respectively, and the combined diagnosis was significantly better than FGF-23 (Z=2.149, P=0.032) and ANGPTL4 (Z=2.886, P=0.004) alone; the levels of ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 in the good prognosis group were significantly lower than those in the poor prognosis group (P < 0.05); significant differences were observed in diabetes duration, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), hypertension, ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 levels between diabetic nephropathy patients with different prognoses (P < 0.05); the Scr, ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 levels were all risk factors affecting the prognosis of diabetic nephropathy (P < 0.05); the ROC curve analysis for prognosis assessment showed that the AUCs of ANGPTL4, FGF-23 and their combination were 0.774, 0.795 and 0.874 respectively; the combined diagnosis was significantly better than FGF-23 (Z=2.385, P=0.171) and ANGPTL4 (Z=2.317, P=0.021) alone. Conclusion The serum levels of ANGPTL4 and FGF-23 are significantly increased in diabetic nephropathy patients, and they have certain reference value for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis assessment of diabetic nephropathy patients.

Objective:To analyze the changes of peripheral perfusion index (PPI) with late-onset sepsis (LOS) in very low birth weight infants during hospitalization.Methods:Very low birth weight infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from August 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 were consecutively included.Infants with admission age ≥three days and unstable circulation, or positive blood culture within three days after birth were excluded.From the day of admission, the PPI values of the right hand and either foot of the infants were measured with Masimo SET Radical-7 everyday while whether LOS occurred during hospitalization was observed.The mean PPI curve of very and extremely low birth weight infants without LOS was plotted.For those with LOS confirmed by blood culture, the PPI change trajectory three days before and after the occurrence of LOS was drawn, and the change trend of PPI before the occurrence of LOS was analyzed by trend chi-square test.Non-parametric test was used to analyze the effect of LOS on pre- and post-ductal PPI values.Results:A total of 107 very low birth weight infants were included in the final analysis.Among them, there were 11 infants confirmed as LOS by blood culture, 37 infants diagnosed as clinical LOS, and 59 infants without LOS.Pre-and post-ductal PPI values of very low birth weight infants without LOS were 2.06±1.30 and 1.72±0.92, respectively; those with clinical LOS were 1.90±0.94 and 1.58±0.83, respectively; those with LOS confirmed by blood culture were 1.92±1.11 and 1.62±0.82, respectively.For infants with LOS confirmed by blood culture, the pre-and post-ductal PPI values showed a continuous downward trend during three days before the onset of disease, with the lowest PPI values on the first day before the diagnosis of blood culture.The downtrend of pre-ductal PPI was statistically significant ( χtrend2=5.57, P<0.05). Conclusion:The PPI value of very low birth weight infants show a downward trend when LOS occurs.It should be observed dynamically in clinical practice, which is helpful to suspect or identify LOS as early as possible.

Objective:To investigate the effect of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor PU-H71 combined with X-ray on radioresistant human cervical cancer cells.Methods:The expression levels of Hsp90 gene between cervical cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were analyzed by bioinformatics. Radioresistant cervical cancer cell lines HeLa RR and SiHa RR were obtained by fractional irradiations (2 Gy per fraction, 30 fractions). The cell lines were divided into the control group (treated with dimethyl sulfoxide), irradiation alone group, PU-H71 group (treated with 0.5 μmol/L PU-H71), and PU-H71+irradiation group (irradiation at 24 h after treatment with 0.5 μmol/L PU-H71). Cell survival was detected by clonal formation assay. Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect γH2AX foci at 1, 6, and 24 h after cell treatment. The expression level of Rad51 protein at 1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after cell treatment was detected using Western blot. The expression level of phosphorylated DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (p-DNA-PKcs) was measured at 2 h after cell treatment. Cell apoptosis at 48 h after cell treatment was assessed by flow cytometry. Results:PU-H71 enhanced the sensitivity of radioresistant cervical cancer cells to X-ray. Compared with the irradiation alone group, the radiation sensitization ratios (SER) of HeLa RR and SiHa RR cells at 10% survival were 1.36 and 1.27, and the apoptosis rates were increased by approximately 72.1% and 63.1% in the PU-H71+irradiation group, respectively. PU-H71 delayed the duration of γH2AX foci induced by X-ray, inhibited the phosphorylation of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), thus preventing non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair and delaying homologous recombination repair.Conclusion:PU-H71 increases the radiosensitivity of radioresistant cervical cancer cells by inhibiting the repair pathway of DNA double-strand break, which is expected to be a radiosensitizer to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy for cervical cancer.

Objective:To study the past 10 years' experiences of neonatal hydrocephalus in a single-center.Methods:From January 2010 to December 2019, clinical data of infants with hydrocephalus admitted to Neonatology Department of our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The infants were assigned into different groups according to gestational age, different etiologies and treatments. Their clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared.Results:A total of 223 infants with hydrocephalus were included. 136 (61.0%) infants were in the preterm group and 87 (39.0%) in the full-term group. The incidence of post-intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) hydrocephalus in preterm infants was significantly higher than full-term infants ( P<0.001). According to the etiologies, 58 infants (26.0%) had congenital hydrocephalus (congenital group), 82 cases (36.8%) developed post-ICH hydrocephalus (ICH group), 48 cases (21.5%) had post-CNS-infection hydrocephalus (infection group) and 35 cases (15.7%) had post-ICH+CNS-infection hydrocephalus (ICH+infection group). The incidences of perinatal asphyxia, neonatal resuscitation and endotracheal intubation within 3 d after birth in the ICH group were significantly higher than the other groups ( P<0.05). Among the four groups, the infection group had the highest incidence of neonatal sepsis, the congenital group had the highest incidence of patent ductus arteriosus and the ICH group had the highest incidence of respiratory diseases (all P<0.05).137 cases (61.4%) received non-surgical therapy, 48 cases (21.5%) had temporary drainage, 37 cases (16.6%) with permanent shunt and 1 case (0.4%) intracranial hematoma removal. The congenital group and ICH group with permanent shunt showed significantly higher rate of improvement than temporary drainage group and non-surgical group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:The main etiologies of neonatal hydrocephalus are ICH and CNS infection. The incidence of post-ICH hydrocephalus in premature infants was quite high. Hydrocephalus of different etiologies have different comorbidities. Maternal and infant care during pregnancy and delivery, prevention of neonatal sepsis and ICH are crucial in the prevention of hydrocephalus. More studies are needed for better treatment.

Objective: To perform an epidemiological survey of the first case with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Pinghu City of Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province on March 13, 2022, so as to provide insights into the management of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemics. Methods: According to the requirements of the Protocol on Prevention and Control of COVID-19 (8th Edition), epidemiological investigations were performed among 39 cases with SARS-CoV-2 infections in Pinghu City from March 13 to 20, 2022. Cases' demographics, clinical symptoms, history of immunization and exposure were collected, and close contacts were identified. Pharyngeal swabs were sampled from infected cases for detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and whole-genome sequencing, and the source of infection and transmission route were investigated. Results: The index case for this COVID-19 epidemic was an imported case from Shanghai Municipality, who infected 6 persons via aerosol transmission when playing in the badminton venue of Pinghu National Fitness Center on March 9; subsequently, one of these infected cases infected another 18 persons when playing in the badminton venue of Jiadian Village Resident's Fitness Center in Zhapu Township on March 12. Sixteen confirmed cases were reported, and all cases were mild; another 23 asymptomatic cases were diagnosed, with no death reported. This epidemic occurred from March 11 to 20, with 3 generations of spread and a median incubation period of 3 days. The SARS-CoV-2 infected cases had a median age of 33.5 (interquartile range, 12.0) years and included 36 cases with a history of COVID-19 vaccination. There were 16 cases with fever, cough, runny nose and sore throat, and 13 cases with imaging features of pneumonia. The effective reproductive number (Rt) of the COVID-19 epidemic was 7.73 at early stage, and was less than 1 since March 21. Whole-genome sequencing identified Omicron BA.2 variant among 33 cases, which had high homology with the index cases. Conclusion This epidemic was a cluster of COVID-19 caused by imported Omicron BA.2 variant infection from Shanghai Municipality, and the COVID-19 transmission was mainly caused by indoor aerosols.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital malformations, and critical CHD is one of the main causes of neonatal death and poor prognosis.Early screening and detection of congenital heart disease in newborns is helpful to early intervention and improve prognosis.At present, pulse oximetry alone, pulse oximetry combined with physical examination or pulse oximetry combined with cardiac murmur auscultation in early postnatal screening can detect most of critical CHD, but there are still some false negative results.Peripheral perfusion index (PPI) may have a certain value in finding left ventricular obstructive CHD that can not be found in the current screening methods.Therefore, this review summarized the technical principle and influence factors of PPI, its feasibility and effectiveness in neonatal CHD screening, and the possible threshold of screening, in order to provide a certain basis for PPI screening of neonatal CHD in the future.

Blended teaching method has become an important part of the educational reform. Massive open online courses (MOOC) combined with flipped classroom in pediatrics education consists of online courses, flipped classroom and online communication. Students are promoted to engage in education actively through the online homework, tests, discussions and examinations, thus reaching the best teaching effect. This paper aims to introduce the establishment and accomplishments of this blended teaching method in Pediatrics education in Fudan University.

Echocardiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as the non-invasive cardiovascular imaging techniques, play an increasingly important role in the preoperative diagnosis, intrao-perative monitoring and follow-up of congenital heart disease (CHD). At present, these techniques are widely used in the clinical diagnosis and assessment of CHD, providing comprehensive and reliable information about the cardiovascular structure and function for clinical decision-making.However, these techniques have their own advantages and limitations.The research progress of echocardiography, CT and MRI used in the diagnosis of CHD were reviewed in this paper.