1.Screening of diagnostic markers for endothelial cell Senescence in mice with radiation-induced heart disease and analysis of immune infiltration
Jiaming LAI ; Yuling SONG ; Zixi CHEN ; Jinghuan WEI ; Hao CAI ; Guoquan LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1450-1463
BACKGROUND:Radiotherapy significantly improves survival rates in patients with various malignant tumors.However,with prolonged post-treatment survival,many patients face the risk of radiation-related cardiac toxicity.This is especially true after chest radiotherapy,where the risk of radiation-induced heart disease significantly increases,becoming one of the most severe complications affecting prognosis survival.OBJECTIVE:To identify diagnostic markers of endothelial cellular senescence in radiation-induced heart disease through systematic transcriptomic analysis.METHODS:Firstly,genes associated with cellular senescence were screened from the CellAge database and intersected with the transcriptomic training dataset of a mouse model of radiation-induced heart disease to identify differentially expressed senescence-related genes.Secondly,weighted gene co-expression network analysis and machine learning were used to identify key hub genes that play critical roles in radiation-induced heart disease.The expression of these genes was validated using a dataset of radiation-induced endothelial injury.Additionally,the quanTlseq method was employed to assess the immune infiltration status related to radiation-induced heart disease.The expression levels of key genes and their association with survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving chest radiotherapy were explored through the analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Systematic transcriptomic analysis identified CCND1 as the core gene of endothelial cellular senescence in radiation-induced heart disease,and this finding was validated in the mouse model of radiation-induced heart disease.(2)The diagnostic model constructed from these data indicated that CCND1 had high specificity and sensitivity for diagnosing radiation-induced heart disease.(3)Immune infiltration analysis revealed significant immune response dysregulation in the mouse model of radiation-induced heart disease,and CCND1 was closely related to various immune cells.(4)Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that CCND1 was associated with poorer disease-specific survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving chest radiotherapy.This study systematically uncovers,for the first time,the pivotal role of CCND1 in endothelial cell senescence associated with radiation-induced heart disease.CCND1,a gene integral to cell cycle regulation,can induce cellular senescence when abnormally expressed.Furthermore,the findings highlight its potential as an early diagnostic marker.
2.Screening of diagnostic markers for endothelial cell Senescence in mice with radiation-induced heart disease and analysis of immune infiltration
Jiaming LAI ; Yuling SONG ; Zixi CHEN ; Jinghuan WEI ; Hao CAI ; Guoquan LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1450-1463
BACKGROUND:Radiotherapy significantly improves survival rates in patients with various malignant tumors.However,with prolonged post-treatment survival,many patients face the risk of radiation-related cardiac toxicity.This is especially true after chest radiotherapy,where the risk of radiation-induced heart disease significantly increases,becoming one of the most severe complications affecting prognosis survival.OBJECTIVE:To identify diagnostic markers of endothelial cellular senescence in radiation-induced heart disease through systematic transcriptomic analysis.METHODS:Firstly,genes associated with cellular senescence were screened from the CellAge database and intersected with the transcriptomic training dataset of a mouse model of radiation-induced heart disease to identify differentially expressed senescence-related genes.Secondly,weighted gene co-expression network analysis and machine learning were used to identify key hub genes that play critical roles in radiation-induced heart disease.The expression of these genes was validated using a dataset of radiation-induced endothelial injury.Additionally,the quanTlseq method was employed to assess the immune infiltration status related to radiation-induced heart disease.The expression levels of key genes and their association with survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving chest radiotherapy were explored through the analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Systematic transcriptomic analysis identified CCND1 as the core gene of endothelial cellular senescence in radiation-induced heart disease,and this finding was validated in the mouse model of radiation-induced heart disease.(2)The diagnostic model constructed from these data indicated that CCND1 had high specificity and sensitivity for diagnosing radiation-induced heart disease.(3)Immune infiltration analysis revealed significant immune response dysregulation in the mouse model of radiation-induced heart disease,and CCND1 was closely related to various immune cells.(4)Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that CCND1 was associated with poorer disease-specific survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving chest radiotherapy.This study systematically uncovers,for the first time,the pivotal role of CCND1 in endothelial cell senescence associated with radiation-induced heart disease.CCND1,a gene integral to cell cycle regulation,can induce cellular senescence when abnormally expressed.Furthermore,the findings highlight its potential as an early diagnostic marker.
3.Pharmaceutical care for a rare case of diffuse pulmonary microabscesses complicated with organizing pneumonia
Shuangshuang CAI ; Xuewen QIU ; Yue LIAO ; Hongxia ZHAO ; Hao JIANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(10):1352-1356
OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of clinical pharmacists in the individualized treatment of a rare case of diffuse pulmonary microabscesses caused by Streptococcus constellatus complicated with organizing pneumonia (OP) in a non-immunocompromised patient. METHODS For a middle-aged, non-immunocompromised patient with a one-year disease course, whose imaging findings showed the coexistence of diffuse microabscesses and OP caused by S. constellatus pulmonary abscess, the clinical pharmacist, based on pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics characteristics, assisted the physician in optimizing the previously ineffective anti-infective regimen to Ceftriaxone sodium for injection combined with Metronidazole and sodium chloride injection, so as to enhance coverage of mixed anaerobes and lesion penetration. After the patient’s hemoptysis ceased, the clinical pharmacist recommended timely initiation of low-dose Methylprednisolone sodium succinate for injection to manage OP. Upon discharge, sequential oral therapy with Linezolid tablets, Metronidazole tablets, Methylprednisolone tablets and Omeprazole enteric-coated tablets was prescribed. RESULTS After implementation of the individualized treatment regimen, the patient’s hemoptysis resolved, pulmonary lesions significantly regressed, and the patient was discharged in a stable condition. At the three-month follow-up, the patient remained stable. CONCLUSIONS For chronic persistent pulmonary infection complicated with OP in a non-immunocompromised host, clinical pharmacists assist clinicians in optimizing anti-infective regimens and recommend the timely initiation of anti-inflammatory therapy after infection control, thereby contributing to favorable clinical outcomes. Individualized treatment of such complex cases requires comprehensive consideration of pathogen coverage, pathological barriers, and the timing of anti-inflammatory intervention.
4.Quantitative analysis and distribution comparison of salidroside and its liposomes in mouse serum,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,and lung tissue
Rong WANG ; Ni ZHAO ; Guoquan LI ; Yafeng WANG ; Shen’ao LI ; Jiaming LAI ; Hao CAI
China Pharmacy 2026;37(15):1998-2002
OBJECTIVE Establish a quantitative analysis method for salidroside (Sal) in mouse serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissue, and compare the distribution differences of Sal and its liposomes. METHODS Using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), Welch Xtimate C18 was used as the chromatographic column, with methanol-formic acid aqueous solution (formic acid volume fraction: 0.1% for serum and BALF detection, 0.2% for lung tissue detection) as the mobile phase, flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, detection wavelength of 275 nm, column temperature of 30 ℃, and injection volume of 10 μL. Serum, BALF, and lung tissue homogenate samples were precipitated with methanol for protein analysis. Twelve mice were randomly divided into Sal group and Sal liposome group, and the concentrations of Sal in serum, BALF, and lung tissue were detected after intragastric administration corresponding liquid medicine at a dose of 300 mg/kg (calculated as Sal) for 0.5 h. RESULTS The linear ranges of Sal in serum, BALF, and lung tissue were 1.56-200.00 μg/mL, 1.56-100.00 μg/mL, and 6.24-400.00 μg/g, respectively (all r=0.999 9), with intra-day RSD of 1.35%-3.87%, 1.10%-2.75%, and 1.90%-3.86%, respectively; the inter-day RSD of 3.38%-5.11%, 2.22%- 4.36%, and 2.41%-4.73%, respectively. The relative accuracies were 97.95%-101.61%, 98.29%-101.82%, and 97.41%- 106.94%, respectively. The stability RSDs were all less than 6%. Compared with the Sal group, the Sal liposome group significantly increased the concentration of Sal in BALF of mice (P<0.05), and significantly decreased the concentration of Sal in serum and lung tissue (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The HPLC method established in this study is suitable for quantitative analysis of Sal in mouse serum, BALF, and lung tissue. Sal liposomes have a tendency to distribute towards the alveolar cavity during early administration.
5.Development of DUS testing guidelines for new Atractylodes lancea varieties.
Cheng-Cai ZHANG ; Ming QIN ; Xiu-Zhi GUO ; Zi-Hua ZHANG ; Hao-Kuan ZHANG ; Xiao-Yu DAI ; Sheng WANG ; Lan-Ping GUO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(6):1515-1523
Atractylodes lancea is a perennial herbaceous plant of Asteraceae, with rhizomes for medical use. However, A. lancea plants from different habitats have great variability, and the germplasm resources of A. lancea are unclear and mixed during production. Therefore, it is urgent to protect new varieties of A. lancea. The distinctness, uniformity, and stability(DUS) testing of new plant varieties is the foundation of plant variety protection, and the DUS testing guidelines are the technical basis for variety approval agencies to conduct DUS testing. In this study, the phenotypic traits of 94 germplasm accessions of A. lancea were investigated considering the breeding and variety characteristics of A. lancea in China. The traits were classified and described, and 24 traits were preliminarily determined, including 20 basic traits that must be tested and four traits selected to be tested. The 20 basic traits included 3 quality traits, 5 false quality traits, and 12 quantitative traits, corresponding to 1 plant traits, 2 stem traits, 8 leaf traits, 6 flower traits, and 3 seed traits. The measurement ranges and coefficients of variation of eight quantitative traits were determined, on the basis of which the grading criteria and codes of the traits were determined and assigned. The guidelines has guiding significance for the trait evaluation, utilization, and breeding of new varieties of A. lancea.
Atractylodes/growth & development*
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China
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Phenotype
;
Guidelines as Topic
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Plant Breeding
6.Construction of oleanolic acid-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.
Yue ZHANG ; Xue-Mi HAO ; Cai-Xia WANG ; Long-Shan ZHAO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2365-2372
In this study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae R0 was used as the chassis cell to synthesize oleanolic acid from scratch through the heterologous expression of β-amyrin synthase(β-AS) from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP716A154 from Catharanthus roseus, and cytochrome P450 reductase AtCPR from Arabidopsis thaliana. The engineered strain R1 achieved shake flask titres of 5.19 mg·L~(-1). By overexpressing enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway(PPP)(ZWF1, GND1, TKL1, and TAL), the NADH kinase gene in the mitochondrial matrix(POS5), truncated 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase(tPgHMGR1) from Panax ginseng, and farnesyl diphosphate synthase gene(SmFPS) from Salvia miltiorrhiza, the precursor supply and intracellular reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH) supply were enhanced, resulting in an 11.4-fold increase in squalene yield and a 3.6-fold increase in oleanolic acid yield. Subsequently, increasing the copy number of the heterologous genes tPgHMGR1, β-AS, CYP716A154, and AtCPR promoted the metabolic flow towards the final product, oleanolic acid, and increased the yield by three times. Shake flask fermentation data showed that, by increasing the copy number, precursor supply, and intracellular NADPH supply, the final engineered strain R3 could achieve an oleanolic acid yield of 53.96 mg·L~(-1), which was 10 times higher than that of the control strain R1. This study not only laid the foundation for the green biosynthesis of oleanolic acid but also provided a reference for metabolic engineering research on other pentacyclic triterpenoids in S. cerevisiae.
Oleanolic Acid/biosynthesis*
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism*
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Industrial Microbiology
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Microorganisms, Genetically-Modified/metabolism*
;
Plants/enzymology*
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Fermentation
;
Metabolic Engineering
7.Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chassis cells with different squalene content on triterpenoid synthesis.
Feng ZHANG ; Kang-Xin HOU ; Yue ZHANG ; Hong-Ping HOU ; Yue ZHANG ; Chao-Yue LIU ; Xue-Mi HAO ; Jia LIU ; Cai-Xia WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(8):2130-2136
Many triterpenoid compounds have been successfully heterologously synthesized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To increase the yield of triterpenoids, various metabolic engineering strategies have been developed. One commonly applied strategy is to enhance the supply of precursors, which has been widely used by researchers. Squalene, as a precursor to triterpenoid biosynthesis, plays a crucial role in the synthesis of these compounds. This study primarily investigates the effect of different squalene levels in chassis strains on the synthesis of triterpenoids(oleanolic acid and ursolic acid), and the underlying mechanisms are further explored using real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR) analysis. The results demonstrate that the chassis strain CB-9-5, which produces high levels of squalene, inhibits the synthesis of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. In contrast, chassis strains with moderate to low squalene production, such as Y8-1 and CNPK, are more conducive to the synthesis of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. The qPCR analysis reveals that the expression levels of ERG1, βAS, and CrCYP716A154 in the oleanolic acid-producing strain CB-OA are significantly lower than those in the control strains C-OA and Y-OA, suggesting that high squalene production in the chassis strains suppresses the transcription of certain genes, leading to a reduced yield of triterpenoids. Our findings indicate that when constructing S. cerevisiae strains for triterpenoid production, chassis strains with high squalene content may suppress the expression of certain genes, ultimately lowering their production, whereas chassis strains with moderate squalene levels are more favorable for triterpenoid biosynthesis.
Squalene/analysis*
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics*
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Triterpenes/metabolism*
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Metabolic Engineering
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Oleanolic Acid/biosynthesis*
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Ursolic Acid
8.Multifaceted mechanisms of Danggui Shaoyao San in ameliorating Alzheimer's disease based on transcriptomics and metabolomics.
Min-Hao YAN ; Han CAI ; Hai-Xia DING ; Shi-Jie SU ; Xu-Nuo LI ; Zi-Qiao XU ; Wei-Cheng FENG ; Qi-Qing WU ; Jia-Xin CHEN ; Hong WANG ; Qi WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(8):2229-2236
This study explored the potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms of Danggui Shaoyao San(DSS) in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD) through transcriptomics and metabolomics, combined with animal experiments. Fifty male C57BL/6J mice, aged seven weeks, were randomly divided into the following five groups: control, model, positive drug, low-dose DSS, and high-dose DSS groups. After the intervention, the Morris water maze was used to assess learning and memory abilities of mice, and Nissl staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were performed to observe pathological changes in the hippocampal tissue. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were employed to sequence brain tissue and identify differential metabolites, analyzing key genes and metabolites related to disease progression. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) was employed to validate the expression of key genes. The Morris water maze results indicated that DSS significantly improved learning and cognitive function in scopolamine(SCOP)-induced model mice, with the high-dose DSS group showing the best results. Pathological staining showed that DSS effectively reduced hippocampal neuronal damage, increased Nissl body numbers, and reduced nuclear pyknosis and neuronal loss. Transcriptomics identified seven key genes, including neurexin 1(Nrxn1) and sodium voltage-gated channel α subunit 1(Scn1a), and metabolomics revealed 113 differential metabolites, all of which were closely associated with synaptic function, oxidative stress, and metabolic regulation. RT-qPCR experiments confirmed that the expression of these seven key genes was consistent with the transcriptomics results. This study suggests that DSS significantly improves learning and memory in SCOP model mice and alleviates hippocampal neuronal pathological damage. The mechanisms likely involve the modulation of synaptic function, reduction of oxidative stress, and metabolic balance, with these seven key genes serving as important targets for DSS in the treatment of AD.
Animals
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Alzheimer Disease/genetics*
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Male
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Metabolomics
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Transcriptome/drug effects*
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Maze Learning/drug effects*
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Hippocampus/metabolism*
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Humans
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Disease Models, Animal
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Memory/drug effects*
9.Application of motor behavior evaluation method of zebrafish model in traditional Chinese medicine research.
Xin LI ; Qin-Qin LIANG ; Bing-Yue ZHANG ; Zhong-Shang XIA ; Gang BAI ; Zheng-Cai DU ; Er-Wei HAO ; Jia-Gang DENG ; Xiao-Tao HOU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(10):2631-2639
The zebrafish model has attracted much attention due to its strong reproductive ability, short research cycle, and ease of maintenance. It has always been an important vertebrate model system, often used to carry out human disease research. Its motor behavior features have the advantages of being simpler, more intuitive, and quantifiable. In recent years, it has received widespread attention in the study of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)for the treatment of sleep disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, fatigue, epilepsy, and other diseases. This paper reviews the characteristics of zebrafish motor behavior and its applications in the pharmacodynamic verification and mechanism research of TCM extracts, active ingredients, and TCM compounds, as well as in active ingredient screening and safety evaluation. The paper also analyzes its advantages and disadvantages, with the aim of improving the breadth and depth of zebrafish and its motor behavior applications in the field of TCM research.
Zebrafish/physiology*
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods*
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Animals
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Sleep Wake Disorders/physiopathology*
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Epilepsy/physiopathology*
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Neurodegenerative Diseases/physiopathology*
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Fatigue/physiopathology*
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Behavior, Animal/physiology*
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Motor Activity/physiology*
10.Analysis of labor function rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Tong KE ; Yang-Quan HAO ; Meng-Fei WANG ; Yu-Heng YAN ; Yuan-Zhen CAI ; Chao LU
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(6):594-600
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the functional rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 101 patients who needed TKA due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involving both knees from January 2017 to December 2020, including 16 males and 85 females, aged from 41 to 65 years old with an average of (58.13±5.53) years old;body mass index (BMI) ranged from 16.88 to 33.33 kg·m-2 with an average of (23.16±3.49) kg·m-2;63 patients with grade 1, 29 patients with grade 2, and 9 patients with grade 3 according to classification of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). According to the latest follow-up results at 12 months after operation, 82 patients returned to work and 19 patients did not return to work. Visual analogue scale(VAS) was used to evaluate the degree of pain relief before operation and 12 months after operation, and work, osteoarthritis and joint replacement questionnaire (WORQ) was used to evaluate knee joint activity status of all patients before and after operation, and the working ability index was used to evaluate working ability of all patients before operation and 12 months after operation. For the 82 patients who returned to work, the labor time stopped before operation and within 12 months after operation was compared, and the changes in labor grades, types of work and labor hours of patients before and after operation were recorded. For the 19 patients who did not return to work, the specific reasons for their non-return to work was analyzed;the postoperative satisfaction of patients was evaluated by using Likert satisfaction scale. All patients were followed up for at least 12 months. VAS was decreased from (6.49±0.59) before operation to (1.10±0.43) at 12 months after operation (P<0.05);for WORQ questionnaire survey, scores of walking, sitting posture, standing and stair climbing were increased from (1.07±0.35), (1.05±0.29), (1.06±0.34) and (1.14±0.42) before operation to (3.00±0.00), (2.87±0.33), (2.95±0.21) and (2.95±0.21) after operation, respectively, had statistically significant (P<0.05);the labor work index of all patients increased from 1.11±0.46 before operation to 2.99±0.10 at 12 months after operation, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Among the 82 patients who returned to work after operation, regarding the time of stopping labor, 81 patients stopped working within 3 months before operation, 1 patient stopped working for 4 to 6 months after operation, and the number of patients who stopped working was 81, 1, and 0 respectively. Forty patients returned to work within 3 months after operation, 4 to 6 months after operation for 29 patients, and 12 months after operation for 13 patients. 95.1% (78/82) of patients engaged in light labor before operation, and 85.4% (70/82) of patients engaged in moderate labor after operation. At 12 months after operation, the types of jobs and working hours available to all patients increased compared with those before operation. Among 19 patients who did not return to work after TKA, 7 patients had poor control of rheumatoid arthritis, 5 patients still felt pain, swelling and numbness on knee joint, 2 patients had retired, and 5 patients had other reasons. Eighty-six patients (85%) expressed great satisfaction with the postoperative working ability, 8 patients (8%) expressed satisfaction with the postoperative working ability, 6 patients (6%) expressed acceptance of postoperative working ability, and 1 patient (1%) expressed dissatisfaction with postoperative working ability.
CONCLUSION
TKA is an effective treatment option for patients with RA. After undergoing TKA, patients could significantly improve pain and functional activities of knee joint, and effectively enhance the quality of life and working ability. For patients whose rehabilitation labor capacity is not fully met, postoperative management and personalized rehabilitation treatment need to be strengthened to achieve the best rehabilitation effect.
Humans
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Female
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Male
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Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/rehabilitation*
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid/physiopathology*
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Middle Aged
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Aged
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Adult

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