ObjectiveTo investigate the association between insulin resistance （IR） and cardiovascular metabolic indicators， including blood pressure， blood lipids， and serum uric acid， in a middle-aged population. MethodsBased on the baseline survey of the Hong Sifang cohort of China National Salt Industry Group， a total of 575 participants were included. According to the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance， the participants were divided into an IR group （n=116） and a non-IR group （n=459）. Differences between the two groups were compared using the t-test and chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the associations between IR and abnormalities in metabolic indicators. ResultsA total of 575 participants were included， including 390 men and 185 women， with a mean age of （48.58 ± 5.14） years and a mean body mass index （BMI） of （24.16 ± 2.97） kg/m². Blood pressure， serum uric acid， and blood lipid levels were significantly higher in the IR group than in the non-IR group （P<0.001）. After adjusting for potential confounders including age， sex， and BMI， IR was independently associated with hypertension， dyslipidemia， and hyperuricemia， with odds ratios （OR） and 95% confidence intervals （CI） of 2.57 （1.61-4.09）， 3.81 （2.36-6.17）， and 2.68 （1.53-4.71）， respectively （all P<0.001）. ConclusionInsulin resistance is significantly associated with multiple cardiovascular metabolic risk factors in the middle-aged population. Monitoring IR may contribute to the early prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of preoperative nebulized indocyanine green (ICG)-assisted thoracoscopic anatomical lesion resection (TALR) in treating pediatric congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 45 children with CPAM who underwent thoracoscopic surgery at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between June 2023 and March 2025. The patients were divided into an ICG group (preoperative nebulized ICG 0.5 mg/kg+TALR) and a non-ICG group (TALR under white light), with perioperative and postoperative recovery parameters compared between groups. Results A total of 45 children [22 males, 23 females; median age 7.4 (1.1-75.0) months] were enrolled. The ICG group (n=22) and non-ICG group (n=23) both achieved uneventful recoveries. Compared to the non-ICG group, the ICG group demonstrated significantly shorter surgical duration [91.3 (38.0-144.0) min vs. 100.0 (50.0-175.0) min, P=0.032], reduced intraoperative blood loss [3.0 (2.0-10.0) mL vs. 5.0 (1.0-10.0) mL, P=0.049], shorter postoperative drainage duration [2.7 (1.9-3.9) d vs. 3.4 (1.8-19.9) d, P=0.003], and shortened hospital stay [4.6 (2.9-9.8) d vs. 5.0 (3.9-21.5) d, P=0.013]. Residual lesions occurred in 2 patients from the non-ICG group but none in the ICG group. Intragroup comparisons revealed significant improvements in ratio of time to peak tidal expiratory flow to expiratory time, ratio of volume to peak tidal expiratory flow to expiratory volume, and tidal volume per kilogram after surgery in both groups (P<0.05), though intergroup differences showed no statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion Preoperative nebulized ICG administration facilitates lesion identification in CPAM, reduces technical difficulty of TALR, enhances therapeutic outcomes, and provides valuable assistance for performing TALR procedures.

Objective:The variability of the apnea-hypopnea index（AHI） measured in the first and second halves of the night is significant in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome（OSAHS）. This variation may be related to fluid redistribution caused by the supine position during sleep. Methods:Eighty-nine adult subjects were enrolled. Circumferences（neck, chest, waist, and calf） were measured before sleep onset and upon awakening. Polysomnography（PSG） was performed, and the night was divided into two halves based on the midpoint of total sleep time to calculate AHI for each half. The correlation between changes in AHI and changes in circumferences was analyzed. Results:Twenty simple snorers and sixty-nine OSAHS patients were included, with a median AHI of 22.6（11.8, 47.3） events/hour. Compared to pre-sleep measurements, there was no significant change in neck circumference upon awakening in the control group（P=0.073）, while reductions were observed in the other three measurements（P=0.006, P=0.038, P<0.001）. In the OSAHS group, neck circumference increased（P<0.001）, and reductions were noted in the other three measurements（P<0.001 for all）, with the most significant change observed in calf circumference 40.0（37.1, 42.0） cm to 38.0（35.8, 40.5） cm. Compared to the first half of the night, total AHI, supine AHI, and NREM AHI significantly decreased in the second half（P=0.010, P=0.031, P=0.001）, while no significant changes were observed in lateral AHI and REM AHI（P=0.988, P=0.530）. Further analysis revealed a significant relationship between increased chest circumference and decreases in NREM AHI, supine AHI, and supine NREM AHI（P=0.036, P=0.072, P=0.034）, as well as between decreased lateral position AHI and increased waist circumference（P=0.048）. Additionally, this study found a negative correlation between changes in calf circumference and changes in AHI（R=-0.24, P=0.048）, while neck circumference changes positively correlated with changes in AHI（R=0.26, P=0.03）. Conclusion:In OSAHS patients during the second half of sleep compared to before sleeping, chest circumference, waist circumference, and calf circumference decrease while neck circumference increases; total AHI, supine position AHI, and NREM period AHI decrease; increases in chest circumference are associated with decreases in NREM period AHI, supine position AHI, supine position NREM period AHI. There is nocturnal variability in AHI among OSAHS patients that may be associated with fluid shifts during sleep.
Humans ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Polysomnography ; Fluid Shifts/physiology* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Severity of Illness Index ; Sleep/physiology* ; Snoring/physiopathology*

Objective To investigate the diagnostic and therapeutic value of single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in the treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 39 patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis who underwent single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment at the Endoscopy center of the hospital from September 2022 to September 2024.Observe the endoscopic manifestations,the rate of maternal and child basket stone removal,the rate of appendiceal stent implantation,the technical success rate,the clinical success rate,the operation time,the hospital stay,the incidence of complications,the visual analogue scale(VAS)score 6 hours after the operation,and the inflammatory indicators 24 hours after the operation.Results In 28 cases(71.8%),congestion and edema could be seen at the opening of the appendix under colonoscopy.In 10 cases(25.6%),pus could be seen flowing out of the opening of the appendix under colonoscopy.In 32 cases(82.1%),a large amount of pus could be seen in the lumen of the appendix under subscopy.In 20 cases(51.3%),appendiceal fecalith could be seen in the lumen of the appendix under subscopy.The technical success rate of single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment was 100.0%(39/39).The operation time was(21.08±7.49)min;Hospital stay:(3.97±2.08)days;Eight cases(20.5%)of patients underwent endoscopic maternal basket stone removal.Appendiceal stent implantation was performed in 14 cases(35.9%)of patients.The clinical success rate is 97.4%(38/39).One patient's clinical symptoms and inflammatory indicators did not improve after the operation,and was transferred to the surgery department for appendectomy.The VAS score of 38 patients was less than 3 points 6 hours after the operation,and the abdominal pain symptoms were significantly relieved.The white blood cell count and the percentage of neutrophils 24 hours after the operation decreased significantly compared with those before the operation,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).None of the 39 patients had complications.The postoperative follow-up was(5.94±4.03)months,and recurrence occurred in 3 cases(7.7%).Conclusion single-use mother-baby choledocoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy is safe and effective in the diagnosis and treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis,which is worthy of further promotion and popularization in clinical practice.

Objective:To evaluate the analgesic effect of intercostal muscle plane block of external oblique muscle in patients undergoing endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods:A total of 48 patients undergoing endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy under elective general anesthesia in Nanjing First Hospital from February to July 2023 were prospectively selected and divided into two groups ( n=24) according to random number table method: abdominal external oblique intercostal muscle plane block combined with general anesthesia group (EG group) and general anesthesia group (G group). The EG group was blocked in the intercostal muscle plane of the external oblique muscle before general anesthesia induction, and 0.375% ropivacaine 20 ml was injected on both sides, respectively. Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) was performed in both groups after operation, and the pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was less than 4 points. When the VAS score was ≥4, 1 mg oxycodone was injected intravenously for relief and analgesia. VAS scores at 30 min (T 0), 6 h (T 1), 12 h(T 2), 24 h(T 3), 48 h(T 4) after extubation, intraoperative drug and fluid dosage, postoperative sleep quality, analgesic satisfaction score, remedial analgesia and the occurrence of adverse reactions were recorded. Results:The scores of rest and exercise VAS at T 0, T 1, T 2, T 3 and T 4 in the EG group were significantly lower than those in the G group (all P<0.05). The dosage of norepinephrine, propofol, remifentanil and total fluid infusion in the EG group were significantly lower than those in the G group (all P<0.05). The sleep quality and analgesic satisfaction of the EG group were better than those of the G group (all P<0.05), the first time of PCIA compression after surgery was longer than that of the G group ( P<0.05), the number of effective compressions, the amount of oxycodone relief and analgesia, the proportion of nausea and vomiting, and the stay time of anesthesia intensive care unit (AICU) were lower than those of the G group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in total hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with general anesthesia alone, abdominal external oblique intercostal muscle plane block combined with general anesthesia in patients with endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy has significant postoperative analgesia effect, which can not only reduce postoperative VAS score and opioid consumption, but also improve sleep quality and increase postoperative analgesia satisfaction. Ultrasound-guided intercostal muscle plane block of external oblique muscle can be used as a better analgesic method in endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background::Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder impacting populations worldwide, although its clinical characteristics and patient demographics remain uncharacterized in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the demographics, comorbidities, aggravating factors, and treatments in AD patients across different age groups in China.Methods::This cross-sectional study included Chinese AD patients from 205 hospitals spanning 30 provinces. Patients completed dermatologist-led surveys of general medical history, comorbidities, AD-related aggravating factors, and medications. Two-level mixed-ordered logistic regression was used to evaluate aggravating factors.Results::Overall, 16,838 respondents were included in the final analysis (aged 30.9 ± 24.1 years). The proportion of severe AD was the highest in patients with AD onset at ≥60 years (26.73%). Allergic rhinitis and hypertension were the most common atopic and metabolism-related non-atopic comorbidities, respectively. AD severity was significantly associated with chronic urticaria, food allergies, and diabetes. Aggravating factors including foods, seasonal changes, and psychological factors were also linked to AD severity. The cross-sectional survey implied that severe AD may be related to the undertreatment of effective systemic or topical interventions.Conclusion::To enhance the management of AD, it is crucial to consider both aggravating factors and the increased utilization of systemic immunotherapy.Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05316805

Objective To investigate the diagnostic and therapeutic value of single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in the treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 39 patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis who underwent single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment at the Endoscopy center of the hospital from September 2022 to September 2024.Observe the endoscopic manifestations,the rate of maternal and child basket stone removal,the rate of appendiceal stent implantation,the technical success rate,the clinical success rate,the operation time,the hospital stay,the incidence of complications,the visual analogue scale(VAS)score 6 hours after the operation,and the inflammatory indicators 24 hours after the operation.Results In 28 cases(71.8%),congestion and edema could be seen at the opening of the appendix under colonoscopy.In 10 cases(25.6%),pus could be seen flowing out of the opening of the appendix under colonoscopy.In 32 cases(82.1%),a large amount of pus could be seen in the lumen of the appendix under subscopy.In 20 cases(51.3%),appendiceal fecalith could be seen in the lumen of the appendix under subscopy.The technical success rate of single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment was 100.0%(39/39).The operation time was(21.08±7.49)min;Hospital stay:(3.97±2.08)days;Eight cases(20.5%)of patients underwent endoscopic maternal basket stone removal.Appendiceal stent implantation was performed in 14 cases(35.9%)of patients.The clinical success rate is 97.4%(38/39).One patient's clinical symptoms and inflammatory indicators did not improve after the operation,and was transferred to the surgery department for appendectomy.The VAS score of 38 patients was less than 3 points 6 hours after the operation,and the abdominal pain symptoms were significantly relieved.The white blood cell count and the percentage of neutrophils 24 hours after the operation decreased significantly compared with those before the operation,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).None of the 39 patients had complications.The postoperative follow-up was(5.94±4.03)months,and recurrence occurred in 3 cases(7.7%).Conclusion single-use mother-baby choledocoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy is safe and effective in the diagnosis and treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis,which is worthy of further promotion and popularization in clinical practice.

Objective:To evaluate the analgesic effect of intercostal muscle plane block of external oblique muscle in patients undergoing endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods:A total of 48 patients undergoing endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy under elective general anesthesia in Nanjing First Hospital from February to July 2023 were prospectively selected and divided into two groups ( n=24) according to random number table method: abdominal external oblique intercostal muscle plane block combined with general anesthesia group (EG group) and general anesthesia group (G group). The EG group was blocked in the intercostal muscle plane of the external oblique muscle before general anesthesia induction, and 0.375% ropivacaine 20 ml was injected on both sides, respectively. Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) was performed in both groups after operation, and the pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was less than 4 points. When the VAS score was ≥4, 1 mg oxycodone was injected intravenously for relief and analgesia. VAS scores at 30 min (T 0), 6 h (T 1), 12 h(T 2), 24 h(T 3), 48 h(T 4) after extubation, intraoperative drug and fluid dosage, postoperative sleep quality, analgesic satisfaction score, remedial analgesia and the occurrence of adverse reactions were recorded. Results:The scores of rest and exercise VAS at T 0, T 1, T 2, T 3 and T 4 in the EG group were significantly lower than those in the G group (all P<0.05). The dosage of norepinephrine, propofol, remifentanil and total fluid infusion in the EG group were significantly lower than those in the G group (all P<0.05). The sleep quality and analgesic satisfaction of the EG group were better than those of the G group (all P<0.05), the first time of PCIA compression after surgery was longer than that of the G group ( P<0.05), the number of effective compressions, the amount of oxycodone relief and analgesia, the proportion of nausea and vomiting, and the stay time of anesthesia intensive care unit (AICU) were lower than those of the G group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in total hospital stay between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with general anesthesia alone, abdominal external oblique intercostal muscle plane block combined with general anesthesia in patients with endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy has significant postoperative analgesia effect, which can not only reduce postoperative VAS score and opioid consumption, but also improve sleep quality and increase postoperative analgesia satisfaction. Ultrasound-guided intercostal muscle plane block of external oblique muscle can be used as a better analgesic method in endoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background::Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder impacting populations worldwide, although its clinical characteristics and patient demographics remain uncharacterized in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the demographics, comorbidities, aggravating factors, and treatments in AD patients across different age groups in China.Methods::This cross-sectional study included Chinese AD patients from 205 hospitals spanning 30 provinces. Patients completed dermatologist-led surveys of general medical history, comorbidities, AD-related aggravating factors, and medications. Two-level mixed-ordered logistic regression was used to evaluate aggravating factors.Results::Overall, 16,838 respondents were included in the final analysis (aged 30.9 ± 24.1 years). The proportion of severe AD was the highest in patients with AD onset at ≥60 years (26.73%). Allergic rhinitis and hypertension were the most common atopic and metabolism-related non-atopic comorbidities, respectively. AD severity was significantly associated with chronic urticaria, food allergies, and diabetes. Aggravating factors including foods, seasonal changes, and psychological factors were also linked to AD severity. The cross-sectional survey implied that severe AD may be related to the undertreatment of effective systemic or topical interventions.Conclusion::To enhance the management of AD, it is crucial to consider both aggravating factors and the increased utilization of systemic immunotherapy.Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05316805

Epigenomic imbalance drives abnormal transcriptional processes,promoting the onset and progression of cancer.Although defective gene regulation generally affects carcinogenesis and tumor suppression networks,tumor immunogenicity and immune cells involved in antitumor responses may also be affected by epigenomic changes,which may have significant implications for the development and application of epigenetic therapy,cancer immunotherapy,and their combinations.Herein,we focus on the impact of epigenetic regulation on tumor immune cell function and the role of key abnormal epigenetic processes,DNA methylation,histone post-translational modification,and chromatin structure in tumor immunogenicity,and introduce these epigenetic research methods.We emphasize the value of small-molecule inhibitors of epigenetic modulators in enhancing antitumor immune responses and discuss the challenges of developing treatment plans that combine epigenetic therapy and immuno-therapy through the complex interaction between cancer epigenetics and cancer immunology.