BACKGROUND: Death burden of stroke is severe with over one-third rural residents in China, but there is still a lack of specific national and high-quality reports on the urban-rural differences in stroke burden, especially for subtypes. We aimed to update the understanding of urban-rural differences in stroke deaths. METHODS: This is a descriptive observational study. Data from the national mortality surveillance system, which covers 323.8 million with 605 disease surveillance points (DSPs) across all 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China. All deaths from stroke as the underlying cause from 2015 to 2020 according to DSPs. Crude mortality rate and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were estimated through DSPs. Average annual percentage change was used to explain the change in mortality rate. RESULTS: From 2015 to 2020, the majority of deaths from all stroke subtypes occurred in rural areas. There were significant differences between the changes of urban and rural ASMRs. On the whole, the changes in urban areas were evidently better, and the ASMR differences were basically expanding. Stroke ASMR in urban China decreased by 15.5%. The rural ASMR of ischemic stroke increased by 12.9%. The rural and urban ASMRs of intracerebral hemorrhage decreased by 24.9% and 27.4%, and those of subarachnoid hemorrhage decreased by 29.5% and 40.4%, respectively. The highest ASMRs of all stroke subtypes and the increasing trend of ischemic stroke ASMR make rural males the focus of stroke management. CONCLUSIONS The death burden of stroke varies greatly between urban and rural China. Rural residents face unique challenges.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Stroke/mortality* ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Urban Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Adult

Objective:To summarize the experience of facial nerve(FN) preservation in microsurgical treatment of vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection via suboccipital retrosigmoid approach and to analyze the influencing factors of facial function prognosis in short-term and long-term period.Methods:Patients with VS who underwent microsurgery via suboccipital retrosigmoid approach by the skull base surgery team in Huashan Hospital from January 2013 to February 2018 were enrolled. A total of 308 patients were included in this study, including 132 males and 176 females. The average age was 47.9 year-old (Range: 17-79 year-old). The patient′s clinical data and FN function prognosis were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analysis by SPSS 23.0 statistical software were performed to evaluate the factors affecting facial function prognosis and its recovery.Results:Gross total resection was achieved in 304 cases, and subtotal resection was in 4 cases. The facial nerve preservation rate anatomically was 99.4%. The facial nerve of 2 cases was thin due to large tumor compression and severed, and a one-stage reconstruction was performed during surgery.Of the 308 patients, 300 cases were successfully followed up, and 8 cases were lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up time was 52 months. In short-term (2 weeks after surgery), satisfactory facial nerve function (House-Brackmann (H-B) grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ) was achieved in 96 cases, and 212 cases were unsatisfactory function (H-B grade Ⅲ-Ⅵ). After 1 year, 198 were satisfactory function and 97 were unsatisfactory. After 3 years, 219 were satisfactory function and 75 were unsatisfactory. Five years later, 155 were satisfactory function and 34 were unsatisfactory. According to the results of logistic regression analysis, the impact factors of FN function in short-term were tumor size ( P=0.011) and stimulation threshold (ST) of EMG monitoring ( P<0.001). The impact factors in long-term were tumor size ( P=0.005), ST of EMG monitoring ( P=0.005) and FN rehabilitation training. Conclusions:Tumor diameter is an independent factor related to FN function, and the larger the tumor, the worse the postoperative FN function. The ST of EMG (ST≤0.05 mA) can predict short-term and long-term FN function. The systematic facial rehabilitation training can effectively promote the recovery of FN after surgery.

Objective:To investigate the changes in gut microbiota diversity with age in elderly people using high-throughput sequencing.Methods:Ninety healthy volunteers were recruited. People who were <60 years old (middle-aged group) were set up as a baseline control group (Age A group), while those aged ≥60 years old were further divided into four groups (60-<70: Age B group, 70-<80: Age C group, 80-<90: Age D group, ≥90: Age E group). Fecal samples were collected to extract DNA. The second-generation sequencing technology was used to amplify and sequence the V3-V4 hypervariable region of 16S rDNA. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to compare the differences in gut microbiota and functional genes among groups.Results:At the phylum level, gut microbiota were composed mainly of Firmicute, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria in different groups. The proportion of Firmicute was the highest, accounting for over 60%, followed by that of Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, the abundance of Faecalibacterium genus decreased with age. The α diversity analysis showed that the gut microbiota in the elderly of different ages had higher abundance and uniformity, and there was no significant difference among groups. However, the β diversity analysis showed that in community structure there was difference between Age A and Age B groups, and similarity between Age B and Age C groups. Conclusions:The community structure of gut microbiota changed significantly between young and middle-aged people and the elderly over 60 years old. It tended to be relatively stable in people of 60-80 years old, but changed again when they were over 80 years old. Chronic inflammatory diseases, metabolic diseases and tumors in the elderly might be associated with the decrease in Faecalibacterium.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence and risk factors of benign liver space-occupying mass in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and the ultrasound features that differentiate these masses from small hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the color Doppler and clinical data of 17 721 patients with CHB treated in the Hepatology Unit of Nanfang Hospital between January, 2016 and December, 2017. The data were compared with those of 21629 healthy control subjects undergoing routine physical examination in the Center of Heath Management of Nanfang Hospital during the same period. RESULTS: Compared with the control subjects, the patients with CHB had significantly higher incidences of hepatic cysts (11.8% 8.7%, < 0.05), hepatic hemangioma (8.2% 1.6%, < 0.05) and hepatic cirrhosis nodules (20.6% 2.4%, < 0.05). The incidences of hepatic cysts and cirrhosis nodules increased with age and was significantly higher in male than in female patients ( < 0.001). The highest incidence of hepatic hemangioma was found in CHB patients aged 30-49 years without a gender difference (>0.05). Sonographically, the benign liver masses commonly showed homogeneous echo within the lesion with clear boundaries and regular shape. Hepatic hemangioma was distinctively hyperechoic in 83.32% (1579/1895) of the patients, while small hepatocellular carcinoma presented with weaker peripheral and internal blood flow signals with a lower flow velocity in the arteries and a higher flow velocity in the portal vein. Liver cirrhosis nodules mostly showed a mixture of strong and weak echoes (79.60%; 7637/9595) without blood flow signal within or around the nodule; an increased volume of the nodule accompanied by heterogeneous echoes within the nodule indicated an increased probability of malignant lesion. Hepatic cysts often displayed no echo within the lesion, but the echo could be enhanced posteriorly. CONCLUSIONS The patients with CHB are at a significantly higher risk of developing hepatic cysts, hepatic hemangiomas and hepatic cirrhosis nodules than the control population, and an older age and the male gender are associated with a higher incidence of hepatic cysts or cirrhosis. The differences in the sonographic and hemodynamic features can help to differentiate hepatic benign mass from malignant lesions, and kinetic changes in sonography can be used to monitor potential malignant transformation of the cirrhotic lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of different antiviral and antifibrotic regimens in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatic fibrosis and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with these therapies. METHODS: A total of 840 patients with CHB and concurrent hepatic fibrosis, who received antiviral therapy in Nanfang Hospital between June, 2010 and June, 2018, were enrolled in this follow-up cohort study. The patients were assigned to 3 cohorts matched for gender, age (difference≤5 years), HBeAg status and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for treatment with one of the 3 antiviral drugs, namely entecavir, tenofovir dipivoxil and adefovir dipivoxil; each cohort was divided into 2 groups, with one of the groups having a combined treatment with Fufang Biejiaruangan tablet. The cumulative negative conversion rate of HBV DNA, normalization rate of ALT, hepatic fibrosis regression and the incidence of HCC were compared among the 3 cohorts and across the 6 groups at 144 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 749 patients were available to follow-up at 144 weeks. Compared with the baseline data, the cumulative negative conversion rate of HBV DNA increased gradually and the abnormal rate of ALT decreased significantly over time during the treatment in all the 6 groups (all < 0.001). Compared with the any of the antiviral drugs used alone, the combined treatments all resulted in significantly better antifibrotic effects (χ=11.345, χ=10.160, χ=6.358; all < 0.05). At 144 weeks, the incidence of HCC were 2.2%, 1.7%, 1.7% and 3.3% in enecavir group, enecavir with Biejiaruangan tablet group, adefovir group, and adefovir with Biejiaruangan tablet group, respectively, showing no significant difference between the two cohorts (4 groups; χ=6.813, =0.138). None of the patients in the 2 groups with tenofovir treatment had HCC by the end of the observation. CONCLUSIONS Antiviral therapy combined with antifibrotic therapy can effectively reverse hepatic fibrosis and reduce the incidence of HCC in patients with CHB; among the 3 antiviral drugs, tenofovir dipivoxil can be a better option for reducing the incidence of HCC in these patients.
Antiviral Agents ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; etiology ; DNA, Viral ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; Liver Neoplasms ; etiology ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the current status of diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis (AA) in China. METHODS: Questionnaire survey was used to retrospectively collect data of hospitalized patients with AA from 43 medical centers nationwide in 2017 (Sort by number of cases provided: Jinling Hospital of Medical School of Nanjing University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Lu'an People's Hospital, Tengzhou Central People's Hospital, Dalian Central Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Dongying People's Hospital, Jinjiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huangshan Shoukang Hospital, Xuyi People's Hospital, Nanjing Jiangbei People's Hospital, Lanzhou 940th Hospital of PLA, Heze Municipal Hospital, The First College of Clinical Medical Science of China Three Gorges University, Affiliated Jiujiang Hospital of Nanchang University, The Second People's Hospital of Hefei, Affiliated Central Hospital of Shandong Zaozhuang Mining Group, The Third People's Hospital of Kunshan City, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, The 81st Group Army Hospital of PLA, Linyi Central Hospital, The General Hospital of Huainan Eastern Hospital Group, The 908th Hospital of PLA, Liyang People's Hospital, The 901th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, The Fourth Hospital of Jilin University, Harbin Acheng District People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Nanjing Luhe People's Hospital, Taixing Municipal People's Hospital, Baotou Central Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Linyi People's Hospital, The 72st Group Army Hospital of PLA, Zaozhuang Municipal Hospital, People's Hospital of Dayu County, Taixing City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Beijing Guang'anmen Hospital, Langxi County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanyang Central Hospital, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University).The diagnosis and management of AA were analyzed through unified summary. Different centers collected and summarized their data in 2017 and sent back the questionnaires for summary. RESULTS: A total of 8 766 AA patients were enrolled from 43 medical centers, including 4 711 males (53.7%) with median age of 39 years and 958 (10.9%) patients over 65 years old. Of 8 776 patients, 5 677 cases (64.6%) received one or more imaging examinations, and the other 3 099 (35.4%) did not receive any imaging examination. A total of 1 858 (21.2%) cases received medical treatment, mainly a combination of nitroimidazoles (1 107 cases, 59.8%) doublet regimen, followed by a single-agent regimen of non-nitroimidazoles (451 cases, 24.4%), a nitroimidazole-free doublet regimen (134 cases, 7.2%), a triple regimen of combined nitroimidazoles (116 cases, 6.3%), nitroimidazole alone (39 cases, 2.1%) and nitroimidazole-free triple regimen (3 cases, 0.2%). Of the 6 908 patients (78.8%) who underwent surgery, 4 319 (62.5%) underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and 2589 (37.5%) underwent open surgery. Ratio of laparotomy was higher in those patients under 16 years old (392 cases) or over 65 years old (258 cases) [15.1%(392/2 589) and 10.0%(258/2 589), respectively, compared with 8.5%(367/4 316) and 8.0%(347/4 316) in the same age group for laparoscopic surgery, χ²=91.415, P<0.001; χ²=15.915,P<0.001]. Patients with complicated appendicitis had higher ratio of undergoing open surgery as compared to those undergoing laparoscopic surgery [26.7%(692/2 589) vs. 15.6%(672/4 316), χ²=125.726, P<0.001].The cure rates of laparoscopic and open surgery were 100.0% and 99.8%(2 585/2 589) respectively without significant difference (P=0.206). Postoperative complication rates were 4.5%(121/2 589) and 4.7%(196/4 316) respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (χ²=0.065, P=0.799). The incidence of surgical site infection was lower (0.6% vs. 1.7%, χ²=17.315, P<0.001), and hospital stay was shorter [6(4-7) days vs. 6(5-8) days, U=4 384 348.0, P<0.001] in the laparoscopic surgery group, while hospitalization cost was higher (median 12 527 yuan vs. 9 342 yuan, U=2 586 809.0, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The diagnosis of acute appendicitis is still clinically based, supplemented by imaging examination. Appendectomy is still the most effective treatment at present. Laparoscopic appendectomy has become the main treatment strategy, but anti-infective drugs are also very effective.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; China ; Female ; Health Care Surveys ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a common primary brain injury.The main mechanism of DAI is the relative displacement of brain tissue junction caused by shearing force during cranial rotation.The pathological changes are the deformation and rupture of white matter nerve fiber bundles.The mechanism of injury and recovery is still unclear,and unified diagnostic criteria are also lacking.Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene polymorphisms are associated with nervous system development,injury,and repair process.The APOE gene contains six genotypes by the combination among three genes and synthesizes three proteins including apoE2,apoE3 and apoE4.The abnormal spatial structure of apoE4 decreases its ability of transporting lipids,resulting in reduced repair ability after nerve injury.The molecular mechanism of ApoE in the development of axonal injury is complicated.apoE protein can bind to receptor proteins such as low density lipoprotein receptor related protein 1 (LRP1) and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) to mediate axonal repair,and it can also damage nerves by influencing calcium influx and producing toxic fragments through hydrolysis.Correcting the abnormal structure of apoE4 is helpful to nerve repair,and apoE analogues also have certain neuroprotective effects.This article reviews the injury characteristics,pathological characteristics,APOE gene polymorphisms,and the role of apoE synthesis in DAI,to provide new insights for elucidation of mechanism of DAI and related clinical application.

Objective To adopt 5 kinds of platelets aggregation function analyzer to explore and study the reliable method for detecting the platelets aggregation function and accurate parameters .Methods The platelets aggregation function in the control group and the single clopidogrel group was simultaneously detected by utilizing the ADP induced light turbidimetric platelet aggre‐gation analyzer (LTA) test ,flow cytometry for PAC‐1(receptor of Fg ,Ca2+ ,GPⅡb/Ⅲa forming complex) and CD62p(P selectin) activation percentage detection test ,Innova PL‐11 for platelets analysis test ,VerifyNow anti‐platelet therapy monitoring system and thrombelastogram(TEG) .Results (1)The 6‐parameter differences of ADP% ,PAC‐1 and CD62p receptor activation percentage ac‐tivated by ADP ,MAR% ,INHI% ,ADP induced MA value(mm) detected by TEG had statistical differences between the control group and the case group(P< 0 .05);PRU of BASE and P2Y12 receptor ,thrombin induced MA value (mm) had no statistical differences between these two groups(P>0 .05) .(2)ADP% was positively correlated with (100‐INHI)% ,MAR% ,ADP activated CD62p and PAC‐1 receptor activation percentage(r=0 .565 ,0 .939 ,0 .769 ,0 .583 ,P<0 .05 );while which had no correlation with ADP induced platelets aggregation value(% Agg) detected by TEG(r=0 .794 ,0 .715 ,0 .889) .Conclusion (1)Clopidogre has the anti‐platelets effect .(2)LTA is easily operating ,cheap and stable in detection results ,has high popularizing rate in hospitals and is the first option method for clinically monitoring the platelets aggregation function .

Objective To determine the prognostic significance of non-thyroidal illness syndrome(NTIS) and FT3 on long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods A total of 1 354 patients underwent coronary angiograhy and participated in the study.After screening,984 patients with CAD were enrolled finally and divided into NTIS group and euthyroid group.The admitted patients were also classified into Tertile 1-3 groups based on FT3 value.The relationship of long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality with FT3 was investigated by multivariate Cox regression analysis.Results 129 out of 984 patients had NTIS.As FT3 value decreased,both long-term all-cause mortality (Tertile 1 group 9.6％,Tertile 2 group 11.5％,Tertile 3 group 20.9％,P＜0.01) and cardiovascular mortality (Tertile 1 group 4.5 ％,Tertile 2 group 7.2％,Tertile 3 group 11.0％,P＜0.01) gradually increased.After adjusting for all factors,FT3 (HR =0.614,95％ CI 0.439-0.859)was independently associated with long-term all-cause mortality.FT3 (HR =0.605,95％ CI 0.370-0.986)was also a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality.Conclusion NTIS exists in patients with CAD without myocardial infarction.FT3 reduction is an independent risk factor for long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with CAD.

Objective To detect clopidogrel effect with light transmission aggregometry (LTA)and flow cytometry (FC). Methods ①Venous blood samples were taken from 71 inpatient with acute corotary syndrome (ACS)in PLA General Hos-pital,including unstable anqina,ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and non ST segment elevation myocardial infarc-tion (46 males,25 females)by random number table from June 2011 to March 2012,whose average age was 69(57~92).②All of them were served 160 mg aspirin and 300 mg clopidogrel after they were in hospital in the beginning,and then served with 75 mg/d clopidogrel for 6 months.On some day,firstly,they were required withdrawing drug for 10 days,and then ve-nous blood samples were separately taken from them before their served-clopidogrel again and their severd-clopidogrel 2 hours later.③The samples were assayed with LTA and FC simultaneously and the platelet aggregation rates before served-clopidogrel (ADPLTA-before serving ),platelet aggregation rates after served-clopidogrel (ADPLTA-after serving ),inhibition rates (ADPLTA-INDU ),PAC-1 activity percentage before served-clopidogrel (PAC-1 before serving ),PAC-1 activity percentage after served-clopidogrel (PAC-1 after serving ),inhibition rates (PAC-1 INHI ),CD62p activity percentage before served-clopidogrel (CD62pbefore serving ),CD62pactivity percentage after served-clopidogrel (CD62pafter serving ),inhibition rates (CD62pINHI )weregotten.All volunteers were signed informed consents and the experiment was approved by the hospital ethics committee.Re-sults ①The paired samples t-test was (t=-2.082,P =0.041)between ADPLTA-before serving (0%~97%)and ADPLTA-after serving (12%~97%),the paired samples t-test was (t = 3.663,P < 0.01)between PAC-1 before serving (15.1% ~ 78.9%)and PAC-1 after serving (14.5% ~ 78.3%);the paired samples t-test was (t = 2.082 and P = 0.041)between CD62pbefore serving (1.5% ~80.8%)and CD62pafter serving (1.4%~41.4%).②The pearson coeffcient correlation results were:ADPLTA-INDU (0%~28.2%) and PAC-1 INHI (0.6%~ 9.1%)(r = 0.297,P = 0.012);ADPLTA-INDU (0% ~ 28.2%)and CD62pINHI (0.1% ~ 48.5%)(r =0.220,P =0.065);PAC-1 INHI (0.6%~9.1%)and CD62pINHI (0.1%~48.5%)(r=0.736,P <0.001).Conclusion Because the correlation was bad between the inhibition rates of clopidogrel detected by FC and them by LTA,FC didn’t apply to clin-ical routine examination of the platelet aggregation.But it could be used to scientific researchs and auxiliary confirmation of routine examination results.