To review the clinical characteristics, short-term outcomes, and risk factors of patients with infective endocarditis(IE) who underwent surgical treatment at a single center, and to summarize treatment experience.

Objective:To explore the adverse effects of maternal exposure to angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy on the fetus/neonate.Methods:Relevant databases at home and abroad were searched (up to April 2024), and case reports of ARB exposure during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were collected. Data such as patient age, ARB drugs exposed to and the gestational age, concomitant drugs, maternal amniotic fluid examination, and fetal/neonatal outcomes were extracted from the literature. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the information of ARB exposure during pregnancy.Results:A total of 37 case reports were included, describing the outcomes of 55 fetuses/neonates (including a pair of twins) exposed to ARBs in utero during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy of 54 pregnant women. Six kinds of ARBs were involved in the 54 pregnant women, including valsartan (31.5%, in 17 women), candesartan (25.9%, in 14 women), losartan (22.2%, in 12 women), olmesartan (11.1%, in 6 women), telmisartan (5.6%, in 3 women), and irbesartan (3.7%, in 2 women); 49 women (90.7%) took above ARBs continuously form pre-pregnancy or the first trimester of pregnancy to the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, which were mostly prescribed by non-obstetricians (internal medicine or general practice). In the 54 pregnant women, 46 had amniotic fluid examination during pregnancy, of which 45 (97.8%) had oligohydramnios or absence of amniotic fluid; 4 voluntarily induced labor to terminate pregnancy, and 50 reported the natural outcome of pregnancy and had 51 fetuses/newborns, 15 (29.4%) of which died in utero or within 1 week after birth, and 36 (70.6%) of which were discharged alive. Among the newborns, 81.3% (39/48) were premature infants, and 74.4% (32/43) were low birth weight infants. In the 55 fetuses/newborns, 48 (87.3%) had varying degrees of disease and developmental defects. The most commonly involved organ or system was kidney [72.7% (40/55)], and the major pathological change was renal tubular dysplasia; the following injury was lung/respiratory diseases and dysplasia with an incidence of [41.8% (23/55)], which was the main cause of fetal/neonatal death. Subsequently, abnormal development of skull/brain and limbs/hands and feet, abnormal circulatory system, abnormal coagulation, retinopathy, etc. have also been reported.Conclusion:ARBs exposure during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy poses significant risks to the fetus/neonate, often leading to developmental defects of renal tubular, lung, skull/brain, and limbs, and even death.

Objective:To explore the adverse effects of maternal exposure to angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy on the fetus/neonate.Methods:Relevant databases at home and abroad were searched (up to April 2024), and case reports of ARB exposure during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were collected. Data such as patient age, ARB drugs exposed to and the gestational age, concomitant drugs, maternal amniotic fluid examination, and fetal/neonatal outcomes were extracted from the literature. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the information of ARB exposure during pregnancy.Results:A total of 37 case reports were included, describing the outcomes of 55 fetuses/neonates (including a pair of twins) exposed to ARBs in utero during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy of 54 pregnant women. Six kinds of ARBs were involved in the 54 pregnant women, including valsartan (31.5%, in 17 women), candesartan (25.9%, in 14 women), losartan (22.2%, in 12 women), olmesartan (11.1%, in 6 women), telmisartan (5.6%, in 3 women), and irbesartan (3.7%, in 2 women); 49 women (90.7%) took above ARBs continuously form pre-pregnancy or the first trimester of pregnancy to the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, which were mostly prescribed by non-obstetricians (internal medicine or general practice). In the 54 pregnant women, 46 had amniotic fluid examination during pregnancy, of which 45 (97.8%) had oligohydramnios or absence of amniotic fluid; 4 voluntarily induced labor to terminate pregnancy, and 50 reported the natural outcome of pregnancy and had 51 fetuses/newborns, 15 (29.4%) of which died in utero or within 1 week after birth, and 36 (70.6%) of which were discharged alive. Among the newborns, 81.3% (39/48) were premature infants, and 74.4% (32/43) were low birth weight infants. In the 55 fetuses/newborns, 48 (87.3%) had varying degrees of disease and developmental defects. The most commonly involved organ or system was kidney [72.7% (40/55)], and the major pathological change was renal tubular dysplasia; the following injury was lung/respiratory diseases and dysplasia with an incidence of [41.8% (23/55)], which was the main cause of fetal/neonatal death. Subsequently, abnormal development of skull/brain and limbs/hands and feet, abnormal circulatory system, abnormal coagulation, retinopathy, etc. have also been reported.Conclusion:ARBs exposure during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy poses significant risks to the fetus/neonate, often leading to developmental defects of renal tubular, lung, skull/brain, and limbs, and even death.

BACKGROUND:Currently,there is a lack of large sample studies to analyze the bone metabolism level of patients with femoral head necrosis of different etiologies and stages,which is not conducive to the development of better necrosis-promoting repair strategies. OBJECTIVE:To study the bone metabolism of patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head with different etiologies and Association Research Circulation Osseous(ARCO)stages. METHODS:A retrospective study was performed on 401 patients diagnosed with osteonecrosis of the femoral head as the trial group,and 81 healthy subjects as the control group.The trial group could be divided into three groups according to different etiologies:steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head,alcoholic osteonecrosis of the femoral head and traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head,and were divided into stages Ⅱ/Ⅲ/Ⅳ according to different ARCO stages.Seven bone metabolism-related indicators of all subjects were collected,including bone metabolism-regulating hormone 25-hydroxyvitamin D and bone conversion markers:N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen,degradation product of type Ⅰ collagen,n-terminal middle molecular fragment of osteocalcin,general biochemical markers of bone metabolism:serum calcium,serum phosphorus,serum alkaline phosphatase.The bone metabolism levels of each group were compared and the independent factors associated with osteonecrosis of the femoral head were determined by binary Logistic regression analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group,levels of degradation product of type Ⅰ collagen,N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen,n-terminal middle molecular fragment of osteocalcin,serum phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase in the trial group were significantly increased(all P＜0.05).Based on the presence or absence of the disease,according to binary Logistic regression analysis,degradation product of type Ⅰ collagen,N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen,and n-terminal middle molecular fragment of osteocalcin were independent factors associated with osteonecrosis of the femoral head.The levels of degradation product of type Ⅰ collagen and N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen in three groups of patients with different etiologies were higher than normal reference values.The bone metabolism-regulating hormone 25-hydroxyvitamin D and serum calcium in the alcoholic osteonecrosis of the femoral head group were higher than those in the other two groups(P＜0.05).The level of bone metabolism-regulating hormone 25-hydroxyvitamin D in steroid-induced and traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head groups was lower than the normal value.There were no significant differences in seven bone metabolism-related indicators in patients with ARCO stages Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ osteonecrosis of the femoral head(all P＞0.05),but degradation product of type Ⅰ collagen and N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen in these three groups were higher than normal reference values.Bone metabolism-regulating hormone 25-hydroxyvitamin D in patients with ARCO stage Ⅱ and ARCO stage Ⅳ was lower than the normal reference value.It is concluded that the bone metabolism level of osteonecrosis of the femoral head patients was abnormal.The degradation product of type Ⅰ collagen and N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen of osteonecrosis of the femoral head patients with different etiologies and ARCO stages were all higher than the normal reference value,and they were in a state of high bone turnover.Degradation product of type Ⅰ collagen,N-terminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen and n-terminal middle molecular fragment of osteocalcin may be risk factors for the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Objective:To investigate the current status of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in China, and to provide supporting data and reference for the development of endoscopic treatment.Methods:In this study, initiated by the Liver Health Consortium in China (CHESS), a questionnaire was designed and distributed online to investigate the basic condition of endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension in 2022 in China. Questions included annual number and indication of endoscopic procedures, adherence to guideline for preventing esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB), management and timing of emergent EGVB, management of gastric and isolated varices, and improvement of endoscopic treatment. Proportions of hospitals concerning therapeutic choices to all participant hospitals were calculated. Guideline adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals were compared by using Chi-square test.Results:A total of 836 hospitals from 31 provinces (anotomous regions and municipalities) participated in the survey. According to the survey, the control of acute EGVB (49.3%, 412/836) and the prevention of recurrent bleeding (38.3%, 320/836) were major indications of endoscopic treatment. For primary [non-selective β-blocker (NSBB) or endoscopic therapies] and secondary prophylaxis (NSBB and endoscopic therapies) of EGVB, adherence to domestic guideline was 72.5% (606/836) and 39.2% (328/836), respectively. There were significant differences in the adherence between secondary and tertiary hospitals in primary prophylaxis of EGVB [71.0% (495/697) VS 79.9% (111/139), χ2=4.11, P=0.033] and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB [41.6% (290/697) VS 27.3% (38/139), χ2=9.31, P=0.002]. A total of 78.2% (654/836) hospitals preferred endoscopic therapies treating acute EGVB, and endoscopic therapy was more likely to be the first choice for treating acute EGVB in tertiary hospitals (82.6%, 576/697) than secondary hospitals [56.1% (78/139), χ2=46.33, P<0.001]. The optimal timing was usually within 12 hours (48.5%, 317/654) and 12-24 hours (36.9%, 241/654) after the bleeding. Regarding the management of gastroesophageal varices type 2 and isolated gastric varices type 1, most hospitals used cyanoacrylate injection in combination with sclerotherapy [48.2% (403/836) and 29.9% (250/836), respectively], but substantial proportions of hospitals preferred clip-assisted therapies [12.4% (104/836) and 26.4% (221/836), respectively]. Improving the skills of endoscopic doctors (84.2%, 704/836), and enhancing the precision of pre-procedure evaluation and quality of multidisciplinary team (78.9%, 660/836) were considered urgent needs in the development of endoscopic treatment. Conclusion:A variety of endoscopic treatments for gastroesophageal varices in portal hypertension are implemented nationwide. Participant hospitals are active to perform emergent endoscopy for acute EGVB, but are inadequate in following recommendations regarding primary and secondary prophylaxis of EGVB. Moreover, the selection of endoscopic procedures for gastric varices differs greatly among hospitals.

Biliary atresia is a severe chronic liver disease in infancy that manifests as destructive inflammatory obstructive cholangiopathy.Recent evidence supports that early Kasai procedure by 30 days of life achieves the greatest likelihood of slowing or preventing the need for liver transplant in biliary atresia patients.Unfortunately,the average age at the time of Kasai procedure is around 60 days of life both in China and abroad.The primary reason for this is that there are many difficulties and challenges in early diagnosis.For example,age stratification should be considered when using GGT levels as a screening tool for biliary atresia in infant less than 30 days.What's more,imaging modality such as US shows lower accuracy in very early stage due to milder pathological change in biliary tract,which post challenges on precision medicine and improving prognosis.This article reviewed different early diagnostic methods of screening for biliary atresia,so as to provide a reference for the early diagnosis of biliary atresia,and help discuss the potential development prospect and research direction in the future.

Objective:To compare the safety of radial artery puncture in elderly patients aged 75 years and older who are undergoing neurointerventional procedures.Methods:A single-center retrospective study was conducted, involving 350 elderly patients aged 75 years and older who received neurointerventional treatment at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from June to December 2022.The participants were divided into two groups based on the puncture site: femoral artery puncture and radial artery puncture.The safety indicators compared between the two groups included puncture failure, changes in puncture site, general puncture complications(such as subcutaneous bleeding, puncture site hematoma, and vasospasm), severe puncture complications(including distal limb ischemia and pseudoaneurysm), and lower limb venous thrombosis.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of different puncture methods on the occurrence of complications.Results:Among the 350 patients, 280 underwent femoral artery puncture, while 70 underwent radial artery puncture.There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups(all P>0.05).The proportions of patients using antiplatelet drugs prior to surgery, puncture failure rates, rates of change in puncture sites, and the incidence of severe complications-including distal limb ischemia and pseudoaneurysm-were not significantly different between the two groups( χ2=2.051, 0.075, 0.588, 3.175; P=0.152, 0.784, 0.443, 0.075).In the femoral artery puncture group, 20.4%(57 cases)of patients experienced general puncture complications(including subcutaneous bleeding, puncture site hematoma, and vasospasm), whereas only 8.6%(6 cases)in the radial artery puncture group experienced such complications, revealing a statistically significant difference between the two groups( χ2=5.720, P=0.022).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that, compared to femoral artery puncture, radial artery puncture was associated with a reduced risk of all complications( OR=0.272, 95% CI: 0.139-0.532, P<0.001), general puncture complications( OR=0.375, 95% CI: 0.153-0.919, P=0.032)and lower limb venous thrombosis( OR=0.219, 95% CI: 0.050-0.954, P=0.043). Conclusions:In elderly patients aged 75 years and older who are undergoing neurointerventional procedures, radial artery puncture is associated with a reduced incidence of general puncture complications and lower limb venous thrombosis when compared to femoral artery puncture, indicating a superior safety profile.

Purpose To explore the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)in the differential diagnosis of gallbladder polypoid lesions(GPLs)(diameter≥10 mm).Materials and Methods A prospective enrollment of 229 patients with GPLs who underwent cholecystectomy in 17 hospitals from December 1 2021 to June 30 2024 was conducted to analyze the relationship between general data,conventional ultrasound,CEUS characteristics and the nature of GPLs.Multivariate Logistic regression was employed to identify independent risk factors for neoplastic polyps,the differential diagnostic value of different indicators was compared.Results Among 229 patients with GPLs,there were 108 cases of cholesterol polyps,102 cases of adenoma and 19 cases of gallbladder cancer.Age(Z=-4.476,P<0.001),polyp number(χ2=15.561,P<0.001),diameter(Z=-8.149,P<0.001),echogenicity(χ2=9.241,P=0.010),vascularity(χ2=23.107,P<0.001),enhancement intensity(χ2=47.610,P<0.001),enhancement pattern(χ2=6.468,P=0.011),vascular type(χ2=84.470,P<0.001),integrity of gallbladder wall(χ2=7.662,P=0.006)and stalk width(Z=-9.831,P<0.001)between cholesterol polyps and neoplastic polyps were statistically significant.Age,location,diameter,echogenicity,enhancement pattern,vascular type and stalk width between adenoma and gallbladder cancer were statistically significant(Z=-4.333,-3.902,-5.042,all P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that hyper-enhancement,branched vascular type and stalk width were independent risk factors for neoplastic polyps(OR=4.563,5.770,3.075,all P<0.001).The combination of independent risk factors was better than single factor and diameter in the differential diagnosis of cholesterol polyps and neoplastic polyps(all P<0.01).Conclusion CEUS can effectively identify the nature of GPLs and provide a valuable imaging reference for the selection of treatment methods.

Objective:To investigate the correlation of the expression of Ephrin A receptor 2(EphA2)and its promoter region DNA hypomethylation with the occurrence of pyroptosis in invasive breast cancer. Methods:The expression level of pyroptosis-related protein EphA2 in normal breast tissue,paracancerous tissues and cancer tissues from 42 breast cancer patients was examined by Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting.The expression level of pyroptosis related protein nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting.The expression levels of apoptosis related proteins Caspase 1 and inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β(IL-1 β)were studied by Western blotting.The DNA methylation level in the promoter region of EphA2 was investigated by nested methylation-specific PCR(nMS-PCR).The expression levels of DNA methyltransferase 1(DNMT1)and DNA methyltransferase 3a(DNMT3a)were examined by Western blotting.The correlation of the protein expression and methylation level of EphA2 in cancer tissues with the expression NLRP3,Caspase 1,IL-1 β,DNMT1 and DNMT3a was analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient. Results:Compared with normal breast tissues and paracancerous tissues,the expression level of EphA2 protein was significantly increased(P＜0.01),while that of NLRP3,Caspasel and IL-1 βwas significantly decreased(P＜0.05)in breast cancer tissues.Meanwhile,compared with normal breast tissues and paracancerous tissues,the DNA methylation level of EphA2 promoter in breast cancer tissues was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the expression level DNMT3a protein was significantly decreased(P＜0.01,P＜0.05),and the difference in the expression level of DNMT1 protein was not statistically significant.Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression level of EphA2 protein is negatively correlated with that of NLRP3(r=-0.651 2,P＜0.05),Caspasel(r=-0.571 2,P＜0.05),IL-1β(r=-0.654 6,P＜0.05)or DNMT3a(r=-0.537 4,P＜0.05),while the methylation level of EphA2 was positively correlated with the protein expression level of NLRP3(r=0.634 1,P=0.026 8),Caspase1(r=0.672 8,P=0.01 6 5),IL-1 β(r=0.694 0,P=0.01 2 3)and DNMT3a(r=0.687 1,P=0.01 3 6). Conclusion:The expression of EphA2 protein is upregulated in breast cancer tissues is negatively correlated with pyroptosis.DNMT3a may be involved in the process of DNA hypomethylation in the promoter region of EphA2.

A preterm male infant suffered from continuous anuria for 20 hours, with systemic edema, serum creatinine 238 μmol/L, creatinine clearance rate 19.45 ml/min, cystatin C 5.05 mg/L, serum albumin 28.8 g/L, β 2 microglobulin 6.52 mg/L, and urinary microalbumin 120.2 mg/L. He was diagnosed with acute kidney failure and hypoalbuminemia. Before his birth, his mother had been treated with sacubitril valsartan sodium tablets (50 mg, twice daily), bumetanide tablets (1 mg, once daily), clopidogrel hydrogen sulfate tablets (75 mg, once daily) and pitavastatin calcium tablets (2 mg, once daily) for 9 days due to misdiagnose. The acute kidney failure and hypoalbuminemia was considered to be associated with in utero exposure to sacubitril valsartan in the third trimester, and symptomatic and supportive treatments such as intravenous albumin supplementation, furosemide, and dopamine were given. After 56 hours of birth, his urine volume obviously increased; after 5 days, his urine volume returned to normal; after 8 days, his renal function basically returned to normal.