1.Global and China-US epidemiology and treatment status of valvular heart disease
Mei LIU ; Qing WANG ; Shiwen XIONG ; Changdong ZHANG ; Xiaoke SHANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(01):105-114
Objective To systematically analyze the disease burden, long-term trends, and age-sex distribution of major valvular heart disease (VHD) subtypes—rheumatic heart disease (RHD), non-rheumatic valvular disease (NRVD), and non-rheumatic calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD)—in global, Chinese, and US populations from 1990 to 2021, providing evidence for public health strategies and clinical resource allocation. Methods Based on publicly available data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021, we extracted incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for VHD from 1990 to 2021. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) were calculated using the GBD 2021 global standard population, and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) with its 95% uncertainty interval (UI) was computed for the period. Data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/Eurostat surveys, and Chinese national registries were used for trend triangulation and contextual background. Results From 1990 to 2021, the ASR and disease burden of RHD significantly decreased globally and in China (EAPC for DALYs in China: −4.8%, 95%UI: −5.0% to −4.6%). In contrast, the burden of NRVD and CAVD steadily increased in aging populations like those in China and the US, with a higher burden observed in older adults and males. In 2021, the incidence of NRVD and CAVD peaked in individuals aged ≥65 years, with rates being significantly higher in men than in women. RHD burden was concentrated in low socio-demographic index (SDI) regions, whereas NRVD/CAVD burden was strongly associated with high-SDI regions. Conclusion The global VHD epidemiological landscape is transitioning from an RHD-dominant to an NRVD/CAVD-dominant pattern. China faces a dual challenge of a residual RHD burden and a rapidly growing burden of degenerative valvular diseases. Developing tailored screening, prevention, and treatment strategies for different disease subtypes and populations is crucial.
2.Clinical and genetic analysis of four patients with Phelan-McDermid syndrome due to variants of SHANK gene.
Liangqiong DENG ; Xuan ZENG ; Linyan LIAO ; Xiaobo XIONG ; Aiwen LI ; Yan MEI ; Liujuan ZHANG ; Dejian YUAN
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2025;42(5):563-567
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of four patients with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS) due to variants of SHANK3 gene.
METHODS:
Four patients diagnosed with PMS at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center Liuzhou Hospital from January 2020 to January 2025 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the patients were collected. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from each patient for the extraction of genomic DNA, followed by whole-exome sequencing (WES) and validation by Sanger sequencing. Pathogenicity of candidate variants was rated based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), and multiple bioinformatic tools were used to assess the pathogenic effects of the variants. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No. 2025-007).
RESULTS:
All four patients had exhibited language delay and intellectual disability (IQ 35 ~ 65). Some also presented with autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, albeit with significant phenotypic heterogeneity. All patients were found to harbor deletions of 22q13.33 region, ranging from 55.46 Kb to 112.64 Kb, primarily involving the SHANK3 gene.
CONCLUSION
PMS is typically caused by deletions or mutations of the SHANK3 gene. The clinical manifestations are diverse, with developmental delay and intellectual disability being the most common. Accurate diagnosis requires integration of genetic testing and standardized clinical assessment. Genetic screening for suspected patients and at-risk pregnant women is recommended to facilitate their genetic counseling.
Child
;
Humans
;
Chromosome Deletion
;
Chromosome Disorders/genetics*
;
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22/genetics*
;
Exome Sequencing
;
Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics*
;
Phenotype
3.Analysis of symptoms network in patients with acute type A aortic dissection and its implications in emergency triage
Mei HE ; Jie XIONG ; Sufang HUANG ; Fangfang LI ; Jin LI ; Lanlan REN ; Min CHEN
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(9):1075-1079
Objective To construct a symptom network in patients with acute type A aortic dissection(ATAAD),so as to provide theoretical basis for the screening of dissection ATAAD during emergency pre-screening triage.Methods There were 433 patients diagnosed with ATAAD during 2019 to 2023 in an emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Wuhan.Their basic information and medical records were reviewed by self-designed data questionnaire.UCINET6.0 software was used to construct a symptom network,analyze the centrality index and determine the core symptoms.Symptom distribution of patients with positive and negative blood pressure in extremities was analyzed in the further.Results The most common symptoms in patients with type A aortic dissection were chest pain(77.37%),back pain(42.96%),and sweating(29.79%).In the symptom network,chest pain had the highest degree(rs=659).The closeness of chest pain,chest tightness,shortness of breath,back pain,nausea and vomiting,limb numbness and fatigue were same(rc=93.33).Fatigue has the highest betweenness(rb=13.69).Patients with positive limbs blood pressure mainly reported chest pain(70.17%),back pain(44.96%),and nausea and vomiting(19.33%),while those with negative limb blood pressure mainly reported chest pain(63.64%),back pain(63.64%),and orosphyalgia(39.40%).Orosphyalgia had the highest degree(rs=20).Conclusion The symptoms of ATAAD are complex and varied in patients.During triage,nurses should measure the limb blood pressure when patients complained chest pain alone or when combined with other hypoperfusion symptoms,such as back pain,chest tightness,sweating,near-death sensation,and shortness of breath.Aortic dissection cannot be ruled out in patients with negative blood pressure when they had chest pain,back pain or orosphyalgia.
4.A qualitative study on the dual coping experience of nursing dependence among middle-aged and young patients with enterostomy and their primary caregivers
Yang YANG ; Mei LIU ; Mo XIONG ; Lijuan FENG ; Chunzi YANG
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(4):389-395
Objective To explore the dual coping experience of nursing dependence among middle-aged and young patients with enterostomy and their primary caregivers from the perspective of family resilience,in order to provide evidence for improving the experience of nursing dependence and promoting family resilience.Methods Us-ing the phenomenological research method in qualitative research,18 young and middle-aged enterostomy patients and their primary caregivers were selected for semi-structured interviews with purpose sampling method,and the in-terview data were analyzed by content analysis method.Results A total of 4 themes and 8 sub-themes were ex-tracted.Theme 1:heavy dependence-elastic fatigue-weak resilience(patients avoid stomas,depression,caregivers help-lessly accepting;patients role reinforcement,excessive dependence,caregivers exhaustion);theme 2:moderate depen-dence-elastic adjustment-strong resilience trend(active exploration,mutual understanding,perceived support;focus ad-justment,mutual dependence,positive relationship);theme 3:mild dependence-elastic space-strong resilience(self-con-trollable feeling,quick adaptation,mutual growth;facing calmly,cherishing life,reshaping value);theme 4:no depen-dence-gradual loss of elasticity-weak resilience trend(refusal to seek help,self isolation,relationship cracks;frustration in seeking help,self-protection,relationship alienation).In this article,we proposed a preliminary family resilience model for patients with enterostomy.Conclusion The dual coping and family resilience of the patients with en-terostomy and their primary caregivers are different and dynamic.Family-centered support should be applied to strengthen the positive coping and improve the level of family resilience.In addition,this study also tried to pro-pose a family resilience model for patients with enterostomy based on nursing dependence,in order to enrich the connotation of family resilience.
5.Progress in research on the etiology and treatment of fertilization disorders
Yuxing XIONG ; Mei TANG ; Sha SHI ; Yan LIU
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(5):537-540
Infertility is an important cause of reproductive health. With the increasing development of assisted reproductive technology, millions of people choose to use assisted reproductive technology to assist pregnancy every year. However, there are still many patients in the clinic who may have fertilization disorders during the assisted pregnancy. The causes of fertilization disorders are complex and varied. Although research on fertilization disorders has progressed in recent years, the question of how to improve the fertilization rate and oocyte utilization in patients remains a focal issue. The aim of this review is to summarize the latest research progress on the possible etiology and treatment of fertilization disorders in the process of conception, so as to provide a more comprehensive theoretical reference for the clinical diagnosis and management of people with fertilization disorders.
6.Cross-Lagged Analysis of Sleep Duration and Positive Youth Development in Primary and Secondary School Students
Zigang ZHANG ; Dongqiong CHEN ; Zhenchao LI ; Shiwei MEI ; Zhihan XIONG ; Zewei FAN ; Jiang SHEN ; Li ZHAO
Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences) 2025;56(2):451-457
Objective To investigate the longitudinal relationship between sleep duration(SD)and positive youth development(PYD)among primary and secondary school students in Chengdu city using a cross-lagged model,and to provide scientific evidence for enhancing sleep management practices for students.Methods A total of 4061 students of grades 3 through 9 from the Chengdu Child Positive Development Cohort were included in this three-wave longitudinal study.There was a one-year interval between one survey and the following round of survey,and the time points for the baseline,12-month follow-up,and 24-month follow-up surveys were designated T0,T1,and T2.The PYD of the participants was assessed using the Chinese version of the Positive Youth Development Scale.The demographic data and the average daily SD over the past month were collected.Spearman correlation analysis was performed to examine the associations between SD and PYD,and a cross-lagged model was used to investigate the longitudinal relationship between them.Results The average daily SD for the 3 rounds of surveys conducted at T0,T1,and T2 was 9.00(8.04,10.00)hours,10.44(9.67,11.11)hours,and 10.39(9.83,11.00)hours,respectively,while the PYD scores were 5.30(4.73,5.71),5.27(4.73,5.73),and 5.39(4.89,5.77),respectively.Statistical significance was found in the differences of SD and PYD scores across the 3 rounds(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis revealed synchronous correlations between SD and PYD at all three time points(r=0.10 at T0,r=0.18 at T1,and r=0.21 at T2,P<0.05)and significant lagged correlations(e.g.,r=0.10 for T1-PYD and T2-SD,and likewise,significant correlation was found for the 3 other cross-lagged paths).The cross-lagged model demonstrated that PYD at T0 and T1 positively predicted SD at T1 and T2,respectively(β0-1=0.116[95%CI,0.083-0.150],β1-2=0.097(95%CI,0.067-0.127),P<0.05),and that SD at T0 and T1 also positively predicted PYD at T1 and T2(β0-1=0.028[95%CI,0-0.056],β1-2=0.042[95%CI,0.010-0.074],P<0.05).According to these findings,a bidirectional predictive relationship between SD and PYD across different time points was observed in primary and secondary school students.Furthermore,PYD demonstrated better performance for predicting SD than SD did for PYD.Subgroup analysis by sex confirmed the robustness of the predictive power of PYD for SD.Conclusion This study reveals a positive bidirectional predictive relationship between SD and PYD among primary and secondary school students,suggesting that higher levels of PYD may contribute to adequate sleep.These findings provide critical scientific evidence for schools and families to strengthen sleep management and promote the holistic development and well-being of adolescents.
7.Predictive value of dose-surface histogram for acute radiation proctitis in prostate cancer patients following radiotherapy
Xin ZHAO ; Mei-Liu YANG ; Xiao-Hui HAO ; Tian-Xiong WEI ; Qi ZHANG ; Hao-Yu CHANG ; Xiu-Xia WU
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(1):44-49
Objective To evaluate the predictive value of dose-surface histogram(DSH)for radiation proctitis(RP)in prostate cancer(PCa)patients undergoing radiotherapy.Methods This prospective randomized controlled clinical trial included 380 PCa patients who underwent image-guided radiotherapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Northern University from January 2018 to January 2023.Patients were randomly divided into observation group(n=200)and control group(n=180).The rectal dose distribution of patients in the two groups was evaluated by using DSH and dose-volume histogram(DVH),respectively.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was utilized to evaluate the predictive value of DSH for acute RP,with DVH serving as a reference.Results The difference was not statistically significant in clinical information such as age,KPS score,and body mass index(BMI)between the observation and control groups(P>0.05),as well as in acute RP incidence(P>0.05).There were significant differences in S40 and V40,S50 and V50,S60 and V60,S70 and V70,and S78 and V78 between the two groups(P<0.05).S40,S50,V40,and V50 showed low efficacy(P<0.001)in predicting acute RP at each level,with AUC≤0.700.S60 and V60 showed moderate efficacy(P<0.001)in predicting acute RP at each level,with AUC 0.700-0.900.S70,S78,V70 and V78 showed high efficacy(P<0.001)in predicting acute RP at each level,with AUC>0.900.Conclusions The predictive value of DSH for rectal toxicity in patients with PCa is basically consistent with that of DVH.It is expected to become a novel and valuable tool for evaluating radiotherapy plans in the future.
8.The application value of musculoskeletal ultrasound in grading acute gastrocnemius muscle injuries
Zi-Li CHEN ; Mi YANG ; Hao LIANG ; Xiao-Xiong MEI ; Li YANG ; Hui-Juan XIANG ; Rui DU
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(5):553-557
Objective To explore the application value of musculoskeletal ultrasound(MSUS)in grading acute gastrocnemius muscle injuries.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on ultrasound images of 291 patients who presented with sudden calf pain and suspected acute gastrocnemius muscle injury in the General Hospital of Central Theater Command from March 2019 to July 2024.The images were independently reviewed and assessed by three ultrasound doctors with different qualifications to determine the presence and grade of gastrocnemius muscle injury.The consistency of grading results among three doctors was compared.The diagnostic results of three doctors were summarized.Then,the diagnostic results of 29 patients who underwent routine MRI scans were compared with those of MSUS,and the agreement between the two imaging modalities was assessed using the Kappa test.Results Among the 291 patients,171 cases(58.8%)were diagnosed with gastrocnemius muscle injury,including 55 cases(32.2%)with grade Ⅰ,109 cases(63.7%)with grade Ⅱ,and 7 cases(4.1%)with grade Ⅲ.There were 159 cases(93.0%)of unilateral medial head injury,10 cases(5.8%)of unilateral lateral head injury,and 2 cases(1.2%)of bilateral medial and lateral head injury.Compared with patients without gastrocnemius muscle injury,patients with gastrocnemius muscle injury were older(P<0.05),with no significant difference in gender and laterality(P>0.05).No significant differences in baseline characteristics were found among patients with different grades of injury(P>0.05).The three doctors diagnosed 173(59.5%),171(58.8%),and 171(58.8%)cases of injury,respectively,with an inter-class correlation coefficient(ICC)of 0.947(P<0.001).Among 29 patients who underwent MRI,the diagnostic agreement between MRI and ultrasound for grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ injury was 8(27.6%),18(62.1%)and 3(10.3%)for MRI;and 9(31.0%),17(58.6%)and 3(10.3%)for MSUS,respectively,with a Kappa value of 0.808(P<0.001).Conclusions MSUS is effective for assessing the grade of acute gastrocnemius muscle injury,and shows high diagnostic consistency among doctors with different qualifications.It is recommended as the preferred method for diagnosing gastrocnemius muscle injury.
9.Progress in the application of balloon occlusion of abdominal aorta in patients with pernicious placenta previa
Guangjing HUANG ; Donglin MEI ; Jie CHEN ; Jing LIU ; Yongle XIONG ; Yan PAN
Journal of Interventional Radiology 2025;34(6):664-667
Abdominal aortic balloon occlusion is an emerging interventional treatment method,which has been used to control the risk of postpartum hemorrhage caused by pernicious placenta previa(PPP).Numerous studies have shown that abdominal aortic balloon occlusion can not only significantly reduce the difficulty and risk of surgery,shorten the time spent for surgery,but also further increase the success rate of surgery,which undoubtedly has a positive impact on both the delivery woman and neonate.This paper aims to make a brief introduction of the development history of abdominal aortic balloon occlusion and its technical principles,and to expound the timing of using abdominal aortic balloon occlusion and the clinical application of the balloon with different properties,focusing on the advantages of using abdominal aortic balloon in patients with PPP.It is expected that this paper can provide a reference for formulating clinical treatment strategies.
10.Value of shear wave elastography combined with cervical length in predicting spontaneous preterm birth at 20 to 27 weeks of gestation
Mei TANG ; Hong LI ; Junling SHEN ; Deqing XIONG
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(4):78-82
Objective To explore the value of shear wave elastography(SWE)combined with cervical length(CL)measurement in predicting spontaneous preterm birth(SPB)at 20 to 27 weeks of gestation.Methods A total of 161 pregnant women with antenatal care and examination in the hospi-tal from January 2020 to June 2022 were selected as research objects.All pregnant women underwent CL measurement and SWE detection by ultrasound during 20 to 27 weeks of gestation to obtain CL and SWE parameters.The occurrence of SPB was followed up,and the correlations of CL and SWE param-eters with the occurrence of SPB were analyzed.Results Among the 161 pregnant women,34 pa-tients experienced SPB.There were significant differences in the external os strain(EOS),elastic contrast index(ECI),internal os strain(IOS),and hardness ratio(HR)of SWE parameters between pregnant women with and without preterm birth(P<0.05).Similarly,there was a significant differ-ence in CL between the two groups(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that ECI,IOS and EOS were positively correlated with the occurrence of preterm birth(P<0.05),while HR and CL were negatively correlated with the occurrence of preterm birth(P<0.05).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve showed that the area under the curve(AUC)for CL in predicting preterm birth was 0.800,with a cut-off value of 2.710 cm.Among the SWE parameters,the AUCs for ECI,HR,IOS and EOS in predicting preterm birth were 0.651,0.642,0.705 and 0.653 respectively,with cut-off values of 5.140,53.650%,0.320 and 0.330 respectively.The ROC curve showed that the AUC for predicting preterm birth by SWE parameters combined with CL was 0.813,which was significantly higher than the AUC for prediction by the combination of the four SWE parameters(P<0.05).The sensitivity and specificity at the maximum Youden index were 0.794 and 0.732 respectively.Conclusion CL,as well as ECI,HR,IOS and EOS among SWE parameters,have certain value in predicting SPB in pregnant women at 20 to 27 weeks of gestation,especially when the five indicators are combined for prediction.The critical values for prediction are 2.710 cm,5.140,53.650%,0.320 and 0.330 respectively.

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