Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and hormonal changes in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)-suppressed and non-suppressed subclinical Cushing′s syndrome(SCS), to evaluate the influencing factors of ACTH suppression, and to assess the diagnostic efficiency of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEAS) levels in distinguishing these two groups of SCS patients.Methods:Clinical data of patients diagnosed with SCS in the Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical College, between June 2014 and October 2023 were retrospectively collected. A total of 194 cases were included. According to morning(8: 00 AM) plasma ACTH levels, patients were divided into an ACTH-suppressed group(ACTH<2.2 pmol/L) and a non-suppressed group(ACTH≥2.2 pmol/L). Additionally, 194 gender-, age-, and BMI-matched patients with non-functional adrenal tumors(NFA) were enrolled as controls. Clinical characteristics and hormone levels were compared between groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing ACTH suppression in SCS patients. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance of serum DHEAS levels in distinguishing ACTH-suppressed and non-suppressed SCS patients. Results:There were no significant differences in the prevalence of overweight/obesity, hypertension, abnormal glucose metabolism, or bone metabolism disorders between the ACTH-suppressed and non-suppressed groups. The serum cortisol level after the 1 mg-dexamethasone suppression test(DST) was significantly lower in the ACTH non-suppressed group than that in the suppressed group, while the serum DHEAS level was significantly higher in the non-suppressed group(both P<0.01). The area under the curve(AUCs) of serum DHEAS for diagnosing ACTH non-suppressed SCS patients and ACTH-suppressed SCS patients was 0.779(95% CI 0.721-0.837) and 0.874(95% CI 0.831-0.918), respectively. Using a serum DHEAS cutoff of 60.0 μg/dL, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing ACTH non-suppressed SCS patients were 66.7% and 76.1%, respectively, while for ACTH-suppressed SCS patients, the sensitivity and specificity were 84.9% and 75.5%, respectively. Conclusion:There were no significant differences in metabolic characteristics between ACTH-suppressed and non-suppressed SCS patients. Serum cortisol level after 1 mg-DST is an independent influencing factor for ACTH suppression status. Low serum DHEAS level serves as a sensitive diagnostic marker for SCS and also demonstrates diagnostic value in ACTH non-suppressed SCS patients.

Objective:To investigate and explore the serum levels of testosterone and estradiol in correlation with disease severity and prognosis in male patients with liver failure.Methods:Sixty male cases with liver failure who received treatment from April 2022 to December 2023 were selected as the research subjects. Forty healthy subjects who underwent physical examination in the physical examination center during the same period were enrolled as the control group. The levels of sex hormones (serum testosterone and estradiol) were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the diagnostic value of testosterone and estradiol for the grading of male patients with liver failure. The prognostic factors for predicting disease severity were analyzed using COX regression. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictive value.Results:The testosterone level was significantly higher in the healthy group than that in the liver failure group [(5.11±3.00) nmol/L vs. (2.22±2.78) nmol/L, t=4.934, P<0.001], while the estradiol level was significantly lower in the liver failure group [37.46±13.21) nmol/L vs. (113.45±67.70) nmol/L, t=-8.457, P<0.001]. Multiple discriminant logistic regression analysis results showed that estradiol and testosterone were independent predictors of the model for end-stage liver disease. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that testosterone was an independent prognostic factor for the 1-year mortality rate in male patients with liver failure. The area under the curve predicting the 1-year mortality rate was 0.745 after adjusting for other factors. Conclusion:Testosterone and estradiol levels are significantly altered in male patients with liver failure. Testosterone and estradiol levels in peripheral blood can effectively reflect the degree of liver function impairment and the 1-year mortality rate in male patients with liver failure, which is helpful for accurately assessing the severity of the disease and its prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and hormonal changes in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)-suppressed and non-suppressed subclinical Cushing′s syndrome(SCS), to evaluate the influencing factors of ACTH suppression, and to assess the diagnostic efficiency of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEAS) levels in distinguishing these two groups of SCS patients.Methods:Clinical data of patients diagnosed with SCS in the Department of Endocrinology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical College, between June 2014 and October 2023 were retrospectively collected. A total of 194 cases were included. According to morning(8: 00 AM) plasma ACTH levels, patients were divided into an ACTH-suppressed group(ACTH<2.2 pmol/L) and a non-suppressed group(ACTH≥2.2 pmol/L). Additionally, 194 gender-, age-, and BMI-matched patients with non-functional adrenal tumors(NFA) were enrolled as controls. Clinical characteristics and hormone levels were compared between groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing ACTH suppression in SCS patients. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance of serum DHEAS levels in distinguishing ACTH-suppressed and non-suppressed SCS patients. Results:There were no significant differences in the prevalence of overweight/obesity, hypertension, abnormal glucose metabolism, or bone metabolism disorders between the ACTH-suppressed and non-suppressed groups. The serum cortisol level after the 1 mg-dexamethasone suppression test(DST) was significantly lower in the ACTH non-suppressed group than that in the suppressed group, while the serum DHEAS level was significantly higher in the non-suppressed group(both P<0.01). The area under the curve(AUCs) of serum DHEAS for diagnosing ACTH non-suppressed SCS patients and ACTH-suppressed SCS patients was 0.779(95% CI 0.721-0.837) and 0.874(95% CI 0.831-0.918), respectively. Using a serum DHEAS cutoff of 60.0 μg/dL, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing ACTH non-suppressed SCS patients were 66.7% and 76.1%, respectively, while for ACTH-suppressed SCS patients, the sensitivity and specificity were 84.9% and 75.5%, respectively. Conclusion:There were no significant differences in metabolic characteristics between ACTH-suppressed and non-suppressed SCS patients. Serum cortisol level after 1 mg-DST is an independent influencing factor for ACTH suppression status. Low serum DHEAS level serves as a sensitive diagnostic marker for SCS and also demonstrates diagnostic value in ACTH non-suppressed SCS patients.

Objective:To investigate and explore the serum levels of testosterone and estradiol in correlation with disease severity and prognosis in male patients with liver failure.Methods:Sixty male cases with liver failure who received treatment from April 2022 to December 2023 were selected as the research subjects. Forty healthy subjects who underwent physical examination in the physical examination center during the same period were enrolled as the control group. The levels of sex hormones (serum testosterone and estradiol) were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the diagnostic value of testosterone and estradiol for the grading of male patients with liver failure. The prognostic factors for predicting disease severity were analyzed using COX regression. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the predictive value.Results:The testosterone level was significantly higher in the healthy group than that in the liver failure group [(5.11±3.00) nmol/L vs. (2.22±2.78) nmol/L, t=4.934, P<0.001], while the estradiol level was significantly lower in the liver failure group [37.46±13.21) nmol/L vs. (113.45±67.70) nmol/L, t=-8.457, P<0.001]. Multiple discriminant logistic regression analysis results showed that estradiol and testosterone were independent predictors of the model for end-stage liver disease. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that testosterone was an independent prognostic factor for the 1-year mortality rate in male patients with liver failure. The area under the curve predicting the 1-year mortality rate was 0.745 after adjusting for other factors. Conclusion:Testosterone and estradiol levels are significantly altered in male patients with liver failure. Testosterone and estradiol levels in peripheral blood can effectively reflect the degree of liver function impairment and the 1-year mortality rate in male patients with liver failure, which is helpful for accurately assessing the severity of the disease and its prognosis.

Abstract: Objective To compare the screening effects of RDT, microscopy and PCR for malaria among residents in low malaria areas and elimination areas, and to investigate the presence of malaria in residents of border Villages in Cangyuan Va County and asymptomatic infections in surrounding areas, providing a basis for preventing re-introduction of malaria after elimination. Methods From August 2020 to March 2021, the fingertip blood of the investigated subjects was collected from three survey sites in the border area between China and Myanmar, namely Banlao Township in Cangyuan Va Autonomous County of Lincang City, Banwai District, Mengmao County, the Second Special Zone of Shan State, Myanmar, Yongmo and Dayan Township, Nandeng Special Zone, the Second Special Zone of Shan State, Myanmar. The malaria parasite antigen detection test kit, malaria parasite microscopic examination, fluorescent quantitative PCR and nested PCR were used to detect the asymptomatic infection of malaria parasites. Results A total of 1 040 blood samples were collected, including 606 from China and 434 from Myanmar, with 506 males and 534 females. Among them, , there were 51 individuals aged 0 to <5 years, 283 aged 5 to < years, 187 aged 15 to < years, 232 aged 30 to <45 years, 205 aged 45 to < years, and 82 aged ≥60 years. All 1 040 people tested negative for plasmodium antigen detection kit. One case of Plasmodium vivax detected by plasmodium microscopic etiology, with a detection rate of 0.10%. One case of P. vivax was also detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR and nested PCR, with a detection rate of 0.10%. Among them, one case of P. vivax was detected in Banwai District, Mengmao County, the Second Special Zone of Shan State, Myanmar, with a detection rate of 0.35%. The detection rates of malaria parasites in Banlao Township in Cangyuan Va Autonomous County of Lincang City, Yunnan Province and Yongmo Township and Dayan Township, Nandeng Special District, the Second Special Zone of Shan State, Myanmar were both 0. The difference in the detection rate of malaria parasites among the three survey sites was not statistically significant (χ2 =2.682, P>0.05). The asymptomatic P. vivax infection was detected in a 6-year-old girl from Banwai District, Mengmao County, the Second Special Zone of Shan State, Myanmar. Conclusions RDT is not suitable for malaria screening in low malaria area and elimination area. Microscopic examination and PCR can be used for malaria screening, but PCR operation is complex and costly. In surrounding areas outside of China, malaria is still prevalent, while there is no source of malaria infection in border villages of Cangyuan Va County. However, there is a risk of importation, and timely and effective measures should be taken to prevent reintroduction and transmission.