ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases （abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol） in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st， 2023 to December 31st， 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine， while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups， including cough resolution rate， sputum resolution rate （assessed by volume， color， and consistency）， incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein （CRP）， incidence of abnormal white blood cell （WBC） count， and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age， gender， smoking status， history of hypertension， and pneumonia severity score （CURB-65）， and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure， evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group， the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough， sputum volume， color， and consistency， as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates （P＞0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group， while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume， color， and consistency were 1.37， 2.09， and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group， respectively （P＜0.05）. Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension （P＜0.05）. Specifically， among females， patients aged ≥18 and ＜65 years， non-smokers， those without hypertension， and those with a CURB-65 score of 0， the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. From an economic perspective， total hospitalization cost， length of stay， antibiotic cost， and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups （P＜0.05）. The cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group， while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that， compared with the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY， the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine， the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms， reduce inflammatory markers， promote clinical recovery， and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.

ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula （苇石清金方， WQF） in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia （CAP） with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter， real-world retrospective cohort study， clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group （those who received oral WQF） and a non‑exposure group （those who did not）. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment， which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough， expectoration （sputum volume， color， consistency）， and chest pain， levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein （CRP） and white blood cell count （WBC）， and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age， gender， smoking status， presence of hypertension， and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia （CURB‑65） score， comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate， chest pain remission rate， and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation， cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay， gender， marital status， smoking history， bronchoscopy history， and comorbidities between the groups （P＞0.05）， but age， CURB-65 score， and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression， the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC， and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years， smokers， hypertensive patients， those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics， and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 （P＜0.05）. Among smokers， the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender， age， hypertension status， or antibiotic type （P＞0.05）. In terms of economic evaluation， CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution， indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis， confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome， and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and economic value of the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases （abbreviated as the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol） in adult patients with non-severe community-acquired pneumonia （CAP） based on real-world clinical data. MethodsA retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted using electronic medical records of adult patients hospitalized for non-severe CAP from September 1st， 2023 to December 31st， 2024 across 10 TCM hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were classified into an exposure group and a non-exposure group based on whether they received Chinese herbal medicine （CHM） according to the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol. The non-exposure group received only conventional western medicine， while the exposure group additionally received differentiated CHM for at least five consecutive days. Outcomes were compared between two patient groups， including cough resolution rate， sputum resolution rate （assessed by volume， color， and consistency）， incidence of abnormal C-reactive protein （CRP）， incidence of abnormal white blood cell （WBC） count， and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates on chest imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors influencing clinical efficacy. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age， gender， smoking status， history of hypertension， and pneumonia severity score （CURB-65）， and the efficacy of treatment for cough and sputum was analyzed within each subgroup. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using cough resolution rate as the outcome measure， evaluating the pharmacoeconomics of the two groups. ResultsA total of 1688 patients were included with 1293 in the exposure group and 395 in the non-exposure group. Compared to the non-exposure group， the exposure group demonstrated significantly higher resolution rates of cough， sputum volume， color， and consistency， as well as a significantly lower incidence of abnormal CRP （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of abnormal WBC count and radiographic resolution rate of pulmonary infiltrates （P＞0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the cough resolution rate in the exposure group was 1.83 times that of the non-exposure group， while the probabilities of resolution in sputum volume， color， and consistency were 1.37， 2.09， and 1.56 times those of the non-exposure group， respectively （P＜0.05）. Subgroup analyses showed that the exposure group achieved significantly higher cough resolution rates across most subgroups except for populations with a CURB-65 score ≥2 or those with a history of hypertension （P＜0.05）. Specifically， among females， patients aged ≥18 and ＜65 years， non-smokers， those without hypertension， and those with a CURB-65 score of 0， the exposure group showed a higher cough resolution rate than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. From an economic perspective， total hospitalization cost， length of stay， antibiotic cost， and CHM cost all differed significantly between groups （P＜0.05）. The cost-effectiveness ratio （CER） was 10,788.80 CNY/case in the exposure group， while 22,513.80 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. This implies that， compared with the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 17,302.27 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution. When the willingness-to-pay threshold ranged from 0 to 50,000 CNY， the probability of economic advantage was consistently higher in the exposure group than in the non-exposure group. ConclusionOn the basis of conventional western medicine， the addition of CHM in accordance with the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol can effectively improve clinical symptoms， reduce inflammatory markers， promote clinical recovery， and is more cost-effective in treating adults with non-severe CAP.

ObjectiveTo observe the real‑world effectiveness and economic outcomes of Weishi Qingjin Formula （苇石清金方， WQF） in the treatment of adult community‑acquired pneumonia （CAP） with phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome. MethodsBased on a multicenter， real-world retrospective cohort study， clinical data were collected from hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with non‑severe CAP and phlegm‑heat obstructing the lung syndrome in 10 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） hospitals in Jiangsu province. Patients were divided into an exposure group （those who received oral WQF） and a non‑exposure group （those who did not）. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment， which were remission rates of clinical symptoms including cough， expectoration （sputum volume， color， consistency）， and chest pain， levels of inflammatory markers including C‑reactive protein （CRP） and white blood cell count （WBC）， and the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT. Subgroup analyses were performed based on age， gender， smoking status， presence of hypertension， and the severity of community-acquired pneumonia （CURB‑65） score， comparing the two groups in terms of cough remission rate， chest pain remission rate， and chest CT absorption rate. For health economic evaluation， cost‑effectiveness analysis was used to calculate the cost‑effectiveness ratio （CER） and incremental cost‑effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to test the robustness of the results. ResultsA total of 647 patients in the exposure group and 1491 patients in the non-exposure group were included in the final statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay， gender， marital status， smoking history， bronchoscopy history， and comorbidities between the groups （P＞0.05）， but age， CURB-65 score， and antibiotic use. The exposure group had significantly higher remission rates of cough and sputum consistency than the non-exposure group （P＜0.05）. After adjusting for confounders using propensity score matching and logistic regression， the cough remission rate in the exposure group was 1.49 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference was observed between groups in the reduction rates of CRP and WBC， and in the rate of pulmonary inflammatory absorption on chest CT （P＞0.05）. Subgroup analyses revealed that the cough remission rate in the exposure group was significantly better than that in the non-exposure group except for patients aged ≥65 years， smokers， hypertensive patients， those using other type antibiotics or not using antibiotics， and those with a CURB-65 score ≥1 （P＜0.05）. Among smokers， the chest pain remission rate in the exposure group was 4.38 times that of the non-exposure group （P＜0.01）. No significant difference in chest CT absorption rate was found between groups across subgroups of gender， age， hypertension status， or antibiotic type （P＞0.05）. In terms of economic evaluation， CER was 10,877.60 CNY/case in the exposure group and 16,773.10 CNY/case in the non-exposure group. Compared to the exposure group， the non-exposure group incurred an additional 15,034.26 CNY to achieve one case of cough resolution， indicating a more favorable cost-effectiveness profile. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded results consistent with the cost-effectiveness analysis， confirming the robustness of the findings. ConclusionWQF demonstrates significant efficacy in improving cough symptoms in the treatment of adult CAP with phlegm-heat obstructing the lung syndrome， and also exhibits favorable economic benefits.

ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effects of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) combined regimens for hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province from 2022 to 2024, to analyze the characteristics of treatment failure patients, so as to provide a basis for discovering more effective treatment regimens in the future. MethodsData on HCV prevention and treatment in Dehong Prefecture was extracted from the China Disease Control and Prevention Information System. A total of 617 patients with HCV antiviral therapy were included, and the differences in variable characteristics among patients with different genotypes were analyzed using comparative statistical tests, including basic socio-demographic characteristics, biochemical testing indicators, and information on previous treatment and current treatment. In addition, the cure rate of HCV patients with diverse characteristics was compared, and the potential causes of treatment failure were explored simultaneously. ResultsThe cure rate of HCV was 96.8%, and statistically significant differences were observed in aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels, previous antiviral therapy history and initial treatment regimens among patients with different HCV genotypes (all P<0.05). Among the multi-type combination regimens, the cure rate of sofosbuvir (SOF)-containing regimens was 97.00%, that of velpatasvir (VEL)-containing regimens was 95.45%, and the cure rate of other treatment regimens, including the regimens with ribavirin (RIB) intervention, was 93.10%. Among the patients with treatment failure, 45.00% had genotype 3, 40.00% had abnormal abdominal ultrasound results, and all presented with elevated baseline AST test levels. ConclusionThe clinical treatment of HCV patients should consider the differences in genotype and biochemical test results. DAAs combined regimens for HCV have achieved a high cure rate in Dehong Prefecture and are applicable to HCV patients with diverse clinical characteristics, providing research evidence for wider application.

Objective:To investigate the value of MRI radiomics model in evaluating the pathological complete response (pCR) status of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2) positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. The clinical, pathological, and MRI data of 243 HER-2 positive breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant therapy in Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were female, aged 26?75 years. All patients were randomly divided into training set (146 cases) and validation set (97 cases) at a ratio of 6∶4 according to the simple random sampling method. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen independent predictors of pCR. Radiomics features were extracted from the early-phase (the 2nd phase) images of breast dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI after neoadjuvant therapy.The four-step procedure was adopted for feature screening. The radiomics model was constructed by logistic regression. A combined model was constructed by integrating radiomics features and independent predictors. Two radiologists (Reader 1 with 10 years experience and Reader 2 with 13 years experience) who major in breast MRI visually evaluated the pCR status of breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. The receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the efficacy of Reader 1, Reader 2, the radiomics model, and the combined model in predicting pCR status. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to evaluate the calibration of the model.Results:Among 243 HER-2 positive breast cancer patients, totally 118 achieved pCR. In clinical and pathological features, HER-2 3+ was an independent predictor of pCR ( OR=2.71, 95% CI 1.03?7.12, P=0.043). In the training set and validation set, the AUCs of the radiomics model in predicting pCR status were 0.899 and 0.853, respectively.The AUCs of the combined model were 0.917 and 0.890, respectively. In the validation set, the AUC value of the radiomics model in predicting pCR status was higher than that of Reader 1 and Reader 2. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed that there was no significant difference between the prediction of pCR status by the combined model and radiomics model and the actual results in the training set and validation set, and the fitting was good ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The MRI-based radiomics model can be used to predict pCR status in HER-2 positive breast cancer and outperforms the visual qualitative assessments of radiologists.

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate the association between obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and reflux esophagitis (RE).Methods:This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed 218 patients diagnosed with OSAHS by polysomnography (PSG) and who also had undergone gastroscopy at the First People′s Hospital of Yunnan Province from January 2021 to December 2021. The cohort comprised 91 males and 127 females, aged from 19 to 78 years (40.7±13.2). Clinical data, PSG parameters, and gastroscopy findings were collected. The prevalence of RE among OSAHS patients was calculated, potential risk factors for RE were evaluated. Differences in PSG parameters between patients with and without RE were analyzed. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0.Results:The prevalence of RE in OSAHS patients was 20.6% (45/218). Males had a significantly higher RE prevalence than females (31.9% vs. 12.6%, χ2=12.02, P<0.05). The difference remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors (34.9% vs. 11.1%, χ2=10.08, P<0.05). No significant variation in RE prevalence was observed across age groups. However, after adjusting for confounding factors, a significant difference was found between overweight and obese BMI groups (12.5% vs. 29.2%, χ2=4.04, P<0.05). When stratified by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) severity, RE prevalence increased progressively in mild (7.1%), moderate (18.8%), and severe (30.1%) groups, with statistically significant differences ( χ2=11.45, P<0.05). Positive correlations were found between RE and male sex, AHI, longest apnea time (LAT), and time spent with oxygen saturation below 90% (TS90%) ( rs=0.24, 0.18, 0.17, 0.14, respectively, P<0.05). Regression analysis showed that identified male sex was the primary independent predictor of RE. Patients with RE exhibited higher AHI, TS90%, and LAT compared to those without RE ( P<0.05) .Conclusion:This single-center hospital-based study revealed a relatively high prevalence of reflux esophagitis (20.6%) among patients with OSAHS. Male sex was identified as the main independent factor associated with RE. Furthermore, RE prevalence increased with greater AHI, BMI, LAT and TS90%.

Objective:To develop a popular science educational product aimed at enhancing home-based self-management among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:A preliminary framework for popular science content on home-based self-management for PD patients was constructed based on an evidence summary. Through refinement of the evidence and expert panel discussions, the final educational content was determined and used to produce a popular science video. From June 18 to June 30, 2024, the video was disseminated through both online and offline channels. A questionnaire survey was used to assess the quality of the popular science educational product.Results:The final content framework consisted of four key areas: volume management, nutrition management, exercise management, and management of common problems. A popular science video with a total duration of 5 minutes and 52 seconds was developed. A total of 158 PD patients rated the quality of the popular science educational product with an average score of (83.03±2.01) .Conclusions:The development method of the popular science educational product is scientifically sound, and the content is suitable for dissemination. It provides a practical reference for improving health literacy and self-management ability among home-based PD patients.

Objective:To investigate the value of MRI radiomics model in evaluating the pathological complete response (pCR) status of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2) positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. The clinical, pathological, and MRI data of 243 HER-2 positive breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant therapy in Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were female, aged 26?75 years. All patients were randomly divided into training set (146 cases) and validation set (97 cases) at a ratio of 6∶4 according to the simple random sampling method. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen independent predictors of pCR. Radiomics features were extracted from the early-phase (the 2nd phase) images of breast dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI after neoadjuvant therapy.The four-step procedure was adopted for feature screening. The radiomics model was constructed by logistic regression. A combined model was constructed by integrating radiomics features and independent predictors. Two radiologists (Reader 1 with 10 years experience and Reader 2 with 13 years experience) who major in breast MRI visually evaluated the pCR status of breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. The receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the efficacy of Reader 1, Reader 2, the radiomics model, and the combined model in predicting pCR status. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to evaluate the calibration of the model.Results:Among 243 HER-2 positive breast cancer patients, totally 118 achieved pCR. In clinical and pathological features, HER-2 3+ was an independent predictor of pCR ( OR=2.71, 95% CI 1.03?7.12, P=0.043). In the training set and validation set, the AUCs of the radiomics model in predicting pCR status were 0.899 and 0.853, respectively.The AUCs of the combined model were 0.917 and 0.890, respectively. In the validation set, the AUC value of the radiomics model in predicting pCR status was higher than that of Reader 1 and Reader 2. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed that there was no significant difference between the prediction of pCR status by the combined model and radiomics model and the actual results in the training set and validation set, and the fitting was good ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The MRI-based radiomics model can be used to predict pCR status in HER-2 positive breast cancer and outperforms the visual qualitative assessments of radiologists.

Objective:To develop a popular science educational product aimed at enhancing home-based self-management among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:A preliminary framework for popular science content on home-based self-management for PD patients was constructed based on an evidence summary. Through refinement of the evidence and expert panel discussions, the final educational content was determined and used to produce a popular science video. From June 18 to June 30, 2024, the video was disseminated through both online and offline channels. A questionnaire survey was used to assess the quality of the popular science educational product.Results:The final content framework consisted of four key areas: volume management, nutrition management, exercise management, and management of common problems. A popular science video with a total duration of 5 minutes and 52 seconds was developed. A total of 158 PD patients rated the quality of the popular science educational product with an average score of (83.03±2.01) .Conclusions:The development method of the popular science educational product is scientifically sound, and the content is suitable for dissemination. It provides a practical reference for improving health literacy and self-management ability among home-based PD patients.