1.Compound Glycyrrhizin Tablets Ameliorate Liver Injury Induced by Tripterygium Glycosides Tablet by Regulating Cholesterol Metabolism
Xiaotong FU ; Chunyu CAO ; Chun LI ; Chenna LU ; Ting LIU ; Yifei YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):46-55
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of liver injury induced by tripterygium glycosides tablets (TG) and the molecular mechanism of compound glycyrrhizin tablets (CG) in alleviating the abnormalities of cholesterol metabolism caused by TG via cholesterol metabolism. MethodsAccording to the body weights, male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly grouped as follows: control (pure water), low-dose TG (TG-L, 189.0 mg·kg-1·d-1), high-dose TG (TG-H, 472.5 mg·kg-1·d-1), TG-L+CG (189.0 mg·kg-1·d-1 TG + 20.25 mg·kg-1·d-1 CG), and TG-H+CG (472.5 mg·kg-1·d-1 TG + 20.25 mg·kg-1·d-1 CG), with 6 rats in each group. Rats were administrated with corresponding drugs once daily for 3 weeks. At the end of the last administration, the mRNA and protein levels of liver X receptor-alpha (LXR-α), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), cholesterol 12α-hydroxylase (CYP8B1), and sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) in the liver tissue were determined by Real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The level of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoAR), a regulatory enzyme of cholesterol synthesis, was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HepG2 cells were used to observe the effect of TG on the cell proliferation in vitro. Specifically, HepG2 cells were grouped as follows: Low-dose TG (TG-l, 15 mg·L-1), medium-dose TG (TG-m, 45 mg·L-1), high-dose TG (TG-h, 135 mg·L-1), fenofibrate (FB, 10 μmol·L-1), CG extract, TG-h+FB (135 mg·L-1 TG + 10 μmol·L-1 FB), TG-m+FB (45 mg·L-1 TG + 10 μmol·L-1 FB), TG-l+FB (15 mg·L-1 TG + 10 μmol·L-1 FB), TG-h+CG (135 mg·L-1 TG + 60 μmol·L-1 CG), TG-m+CG (45 mg·L-1 TG + 60 μmol·L-1 CG), and TG-l+CG (15 mg·L-1 TG + 60 μmol·L-1 CG). The mRNA and protein levels of LXR-α, ABCG1, LDLR, CYP7A1, CYP8B1, and CYP27A1 in HepG2 cells were determined by Real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. ResultsThe rat experiment showed that compared with the control group, the TG-H group showed down-regulated mRNA levels of CYP7A1, CYP8B1, and CYP27A1 in the liver tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), which were up-regulated by the application of CG (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the TG-H+CG group showed up-regulated mRNA level of LDLR (P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the TG-L and TG-H groups showed down-regulated protein levels of LDLR, CYP7A1, and CYP8B1 in the liver tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01). In addition, the protein levels of ABCG1 and LXR-α were down-regulated in the TG-H and TG-L groups, respectively (P<0.05). Compared with TG alone, TG+CG up-regulated the protein levels of ABCG1 and LDLR (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the protein levels of CYP7A1 and CYP8B1 in the TG-H+CG group were up-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). The cell experiment showed that compared with the control group, the TG-h group presented up-regulated mRNA level of LXR-α (P<0.01), and the TG-m and TG-h groups showcased down-regulated mRNA levels of LDLR and CYP7A1 (P<0.01) and up-regulated mRNA level of CYP27A1 (P<0.01) in HepG2 cells. The combination of CG with TG restored the above changes (P<0.01). Western blotting results showed that compared with the control group, the TG-m and TG-h groups showed down-regulated protein levels of LXR-α, ABCG1, LDLR, CYP7A1, CYP8B1, and CYP27A1 in HepG2 cells (P<0.01). Compared with the TG-h group, the TG-h+CG group showed up-regulated protein level of LDLR (P<0.05). Compared with the TG-m group, the TG-m+CG group showcased up-regulated protein levels of LDLR, ABCG1, CYP7A1, and CYP27A1 (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionThe administration of TG at 189.0, 472.5 mg·kg-1 for 3 weeks could modulate the signaling pathways associated with cholesterol efflux, endocytosis, and cholesterol biotransformation in hepatocytes, leading to the accumulation of cholesterol and subsequent liver injury in rats. CG could ameliorate the liver injury induced by lipid metabolism disorders caused by TG by up-regulating the expression of LXR-α, LDLR, ABCG1, CYP7A1, CYP8B1, and CYP27A1 to promote cholesterol biotransformation.
2.Characterization of preclinical radio ADME properties of ARV-471 for predicting human PK using PBPK modeling
Yifei HE ; Chenggu ZHU ; Peng LEI ; Chen YANG ; Yifan ZHANG ; Yuandong ZHENG ; Xingxing DIAO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(5):1145-1159
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras(PROTACs)represent a promising class of drugs that can target disease-causing proteins more effectively than traditional small molecule inhibitors can,potentially revolu-tionizing drug discovery and treatment strategies.However,the links between in vitro and in vivo data are poorly understood,hindering a comprehensive understanding of the absorption,distribution,metabolism,and excretion(ADME)of PROTACs.In this work,14C-labeled vepdegestrant(ARV-471),which is currently in phase Ⅲ clinical trials for breast cancer,was synthesized as a model PROTAC to characterize its preclinical ADME properties and simulate its clinical pharmacokinetics(PK)by estab-lishing a physiologically based pharmacokinetics(PBPK)model.For in vitro-in vivo extrapolation(IVIVE),hepatocyte clearance correlated more closely with in vivo rat PK data than liver microsomal clearance did.PBPK models,which were initially developed and validated in rats,accurately simulate ARV-471's PK across fed and fasted states,with parameters within 1.75-fold of the observed values.Human models,informed by in vitro ADME data,closely mirrored postoral dose plasma profiles at 30 mg.Furthermore,no human-specific metabolites were identified in vitro and the metabolic profile of rats could overlap that of humans.This work presents a roadmap for developing future PROTAC medications by elucidating the correlation between in vitro and in vivo characteristics.
3.Deep learning-based automatic morphological assessment of the aortic root in bicuspid aortic valve patients before transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Guozhong CHEN ; Yu MAO ; Aiqing JI ; Yingsong HUO ; Qian CHEN ; Wei WANG ; Jian YANG ; Jian LIU ; Haibo ZHANG ; Chenming MA ; Yifei QU ; Hui XU ; Zhengcan WU
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(9):1029-1036
Objective:To explore the construction of an evaluation model for aortic root anatomy and calcium burden in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) based on deep learning (DL) algorithms.Methods:A retrospective collection of 362 BAV stenosis patients who underwent TAVR from September 2023 to May 2024 was performed. All patients underwent cardiac CT angiography. The patients were divided into training group ( n=104), internal validation group ( n=206), and external validation group ( n=52). A DL model was trained on the training dataset to assess aortic root anatomy and calcification burden. The evaluation included the segmentation accuracy of the algorithm, the measurement performance of key anatomical structures (i.e., valve leaflets and type-1 and type-2 fusion raphe), and calcification burden, as well as the measurement efficiency. Overall segmentation performance was assessed using the average Dice coefficient (ADC). The fine-scale segmentation quality was validated by the 95th-percentile Hausdorff distance (HD-95) and the average symmetric surface distance (ASSD). The consistency of the measurement results was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient ( ICC) with a two-way mixed model for absolute agreement. In addition, the total time and total mouse movement distance required for manual assessment versus the DL model on the validation datasets were recorded and compared. Results:The algorithm demonstrated excellent segmentation performance on aortic root anatomical targets, achieving outstanding consistency within both internal and external validation datasets (0.955
4.Analysis of changing trends in female breast cancer mortality in China from 2013 to 2021
Ting GAO ; Chao LI ; Yifei YAO ; Jian YANG ; Xin LIANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(5):376-384
Objective:To explore the trend of mortality rates for female breast cancer in China and quantify the impact of demographic and non-demographic factors on the burden of breast cancer mortality.Methods:Mortality data for female breast cancer from 2013 to 2021 were extracted from the Chinese Cause of Death Monitoring Dataset, and the 2000 Chinese population census data were used to standardize the mortality rates. The Joinpoint software was employed to analyze the mortality trends by calculating the Annual Percentage Change (APC) and Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC). The population decomposition method was utilized to quantify the impact of changes in population age structure, population size, and non-demographic factors on the burden of breast cancer mortality.Results:From 2013 to 2021, the crude mortality rate for female breast cancer in China showed an increasing trend, with an AAPC of 2.3% (95% CI: 1.7%-2.9%). The standardized mortality rate remained relatively stable, with an AAPC of -0.2% (95% CI: -1.6%-1.3%). However, Joinpoint trend analysis indicated that the standardized mortality rate had a turning point in 2017, with a rapid increase before this year (APC: 3.9%, 95% CI: 1.1%-6.9%), and a rapid decline after this year (APC: -4.1%, 95% CI: -6.8% to -1.4%). The growth speed of crude mortality rates in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas, with AAPCs of 3.0% (95% CI: 2.4%-3.5%) and 1.3% (95% CI: 0.4%-2.2%), respectively. The standardized mortality rate in rural areas remained relatively stable, with an AAPC of 0.6% (95% CI: -1.0%-2.2%), while in urban areas, it showed a decreasing trend, with an AAPC of -1.1% (95% CI: -2.2%-0.0%). In the eastern, central, and western regions, the crude mortality rates all showed an increasing trend, with AAPCs of 1.7% (95% CI: 0.7%-2.8%), 3.8% (95% CI: 2.5%-5.2%), and 2.2% (95% CI: 0.5%-4.0%), respectively, while the standardized mortality rates remained relatively stable, with AAPCs of -0.3% (95% CI: -1.7%-1.2%), 0.6% (95% CI: -1.2%-2.4%), and 0.0% (95% CI: -2.2%-2.2%), respectively. Compared with 2013, the number of deaths in 2021 increased by 42.8%, of which changes in population age structure accounted for 21.3%, the age structure changes of urban and rural residents contributed 22.8% and 19.2%, respectively, to the whole changes caused by population age structure, while those in the eastern, central, and western regions contributed 20.6%, 24.3%, and 15.9%, respectively.Demographically, the changes in population size accounted for 18.3%, and non-demographic factors only accounted for 3.2%. Conclusions:From 2013 to 2021, the crude mortality rate for female breast cancer in China continued to rise, a trend mainly influenced by population age structure, with the fastest growth rates in crude mortality rates observed in rural areas and the central region. After adjusted for age structure, the standardized mortality rate for female breast cancer in China began to decline from 2017.
5.CXCL17 methylation as a potential marker for papillary thyroid carcinoma
Chenxia JIANG ; Mengxia LI ; Haixia HUANG ; Junjie LI ; Yifei YIN ; Rongxi YANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 2025;41(5):627-633,638
Purpose To investigate the correlation between the methylation level at CpG sites of CXCL17 and the clinicopathological parameters of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC).Methods samples from 186 cases of PTC and 191 cases of benign thyroid nodule(BTN)were collected.Methylation levels of CXCL17 were semi-quantitatively as-sessed using mass spectrometry.Logistic regression analysis,which adjusted for age,gender and related hormones,was conducted to evaluate the correlation between CXCL17 methylation and PTC,and calculate the odds ratios(ORs)and 95%confidence intervals(CIs).Results Hypomethylation level of CXCL17_CpG_1.2 was significantly associat-ed with PTC(OR=1.36,95%CI:1.16-1.60,P<0.001)and early stage of PTC patients(Stage Ⅰ,OR=1.41,95%CI:1.19-1.67,P<0.001).Gender-based hierarchical management analysis showed that decreased methyla-tion level of CXCL17_CpG_1.2 was significantly associated with female PTC patients(OR=1.39,95%CI:1.15-1.67,P<0.001).In subgroups stratified by age(<50 and≥50 years old),hypomethylation at CXCL17_CpG_1.2 was significantly associated with PTC,with a stronger association in the younger subgroup(<50 years old:OR=1.42,95%CI:1.14-1.77,P<0.01;≥ 50 years old:OR=1.30,95%CI:1.03-1.64,P<0.05).Conclusion There was a significant difference in CXCL17 methylation levels between benign and malignant thyroid tumors.It was showed that hypomethylation of CXCL17 is closely associated with PTC,particularly in young women patient.Thus,CXCL17 methylation may serve as a biomarker for accurate differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule.
6.The trend and prediction of health literacy level of Chinese residents from 2012 to 2023
Shaojie LI ; Yang HU ; Longbing REN ; Yuling JIANG ; Yifei WU ; Yao YAO
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(1):8-15
Objective:To analyze the trend of the health literacy level of Chinese residents from 2012 to 2023 and predict the health literacy level from 2024 to 2027.Methods:The study collected data on the health literacy surveillance of Chinese residents from 2012 to 2023. The Joinpoint regression model was used to calculate the average annual percent change (AAPC) and analyze the trend. The interrupted time series analysis with Prais-Winsten transformed generalized least squares estimation was employed to investigate the impact of the"Healthy China 2030" policy on residents′ health literacy levels. Joinpoint regression, autoregressive integrated moving average model and grey forecasting models were established to select the optimal model for forecasting health literacy levels from 2024 to 2027.Results:The results showed that the health literacy level of Chinese residents increased from 8.80% in 2012 to 29.70% in 2023 (AAPC=11.65%, P<0.05). The health literacy level of urban and rural residents increased from 11.79% and 7.13% in 2012 to 33.25% and 26.23% in 2023, respectively (AAPC=9.57% and 12.60%, both P<0.05). Rural (1.59% per year) saw a lower average annual increase than urban (1.79% per year), widening the urban-rural health literacy gap. All aspects of health literacy, including basic knowledge and concepts, healthy lifestyles and behaviors, and health skills, showed an upward trend. The literacy level of six health issues—safety and first aid, scientific health views, health information, infectious disease prevention, chronic disease prevention, and basic medical care—also exhibited rising trends. Interrupted time series analysis indicated a significant further increase in the health literacy level of Chinese residents after the implementation of the "Healthy China 2030" policy, with the growth rate increasing from 0.615% per year before implementation to 2.655% per year afterwards. The Joinpoint regression model showed superior predictive performance compared to autoregressive integrated moving average model and grey forecasting models. The prediction results suggested a continued upward trend in the health literacy level from 2024 to 2027, reaching 32.68%, 35.62%, 38.84%, and 42.34%, respectively. Conclusion:From 2012 to 2023, the overall and various aspects of health literacy among Chinese residents show a continuous upward trend. This study predicts that the level of residents′ health literacy will continue to rise by 2027.
7.Effect and mechanism of Andrias davidianus skin mucopolysaccharides on full-thickness skin defect wound healing in diabetic mice
Weiming GOU ; Peng YANG ; Yifei LU ; Xiaorong ZHANG ; Yiming QIN ; Jingyuan LI ; Yong HUANG ; Qing ZHANG ; Gaoxing LUO
Chinese Journal of Burns 2025;41(2):127-136
Objective:To explore the effect and mechanism of Andrias davidianus skin mucopolysaccharides (ASMP) on full-thickness skin defect wound healing in diabetic mice. Methods:This study was an experimental study. The ASMP with polysaccharide content of (70.0±0.3)% was prepared; the proliferation activity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was detected by cell counting kit-8, showing that the optimal concentration of ASMP was 0.05 mg/mL. The HUVECs were taken and divided into blank control group, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) group, and ASMP group according to the random number table method (the same grouping method below), which were cultured with conventional medium and the media containing 50 ng/mL VEGF and 0.05 mg/mL ASMP, respectively, and then cultured under hypoxic (with volume fraction of oxygen being 5%) and normal-oxygen conditions for 12 hours, and the length of tube formation was observed. Human monocytic leukemia cells were induced with phorbol ester to differentiate into M0 macrophages. These cells were then divided into blank control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group, and ASMP group, which were cultured respectively using conventional medium, LPS-containing medium followed by conventional medium, and LPS-containing medium followed by 0.05 mg/mL ASMP-containing medium. After 48 hours of culture, the expressions of CD86 and CD206 proteins (expressed as relative fluorescence intensity, the same below) were measured by immunofluorescence, and the mRNA expression levels of arginase-1 (Arg1) and CD206 were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Eighteen male C57 mice aged 8-10 weeks were used, and diabetic model was successfully established using streptozotocin combined with a high-fat and high-sugar diet. Full-thickness skin defect wounds were created on the backs of the mice, and the mice were divided into blank control group, alginate dressing group, and ASMP group (with 6 mice in each group), which were treated with physiological saline, alginate dressing, and ASMP, respectively. Wound healing was observed on post injury day (PID) 3, 7, 10, and 14, and the wound healing rates of mice were calculated. On PID 7, the expressions of CD31 and CD206 proteins in the wound tissue of mice were observed by immunofluorescence. On PID 14, the thickness of granulation tissue in wounds of mice was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The sample size for all experiments was 3.Results:After 12 hours of culture in normal-oxygen condition, compared with that in blank control group, the tube formation length of HUVECs in VEGF and ASMP groups was significantly increased (with q values of 10.08 and 16.91, respectively, P<0.05). After 12 hours of culture in hypoxic condition, compared with that in blank control group, the tube formation length of HUVECs in VEGF and ASMP groups was significantly increased (with q values of 11.61 and 16.91, respectively, P<0.05); compared with that in VEGF group, the tube formation length of HUVECs in ASMP group was significantly increased ( q=5.30, P<0.05). After 48 hours of culture, the relative fluorescence intensity of CD206 protein in M0 macrophages in ASMP group was 31.90±1.76, significantly higher than 1.00±0.25 in blank control group and 2.21±0.42 in LPS group (with q values of 50.75 and 48.75, respectively, both P values <0.05); the relative fluorescence intensity of CD86 protein was 5.82±0.63, significantly lower than 53.73±4.61 in LPS group ( q=30.90, P<0.05). After 48 hours of culture, the mRNA expressions of Arg1 and CD206 in M0 macrophages in ASMP group were significantly higher than those in blank control group (with q values of 35.02 and 13.09, respectively, P<0.05) and LPS group (with q values of 32.24 and 11.24, respectively, P<0.05). On PID 3, there was no statistically significant difference in intercomparison in the wound healing rate of mice among the blank control, alginate dressing, and ASMP groups ( P>0.05). Compared with those in blank control group, the wound healing rates of mice in alginate dressing group on PID 10 and 14 were significantly increased (with q values of 11.76 and 12.50, respectively, P<0.05), and the wound healing rates of mice in ASMP group on PID 7, 10, and 14 were significantly increased (with q values of 5.84, 15.90, and 14.96, respectively, P<0.05); compared with those in alginate dressing group, the wound healing rates of mice in ASMP group on PID 7 and 10 were significantly increased (with q values of 4.77 and 4.14, respectively, P<0.05). On PID 7, the relative fluorescence intensity of CD31 protein in wound tissue of mice in alginate dressing and ASMP groups was significantly stronger than that in blank control group (with q values of 7.63 and 16.85, respectively, P<0.05); the relative fluorescence intensity of CD31 protein in wound tissue of mice in ASMP group was significantly stronger than that in alginate dressing group ( q=9.22, P<0.05). On PID 7, the relative fluorescence intensity of CD206 protein in wound tissue of mice in alginate dressing and ASMP groups was significantly stronger than that in blank control group (with q values of 8.76 and 29.36, respectively, P<0.05), and the relative fluorescence intensity of CD206 protein in wound tissue of mice in ASMP group was significantly stronger than that in alginate dressing group ( q=20.61, P<0.05). On PID 14, the wound granulation tissue of mice in ASMP group was thicker compared with that in blank control group and alginate dressing group. Conclusions:ASMP can significantly enhance the ability of new blood vessel formation and optimize the immune microenvironment by promoting HUVEC tube formation as well as inducing macrophages to polarize toward the M2 type, thereby accelerating full-thickness skin defect wound healing in diabetic mice.
8.Analysis of the status of formal care services received by disabled older people in long-term care insurance pilot areas and the influencing factors: a cross-sectional study
Zhouwei LIU ; Yuling JIANG ; Wenjian ZHOU ; Longbing REN ; Shaojie LI ; Yang HU ; Mingzhi YU ; Yifei WU ; Yi ZENG ; Yao YAO
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(8):1138-1143
Objective:This study utilizes data from the 2021 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity and Happy Family Survey(CLHLS-HF)to examine the current status of Long-Term Care Insurance(LTCI)implementation and to identify the factors influencing whether disabled elderly individuals receive formal care services.The study aims to provide policy recommendations to enhance the effectiveness and equity of the system.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 1 447 older participants with dependency, residing in LTCI pilot areas and meeting the inclusion criteria from the 2021 CLHLS-HF, was selected.Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the factors influencing the receipt of formal care by dependent older individuals.Results:Among the 1 447 participants, there were 496 males with an average age of 92 years(SD 9)and 951 females with an average age of 95 years(SD 9). Of these, 701 received formal care.The logistic regression analysis revealed that factors influencing the receipt of formal care included urban residence( OR=2.237, 95% CI: 1.675-2.987, P<0.001), residing in the eastern region( OR=2.907, 95% CI: 1.747-4.837, P<0.001), living in the western region( OR=3.132, 95% CI: 1.816-5.501, P<0.001), having no children( OR=2.478, 95% CI: 1.108-5.540, P=0.027), and the degree of disability, with severe disability being more likely to receive care compared to mild( OR=0.497, 95% CI: 0.388-0.637, P<0.001)and moderate disabilities( OR=0.589, 95% CI: 0.433-0.801, P=0.001). Conclusions:Dependent older individuals in the eastern and western regions, particularly those without children or with severe disabilities, are more likely to receive formal care through the LTCI system.However, there are substantial inequities in LTCI coverage among individuals with varying degrees of disability.To enhance the effectiveness of the LTCI system, greater efforts should be directed towards economically disadvantaged regions and older individuals with mild to moderate disabilities, thereby ensuring better protection for the disabled population.
9.Studies on the effect of methotrexate on blood uric acid level in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
Fang YANG ; Xiaowei ZHANG ; Yifei LI ; Yu ZHANG ; Chunqing DAI ; Guihong WANG
Chinese Journal of Rheumatology 2025;29(11):930-935
Objective:To clarify the effect of methotrexate on blood uric acid levels and the incidence of hyperuricemia in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).Methods:The clinical data were collected from 349 patients with RMDs who took methotrexate for more than 52 weeks and 429 patients with RMDs who did not take methotrexate, who were treated at Anqing Medical Center of Auhui Medical University from June 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024, to compare the differences in serum uric acid concentration and the incidence of hyperuricemia before and after 24 weeks of methotrexate administration in the two groups of patients with RMDs. The changes in serum uric acid concentration and serum creatinine value in the MTX na?ve patients who had taking MTX for 0, 24 and 52 weeks were compared. The relationship between serum uric acid concentration and methotrexate dosage was analyzed. Measurement data were compared using t-test or ANOVA, repeated measures analysis of variance, and count data were compared using χ2 test. Results:①At week 0, there was no significant difference in serum uric acid concentration [(300±63)μmol/L vs. (306±64)μmol/L, t=-1.416, P=0.157] and the incidence of hyperuricemia [9.3%(40/429) vs. 10.3%(36/349) , χ2=0.215, P=0.643] between the two groups. At week24, the serum uric acid concentration (307±70)μmol/L vs. (246±89)μmol/L was statistically significantly ( t=10.909, P<0.001) different. The incidence of hyperuricemia (11.0%, 47/429) vs. (4.6%, 16/349), was statistically significantly different ( χ2=10.497, P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in serum uric acid concentration between week 0 and week 24 in the methotrexate group ( t=10.237, P<0.001), and there was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of hyperuricemia ( χ2=8.312, P=0.004). ②The overall serum uric acid concentrations at week 0, weeks 24, and weeks 52 were (306±64)μmol/L, (246±89)μmol/L, and (247±66)μmol/L, respectively. The difference in overall serum uric acid concentration was statistically significant ( F= 29.506, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in serum uric acid concentration between weeks 24 and 52 ( P=1.000). There were significant differences in serum creatinine levels between weeks 0, 24 and 52 ( P<0.001). There was no significant difference in serum creatinine levels between weeks 0 ,52, weeks 24 and 52 ( P=0.077, P=1.000). There were statistically significant differences in the overall serum uric acid concentration and serum creatinine value at weeks 0, 24 and 52 of medication ( P<0.001).③ There was no significant difference in serum uric acid concentration before and after taking hydroxychloroquine, cyclosporine, tripterygium wilfordii, mycophenolate mofetil, tofacitinib, etanercept and adalimumab alone for weeks 0 and 24(all P>0.05). ④There was no significant difference in serum uric acid concentration between patients taking different doses of methotrexate (7.5 mg once weekly, 10 mg once weekly, 12.5 mg once weekly, 15 mg once weekly) at weeks 0 and 24 weeks(all P>0.05). Conclusion:MTX, as an anti-rheumatic drug, reduces the serum uric acid level and the incidence of hyperuricemia in patients with RMDs during the treatment.
10.Study on imaging predictive factors of lumbar symptoms improvement in patients with tandem spinal stenosis after primary cervical decompression surgery
Yifei JIN ; Zhiheng QIAN ; Zongheng YANG
Chinese Journal of Spine and Spinal Cord 2025;35(6):568-578
Objectives:To investigate the relationship between the improvement of lumbar symptoms and imaging parameters in patients with tandem spinal stenosis(TSS)primarily manifesting as cervical spondylotic myelopathy(CSM)after initial cervical decompression surgery,and to explore related imaging predictive factors.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 69 TSS patients who underwent primary cervical decom-pression surgery,with an average age of 64.3±10.5 years(ranging from 41 to 86 years old)and a follow-up period of 33.8±5.5 months(ranging from 24 to 48 months).Preoperative symptoms and signs,Nurick gait clas-sification,and preoperative and final follow-up Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)scores for both the cer-vical and lumbar spine were recorded and analyzed.The patients were divided into an improvement group(n=37)and a non-improvement group(n=32)based on the improvement conditions of lumbar spine JOA scores at the final follow-up.Imaging parameters were measured including spinal cord compression ratio,cross-sectional area of the dural sac at the narrowest point of the cervical spinal cord,the ratio of the vertebral canal to the vertebral body and the actual spinal canal width from C3 to C7,and the actual width of the vertebral canal from L1 to L5.The conditions of spinal canal stenosis were evaluated according to the grading system of spinal canal stenosis of cervical and lumbar spine proposed by Lee et al,and the number of cervical verte-brae with a stenosis score ≥1,score at the narrowest part of cervical spinal canal,and the total score of cervical stenosis,as well as the number of lumbar vertebrae with a stenosis score ≥1,score at the narrowest part of lumbar spinal canal,and the total score of lumbar stenosis were calculated.Intergroup comparisons were performed using t tests,chi-square tests,and Mann-Whitney U tests.For the statistic data with statisti-cal differences between the two groups,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to determine op-timal thresholds for each parameter,and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)and its corresponding 95% con-fidence interval(CI)were calculated.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify radiolog-ical predictive factors for non-improvement of lumbar symptoms in TSS patients.Results:The non-improvement group was significantly higher than the improvement group in the total score of lumbar stenosis(5.00±1.68 vs 2.68±1.23,P<0.001),the number of lumbar vertebrae with a stenosis score≥1(2.47±0.84 vs 1.86±0.95,P=0.004),and the prevalence of redundant nerve roots(14/18 vs 6/13,P=0.017).The AUC of the total lumbar stenosis score was 0.864(P<0.001,95%CI 0.779-0.950),with an optimal threshold of 3.5(sensitivity:81.3%;specificity:75.7%).The AUC of the number of lumbar vertebrae with a stenosis score ≥1 was 0.691(P=0.007;95%CI 0.565-0.817),with an optimal threshold of 1.5(sensitivity:87.5%;specificity:56.8%).Multivariate logistic regression showed that the number of lumbar spinal stenosis>1.5(OR=1.493;95%CI 0.392-5.686;P=0.557)and presence of redundant nerve roots(OR=2.815;95%CI 0.740-10.711;P=0.129)had no significant relationship with improvement of lumbar symptoms.The total lumbar stenosis score>3.5 was significantly related with improvement of lumbar symptoms(OR=10.983;95%CI 3.261-36.994;P<0.001),which was an independent risk factor for non-improvement in lumbar symtoms after initial cervical decompression in TSS patients.Conclusions:When the total score of lumbar spinal stenosis exceeds 3.5 in TSS patients,the possibility of improvement in lumbar symptoms after initial cervical decompression is small.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail