1.Clinical Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of 1293 Non-Severe Adult Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Treated by the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases:A Multicenter,Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):966-974
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.
2.Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方)in the Treatment of Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Lung Syndrome:A Multicenter Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Yeqing JI ; Ye MA ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):975-984
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.
3.Clinical Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of 1293 Non-Severe Adult Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Treated by the Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Dominant Diseases:A Multicenter,Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Ye MA ; Yeqing JI ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):966-974
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.
4.Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of Weishi Qingjin Formula (苇石清金方)in the Treatment of Adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Lung Syndrome:A Multicenter Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study
Yeqing JI ; Ye MA ; Zhichao WANG ; Fanchao FENG ; Mingzhi PU ; Hong LYU ; Xiaodong HU ; Gaohua FENG ; Xiaoqian FANG ; Guicai ZHANG ; Yanfen TANG ; Yeqing ZHANG ; Yao ZHUFU ; Wenpan PENG ; Hao WANG ; Cheng GU ; Zhichao ZHANG ; Shuang YANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Qi ZHAO ; Aojie GUO ; Xin TONG ; Zhuoyue WU ; Xiaoxiao WANG ; Jia LIU ; Hailang HE ; Xianmei ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(9):975-984
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.
5.Study on the Origin of Liuwei Dihuang Pill of Buyin Famous Prescription
Yuqing QI ; Yanwei YU ; Zhichao GUO
Journal of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University 2025;49(3):345-350
[Objective]To study the formation,change and propagation of Liuwei Dihuang Pill.[Methods]The medical literature and other historical records about Liuwei Dihuang Pill were collected and analyzed,and the formation process,effect change,influencing factors behind the change and application of this prescription and the transmission path were discussed.[Results]Liuwei Dihuang Pill was developed by QIAN Yi,a doctor in Song Dynasty,based on the decoction of Shengqi Pill.It was used to treat kidney deficiency syndrome in children.Because the cooked Rehmannia can nourish Yin and blood,Song and Yuan Dynasties doctors also used the prescription for Yin blood deficiency.In the Ming Dynasty,with the elucidations of the Mingmen theory by the doctors of the warm-tonifying faction,this prescription became the representative formula for tonifying kidney Yin.At the same time,the spreading and population of this prescription was not only in the elite medical group,but also through the medical heritage of GAO Doukui,LYU Liuliang and FANG Yizhi,in the form of medical books,prescription books and health books in the folk.By the Qing Dynasty,the spreading of this formula had shown the characteristics of"secularization",and the literature,literati's notes,novels and other materials can reflect the use of Liuwei Dihuang Pill in the folk.[Conclusion]This paper discusses the origin and development of Liuwei Dihuang Pill,which is of great significance for the study of the rise and formation of the warm-tonifying thought in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
6.Study on the Origin of Liuwei Dihuang Pill of Buyin Famous Prescription
Yuqing QI ; Yanwei YU ; Zhichao GUO
Journal of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University 2025;49(3):345-350
[Objective]To study the formation,change and propagation of Liuwei Dihuang Pill.[Methods]The medical literature and other historical records about Liuwei Dihuang Pill were collected and analyzed,and the formation process,effect change,influencing factors behind the change and application of this prescription and the transmission path were discussed.[Results]Liuwei Dihuang Pill was developed by QIAN Yi,a doctor in Song Dynasty,based on the decoction of Shengqi Pill.It was used to treat kidney deficiency syndrome in children.Because the cooked Rehmannia can nourish Yin and blood,Song and Yuan Dynasties doctors also used the prescription for Yin blood deficiency.In the Ming Dynasty,with the elucidations of the Mingmen theory by the doctors of the warm-tonifying faction,this prescription became the representative formula for tonifying kidney Yin.At the same time,the spreading and population of this prescription was not only in the elite medical group,but also through the medical heritage of GAO Doukui,LYU Liuliang and FANG Yizhi,in the form of medical books,prescription books and health books in the folk.By the Qing Dynasty,the spreading of this formula had shown the characteristics of"secularization",and the literature,literati's notes,novels and other materials can reflect the use of Liuwei Dihuang Pill in the folk.[Conclusion]This paper discusses the origin and development of Liuwei Dihuang Pill,which is of great significance for the study of the rise and formation of the warm-tonifying thought in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
7.Construction and preliminary application of a training program of operating room nurses for returning to work after delivery based on work adaptation theory
Ping BAI ; Yongting WEI ; Zhichao SUN ; Xiaofan DONG ; Jianhua WANG ; Feng WANG ; Qi YAO
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2024;59(1):77-84
Objective To construct a training program for retuming to work after delivery based on Morrison's job adaptation theory in operating room nurses and to explore its application effect.Methods On the basis of literature research and Delphi expert consultation method,a training program of postpartum return of operating room nurses was constructed.From August 2021 to December 2022,the preliminary application of this research program was carried out,with 6 cases in an experimental group and 5 cases in a control group.The differences between the 2 groups were compared by Job Adaptation Scale,Psychological Resilience Scale and satisfaction evaluation,and the application effect was evaluated.Results After 2 rounds of correspondence,a training program for postpartum return of operating room nurses was formed,which included 4 first-level indicators(role adaptation,task adaptation,environment adaptation and cultural adaptation),and 32 second-level indicators.The authority coefficients of the 2 rounds of correspondence consultation were 0.908 and 0.917,and the Kendall W coefficients were 0.224 and 0.206,respectively(both P<0.001).The preliminary application results showed that there were statistically significant differences in job adaptation and satisfaction evaluation between the 2 groups(both P<0.05).There was no significant difference in psychological resilience score between groups(P>0.05).Conclusion The postpartum retum training program for operating room nurses established in this study is scientific and practical to a certain extent.In the future,samples can be expanded and multi-center studies can be carried out to further test the practicability and effectiveness of the program.
8.Dynamic prediction of clinical outcomes for critical trauma patients based on a recurrent neural network model
Geyao QI ; Jin XU ; Zhichao JIN
Academic Journal of Naval Medical University 2024;45(10):1241-1249
Objective To explore the value of dynamic prediction model based on recurrent neural network(RNN)algorithms for dynamic prediction of clinical outcomes in patients with critical trauma,and to study the feasible construction scheme and path of dynamic strategy and real-time prediction model.Methods The data of this study were derived from the US Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care(MIMIC)-IV 2.0.In order to predict the in-hospital outcomes of critical trauma patients,2 RNN algorithms,long short-term memory(LSTM)and gated recurrent unit(GRU)were used to train dynamic prediction models under the time windows of 4,6 and 8 h,respectively.The performance of the models was evaluated using the sensitivity,specificity,F1 value and area under curve(AUC)value;and the effects of different RNN algorithms and time windows on the performance of the models were analyzed.Hidden Markov model(HMM),random forest(RF)model and logistic model were trained under 8-h time window as the controls to compare the performances and the time trends horizontally with the 2 RNN algorithm models.Results There were significant differences in the 4 performance indexes of the RNN dynamic models including the sensitivity,specificity,F1 value and AUC value(all P<0.001),and the performance indexes at 8-h time window were higher than those at 6 h and 4 h;there was only significant difference in specificity between different RNN algorithms(LSTM & GRU)(P=0.036).The results of the horizontal comparison showed that there were significant differences in each performance index between the 2 RNN prediction models and other models(all P<0.001),and each index of the 2 RNN algorithm models was higher than those of the HMM,RF model and logistic model.The intraclass correlation coefficients(ICCs)of each algorithmic model were less than 0.400 for the sensitivity,specificity and F1 value(0 was not included in 95%confidence interval[CI]),while the ICCs for the AUC value were statistically under-evidenced(0 was included in 95%CI).Conclusion The dynamic models based on RNN algorithms have certain performance advantages over those based on other common algorithms,and the time window may have an impact on the model performance.
9.Survey of uranium concentrations in drinking water in Inner Mongolia autonomous region
Shuai ZHANG ; Qi CHEN ; Xiao XU ; Zhichao SUN ; Yulong BAO ; Chengguo WANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection 2024;44(8):663-668
Objective:To investigate of the concentrations of uranium in drinking water in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for providing theoretical basis for the health protection of local residents and the assessment of nuclear emergency.Methods:During the dry season and wet water season, tap water and well water samples were collected from 12 cities in Inner Mongolia, 644 unfiltered water samples and 34 filtered water samples were collected, and the uranium concentrations in drinking water was measured using a trace uranium analyzer.Results:During dry and wet seasons the uranium concentration were 0.85-23.61 μg/L and 0.98-23.65 μg/L in tap water, 3.74-88.28 μg/L and 3.68-95.36 μg/L in well water, respectively.Conclusions:The levels of uranium concentrations in drinking water in Inner Mongolia has been preliminarily ascertained, and the installation of filtration devices can significantly reduce the content of uranium in drinking water.
10.Optimized modeling of experimental lung fibrosis induced by bleomycin in mice
Dongwei ZHU ; Qi ZHAO ; Le BAI ; Tingyu PAN ; Jing WANG ; Yun WEI ; Zhichao WANG ; Yong XU ; Xianmei ZHOU
Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica 2024;32(12):1515-1523
Objective To compare the effects of intratracheal instillation by lumbar spinal needle and intratracheal atomization on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis modeling in mice,to determine the optimal modeling method.Methods Seventy-two C57BL/6J mice were divided randomly into control,lumbar spinal needle and aerosolization groups,according to body weight(n=24 mice per group).Mice in the control and lumbar spinal needle groups received intratracheal instillation of saline or bleomycin,respectively,and mice in the aerosolization group received aerosolized bleomycin intracheally by microsprayer aerosolizer.Micro-computed tomography(CT),histopathological changes,hydroxyproline(HYP)levels,Collagen Ⅰ(COL Ⅰ)and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)protein expression were examined on days 14 and 21 to evaluate the degree of pulmonary fibrosis in each group.Results Mice in the two model groups showed listlessness,slow responses,and decreased body weights on days 14 and 21,compared with the control group(P<0.001).Micro-CT showed white shadows surrounding the trachea in the lumbar spinal needle group,while the shadows were more diffuse in the aerosol group.The degrees of alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis were highest in the aerosolization group,with a time-dependent trend.The hydroxyproline contents were significantly increased in the two model groups on days 14 and 21 after modeling(P<0.05),with the increase on day 21 being more significant and stable(P<0.001).COL Ⅰ expression was significantly increased in both the lumbar spinal needle group and aerosolization group on days 21 after modeling,especially in the aerosolization group(P<0.001).Expression levels of α-SMA were significantly higher in the lumbar spinal needle group and aerosolization group compared with the control group on days 21(P<0.001);however,there was no significant difference between the two model groups.Conclusions intratracheal atomization of bleomycin is the optimal method for establishing a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis.

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