Objective:To analyze the risk factors of hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy.Methods:Clinical data of 3-5 stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis treated in Linyi Central Hospital from January 2019 to November 2024 were collected through the electronic medical record system. According to whether the corrected calcium level after potassium lowering treatments was lower than 2.12 mmol/L, the patients were divided into hypocalcemia group and non-hypocalcemia group. The gender, age, body mass index, primary disease, disease duration, comorbidity, use of potassium lowering drugs, concomitant medication, and blood potassium, corrected calcium, carbon dioxide binding capacity, blood magnesium, blood phosphorus, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and total parathyroid hormone before potassium lowering treatments between the 2 groups were compared. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy.Results:A total of 260 patients were entered, including 58 with blood calcium lower than 2.12 mmol/L, and incidence of hypocalcemia was 22.3%. The differences in the baseline corrected calcium, blood phosphorus, carbon dioxide binding capacity, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and total parathyroid hormone between the hypocalcemia group and the non-hypocalcemia group were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The factors with P<0.1, including primary disease, baseline corrected calcium, blood phosphorus, carbon dioxide binding capacity, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and total parathyroid hormone, were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The results showed that the probability of hypocalcemia at baseline corrected calcium levels of 2.12-2.21, 2.22-2.31, and 2.32-2.41 mmol/L was 49.306 times, 13.651 times, and 13.342 times that of at ≥2.42 mmol/L, respectively. Low carbon dioxide binding capacity (odds ratio=0.909, 95% confidence interval: 0.836-0.987) was also a risk factor of hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy. Conclusions:Three to five stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis are prone to hypocalcemia after potassium lowering therapy. The low levels of baseline corrected calcium and carbon dioxide binding may be closely related to the occurrence of hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy.

Objective:To investigate the effects of roxadustat on thyroid function in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis.Methods:After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 151 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis who were treated with either roxadustat or erythropoietin at Linyi Central Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023. The patients were divided into two groups based on their treatment: roxadustat group ( n = 88) and erythropoietin group ( n = 63). Patient age, sex, body mass index, urine output, duration of illness, primary disease, comorbidities, estimated glomerular filtration rate, total parathyroid hormone levels, and thyroid nodule status were recorded. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine, and free thyroxine levels before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. A decrease in TSH of more than one-third after treatment compared with the pre-treatment level was defined as a significant decrease in TSH. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the independent risk factors associated with a significant decrease in TSH in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Results:After treatment, the roxadustat group showed significant decreases in TSH [1.84 (1.06, 2.67) U/L] and FT4 [(11.82 ± 3.56) pmol/L] compared with pre-treatment levels [2.58 (1.67, 3.42) U/L, (14.89 ± 3.27) pmol/L, Z = -3.42, t = -5.97, both P < 0.05]. After treatment, both TSH and FT4 levels were significantly lower in the roxadustat group than those in the erythropoietin group [2.80 (1.61, 3.78) U/L, (15.49 ± 3.24) pmol/L, Z = -3.36, t = 6.49, both P < 0.05]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the use of roxadustat was an independent risk factor for a significant decrease in TSH in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis [ OR = 7.621, 95% CI (3.195, 18.178)]. Conclusions:Roxadustat may lower TSH and FT4 levels in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Objective:To investigate the effects of roxadustat on thyroid function in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis.Methods:After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 151 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis who were treated with either roxadustat or erythropoietin at Linyi Central Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023. The patients were divided into two groups based on their treatment: roxadustat group ( n = 88) and erythropoietin group ( n = 63). Patient age, sex, body mass index, urine output, duration of illness, primary disease, comorbidities, estimated glomerular filtration rate, total parathyroid hormone levels, and thyroid nodule status were recorded. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine, and free thyroxine levels before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. A decrease in TSH of more than one-third after treatment compared with the pre-treatment level was defined as a significant decrease in TSH. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the independent risk factors associated with a significant decrease in TSH in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Results:After treatment, the roxadustat group showed significant decreases in TSH [1.84 (1.06, 2.67) U/L] and FT4 [(11.82 ± 3.56) pmol/L] compared with pre-treatment levels [2.58 (1.67, 3.42) U/L, (14.89 ± 3.27) pmol/L, Z = -3.42, t = -5.97, both P < 0.05]. After treatment, both TSH and FT4 levels were significantly lower in the roxadustat group than those in the erythropoietin group [2.80 (1.61, 3.78) U/L, (15.49 ± 3.24) pmol/L, Z = -3.36, t = 6.49, both P < 0.05]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the use of roxadustat was an independent risk factor for a significant decrease in TSH in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis [ OR = 7.621, 95% CI (3.195, 18.178)]. Conclusions:Roxadustat may lower TSH and FT4 levels in patients with renal anemia undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors of hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy.Methods:Clinical data of 3-5 stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis treated in Linyi Central Hospital from January 2019 to November 2024 were collected through the electronic medical record system. According to whether the corrected calcium level after potassium lowering treatments was lower than 2.12 mmol/L, the patients were divided into hypocalcemia group and non-hypocalcemia group. The gender, age, body mass index, primary disease, disease duration, comorbidity, use of potassium lowering drugs, concomitant medication, and blood potassium, corrected calcium, carbon dioxide binding capacity, blood magnesium, blood phosphorus, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and total parathyroid hormone before potassium lowering treatments between the 2 groups were compared. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy.Results:A total of 260 patients were entered, including 58 with blood calcium lower than 2.12 mmol/L, and incidence of hypocalcemia was 22.3%. The differences in the baseline corrected calcium, blood phosphorus, carbon dioxide binding capacity, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and total parathyroid hormone between the hypocalcemia group and the non-hypocalcemia group were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The factors with P<0.1, including primary disease, baseline corrected calcium, blood phosphorus, carbon dioxide binding capacity, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and total parathyroid hormone, were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The results showed that the probability of hypocalcemia at baseline corrected calcium levels of 2.12-2.21, 2.22-2.31, and 2.32-2.41 mmol/L was 49.306 times, 13.651 times, and 13.342 times that of at ≥2.42 mmol/L, respectively. Low carbon dioxide binding capacity (odds ratio=0.909, 95% confidence interval: 0.836-0.987) was also a risk factor of hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy. Conclusions:Three to five stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis are prone to hypocalcemia after potassium lowering therapy. The low levels of baseline corrected calcium and carbon dioxide binding may be closely related to the occurrence of hypocalcemia in 3-5 stages of CKD patients with hyperkalemia and non-dialysis after potassium lowering therapy.

Objective:To explore the occurrence and risk factors of piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium (TZP)-related hypokalemia.Methods:The clinical data of adult inpatients treated with TZP in Linyi Central Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were collected through the hospital′s electronic medical record system, including patient demographic information, infection sites, major underlying diseases, laboratory tests, TZP use information and concomitant drugs, and patients with TZP-related hypokalemia were screened. The occurrence of TZP-related hypokalemia was analyzed by descriptive statistics. According to whether or not having TZP-related hypokalemia, the patients were divided into hypokalemia group and non-hypokalemia group, and the clinical characteristics were compared. The clinical characteristics with statistically significant differences between 2 groups were included in the multivariate logistic regression, and the risk factors of TZP-related hypokalemia were analyzed.Results:A total of 363 patients were included in the analysis, of which 86 (23.7%) were with hypokalemia and were judged to be associated with TZP, 46 (53.5%) were male and 40 (46.5%) were female; the age was 76 (68, 83) years. Of the 86 patients, 76 (88.4%) had mild hypokalemia, 10 (11.6%) had moderate hypokalemia, and none had severe hypokalemia. Through clinical characteristic comparison between the hypokalemia group and the non-hypokalemia group, statistically significant differences were found in patient gender, age, body mass index, the proportion of patients with pulmonary infection, abdominal/gastrointestinal infection, and urinary tract infection, the proportion of patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and without major underlying diseases, baseline hemoglobin, serum total protein, serum albumin, blood calcium, blood magnesium, and the proportion of patients using potassium preserving diuretics and other diuretics during TZP treatment (all P<0.05). The above variables were included in the multivariate logistic regression, and the results showed that only the baseline level of blood magnesium was an independent influencing factor of TZP-related hypokalemia, and the lower the level, the higher the risk (odds ratio=0.105, 95% confidence interval: 0.012-0.956, P=0.045). Conclusions:Hypokalemia is a common adverse reaction of TZP, which should be paid attention to in clinic. The lower level of blood magnesium at baseline may be related to the increased risk of hypokalemia during TZP treatment.

Objective:To explore the occurrence and risk factors of piperacillin sodium and tazobactam sodium (TZP)-related hypokalemia.Methods:The clinical data of adult inpatients treated with TZP in Linyi Central Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were collected through the hospital′s electronic medical record system, including patient demographic information, infection sites, major underlying diseases, laboratory tests, TZP use information and concomitant drugs, and patients with TZP-related hypokalemia were screened. The occurrence of TZP-related hypokalemia was analyzed by descriptive statistics. According to whether or not having TZP-related hypokalemia, the patients were divided into hypokalemia group and non-hypokalemia group, and the clinical characteristics were compared. The clinical characteristics with statistically significant differences between 2 groups were included in the multivariate logistic regression, and the risk factors of TZP-related hypokalemia were analyzed.Results:A total of 363 patients were included in the analysis, of which 86 (23.7%) were with hypokalemia and were judged to be associated with TZP, 46 (53.5%) were male and 40 (46.5%) were female; the age was 76 (68, 83) years. Of the 86 patients, 76 (88.4%) had mild hypokalemia, 10 (11.6%) had moderate hypokalemia, and none had severe hypokalemia. Through clinical characteristic comparison between the hypokalemia group and the non-hypokalemia group, statistically significant differences were found in patient gender, age, body mass index, the proportion of patients with pulmonary infection, abdominal/gastrointestinal infection, and urinary tract infection, the proportion of patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and without major underlying diseases, baseline hemoglobin, serum total protein, serum albumin, blood calcium, blood magnesium, and the proportion of patients using potassium preserving diuretics and other diuretics during TZP treatment (all P<0.05). The above variables were included in the multivariate logistic regression, and the results showed that only the baseline level of blood magnesium was an independent influencing factor of TZP-related hypokalemia, and the lower the level, the higher the risk (odds ratio=0.105, 95% confidence interval: 0.012-0.956, P=0.045). Conclusions:Hypokalemia is a common adverse reaction of TZP, which should be paid attention to in clinic. The lower level of blood magnesium at baseline may be related to the increased risk of hypokalemia during TZP treatment.

Mammals exhibit limited heart regeneration ability, which can lead to heart failure after myocardial infarction. In contrast, zebrafish exhibit remarkable cardiac regeneration capacity. Several cell types and signaling pathways have been reported to participate in this process. However, a comprehensive analysis of how different cells and signals interact and coordinate to regulate cardiac regeneration is unavailable. We collected major cardiac cell types from zebrafish and performed high-precision single-cell transcriptome analyses during both development and post-injury regeneration. We revealed the cellular heterogeneity as well as the molecular progress of cardiomyocytes during these processes, and identified a subtype of atrial cardiomyocyte exhibiting a stem-like state which may transdifferentiate into ventricular cardiomyocytes during regeneration. Furthermore, we identified a regeneration-induced cell (RIC) population in the epicardium-derived cells (EPDC), and demonstrated Angiopoietin 4 (Angpt4) as a specific regulator of heart regeneration. angpt4 expression is specifically and transiently activated in RIC, which initiates a signaling cascade from EPDC to endocardium through the Tie2-MAPK pathway, and further induces activation of cathepsin K in cardiomyocytes through RA signaling. Loss of angpt4 leads to defects in scar tissue resolution and cardiomyocyte proliferation, while overexpression of angpt4 accelerates regeneration. Furthermore, we found that ANGPT4 could enhance proliferation of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, and promote cardiac repair in mice after myocardial infarction, indicating that the function of Angpt4 is conserved in mammals. Our study provides a mechanistic understanding of heart regeneration at single-cell precision, identifies Angpt4 as a key regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferation and regeneration, and offers a novel therapeutic target for improved recovery after human heart injuries.
Humans ; Mice ; Rats ; Cell Proliferation ; Heart/physiology* ; Mammals ; Myocardial Infarction/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism* ; Pericardium/metabolism* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Zebrafish/metabolism*

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ) and pyroptosis during ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) in rats.Methods:Thirty-six clean-grade healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 200-250 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=12 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), group VILI, and VILI plus specific PKCδ inhibitor KAI 9803 group (group K). Phosphate buffer solution 200 μl was injected through the tracheal tube after intubation in group VILI, and KAI 9803 200 μg/kg was given instead in group K. The patients were mechanically ventilated (tidal volume 40 ml/kg, respiratory rate 60 breaths/min, inspiratory/expiratory ratio 1∶2, fraction of inspired oxygen 21%, positive end-expiratory pressure 0) for 4 h. Blood samples were taken from the femoral artery at the end of mechanical ventilation for blood gas analysis, and PaO 2 was recorded.Animals were sacrificed at the end of ventilation, lung tissues were removed, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was prepared.The total protein concentrations in BALF were measured by coomassie blue staining, and concentrations of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-1β in BALF by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Lung tissues were obtained for microscopic examination of the pathological changes which were scored and for determination of wet/dry weight ratio (W/D ratio) and expression of PKCδ and gasdermin D N terminal fragment (GSDMD-N) protein and mRNA (by Western blot or by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). Results:Compared with group C, the lung injury score, W/D ratio, and concentrations of total protein, IL-18 and IL-1β in BALF were significantly increased, PaO 2 was decreased, and the expression of PKCδ and GSDMD-N protein and mRNA was up-regulated in VILI and K groups ( P<0.01). Compared with group VILI, the lung injury score, W/D ratio, and concentrations of total protein, IL-18 and IL-1β in BALF were significantly decreased, PaO 2 was increased, and the expression of PKCδ and GSDMD-N protein and mRNA was down-regulated in group K ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusion:PKCδ can mediates the pathophysiological process of VILI in which pyrolysis is involved in rats.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of rapamycin on the activity of NOD-like receptor C4 (NLRC4) inflammasomes in the rats with ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).Methods:Thirty-six healthy clean-grade male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 200-250 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=12 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), VILI group and rapamycin group (group RAPA). In group RAPA, rapamycin 4 mg·kg -1·d -1 was intraperitoneally injected once a day for 3 consecutive days before establishing the model, while the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in group C and group VILI.The patients were mechanically ventilated for 4 h (tidal volume 20 ml/kg, respiratory rate 80 breaths/min, inspiratory/expiratory ratio 1∶1, fraction of inspired oxygen 21%) in VILI and RAPA groups.Blood samples were collected from the femoral artery after the end of ventilation for blood gas analysis and for determination of serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) concentrations (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and PaO 2 was recorded.The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for determination of the neutrophil count and IL-1β and IL-18 concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The lung tissues were obtained for examination of the pathological changes (under the light microscope) after HE staining which were scored and for determination of wet to dry weight (W/D) ratio, and expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), NLRC4 and caspase-1 (by Western blot) and expression of NLRC4 mRNA (by real-time polymerase chain reaction). Results:Compared with group C, the W/D ratio, lung injury score, neutrophil counts in BALF, and concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18 in serum and BALF were significantly increased, PaO 2 was decreased, and the expression of mTOR, NLRC4, caspase-1 and NLRC4 mRNA was up-regulated in group VILI and group RAPA ( P<0.01). Compared with group VILI, the W/D ratio, lung injury score, neutrophil counts in BALF, and concentrations of IL-1β and IL-18 in serum and BALF were significantly decreased, PaO 2 was increased, and the expression of mTOR, NLRC4, caspase-1 and NLRC4 mRNA was down-regulated in group RAPA ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The mechanism by which rapamycin alleviates VILI may be related to inhibiting activation of mTOR signaling pathway and inhibiting the activity of NLRC4 inflammasomes in rats.

Objective To investigate the home-based rehabilitation of stroke patients in China, and to compare the curative effects under different factors, so as to discuss the strategies for home-based rehabilitation. Methods A total of 234 cases of stroke patients who has been discharged from the center of rehabilitation medicine of a Class Ⅲ Grade A hospital were selected by random cluster sampling method. Family rehabilitation status of patients and their caregivers was investigated by outpatient follow-up, home follow-up and telephone follow-up survey. In the survey, the general information questionnaire, the Barthel Index (BI), the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), the Self-perceived Burden Scale (SPBS) and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) were applied. Results The results showed that the BI score was (61.77±22.83). The average score of IADL was (7.25±6.26). The SPB score was (29.26±7.07). 91.13% of the patients in the study group had a sense of burden. The ZBI score of the caregivers was (43.97±12.28), 59.40% of which had moderate or severe burden. The result of single factor analysis showed that the differences in the scores of BI, IADL, SPBS and ZBI of patients in different gender were statistically significant (P＜ 0.05). There were significant differences in BI and IADL scores among patients of different ages, main caregivers, family rehabilitation time and caregivers' gender (P＜ 0.05). The differences in the scores of IADL and SPBS of patients with different educational level were statistically significant (P＜0.05). The differences in BI and ZBI scores of patients with different disease types were statistically significant (P＜0.05). Conclusions The family rehabilitation of stroke patients is poor. Medical workers should pay attention to the rehabilitation of patients after discharge, especially to female stroke patients, caregivers and to strengthen the rehabilitation knowledge training for male caregivers. It is suggested that community rehabilitation, family doctor responsibility system and hospital-community-family Union should be vigorously developed so as to improve the family rehabilitation of stroke patients, reduce readmission rate, increase the utilization of social resources, and improve the health level of the whole people.