Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically significant complication in elderly patients, largely driven by surgery-induced neuroinflammation. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, a crucial regulator of innate immunity, has been implicated in neuroinflammatory activation. This study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) improves POCD by modulating this pathway in aged rats. Aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sevoflurane anesthesia and splenectomy to establish a POCD model. Animals were divided into sham, POCD, POCD+EA, and POCD+EA+cGAS inhibitor groups. The EA groups received stimulation at Baihui (Governor Vessel 20 (GV20)), Neiguan (Pericardium 6 (PC6)), and Zusanli (Stomach 36 (ST36)) acupoints. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze, while hippocampal expression of cGAS-STING pathway components and downstream effectors—interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)—was assessed by Western blot. Cellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Compared with the Sham group, rats in the POCD group showed significant impairments in spatial memory, accompanied by upregulated protein expression of cGAS, STING, NF-κB, IRF3, and IL-1β in the hippocampus. Upon pathway activation, cGAS and STING proteins were predominantly co-localized with neurons, and their fluorescence intensity in the hippocampus was markedly increased. These behavioral deficits and molecular alterations were partially reversed in both the POCD+EA and POCD+EA+inhibitor groups. Electroacupuncture alleviates POCD in aged rats by inhibiting hippocampal cGAS-STING pathway activation and reducing neuroinflammation, suggesting a promising non-pharmacological strategy for POCD management.

BACKGROUND: Currently, the effect of the 2022 nationwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wave on the perioperative prognosis of surgical patients in China is unclear. Thus, we aimed to explore its influence on postoperative morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. METHODS: An ambispective cohort study was conducted at Xijing Hospital, China. We collected 10-day time-series data from December 29 until January 7 for the 2018-2022 period. The primary outcome was major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo class III-V). The association between COVID-19 exposure and postoperative prognosis was explored by comparing consecutive 5-year data at the population level and by comparing patients with and without COVID-19 exposure at the patient level. RESULTS: The entire cohort consisted of 3350 patients (age: 48.5 ± 19.2 years), including 1759 females (52.5%). Overall, 961 (28.7%) underwent emergency surgery, and 553 (16.5%) had COVID-19 exposure (from the 2022 cohort). At the population level, major postoperative complications occurred in 5.9% (42/707), 5.7% (53/935), 5.1% (46/901), 9.4% (11/117), and 22.0% (152/690) patients in the 2018-2022 cohorts, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the 2022 cohort (80% patients with COVID-19 history) had a significantly higher postoperative major complication risk than did the 2018 cohort (adjusted risk difference [aRD], 14.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.5-18.4%); adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.19 (95% CI, 5.24-12.81)). At the patient level, the incidence of major postoperative complications was significantly greater in patients with (24.6%, 136/553) than that in patients without COVID-19 history (6.0% [168/2797]; aRD, 17.8% [95% CI, 13.6-22.1%]; aOR, 7.89 [95% CI, 5.76-10.83]). Secondary outcomes of postoperative pulmonary complications were consistent with primary findings. These findings were verified through sensitivity analyses using time-series data projections and propensity score matching. CONCLUSION: Based on a single-center observation, patients with recent COVID-19 exposure were likely to have a high incidence of major postoperative complications. REGISTRATION NCT05677815 at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ .
Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Cohort Studies ; COVID-19/complications* ; Pandemics ; Retrospective Studies ; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology*

Objective:To determine the epidemiology of hyperkalemia and influencing factors in a general population in Pinggu district of Beijing city.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional survey. The subjects were from the epidemiological survey population of chronic diseases in Pinggu district of Beijing city from March to May 2014. All participants completed a questionnaire, anthropological measurement, and venous blood samples collection to detect serum creatinine and potassium and so on. First void morning urine was collected to detect the albumin-creatinine ratio. Hyperkalemia and hypokalemia were defined as serum potassium level>5.0 mmol/L and≤3.5 mmol/L, respectively. Logistic regression analysis method was used to analyze the influencing factors of hyperkalemia.Results:Of the 10 252 people in this study, the prevalence of hyperkalemia was 6.17%(95% CI 5.70%-6.67%), the prevalence of hypokalemia was 0.61%(95% CI 0.47%-0.79%), and the prevalence of participants with serum potassium>5.5 mmol/L was 0.53%(95% CI 0.40%-0.69%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that males ( OR=1.269, 95% CI 1.074-1.498, P=0.005), diabetes ( OR=1.226, 95% CI 1.008-1.490, P=0.041), increased total cholesterol ( OR=1.219, 95% CI 1.119-1.329, P<0.001), and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate ( OR=0.971, 95% CI 0.965-0.977, P<0.001) were significantly correlated with the increased risk of hyperkalemia. Usage of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors and diuretics were not found to be significantly associated with the risk of hyperkalemia ( OR=1.018, 95% CI 0.751-1.380, P=0.908; OR=0.638, 95% CI 0.229-1.781, P=0.391). Conclusions:The prevalence of HK in the general population is 6.17%. The male, decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate, diabetes, and increased total cholesterol are influencing factors of hyperkalemia.

Objective:To explore the association between urinary stone disease (USD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).Methods:The study was based on the cross-sectional chronic diseases survey performed in Pinggu district, Beijing from March to May, 2014. All subjects completed a questionnaire, physical examination, renal ultrasound examination to detect USD, ankle-brachial index (ABI) examination to detect PAD (defined as ABI<0.9 on either side of the body), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measurement to estimate arterial stiffness. Blood and first morning urine sample were detected for serum creatinine, blood glucose and so on.Results:There were 10 281 participants included in this study. Among these participants, the prevalences of USD and PAD were 5.66% and 3.95%, respectively. Compared with non-stone participants, the persistent USD formers had a higher prevalence of PAD (8.26% vs 3.90%, P<0.001) and baPWV [(16.3±3.5) m/s vs (15.5±3.2) m/s, P<0.001]. Even after adjusting the confounding factors, the persistent USD formers also had a 2.066-fold increased risk of PAD ( OR=2.066, 95% CI 1.276-3.343, P=0.003). In the subgroup analysis, persistent USD patients in older participants who were≥60 years old, women, chronic kidney disease, and central obesity had a significantly increased risk of PAD. Conclusions:In the present population, persistent USD is positively associated with a high risk of PAD and increased arterial stiffness. Patients with persistent USD should be screened for vascular diseases.

Objective To investigate the relationship between dyslipidemia and nephrolithiasis in a population-based study.Methods All participants were investigated by questionnaires,physical examinations and laboratory tests including liver and renal function,lipid profile,serum fasting glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin.Nephrolithiasis was diagnosed by kidney Bultrasonography.Subjects with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ＜ 60 ml · min-1 · (1.73 m2)-1were excluded.Results 10 316 individuals were enrolled with an average age of (54.88 ± 10.27) years (range 17-88 years) and the ratio of male to female 1:1.12.The prevalence of nephrolithiasis was 5.6％,3.7％ and 7.8％ for whole population,women and men,respectively.In women,only eGFR in stone group was significantly lower than that in non-stone group (P ＜ 0.05).However,participants in stone group were significantly older (P ＜ 0.05),of higher blood pressure (P ＜ 0.01),higher serum uric acid (P ＜ 0.01),worse renal function (serum creatinine,P ＜ 0.05;eGFR,P ＜ 0.01),and higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P ＜ 0.05),compared with those in non-stone group in men.Logistic regression analysis showed that only eGFR (P ＜ 0.05) was the independent influential factor for kidney stones in women;In men,LDL was an independent influential factor for nephrolithiasis with a hazard ratio of 1.149 (95％CI 1.003-1.317,P ＜ 0.05),except for mean blood pressure and eGFR.After being divided into normal group,borderline high group and high LDL group according to the LDL level,with the increase of LDL,the prevalence of nephrolithiasis was significantly increased by 7.3％,8.3％ and 10.6％ in men respectively.There was no significant relationship between total cholesterol,triglyceride,high-density lipoprotein and nephrolithiasis.Conclusions Dyslipidemia is associated with nephrolithiasis in men,and high LDL cholesterol is an independent risk factor for nephrolithiasis.Clinical lipid testing not only helps to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic disease,but also reduces the risk of kidney stones.