1.Integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy for Wilson disease
Yumei GU ; Yeqing HUANG ; Bei ZHANG ; Aiqun LIU ; Zhongxing PENG ; Mingfan HONG ; Zhihua ZHOU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):529-534
Wilson disease (WD) is one of the few treatable neurogenetic disorders. Currently, Western medicine remains the main treatment method for WD, while since the 1990s, multiple studies conducted by Professor Yang Renmin and his team have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) also has a favorable therapeutic effect. Based on the principle of low-copper diet for WD, this article systematically elaborates on the advantages, limitations, and key considerations of current Western medicine therapies (pharmacotherapy, liver transplantation, and splenectomy) and reviews the research findings of TCM in China, especially the wide application of Gandou Decoction in clinical practice. Studies have shown that Gandou Decoction can effectively improve neurological symptoms, protect hepatic and renal function, and avoid the adverse drug reactions associated with metal chelating agents, and therefore, it can be used an effective long-term adjuvant therapy for WD. It should be noted that symptoms and signs should be considered in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy for WD, and high-copper TCM drugs should be avoided to prevent deterioration.
2.Chinese expert consensus on the evaluation of allergen-specific immunotherapy outcomes(Wuhan, 2025).
Yuqin DENG ; Xi LUO ; Zhuofu LIU ; Shuguang SUN ; Jing YE ; Tiansheng WANG ; Jianjun CHEN ; Meiping LU ; Yin YAO ; Ying WANG ; Wei ZHOU ; Bei LIU ; Qingxiang ZENG ; Yuanteng XU ; Qintai YANG ; Yucheng YANG ; Feng LIU ; Chengli XU ; Yanan SUN ; Haiyu HONG ; Haibo YE ; Liqiang ZHANG ; Fenghong CHEN ; Huabin LI ; Hongtian WANG ; Yuncheng LI ; Wenlong LIU ; Yu XU ; Hongfei LOU
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;39(11):1075-1085
Allergen-specific immunotherapy(AIT) remains the only therapeutic approach with the potential to modify the natural course of allergic rhinitis(AR). Nevertheless, considerable inter-individual variability exists in patients'responses to AIT. To facilitate more reliable assessment of treatment efficacy, the China Rhinopathy Research Cooperation Group(CRRCG) convened young and middle-aged nasal experts in China to formulate the present consensus. The recommended subjective outcome measures for AIT comprise symptom scores, medication scores, combined symptom and medication scores, quality-of-life assessments, evaluation of disease control, and assessment of comorbidities. Objective indicators may supplement these measures. Currently available objective approaches include skin prick testing, nasal provocation testing, and allergen exposure chambers. However, these methods remain constrained by practical limitations and are not yet appropriate for routine implementation in clinical efficacy evaluation. In addition, several biomarkers, including sIgE and the sIgE/tIgE ratio, sIgG4, serum IgE-blocking activity, IgA, cytokines and chemokines, as well as immune cell surface molecules and their functional activity, have been shown to have associations with AIT outcomes. While these biomarkers may complement subjective assessments, they are subject to significant limitations. Consequently, large-scale multicenter trials and real-world evidence are required to strengthen the evidence base. The present consensus underscores the necessity of integrating patients'subjective experiences with objective testing throughout the treatment process, thereby providing a more comprehensive and accurate framework for efficacy evaluation. Looking forward, future investigations should prioritize the incorporation of multi-omics data and artificial intelligence methodologies, which hold promise for overcoming current limitations in assessment strategies and for advancing both the standardization and personalization of AIT.
Humans
;
Allergens/immunology*
;
China
;
Consensus
;
Desensitization, Immunologic
;
Immunoglobulin E
;
Quality of Life
;
Rhinitis, Allergic/therapy*
;
Treatment Outcome
;
East Asian People
3.Histaminergic Innervation of the Ventral Anterior Thalamic Nucleus Alleviates Motor Deficits in a 6-OHDA-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease.
Han-Ting XU ; Xiao-Ya XI ; Shuang ZHOU ; Yun-Yong XIE ; Zhi-San CUI ; Bei-Bei ZHANG ; Shu-Tao XIE ; Hong-Zhao LI ; Qi-Peng ZHANG ; Yang PAN ; Xiao-Yang ZHANG ; Jing-Ning ZHU
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(4):551-568
The ventral anterior (VA) nucleus of the thalamus is a major target of the basal ganglia and is closely associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Notably, the VA receives direct innervation from the hypothalamic histaminergic system. However, its role in PD remains unknown. Here, we assessed the contribution of histamine to VA neuronal activity and PD motor deficits. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed reduced VA activity in PD patients. Optogenetic activation of VA neurons or histaminergic afferents significantly alleviated motor deficits in 6-OHDA-induced PD rats. Furthermore, histamine excited VA neurons via H1 and H2 receptors and their coupled hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, inward-rectifier K+ channels, or Ca2+-activated K+ channels. These results demonstrate that histaminergic afferents actively compensate for Parkinsonian motor deficits by biasing VA activity. These findings suggest that targeting VA histamine receptors and downstream ion channels may be a potential therapeutic strategy for PD motor dysfunction.
Animals
;
Histamine/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Oxidopamine/toxicity*
;
Rats
;
Ventral Thalamic Nuclei/physiopathology*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Parkinson Disease/metabolism*
;
Neurons/physiology*
;
Humans
;
Optogenetics
4.Sandstorm-driven Particulate Matter Exposure and Elevated COPD Hospitalization Risk in Arid Regions of China: A Spatiotemporal Epidemiological Analysis.
Hao ZHAO ; Ce LIU ; Er Kai ZHOU ; Bao Feng ZHOU ; Sheng LI ; Li HE ; Zhao Ru YANG ; Jia Bei JIAN ; Huan CHEN ; Huan Huan WEI ; Rong Rong CAO ; Bin LUO
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(11):1404-1416
OBJECTIVE:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health concern in northwest China; however, the impact of particulate matter (PM) exposure during sand-dust storms (SDS) remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between PM exposure on SDS days and COPD hospitalization risk in arid regions.
METHODS:
Data on daily COPD hospitalizations were collected from 323 hospitals from 2018 to 2022, along with the corresponding air pollutant and meteorological data for each city in Gansu Province. Employing a space-time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional Poisson regression, we analyzed 265,379 COPD hospitalizations.
RESULTS:
PM exposure during SDS days significantly increased COPD hospitalization risk [relative risk ( RR) for PM 2.5, lag 3:1.028, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.021-1.034], particularly among men and the elderly, and during the cold season. The burden of PM exposure on COPD hospitalization was substantially high in Northwest China, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions.
CONCLUSION
Our findings revealed a positive correlation between PM exposure during SDS episodes and elevated hospitalization rates for COPD in arid and semi-arid zones in China. This highlights the urgency of developing region-specific public health strategies to address adverse respiratory outcomes associated with SDS-related air quality deterioration.
Humans
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/chemically induced*
;
Particulate Matter/analysis*
;
Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Air Pollutants/analysis*
;
Environmental Exposure/adverse effects*
;
Spatio-Temporal Analysis
;
Adult
;
Sand
;
Air Pollution
5.Advances in diseases associated with thyroid hormone transporter deficiency
Wei LI ; Min ZHU ; Bei HAN ; Fen LU ; Qiaoli ZHOU
International Journal of Pediatrics 2025;52(2):117-121
Thyroid hormone(TH)plays an important role in human development and is involved in gene and protein expression in almost all tissues,especially in the development of the central nervous system.TH requires a TH transporter to enter the cell,and three families of TH transporter proteins are known,namely monocarboxylate transporters(MCTs),organic anion transporting polypeptides(OATPs)and L-type amino acid transporter(LAT).MCT8 has been found to be a specific TH transporter,and OATP1C1 also plays an important role.Deficiency of TH transporters may lead to different degrees of dysfunction in the nervous system and endocrine system.Currently,more studies have been conducted on MCT8 deficiency,which presents with characteristic psychomotor retardation and TH abnormalities,and there are no specific treatment options.In this paper,we summarize the research progress on clinical phenotype,pathogenic mechanism,and treatment of thyroid hormone transporter defects related diseases to provide reference for clinical research.
6.Clinical efficacy of dupilumab in the treatment of prurigo nodularis in children and analysis of its influencing factors
Huiying WAN ; Jia SU ; Ling ZHONG ; Bei ZHAO ; Xiyuan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(10):964-969
Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of pediatric prurigo nodularis (PN), and to explore factors associated with the treatment response.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 26 children with PN who received dupilumab treatment at the Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital between December 2022 and January 2025. Primary efficacy endpoints were the proportion of patients achieving investigator's global assessment-activity (IGA PN-A) and stage (IGA PN-S) scores of 0/1 at week 8; secondary efficacy endpoints included the proportion of patients achieving a ≥ 4-point reduction in the pruritus numerical rating scale (NRS) and changes in laboratory parameters. Paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for pre- and post-treatment comparisons; generalized estimating equation models were applied to evaluate changes in eczema area and severity index (EASI) scores over time; univariate logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios ( ORs) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) to analyze factors influencing efficacy. Results:Among the 26 children with PN, 14 (53.8%) were males and 12 (46.2%) were females, with ages ( M[ Q1, Q3]) of 4.50 (3.00, 9.25) years and disease duration of 1.00 (0.48, 2.25) years. Twenty-four (92.3%) patients had comorbid atopic diseases, including 17 with allergic rhinitis and 15 with atopic dermatitis (AD). At week 8, IGA PN-A scores decreased from 3.27 ± 0.53 points at baseline to 1.31 ± 0.84 points ( t = 10.44, P < 0.001), with 16 (61.5%) patients achieving IGA PN-A 0/1; IGA PN-S scores decreased from 3.15 ± 0.46 points at baseline to 1.73 ± 0.78 points ( t = 10.33, P < 0.001), with 10 (38.5%) patients achieving IGA PN-S 0/1; pruritus NRS scores decreased from 5.00 (5.00, 6.00) points at baseline to 2.00 (1.00, 3.00) points ( Z = -3.82, P < 0.001), with 10 (38.5%) patients achieving a ≥ 4-point reduction in NRS scores. At week 40, 7 patients who continued treatment achieved complete remission. Univariate logistic regression showed that head/face involvement ( OR = 7.000, 95% CI: 1.200 - 40.829) and disease duration of < 1 year ( OR = 7.000, 95% CI: 1.200 - 40.829) were associated with better treatment response, while baseline IGA scores of 4 points predicted poorer outcomes ( OR = 0.114, 95% CI: 0.017 - 0.742). During treatment, conjunctivitis and local infection occurred in 2 cases without discontinuation, and no serious adverse events occurred in any of the cases. Conclusions:Dupilumab demonstrated rapid and sustained efficacy in pediatric PN with a favorable safety profile. Head/face involvement, shorter disease duration, and lower baseline severity were associated with better treatment response.
7.Analysis of transabdominal bowel ultrasound characteristics of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related colitis and their correlation with endoscopy
Qingyang ZHOU ; Li MA ; Hao TANG ; Xinyu LIU ; Yanlin ZENG ; Bo LU ; Qingli ZHU ; Bei TAN ; Jiaming QIAN
Chinese Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 2025;09(1):67-73
Objective:To analyze the characteristics of transabdominal bowel ultrasound (TBUS) in immune checkpoint inhibitor-related colitis (IRC) and their correlation with endoscopic manifestations.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted. Clinical data from 10 patients with IRC treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2022 to January 2024 were collected. The ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity (UCEIS) and Limberg classification were used to assess the severity of colonoscopy and TBUS examinations, respectively. Kendall's tau-b method was applied for correlation analysis between UCEIS scores and Limberg classification.Results:All the 10 patients were male with a median age of 65 years (59-74 years). The majority had lung cancer (8 patients) and all were in advanced stages, with 6 patients in stage Ⅲ and 4 in stage Ⅳ. They all received anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1) /anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined with chemotherapy, among whom 2 patients were combined with anti-angiogenic drug treatment. The median time from the first immunotherapy to the onset of IRC was 1.50 (0.25-12.00) months; the median time from IRC treatment to clinical symptom relief to G1 was 2.45 (0.50-8.00) weeks. Nine patients were in the active phase, mainly G3 (8 patients) ; 1 was in the remission phase after treatment. TBUS showed that among the 9 active IRC patients, the entire colon was mainly involved (7 patients), with combined small intestine involvement (3 patients) ; the main manifestations were thickening of the bowel wall, with the thickest bowel wall being 7.0 (5.0-8.0) mm, mainly located in the sigmoid colon (3 patients) and descending colon (3 patients) ; increased bowel wall blood flow signals (Limberg classification 2-4) occurred in 7 patients; 3 active patients had perienteric fat wrapping, and 2 had blurred bowel wall stratification. The Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient r between the entire colon UCEIS scores and Limberg classification was 0.891 ( P = 0.003), and the Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient r between the colon segment UCEIS scores and Limberg classification was 0.690 ( P < 0.001) . Conclusion:During the active phase, the left colon of IRC is more severe in TBUS, which mainly manifests as the thickening bowel wall and increased blood flow signals, and the TBUS has good correlation with colonoscopy evaluation.
8.The 513th case: acute respiratory failure after bilateral lung transplantation
Shiwei QUMU ; Bei WANG ; Min LIU ; Min LI ; Guowu ZHOU ; Wenhui CHEN
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;64(11):1140-1144
A 67-year-old male had undergone bilateral lung transplantation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 11 months before the current presentation. He was admitted with a 5-day history of cough with sputum, and a 2-day history of fever. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed rapidly progressive bilateral diffuse "ground glass" opacities. Despite anti-infective therapy and methylprednisolone pulse therapy, his condition deteriorated, necessitating endotracheal intubation with mechanical ventilation and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) for life support. A bedside cryobiopsy was undertaken, with pathology confirming the organizing pneumonia diagnosis. Comprehensive treatment was continued: methylprednisolone, tacrolimus for immunosuppression, and prophylactic anti-infectives. His partial pressure of oxygen in the blood by the fraction of inspired oxygen ratio and imaging findings improved gradually. ECMO support was discontinued after 2 weeks, and he was discharged 1-month later, resuming normal daily activities. At 2-month follow-up, he exhibited improved exercise tolerance. Chest CT showed bilateral upper-lobe emphysema (predominantly upper-lobe reticular shadows) and significant bilateral upper-lobe pleural thickening. After 12 months of fllow-up, a diagnosis of chronic lung allograft dysfunction was made based on imaging findings and the trajectory of pulmonary function.
9.Analysis of the implementation issues and countermeasures of medical-research-industry collaborative innovation policies based on the Smith-model
Danqing ZHOU ; Bei XU ; Rui ZHAO ; Rui LIU
Chinese Journal of Hospital Administration 2025;41(8):650-654
Objective:To analyze the problems in implementing medical-research-industry collaborative innovation related policies, and propose corresponding countermeasures, for references for promoting the construction and development of collaborative innovation platforms in China.Methods:This study searched official websites such as the State Council, the National Health Commission and the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission for policy documents related to collaborative innovation and the transformation of medical scientific and technological achievements. Based on the Smith-model, 4 plaiforms of Shanghai were took, including the Clinical Science and Technology Innovation Park of Tongji University of Tenth People′s Hospital and other collaborative innovation platforms, as examples to analyze the problems in the implementation process of medical-research-industry collaborative innovation policies.Results:On the basis of national policies, Shanghai had issued a series of relevant guidance policies based on local conditions, creating a favorable policy environment for the construction and development of the medical-research-industry collaborative innovation platforms. However, the policy implications and practical needs related to collaborative innovation still needed to be continuously adjusted; The target demands of policy implementation entities were not unified, and there was a lack of normalized communication mechanisms; The target group lacked endogenous motivation and the policy implementation environment needed to be improved.Conclusions:The implementation of medical-research-industry collaborative innovation policies needed further improvement. It is suggested to optimize the policy supply coordination, performance evaluation and incentive mechanism, supervision and management, collaborative innovation culture atmosphere, and multi-channel funding support to promote the sustainable development of the collaborative innovation platform, and accelerate the efficient transformation of scientific and technological achievements.
10.Intelligent handheld ultrasound improving the ability of non-expert general practitioners in carotid examinations for community populations: a prospective and parallel controlled trial
Pei SUN ; Hong HAN ; Yi-Kang SUN ; Xi WANG ; Xiao-Chuan LIU ; Bo-Yang ZHOU ; Li-Fan WANG ; Ya-Qin ZHANG ; Zhi-Gang PAN ; Bei-Jian HUANG ; Hui-Xiong XU ; Chong-Ke ZHAO
Ultrasonography 2025;44(2):112-123
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations.
Methods:
This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits.
Results:
Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01).
Conclusion
Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail