BACKGROUND:Various proteins,signaling pathways,and inflammatory mediators are involved in the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis.The development of small molecule drugs targeting these proteins,signaling pathways,and inflammatory mediators can effectively delay the progression of osteoarthritis and ameliorate its clinical manifestations. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress of small molecule drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis based on the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. METHODS:PubMed,CNKI,and WanFang databases were searched with English search terms"osteoarthritis,arthritis,osteoarthrosis,degenerative,arthritides,deformans,small molecule drugs,small molecule inhibitors,small molecule agents"and Chinese search terms"osteoarthritis,small molecule drugs,small molecule inhibitors."A total of 68 articles were included for review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Currently,studies concerning the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis remain unclear.The occurrence and development of osteoarthritis are strongly associated with proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways,so its therapeutic mechanism is relatively complex.Currently,targeting proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways related to osteoarthritis with small molecule drugs has become a major research focus.(2)Small molecule drugs frequently possess visible intracellular or extracellular targets and efficacy,containing enhancing cartilage repair,resisting joint degradation,attenuating inflammation,and relieving pain.Other anti-osteoarthritis small molecule drugs have shown promise in promoting stem cell chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage matrix reconstruction.(3)At present,small molecule drugs targeting the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis to delay the progression of osteoarthritis are still in the experimental stage,but most of these small molecule drugs have shown the expected results in the experimental process,and there are no relevant studies to illustrate the efficacy of small molecule drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis.(4)Small molecule drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis have reached the expected experimental results in the basic experimental stage.Numerous studies have exhibited that small molecule drugs can target the suppression of specific proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways that cause osteoarthritis,so as to treat osteoarthritis.Nevertheless,its safety and effectiveness still need to be identified by further basic and clinical studies.This process needs to be investigated and studied by more scholars.(5)At present,many scholars in and outside China have made contributions to the treatment of osteoarthritis.Compared with traditional treatment methods,small molecule drugs reveal better efficacy and safety in the basic experimental stage,and it is expected to become an emerging method for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the future to rid patients of pain.

BACKGROUND: Valvular heart disease (VHD) has become increasingly common with the aging in China. This study aimed to evaluate regional differences in the clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes of patients with VHD across different regions in China. METHODS: Data were collected from the China-VHD Study. From April 2018 to June 2018, 12,347 patients who presented with moderate or severe native VHD with a median of 2 years of follow-up from 46 centers at certified tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in Chinese mainland were included in this study. According to the locations of the research centers, patients were divided into five regional groups: eastern, southern, western, northern, and central China. The clinical features of VHD patients were compared among the five geographical regions. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence rate. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients (mean age, 61.96 years; 6877 [55.70%] male), multiple VHD was the most frequent type (4042, 32.74%), which was mainly found in eastern China, followed by isolated mitral regurgitation (3044, 24.65%), which was mainly found in northern China. The etiology of VHD varied significantly across different regions of China. The overall rate of valve interventions was 32.67% (4008/12,268), with the highest rate in southern China at 48.46% (205/423). In terms of procedure, the proportion of transcatheter valve intervention was relatively low compared to that of surgical treatment. Patients with VHD in western China had the highest incidence of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Valve intervention significantly improved the outcome of patients with VHD in all five regions (all P  <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that patients with VHD in China are characterized by significant geographic disparities in clinical features, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Targeted efforts are needed to improve the management and prognosis of patients with VHD in China according to differences in geographical characteristics. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03484806.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Heart Valve Diseases/therapy* ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: Based on the China-VHD database, this study sought to develop and validate a Valvular Heart Disease- specific Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index (VHD-ACI) for predicting mortality risk in patients with VHD. METHODS & RESULTS: The China-VHD study was a nationwide, multi-centre multi-centre cohort study enrolling 13,917 patients with moderate or severe VHD across 46 medical centres in China between April-June 2018. After excluding cases with missing key variables, 11,459 patients were retained for final analysis. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality, with 941 deaths (10.0%) observed during follow-up. The VHD-ACI was derived after identifying 13 independent mortality predictors: cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary artery hypertension, low body weight, anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, renal insufficiency, moderate/severe hepatic dysfunction, heart failure, cancer, NYHA functional class and age. The index exhibited good discrimination (AUC, 0.79) and calibration (Brier score, 0.062) in the total cohort, outperforming both EuroSCORE II and ACCI (P < 0.001 for comparison). Internal validation through 100 bootstrap iterations yielded a C statistic of 0.694 (95% CI: 0.665-0.723) for 2-year mortality prediction. VHD-ACI scores, as a continuous variable (VHD-ACI score: adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.263 (1.245-1.282), P < 0.001) or categorized using thresholds determined by the Yoden index (VHD-ACI ≥ 9 vs. < 9, adjusted HR (95% CI): 6.216 (5.378-7.184), P < 0.001), were independently associated with mortality. The prognostic performance remained consistent across all VHD subtypes (aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid valve disease, mixed aortic/mitral valve disease and multiple VHD), and clinical subgroups stratified by therapeutic strategy, LVEF status (preserved vs. reduced), disease severity and etiology. CONCLUSION The VHD-ACI is a simple 13-comorbidity algorithm for the prediction of mortality in VHD patients and providing a simple and rapid tool for risk stratification.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.019.].

Objective:To explore the effects of Qingre Qudu Decoction for fumigation combined with three-gap drainage on wound healing and serum inflammatory factors in patients with acute perianal abscess.Methods:Randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 117 patients with acute perianal abscess in the hospital were enrolled as the observation objects between August 2022 and May 2024. According to random number table method, they were divided into observation group (59 cases) and control group (58 cases). Both groups received three-gap drainage therapy. On basis of three-gap drainage, control group was given potassium permanganate, while observation group was given Qingre Qudu Decoction for fumigation. All patients were treated for 14 d. The growth of granulation tissue and wound secretions before and after treatment was evaluated. VAS scale was used to evaluate the degree of incision pain, and Wexner score was used to assess incontinence; ELISA was used to detect serum activator A (ACTA), immunoturbidimetry was used to detect serum CRP, and radioimmunoassay was used to detect serum IL-6 levels. The occurrence of complications and abscess recurrence during treatment was recorded, and clinical efficacy was evaluated.Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was 96.61% (57/59), while that of the control group was 82.76% (48/58), with statistical significance ( χ2=6.10, P=0.014). After treatment, scores of granulation tissue growth and wound secretions in observation group, and scores of VAS and Wexner incontinence in observation group were lower than those in the control group ( t=9.66, 5.00, 7.98, 3.65, P<0.001), and wound healing time was shorter than that in control group ( t=8.41, P<0.001). After treatment, levels of serum ACTA, CRP and IL-6 in observation group were lower than those in control group ( t=15.30, 2.08, 19.34, P<0.01 or P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the observation group was 6.78% (4/59), while in the control group it was 27.59% (16/58), with statistical significance ( χ2=8.93, P=0.003). Conclusion:Qingre Qudu Decoction for fumigation combined with three-gap drainage can relieve postoperative incision pain, inhibit inflammatory response, accelerate the recovery of wound and promote the recovery of anal function and improve clinical efficacy.

Objective To study the effects of Shugan Jieyu capsules on the cardiac function and state of mind of chronic heart failure(CHF)patients with anxiety and depression.Methods Ninety-four CHF patients with anxiety and depression were randomly divided into the Shugan Jieyu capsule treatment group and mental therapy control group.Self-rating depression Scale(SDS),self-rating anxiety scale(SAS),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP),the 6-minute walking test(6MWT),hemoglobin(Hb),interleukin-6(IL-6),albumin(ALB)and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein(hs-CRP)were compared between the two groups before and after treatment using t-tests and chi-square tests in order to find out about the efficacy of Shugan Jieyu capsules in CHF patients with anxiety and depression.Results After 8 weeks of treatment,SDS,SAS,NT-proBNP,hs-CRP and IL-6 were all significantly lower,especially in the treatment group,while LVEF,6MWT,Hb and ALB were significantly higher or longer,particularly in the treatment group.Conclusion Shugan Jieyu capsules can effectively alleviate anxiety and depression in CHF patients,improve the cardiac function and nutritional status,and mitigate inflammation.

Background::Hypothermia therapy has been suggested to attenuate myocardial necrosis; however, the clinical implementation as a valid therapeutic strategy has failed, and new approaches are needed to translate into clinical applications. This study aimed to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a novel selective intracoronary hypothermia (SICH) device in mitigating myocardial reperfusion injury.Methods::This study comprised two phases. The first phase of the SICH was performed in a normal porcine model for 30 minutes ( n = 5) to evaluate its feasibility. The second phase was conducted in a porcine myocardial infarction (MI) model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion which was performed by balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 60 minutes and maintained for 42 days. Pigs in the hypothermia group ( n = 8) received hypothermia intervention onset reperfusion for 30 minutes and controls ( n = 8) received no intervention. All animals were followed for 42 days. Cardiac magnetic resonance analysis (five and 42 days post-MI) and a series of biomarkers/histological studies were performed. Results::The average time to lower temperatures to a steady state was 4.8 ± 0.8 s. SICH had no impact on blood pressure or heart rate and was safely performed without complications by using a 3.9 F catheter. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein (CRP), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were lower at 60 min post perfusion in pigs that underwent SICH as compared with the control group. On day 5 post MI/R, edema, intramyocardial hemorrhage, and microvascular obstruction were reduced in the hypothermia group. On day 42 post MI/R, the infarct size, IL-6, CRP, BNP, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 were reduced, and the ejection fraction was improved in pigs that underwent SICH.Conclusions::The SICH device safely and effectively reduced the infarct size and improved heart function in a pig model of MI/R. These beneficial effects indicate the clinical potential of SICH for treatment of myocardial reperfusion injury.

Objective Explore the comprehensive emotion adjustment pattern that combines non-contact physiological and psychological detection methods in fasting and low metabolism scenarios.This study aims to verify the accuracy of non-contact physiological and psychological detection algorithms and evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal emotion adjustment schemes for addressing negative emotional states such as depression and anxiety.Methods Deploy non-contact physiological and psychological detection algorithms and emotion adjustment plans to build a multimodal emotion adjustment system.Collect physiological and psychological data from volunteers participating in the 15-days complete fasting human low metabolism experiment of"Green Star Travel Ⅷ".Utilize finger clip oximeters and scales to verify the accuracy of existing non-contact physiological and psychological methods within the system.Design an emotion adjustment experiment featuring four groups:sound adjustment,acupoints adjustment,magnetism adjustment,and combination adjustment.Compare the volunteers'scale scores before and after the adjustments to verify the effectiveness of the system's emotion adjustment capabilities.Results The experimental results demonstrate that the average difference in the Bland-Altman plot for the non-contact heart rate detection model is ﹣0.497 bpm,with 95.3%of the error values falling within the 95%consistency interval.The non-contact psychological detection model achieved an accuracy rate of over 80%in identifying stress,anxiety,and depression,and an accuracy rate of over 70%in identifying fatigue and anger.Following emotion adjustment,the stress levels of the subjects significantly improved(P?

Objective To study the effect of reactive oxygen species(ROS)/p38 MAPK cascade reaction on the formation of kidney stones(KS)in rats and explore the mechanism.Methods Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into control group(normal feeding),N-acetylcysteine(NAC)group(intraperitoneally injected 200 mg/kg NAC),KS group(constructed calcium oxalate KS model),KS+NAC group(constructed calcium oxalate KS model,intraperitoneally injected 200 mg/kg NAC),KS+NAC+tunicamycin(TM)group(constructed calcium oxalate KS model,intraperitoneally injected 200 mg/kg NAC and 1 mg/kg TM),with 10 rats in each group.After 4 weeks of administration,24 hours urine volume and oxalic acid(Ox)of each group were measured,serum creatinine(Cr),urea nitrogen(BUN)and uric acid(UA)levels were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer.HE staining and Von Kossa staining were used to observe the histopathological changes and crystal deposition of the kidney.TUN EL staining was used to detect apoptosis of renal tissue cells.The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and the content of malondialdehyde(MDA)in renal tissue were measured by the kit.DHE fluorescent probes detected the levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in kidney tissue.Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expressions of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 B(LC3B)and glucose regulatory protein 78(GRP78)in renal tissue,and the protein expression of LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ,Beclin1,GRP78,CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein(CHOP)in renal tissue was determined by Western blotting.Results Compared with the KS group,Ox in KS+NAC group decreased(P＜0.05),BUN,Cr and UA levels decreased(P＜0.05),renal tubule dilatation and calcium oxalate crystallization decreased,TUNEL positive cell rate decreased(P＜0.05),SOD activity increased and MDA content decreased(P＜0.05),ROS levels decreased(P＜0.05),LC3B and GRP78 positive staining levels decreased(P＜0.05),the relative protein expressions of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK,LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ,Beclin1,GRP78 and CHOP were down-regulated(P＜0.05).Compared with the KS+NAC group,Ox in KS+NAC+TM group increased(P＜0.05),BUN,Cr and UA levels also increased(P＜0.05),renal tubule dilated significantly,calcium oxalate crystals increased,TUNEL positive cell rate increased(P＜0.05),SOD activity decreased and MDA content increased(P＜0.05),ROS levels increased(P＜0.05),LC3B and GRP78 positive staining levels increased(P＜0.05),the relative protein expressions of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK,LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ,Beclin1,GRP78 and CHOP were also up-regulated(P＜0.05).Conclusion ROS/p38 MAPK cascade is involved in promoting KS formation in rats,which is related to the activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated autophagy pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of holmium laser ω-shaped pre-transection of the prostate apex (PTPA) with preservation of the bladder neck on the urinary continence and sexual function of the patients with BPH after transurethral holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). METHODS: This retrospective study included 165 cases of BPH undergoing holmium laser ω-shaped PTPA with preservation of the bladder neck following HoLEP from January 2018 to January 2023. We recorded and compared the baseline, perioperative and 12-month follow-up data on the patients, and evaluated their urination function using IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), and quality of life (QOL) scores. For those who had had sexual activity and normal ejaculation before surgery, we further assessed their erectile and ejaculatory functions postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean surgical time was (70.35±12.27) min, the intraoperative blood loss (60.12±19.54) ml, and the weight of the excised gland (56.37±13.71) g. The hospital stay and postoperative catheter-indwelling time averaged (5.13±2.34) and (3.21±1.37) d, respectively. Significant improvements were observed in IPSS, QOL, PVR and Qmax at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery compared with the baseline (P<0.05), which all remained stable throughout the follow-up period. At 3 months after surgery, stress urinary incontinence was found in 10.91% of the patients, and all but 1 case (0.6%) recovered within 12 months. There were no significant changes in the IIEF-5 and Erectile Hardness Scale (EHS) scores postoperatively (P>0.05). Retrograde ejaculation occurred in 19 (11.52%) of the patients, but none experienced painful ejaculation after surgery. CONCLUSION Holmium laser ω-shaped PTPA with preservation of the bladder neck is safe and effective for the treatment of BPH, which can effectively improve the urinary continence and protect the sexual function of the patient.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/surgery* ; Lasers, Solid-State/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate/methods* ; Prostate/surgery* ; Ejaculation ; Aged ; Middle Aged