Objective:To evaluate the changes of carotid intima thickness（CIT）and stiffness parameters in ankylosing spondylitis（AS）patients by 24 MHz ultra-high frequency ultrasound probe and RF-data based quantitative analysis on vessel stiffness（R-VQS），and to explore its influencing factors.Methods:Sixty patients with AS who underwent consultation at Henan Provincial People's Hospital from November 2023 to May 2024 were prospectively collected as AS group，54 healthy volunteers matched for sex，age，and body mass index were collected as control group. CIT were measured using a 24 MHz ultra-high frequency ultrasound probe，hardness coefficien（HC）and pulse wave velocity（PWV）were measured by R-VQS，the differences of the parameters between the two groups were compared. The changes of carotid artery elasticity and intima thickness and their influencing factors in patients with AS were explored by univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis.Results:①C-reactiveprotein，erythrocyte sedimentation rate（ESR），neutrophil count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio（NLR）were elevated in the AS group compared with the control group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. ②CIT，carotid intima-media thickness（CIMT），HC，PWV and epicardial adipose tissue thickness（EATT）were all increased in the AS group compared with the control group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. ③Multifactorial linear regression analysis showed that EATT，ESR were the main influencing factors of HC，PWV and CIT（ β=2.192，0.031；1.792，0.002；0.097，0.001；all P＜0.05）. Conclusions:Carotid CIT，CIMT，HC，PWV and EATT are all higher in the AS patients，and ESR and EATT are the main influencing factors of HC，PWV，and CIT，suggesting that more attention should be paid to the detection of ESR and EATT in patients with AS when interventions are performed clinically.

Objective:To evaluate the changes of carotid intima thickness（CIT）and stiffness parameters in ankylosing spondylitis（AS）patients by 24 MHz ultra-high frequency ultrasound probe and RF-data based quantitative analysis on vessel stiffness（R-VQS），and to explore its influencing factors.Methods:Sixty patients with AS who underwent consultation at Henan Provincial People's Hospital from November 2023 to May 2024 were prospectively collected as AS group，54 healthy volunteers matched for sex，age，and body mass index were collected as control group. CIT were measured using a 24 MHz ultra-high frequency ultrasound probe，hardness coefficien（HC）and pulse wave velocity（PWV）were measured by R-VQS，the differences of the parameters between the two groups were compared. The changes of carotid artery elasticity and intima thickness and their influencing factors in patients with AS were explored by univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis.Results:①C-reactiveprotein，erythrocyte sedimentation rate（ESR），neutrophil count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio（NLR）were elevated in the AS group compared with the control group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. ②CIT，carotid intima-media thickness（CIMT），HC，PWV and epicardial adipose tissue thickness（EATT）were all increased in the AS group compared with the control group，and the differences were statistically significant（all P < 0.05）. ③Multifactorial linear regression analysis showed that EATT，ESR were the main influencing factors of HC，PWV and CIT（ β=2.192，0.031；1.792，0.002；0.097，0.001；all P＜0.05）. Conclusions:Carotid CIT，CIMT，HC，PWV and EATT are all higher in the AS patients，and ESR and EATT are the main influencing factors of HC，PWV，and CIT，suggesting that more attention should be paid to the detection of ESR and EATT in patients with AS when interventions are performed clinically.

Objective: To discuss the relationship between lingual tonsil hypertrophy and laryngopharyngeal reflux. Methods: Ninety-two patients who received throat surgery in Nanfang Hospital between October 2015 and October 2016 were enrolled. Twenty-six healthy volunteers were recruited as normal controls. All participants were assessed with the reflux finding score(RFS) and the size of lingual tonsils were evaluated using a clinical grading system proposed by Friedman under electronic laryngoscope. The score of reflux symptom index(RSI), personal history and medical history were gathered. Biopsy specimens of lingual tonsils were taken from all participants for the immunohistochemical stain of pepsin.SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: There were 46.2% (12/26) pepsin-positive and 53.8% (14/26) pepsin-negative volunteers in normal controls. There were 87.0% (80/92) pepsin-positive and 13.0% (12/92) pepsin-negative patients in study group. The severity of lingual tonsil hypertrophy and expression intensity of pepsin in patients were significantly higher in volunteers (Z=-3.636, Z=-5.273, P<0.01). The severity of lingual tonsil hypertrophy was positively associated with the pepsin level in patients (r=0.556, P<0.01). The patients with pepsin-positive expression showed significant correlation between lingual tonsil hypertrophy and the positive rate of RSI and RFS (r=0.258, r=0.225, P<0.05). Analysis of correlated factors indicated that lingual tonsil hypertrophy was associated with smoking (χ²=8.502, P<0.05). Conclusions The expression of pepsin can be detected in lingual tonsil tissues. The lingual tonsil hypertrophy is closely related to laryngopharyngeal reflux.