As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements. The 2.0 Consensus was aimed to update the original consensus with the latest available studies, and provide a comprehensive overview of the current relevant scientific literatures regarding functional cure of hepatitis B, with a particular focus on issues that are not yet fully clarified. These cover the definition of functional cure of hepatitis B, its mechanisms and barriers, the effective strategies and treatment roadmap to achieve this endpoint, in particular new surrogate biomarkers used to measure efficacy or to predict response, and the appropriate approach to pursuing a functional cure in special populations, the development of emerging antivirals and immunomodulators with potential for curing hepatitis B. The statements are primarily intended to offer international guidance for clinicians in their practice to enhance the functional cure rate of chronic hepatitis B.

As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements. The 2.0 Consensus was aimed to update the original consensus with the latest available studies, and provide a comprehensive overview of the current relevant scientific literatures regarding functional cure of hepatitis B, with a particular focus on issues that are not yet fully clarified. These cover the definition of functional cure of hepatitis B, its mechanisms and barriers, the effective strategies and treatment roadmap to achieve this endpoint, in particular new surrogate biomarkers used to measure efficacy or to predict response, and the appropriate approach to pursuing a functional cure in special populations, the development of emerging antivirals and immunomodulators with potential for curing hepatitis B. The statements are primarily intended to offer international guidance for clinicians in their practice to enhance the functional cure rate of chronic hepatitis B.

As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements. The 2.0 Consensus was aimed to update the original consensus with the latest available studies, and provide a comprehensive overview of the current relevant scientific literatures regarding functional cure of hepatitis B, with a particular focus on issues that are not yet fully clarified. These cover the definition of functional cure of hepatitis B, its mechanisms and barriers, the effective strategies and treatment roadmap to achieve this endpoint, in particular new surrogate biomarkers used to measure efficacy or to predict response, and the appropriate approach to pursuing a functional cure in special populations, the development of emerging antivirals and immunomodulators with potential for curing hepatitis B. The statements are primarily intended to offer international guidance for clinicians in their practice to enhance the functional cure rate of chronic hepatitis B.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of nucleic acid matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry（MALDI-TOF MS）in sputum smear-negative patients with nontuberculous Mycobacterial（NTM）pulmonary disease.Methods:Clinical data of 123 patients suspected of NTM pulmonary disease admitted in Public Health Clinical Center Affiliated to Shandong University between July 2022 and November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid（BALF）specimens were collected for MALDI-TOF MS assay and MGIT 960 culture. The diagnostic efficacy of MALDI-TOF MS for NTM pulmonary disease in patients with negative sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curve. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software and MedCalc statistical software.Results:Diagnosis of NTM pulmonary disease was finally confirmed in 66 out of the 123 suspected patients. It took 8 to 24 h for MALDI-TOF MS to identify NTM species and resistance. By MALDI-TOF MS，72 NTM strains were identified，with the Mycobacterium avium complex being the most prevalent（34 strains，47.22%），followed by the Mycobacterium abscessus complex（13 strains，18.06%）；resistance to macrolides was detected in 6 cases，while no resistance to aminoglycosides was found. It took 9 to 45 days for BALF MGIT 960 culture to identify NTM，and took 7 to 15 days for NTM typing and drug sensitivity testing. By BALF MGIT 960 culture，28 NTM strains were identified；and 1 case was found to be resistant to macrolides. Using confirmed diagnosis as the gold standard，MALDI-TOF MS demonstrated higher sensitivity，negative predictive value，and agreement rate compared to MGIT 960 culture（84.85% vs. 42.42%，81.13% vs. 56.32%，80.49% vs. 62.60%， χ2=25.667，8.998，9.664， P<0.05 or <0.01）. The area under ROC curve（AUC）for MALDI-TOF MS was significantly higher than that of MGIT 960 culture（0.801 vs. 0.642， Z=3.300， P=0.001）. Conclusion:Compared to MGIT 960 culture，MALDI-TOF MS exhibits superior diagnostic efficiency in detecting NTM pulmonary disease in patients with acid-fast bacilli smear-negative sputum，with advantage of rapidly identifying NTM species and resistance.

Objective:To investigate the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) following pancreaticoduodenectomy and related risk factors in elderly patients.Methods:The clinical data of elderly patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy in Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2017 to June 2020 were collected retrospectively. According to the changes of serum creatinine within 48 h or 7 days after operation, the patients were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group. The basic clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared, and the incidence of AKI was calculated. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of postoperative AKI.Results:A total of 322 elderly patients were enrolled, with age of (67.1±5.2) years old (60-85 years old) and 186 males (57.76%). Among 322 elderly patients, there were 41 patients (12.73%) suffering from AKI following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Compared with the non-AKI group, the level of bilirubin in AKI group was higher ( Z=-2.012, P=0.044), and the level of hemoglobin in AKI group was lower ( Z=-2.111, P=0.035). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased preoperative total bilirubin ( OR=1.003, 95% CI 1.000-1.006, P=0.027) and postoperative exploratory laparotomy ( OR=3.936, 95% CI 1.071-14.460, P=0.039) were the independent influencing factors for AKI after pancreaticoduodenectomy in elderly patients. Conclusions:The incidence of AKI after pancreaticoduodenectomy in elderly patients is 12.73%. Preoperative high bilirubin and postoperative exploratory laparotomy may be the independent risk factors for AKI after pancreaticoduodenectomy in elderly patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for the detection of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies in women with twin pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 2473 women with twin pregnancy underwent the NIPT test to assess the risk for fetal chromosomal aneuploidies from January 2016 to September 2019. Those with a high risk by NIPT were confirmed by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. All cases were followed up to evaluate the positive prediction value of NIPT for twin pregnancies. RESULTS: Among the 2473 women, the NIPT test has identified 31 cases (1.25%) with a high risk for fetal chromosomal aneuploidies, which included 5 cases of trisomy 21, 1 case of chromosome 21 deletion, 4 cases of trisomy 18, 7 cases of sex chromosome abnormality and 14 cases of microdeletion and microduplication. By invasive prenatal diagnosis or chromosomal karyotyping analysis of neonates, 5 cases of trisomy 21, 3 cases of trisomy 18, 1 case of sex chromosome abnormality, and 2 cases of microdeletion and microduplication were confirmed, which yielded a positive predictive value of 100%, 75%, 25% and 25%, respectively. CONCLUSION NIPT can be used for the screening of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies in women with twin pregnancy with high accuracy. The method is non-invasive, safe and effective for the screening of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies, in particular trisomy 21.
Aneuploidy ; Chromosome Disorders ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Trisomy ; Trisomy 13 Syndrome ; Trisomy 18 Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether it is necessary to choose NIPT-plus for the prenatal screening of pregnant women. METHODS: The results of NIPT and NIPT-plus sequencing data, fetal DNA concentration, prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy outcome of 50 pregnant women were compared. RESULTS: Compared with NIPT, NIPT-plus attained similar fetal DNA concentration and a 4.4-fold increase in sequencing data. NIPT was able to detect 4 cases of 21-trisomy, 2 cases of 18-trisomy, and 9 cases of sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) signaled by NIPT-plus, but missed one 18-trisomy, and failed to detect rare chromosome aneuploidies (RCAs) and microdeletion/microduplication syndromes (MMS). The PPVs of NIPT-plus for 21-trisomy, 18-trisomy, SCAs, MMS and RCAs were 100%, 100%, 44.4%, 30.4% and 0%, respectively. And those of NIPT for 21-trisomy, 18-trisomy, and SCAs were 100%, 100%, and 44.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION It is necessary for pregnant women to select NIPT-plus to improve the detection rate of common trisomies, SCAs and disease-specific MMS, therefore reduce the occurrene of birth defect.
Aneuploidy ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Trisomy ; Trisomy 13 Syndrome ; Trisomy 18 Syndrome

Objective:To analyze the influencing factors of death in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) combined with acute kidney injury (AKI) in intensive care unit (ICU) after continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).Methods:The demographic and clinical data of ICU patients with ARDS combined with AKI after CRRT at Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 were collected. According to the final treatment results of this hospitalization, the patients were divided into death group and survival group. Survival was defined as the improved patient's condition and hospital discharge. Death was defined as the patient's death during the ICU hospitalization or confirmed death after abandoning treatment and automatically being discharged from the hospital in the follow-up. The basic clinical characteristics and CRRT status between the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression method was used to analyze the influencing factors of death in patients.Results:A total of 132 patients were enrolled, of which 90 patients (68.2%) died, with 84 males (63.6%) and median age of 59(45, 73) years. Compared with the survival group, the death group had higher age, proportion of malignant tumors, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, number of organ dysfunction and proportion of positive balance of fluid accumulation at 72 hours, longer time from entering ICU to CRRT, and lower mean arterial pressure (minimum value) and oxygenation index (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that the age≥60 years old ( OR=4.382, 95% CI 1.543-12.440, P=0.006), large number of organ dysfunction ( OR=1.863, 95% CI 1.109-3.130, P=0.019), high SOFA score ( OR=1.231, 95% CI 1.067-1.420, P=0.004) and long time from ICU admission to CRRT ( OR=1.224, 95% CI 1.033~1.451, P=0.020) were independent influencing factors of death in patients with ARDS combined with AKI after CRRT, and high oxygenation index ( OR=0.992, 95% CI 0.986-0.998, P=0.010) was an independent protective factor for patients' prognosis. Conclusions:The mortality of patients with ARDS combined with AKI after CRRT is still high. The age≥60 years old, large number of organ dysfunction, high SOFA score and long time from ICU admission to CRRT are independent influencing factors for death, and high oxygenation index is an independent protective factor for prognosis in patients with ARDS combined with AKI after CRRT.

ObjectiveTo investigate the serological markers associated with posthepatectomy recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and to establish a prognostic model to evaluate whether palliative hepatectomy is suitable for such patients. MethodsA total of 111 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatectomy in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from February 2009 to July 2013 and received follow-up were enrolled. Basic clinical data were collected and the patients were divided into recurrence group and non-recurrence group according to whether recurrence was observed during follow-up. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups and the Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival differences were analyzed using the log-rank test. A Cox regression analysis was used to perform univariate and multivariate analyses, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate prediction efficiency. ResultsThe Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the patients with low alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and fibrinogen and high CXCL13 had a longer median time to recurrence (P＜0.05). AFP (hazard ratio ［HR］［95%CI］=1.69(1.03~2.79), P=0.039), GGT (HR［95%CI］=1.89(1.14~3.14), P=0.014), and CXCL13 (HR［95%CI］=0.54(0.33~0.89), P=0.015) were independent factors associated with posthepatectomy recurrence. The prognostic index PI=0.526×AFP+0.637×GGT-0.616×CXCL13 established based on these factors had an AUC of 0.87, a sensitivity of 93.75%, and a specificity of 63.64% in predicting recurrence within 0-3 months after palliative hepatectomy, with a significant reduction in prediction efficiency for recurrence within 0-6 months (AUC=0.68) or a longer period of time. The recurrence prediction efficiency of this model for palliative hepatectomy was significantly higher than that for radical resection. ConclusionThe prognostic model established based on CXCL13, AFP, and GGT can be used to evaluate the risk of early recurrence after palliative hepatectomy and thus helps clinicians to make diagnosis and treatment decisions based on patients’ benefits.

Objective: To explore and analyze the possible mechanism of liver injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (novel coronavirus pneumonia, NCP). Methods: The correlation between ALT, AST and other liver enzyme changes condition and NCP patients’ disease status reported in the literature was comprehensively analyzed. ACE2 expression in liver tissue for novel coronavirus was analyzed based on single cell sequencing (GSE115469) data. RNA-Seq method was used to analyze Ace2 expression and transcription factors related to its expression in liver tissues at various time-points after hepatectomy in mouse model of acute liver injury with partial hepatectomy. t-test or Spearman rank correlation analysis was used for statistical analysis. Results: ALT and AST were abnormally elevated in some patients with novel coronavirus infection, and the rate and extent of ALT and AST elevation in severe NCP patients were higher than those in non-severe patients. Liver tissue results of single cell sequencing and immunohistochemistry showed that ACE2 was only expressed in bile duct epithelial cells of normal liver tissues, and very low in hepatocytes. In a mouse model of acute liver injury with partial hepatectomy, Ace2 expression was down-regulated on the first day, but it was elevated up to twice of the normal level on the third day, and returned to normal level on seventh day when the liver recovered and hepatocyte proliferation stopped. Whether this phenomenon suggests that the bile duct epithelial cells with positive expression of Ace2 participate in the process of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy deserves further study. In RNA-Seq data, 77 transcription factors were positively correlated with the expression of ACE2 (r > 0.2, FDR < 0.05), which were mainly enriched in the development, differentiation, morphogenesis and cell proliferation of glandular epithelial cells. Conclusion We assumed that in addition to the over activated inflammatory response in patients with NCP, the up-regulation of ACE2 expression in liver tissue caused by compensatory proliferation of hepatocytes derived from bile duct epithelial cells may also be the possible mechanism of liver tissue injury caused by 2019 novel coronavirus infection.