Bullous hemorrhagic dermatosis (BHD) is a rare cutaneous manifestation characterized by tense hemorrhagic bullae that appear at sites distant from low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) injections, typically within seven days of exposure. As of March 2022, only 94 cases have been reported. It most commonly affects elderly males with predisposing factors for thromboembolism, such as carcinoma, and usually involves the extremities.

This case highlights the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for bullous hemorrhagic dermatosis (BHD) in patients receiving low molecular weight heparin, even beyond the typical 7-day window and in demographics not commonly affected. Early recognition and prompt discontinuation of the offending agent, as demonstrated in this atypical presentation involving a Filipino elderly woman with multiple comorbidities and no malignancy, can lead to favorable outcomes. Clinicians should be aware of this rare but reversible complication to avoid misdiagnosis and ensure appropriate management.

Human ; Female ; Aged: 65-79 Yrs Old ; Affect ; Aged ; Blister ; Carcinoma ; Causality ; Demography ; Diagnostic Errors ; Enoxaparin ; Extremities ; Heparin ; Heparin, Low-molecular-weight ; Index ; Injections ; Lead ; Male ; Molecular Weight ; Neoplasms ; Patients ; Research Report ; Skin Diseases ; Thromboembolism ; Women

Knee pain is a common clinical complaint with a broad differential diagnosis. In critically ill patients, acute monoarticular pain and swelling typically raise concern for septic arthritis. However, alternative etiologies such as crystal-induced arthritis, trauma, and hemarthrosis must also be considered.

This report presents a rare case of spontaneous hemarthrosis in a patient receiving prophylactic enoxaparin. Although uncommon, spontaneous hemarthrosis is a significant complication of anticoagulation therapy, particularly with low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) like enoxaparin.

Human ; Male ; Aged: 65-79 Yrs Old ; Hemarthrosis ; Covid-19 ; Enoxaparin

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effect of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) on vascular endothelium in patients with sepsis. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on adult patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Hangzhou Normal University Affiliated Hospital from December 2022 to December 2023. Patients were randomly divided into conventional treatment group and GAG intervention group. Both groups were treated according to the 2021 Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines. The GAG intervention group was additionally treated with GAG (2 mL of sulodexide intramuscular injection once daily for 7 days) on the basis of conventional treatment. Venous blood was collected from patients at 0, 6, 24, 48, 72 hours and 7 days after enrollment to detect serum vascular endothelial glycocalyx [heparan sulfate (HS) and syndecan-1 (SDC-1)], inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6)], and coagulation markers [prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), antithrombin-III (AT-III), fibrinogen (Fib), D-Dimer], and to perform acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) scores. The prognosis of patients (length of hospital stay, ICU and 28-day mortality) was observed. The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to evaluate the value of HS in predicting the prognosis of sepsis patients, and the correlation between endothelial glycocalyx degradation products and various clinical indicators was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 50 adult patients with sepsis meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled, with 25 in the conventional treatment group and 25 in the GAG intervention group. In terms of degradation products of endothelial glycocalyx, compared to baseline, both groups showed an increasing trend in HS and SDC-1 levels post-treatment. However, the GAG intervention group exhibited significantly lower HS levels at 72 hours and 7 days, as well as lower SDC-1 levels at 6, 24, 48, 72 hours and 7 days compared to the conventional group. Among the surviving patients, the HS levels at 72 hours and SDC-1 levels at 6 hours of treatment in the GAG intervention group were significantly reduced compared to the conventional treatment group. In terms of severity score, compared with before treatment, the GAG intervention group showed a significant decrease in APACHE II, SOFA, and ISTH scores after 7 days of treatment. The SOFA scores of the GAG intervention group after 48 hours and 7 days of treatment were significantly lower than those of the conventional treatment group. In terms of inflammatory indicators, compared with before treatment, the GAG intervention group showed a significant decrease in IL-6 levels after 48 hours of treatment. With the prolongation of treatment time, the CRP levels of both groups of patients showed a significant downward trend, and at 7 days of treatment, the CRP level in the GAG intervention group was significantly lower than that in the conventional treatment group. In terms of coagulation function, with prolonged treatment time, PT and APTT of both groups of patients showed an increasing trend, while Fib showed a decreasing trend. The GAG intervention group showed a significant prolongation of PT after 72 hours of treatment compared to the conventional treatment group. In terms of prognosis, there were no statistically significant differences in ICU and 28-day mortality rates between the two groups. The GAG intervention group had significantly shorter hospital stays than the conventional treatment group. ROC curve analysis showed that HS, CRP, APTT, IL-6, APACHE II, SOFA, and ISTH scores were predictive factors for the prognosis of sepsis patients (all P < 0.05). Compared to a single indicator, the combined detection of multiple indicators has a higher value in predicting the prognosis of sepsis patients [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.911, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.817-1.000], with a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 91.9%. Correlation analysis showed that HS was significantly negatively correlated with Fib, PT, TNF-α, IL-6, and PCT (r values were -0.338, -0.396, -0.288, -0.319, and -0.340, all P < 0.05), while HS was significantly positively correlated with D-Dimer and CRP (r values were 0.347 and 0.354, both P < 0.05); SDC-1 was significantly negatively correlated with Fib, PT, APTT, TNF-α, IL-6, and ISTH scores (r values were -0.314, -0.294, -0.408, -0.353, -0.289, -0.287, all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Early glycocalyx degradation can occur in sepsis patients. GAG have a protective effect on,the vascular endothelium, reducing the severity of sepsis and providing organ protection. HS, CRP, APTT, IL-6, APACHE II score, SOFA score, and ISTH score are independent predictive factors for the prognosis of sepsis patients. The combination of HS and the above indicators can significantly improve the accuracy of prediction.
Humans ; Sepsis/blood* ; Glycocalyx/drug effects* ; Glycosaminoglycans/pharmacology* ; Prospective Studies ; Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism* ; Syndecan-1/blood* ; Male ; Female ; C-Reactive Protein/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Heparitin Sulfate/blood* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Procalcitonin/blood*

The development of safe and effective carriers is crucial for improving the in vivo stability of siRNA drugs and facilitating their clinical translation. Chitosan (CS), a natural cationic polymer, shows great potential in nucleic acid drug delivery. To optimize the physicochemical properties of CS/siRNA nanoparticles (NPs) and increase their siRNA delivery efficacy, in this study, hyaluronic acid (HA) was added into CS to form stable complex NPs through electrostatic interactions. The HA component is able to target the CD44 receptors on the surface of tumor cells, facilitating efficient siRNA delivery. First, we systematically investigated the effects of the molecular weights and mass ratio of CS and HA on the physicochemical properties of CS/HA NPs. The results showed that at HA: CS mass ratios of approximately 5:5 and 6:4, the complex NPs exhibited small particle sizes, narrow size distribution, and high storage stability. Under similar conditions, the size of CS/HA NPs increased with the increase in the molecular weights of CS and HA. Based on these findings, suitable conditions were selected to prepare CS/HA NPs for siRNA delivery. Cell experiments demonstrated that the introduction of HA effectively reduced the cytotoxicity of the CS delivery system and enhanced the NP uptake. The CS/HA/siRNA NPs achieved 50% to 60% silencing of the luciferase gene in HeLa-Luc cells. CS/HA NPs formed smaller nanoparticles with siRNA than pure CS and mediated specific interactions with tumor cells via HA, leading to efficient siRNA delivery. These findings provide valuable insights into the construction of natural polymer composite nanoparticles for application in siRNA delivery.
Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry* ; Chitosan/chemistry* ; RNA, Small Interfering/administration & dosage* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Humans ; Particle Size ; HeLa Cells ; Hyaluronan Receptors

Xerostomia (dry mouth) is frequently experienced by patients treated with radiotherapy for head and neck cancers or with Sjögren's syndrome, with no permanent cure existing for this debilitating condition. To this end, in vitro platforms are needed to test therapies directed at salivary (fluid-secreting) cells. However, since these are highly differentiated secretory cells, the maintenance of their differentiated state while expanding in numbers is challenging. In this study, the efficiency of three reversible thermo-ionically crosslinked gels: (1) alginate-gelatin (AG), (2) collagen-containing AG (AGC), and (3) hyaluronic acid-containing AG (AGHA), to recapitulate a native-like environment for human salivary gland (SG) cell expansion and 3D spheroid formation was compared. Although all gels were of mechanical properties comparable to human SG tissue (~11 kPa) and promoted the formation of 3D spheroids, AGHA gels produced larger (>100 cells/spheroid), viable (>93%), proliferative, and well-organized 3D SG spheroids while spatially and temporally maintaining the high expression of key SG proteins (aquaporin-5, NKCC1, ZO-1, α-amylase) for 14 days in culture. Moreover, the spheroids responded to agonist-induced stimulation by increasing α-amylase secretory granules. Here, we propose alternative low-cost, reproducible, and reversible AG-based 3D hydrogels that allow the facile and rapid retrieval of intact, highly viable 3D-SG spheroids.
Humans ; Hydrogels/chemistry* ; Acinar Cells/cytology* ; Spheroids, Cellular/cytology* ; Salivary Glands/cytology* ; Gelatin/chemistry* ; Collagen/chemistry* ; Alginates/chemistry* ; Cell Culture Techniques/methods* ; Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry* ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured

White matter injury (WMI) is a major form of brain injury in preterm infants. Its characteristic pathological features primarily involve impaired development of oligodendrocyte precursor cells and structural damage to axons, which can lead to the neurological sequelae such as motor, behavioral, and cognitive dysfunctions. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), as the important components of extracellular matrix, can participate in neuroinflammatory response mediated by microglial cells and dynamically balance glial scar reconstruction and axon growth by regulating specific receptors and signaling pathways. This article reviews the relationship between CSPGs and WMI, as well as the mechanisms by which CSPGs inhibit axon growth, focusing on the role of multi-target regulation of CSPGs in promoting axon plasticity and functional brain recovery, thereby providing a theoretical basis for improving the prognosis of preterm infants with WMI.
Humans ; Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans/physiology* ; White Matter/pathology* ; Axons/physiology* ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Animals

OBJECTIVES: To fabricate an injectable composite microsphere hydrogel reinforced with silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid microspheres, achieving synergistic enhance-ment of mechanical robustness and biofunctionality. METHODS: Methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HAMA) and thiolated silk fibroin (TSF) were synthesized. Monodisperse microspheres generated via microfluidics were UV-cured (420 nm) through thiol-ene click reaction. These microspheres were embedded in a TSF/HAMA matrix to form photo-cured composites. The grafting rate of TSF and HAMA was characterized by H1-NMR; particle size distribution of microsphere hydrogels in soybean oil was observed by optical microscopy; gel point of composite microsphere hydrogels was determined by advanced extensional rheometer; microscopic morphology of microsphere hydrogels was observed by scanning electron microscopy; elemental distribution of microsphere hydrogels was detected by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy; tunability of composite microsphere hydrogels was observed by inverted confocal microscopy; mechanical properties of composite microsphere hydrogels were tested by compression testing; swelling ratio, degradation rate and water retention rate of composite microsphere hydrogels were measured by gravimetric method. Cytotoxicity of the composite microsphere hydrogels was determined by Calcein-AM/propidium iodide dual staining and CCK-8 assay; cell migration capability was observed by scratch assay. RESULTS: The grafting rates of HAMA and TSF was 48.03% and 17.99%, respectively. Microsphere hydrogels with particle sizes of (43.3±1.2), (78.1±3.0), and (130.8±1.9) μm were prepared. The gel time of the composite microsphere hydrogels was 48-115s. The laser confocal imaging confirmed dynamic regulation characteristics of the composite microsphere hydrogels. The compressive strength of the composite microsphere hydrogels reached 22.7 kPa and maintained structural integrity at 40% strain after 20 compression cycles. The composite microsphere hydrogels exhibited differential deswelling behaviors in simulated physiological environments, and reducing microsphere particle size could significantly enhance its stability under moist conditions. The degradation rate of the composite microsphere hydrogels was (49.1±0.9)% after 200 h, and water retention rate was maintained at 40%-60% after 96 h. Biocompatibility assays confirmed >95% cell viability and unimpaired cell migration abilities. CONCLUSIONS The TSF/HAMA composite microsphere hydrogel developed in this study has characteristics of rapid fabrication, adjustable mechanical properties, enhanced environmental stability and excellent biocom-patibility, thus providing a new material solution for tissue repair and regenerative medicine.
Fibroins/chemistry* ; Hydrogels/chemistry* ; Microspheres ; Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer currently ranks first globally in both incidence and mortality. Pemetrexed (PMX) serves as a first-line treatment for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), but the patients often develop drug resistance during therapy. Milk exosome (mEXO) have the advantages of low immunogenicity, high tissue affinity, and low cost, and mEXO itself has anti-tumor effects. Hyaluronan (HA) naturally bind to CD44, a receptor which is highly expressed in LUAD tissues. This study aims to construct hyaluronan-modified milk exosome (HA-mEXO) and preliminarily investigate their molecular mechanisms for reversing PMX resistance through cellular experiments. METHODS: Exosomes were extracted from milk using high-speed centrifugation, and HA-mEXO was constructed. PMX-resistant A549 and PC-9 cell lines were treated with mEXO and HA-mEXO, respectively. CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, Transwell assays, and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis phenotypes in the treated resistant cell lines. Finally, transcriptomic sequencing, analysis, and cellular functional recovery experiments were conducted to investigate the mechanism by which HA-mEXO reverses PMX resistance in LUAD cells. RESULTS: The expression of CD44 in A549 and PC-9 LUAD drug-resistant cell lines was significantly higher than that in parental cells, and the uptake rate of HA-mEXO by drug-resistant cell lines was significantly higher than that of mEXO. Compared to the mEXO group, HA-mEXO-treated A549 and PC-9 resistant cells exhibited significantly reduced half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for PMX, markedly diminished clonogenic, migratory, and invasive capabilities, and a significantly increased proportion of apoptotic cells. Western blot analysis revealed that, compared to parental cells, A549 and PC-9 drug-resistant cells exhibited downregulated ZNF516 expression and upregulated ABCC5 expression. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that HA-mEXO treatment downregulated ABCC5 expression in A549 and PC-9 drug-resistant cells compared to the PBS group, whereas co-treatment with HA-mEXO and ZNF516 knockdown showed no significant change in ABCC5 expression. CONCLUSIONS HA-mEXO carrying ZNF516 suppress ABCC5 expression, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of A549 and PC-9 LAUD drug-resistant cells to PMX.
Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects* ; Exosomes/chemistry* ; Adenocarcinoma of Lung/genetics* ; Pemetrexed/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Milk/chemistry* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Hyaluronan Receptors/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy between penetrating needling of three eye acupoints combined with sodium hyaluronate eye drops and sodium hyaluronate eye drops alone for the treatment of dry eye. METHODS: A total of 156 patients (312 eyes) with dry eye were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group, with 78 patients (156 eyes) in each group. The control group was treated with sodium hyaluronate eye drops, one drop per eye, four times daily, for 4 weeks. In addition to the sodium hyaluronate treatment, the observation group received penetrating needling of three eye acupoints. Acupoints included bilateral Cuanzhu (BL2), Sizhukong (TE23), Sibai (ST2), and Jingming (BL1). Needling was performed once daily, four times a week, for 4 weeks. The subjective ocular symptom scores, neuropathic pain symptom inventory-eye (NPSI-Eye) scores, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores, corneal fluorescein staining (FL) scores, tear break-up time (BUT), SchirmerⅠtest (SⅠT), central tear meniscus height (TMH), and tear levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were evaluated before and after treatment in the two groups. Clinical efficacy was also compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, both groups showed significant improvements in subjective ocular symptom scores, NPSI-Eye scores, OSDI scores, FL scores, and reductions in tear IL-6 and TNF-α levels (P<0.01). Additionally, BUT, SⅠT, and TMH were increased significantly in both groups (P<0.01). After treatment, the subjective ocular symptom scores, NPSI-Eye score, OSDI score, FL score, and tear levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05), while BUT, SⅠT, and TMH were significantly improved compared to the control group (P<0.01). The markedly effective rate and total effective rate in the observation group were 83.3% (65/78) and 100.0% (78/78), respectively, which were higher than 52.6% (41/78, P<0.01) and 92.3% (72/78, P<0.05) in the control group. CONCLUSION The penetrating needling of three eye acupoints combined with sodium hyaluronate eye drops can effectively alleviate symptoms of dry eye, reduce inflammatory response, and has superior efficacy to sodium hyaluronate eye drops alone.
Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Female ; Dry Eye Syndromes/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Ophthalmic Solutions/administration & dosage* ; Adult ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Interleukin-6/genetics* ; Young Adult ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To review current status of clinical application and research progress of different anticoagulants in perioperative period of free flap transplantation. METHODS: A comprehensive review of recent relevant literature was conducted, focusing on clinical research concerning the application of anticoagulants in the perioperative period of free flap transplantation. The administration route, timing, dosage selection, effectiveness, and safety of commonly used and novel anticoagulants were summarized. RESULTS: At present, the anticoagulants mainly used in the perioperative period of free flap transplantation include drugs for venous thrombosis prophylaxis, drugs for arterial thrombosis prophylaxis, and physical/colloidal anticoagulants, etc. The administration strategies can be classified into two major categories: single-agent anticoagulation and combined anticoagulation. Single-agent anticoagulation mainly includes unfractionated heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin, aspirin, and novel anticoagulants. Combined anticoagulation is commonly a synergistic anticoagulation regimen dominated by heparin drugs, combined with aspirin, different antiplatelet drugs, and expansion agents. Studies indicate that perioperative anticoagulant administration can effectively reduce the risk of thrombosis in free flaps and improve the overall flap survival rate. However, significant differences exist in the impact of drug types, administration routes, initiation timing, and dosage intensity on efficacy and bleeding risk. A unified, standardized application protocol has not yet been established. In addition, there has been a growing number of studies on novel anticoagulant drugs. However, their superiority and optimal application strategies in the field of free flap transplantation still necessitate more high-quality evidence. CONCLUSION Perioperative anticoagulation therapy represents one of the key strategies for improving the survival rate of free flaps. However, there is still a lack of high-level evidence to establish a standard protocol. Future research should focus on the optimization of individualized anticoagulation strategies, the validation of the effectiveness of new anticoagulants, and the exploration of the advantages of different anticoagulation strategies. At the same time, attention should be paid to balancing anticoagulation and bleeding risks to promote the standardization of clinical practice and the improvement of treatment safety.
Humans ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Free Tissue Flaps/blood supply* ; Thrombosis/prevention & control* ; Perioperative Care/methods* ; Heparin/therapeutic use* ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight/administration & dosage* ; Perioperative Period ; Aspirin/therapeutic use*