OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

The prevalence of Class III malocclusion varies among different countries and regions. The populations from Southeast Asian countries (Chinese and Malaysian) showed the highest prevalence rate of 15.8%, which can seriously affect oral function, facial appearance, and mental health. As anterior crossbite tends to worsen with growth, early orthodontic treatment can harness growth potential to normalize maxillofacial development or reduce skeletal malformation severity, thereby reducing the difficulty and shortening the treatment cycle of later-stage treatment. This is beneficial for the physical and mental growth of children. Therefore, early orthodontic treatment for Class III malocclusion is particularly important. Determining the optimal timing for early orthodontic treatment requires a comprehensive assessment of clinical manifestations, dental age, and skeletal age, and can lead to better results with less effort. Currently, standardized treatment guidelines for early orthodontic treatment of Class III malocclusion are lacking. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the etiology, clinical manifestations, classification, and early orthodontic techniques for Class III malocclusion, along with systematic discussions on selecting early treatment plans. The purpose of this expert consensus is to standardize clinical practices and improve the treatment outcomes of Class III malocclusion through early orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III/classification* ; Orthodontics, Corrective/methods* ; Consensus ; Child

Peri-implant keratinized mucosa (PIKM) augmentation refers to surgical procedures aimed at increasing the width of PIKM. Consensus reports emphasize the necessity of maintaining a minimum width of PIKM to ensure long-term peri-implant health. Currently, several surgical techniques have been validated for their effectiveness in increasing PIKM. However, the selection and application of PIKM augmentation methods may present challenges for dental practitioners due to heterogeneity in surgical techniques, variations in clinical scenarios, and anatomical differences. Therefore, clear guidelines and considerations for PIKM augmentation are needed. This expert consensus focuses on the commonly employed surgical techniques for PIKM augmentation and the factors influencing their selection at second-stage surgery. It aims to establish a standardized framework for assessing, planning, and executing PIKM augmentation procedures, with the goal of offering evidence-based guidance to enhance the predictability and success of PIKM augmentation.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Implants ; Mouth Mucosa/surgery* ; Keratins

Radiochemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) is a common oral complication in patients with tumors following head and neck radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Erosion and ulcers are the main features of OM that seriously affect the quality of life of patients and even the progress of tumor treatment. To date, differences in clinical prevention and treatment plans for OM have been noted among doctors of various specialties, which has increased the uncertainty of treatment effects. On the basis of current research evidence, this expert consensus outlines risk factors, clinical manifestations, clinical grading, ancillary examinations, diagnostic basis, prevention and treatment strategies and efficacy indicators for OM. In addition to strategies such as basic oral care, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents, anti-infective agents, pro-healing agents, and photobiotherapy recommended in previous guidelines, we also emphasize the role of traditional Chinese medicine in OM prevention and treatment. This expert consensus aims to provide references and guidance for dental physicians and oncologists in formulating strategies for OM prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, standardizing clinical practice, reducing OM occurrence, promoting healing, and improving the quality of life of patients.
Humans ; Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Risk Factors ; Stomatitis/etiology*

Objective:To investigate the early clinical characteristics of elderly patients with severe burns and the risk factors on prognosis.Methods:This study was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 124 elderly patients with severe burns who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the 12 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, including 4 patients from the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 5 patients from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 22 patients from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 5 patients from Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, 27 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 9 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 10 patients from Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 9 patients from Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, 12 patients from the 924 th Hospital of PLA, 6 patients from Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, 4 patients from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, and 11 patients from Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. The patients' overall clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, inhalation injury, causative factors, whether combined with underlying medical diseases, and admission time after injury were recorded. According to the survival outcome within 28 days after injury, the patients were divided into survival group (89 cases) and death group (35 cases). The following data of patients were compared between the two groups, including the basic data and injuries (the same as the overall clinical characteristics ahead); the coagulation indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen; the blood routine indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as white blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit; the organ function indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, urea, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, electrolyte indexes (potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in blood), uric acid, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide; the infection and blood gas indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, pH value, oxygenation index, base excess, and lactate; treatment such as whether conducted with mechanical ventilation, whether conducted with continuous renal replacement therapy, whether conducted with anticoagulation therapy, whether applied with vasoactive drugs, and fluid resuscitation. The analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns. Results:Among 124 patients, there were 82 males and 42 females, aged 60-97 years, with body mass index of 23.44 (21.09, 25.95) kg/m 2, total burn area of 54.00% (42.00%, 75.00%) total body surface area (TBSA), and full-thickness burn area of 25.00% (10.00%, 40.00%) TBSA. The patients were mainly combined with moderate to severe inhalation injury and caused by flame burns. There were 43 cases with underlying medical diseases. The majority of patients were admitted to the hospital within 8 hours after injury. There were statistically significant differences between patients in the 2 groups in terms of age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and inhalation injury, and PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, INR, white blood cell count, platelet count, urea, serum creatinine, blood glucose, blood sodium, uric acid, myoglobin, and urine volume within the first 24 hours of injury (with Z values of 2.37, 5.49, 5.26, 5.97, 2.18, 1.95, 2.68, 2.68, 2.51, 2.82, 2.14, 3.40, 5.31, 3.41, 2.35, 3.81, 2.16, and -3.82, respectively, P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in whether conducted with mechanical ventilation and whether applied with vasoactive drugs (with χ2 values of 9.44 and 28.50, respectively, P<0.05). Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, serum creatinine within the first 24 hours of injury, and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury were the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns (with odds ratios of 1.17, 1.10, 1.10, 1.09, and 1.27, 95% confidence intervals of 1.03-1.40, 1.04-1.21, 1.05-1.19, 1.05-1.17, and 1.07-1.69, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions:The elderly patients with severe burns had the injuries mainly from flame burns, often accompanied by moderate to severe inhalation injury and enhanced inflammatory response, elevated blood glucose levels, activated fibrinolysis, and impaired organ function in the early stage, which are associated with their prognosis. Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and serum creatinine and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury are the independent risk factors for death within 28 days after injury in this population.

As the window of the hospital,the emergency department's medical quality determines the medical quality of the entire hospital.Emergency medical safety is the key to hospital construction.However,due to problems such as staffing and medical technology in the department of emergency of Chinese Medicine Hospitals,the development of medical quality is highly unbalanced.Aiming at the medical safety problems in the department of emergency of Chinese Medicine Hospitals in our country,the department of emergency of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine analyzed the current situation at home and abroad,examined the causes of medical errors,and put forward suggestions for the reform of medical safety in the department of emergency of Chinese Medicine Hospitals.It is recommended to effectively reduce medical errors through a series of reform measures such as hardware transformation and upgrading,standardization of standard procedures,establishing a sound communication mechanism,and creating a safety culture.

Objective:To investigate the impact of the early infusion rate on prognosis and the factors of influencing the infusion rate in patients with severe burns and inhalation injury.Methods:This study was a retrospective case series research. From January 2015 to December 2020, 220 patients with severe burns and inhalation injury meeting the inclusion criteria were admitted to 7 burn treatment centers in China, including 13 cases in the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 26 cases in the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 73 cases in Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 21 cases in the 924 th Hospital of PLA, 30 cases in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi Medical College of Nanchang University, 30 cases in Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, and 27 cases in Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. There were 163 males and 57 females, and their ages ranged from 18 to 91 years. The patients were divided into survival group and death group according to the survival within 28 d post injury. The following data of patients in the 2 groups were collected, including basic information (gender, age, body weight, body temperature, etc.), the injury characteristics (total burn area, post-injury admission time, etc.), the underlying diseases, the post-injury fluid resuscitation condition (infusion rate and ratio of infused electrolyte solution to colloid solution in the first 24 h post injury, etc.), the results of laboratory tests on admission (blood urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, albumin, pH value, base excess, blood lactate, oxygenation index, etc.), and treatment condition (inhaled oxygen volume fraction, hospitalization day, renal replacement therapy, etc.). After adjusting covariates using univariate Cox regression analysis, the multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury on patient death. The receiver operator characteristic curve for the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury to predict the risk of death was plotted, and the maximum Youden index was calculated. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the cutoff value (2.03 mL·kg -1·% total body surface area (TBSA) -1) for predicting risk of death by the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury determined by the maximum Youden index, and the risk of death was compared between the 2 groups. The correlation between the previously mentioned clinical data and the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury was analyzed; after the univariate linear regression analysis was used to screen the independent variables, the multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to screen the independent influential factors on the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury. Results:Compared with those in survival group, patients in death group had significantly higher age and total burn area (with Z values of 12.08 and 23.71, respectively, P<0.05), the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury, inhaled oxygen volume fraction, and blood urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, blood lactic acid on admission (with Z values of 7.99, 4.01, 11.76, 23.24, and 5.97, respectively, P<0.05), and the proportion of patients treated with renal replacement therapy ( P<0.05) were significantly higher, the albumin, pH value, and base excess on admission were significantly lower ( t=2.72, with Z values of 8.18 and 9.70, respectively, P<0.05), and the hospitalization day was significantly reduced ( Z=85.47, P<0.05). After adjusting covariates, the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury was the independent influential factor on death (with standardized hazard ratio of 1.69, 95% confidence interval of 1.21-2.37, P<0.05). Patients in infusion rate ≥2.03 mL·kg -1·%TBSA -1 group had a significantly higher risk of death than those in infusion rate <2.03 mL·kg -1·% TBSA -1 group (with hazard ratio of 3.47, 95% confidence interval of 1.48-8.13, P<0.05). There was a significant correlation between total burn area, body weight, inhaled oxygen volume fraction, body temperature, post-injury admission time, the ratio of infused electrolyte solution to colloid solution in the first 24 h post injury, and oxygenation index <300 on admission and the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury (with r values of -0.192, -0.215, 0.137, -0.162, -0.252, and 0.314, respectively, Z=4.48, P<0.05). After screening the independent variables, total burn area, body weight, post-injury admission time, and oxygenation index <300 on admission were the independent influential factors on the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury (with standardized β values of -0.22, -0.22, -0.19, and 0.46, respectively, 95% confidence intervals of -0.34 to 0.09, -0.34 to 0.10, -0.32 to 0.06, and 0.22 to 0.71, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions:The infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury in patients with severe burns and inhalation injury is the independent factor of influencing death, and patients with infusion rate ≥2.03 mL·kg -1·%TBSA -1 in the first 24 h post injury have a significantly increased risk of death. The total burn area, body weight, post-injury admission time, and oxygenation index <300 on admission were the independent factors of influencing the infusion rate in the first 24 h post injury in patients with severe burns and inhalation injury.

Digital guided therapy (DGT) has been advocated as a contemporary computer-aided technique for treating endodontic diseases in recent decades. The concept of DGT for endodontic diseases is categorized into static guided endodontics (SGE), necessitating a meticulously designed template, and dynamic guided endodontics (DGE), which utilizes an optical triangulation tracking system. Based on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images superimposed with or without oral scan (OS) data, a virtual template is crafted through software and subsequently translated into a 3-dimensional (3D) printing for SGE, while the system guides the drilling path with a real-time navigation in DGE. DGT was reported to resolve a series of challenging endodontic cases, including teeth with pulp obliteration, teeth with anatomical abnormalities, teeth requiring retreatment, posterior teeth needing endodontic microsurgery, and tooth autotransplantation. Case reports and basic researches all demonstrate that DGT stand as a precise, time-saving, and minimally invasive approach in contrast to conventional freehand method. This expert consensus mainly introduces the case selection, general workflow, evaluation, and impact factor of DGT, which could provide an alternative working strategy in endodontic treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Endodontics/methods* ; Tooth ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Dental Care ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Root Canal Therapy

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of ( acute myocardial infarction , AMI ) in elderly patients with ( hyperuricemia , HUA) in Suzhou, and to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of AMI in patients with HUA. Methods Among of 356 patients with hyperuricemia aged ≥60 years who were admitted to Suzhou Jiulong Hospital from January 2016 to December 2021 were selected. The patients were divided into control group and AMI group according to whether they were complicated with AMI. The clinical data of the patients were collected from the medical record system, and the types of AMI and the lesions of the three main coronary vessels in patients with HUA were statistically analyzed. The serum BNP level and LVEF value of the two groups were compared. Univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were conducted to analyze the risk factors of AMI in patients with HUA. Results Fifty-five cases (15.45%) of 356 patients with HUA developed AMI, including 31 males and 24 females. There were 26 patients (47.27%) with NSTEMI and 29 patients (52.73%) with STEMI. In addition, 30 cases (54.55%) had three-vessel lesions. Compared with the control group, the male ratio, average age, smoking history ratio, systolic blood pressure, FPG, LDL-C and Hcy levels in the AMI group were significantly increased (P<0.05), while LVEF values decreased (P<0.05). Smoking history (OR=2.987), high LDL-C (OR=3.439), high Hcy (OR=2.672) and high FPG (OR=3.874) were risk factors for AMI in patients with HUA (P<0.05). Conclusion HUA patients in Suzhou area have a high risk of AMI, and most of them are STEMI patients, with the characteristics of multi vessel branch lesions. For HUA patients with smoking history, poor control of Hcy, LDL-C and FPG, the risk of AMI is higher. Smoking cessation and control of LDL-C, Hcy and FPG levels should be actively adopted to reduce the risk of AMI.

Objective:To analyze the trend of late-diagnosis of HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) before and after the AIDS Conquering Project in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi) and its influencing factors, in order to find out the population groups that need priority intervention at the present stage.Methods:The HIV-infected MSM in Guangxi from 2005-2021 were selected from the National Integrated HIV/AIDS Control and Prevention Data System. The Joinpoint 4.9.1.0 software was used to test the time trend of late-diagnosis and non-late-diagnosis cases, and logistic regression was applied to analyze the factors influencing the proportion of late-diagnosis at each stage.Results:From 2005 to 2021, 5 764 HIV-infected MSM were reported in Guangxi from 2005 to 2021, with an overall late-diagnosis of 28.45% (1 640 cases). Under the 2015 baseline data as the boundary, the proportion of late-diagnosis cases showed a trend of sharp decline followed by stabilization from 2005 to 2015, average annual percent change= -6.90% ( P<0.001). The effect of factors such as resident population, occupation as a farmer or worker, and sample originating from medical consultation on late-diagnosis changed considerably before and after the implementation of the project, and the factors influencing late-diagnosis at this stage were age, resident population, occupation as a farmer, worker or student. The factors influencing late-diagnosis at this stage are age, resident population, and occupation as a farmer, worker and a student. Conclusions:The proportion of late diagnosis cases of HIV-infected MSM in Guangxi decreased significantly before and after the project. However, late-diagnosis should not be neglected and precise prevention and control should be carried out for the resident population, farmers, workers or students.