The Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Qinbaohong Zhike Oral Liquid in Treatment of Acute Bronchitis and Acute Attack of Chronic Bronchitis （GS/CACM 337-2023） was released by the China Association of Chinese Medicine on December 13^th， 2023. This expert consensus was developed by experts in methodology， pharmacy， and Chinese medicine in strict accordance with the development requirements of the China Association of Chinese Medicine （CACM） and based on the latest medical evidence and the clinical medication experience of well-known experts in the fields of respiratory medicine （pulmonary diseases） and pediatrics. This expert consensus defines the application of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid in the treatment of cough and excessive sputum caused by phlegm-heat obstructing lung， acute bronchitis， and acute attack of chronic bronchitis from the aspects of applicable populations， efficacy evaluation， usage， dosage， drug combination， and safety. It is expected to guide the rational drug use in medical and health institutions， give full play to the unique value of Qinbaohong Zhike oral liquid， and vigorously promote the inheritance and innovation of Chinese patent medicines.

OBJECTIVES: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) is a life-threatening vascular emergency with extremely high in-hospital mortality. Open surgical repair (OSR) was historically the only treatment option but is associated with substantial trauma and perioperative risk. In recent years, endovascular repair (EVAR) has gained widespread use due to its minimally invasive nature and faster recovery, becoming the preferred option for anatomically suitable patients in many centers. However, controversy remains regarding the long-term survival benefits of EVAR compared with OSR and key prognostic factors affecting outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of OSR and EVAR for rAAA and identify independent predictors of postoperative survival to guide clinical decision-making. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 83 patients diagnosed with rAAA and treated surgically in the Department of Vascular Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, between January 2013 and December 2022. Patients were divided into an OSR group and an EVAR group based on surgical approach. Baseline clinical characteristics, perioperative data, and follow-up outcomes were compared between groups. Long-term survival was analyzed, and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to determine independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: Among the 83 patients, 32 (38.6%) underwent OSR and 51 (61.4%) received EVAR, with the proportion of EVAR steadily increasing to nearly 80% in the most recent 5 years. Patients in the EVAR group were older [(68.76±8.57) years vs (60.59±13.24) years, P=0.012], and had a lower proportion of males (76.5% vs 96.9%, P=0.013). EVAR significantly reduced operating time [(181.86±69.87) min vs (291.09±60.33) min] and hospital stay [(12.14±6.31) days vs (16.22±7.89) days (P<0.05)], but total hospitalization costs were markedly higher [(208 735.84±101 394.19) yuan vs (84 893.35±40 668.56) yuan, P<0.001]. There were no significant differences between groups in 30-day mortality (15.6% vs 15.7%), aneurysm-related mortality (9.4% vs 11.7%), overall mortality (28.1% vs 29.4%), or re-intervention rate (0 vs 5.9%) (P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 54.6 months (range, 12-144 months). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed comparable cumulative survival rates between OSR and EVAR (82.7% vs 76.2%, P=0.420). Cox regression identified hyperlipidemia [hazard ratio (HR)=2.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28 to 4.19, P=0.005] and elevated preoperative serum creatinine (HR=3.33, 95% CI 1.69 to 6.55, P<0.001) as significant predictors of poor prognosis. Both factors remained independently associated with mortality in the multivariate model (hyperlipidemia: HR=2.02, 95% CI 1.10 to 3.70; elevated serum creatinine: HR=2.77, 95% CI 1.40 to 5.47; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS EVAR offeres advantages in operative and recovery times, though its long-term survival outcomes are comparable to OSR. A history of hyperlipidemia and elevated preoperative creatinine levels are independent predictors of poor prognosis. Surgical approach should be chosen based on anatomical feasibility and patient condition, with close management of lipid levels and renal function to improve outcomes.
Humans ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal/mortality* ; Endovascular Procedures/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Prognosis ; Aged ; Aortic Rupture/mortality* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged, 80 and over

Fractional flow reserve (FFR), an established modality for functionally assessing coronary artery disease, is increasingly applied to diagnose and manage lower extremity arterial disease. By incorporating functional parameters, FFR enhances revascularization precision by quantifying the hemodynamic impact of stenotic lesions, thereby overcoming limitations of conventional imaging. Key clinical applications in lower extremity disease include functional assessment in moderate intermittent claudication, post-vascular preparation strategy optimization, and predicting revascularization outcomes and complications. Advances in pressure wire and microcatheter systems, alongside non-invasive imaging-derived FFR techniques, are improving its feasibility and applicability. However, widespread adoption is challenged by the complex anatomy of the lower extremity arterial system, frequent severe calcification and diffuse disease, and a current lack of standardized FFR cutoff values. Promoting the standardized use of FFR is crucial for shifting the clinical management paradigm from anatomy-based repair toward functional reconstruction.
Humans ; Lower Extremity/blood supply* ; Peripheral Arterial Disease/diagnosis* ; Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial ; Endovascular Procedures/methods* ; Intermittent Claudication/physiopathology*

Hearing loss is the most prevalent disabling disease. Cochlear implantation（CI） serves as the primary intervention for severe to profound hearing loss. This consensus systematically explores the value of genetic diagnosis in the pre-operative assessment and efficacy prognosis for CI. Drawing upon domestic and international research and clinical experience, it proposes an evidence-based medicine three-tiered prognostic classification system（Favorable, Marginal, Poor）. The consensus focuses on common hereditary non-syndromic hearing loss（such as that caused by mutations in genes like GJB2, SLC26A4, OTOF, LOXHD1） and syndromic hereditary hearing loss（such as Jervell & Lange-Nielsen syndrome and Waardenburg syndrome）, which are closely associated with congenital hearing loss, analyzing the impact of their pathological mechanisms on CI outcomes. The consensus provides recommendations based on multiple round of expert discussion and voting. It emphasizes that genetic diagnosis can optimize patient selection, predict prognosis, guide post-operative rehabilitation, offer stratified management strategies for patients with different genotypes, and advance the application of precision medicine in the field of CI.
Humans ; Cochlear Implantation ; Prognosis ; Hearing Loss/surgery* ; Consensus ; Connexin 26 ; Mutation ; Sulfate Transporters ; Connexins/genetics*

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics and management experience of complications in patients with cervical necrotizing fasciitis （CNF） with or without descending necrotizing mediastinitis （DNM）, in order to provide a basis for optimizing diagnosis and treatment strategies. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 31 patients diagnosed with CNF and DNM at Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University between October 2019 and March 2024. A comprehensive evaluation was performed based on the patients' clinical characteristics, metagenomic next-generation sequencing （mNGS） pathogen detection results, imaging assessments, surgical interventions, management approaches for specific complications, and prognostic outcomes. Results:Among the 31 patients, 10 had severe diabetes mellitus. Etiological analysis was summarized as follows: 5 cases were odontogenic, 3 were of tonsillar origin, 3 were due to endogenous esophageal injury, 2 were due to exogenous cervical trauma, 2 originated from a congenital branchial cleft fistula, and 16 cases had an unknown etiology. Among them, 29 patients underwent surgery via an external cervical approach, 1 patient underwent surgery via an intraoral approach, and 1 patient received ultrasound-guided puncture and drainage therapy. Ultimately, 29 patients were cured and discharged （including 1 patient who experienced two instances of major neck vessel rupture and successfully underwent two interventional embolization procedures for hemostasis）; 2 patients died after failed rescue efforts due to concurrent sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction. The treatment success rate was 93%, and the mortality rate was 7%. In this cohort of CNF and DNM cases, only a minority had a clearly identified odontogenic cause; although the etiology was unknown in most cases, imaging consistently showed oropharyngeal lymph node necrosis, suggesting a possible pharyngeal origin of infection in adults. The mNGS pathogen profile was predominantly Gram-positive bacteria, accompanied by anaerobic bacilli and fungi. Conclusion:CNF and DNM are severe and rapidly progressive conditions that can lead to life-threatening complications within hours. Timely recognition can reduce unnecessary examinations and expedite treatment.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing/therapy* ; Mediastinitis/complications* ; Neck/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Prognosis

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a globally life-threatening disease. Presently, few therapeutic medicines are available for treating IS, and rt-PA is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US. In fact, many agents showing excellent neuroprotection but no blood flow-improving activity in animals have not achieved ideal clinical efficacy, while thrombolytic drugs only improving blood flow without neuroprotection have limited their wider application. To address these challenges and meet the huge unmet clinical need, we have designed and identified a novel compound AAPB with dual effects of neuroprotection and cerebral blood flow improvement. AAPB significantly reduced cerebral infarction and neural function deficit in tMCAO rats, pMCAO rats, and IS rhesus monkeys, as well as displayed exceptional safety profiles and excellent pharmacokinetic properties in rats and dogs. AAPB has now entered phase I of clinical trials fighting IS in China.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 40% of individuals with diabetes worldwide are at risk of developing diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is not only the leading cause of kidney failure, but also significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, causing significant societal health and financial burdens. This study aimed to describe the burden of DKD and explore its cross-country epidemiological status, predict development trends, and assess its risk factors and sociodemographic transitions. METHODS: Based on the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) Study 2021, data on DKD due to type 1 diabetes (DKD-T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (DKD-T2DM) were analyzed by sex, age, year, and location. Numbers and age-standardized rates were used to compare the disease burden between DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM among locations. Decomposition analysis was used to assess the potential drivers. Locally weighted scatter plot smoothing and Frontier analysis were used to estimate sociodemographic transitions of DKD disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). RESULTS: The DALYs due to DKD increased markedly from 1990 to 2021, with a 74.0% (from 2,227,518 to 3,875,628) and 173.6% (from 4,122,919 to 11,278,935) increase for DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM, respectively. In 2030, the estimated DALYs for DKD-T1DM surpassed 4.4 million, with that of DKD-T2DM exceeding 14.6 million. Notably, middle-sociodemographic index (SDI) quintile was responsible for the most significant DALYs. Decomposition analysis revealed that population growth and aging were major drivers for the increased DKD DALYs in most regions. Interestingly, the most pronounced effect of positive DALYs change from 1990 to 2021 was presented in high-SDI quintile, while in low-SDI quintile, DALYs for DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM presented a decreasing trend over the past years. Frontiers analysis revealed that there was a negative association between SDI quintiles and age-standardized DALY rates (ASDRs) in DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM. Countries with middle-SDI shouldered disproportionately high DKD burden. Kidney dysfunction (nearly 100.0% for DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM), high fasting plasma glucose (70.8% for DKD-T1DM and 87.4% for DKD-T2DM), and non-optimal temperatures (low and high, 5.0% for DKD-T1DM and 5.1% for DKD-T2DM) were common risk factors for age-standardized DALYs in T1DM-DKD and T2DM-DKD. There were other specific risk factors for DKD-T2DM such as high body mass index (38.2%), high systolic blood pressure (10.2%), dietary risks (17.8%), low physical activity (6.2%), lead exposure (1.2%), and other environmental risks. CONCLUSIONS DKD markedly increased and varied significantly across regions, contributing to a substantial disease burden, especially in middle-SDI countries. The rise in DKD is primarily driven by population growth, aging, and key risk factors such as high fasting plasma glucose and kidney dysfunction, with projections suggesting continued escalation of the burden by 2030.
Humans ; Global Burden of Disease ; Risk Factors ; Male ; Female ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Diabetic Nephropathies/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/complications* ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

BACKGROUND: The protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury has been widely reported. Dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DP-MSCs) have therapeutic effects on various diseases, including diabetes and cirrhosis. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effects of DP-MSCs on I/R injury and elucidate the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Myocardial I/R injury model mice were treated with DP-MSCs or a miR-19a-3p mimic. The infarct volume, fibrotic area, pyroptosis, inflammation level, and cardiac function were measured. Cardiomyocytes exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation were transfected with the miR-19a-3p mimic, miR-19a-3p inhibitor, or negative control. Pyroptosis and protein expression in the interferon regulatory factor 8/mitogen-activated protein kinase (IRF-8/MAPK) pathway were measured. RESULTS: DP-MSCs protected cardiac function in cardiac I/R-injured mice and inhibited cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. The upregulation of miR-19a-3p protected cardiac function, inhibited cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, and inhibited IRF-8/MAPK signaling in cardiac I/R-injured mice. DP-MSCs inhibited cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and the IRF-8/MAPK signaling by upregulating the miR-19a-3p levels in cardiomyocytes injured by I/R. CONCLUSION DP-MSCs protected cardiac function by inhibiting cardiomyocyte pyroptosis through miR-19a-3p under I/R conditions.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Pyroptosis/genetics* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Dental Pulp/cytology* ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/therapy* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/physiology*

BACKGROUND: While emotional distress, encompassing anxiety and depression, has been associated with negative clinical outcomes, its impact across various clinical departments and general hospitals has been less explored. Previous studies with limited sample sizes have examined the effectiveness of specific treatments (e.g., antidepressants) rather than a systemic management strategy for outcome improvement in non-psychiatric inpatients. To enhance the understanding of the importance of addressing mental health care needs among non-psychiatric patients in general hospitals, this study retrospectively investigated the impacts of emotional distress and the effects of early detection and management of depression and anxiety on hospital length of stay (LOS) and rate of long LOS (LLOS, i.e., LOS >30 days) in a large sample of non-psychiatric inpatients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 487,871 inpatients from 20 non-psychiatric departments of a general hospital. They were divided, according to whether they underwent a novel strategy to manage emotional distress which deployed the Huaxi Emotional Distress Index (HEI) for brief screening with grading psychological services (BS-GPS), into BS-GPS ( n = 178,883) and non-BS-GPS ( n = 308,988) cohorts. The LOS and rate of LLOS between the BS-GPS and non-BS-GPS cohorts and between subcohorts with and without clinically significant anxiety and/or depression (CSAD, i.e., HEI score ≥11 on admission to the hospital) in the BS-GPS cohort were compared using univariable analyses, multilevel analyses, and/or propensity score-matched analyses, respectively. RESULTS: The detection rate of CSAD in the BS-GPS cohort varied from 2.64% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.49%-2.81%) to 20.50% (95% CI: 19.43%-21.62%) across the 20 departments, with a average rate of 5.36%. Significant differences were observed in both the LOS and LLOS rates between the subcohorts with CSAD (12.7 days, 535/9590) and without CSAD (9.5 days, 3800/169,293) and between the BS-GPS (9.6 days, 4335/178,883) and non-BS-GPS (10.8 days, 11,483/308,988) cohorts. These differences remained significant after controlling for confounders using propensity score-matched comparisons. A multilevel analysis indicated that BS-GPS was negatively associated with both LOS and LLOS after controlling for sociodemographics and the departments of patient discharge and remained negatively associated with LLOS after controlling additionally for the year of patient discharge. CONCLUSION Emotional distress significantly prolonged the LOS and increased the LLOS of non-psychiatric inpatients across most departments and general hospitals. These impacts were moderated by the implementation of BS-GPS. Thus, BS-GPS has the potential as an effective, resource-saving strategy for enhancing mental health care and optimizing medical resources in general hospitals.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Psychological Distress ; Inpatients/psychology* ; Aged ; Anxiety/diagnosis* ; Depression/diagnosis*