1.Low-dose defibrotide in the treatment of pyrrolizidine alkaloid-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome: A case report
Haiqing GUO ; Haiqing SUN ; Jing ZHANG ; Lixia QIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(4):918-922
This article reports a case of a male patient, aged 60 years, who developed pyrrolizidine alkaloid-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (PA-HSOS) due to ingestion of Gynura segetum (Lour.) Merr. The patient presented with ascites and abnormal liver function, and a confirmed diagnosis was made based on radiological examination and liver biopsy. Since the patient was allergic to low-molecular-weight heparin and had no response to supportive therapy, low-dose defibrotide was administered as rescue treatment. After treatment, the patient achieved rapid regression of ascites and recovery of liver function, and liver biopsy reexamination showed alleviation of sinusoidal congestion and hepatocyte regeneration. Self-resolving conjunctival hemorrhage occurred during treatment. This case suggests that for patients with contraindications to standard anticoagulation therapy or those showing no response to such treatment, low-dose defibrotide may be used as an effective and relatively safe alternative treatment regimen.
2.Application value of fibrosis-4 index and liver transient elastography in liver fibrosis risk stratification for metabolic associated fatty liver disease in community health institutions
Haiqing GUO ; Yaning LI ; Xiaohui LIU ; Jing ZHANG ; Yumin WANG ; Li CAO ; Lixia QIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(6):1294-1300
ObjectiveTo perform metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) screening among individuals attending community health institutions, to identify the patients at a low, moderate or high risk of advanced liver fibrosis based on fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) measured by liver transient elastography, and to implement stratified management. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 630 individuals attending Beijing Baizhifang Community Health Service Center from January to July 2024, and they were divided into MAFLD group and non-MAFLD group. According to body mass index (BMI), the MAFLD group was further divided into lean MAFLD group (BMI<23 kg/m2) and non-lean MAFLD group (BMI≥23 kg/m2). The above groups were compared in terms of demographic features, laboratory markers, hepatic steatosis, and LSM. Fibrosis risk stratification was performed for MAFLD patients based on FIB-4 and LSM, and a closed-loop management system involving referral to tertiary hospitals and follow-up at community health institutions was implemented. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. ResultsThere were 445 individuals (70.6%) in the MAFLD group and 185 individuals (29.4%) in the non-MAFLD group. Compared with the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group had a significantly lower proportion of male individuals (χ2=4.299, P<0.05), a significant reduction in the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Z=3.484, P<0.05), and significant increases in body weight (Z=-7.366, P<0.05), BMI (Z=-9.740, P<0.05), waist circumference (Z=-6.397, P<0.05), hip circumference (Z=-6.935, P<0.05), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (Z=-2.765, P<0.05), fasting blood glucose (Z=-3.646, P<0.05), triglyceride (TG) (Z=-6.569, P<0.05), total cholesterol (Z=-2.033, P<0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Z=-2.935, P<0.05), controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) (Z=-19.784, P<0.05), and LSM (Z=-5.703, P<0.05). Within the MAFLD group, there were 124 individuals (27.9%) in the lean MAFLD group and 321 individuals (72.1%) in the non-lean MAFLD group. Compared with the non-lean MAFLD group, the lean MAFLD group had significantly lower body weight (Z=-12.414, P<0.05), BMI (Z=-16.363, P<0.05), waist circumference (Z=-7.733, P<0.05), hip circumference (Z=-8.595, P<0.05), ALT (Z=-2.835, P<0.05), aspartate aminotransferase (Z=-1.972, P<0.05), TG (Z=-2.407, P<0.05), CAP (Z=-4.429, P<0.05), degree of steatosis (χ2=16.588, P<0.05), and LSM (Z=-3.908, P<0.05). Based on the results of FIB-4 and LSM, 76 patients at a moderate or high risk of liver fibrosis should be referred to a higher-level hospital for further management. ConclusionThe detection rate of MAFLD reaches 70.6% among the individuals attending community health institutions, among whom 76 (17.1%) should be referred to a higher-level hospital. Establishing a liver fibrosis risk stratification and management system based on FIB-4 and LSM among MAFLD individuals in communities provides a practical pathway for chronic disease management and referral system construction in community health institutions.
3.Gene expression in pulmonary metastatic papillary thyroid cancer and its association with lung metastasis
Qiuqin QIAN ; Jing PENG ; Haiqing ZHU ; Wenjie PAN ; Zhenyu ZOU ; Feng SHI
Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2025;45(6):352-357
Objective:To investigate the gene expression of pulmonary metastatic papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and its association with lung metastasis, facilitating risk assessment and personalized therapeutic strategies.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 269 PTC patients (61 males, 208 females, age (38.9±11.9) years) treated at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University from January 2017 to June 2020, including 60 cases with lung metastasis and 209 without. Primary tumor tissues underwent targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for lung metastasis, and χ2 test was used to evaluate the differences between the effective and ineffective groups of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Results:In 60 PTC patients with lung metastasis, the mutation rates of B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine protein kinase (BRAF) V600E, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter, and rearranged in transformation (RET) fusion mutations were 28.3%(17/60), 25.0%(15/60), and 26.7%(16/60), respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated that age≥55 years, multifocality, lateral cervical lymph node metastasis, extrathyroidal extension, BRAF V600E mutation, RET fusion, and TERT promoter mutation were significantly associated with lung metastasis in PTC ( Wald χ2 values: 4.13-31.28, all P<0.05). However, no significant statistical associations were observed between lung metastasis and gender, rat sarcoma type GTPase family (RAS) mutation, tumor protein p53 (TP53) mutation, phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) mutation, neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase 1 (NTRK1) fusion, or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion ( Wald χ2 values: 0.01-3.50, all P>0.05). Multivariate analysis identified TERT promoter mutation (odds ratio ( OR)=11.86, 95% CI: 3.68-38.29, P<0.001), multifocality ( OR=5.30, 95% CI: 2.41-11.69, P<0.001), extrathyroidal extension ( OR=3.98, 95% CI: 1.77-8.98, P=0.001), and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis ( OR=3.13, 95% CI: 1.28-7.68, P=0.013) as independent risk factors for lung metastasis in PTC. Conversely, BRAF V600E mutation emerged as a potential protective factor ( OR=0.09, 95% CI: 0.04-0.21, P<0.001). The proportions of BRAF V600E mutation ( χ2=20.49, P<0.001) and TERT promoter mutation ( χ2=4.91, P=0.027) were higher in the RAI ineffective group. Conclusions:BRAF V600E mutation, TERT promoter mutation and RET fusion are related gene expression in lung metastasis of PTC. Multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, lateral cervical lymph node metastasis and TERT promoter mutation are risk factors for lung metastasis of PTC (TERT is an independent molecular risk marker), while BRAF V600E mutation may be a protective factor. RAI treatment efficacy of PTC patients with lung metastasis and BRAF V600E mutation/TERT promoter mutation is worse.
4.Gene expression in pulmonary metastatic papillary thyroid cancer and its association with lung metastasis
Qiuqin QIAN ; Jing PENG ; Haiqing ZHU ; Wenjie PAN ; Zhenyu ZOU ; Feng SHI
Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2025;45(6):352-357
Objective:To investigate the gene expression of pulmonary metastatic papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and its association with lung metastasis, facilitating risk assessment and personalized therapeutic strategies.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 269 PTC patients (61 males, 208 females, age (38.9±11.9) years) treated at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University from January 2017 to June 2020, including 60 cases with lung metastasis and 209 without. Primary tumor tissues underwent targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for lung metastasis, and χ2 test was used to evaluate the differences between the effective and ineffective groups of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Results:In 60 PTC patients with lung metastasis, the mutation rates of B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine protein kinase (BRAF) V600E, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter, and rearranged in transformation (RET) fusion mutations were 28.3%(17/60), 25.0%(15/60), and 26.7%(16/60), respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated that age≥55 years, multifocality, lateral cervical lymph node metastasis, extrathyroidal extension, BRAF V600E mutation, RET fusion, and TERT promoter mutation were significantly associated with lung metastasis in PTC ( Wald χ2 values: 4.13-31.28, all P<0.05). However, no significant statistical associations were observed between lung metastasis and gender, rat sarcoma type GTPase family (RAS) mutation, tumor protein p53 (TP53) mutation, phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) mutation, neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase 1 (NTRK1) fusion, or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion ( Wald χ2 values: 0.01-3.50, all P>0.05). Multivariate analysis identified TERT promoter mutation (odds ratio ( OR)=11.86, 95% CI: 3.68-38.29, P<0.001), multifocality ( OR=5.30, 95% CI: 2.41-11.69, P<0.001), extrathyroidal extension ( OR=3.98, 95% CI: 1.77-8.98, P=0.001), and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis ( OR=3.13, 95% CI: 1.28-7.68, P=0.013) as independent risk factors for lung metastasis in PTC. Conversely, BRAF V600E mutation emerged as a potential protective factor ( OR=0.09, 95% CI: 0.04-0.21, P<0.001). The proportions of BRAF V600E mutation ( χ2=20.49, P<0.001) and TERT promoter mutation ( χ2=4.91, P=0.027) were higher in the RAI ineffective group. Conclusions:BRAF V600E mutation, TERT promoter mutation and RET fusion are related gene expression in lung metastasis of PTC. Multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, lateral cervical lymph node metastasis and TERT promoter mutation are risk factors for lung metastasis of PTC (TERT is an independent molecular risk marker), while BRAF V600E mutation may be a protective factor. RAI treatment efficacy of PTC patients with lung metastasis and BRAF V600E mutation/TERT promoter mutation is worse.
5.Neuroimaging aided diagnosis and transcranial magnetic stimulation interventions for autism spectrum disorder
Xuchu WENG ; Jin JING ; Jianhong LUO ; Xujun DUAN ; Yufeng ZANG ; Xin WANG ; Jiuxing LIANG ; Lixia YUAN ; Xingjie YANG ; Lei LI ; Lizi LIN ; Haiqing XU ; Zhuoming CHEN ; Saijun HUANG ; Qiang CHEN ; Quanying YI ; Maoping LIANG ; Yanjuan CHEN
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2025;39(8):661-670
Autism spectrum disorder(ASD),characterized by unknown etiology and high heterogeneity,ne-cessitates precise diagnostic and intervention strategies.Neuroimaging techniques have shown great promise in un-covering the neural mechanisms of ASD,providing a foundation for aided diagnosis and transcranial magnetic stim-ulation(TMS)interventions.This review highlights that integrating multimodal neuroimaging and developing indi-vidualized indices with developmental specificity can significantly improve the accuracy of ASD diagnosis and clas-sification.Furthermore,TMS interventions guided by functional connectivity derived from functional magnetic reso-nance imaging(fMRI)offer a personalized approach to ASD treatment.
6.Characteristics and lifestyles of patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease based on the physical examination population
Haiqing GUO ; Mingliang LI ; Feng LIU ; Yali LIU ; Jing ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(6):1090-1096
ObjectiveTo screen for the patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) among the physical examination population, to observe the characteristics of MAFLD patients, and to compare the differences in lifestyle between the MAFLD population and the non-MAFLD population. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 6 206 individuals who underwent physical examination in a physical examination institution in Beijing from December 2015 to December 2019, and according to the new diagnostic criteria for MAFLD, the examination population was divided into MAFLD group and non-MAFLD group. Based on body mass index (BMI), the MAFLD group was further divided into lean MAFLD group (BMI<24 kg/m2) and non-lean MAFLD group (BMI ≥24 kg/m2). Related data were compared between groups, including demographic indicators, education level, work pressure, physical measurement indicators, and lifestyles such as sleep, diet, and exercise. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. ResultsOf all individuals in this study, 1 926 (31.1%) had MAFLD and 4 280 (68.9%) did not have MAFLD. Compared with the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group had significantly higher age (Z=-14.459, P<0.001), proportion of male patients (χ2=72.004, P<0.001), work pressure (χ2=7.744, P=0.005), body weight (Z=-43.508, P<0.001), BMI (Z=-47.621, P<0.001), waist circumference (Z=-48.515, P<0.001), hip circumference (Z=-42.121, P<0.001), and waist-hip ratio (Z=-43.535, P<0.001), as well as a significantly lower education level (χ2=33.583, P<0.001). In terms of behavior, the MAFLD group had a significantly shorter sleep time (χ2=5.820, P=0.016) and a significantly faster eating speed (χ2=74.476, P<0.001). In terms of diet, the patients in the MAFLD group consumed more high-sodium, high-sugar, and high-calorie diets (χ2=42.667, P<0.001) and low-fiber diet (χ2=4.367, P=0.008). In terms of exercise, the MAFLD group had a significantly higher proportion of patients without exercise habits (χ2=10.278, P=0.001). Further analysis showed that there were 202 individuals (10.5%) in the lean MAFLD group and 1 724 (89.5%) in the non-lean MAFLD group. Compared with the non-lean MAFLD group, the lean MAFLD group had significantly higher age (Z=3.368, P=0.001) and education level (χ2=9.647, P=0.002) and significantly lower proportion of male patients (χ2=27.664, P<0.001), body weight (Z=-18.483, P<0.001), BMI (Z=-23.286, P<0.001), waist circumference (Z=-18.565, P<0.001), and hip circumference (Z=-18.097, P<0.001), and in terms of behavior, the non-lean MAFLD group had a significantly faster eating speed (χ2=4.549, P=0.033). ConclusionThere is a relatively high prevalence rate of MAFLD among the physical examination population in Beijing, with a higher number of people with unhealthy lifestyles compared with the non-MAFLD population.
7.Modified Shengxian Decoction modulates PI3K/AKT-mediated inflammatory response in COPD through the lung-intestinal axis
Yanrui WU ; Chunyan YANG ; Yanqiong WANG ; Haiqing JING ; Jiayi SONG ; Jianmei LI ; Juntu ZHANG
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(2):323-332
Objective To explore the regulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)-mediated inflammatory response in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)by modified Shengxian Decoction through the lung-gut axis.Methods Thirty rats were divided into three groups:Control group,COPD group,and COPD+modified Shengxian Decoction(SXT)group,with 10 rats in each.The COPD model was established using passive smoking combined with intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide(LPS).General symptoms and signs of the rats were monitored during the modeling and intervention periods.Hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining and immunohistochemistry(IHC)were used to observe lung tissue structure.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)in lung tissues.Flow cytometry was used to detect the number of type Ⅱ innate lymphoid cells(nILC2)and type 2 innate lymphoid cells(iILC2)in lung and intestinal tissues.Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology was used to perform 16S rRNA gene sequencing on rat feces to analyze the gut microbiota structure.Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)was used to determine the content of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)in rat feces.Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of related proteins in the PI3K/AKT pathway.Results Compared with the Control group,the COPD group showed significantly reduced lung function indicators,increased heart rate and decreased body mass,while the SXT group showed significant improvement in lung function and general signs(P<0.05).HE staining showed that the COPD group had lung tissue damage filled with inflammatory cells,while the SXT group had significantly fewer inflammatory cells.IHC results showed that the SXT group had significantly reduced expression of caspase-3 protein(P<0.05).ELISA results showed that the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased in the COPD group,while the SXT group showed significant improvement in inflammatory damage.The ratio of nILC2 to iILC2 in lung and intestinal tissues was significantly reduced in the COPD group,indicating a significant inflammatory response,while the SXT group showed significant improvement(P<0.05).The levels of ILC2 cytokines IL-13 and IL-4 were significantly increased in the COPD group,while the SXT group had significantly reduced IL-13 and IL-4 levels.The relative abundance of lung and gut microbiota in the SXT group was significantly higher than that in the Control and COPD groups(P<0.05).Beta diversity index analysis showed significant differences in species diversity among the three groups(P<0.05).GC-MS detected six types of SCFAs in rat feces:acetic acid,propionic acid,isobutyric acid,butyric acid,isovaleric acid,and valeric acid.Their levels were lower in the COPD group than in the Control group,but the levels in the SXT group were higher than those in the COPD group.Western blotting results showed that the expressions of p-PI3K,PI3K,p-AKT,AKT,p-NF-κB,and NF-κB proteins were significantly reduced in the SXT group compared to the COPD group(P<0.05).ELISA results showed that the SXT group had significantly downregulated expression levels of IL-1β and IL-10 compared to the COPD group(P<0.05).Conclusion Modified Shengxian Decoction can alleviate COPD inflammation.It may mediate the inflammatory response in COPD by inhibiting iILC2 cell activity and expressions of related proteins in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through gut microbiota metabolism.
8.USP47 Regulates Excitatory Synaptic Plasticity and Modulates Seizures in Murine Models by Blocking Ubiquitinated AMPAR Degradation.
Juan YANG ; Haiqing ZHANG ; You WANG ; Yuemei LUO ; Weijin ZHENG ; Yong LIU ; Qian JIANG ; Jing DENG ; Qiankun LIU ; Peng ZHANG ; Hao HUANG ; Changyin YU ; Zucai XU ; Yangmei CHEN
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(10):1805-1823
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder affecting ~65 million individuals worldwide. Abnormal synaptic plasticity is one of the most important pathological features of this condition. We investigated how ubiquitin-specific peptidase 47 (USP47) influences synaptic plasticity and its link to epilepsy. We found that USP47 enhanced excitatory postsynaptic transmission and increased the density of total dendritic spines and the proportion of mature dendritic spines. Furthermore, USP47 inhibited the degradation of the ubiquitinated α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1), which is associated with synaptic plasticity. In addition, elevated levels of USP47 were found in epileptic mice, and USP47 knockdown reduced the frequency and duration of seizure-like events and alleviated epileptic seizures. To summarize, we present a new mechanism whereby USP47 regulates excitatory postsynaptic plasticity through the inhibition of ubiquitinated GluR1 degradation. Modulating USP47 may offer a potential approach for controlling seizures and modifying disease progression in future therapeutic strategies.
Animals
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Receptors, AMPA/metabolism*
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Neuronal Plasticity/physiology*
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Seizures/physiopathology*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Mice
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Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/genetics*
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Male
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Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials/physiology*
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Ubiquitination
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Dendritic Spines/metabolism*
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Hippocampus/metabolism*
9.Modified Shengxian Decoction modulates PI3K/AKT-mediated inflammatory response in COPD through the lung-intestinal axis
Yanrui WU ; Chunyan YANG ; Yanqiong WANG ; Haiqing JING ; Jiayi SONG ; Jianmei LI ; Juntu ZHANG
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(2):323-332
Objective To explore the regulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)-mediated inflammatory response in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)by modified Shengxian Decoction through the lung-gut axis.Methods Thirty rats were divided into three groups:Control group,COPD group,and COPD+modified Shengxian Decoction(SXT)group,with 10 rats in each.The COPD model was established using passive smoking combined with intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide(LPS).General symptoms and signs of the rats were monitored during the modeling and intervention periods.Hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining and immunohistochemistry(IHC)were used to observe lung tissue structure.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)in lung tissues.Flow cytometry was used to detect the number of type Ⅱ innate lymphoid cells(nILC2)and type 2 innate lymphoid cells(iILC2)in lung and intestinal tissues.Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology was used to perform 16S rRNA gene sequencing on rat feces to analyze the gut microbiota structure.Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)was used to determine the content of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)in rat feces.Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of related proteins in the PI3K/AKT pathway.Results Compared with the Control group,the COPD group showed significantly reduced lung function indicators,increased heart rate and decreased body mass,while the SXT group showed significant improvement in lung function and general signs(P<0.05).HE staining showed that the COPD group had lung tissue damage filled with inflammatory cells,while the SXT group had significantly fewer inflammatory cells.IHC results showed that the SXT group had significantly reduced expression of caspase-3 protein(P<0.05).ELISA results showed that the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased in the COPD group,while the SXT group showed significant improvement in inflammatory damage.The ratio of nILC2 to iILC2 in lung and intestinal tissues was significantly reduced in the COPD group,indicating a significant inflammatory response,while the SXT group showed significant improvement(P<0.05).The levels of ILC2 cytokines IL-13 and IL-4 were significantly increased in the COPD group,while the SXT group had significantly reduced IL-13 and IL-4 levels.The relative abundance of lung and gut microbiota in the SXT group was significantly higher than that in the Control and COPD groups(P<0.05).Beta diversity index analysis showed significant differences in species diversity among the three groups(P<0.05).GC-MS detected six types of SCFAs in rat feces:acetic acid,propionic acid,isobutyric acid,butyric acid,isovaleric acid,and valeric acid.Their levels were lower in the COPD group than in the Control group,but the levels in the SXT group were higher than those in the COPD group.Western blotting results showed that the expressions of p-PI3K,PI3K,p-AKT,AKT,p-NF-κB,and NF-κB proteins were significantly reduced in the SXT group compared to the COPD group(P<0.05).ELISA results showed that the SXT group had significantly downregulated expression levels of IL-1β and IL-10 compared to the COPD group(P<0.05).Conclusion Modified Shengxian Decoction can alleviate COPD inflammation.It may mediate the inflammatory response in COPD by inhibiting iILC2 cell activity and expressions of related proteins in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through gut microbiota metabolism.
10.Prevalence, influencing factors, and fibrosis risk stratification of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in the health check-up population in Beijing, China
Haiqing GUO ; Mingliang LI ; Feng LIU ; Jing ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(4):643-649
ObjectiveTo identify the patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) among the health check-up population, and to perform stratified management of patients with the low, medium, and high risk of advanced fibrosis based on noninvasive fibrosis scores. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 3 125 individuals who underwent physical examination in Beijing Physical Examination Center from December 2017 to December 2019, and they were divided into MAFLD group with 1 068 individuals and non-MAFLD group with 2 057 individuals. According to BMI, the MAFLD group was further divided into lean MAFLD group (125 individuals with BMI<24 kg/m2) and non-lean MAFLD group (943 individuals with BMI≥24 kg/m2). Indicators including demographic data, past history, laboratory examination, and liver ultrasound were compared between groups. Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score, NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and BARD score were calculated for the patients in the MAFLD group to assess the risk of advanced fibrosis. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influence of each indicator in MAFLD. ResultsCompared with the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group had significantly higher age (Z=-9.758, P<0.05), proportion of male patients (χ2=137.555, P<0.05), and levels of body weight (Z=-27.987, P<0.05), BMI (Z=-32.714, P<0.05), waist circumference (Z=-31.805, P<0.05), hip circumference (Z=-26.342, P<0.05), waist-hip ratio (Z=-28.554, P<0.05), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (Z=-25.820, P<0.05), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (Z=-16.894, P<0.05), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) (Z=-25.069, P<0.05), alkaline phosphatase (Z=-12.533, P<0.05), triglyceride (Z=-27.559), total cholesterol (Z=-7.833, P<0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (Z=-8.222, P<0.05), and uric acid (UA) (Z=-20.024, P<0.05), as well as a significantly higher proportion of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) (χ2=578.220, P<0.05), significantly higher prevalence rates of hypertension (χ2=241.694, P<0.05), type 2 diabetes (χ2=796.484, P<0.05), and dyslipidemia (χ2=369.843, P<0.05), and a significant reduction in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (Z=23.153, P<0.001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male sex (odds ratio [OR]=1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.203 — 1.737), ALT (OR=1.05, 95%CI: 1.046 — 1.062), LDL-C (OR=1.23, 95%CI: 1.102 — 1.373), and comorbidity with MetS (OR=5.97, 95%CI: 4.876 — 7.316) were independently associated with MAFLD. Compared with the non-lean MAFLD group, the lean MAFLD group had significantly higher age (Z=3.736, P<0.05) and HDL-C (Z=2.679, P<0.05) and significant reductions in the proportion of male patients (χ2=28.970, P<0.05), body weight (Z=-14.230, P<0.05), BMI (Z=-18.188, P<0.05), waist circumference (Z=-13.451, P<0.05), hip circumference (Z=-13.317, P<0.05), ALT (Z=-4.519, P<0.05), AST (Z=-2.258, P<0.05), GGT (Z=-4.592, P<0.05), UA (Z=-4.415, P<0.05), the proportion of patients with moderate or severe fatty liver disease or MetS (χ2=42.564, P<0.05), and the prevalence rates of hypertension (χ2=12.057, P<0.05) and type 2 diabetes (χ2=3.174, P<0.05). Among the patients with MAFLD, 10 patients (0.9%) had an FIB-4 score of >2.67, 4 patients (0.4%) had an NFS score of >0.676, 8 patients (0.7%) had an APRI of >1, and 551 patients (51.6%) had a BARD score of ≥2. ConclusionThere is a relatively high prevalence rate of MAFLD among the health check-up population in Beijing, but with a relatively low number of patients with a high risk of advanced fibrosis, and such patients need to be referred to specialized hospitals for liver diseases.

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