It attempts to determine the theoretical connotation and clinical application of the twelve-meridian based syndrome/pattern differentiation of TCM through the systematic analysis and elaboration, so as to promote the completion of meridian differentiation system. The exploration is conducted on the main body of traditional meridian-syndrome differentiation, meaning the meridian differentiation in terms of location of illness and that in terms of symptoms. The existing problems and causes are analyzed, and the specific methods of meridian differentiation put forward in line with the characteristics of meridian distribution and symptoms. In reference with Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperors' Canon of Medicine) and other ancient literature, the theoretical evidences of meridian differentiation are deeply analyzed in view of physiological/pathological characteristics that has been neglected in the past, such as qi and blood of meridians, opening, closing and pivoting, and time. Additionally, the category issues related to twelve-meridian differentiation and their relationship with six-meridian differentiation are expounded. The summary on the multiple connotations of twelve-meridian differentiation is of great significance on re-understanding meridians, perfecting meridian-collateral differentiation system and improving the accuracy on meridian-based treatment. Besides, the reconstruction of meridian differentiation and its framework is considered profoundly.
Meridians ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; History, Ancient ; Acupuncture Points ; Medicine in Literature

After being treated with acupuncture, some patients with idiopathic tinnitus may experience a short-term aggravation of tinnitus symptoms on the original basis. These symptoms can be gradually relieved and the overall condition fluctuates towards recovery. This phenomenon has brought some difficulties to patients and clinicians. Based on the academic view of TCM, "destroying pathogens and re-building balance", and in association with the existing understanding of acupuncture in modern medicine for tinnitus, this paper briefly discusses the mechanism and influencing factors of symptom fluctuation in patients with idiopathic tinnitus after acupuncture treatment in terms of both TCM and modern medicine, and proposes the future direction in the research of symptom fluctuation, so as to promote the recognition of clinicians and patients on symptom fluctuation and make rational use of its positive effects. Besides, it is hoped that more researchers will pay attention to symptom fluctuation and advance the exploration of it in academic field.
Humans ; Tinnitus/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Female

Objective:To analyze the relationship between the level of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and clinical manifestations, and to discuss the clinical significance of ESR in patients with SSc.Methods:Patients with SSc registered in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2009 and May 2022 in the database of National Rheumatism Data Center (CRDC) were included. All patients fulfilled the 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for SSc. The clinical features and laboratory tests were analyzed. T test was used for analyzing the mea-surement data with normal distribution, and the results were expressed as mean±SD deviation. Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to analyze the measurement data that did not conform to normal distribution. The results were expressed as M ( Q1, Q3). The count data were compared with Chisquare test or Fisher's exact test. Binary logistic regression analysiswas used to analyze independent variables. P val-ue<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results:A total of 308 SSc patients were enrolled in the single center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, including 280 females (90.9%), with the average age of (47 ±12) years old. SSc patients with elevated ESR combined woth anemia were more common. Compared with normal ESR group, elevated ESR group had higher incidence of pulmonary interstitial disease (80.8% vs. 67.6%, χ2=5.89, P=0.015), pulmonary hypertension (31.7% vs. 21.1%, χ2=4.20, P=0.040) and myositis(26.9% vs. 15.7%, χ2=5.54, P=0.019). In laboratory tests, anemia is highly frequent in SSc patients with increased ESR. The increase in CK, hs-CRP, IgA and IgG were more common, and the val-ues of IgA and IgG were sta-tistically higher. In antibody tests, anti-dsDNA antibody, anti-RNP antibody, anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies positivity were higher, and anti-Scl70 antibody positivity was less common ( P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis indicated elevated IgG [ B=1.733, OR(95% CI)=5.657(2.839, 11.272), P<0.001], anemia [ B=1.083, OR(95% CI)=2.952(1.376, 6.333), P=0.005)], positive anti-SSA antibody [ B=1.665, OR(95% CI)=5.287 (2.367, 11.809), P<0.001] were independent factors for SSc patients with elevated ESR are more common. IgG and positive anti-SSA antibody were strong risk factor for increased ESR. Conclusion:SSc patients with elevated ESR are more commonl with anemia, elevated IgG and positive anti-SSA anti-body, which may be related to disease activity. Long-term follow-up for these patients is helpful to guide clini-cal doctors′ treatment choices.

Objective To investigate the safety of using a self-made new type non-inflatable retractor for transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via submental and vestibular approach(TOETSMVA).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the surgical records of 119 cases of unilateral thyroid lobe tumor from January 2021 to June 2022.Among them,37 cases underwent non-inflatable TOETSMVA by using a new type non-inflatable retractor(non-inflatable group),37 cases underwent traditional inflatable TOETSMVA(inflatable group),and 45 cases underwent traditional open anterior cervical thyroid surgery(open group).The differences in surgical indicators,postoperative complications,and patient satisfaction with incision were compared among the three groups.Results Compared with the open group,the non-inflatable group had longer operation time[(131.0±20.1)min vs.(81.1±15.7)min,P=0.000],but less intraoperative blood loss[19(15,27)ml vs.30(25,37)ml,P=0.000],lower pain score on the first day after surgery[(4.8±2.1)points vs.(6.4±1.9)points,P=0.000],and higher patient's satisfaction with the incision(the number of cases of very dissatisfied,dissatisfied,satisfied,comparatively satisfied,and very satisfied were 0,0,6,16,15 vs.4,3,19,17,2,P=0.000).Compared with the inflatable group,the non-inflatable group had shorter surgical time[(131.0±20.1)min vs.(141.8±22.9)min,P=0.019],and there were no statistically significant differences in intraoperative bleeding volume,pain score on the first day after surgery,and patient satisfaction with the incision(P＞0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in the number of lymph node dissection,total postoperative drainage volume,and parathyroid hormone(PTH)levels on the first day after surgery among the three groups(P＞0.05).Postoperative bleeding occurred in 1 case in the open group,and 1 case of hoarseness and 1 case of subcutaneous ecchymosis of the neck were noted in the non-inflatable group.No tracheoesophageal injury,severe subcutaneous emphysema,hypercapnia,or gas embolism happened among the three groups.Conclusions The new type non-inflatable retractor can effectively maintain space during TOETSMVA surgery.Compared with traditional open anterior cervical thyroid surgery and conventional inflatable TOETSMVA,it has better surgical safety.

Objective:To retrieve, evaluate, and integrate the best evidence for the management of skin complications in children with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) .Methods:Evidence on skin complications in children with PEG was systematically searched on BMJ Best Practice, UpToDate, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), PubMed, Web of Science, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Health Care Center Database in Australia, China Biology Medicine disc, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data, Chinese Medical Journal Full-text Database, Medlive and other domestic and foreign databases. The search period was from database establishment to August 31, 2023. Three evidence-based nursing professionals conducted quality evaluation, evidence extraction, and summarization of retrieved literature.Results:A total of six articles were included, including three guidelines, one clinical decision and two expert consensus. Eighteen pieces of evidence were formed from four aspects of perioperative nursing, ostomy tube nursing, complication management, and health education.Conclusions:The best evidence for management of skin complications in children with PEG summarized is of high quality and strong authority, which can provide evidence-based support for medical and nursing staff, aiming to reduce the incidence of skin complications in children with PEG and ensure patient safety.

Objective To investigate age-and sex-related changes in choroid plexus(CP)volume in healthy adults,as well as its association with the volumes of other brain regions,and explore the relationship of CP volume changes with degenerative brain alterations.Methods A total of 320 healthy subjects aged between 18 and 85 years were prospectively recruited in Physical Examination Center of First Affiliated Hospital to Army Medical University during August 2023 and February 2024.These participants were randomly divided into 7.OT and 3.OT groups,with 160 people in each group.After all of them underwent sagittal three-dimensional structural MPRAGE scans of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)at 3.OT or7.OT,FreeSurfer 6.0 segmentation software was employed to obtain the volumes of CP and other brain regions automatically.Spearman analysis was applied to analyze the correlation of CP volume with age.Independent sample t-test analysis was applied to analyze the differences in CP volume between genders.Partial correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between CP volume and the volumes of other brain regions.Results A total of 311 subjects were included in the study.The results from both 3.OT and 7.OT MRI showed that CP volume was positively correlated with age(3.OT:r=0.462,P＜0.001;7.OT:r=0.539,P＜0.001).The males had significantly larger CP volume than the females(3.OT:1.4±0.47 vs 1.08±0.39 mL,P＜0.001;7.OT:2.43±0.68 vs 1.98±0.38 mL,P＜0.001).In addition,3.OT MRI revealed there was a significant positive correlation of CP volume with the volumes of white matter hyperintensities(WMH)and cerebrospinal fluid(P＜0.001),as well as a negative correlation with the volumes of gray matter,white matter,hippocampus and thalamus(P＜0.05).Conclusion CP volume is increased with ageing,with gender differences,independent of field strength and resolution.CP volume is correlated with WMH,hippocampus and other brain regions,suggesting that increment in CP volume is involved in age-related degenerative changes in the brain.Changes in CP volume might be regarded as a new imaging marker for the neurodegenerative changes.

Objective To compare endoscopic thyroidectomy via transoral submental approach with open surgery for treating thyroid tumors in terms of the clinical effectiveness.Methods We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the clinical data and follow-up records of 154 patients in the study,who were hospitalized for thyroidectomy in our hospital from January 2021 to June 2022.Among them,74 cases undergoing endoscopic thyroidectomy via transoral submental approach were assigned to the endoscopic group and 80 cases undergoing traditional open thyroid surgery to the open surgery group.Results All operations were completed successfully and safely in both groups,with no intermediate openings in the endoscopic group.Compared with the open surgery group,the endoscopic group had significantly fewer intraoperative blood losses[(19.46±10.24)mL vs.(32.05±15.87)mL],significantly less incision length[(1.95±0.30)cm vs.(7.05±0.60)cm],significant shorter operative time[(136.66±22.44)min vs.(82.75±15.20)min],and significantly less total postoperative drainage[(111.35±38.92)mL vs.(95.45±36.73)mL](all P＜0.05).Endoscopic patients had superior postoperative pain and cosmetic satisfaction compared to open patients,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The two groups had no significant differences in the number of lymph node dissections,parathyroid hormone,and postoperative morbidity between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The endoscopic thyroidectomy via transoral submental approach can achieve the same clinical effectiveness as the traditional open surgery.However,it is advantageous in reducing intra-operative blood loss,relieving post-operative pain,and achieving a better cosmetic effects of neck incision,thus deserving clinical promotion and application.

This article summarizes the clinical experience in treatment of refractory tinnitus with He's santong therapy of acupuncture (three techniques of acupuncture to remove the blockage and promote circulation). Refractory tinnitus is characterized by a mixture of deficiency and excess, which is implicated in the dysfunction of zangfu organs, resulting in physical and mental injuries. In association with the complicated conditions of the diseases and etiology, He's santong therapy of acupuncture is adopted. The needling with filiform needles acts directly on the affected site to regulate the mind and improve the hearing, the fire needling works on removing the refractory illness and blockage through heating up, and bloodletting on activating blood circulation and promoting qi flowing to eliminate the pathogens. The three techniques of acupuncture co-work on harmonizing the mind, promoting the circulations in the ear to stop tinnitus.
Humans ; Tinnitus/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Female ; Acupuncture Points

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with Libman-Sacks endocarditis (LSE).Methods:Data of SLE patients with LSE ( n=20) who admitted in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2012 to May 2021 were retrospectively collected. SLE patients without LSE ( n=60) were randomly selected as controls according to 1∶3 age and sex matched in the hospitalized patients during the same period. Clinical characteristics, laboratory and imaging examinations were analyzed. Data were expressed as Mean± SD, and t test was used to compare quantitative data in normal distri-bution. Data were expressed as M ( Q1, Q 3), and Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to compare quantitative data in non-normal distribution. The count data were compared with Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Univariate conditional logistic regression was used for univariable analyses. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results:There were 20 SLE patients with LSE, 18 females with an average age of (32±9) years (13 to 49 years). The disease duration of SLE was 16.04(0, 185.1) months when LSE was discovered, and vegetations were located at the mitral valve in 19 (95.0%) patients. Cerebral infarction (45.0% vs 10.0%, χ2=9.87, P=0.001) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (50.0% vs 5.0%, χ2=22.32, P<0.001) were more common in SLE with LSE. In addition, SLE with LSE had lower platelet counts [(140±67)×10 9/L vs (189±115)×10 9/L, t=-2.29, P=0.026] and higher positive rate of lupus anticoagulant (LA) (80.0% vs 23.6%, χ2=19.65, P<0.001), lower positive rate of anti-SSA antibodies (21.1% vs 60.0%, χ2=6.38, P=0.012). Left atrial enlargement (anteroposterior diameter of left atrium>40 mm) was more common in SLE patients with LSE (35.0% vs 5.4%, χ2=9.37, P=0.002), and anteroposterior diameter of left atrium [(37±7) mm vs (33±4) mm, t=2.15, P=0.043] were larger and left ventricular ejection fraction [(63±10)% vs (68±6)%, t=-2.41, P=0.019] was lower. The risk of SLE with LSE complicated with APS was 19 times compared with SLE without LSE [ OR (95% CI)=19.00 (4.43, 81.38), P<0.001]. Conclusion:SLE patients with LSE have increased risk of APS and cerebrovascular diseases. For patients with positive LA, the possibility of LSE should be alerted.

Objective:To study the value of autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and autoregressive (AR) models in predicting the daily number of ambulances in prehospital emergency medical services demand in Guangzhou.Methods:Matlab simulation software was used to analyze the emergency dispatching departure records in Guangzhou from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. A time series for the number of ambulances per day was calculated. After identifying the time series prediction model, ARIMA(1,1,1), AR(4) and AR(7) models were obtained. These models were used to predict the number of ambulances per day. ARIMA(1,1,1) model divided the time series into the training set and test set. Prony method was used for parameter calculation, and the demands of number of ambulances of the next few months were forecasted. AR(4) and AR(7) models used uniformity coefficient to forecast the demands of number of ambulances on that very day.Results:ARIMA(1,1,1), AR(4) and AR(7) can effectively predict the number of ambulances per day. The prediction fitting error of ARIMA (1,1,1) decreased with the extension of prediction time. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of forecast results of daily vehicle output of emergency dispatching within two months was less than 6% and the predicted results were almost within the 95% confidence interval. The residual analysis of the model verified that the model was significantly effective.Conclusions:ARIMA model can make a long-term within two months and effective prediction fitting of the daily vehicle output of emergency dispatching, and AR model can make a short-term and effective prediction of the daily vehicle output of emergency dispatching.