AIM:To identify surrogate clinical bio-markers for profiling the eosinophilic status of an individual patient over induced sputum analysis.METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional study on 100 asthmatic patients whose induced sputum was successfully collected.Subjects were further classified into either EA or NEA based on whether the percentage of sputum eosinophil count(SEC％)was≥3％.Demographic and clinical data were col-lected,including basic information,routine blood tests,lung function tests,bronchodilator reversibili-ty tests,fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO),the Asthma Control Test(ACT)and the Asthma Control Questionnaire(ACQ).All variables significantly asso-ciated with EA were candidates for multivariate lo-gistic regression analysis.A scoring system present-ed as a nomogram for the prediction of EA was de-veloped.RESULTS:In the univariate analysis,com-pared with NEA subjects,those with EA were of older age and had worse asthma control and lung function in addition to higher values of blood eosin-ophils,serum IgE and FeNO.Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age,FeNOx serum IgE and blood eosinophil count(BEC)were identi-fied as independent risk factors for eosinophilic asthma,which were all included in the nomogram.CONCLUSION:A combination assessment including age,FeNOx serum IgE and BEC could be applicable to clinicians in identifying eosinophilic asthma and is easier,faster,more inexpensive and more readily available than the induced sputum test.

AIM:To identify surrogate clinical bio-markers for profiling the eosinophilic status of an individual patient over induced sputum analysis.METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional study on 100 asthmatic patients whose induced sputum was successfully collected.Subjects were further classified into either EA or NEA based on whether the percentage of sputum eosinophil count(SEC％)was≥3％.Demographic and clinical data were col-lected,including basic information,routine blood tests,lung function tests,bronchodilator reversibili-ty tests,fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO),the Asthma Control Test(ACT)and the Asthma Control Questionnaire(ACQ).All variables significantly asso-ciated with EA were candidates for multivariate lo-gistic regression analysis.A scoring system present-ed as a nomogram for the prediction of EA was de-veloped.RESULTS:In the univariate analysis,com-pared with NEA subjects,those with EA were of older age and had worse asthma control and lung function in addition to higher values of blood eosin-ophils,serum IgE and FeNO.Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age,FeNOx serum IgE and blood eosinophil count(BEC)were identi-fied as independent risk factors for eosinophilic asthma,which were all included in the nomogram.CONCLUSION:A combination assessment including age,FeNOx serum IgE and BEC could be applicable to clinicians in identifying eosinophilic asthma and is easier,faster,more inexpensive and more readily available than the induced sputum test.

Analyzing the distribution characteristics of allergen sIgE in the serum of patients with respiratory and skin mucosal diseases in Shanghai City, and to provide epidemiological characteristics and diagnostic basis for the prevention and treatment of allergic respiratory and dermo-mucous diseases in Shanghai City. Adopting cross-sectional research, a total of 3 822 patients who received treatment in Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from July 2022 to July 2023 due to respiratory diseases or skin and dermo-mucous symptoms were included. Among them, there were 1 456 males and 2 366 females, with an age range of 1-97 years old. The median age (interquartile range) was 33 (27, 44) years old. The sIgE was detected by using immunoblotting. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0 software, and the comparison of count data (rates) between groups was conducted using χ 2 test. The results showed that a total of 3 377 (88.4%) cases among 3 822 patients were at least one allergen sIgE positive, and 72.9% (2 788/3 822) of them were multiple allergies sIgE positive. The top five allergen sIgE positive rates were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (37.9%, 1 447/3 822), Dermatophagoides farinae (32.1%, 1 225/3 822), milk (31.7%, 1 211/3 822), fungi (28.3%, 1 080/3 822), and Blomia tropicdis (23.8%, 909/3 822), with only milk was a kind of food allergen. The highest positive rates within the respiratory system disease group or dermo-mucous disease group were also these five allergens, without any difference in disease categories. The positive rates of cat dandruff, Humulusscandens, and juniper/birch in the respiratory system disease group were significantly higher than those in the skin and mucous membrane disease group, while the positive rates of shrimp/crab were relatively low (11.3% vs 14.9%, χ 2=9.616, P=0.002). Whether in the respiratory system disease group or the dermo-mucous disease group, the positive rates of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in male patients were significantly higher than those of females(42.6% vs 35.7%,41.0% vs 34.4%), with statistical significance ( χ 2=12.515, P<0.001; χ 2=5.143, P=0.023), And the three allergens, Dermatophagoides farinae, cat dander, and egg white allergens are also characterized by this feature.In addition, the positive rates of milk(33.8% vs 30.1%, χ 2=3.911, P=0.048), shrimp/crab(13.2% vs 10.0%, χ 2=6.423, P=0.014) in the respiratory system disease group were higher in males than in females, while in the dermo-mucous disease group, dog dander(20.5% vs 14.6%, χ 2=6.726, P=0.010) and peanuts/soybeans(10.5% vs 6.9%, χ 2=4.698, P=0.030) showed this phenomenon. In both the respiratory system disease group and the dermo-mucous disease group, there were 6 types of inhaled allergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, Blomia tropicdis, cat dandruff, dog dander, fungi) and 4 types of food allergens (egg yolks, egg white allergens, milk, shrimp/crab). However, the positivity rate of Aspergillus fumigatus (7.2% vs 9.3% vs 10.5% vs 15.7%, χ 2=10.996, P=0.012)in the respiratory disease group and cockroaches(4.2% vs 11.3% vs 9.6% vs 16.4%, χ 2=10.237, P=0.017) in the skin and mucosal disease group was the lowest in the underage group. There are seasonal differences in the positivity rates of allergens, with most allergens having significantly higher positivity rates in summer and autumn. In conclusion, the most common allergens sIgE positive in patients with respiratory and dermo-mucous diseases in Shanghai City are Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, milk, fungi, and Blomia tropicdis. The trend of allergen sIgE prevalence in the two major categories of diseases is basically consistent. Allergen sIgE distribution varies among patient populations of different gender, age or season, and clinical prevention and treatment can be based on the results of serum allergen testing.

Induced sputum testing is a non-invasive test that reflects the nature and extent of airway inflammation and plays an important role in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of chronic airway diseases. This article outlines the development history of induced sputum technology, introduces the principle and operation of induced sputum technology, evaluates its safety, summarizes the three main test components, elaborates the role of this technology in various chronic airway diseases, such as reflecting the type of airway inflammation, predicting the efficacy of medication, and combining it with transcriptomics to study disease mechanisms, and briefly summarizes its innovations and makes a vision for the future.

Induced sputum testing is a non-inva-sive test that reflects the nature and extent of air-way inflammation and plays an important role in the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of chronic airway diseases.This article outlines the develop-ment history of induced sputum technology,intro-duces the principle and operation of induced spu-tum technology,evaluates its safety,summarizes the three main test components,elaborates the role of this technology in various chronic airway diseases,such as reflecting the type of airway in-flammation,predicting the efficacy of medication,and combining it with transcriptomics to study dis-ease mechanisms,and briefly summarizes its inno-vations and makes a vision for the future.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside tablets （TWP） in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis （RA） in the real world. MethodDiagnosis and treatment data of patients with RA in Chinese medicine rheumatology registration research information platform information database （CERTAIN） from January 1，2019 to January， 2024 were collected. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria， data were screened. The included data were divided into an exposure group and a control group according to the use of TWP or not. Propensity score matching （PSM） was used in both groups to keep the baseline balanced and comparable. The disease activity score （DAS28-ESR） of 28 joints based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）before and after treatment was compared between the two groups， as well as health assessment questionnaire （HAQ），visual analogue scale （VAS），tender joint count （TJC），swollen joint count （SJC）， patient's global assessment （PGA），evaluator's global assessment （EGA），laboratory indexes， clinical curative effect， and adverse reactions. ResultA total of 3 978 patients were included，including 929 in the exposure group and 3 049 in the control group. Before PSM，there were significant differences in demographic information，DAS28-ESR score，PGA，EGA，HAQ，VAS scores，SJC， and TJC between the two groups （P<0.05）. After successful PSM matching，922 patients in the exposure group and 922 patients in the control group were included. There was no significant difference in demographic information and DAS28-ESR between the two groups before treatment，and the differences in other indexes between the two groups decreased to varying degrees. After treatment，the DAS28-ESR，PGA，EGA，HAQ，SJC，TJC，VAS scores， ESR，and IgG immune index of the two groups were significantly lower （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the control group after treatment，the DAS28-ESR，PGA，EGA，HAQ，VAS scores， and ESR in the exposure group after treatment decreased more significantly （P<0.05，P<0.01）. There was no significant difference in TJC in the exposure group after treatment. However， TJC in the exposure group was significantly higher than that in the control group before treatment （P<0.05）. In terms of TJC reduction，the exposure group performed better than the control group. There was no significant difference in SJC and IgG between the exposure group and the control group after treatment. After treatment，the clinical symptoms of poor appetite，insomnia and many dreams，upset，fatigue，and fear of wind and cold in the two groups were improved. Except that the proportion of women in the exposure group was higher than that in the control group （P<0.01），there was no significant difference in the incidence of other adverse reactions between the two groups after treatment. ConclusionTWP to treat RA can effectively reduce DAS28-ESR，PGA，EGA，HAQ，TJC，and VAS scores and improve the general symptoms. Except for the women at childbearing age with fertility requirements that TWP is not applicable，it shows good security.

Induced sputum testing is a non-inva-sive test that reflects the nature and extent of air-way inflammation and plays an important role in the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of chronic airway diseases.This article outlines the develop-ment history of induced sputum technology,intro-duces the principle and operation of induced spu-tum technology,evaluates its safety,summarizes the three main test components,elaborates the role of this technology in various chronic airway diseases,such as reflecting the type of airway in-flammation,predicting the efficacy of medication,and combining it with transcriptomics to study dis-ease mechanisms,and briefly summarizes its inno-vations and makes a vision for the future.

Induced sputum testing is a non-inva-sive test that reflects the nature and extent of air-way inflammation and plays an important role in the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of chronic airway diseases.This article outlines the develop-ment history of induced sputum technology,intro-duces the principle and operation of induced spu-tum technology,evaluates its safety,summarizes the three main test components,elaborates the role of this technology in various chronic airway diseases,such as reflecting the type of airway in-flammation,predicting the efficacy of medication,and combining it with transcriptomics to study dis-ease mechanisms,and briefly summarizes its inno-vations and makes a vision for the future.

Induced sputum testing is a non-inva-sive test that reflects the nature and extent of air-way inflammation and plays an important role in the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of chronic airway diseases.This article outlines the develop-ment history of induced sputum technology,intro-duces the principle and operation of induced spu-tum technology,evaluates its safety,summarizes the three main test components,elaborates the role of this technology in various chronic airway diseases,such as reflecting the type of airway in-flammation,predicting the efficacy of medication,and combining it with transcriptomics to study dis-ease mechanisms,and briefly summarizes its inno-vations and makes a vision for the future.

Induced sputum testing is a non-inva-sive test that reflects the nature and extent of air-way inflammation and plays an important role in the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of chronic airway diseases.This article outlines the develop-ment history of induced sputum technology,intro-duces the principle and operation of induced spu-tum technology,evaluates its safety,summarizes the three main test components,elaborates the role of this technology in various chronic airway diseases,such as reflecting the type of airway in-flammation,predicting the efficacy of medication,and combining it with transcriptomics to study dis-ease mechanisms,and briefly summarizes its inno-vations and makes a vision for the future.