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.

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.

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.

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.