1.Construction of regional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment system for pregnant and postpartum women in China: current situation, challenges and strategies
Youmei CHEN ; Jianxin ZHEN ; Quanfu ZHANG
Journal of Chinese Physician 2025;27(9):1281-1287
With the increasing proportion of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become the ultimate treatment for severe obstetric diseases. However, the application of ECMO for pregnant and postpartum women in China is facing the prominent contradiction of " unbalanced growth between quantity and quality system construction", which is manifested as systemic challenges such as uneven regional development, inconsistent treatment capabilities, and lack of unified standards. To address the above issues, this paper proposes the construction of a regional ECMO treatment system for pregnant and postpartum women based on the " Hub-and-Spoke" model. This system aims to achieve early identification, rapid transportation, and homogeneous and efficient treatment of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women by concentrating high-quality medical resources, establishing standardized multidisciplinary team (MDT) diagnosis and treatment processes, and setting up professional mobile ECMO transportation teams. The construction of this regional treatment system is a key measure to improve the success rate of treating critically ill pregnant and postpartum women and reduce maternal mortality in China, and is of great significance for ensuring maternal and infant safety.
2.Clinical analysis and regional experience of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the treatment of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women in Bao′an district, Shenzhen
Youmei CHEN ; Shengyuan SU ; Jianxin ZHEN ; Chenhong WANG ; Quanfu ZHANG
Journal of Chinese Physician 2025;27(9):1294-1299
Objective:To explore the application indications, clinical characteristics and influencing factors of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the treatment of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women in Bao′an district, Shenzhen, and summarize regional experience.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 cases of pregnant and postpartum women who received ECMO treatment at the CUHK Women′s and Children′s Medical Centre (Shenzhen) and the Shenzhen Bao′an People′s Hospital from 2020 to 2024. Baseline characteristics, ECMO parameters, complications and maternal-infant outcomes of the patients were collected.Results:The patients′ age was 29(24, 36) years old, gestational age was 39(31, 39) weeks, and ECMO maintenance time was 8(4, 8) days. ECMO indications included 2 cases of cardiac arrest, 1 case of respiratory and circulatory failure, 1 case of cardiogenic shock, and 1 case of acute respiratory distress syndrome. There were 4 cases of veno-arterial (VA)-ECMO and 1 case of veno-venous (VV)-ECMO. Complications included 3 cases of bleeding, 4 cases of acute renal failure, 2 cases of thrombosis, and 2 cases of infection. Both maternal and infant survival were 3 cases. Successful cases benefited from the multidisciplinary rapid response team and regional transportation cooperation, while failed cases were mostly accompanied by severe bleeding and disseminated intravascular coagulation.Conclusions:ECMO improves the success rate of treating critically ill pregnant and postpartum women in Bao′an District. Amniotic fluid embolism and severe pulmonary hypertension are the main indications. Regional multidisciplinary cooperation, accurate initiation timing and individualized anticoagulation management are the keys. It is recommended to establish a national ECMO registration system for pregnant and postpartum women to optimize treatment strategies and improve maternal and infant prognosis.
3.Risk factors and nomogram construction for predicting long-term survival in hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach
Yuyuan LU ; Hao CUI ; Bo CAO ; Qixuan XU ; Jingwang GAO ; Ruiyang ZHAO ; Huiguang REN ; Zhen YUAN ; Jiajun DU ; Jiahong SUN ; Jianxin CUI ; Bo WEI
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2025;28(2):157-168
Objective:This study aimed to analyze the prognostic risk factors for hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach (HAS) and construct two nomogram-based clinical prediction models to predict overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with HAS.Methods:Data were retrospectively collected from 82 patients (64 males, 18 females; mean age 60.3 ± 9.4 years) who underwent radical gastrectomy and were pathologically diagnosed with gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital between February 2006 and September 2023. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0 and R 4.3.2. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate analyses were used to identify clinical and pathological factors associated with prognosis. Variables with P<0.05 in the univariate analysis were included in multivariate Cox regression models to identify independent risk factors for OS and RFS. These factors were incorporated into the prediction models to construct nomograms. The discriminatory power of the models was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, while calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), and comparisons with the 8th edition of the TNM staging system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) were employed to evaluate model performance. Results:Among the 82 patients, 36 (43.9%) exhibited vascular infiltration, 61 (74.4%) had nerve infiltration, and lymph node metastasis was observed in 60 cases (73.2%). Pathological stages I, II, III, and IV were distributed as 11 (13.4%), 26 (31.7%), 44 (53.7%), and 1 (1.2%) cases, respectively. Inflammatory markers included neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥ 4.33 in 22 cases (26.8%), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) ≥ 142.2 in 50 cases (61.0%), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) ≥ 0.411 in 22 cases (26.8%), α-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥ 2.48 μg/L in 64 cases (78.0%), and C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥ 7.506 mg/L in 12 cases (14.6%). Among the 82 patients, 3 cases (3.6%) were lost to follow-up. The median follow-up time was 52 (range: 8–147) months, with a median OS of 61(2–147) months. The 1-year and 3-year OS rates were 78.5% and 58.5%, respectively, while the 1-year and 3-year RFS rates were 77.3% and 60.3%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified several independent risk factors influencing OS in patients with HAS: advanced pathological stage, MLR ≥ 0.411, AFP ≥ 2.545 μg/L, and CRP ≥ 7.51 mg/L. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were as follows: 5.218 (1.230–22.143), 2.610 (1.287–5.294), 2.950 (1.013–8.589), and 2.594 (1.145–5.877), respectively (all P < 0.05). For RFS, advanced pathological stage, PLR ≥ 152.0, and MLR ≥ 0.411 were independent risk factors, with HRs (95% CIs) of 4.735 (1.080–20.760), 3.759 (1.259–11.226), and 2.714 (1.218–6.048), respectively (all P < 0.05). The AUC values for OS prediction at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years were 0.7765, 0.7525, and 0.7702, respectively. For RFS, the AUC values were 0.7304, 0.8137, and 0.8307 at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. The calibration curves demonstrated strong agreement between nomogram- predicted outcomes and observed survival data. DCA indicated that both TNM staging and the nomogram-based clinical prediction models provided a net positive benefit in predicting OS and RFS in HAS patients, with the nomogram model demonstrating superior performance. Conclusion:The nomogram-based clinical prediction models developed in this study demonstrated robust performance in predicting long-term OS and RFS in patients with HAS.
4.Risk factors and nomogram construction for predicting long-term survival in hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach
Yuyuan LU ; Hao CUI ; Bo CAO ; Qixuan XU ; Jingwang GAO ; Ruiyang ZHAO ; Huiguang REN ; Zhen YUAN ; Jiajun DU ; Jiahong SUN ; Jianxin CUI ; Bo WEI
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2025;28(2):157-168
Objective:This study aimed to analyze the prognostic risk factors for hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach (HAS) and construct two nomogram-based clinical prediction models to predict overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with HAS.Methods:Data were retrospectively collected from 82 patients (64 males, 18 females; mean age 60.3 ± 9.4 years) who underwent radical gastrectomy and were pathologically diagnosed with gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital between February 2006 and September 2023. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0 and R 4.3.2. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate analyses were used to identify clinical and pathological factors associated with prognosis. Variables with P<0.05 in the univariate analysis were included in multivariate Cox regression models to identify independent risk factors for OS and RFS. These factors were incorporated into the prediction models to construct nomograms. The discriminatory power of the models was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, while calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), and comparisons with the 8th edition of the TNM staging system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) were employed to evaluate model performance. Results:Among the 82 patients, 36 (43.9%) exhibited vascular infiltration, 61 (74.4%) had nerve infiltration, and lymph node metastasis was observed in 60 cases (73.2%). Pathological stages I, II, III, and IV were distributed as 11 (13.4%), 26 (31.7%), 44 (53.7%), and 1 (1.2%) cases, respectively. Inflammatory markers included neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥ 4.33 in 22 cases (26.8%), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) ≥ 142.2 in 50 cases (61.0%), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) ≥ 0.411 in 22 cases (26.8%), α-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥ 2.48 μg/L in 64 cases (78.0%), and C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥ 7.506 mg/L in 12 cases (14.6%). Among the 82 patients, 3 cases (3.6%) were lost to follow-up. The median follow-up time was 52 (range: 8–147) months, with a median OS of 61(2–147) months. The 1-year and 3-year OS rates were 78.5% and 58.5%, respectively, while the 1-year and 3-year RFS rates were 77.3% and 60.3%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified several independent risk factors influencing OS in patients with HAS: advanced pathological stage, MLR ≥ 0.411, AFP ≥ 2.545 μg/L, and CRP ≥ 7.51 mg/L. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were as follows: 5.218 (1.230–22.143), 2.610 (1.287–5.294), 2.950 (1.013–8.589), and 2.594 (1.145–5.877), respectively (all P < 0.05). For RFS, advanced pathological stage, PLR ≥ 152.0, and MLR ≥ 0.411 were independent risk factors, with HRs (95% CIs) of 4.735 (1.080–20.760), 3.759 (1.259–11.226), and 2.714 (1.218–6.048), respectively (all P < 0.05). The AUC values for OS prediction at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years were 0.7765, 0.7525, and 0.7702, respectively. For RFS, the AUC values were 0.7304, 0.8137, and 0.8307 at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. The calibration curves demonstrated strong agreement between nomogram- predicted outcomes and observed survival data. DCA indicated that both TNM staging and the nomogram-based clinical prediction models provided a net positive benefit in predicting OS and RFS in HAS patients, with the nomogram model demonstrating superior performance. Conclusion:The nomogram-based clinical prediction models developed in this study demonstrated robust performance in predicting long-term OS and RFS in patients with HAS.
5.Construction of regional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment system for pregnant and postpartum women in China: current situation, challenges and strategies
Youmei CHEN ; Jianxin ZHEN ; Quanfu ZHANG
Journal of Chinese Physician 2025;27(9):1281-1287
With the increasing proportion of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become the ultimate treatment for severe obstetric diseases. However, the application of ECMO for pregnant and postpartum women in China is facing the prominent contradiction of " unbalanced growth between quantity and quality system construction", which is manifested as systemic challenges such as uneven regional development, inconsistent treatment capabilities, and lack of unified standards. To address the above issues, this paper proposes the construction of a regional ECMO treatment system for pregnant and postpartum women based on the " Hub-and-Spoke" model. This system aims to achieve early identification, rapid transportation, and homogeneous and efficient treatment of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women by concentrating high-quality medical resources, establishing standardized multidisciplinary team (MDT) diagnosis and treatment processes, and setting up professional mobile ECMO transportation teams. The construction of this regional treatment system is a key measure to improve the success rate of treating critically ill pregnant and postpartum women and reduce maternal mortality in China, and is of great significance for ensuring maternal and infant safety.
6.Clinical analysis and regional experience of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the treatment of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women in Bao′an district, Shenzhen
Youmei CHEN ; Shengyuan SU ; Jianxin ZHEN ; Chenhong WANG ; Quanfu ZHANG
Journal of Chinese Physician 2025;27(9):1294-1299
Objective:To explore the application indications, clinical characteristics and influencing factors of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the treatment of critically ill pregnant and postpartum women in Bao′an district, Shenzhen, and summarize regional experience.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 cases of pregnant and postpartum women who received ECMO treatment at the CUHK Women′s and Children′s Medical Centre (Shenzhen) and the Shenzhen Bao′an People′s Hospital from 2020 to 2024. Baseline characteristics, ECMO parameters, complications and maternal-infant outcomes of the patients were collected.Results:The patients′ age was 29(24, 36) years old, gestational age was 39(31, 39) weeks, and ECMO maintenance time was 8(4, 8) days. ECMO indications included 2 cases of cardiac arrest, 1 case of respiratory and circulatory failure, 1 case of cardiogenic shock, and 1 case of acute respiratory distress syndrome. There were 4 cases of veno-arterial (VA)-ECMO and 1 case of veno-venous (VV)-ECMO. Complications included 3 cases of bleeding, 4 cases of acute renal failure, 2 cases of thrombosis, and 2 cases of infection. Both maternal and infant survival were 3 cases. Successful cases benefited from the multidisciplinary rapid response team and regional transportation cooperation, while failed cases were mostly accompanied by severe bleeding and disseminated intravascular coagulation.Conclusions:ECMO improves the success rate of treating critically ill pregnant and postpartum women in Bao′an District. Amniotic fluid embolism and severe pulmonary hypertension are the main indications. Regional multidisciplinary cooperation, accurate initiation timing and individualized anticoagulation management are the keys. It is recommended to establish a national ECMO registration system for pregnant and postpartum women to optimize treatment strategies and improve maternal and infant prognosis.
7.Role of complement C3a receptor in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in db/db mice
Enqin LIN ; Xiaohong ZHANG ; Mengjie WENG ; Jing ZHEN ; Jianxin WAN
Chinese Journal of Nephrology 2024;40(6):465-474
Objective:To investigate the role of complement C3a receptor in the diabetic nephropathy pathogenesis of db/db mice, and to provide a new target for prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy.Methods:Twelve 8-week-old male mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus (db/db mice) and 6 wild-type (db/m) mice were reared in the special pathogen free environment. The mice were grouped into db/m group, db/db group and C3a receptor antagonist group, with 6 mice in each group. db/db model mice were intraperitoneally injected with C3a receptor antagonist (SB290157, 10 mg/kg) once every two days for 8 weeks in C3a receptor antagonist group. Blood and urine samples were collected, and body weight of mice, fasting blood glucose, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urinary microalbumin/urinary creatinine and urinary N-acetyl-β- D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were detected. Renal tissues were collected, and HE, PAS and Masson stainings were used to observe the pathological changes. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to detect the protein expression levels of C3 and C3a receptor. Western blotting was used to analyze the protein expression levels of kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1), vimentin and E-cadherin in renal tissues. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze the protein expression levels and distribution of α-SMA, ZO-1 and Kim-1, and immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the protein expression levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptotic cells in renal tissues. Results:Compared with db/m group, body weight, fasting blood glucose, urinary microalbumin/urinary creatinine and urinary NAG in db/db group were significantly higher, while these indicators in C3a receptor antagonist group were slightly lower than those in db/db group (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen among the three groups (all P>0.01). Compared with db/m group, db/db group had glomerular hypertrophy, necrosis and exfoliation of renal tubular epithelial cells, and dilation of renal tubules, and C3 and C3a receptor protein expression levels were higher (both P<0.01). Compared with db/db group, C3a receptor antagonist group had less glomerular lesions, mild necrosis of renal tubular epithelial cells and less tubular dilation. Compared with db/m group, the protein expression levels of Kim-1, IL-1 and TNF-α in kidney tissues of db/db group were significantly higher, while Kim-1, IL-1 and TNF-α in C3a receptor antagonist group were significantly lower than those in db/db group (all P<0.01). Compared with db/m group, the protein expression levels of α-SMA and vimentin of renal tubular epithelial cells in db/db group were significantly higher, while the protein expression levels of ZO-1 and E-cadherin were significantly lower (all P<0.01). Compared with db/db group, the protein expression levels of α-SMA and vimentin of renal tubular epithelial cells in C3a receptor antagonist group were significantly lower, and the protein expression levels of ZO-1 and E-cadherin were significantly higher (all P<0.01). Compared with db/m group, the number of apoptotic cells of kidney tissues in db/db group was increased, while the number of apoptotic cells in C3a receptor antagonist group was reduced compared with db/db group. Conclusions:The expression levels of C3 and C3a receptor of kidney tissues in db/db mice are significantly increased. Antagonistic C3a receptor can reduce the body weight, blood glucose, urinary microalbumin/urinary creatinine and urinary NAG, alleviate renal pathological injury, inhibit renal tissue inflammation, apoptosis and renal tubule epithelial-mesenchymal transition in db/db mice.
8.Perinatal management and challenges of systemic autoimmune diseases
Youmei CHEN ; Jianxin ZHEN ; Chenhong WANG ; Quanfu ZHANG
Journal of Chinese Physician 2024;26(11):1601-1606
Pregnancy with autoimmune diseases is a challenging area that involves multidisciplinary management of immunology, rheumatology, and obstetrics. During pregnancy, the maternal immune system dynamically regulates the balance between maintaining immune tolerance to the fetus and autoimmune. However, for women with common systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis, this balance can be upset, leading to exacerbation or recurrence of the disease and significantly increasing the risk of pregnancy complications. This paper describes the adaptive changes of the immune system during pregnancy and the effects of systemic autoimmune diseases on pregnancy outcomes, proposes multidisciplinary management strategies and challenges in perinatal pregnancy, and aims to provide references for optimizing clinical practice and improving pregnancy outcomes.
9.Development and application of portably minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device for abdominally warfare trauma
Ze WANG ; Hao CUI ; Runkai CHEN ; Zhen YUAN ; Bo WEI ; Jianxin CUI
China Medical Equipment 2024;21(10):29-35
Objective:To design and develop a portably minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device for abdominally warfare trauma,which aimed at a scene of rescue environment at frontline,and its feasibility was evaluated preliminarily through animal experiment.Methods:Based on the actual demands of the rescue environment at frontline,a set of portably minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device for abdominally warfare trauma(abbreviation:minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device)was researched,developed and assembled,which included portably integrated host,disposable flexible lens of endoscope,disposable apparatus of minimally invasive surgery,extendable channel device of avoiding pneumoperitoneum and so on.A male Bama miniature pig was selected,and it received two different surgeries included portably minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device,and conventionally laparoscopic surgery after it received general anesthesia.The damage controls included hemostasis of intraoperative parenchyma organ,sealing and repairing of gastrointestinal perforation and drainage of indwelling catheter in abdominal and pelvic cavity between two groups were compared,and the difference of the mobility performance between them also was compared.The operational evaluation of minimally invasive surgery of damage control surgery and the potential of its clinical conversion were conducted.Results:Compared to conventional laparoscopy,this minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device had better mobility,and the transfer time of this device was(3.3±1.0)min,which was significantly shorter than(14.5±3.2)min of conventional laparoscopy,and the difference of that between two device was significant(t=-5.786,P<0.05).The minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device could successfully realize a series of operation of damage control surgery included exploration,flushing,suction,hemostasis,repair and drainage under the pneumoperitoneum or without pneumoperitoneum,which operation was safety and feasibility.Conclusion:The portably minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device for abdominally warfare trauma can realize integration and optimization,and mobility and portability on the basis of the current laparoscopic platform,which can successfully realize the operation of damage control surgery.It has favorable application prospects and capabilities of clinical conversion.
10.The predictive value of gastric tumor markers for pathological complete response fol-lowing neoadjuvant therapy in gastric cancer
Cui HAO ; Liang WENQUAN ; Yuan ZHEN ; Song LIQIANG ; Du JIAJUN ; Lu YUYUAN ; Cui JIANXIN ; Wei BO ; Chen LIN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2024;51(13):676-683
Objective:To investigate the risk factors of pathological complete response(pCR)after neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced gastric cancer(LAGC)and assess the value of gastric tumor markers for predicting pCR in LAGC patients.Methods:We retrospectively ana-lyzed the clinical and pathological characteristics of 213 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy and gastric tumor marker analysis after neoadjuvant therapy at The Chinse PLA General Hospital First Medical Center,between January 2020 and April 2024(20 and 193 cases in the pCR and non-pCR groups,respectively).The interrelationships among pCR,tumor markers,and clinicopathological features were compared,and independent risk factors for pCR were analyzed.A nomogram was constructed to predict the pCR.Results:Among 213 patients,20(9.4% )achieved pCR.Univariate analysis showed that age(P=0.067),tumor bed diameter(P<0.001),gastrin-17 levels(P=0.005),CA72-4 levels(P=0.073),pepsinogen ratio(P=0.024),and neoadjuvant immunotherapy(P=0.022)were strongly associated with pCR in LAGC pa-tients.Multivariate analysis showed that neoadjuvant immunotherapy,CA72-4 levels<2.5 U/mL,gastrin-17 levels<1.48 pmol/L,and tumor bed diameter<2.85 cm were independent predictive factors for pCR in LAGC patients(P<0.05).These indicators were incorporated into a nomogram prediction model;an receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)was plotted with an AUC(95% CI)of 0.863(0.785-0.942).The calibration and decision curves suggested that the nomogram was well calibrated and had a good net benefit.Conclusions:Gastric tumor markers can effectively predict pCR after neoadjuvant therapy in LAGC patients.Our nomogram showed a good predictive ability for pCR.Thus,our findings can serve as a useful reference for clinical decision making for LAGC patients.

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