Objective To investigate the perioperative safety of patients with myasthenia gravis who take high doses of oral glucocorticoids. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with myasthenia gravis who received oral glucocorticoids and underwent thoracoscopic thymectomy at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital from April 2013 to October 2019. Patients were divided into a high-dose steroid group and a medium-to-low dose steroid group based on the dosage of oral steroids, and the clinical data of the two groups were compared. Results A total of 102 patients were included, including 19 (18.62%) males and 83 (81.37%) females, with an average age of (32.25±9.83) years. There were 75 patients in the medium-to-low dose steroid group and 27 patients in the high-dose steroid group. All patients in both groups successfully completed the surgery without major intraoperative bleeding, conversion to open chest surgery, delayed extubation, severe infection, or perioperative death. The daily oral steroid dose for the high-dose steroid group was (35.81±4.29) mg, and for the medium-to-low dose steroid group it was (15.29±2.17) mg. There was no statistical difference in the operation time [(124.69±23.51) min vs. (117.89±21.46) min, P=0.172] and intraoperative blood loss [(21.19±3.48) mL vs. (20.56±3.41) mL, P=0.419] between the two groups. Postoperatively, 12 (11.76%) patients developed complications: one patient of myasthenic crisis (the medium-to-low dose steroid group), which was improved after short-term respiratory support and intravenous immunoglobulin treatment; 11 patients of respiratory/swallowing difficulties (9 in the medium-to-low dose steroid group and 2 in the high-dose steroid group), which were improved after anticholinergic treatment to reduce oral secretions and sputum suction, and the patients were discharged smoothly. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (P=0.637). Conclusion On the basis of good perioperative management, it is safe and feasible for patients with myasthenia gravis who take high dose of oral steroids to undergo thymectomy, and they have the same perioperative safety as patients with medium-to-low dose steroids.

Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy (HITHOC) is a localized treatment that combines hyperthermia with medications such as chemotherapy, anti-angiogenic agents, targeted therapy, or immunotherapeutic agents. It has advanced clinical progress for conditions such as malignant pleural mesothelioma, pleural metastasis of lung cancer, and pleural dissemination of thymic tumors. Systematic analyses indicate that as an adjuvant therapy to cytoreductive surgery, HITHOC improves patient survival and effectively controls pleural effusion and pleural metastasis. It exerts antitumor effects by enhancing drug penetration through thermal effects, inducing apoptosis, and modulating the immune microenvironment. HITHOC combined with systemic therapies (e.g., chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy) demonstrates synergistic potential, but its role as a local treatment should be clearly defined as adjunctive within the comprehensive management of advanced-stage patients. Further research is needed to clarify its indications, standardized protocols, and long-term efficacy and to explore optimized regimens and personalized combination treatment strategies. This review delves into the key bottlenecks hindering the development of hyperthermia therapy, such as the lack of high-level evidence-based medicine and the absence of standardized diagnostic and efficacy evaluation criteria, and proposes potential solutions.

OBJECTIVE To investigate a suspected outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)infection in the intensive care unit of a traditional Chinese medicine hospital,identify the source of infec-tion and transmission routes,and provide a basis for prevention and control of CRKP infection.METHODS Epide-miological investigations were conducted on five patients with CRKP infections or colonization who were identi-fied in Jul.2024 at Suiyang County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.Samples were collected from pa-tients,the ward environments,and hand surfaces to detect CRKP.Fourteen CRKP isolates were selected for car-bapenemase gene testing,and homology analysis was performed by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction(ERIC-PCR)and multilocus sequence typing(MLST).RESULTS The median age of the five cases was 73 years,and all had undergone multiple invasive procedures.Environmental monitoring showed a CRKP positive rate of 26.35％,with CRKP isolates detected on the hands of healthcare workers,surfaces in the wards and medical equipment surfaces.Genetic analysis showed that all 14 CRKP strains carried the KPC resist-ance gene;except for case 1,other strains carried the VIM gene.MLST identified CRKP of all strains as sequence type 48(ST48);while ERIC-PCR revealed two distinct genotypes:genotype A for case 1 and genotype B for the other cases and environmental isolates.After strengthening patient isolation and group treatment,strictly cleaning and disinfecting the ward environments and medical equipment,and strictly implementing hand hygiene,the infec-tion was effectively controlled.CONCLUSIONS Inadequate disinfection of the ward environments and medical e-quipment and poor compliance with hand hygiene are the main contributors to the suspected CRKP outbreak.Ho-mology analysis suggests the existence of two independent transmission chains.Timely identification and manage-ment of the infection sources,interruption of transmission routes,protection of susceptible individuals and imple-mentation of comprehensive infection control measures are essential for effective outbreak control.

Objective To explore the variation characteristics of ganglion cell complex(GCC)parameters in patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR)at different stages and their relationship with hemoglobin(HB)level.Methods A total of 97 DR patients who were treated in our hospital from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected and divided into the moderate non-proliferative DR(mNPDR)group(n=35),the severe non-proliferative DR(sNPDR)group(n=32),and the proliferative DR(PDR)group(n=30).The general data,biochemical indicators,and GCC parameters of the three groups were compared.Logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of ganglion cell layer(GCL)parameters on the staging of DR.In addition,according to the terartiles of HB levels,they were divided into the low-level(LHB)group of(10.31±1.13)g/dl(n=32),the medium-level(MHB)group of(12.52±0.32)g/dl(n=31),and the high-level(HHB)group of(14.73±0.31)g/dl(n=34).The general data,biochemical indicators and GCC parameters of the three groups were compared,and the influence of HB on the stage of DR were analyzed by Logistic regression.Logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of HB level on GCC parameters.Results The age,hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),total cholesterol,local lost volume of GCC(FLV),and overall lost volume of GCC(GLV)in the mNPDR,sNPDR,and PDR groups increased successively(P<0.05).Rate of anemia,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in PDR group was higher than mNPDR and sNPDR groups(P<0.05).The HB,albumin,total bilirubin(TBIL),direct bilirubin(DBIL),thicknesses of GCC,retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL),and ganglion cell layer(GCL)decreased successively(P<0.05).The TBIL,DBIL,GCC thickness,RNFL thickness and GCL thickness in the LHB,MHB and HHB groups increased successively(P<0.05),while the age,serum creatinine,FLV and GLV decreased successively(P<0.05).HbA1c,FPG,rate of anemia in the HHB group were lower than those in the LHB and MHB groups(P<0.05),and triglyceride in the MHB and HHB groups were higher than that in the LHB group(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors,all GCL thicknesses and HB levels were influencing factors for DR staging.After adjusting for GCC and RNFL thicknesses,HB levels were influencing factors for the average thickness,minimum thickness,upper thickness,and lower thickness of GCL.Conclusions Both the thickness of GCL and the level of HB are factors affecting the DR staging.The level of HB has an impact on the thickness of GCL and deserves clinical attention.

OBJECTIVE To investigate a suspected outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)infection in the intensive care unit of a traditional Chinese medicine hospital,identify the source of infec-tion and transmission routes,and provide a basis for prevention and control of CRKP infection.METHODS Epide-miological investigations were conducted on five patients with CRKP infections or colonization who were identi-fied in Jul.2024 at Suiyang County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.Samples were collected from pa-tients,the ward environments,and hand surfaces to detect CRKP.Fourteen CRKP isolates were selected for car-bapenemase gene testing,and homology analysis was performed by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction(ERIC-PCR)and multilocus sequence typing(MLST).RESULTS The median age of the five cases was 73 years,and all had undergone multiple invasive procedures.Environmental monitoring showed a CRKP positive rate of 26.35％,with CRKP isolates detected on the hands of healthcare workers,surfaces in the wards and medical equipment surfaces.Genetic analysis showed that all 14 CRKP strains carried the KPC resist-ance gene;except for case 1,other strains carried the VIM gene.MLST identified CRKP of all strains as sequence type 48(ST48);while ERIC-PCR revealed two distinct genotypes:genotype A for case 1 and genotype B for the other cases and environmental isolates.After strengthening patient isolation and group treatment,strictly cleaning and disinfecting the ward environments and medical equipment,and strictly implementing hand hygiene,the infec-tion was effectively controlled.CONCLUSIONS Inadequate disinfection of the ward environments and medical e-quipment and poor compliance with hand hygiene are the main contributors to the suspected CRKP outbreak.Ho-mology analysis suggests the existence of two independent transmission chains.Timely identification and manage-ment of the infection sources,interruption of transmission routes,protection of susceptible individuals and imple-mentation of comprehensive infection control measures are essential for effective outbreak control.

Objective To explore the variation characteristics of ganglion cell complex(GCC)parameters in patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR)at different stages and their relationship with hemoglobin(HB)level.Methods A total of 97 DR patients who were treated in our hospital from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected and divided into the moderate non-proliferative DR(mNPDR)group(n=35),the severe non-proliferative DR(sNPDR)group(n=32),and the proliferative DR(PDR)group(n=30).The general data,biochemical indicators,and GCC parameters of the three groups were compared.Logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of ganglion cell layer(GCL)parameters on the staging of DR.In addition,according to the terartiles of HB levels,they were divided into the low-level(LHB)group of(10.31±1.13)g/dl(n=32),the medium-level(MHB)group of(12.52±0.32)g/dl(n=31),and the high-level(HHB)group of(14.73±0.31)g/dl(n=34).The general data,biochemical indicators and GCC parameters of the three groups were compared,and the influence of HB on the stage of DR were analyzed by Logistic regression.Logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of HB level on GCC parameters.Results The age,hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),total cholesterol,local lost volume of GCC(FLV),and overall lost volume of GCC(GLV)in the mNPDR,sNPDR,and PDR groups increased successively(P<0.05).Rate of anemia,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in PDR group was higher than mNPDR and sNPDR groups(P<0.05).The HB,albumin,total bilirubin(TBIL),direct bilirubin(DBIL),thicknesses of GCC,retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL),and ganglion cell layer(GCL)decreased successively(P<0.05).The TBIL,DBIL,GCC thickness,RNFL thickness and GCL thickness in the LHB,MHB and HHB groups increased successively(P<0.05),while the age,serum creatinine,FLV and GLV decreased successively(P<0.05).HbA1c,FPG,rate of anemia in the HHB group were lower than those in the LHB and MHB groups(P<0.05),and triglyceride in the MHB and HHB groups were higher than that in the LHB group(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors,all GCL thicknesses and HB levels were influencing factors for DR staging.After adjusting for GCC and RNFL thicknesses,HB levels were influencing factors for the average thickness,minimum thickness,upper thickness,and lower thickness of GCL.Conclusions Both the thickness of GCL and the level of HB are factors affecting the DR staging.The level of HB has an impact on the thickness of GCL and deserves clinical attention.

Objective:To analyze the influencing factors of genotypic drug resistance mutations in people living with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(PLWHA) who failed anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in Henan Province, in order to provide a basis for adjusting ART regimens and reducing drug resistance.Methods:PLWHA with virological failure (human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA≥500 copies/mL) after receiving ART for more than 24 weeks were included in Henan Province from January 2018 to December 2022. Baseline CD4 + T lymphocyte counts, ART regimens and other clinical data were collected. HIV-1 gene subtypes and their drug resistance sequence mutations were detected in the Sixth People′s Hospital of Zhengzhou, and the sequences were submitted to the HIV Drug Resistance Interpretation System of Stanford University for comparison of test results. Genotypic drug resistance to nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI), protease inhibitors (PI) and integrase inhibitors (INSTI) was determined. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of drug resistance in patients with ART failure. Results:Among 982 PLWHA, the sequences of 899 cases were successfully amplified, and drug resistance was detected in 737 cases, with the drug resistance rate of 81.98%(737/899). The rates of resistance to NRTIs, NNRTIs, PIs and INSTIs were 71.97%(647/899), 79.31%(713/899), 5.23%(47/899) and 2.72%(20/734), respectively.The largest number of those who developed concomitant resistance to two classes of drugs was 588 cases (79.78%), mainly NRTI and NNRTI concomitant resistance in 583 cases (79.10%). There were 99 cases (13.43%) who developed resistance to only one class of drugs, and those who developed concurrent resistance to three classes of drugs were 48 cases (6.51%), and two cases (0.27%) were found to be resistant to all four classes of drugs mentioned above. A total of 10 HIV genotypes were detected, among which subtype B accounted for the most (59.73%(537/899)), followed by circulating recombinant form (CRF)01_AE subtype (21.91%(197/899)) and CRF07_BC subtype (9.45%(85/899)). The risk factors affecting the development of drug resistance were baseline CD4 + T lymphocyte counts, ART regimens and HIV-1 genotypes. The risk of drug resistance in patients with baseline CD4 + T lymphocyte counts <100/μL was 4.55 times (95% confidence interval ( CI) 2.69 to 7.70) higher than patients with CD4 + T lymphocyte counts≥250/μL, the risk of drug resistance in patients using 2NRTIs+ NNRTI regimen was 4.51 times (95% CI 1.75 to 11.63) higer than those using 2NRTIs+ INSTI regimen, and patients infected with B and CRF01_AE subtype was 2.18 times (95% CI 1.10 to 4.29) and 2.70 times (95% CI 1.26 to 5.78) higer than those with CRF07_BC subtype, respectively. Conclusions:The incidence of genotypic drug resistance in PLWHA with ART failure in Henan Province is high. Low baseline CD4 + T lymphocyte counts, 2NRTIs+ NNRTI regimens, and genotype B and CRF01_AE are risk factors for drug resistance in PLWHA.

Objective:To understand the clinical characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with renal injury after antiviral therapy in Henan Province, and to explore the risk factors of renal injury.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate HIV infection/AIDS patients receiving antiviral therapy in Zhengzhou Sixth People′s Hospital, Anyang Fifth People′s Hospital, Hebi Third People′s Hospital, Luo Yang Zhoushan Hospital and Lankao Central Hospital in Henan Province from April 1 to September 30, 2023. The clinical information including basic data, antiviral therapy regimens and comorbidities, and laboratory test results (blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, blood uric acid, urine routine, urine microalbumin, urine α 1-microglobulin (α 1-MG), urine β 2-microglobulin (β 2-MG), urine retinol binding protein (RBP), urine creatinine, HIV viral load, CD4 + T lymphocyte count) were collected. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to analyze independent risk factors for renal injury. Results:A total of 2 526 HIV infection/AIDS patients were included, with the age of (45.52±14.28) years and 2 156 (85.4%) males. The main route of transmission was sexual transmission (91.6%, 2 314/2 526). The duration of antiviral therapy was 5.00(2.92, 8.00) years. Tenofovir (TDF)+ lamivudine (3TC)+ non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) accounted for 55.3%(1 396/2 526) of the current antiviral therapy regimen. The percentage of HIV viral load <50 copies/mL was 93.0%(2 350/2 526). The CD4 + T lymphocyte count was 476(337, 645)/μL. There were 156 patients (6.2%) complicated with hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C, 205 patients (8.1%) with diabetes, 379 patients (15.0%) with hyperlipidemia, and 189 patients (7.5%) with hyperuricemia. A total of 1 040 patients (41.2%) with renal injury were found through renal function test, including 355 cases (14.1%) with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/(min·1.73 m 2) or urine protein positive or urine albumin creatine ratio (UACR) ≥30 mg/g, 682 patients (27.0%) with pure tubular injury presented with only positive for urinary α 1-MG, urinary β 2-MG, or urinary RBP. eGFR< 60 mL/(min·1.73 m 2) was found in 71 cases (2.8%), eGFR from 60 to 89 mL/(min·1.73 m 2) was found in 509 cases (20.2%), and eGFR≥90 mL/(min·1.73 m 2) was found in 1 946 cases (77.0%). A total of 138 patients (5.5%) were identified as having combined chronic kidney disease (CKD). Among them, 110 patients (79.7%) were in CKD stages 1 to 2, and 117 patients (84.8%) were in urinary albumin A2 grade. Multivariate analysis of 355 patients with renal injury who had eGFR<60 mL/(min·1.73 m 2) or positive urine protein in urine routine or UACR ≥30 mg/g showed that ages of 50 to 69 years old (odds ratio( OR)=2.189, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.333 to 3.596, P=0.002)), ≥70 years old ( OR=5.190, 95% CI 2.912 to 9.248, P<0.001), female ( OR=1.685, 95% CI 1.241 to 2.286, P=0.001), combined opportunistic infection ( OR=2.521, 95% CI 1.567 to 4.056, P<0.001), combined hepatitis B ( OR=1.962, 95% CI 1.110 to 3.467, P=0.020), combined hepatitis C ( OR=1.883, 95% CI 1.043 to 3.400, P=0.036), combined diabetes ( OR=2.703, 95% CI 1.911 to 3.821, P<0.001), using TDF for two to four years ( OR=1.674, 95% CI 1.103 to 2.459, P=0.015), using TDF for greater than or equal to five years ( OR=1.880, 95% CI 1.287 to 2.746, P=0.001), using TDF combined with lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) ( OR=3.610, 95% CI 2.273 to 5.734, P<0.001) and using TDF combined with non-LPV/r ( OR=1.495, 95% CI 1.036 to 2.157, P=0.031) were the risk factors of renal injury. Conclusions:There is a high proportion of renal injury among HIV infection/AIDS patients after antiviral therapy in Henan Province, including CKD and simple renal tubular injury. Older age, female, comorbidities, and long-term use of TDF are risk factors for renal injury.

Objective:To observe the lipid metabolism characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with different levels of blood glucose control and preliminarily analyze their relationship with diabetic retinopathy (DR).Methods:A retrospective clinical study. From January 2019 to January 2024, 232 T2DM patients who underwent fundus examination in Department of Ophthalmology of Yichang Central People’s Hospital were included in the study. Based on the glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test results, patients were divided into blood glucose standard group and blood glucose non standard group, with 100 and 132 cases respectively. Based on the results of fundus fluorescein angiography, patients were divided into non DR (NDR) group and DR group, with 89 and 143 cases, respectively. 100 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations during the same period were selected as the control group. The thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) around the optic disc, the blood flow density of radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC) around the optic disc, and the thickness of ganglion cell complex (GCC) in the upper and lower parts of the optic disc and macular area were measured by optical coherence tomography angiography instrument. Fully automated biochemical analyzer was used to detect serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and HbA1c. After adjusting for confounding factors, multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the correlation between HbA1c and blood lipids. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the correlation between TG, HDL-C, and the occurrence of DR.Results:Compared with the control group, both the blood glucose standard group and the blood glucose non standard group had higher levels of HbA1c ( F=8.115), TC ( F=4.373), TG ( F=20.220), and LDL-C ( F=12.271), and lower levels of HDL-C ( F=6.349), with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with the blood glucose standard group, patients in the blood glucose non standard group had higher levels of serum HbA1c ( t=3.531), TC ( t=2.561), TG ( t=6.418), LDL-C ( t=7.880), and lower levels of HDL-C ( t=5.152), with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that HbA1c was positively correlated with TC, TG, and LDL-C ( P<0.05), and negatively correlated with HDL-C ( P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C were independent risk factors for the occurrence of DR ( Ptrend<0.05). Compared with the NDR group, the DR group had thinner GCC and pRNFL thickness in the upper part of the optic disc, and lower overall and RPC blood flow density in the upper part of the optic disc, with statistically significant differences ( t=4.964, 2.406, 2.685, 2.404; P<0.05). Correlation analysis results showed that TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, HbA1c were correlated with GCC thickness, pRNFL thickness, and RPC blood flow density ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The higher the blood glucose level in T2DM patients, the more likely they are to experience dyslipidemia. TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C are independent risk factors for the occurrence of DR. Abnormal blood lipids and blood glucose levels in T2DM patients can affect retinal nerves, blood vessels, and function.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the in vitro inhibitory mechanism of berberine on the proliferation of tumor stem cells and evaluate its in vivo safety. METHODS Flow cytometry was used to select tumor stem cells from mouse skin melanoma B16F10 cells； CD44， CD133， Nanog homologous box protein （NANOG） and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 （OCT4） were used as indicators to characterize tumor stem cells. Tumor stem cells were divided into control group， all-trans retinoic acid （ATRA） group， and berberine group， and the CCK-8 method was used to detect the effects of berberine on the viability of tumor stem cells； flow cytometry was adopted to detect cell apoptotic rate， the proportion of CD44+/CD133+ and the positive cell rate of sex determining region Y box protein 2 （SOX2）； the morphological changes of tumor balls were recorded after treatment with berberine； the morphology of cell pyroptosis in each group was recorded， and the release rate of lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） was detected； Western blot assay was adopted to detect the expressions of pyroptosis-related protein gasdermin E （GSDME）， GSDME- N， caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3. Preliminary evaluation of in vivo safety of berberine was conducted by using zebrafish embryo toxicity experiments. RESULTS Compared with B16F10 cells， the proportion of CD44+/CD133+ cells in tumor stem cells and the fluorescence intensity of NANOG and OCT4 were significantly increased （P＜0.000 1）. The half-inhibitory concentration of berberine to tumor stem cells was 50.98 μmol/L. Compared with the control group， the apoptotic rate of cells in the berberine group was significantly increased， while the proportion of CD44+/CD133+ cells and the rate of SOX2 positive cells were reduced significantly （P＜0.000 1）； tumor stem cell spheroids were atrophied， with partial cell death. After treatment with berberine， tumor stem cells exhibited swelling in their outermost layer， the release rate of LDH of cells was significantly increased and the release rate of LDH increased with increasing dose； the protein expressions of GSDME-N and cleaved-caspase-3 of cells in berberine 20， 40 μmol/L groups were significantly increased， and the protein expressions of GSDME and caspase-3 were significantly reduced （except for berberine 20 μmol/L group， P＜0.05）. The embryonic development of zebrafish treated with berberine was almost unaffected， and the survival rate of embryo reached 100%， with no obvious abnormalities observed. CONCLUSIONS Berberine has good activity against the proliferation of tumor stem cells， and its mechanism of action may be related to activating GSDME and promoting cell pyroptosis； berberine has good in vivo safety.