Abstract The prevention and control of myopia in Chinese children and adolescents has become a major public health issue. While maintaining increased outdoor activity as a cornerstone intervention, there is an urgent need to explore new complementary approaches that can be effectively implemented in both indoor and outdoor settings. In recent years, environmental spatial frequency has gained increasing attention as one of the key environmental factors influencing the development and progression of myopia. Both animal studies and human research have confirmed that indoor environments lacking mid to high spatial frequency components, often characterized as "visually impoverished", can promote axial elongation and myopia through mechanisms such as disruption of retinal neural signaling, impaired accommodative function, and altered expression of related molecules. Based on the scientific consensus, it is recommended that "enriching of environmental spatial frequency" should be integrated into the myopia prevention and control framework. Following the principles of schoolled organization, family cooperation, community involvement, and student participation, specific measures are put forward in three areas：optimizing school visual settings, improving home spatial environments, and promoting healthy visual behavior. The aim is to create "visually friendly" indoor environments as an important supplement to outdoor activity, thereby providing a novel perspective and strategy for comprehensively advancing myopia prevention and control among children and adolescents.

Objective To investigate the species of sandflies and the prevalence of Leishmania infections in sandflies from selected areas of northern and northwestern China, so as to provide insights into identification of leishmaniasis vectors and assessment of epidemiological trends of leishmaniasis in China. Methods Sandfly samples were collected from Mentougou District of Beijing Municipality, Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province, Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County of Karamay District of Karamay City, Gaochang District of Turpan City in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from July 2023 to July 2024. Approximately 100 intact female sandfly samples were randomly selected from each site and the species of sandflies was identified according to morphological characteristics and molecular assays. Female sandflies originating from the same habitat were grouped into pools of 10 individuals. Leishmania infection was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) gene, and the prevalence of Leishmania infection was calculated in sandflies from different sampling sites using the minimum infection rate (MIR) method. In addition, positive amplicons were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Results A total of 6 155 sandflies were collected from different environments at sampling sites across the six aforementioned regions from July 2023 to July 2024. Phlebotomus chinensis (96.00%) was the dominant sandfly species in Mentougou District, Beijing Municipality, with a small proportion of Ph. sergenti (4.00%), and only Ph. chinensis was found in Xiangning County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. Ph. wui was the only sandfly species detected in Ejin Banner, Alxa League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County, Kashgar City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Ph. caucasicus (97.70%) was the dominant sandfly species in Karamay District, Karamay City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a small proportion of Ph. wui (2.30%), while Ph. alexandri was the only species in Gaochang District, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A total of 40, 60, 34, 18, 18, and 22 pools of sandfly samples were tested from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality, Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province, Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Payzawat County in Kashgar City, Karamay District in Karamay City, and Gaochang District in Turpan City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, respectively. L. infantum was detected in Ph. chinensis samples from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality, and Xiangning County of Linfen City in Shanxi Province, with MIR of 0.25% to 1.00%, and L. donovani was detected in Ph. wui from Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County in Kashgar City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with MIR of 0.56% to 0.88%; however, no Leishmania infection was detected in Ph. caucasicus from Karamay District in Karamay City or Ph. alexandri from Gaochang District in Turpan City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Leishmania ITS-1 gene sequences obtained from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality and Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province were clustered into the same clade with the reference sequences of L. infantum ITS-1 gene, while the Leishmania ITS-1 gene sequences obtained from Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Payzawat County in Kashgar City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were clustered into the same clade with the reference sequences of L. donovani ITS-1 gene. Conclusions There are variations in sandfly species in selected areas of northern and northwestern China, and variations in the species of Leishmania infecting sandflies. Improved surveillance of sandfly vectors and targeted control strategies with adaptations to geographical features and leishmaniasis vectors are recommended.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca²⁺ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca²⁺ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to establish a monocrotaline （MCT）-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension （PAH） rat model to systematically evaluate the protective effect of Xiao Qinglongtang （XQLT） on right cardiac function in model rats and further elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanism. MethodsSixty male SD rats were randomly assigned to the normal group， model group， XQLT low-， medium-， and high-dose groups （XQLT-L/M/H）， and the beraprost sodium tablet group （BST）. Except for the normal group， rats in all other groups were given a single subcutaneous injection of MCT （60 mg·kg^-1） to induce PAH. Three weeks after injection， rats in the XQLT-L/M/H groups were administered XQLT intragastrically at 3.07， 6.14， 12.28 g·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively. Rats in the BST group received beraprost sodium at 12.6 μg·kg^-1·d^-1， and rats in the model group received an equal volume of saline. All treatments lasted for 3 weeks. Right ventricular systolic pressure （RVSP） was measured by right ventricular catheterization. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. The right ventricle was weighed to calculate the right ventricular hypertrophy index （RVHI）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Masson staining， and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe myocardial morphology. Serum metabolomic changes were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （UPLC-MS/MS）. Data-independent acquisition （DIA） proteomics was used to detect differentially expressed （DE） proteins in the right ventricle， and Western blot was used to measure the expression of uncoupling protein 3 （UCP3）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit p110α （PIK3CA）， L1 cell adhesion molecule （L1CAM）， and quinone oxidoreductase （CRYZ）. UPLC-MS/MS was used to analyze the chemical components of XQLT. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly increased RVSP and RVHI （P<0.05）， along with pathological changes in myocardial morphology. Compared with the model group， all XQLT-treated groups exhibited reductions in RVSP and RVHI as well as significant improvements in cardiac function and myocardial morphology. Among the XQLT groups， XQLT-M showed the most pronounced effects （P<0.05）， comparable to the BST group. Serum metabolomics revealed 105 differential metabolites in the XQLT groups versus the model group ［variable importance in projection （VIP） >1， P<0.05］， including 58 upregulated and 47 downregulated metabolites. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that XQLT intervention downregulated phenylalanine metabolism （P<0.01） and upregulated unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis （P<0.05）. Proteomics analysis showed that 982 DE proteins were identified in the MCT groups versus the normal group， including 455 upregulated and 527 downregulated proteins （|fold change （FC）| >1.3， P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， 237 DE proteins were identified in the XQLT groups， including 124 upregulated and 113 downregulated proteins （|FC| >1.3， P<0.05）， with 57 overlapping DE proteins. KEGG enrichment suggested that XQLT mainly modulated pathways related to mineral absorption， ribosomal biogenesis， peroxisomes， glycolysis/gluconeogenesis， spliceosomes， and thyroid hormone signaling. Western blot analysis showed that， compared with the model group， XQLT increased the expression of UCP3， PIK3CA， and L1CAM， while decreasing the expression of CRYZ （P<0.05）. ConclusionXQLT exerts a protective effect on right heart function in MCT-induced PAH rats， and its mechanism is associated with maintaining myocardial homeostasis and alleviating right ventricular remodeling.

Objective: To develop a dual-branch deep learning framework for accurate multi-label classification of fundus diseases, addressing the key limitations of insufficient complementary feature extraction and inadequate cross-modal feature fusion in existing automated diagnostic methods. Methods: The fundus multi-label classification dataset with 12 disease categories (FMLC-12) dataset was constructed by integrating complementary samples from Ocular Disease Intelligent Recognition (ODIR) and Retinal Fundus Multi-Disease Image Dataset (RFMiD), yielding 6 936 fundus images across 12 retinal pathology categories, and the framework was validated on both FMLC-12 and ODIR. Inspired by the holistic multi-regional assessment principle of the Five Wheels theory in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ophthalmology, the dual-branch multi-label network (DBMNet) was developed as a novel framework integrating complementary visual feature extraction with pathological correlation modeling. The architecture employed a TransNeXt backbone within a dual-branch design: one branch processed red-green-blue (RGB) images to capture color-dependent features, such as vascular patterns and lesion morphology, while the other processed grayscale-converted images to enhance subtle textural details and contrast variations. A feature interaction module (FIM) effectively integrated the multi-scale features from both branches. Comprehensive ablation studies were conducted to evaluate the contributions of the dual-branch architecture and the FIM. The performance of DBMNet was compared against four state-of-the-art methods, including EfficientNet Ensemble, transfer learning-based convolutional neural network (CNN), BFENet, and EyeDeep-Net, using mean average precision (mAP), F1-score, and Cohen's kappa coefficient. Results: The dual-branch architecture improved mAP by 15.44 percentage points over the single-branch TransNeXt baseline, increasing from 34.41% to 44.24%, and the addition of FIM further boosted mAP to 49.85%. On FMLC-12, DBMNet achieved an mAP of 49.85%, a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 62.14%, and an F1-score of 70.21%. Compared with BFENet (mAP: 45.42%, kappa: 46.64%, F1-score: 71.34%), DBMNet outperformed it by 4.43 percentage points in mAP and 15.50 percentage points in kappa, while BFENet achieved a marginally higher F1-score. On ODIR, DBMNet achieved an F1-score of 85.50%, comparable to state-of-the-art methods. Conclusion DBMNet effectively integrates RGB and grayscale visual modalities through a dual-branch architecture, significantly improving multi-label fundus disease classification. The framework not only addresses the issue of insufficient feature fusion in existing methods but also demonstrates outstanding performance in balancing detection across both common and rare diseases, providing a promising and clinically applicable pathway for standardized, intelligent fundus disease classification.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Liuwei Dihuangwan on mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）-mediated synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex-hippocampus circuit in the rat model of valproic acid （VPA）-induced autism spectrum disorder （ASD） and to explore its potential mechanism for reducing behavioral abnormalities in ASD rats. MethodsThirteen SD pregnant rats were randomized into the VPA group （10 rats） and the control group （3 rats）. On gestational day 13， the VPA group was intraperitoneally injected with VPA solution （600 mg·kg^-1）， while the control group was injected with an equal volume of normal saline. Male pups of 21 days old from both groups underwent behavioral tests to screen the ASD model rats （32 rats）. These rats were then randomly assigned to the model （distilled water）， vitamin D （1 480 U·kg^-1）， low-dose （0.75 g·kg^-1） Liuwei Dihuangwan， and high-dose （1.5 g·kg^-1） Liuwei Dihuangwan groups， and normal male pups were selected as the blank group （distilled water）， with 8 rats in each group. Each group was treated with the corresponding drug or an equal volume of distilled water via gavage daily. After drug administration， behavioral tests were conducted again， followed by anesthesia and tissue collection. Nissl staining was carried out to observe the morphological changes of neurons in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe changes in hippocampal synaptic structure. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were employed to determine the expression of mTOR， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）， and protein kinase B （Akt） in the prefrontal cortex， as well as synaptophysin-1 （SYP-1）， postsynaptic density 95 （PSD95）， and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors （NMDARs） in the hippocampus. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited severe growth retardation and developmental deformities， with abnormal behavioral performance and pathological damage to neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Compared with the model group， all treatment groups showed reduced behavioral abnormalities and pathological damage to neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus， with the most significant effects in the high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan group. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting results showed that compared with the control group， the model group exhibited significantly increased protein levels and phosphorylation ratios of p-mTOR， p-Akt， and p-PI3K in the prefrontal cortex （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and decreased protein levels of SYP-1 and PSD95 and increased protein level of NMDARs in the hippocampus （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the model group， the protein levels of p-mTOR， p-Akt， and p-PI3K in the prefrontal cortex decreased in the vitamin D and high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan groups （P<0.05）， and the p-mTOR/mTOR， p-Akt/Akt， and p-PI3K/PI3K ratios in the prefrontal cortex declined in the vitamin D group （P<0.05）. The high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan group showed a reduction in p-PI3K/PI3K ratio （P<0.05）. The protein level of SYP-1 and PSD95 in the hippocampus increased in the vitamin D， low-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan， and high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the protein level of NMDARs decreased in the vitamin D and high-dose Liuwei Dihuangwan groups （P<0.01）. ConclusionLiuwei Dihuangwan significantly reduces VPA-induced ASD-like behaviors and enhances the regeneration and repair of neurons in the prefrontal cortex and synaptic structures in the hippocampus by downregulating of PI3K/Akt/mTOR expression in the prefrontal cortex， upregulating SYP-1 and PSD95 expression in the hippocampus， and inhibiting NMDARs expression.

Objective To introduce an innovative technique, the "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" and its application in the subxiphoid uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for anterior mediastinal masses resection. Methods Patients who underwent single-port thoracoscopic assisted anterior mediastinal tumor resection through the xiphoid process at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from May to June 2024 were included, and their clinical data were analyzed. Results A total of 7 patients were included, with 3 males and 4 females, aged 28-72 years. The diameter of the tumor was 1.9-17.0 cm. The operation time was 62-308 min, intraoperative blood loss was 5-100 mL, postoperative chest drainage tube retention time was 0-9 days, pain score on the 7th day after surgery was 0-2 points, and postoperative hospital stay was 3-12 days. All patients underwent successful and complete resection of the masses and thymus, with favorable postoperative recovery. Conclusion The "balance-shaped sternal elevation device" effectively expands the retrosternal space, providing surgeons with satisfactory surgical views and operating space. This technique significantly enhances the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive surgery for anterior mediastinal masses, reduces trauma and postoperative pain, and accelerates patient recovery, demonstrating important clinical significance and application value.

Objective To investigate the global burden of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) from 1990 to 2021 and predict the trends in the burden of VL from 2022 to 2035, so as to provide insights into global VL prevention and control. Methods The global age-standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates of VL and their 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) were captured from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) data resources. The trends in the global burden of VL were evaluated with average annual percent change (AAPC) and 95% confidence interval (CI) from 1990 to 2021, and gender-, age-, country-, geographical area- and socio-demographic index (SDI)-stratified burdens of VL were analyzed. The trends in the global burden of VL were projected with a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model from 2022 to 2035, and the associations of age-standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs rates of VL with SDI levels were examined with a smoothing spline model. Results The global age-standardized incidence [AAPC = -0.25%, 95% CI: (-0.25%, -0.24%)], prevalence [AAPC = -0.06%, 95% CI: (-0.06%, -0.06%)], mortality [AAPC = -0.25%, 95% CI: (-0.25%, -0.24%)] and DALYs rates of VL [AAPC = -2.38%, 95% CI: (-2.44%, -2.33%)] all appeared a tendency towards a decline from 1990 to 2021, and the highest age-standardized incidence [2.55/10⁵, 95% UI: (1.49/10⁵, 4.07/10⁵)], prevalence [0.64/10⁵, 95% UI: (0.37/10⁵, 1.02/10⁵)], mortality [0.51/10⁵, 95% UI: (0, 1.80/10⁵)] and DALYs rates of VL [33.81/10⁵, 95% UI: (0.06/10⁵, 124.09/10⁵)] were seen in tropical Latin America in 2021. The global age-standardized incidence and prevalence of VL were both higher among men [0.57/10⁵, 95% UI: (0.45/10⁵, 0.72/10⁵); 0.14/10⁵, 95% UI: (0.11/10⁵, 0.18/10⁵)] than among women [0.27/10⁵, 95% UI: (0.21/10⁵, 0.33/10⁵); 0.06/10⁵, 95% UI: (0.05/10⁵, 0.08/10⁵)], and the highest mortality of VL was found among children under 5 years of age [0.24/10⁵, 95% UI: (0.08/10⁵, 0.66/10⁵)]. The age-standardized incidence (r = -0.483, P < 0.001), prevalence (r = -0.483, P < 0.001), mortality (r = -0.511, P < 0.001) and DALYs rates of VL (r = -0.514, P < 0.001) correlated negatively with SDI levels from 1990 to 2021. In addition, the global burden of VL was projected with the BAPC model to appear a tendency towards a decline from 2022 to 2035, and the age-standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality and DALYs rates were projected to be reduced to 0.11/10⁵, 0.03/10⁵, 0.02/10⁵ and 1.44/10⁵ in 2035, respectively. Conclusions Although the global burden of VL appeared an overall tendency towards a decline from 1990 to 2021, the burden of VL showed a tendency towards a rise in Central Asia and western sub-Saharan African areas. The age-standardized incidence and prevalence rates of VL were relatively higher among men, and the age-standardized mortality of VL was relatively higher among children under 5 years of age. The global burden of VL was projected to continue to decline from 2022 to 2035.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Objective To analyze the characteristics of methadone-related poisoning cases and provide a reference for forensic identification.Methods A total of 71 cases of methadone-related poisoning re-ported from 1998 to 2023 in China and 26 cases of methadone-related deaths reported from 2013 to 2018 in Italy were retrieved from databases including PubMed,Wanfang and CNKI.The general infor-mation,forensic pathological and toxicological characteristics were analyzed.Results Among the 71 methadone-related poisoning cases in China,there were 54 cases(76.06%)of poisoning without death and 17 cases(23.94%)of death from poisoning.There were 54 male cases(76.06%),and 51 cases(71.83%)aged 19 to 39 years old.There were 35 cases(49.30%)of poisoning caused by methadone alone,and 32 cases(45.07%)were poisoning caused by methadone combined with other substances or drugs including heroin and benzodiazepines.Most of the poisoned showed coma,respiratory depres-sion and miosis.Signs of asphyxia were often found by autopsy.The mass concentration of methadone detected in the blood of 6 deceased ranged from 0.112 to 3.000 mg/L.Among the 26 methadone-related deaths in Italy,22 cases were male(84.62%).There were 6 cases(23.08%)caused by methadone alone,and 20 cases(76.92%)died from methadone combined with other substances or drugs.The mass concentration of methadone in blood ranged from 0.181 to 4.059 mg/L.Conclusion The propor-tions of poisoning cases caused by methadone alone and methadone combined with other substances or drugs are comparable in China.The majority of deceased caused by methadone poisoning shows typi-cal triad of coma,respiratory depression and miosis,which helps forensic experts determine the cause of death related to methadone.Additionally,it is necessary to increase the routine testing of the con-centration of methadone and its combined substances or drugs in deceased,and collect data for the in-terpretation of the results of related cases.