OBJECTIVE To compare the long-term cost-effectiveness of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue （GnRHa） combined with recombinant human growth hormone （rhGH） （combination therapy regimen） versus GnRHa monotherapy （monotherapy regimen） in the treatment of central precocious puberty （CPP）. METHODS From the societal perspective and based on a real-world study conducted at West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University， the cost-effectiveness analysis was performed to compare the long-term cost-effectiveness of two pharmacotherapy regimens for CPP girls， with final height as outcome indexes， using per capita disposable income of rural residents and urban residents （20 133-49 283 yuan） in 2022 as the social willing-to-pay （WTP） threshold. The robustness of the basic analysis result was verified by using one-way sensitivity analysis and probability sensitivity analysis， and the cost-effectiveness of different combinations of long-acting preparations was compared using scenario analysis. RESULTS The basic analysis result showed that the combination therapy regimen required an additional cost of 25 193.49 yuan for every one-centimeter improvement in the final height of girls with CPP compared with the monotherapy regimen， which was not cost-effective for residents in rural areas， but it was cost-effective for residents in urban areas. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that the uncertain factors with potential impacts on the results were， in order， the price of rhGH， the final height of pediatric patients in the combination therapy regimen group， the course of rhGH in the combination therapy regimen group， and the final height of pediatric patients in the monotherapy regimen group. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that the probability of the combination therapy regimen being cost-effective was higher than that of the monotherapy regimen when WTP was more than 26 010 yuan/cm. When GnRHa long-acting preparation was used for intramuscular injection every 3 months， the combination therapy regimen was not cost-effective for rural residents， but was cost-effective for urban residents； when rhGH long-acting preparation was injected subcutaneously once a week， the combination therapy regimen was not cost-effective for residents in both rural areas and urban areas. CONCLUSIONS The combination of GnRHa and rhGH is only recommended for CPP children with better affordability to improve final height. The benefits， risks， and affordability of treatment should be comprehensively considered before the decisions on pharmacotherapy， to avoid abuse of rhGH due to the blind pursuit of height growth.

The sterile electrode acupuncture needle for single use is an innovative product that combines traditional acupuncture with modern electronic technology, and it has obtained Class Ⅱ medical device registration certificate. This acupuncture device consists of a needle body and a handle. The diameter of the needle body ranges from 0.16 mm to 0.55 mm, and the length from 7 mm to 150 mm. The spiral spray technology is adopted to modify the micron-level insulating coat on stainless steel needle body. The needle holder is connected to the electroacupuncture device (conductive), the micro-film insulated needle body (non-conductive) and the membrane-free needle tip (conductive) can provide a precise electrical stimulation for different tissue layers of acupoints (such as deep nerves and fascia). The intradermal stimulation test, cytotoxicity test and hypersensitivity reaction test have showed a favorable biocompatibility, laying a solid and reliable safety for clinical application. This acupuncture device is suitable for the in-depth invasive stimulation at the sites of human body surface in combination with electroacupuncture equipment in medical institutions.
Humans ; Needles ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Electrodes ; Equipment Design ; Electroacupuncture/instrumentation* ; Acupuncture Points ; Animals

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active moiety of both mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), serves as a primary immunosuppressant for maintaining solid organ transplants. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) enhances treatment outcomes through tailored approaches. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based guideline for MPA TDM, facilitating its rational application in clinical settings. The guideline plan was drawn from the Institute of Medicine and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Using the Delphi method, clinical questions and outcome indicators were generated. Systematic reviews, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence quality evaluations, expert opinions, and patient values guided evidence-based suggestions for the guideline. External reviews further refined the recommendations. The guideline for the TDM of MPA (IPGRP-2020CN099) consists of four sections and 16 recommendations encompassing target populations, monitoring strategies, dosage regimens, and influencing factors. High-risk populations, timing of TDM, area under the curve (AUC) versus trough concentration (C₀), target concentration ranges, monitoring frequency, and analytical methods are addressed. Formulation-specific recommendations, initial dosage regimens, populations with unique considerations, pharmacokinetic-informed dosing, body weight factors, pharmacogenetics, and drug‍-‍drug interactions are covered. The evidence-based guideline offers a comprehensive recommendation for solid organ transplant recipients undergoing MPA therapy, promoting standardization of MPA TDM, and enhancing treatment efficacy and safety.
Mycophenolic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Drug Monitoring/methods* ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage* ; Delphi Technique

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.08.006.].

Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of enzalutamide in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer from the perspective of healthcare in China.Methods Based on the published phase Ⅲ randomized controlled trial(ENZAMET),the disease process of metastatic prostate cancer was classified into three states:progression-free survival,progression survival and death,and the model period was defined as 28 days,and the study period was lifelong,and a Markov model was established to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the treatment of enzalutamide versus standard antiandrogen drugs in metastatic prostate cancer.Setting the willingness-to-pay(WTP)threshold at 3 times our 2022 gross domestic product(GDP)per capita and the robustness of the model analysis was verified by sensitivity analysis.Results Compared to the control group standard antiandrogen therapy,the incremental effect of enzalutamide was 0.92 quality-adjusted life years(QALYs),the incremental cost was 311 863.30 yuan,and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio(ICER)was 338 981.85 yuan/QALY,which was higher than WTP threshold(257 094 yuan/QALY).The results of univariate sensitivity analyses showed that the total cost of the enzalutamide group,the PFS utility value,the cost of the PD status of enzalutamide group,and the unit price of enzalutamide had a greater impact on the model results.The results of the probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggested that the enzalutamide treatment regimen was not economical within the willingness-to-pay threshold of 3 times our 2022 GDP per capita.Conclusion Compared with the standard anti-androgen drugs,enzalutamide does not offer a cost-effectiveness advantage in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer.

Background::Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a severe and acute cardiovascular syndrome with high mortality among patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRDs). Accurate prediction and timely intervention play a pivotal role in enhancing survival rates. However, there is a notable scarcity of practical early prediction and risk assessment systems of PE in patients with AIIRD.Methods::In the training cohort, 60 AIIRD with PE cases and 180 age-, gender-, and disease-matched AIIRD non-PE cases were identified from 7254 AIIRD cases in Tongji Hospital from 2014 to 2022. Univariable logistic regression (LR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to select the clinical features for further training with machine learning (ML) methods, including random forest (RF), support vector machines (SVM), neural network (NN), logistic regression (LR), gradient boosted decision tree (GBDT), classification and regression trees (CART), and C5.0 models. The performances of these models were subsequently validated using a multicenter validation cohort.Results::In the training cohort, 24 and 13 clinical features were selected by univariable LR and LASSO strategies, respectively. The five ML models (RF, SVM, NN, LR, and GBDT) showed promising performances, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.962-1.000 in the training cohort and 0.969-0.999 in the validation cohort. CART and C5.0 models achieved AUCs of 0.850 and 0.932, respectively, in the training cohort. Using D-dimer as a pre-screening index, the refined C5.0 model achieved an AUC exceeding 0.948 in the training cohort and an AUC above 0.925 in the validation cohort. These results markedly outperformed the use of D-dimer levels alone.Conclusion::ML-based models are proven to be precise for predicting the onset of PE in patients with AIIRD exhibiting clinical suspicion of PE.Trial Registration::Chictr.org.cn: ChiCTR2200059599.

Objective To analyze the clinical evolution and atypical spinal cord MRI features of myelitis post severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection.Methods Four patients with myelitis post the SARS-CoV-2 infection were retrospectively analyzed regarding the clinical manifestations,the dynamic changes of the spinal cord MRI and the treatment outcomes.Results The time latencies from SARS-CoV-2 infection to the onset of myelitis of the 4 patients were 5 d,15 d,80 d,and 30 d,respectively.The onset symptoms were numbness and weakness of lower limbs in 3 patients,and back pain with weakness of lower limbs in 1 patient.The peak symptoms included paraplegia,sphincter dysfunction,sensory plane and spastic gait.The expanded disability status score(EDSS)of the 4 patients were 7.5,9.0,9.0 and 7.5,respectively.Initial spinal cord MRI showed normal in 1 case,linear meningeal enhancement in 1 case,and punctate T2 signal changes in 2 cases.Spinal cord MRI at the peak of the symptoms showed patchy,linear and cloudy-like high signals on sagittal T2,which mainly distributed in lateral and posterior cords on axial T2.The prominent features of the MRI findings were the linear meningeal enhancement that appeared in all 4 cases during the disease and their mismatch with the severity of clinical symptoms.Two of the four patients received pulse methylprednisolone combined with plasma exchange therapy and did not show significant improvement,and all 4 patients were left with significant disability.Conclusions Myelitis post SARS-CoV-2 infection usually presents typical symptoms of myelitis,while the spinal cord MRI presents patchy,linear and cloudy-like high signals,with linear meningeal enhancement.The delayed and atypical spinal cord MRI findings need additional attention.

OBJECTIVE To reduce dispensing errors in pharmacy intravenous admixture service （PIVAS） of children’s hospitals. METHODS The risk of dispensing procedures in our PIVAS was identified by applying failure mode and effect analysis （FMEA） model. Potential failure modes that might lead to dispensing errors in each link were determined， and failure causes were analyzed. The severity， incidence and detection degree of potential failure modes were quantitatively scored， and their risk priority number （RPN） was calculated to screen failure modes that needed to be improved in priority； the corresponding improvement measures were developed by 6S management method from six aspects， namely， finishing （seiri）， rectifying （seiton）， sweeping （seiso）， sanitation （seiketsu）， literacy （shitsuke） and safety. The effect of intervention before and after rectification was evaluated. RESULTS Based on the RPN， 32 potential failure modes were selected， of which a total of 18 critical failure modes that needed to be improved in priority. After implementing corresponding measures according to 6S management method， the RPN of 18 critical failure modes decreased. The total RPN decreased from 497 to 142 with a decrease rate of 71.43%. The error rates of 15 critical failure modes were significantly lower than before implementation （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Applying FMEA model and 6S management method to the risk control of all aspects of PIVAS workflow can effectively reduce the risk of PIVAS dispensing errors and ensure the safety of children’s intravenous medication.

A major impedance to neuronal regeneration after peripheral nerve injury(PNI)is the activation of various programmed cell death mechanisms in the dorsal root ganglion.Ferroptosis is a form of pro-grammed cell death distinguished by imbalance in iron and thiol metabolism,leading to lethal lipid peroxidation.However,the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis in the context of PNI and nerve regeneration remain unclear.Ferroportin(Fpn),the only known mammalian nonheme iron export protein,plays a pivotal part in inhibiting ferroptosis by maintaining intracellular iron homeostasis.Here,we explored in vitro and in vivo the involvement of Fpn in neuronal ferroptosis.We first delineated that reactive oxygen species at the injury site induces neuronal ferroptosis by increasing intracellular iron via accelerated UBA52-driven ubiquitination and degradation of Fpn,and stimulation of lipid peroxidation.Early administration of the potent arterial vasodilator,hydralazine(HYD),decreases the ubiquitination of Fpn after PNI by binding to UBA52,leading to suppression of neuronal cell death and significant ac-celeration of axon regeneration and motor function recovery.HYD targeting of ferroptosis is a promising strategy for clinical management of PNI.

OBJECTIVE To provide standardized guidance for the clinical application and management of biosimilars， and promote their widespread and rational use in clinical treatment. METHODS The design， planning， and drafting process as well as the full report of Evidence-based Guideline for the Management of Clinical Application of Biosimilars in China （2024 Edition） followed the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development （2nd edition）， which fully considered the best current evidence from evidence-based medicine， multidisciplinary expert experience， and patient preferences and values. Grading of Recommendations Assessment， Development， and Evaluation （GRADE） approach was adopted to evaluate the quality of evidence and determine the strength of recommendations. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Evidence-based Guideline for the Management of Clinical Application of Biosimilars in China （2024 Edition） presented 10 recommendations including 7 strong recommendations and 3 weak recommendations. The recommendations covered the entire process of clinical application and management of biosimilars. Medical institutions and relevant health regulatory departments can refer to this guideline for the scientific management of the extrapolation of unapproved indications of biosimilars. Healthcare providers can refer to this guideline for pre-treatment assessments， patient education， pre-treatment regimen before administration， and dosage regimen adjustments. Multidisciplinary medical teams can refer to this guideline to provide pharmacovigilance and patient management throughout the treatment process.