BACKGROUND: Gait impairment is closely related to quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to explore alterations in brain microstructure in PD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and to identify the correlation of gait impairment in the ON and OFF states of patients with PD, respectively. METHODS: We enrolled 24 PD patients and 29 HCs from the Movement Disorders Program at Beijing Friendship Hospital Capital Medical University between 2019 and 2020. We acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and processed the diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) images. Preprocessing of diffusion-weighted data was performed with Mrtrix3 software, using a directional distribution function to track participants' main white matter fiber bundles. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Quantitative gait and clinical scales were used to assess the status of medication ON and OFF in PD patients. RESULTS: The axial kurtosis (AK), mean kurtosis (MK), and radial kurtosis (RK) of five specific white matter fiber tracts, the bilateral corticospinal tract, left superior longitudinal fasciculus, left anterior thalamic radiation, forceps minor, and forceps major were significantly higher in PD patients compared to HCs. Additionally, the MK values were negatively correlated with Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) scores in both the ON and OFF in PD patients. Within the PD group, higher AK, MK, and RK values, whether the patients were ON or OFF, were associated with better gait performance (i.e., higher velocity and stride length). CONCLUSIONS PD exhibits characteristic regional patterns of white matter microstructural degradation. Correlations between objective gait parameters and DKI values suggest that dopamine-responsive gait function depends on preserved white matter microstructure. DKI-based Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) analysis may serve as a tool for evaluating PD-related motor impairments (e.g., gait impairment) and could yield potential neuroimaging biomarkers.
Humans ; Parkinson Disease/diagnostic imaging* ; White Matter/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Gait/physiology* ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods*

Objective To investigate the effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation(taVNS)on quality of early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection.Methods A total of 168 patients scheduled for elective thoracoscopic lung resection(wedge resection,segmentectomy,lobectomy)under general anesthesia were enrolled and randomly assigned to active-taVNS group(group T)or sham-taVNS group(group S)(n=84).Participants received four consecutive 30-minute sessions of active stimulation or sham stimulation at four time points:(1)the afternoon prior to the surgery,(2)the morning of the surgery,(3)following extubation,and(4)the first afternoon post-surgery.The Quality of Recovery-15(QoR-15)scores of the patients,the Numerical Rating Scale(NRS)scores at rest and during cough at 24,48,and 72 hours after surgery were recorded;and the usage of opioids within 48 hours after surgery was recorded;the duration of chest tube indwelling,incidence of severe pulmonary complications,postoperative hospital stay and adverse reactions to the stimulation(such as nausea and vomiting,fever,constipation,dizziness and itching)were observed.Results Compared with group S,group T exhibited significantly higher QoR-15 scores at 24,48,and 72 h postoperatively,lower NRS pain scores during resting and coughing,and reduced opioid consumption within 48 hours postoperatively(P<0.05).There were no significant differences between the two groups in the duration of chest tube indwelling,incidence of severe pulmonary complications,hospital stay,and the incidence of adverse reactions to the stimula-tion(P>0.05).Conclusion TaVNS can significantly improve quality of early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection,and provide more effective postoperative analgesia without increasing the risk of postoperative complications.

Objective To explore the short-term prognosis and risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with fulminant myocarditis induced refractory cardiogenic shock(FM-RCS)receiving veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(VA-ECMO)treatment,and to construct an early prognosis prediction model using relevant indicators.Methods A total of 61 FM-RCS patients treatment by VA-ECMO in the department of intensive care unit of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2017 to February 2024,excluding 15 cases with age less than 18 years and 3 cases with ECMO treatment duration less than 24 hours,a total of 43 patients were finally included.Participants were stratified into survival(n=19)and mortality(n=24)groups according to discharge outcomes.Demographic data,chronic disease history,early laboratory indicators,left ventricular function indicators,and basic reference values of hemodynamics were systematically compared between the two groups.Variable selection was performed using LASSO regression,followed by multivariate COX regression analysis to screen independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in ECMO-treatment FM-RCS patients.A nomogram prediction model was subsequently developed using R software and validated through calibration curves,concordance index(C-index),and receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC curve)analysis.Results The overall survival rate of the 43 enrolled patients was 44.2%,with 19 cases in the survival group and 24 cases in the mortality group.In early laboratory indicators,the survival group exhibited significantly lower levels of initial lactic acid(Lac),24-hour Lac(Lac 24 h),24-hour MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase(CK-MB 24 h),24-hour cardiac troponin T(cTnT 24 h),24-hour total bilirubin(TBil 24 h),24-hour serum creatinine(SCr 24 h),and lactate albumin ratio(LAR)compared to the mortality group[initial Lac(mmol/L):2.7(1.3,7.6)vs.9.2(5.9,14.0),Lac 24 h(mmol/L):2.4(2.0,3.6)vs.5.4(3.3,9.2),CK-MB 24 h(U/L):58.0(28.0,115.0)vs.167.7(68.5,280.3),cTnT 24 h(μg/L):0.53(0.37,2.41)vs.3.92(3.10,8.86),TBil 24h(μmol/L):18.3(9.9,37.8)vs.40.2(24.6,67.0),SCr 24 h(μmol/L):90.63±42.49 vs.177.76±70.76,LAR:0.09(0.04,0.23)vs.0.31(0.20,0.38),all P<0.05],serum albumin(Alb)levels were significantly higher in the survival group[g/L:36.0(31.9,39.2)vs.31.7(26.4,34.4),P<0.05].The mortality group had a higher incidence of malignant arrhythmias[66.7%(16/24)vs.31.6%(6/19),P<0.05].The LASSO regression model identified four non-zero coefficient variables-Lac 24 h,CK-MB 24 h,cTnT 24 h,and SCr 24 h-which were included in the subsequent multivariate COX regression analysis.The results demonstrated that Lac 24 h[hazard ratio(HR)and 95%confidence interval(95%CI)was 1.186(1.074-1.310),P<0.001]and cTnT 24 h(HR=1.230,95%CIwas 1.078-1.404,P=0.002)were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in VA-ECMO treatment FM-RCS patients.A predictive model constructed using these two indicators showed a C-index of 0.812,area under the curve(AUC)=0.941,with 91.7%sensitivity and 94.7%specificity.Furthermore,compared to the survival group,the mortality group exhibited significantly higher incidences of acute kidney injury[91.7%(22/24)vs.36.8%(7/19)]and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy[62.5%(15/24)vs.10.5%(2/19),both P<0.05].The mortality group also required greater transfusion volumes[mL:3 800(1 420,8 515)vs.1 200(400,3 020),P<0.05],but had shorter total hospitalization durations[days:7(3,13)vs.23(20,44),P<0.05].Conclusion For FM-RCS patients receiving VA-ECMO treatment,Lac 24 h and cTnT 24 h after ECMO initiation are independent predictors of in-hospital mortality.Clinicians should be vigilant about poor prognosis in FM-RCS patients with high Lac 24 h hours(>2.5 mmol/L)and cTnT 24 hours(>3.01 μg/L)after ECMO treatment.

Objective:To analyze interobserver variability in endoscopic diagnostic accuracy of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) among endoscopists with varying levels of experience.Methods:Endoscopic examination data from 247 patients who underwent endoscopy from January 2021 to June 2024 at Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University ( n=154), Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University ( n=35) and Shanxi Provincial Coal Central Hospital ( n=58) were retrospectively collected. The collected images were reviewed by an expert panel of three individuals with the title of deputy chief physician or above. The final endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto classification diagnosis of the expert panel was regarded as the golden standard. Fourteen endoscopists from the above three centers provided their Kimura-Takemoto classification diagnosis. These endoscopists were divided into the junior group ( n=7, with experience of <2 000 procedures) and the senior group ( n=7, with experience of >10 000 procedures). The difference in the accuracy of endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto classification diagnosis between the groups were analyzed. Results:Diagnostic accuracy for Kimura-Takemoto classification ranged from 65.99% (163/247) to 86.64% (214/247) in the senior group with the overall accuracy of 77.27% (1 336/1 729). The junior group exhibited diagnostic accuracy ranging from 36.44% (90/247) to 72.47% (179/247) with the overall accuracy of 62.12% (1 074/1 729). The senior group demonstrated higher overall diagnostic accuracy than that of the junior group ( χ 2=93.27, P<0.001). The diagnostic accuracy of non-CAG in the senior group was higher than that in the junior group [83.73% (463/553) VS 72.33% (400/553), χ 2=20.27, P<0.001]. The diagnostic accuracy of C-type atrophy in the senior group was higher than that in the junior group [90.10% (801/889) VS 82.79% (736/889), χ 2=19.66, P<0.001] .The diagnostic accuracy of O-type atrophy in the senior group was higher than that in the junior group [83.97% (241/287) VS 68.29% (196/287), χ 2=18.56, P<0.001]. Conclusion:Interobserver variability is observed in the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto classification for CAG among endoscopists with different experience levels. Experienced endoscopists exhibit higher diagnostic accuracy for CAG compared with their less experienced counterparts.

Objective To investigate the effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation(taVNS)on quality of early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection.Methods A total of 168 patients scheduled for elective thoracoscopic lung resection(wedge resection,segmentectomy,lobectomy)under general anesthesia were enrolled and randomly assigned to active-taVNS group(group T)or sham-taVNS group(group S)(n=84).Participants received four consecutive 30-minute sessions of active stimulation or sham stimulation at four time points:(1)the afternoon prior to the surgery,(2)the morning of the surgery,(3)following extubation,and(4)the first afternoon post-surgery.The Quality of Recovery-15(QoR-15)scores of the patients,the Numerical Rating Scale(NRS)scores at rest and during cough at 24,48,and 72 hours after surgery were recorded;and the usage of opioids within 48 hours after surgery was recorded;the duration of chest tube indwelling,incidence of severe pulmonary complications,postoperative hospital stay and adverse reactions to the stimulation(such as nausea and vomiting,fever,constipation,dizziness and itching)were observed.Results Compared with group S,group T exhibited significantly higher QoR-15 scores at 24,48,and 72 h postoperatively,lower NRS pain scores during resting and coughing,and reduced opioid consumption within 48 hours postoperatively(P<0.05).There were no significant differences between the two groups in the duration of chest tube indwelling,incidence of severe pulmonary complications,hospital stay,and the incidence of adverse reactions to the stimula-tion(P>0.05).Conclusion TaVNS can significantly improve quality of early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection,and provide more effective postoperative analgesia without increasing the risk of postoperative complications.

Objective:To analyze interobserver variability in endoscopic diagnostic accuracy of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) among endoscopists with varying levels of experience.Methods:Endoscopic examination data from 247 patients who underwent endoscopy from January 2021 to June 2024 at Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University ( n=154), Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University ( n=35) and Shanxi Provincial Coal Central Hospital ( n=58) were retrospectively collected. The collected images were reviewed by an expert panel of three individuals with the title of deputy chief physician or above. The final endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto classification diagnosis of the expert panel was regarded as the golden standard. Fourteen endoscopists from the above three centers provided their Kimura-Takemoto classification diagnosis. These endoscopists were divided into the junior group ( n=7, with experience of <2 000 procedures) and the senior group ( n=7, with experience of >10 000 procedures). The difference in the accuracy of endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto classification diagnosis between the groups were analyzed. Results:Diagnostic accuracy for Kimura-Takemoto classification ranged from 65.99% (163/247) to 86.64% (214/247) in the senior group with the overall accuracy of 77.27% (1 336/1 729). The junior group exhibited diagnostic accuracy ranging from 36.44% (90/247) to 72.47% (179/247) with the overall accuracy of 62.12% (1 074/1 729). The senior group demonstrated higher overall diagnostic accuracy than that of the junior group ( χ 2=93.27, P<0.001). The diagnostic accuracy of non-CAG in the senior group was higher than that in the junior group [83.73% (463/553) VS 72.33% (400/553), χ 2=20.27, P<0.001]. The diagnostic accuracy of C-type atrophy in the senior group was higher than that in the junior group [90.10% (801/889) VS 82.79% (736/889), χ 2=19.66, P<0.001] .The diagnostic accuracy of O-type atrophy in the senior group was higher than that in the junior group [83.97% (241/287) VS 68.29% (196/287), χ 2=18.56, P<0.001]. Conclusion:Interobserver variability is observed in the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic Kimura-Takemoto classification for CAG among endoscopists with different experience levels. Experienced endoscopists exhibit higher diagnostic accuracy for CAG compared with their less experienced counterparts.

Objective To explore the short-term prognosis and risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with fulminant myocarditis induced refractory cardiogenic shock(FM-RCS)receiving veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(VA-ECMO)treatment,and to construct an early prognosis prediction model using relevant indicators.Methods A total of 61 FM-RCS patients treatment by VA-ECMO in the department of intensive care unit of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2017 to February 2024,excluding 15 cases with age less than 18 years and 3 cases with ECMO treatment duration less than 24 hours,a total of 43 patients were finally included.Participants were stratified into survival(n=19)and mortality(n=24)groups according to discharge outcomes.Demographic data,chronic disease history,early laboratory indicators,left ventricular function indicators,and basic reference values of hemodynamics were systematically compared between the two groups.Variable selection was performed using LASSO regression,followed by multivariate COX regression analysis to screen independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in ECMO-treatment FM-RCS patients.A nomogram prediction model was subsequently developed using R software and validated through calibration curves,concordance index(C-index),and receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC curve)analysis.Results The overall survival rate of the 43 enrolled patients was 44.2%,with 19 cases in the survival group and 24 cases in the mortality group.In early laboratory indicators,the survival group exhibited significantly lower levels of initial lactic acid(Lac),24-hour Lac(Lac 24 h),24-hour MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase(CK-MB 24 h),24-hour cardiac troponin T(cTnT 24 h),24-hour total bilirubin(TBil 24 h),24-hour serum creatinine(SCr 24 h),and lactate albumin ratio(LAR)compared to the mortality group[initial Lac(mmol/L):2.7(1.3,7.6)vs.9.2(5.9,14.0),Lac 24 h(mmol/L):2.4(2.0,3.6)vs.5.4(3.3,9.2),CK-MB 24 h(U/L):58.0(28.0,115.0)vs.167.7(68.5,280.3),cTnT 24 h(μg/L):0.53(0.37,2.41)vs.3.92(3.10,8.86),TBil 24h(μmol/L):18.3(9.9,37.8)vs.40.2(24.6,67.0),SCr 24 h(μmol/L):90.63±42.49 vs.177.76±70.76,LAR:0.09(0.04,0.23)vs.0.31(0.20,0.38),all P<0.05],serum albumin(Alb)levels were significantly higher in the survival group[g/L:36.0(31.9,39.2)vs.31.7(26.4,34.4),P<0.05].The mortality group had a higher incidence of malignant arrhythmias[66.7%(16/24)vs.31.6%(6/19),P<0.05].The LASSO regression model identified four non-zero coefficient variables-Lac 24 h,CK-MB 24 h,cTnT 24 h,and SCr 24 h-which were included in the subsequent multivariate COX regression analysis.The results demonstrated that Lac 24 h[hazard ratio(HR)and 95%confidence interval(95%CI)was 1.186(1.074-1.310),P<0.001]and cTnT 24 h(HR=1.230,95%CIwas 1.078-1.404,P=0.002)were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality in VA-ECMO treatment FM-RCS patients.A predictive model constructed using these two indicators showed a C-index of 0.812,area under the curve(AUC)=0.941,with 91.7%sensitivity and 94.7%specificity.Furthermore,compared to the survival group,the mortality group exhibited significantly higher incidences of acute kidney injury[91.7%(22/24)vs.36.8%(7/19)]and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy[62.5%(15/24)vs.10.5%(2/19),both P<0.05].The mortality group also required greater transfusion volumes[mL:3 800(1 420,8 515)vs.1 200(400,3 020),P<0.05],but had shorter total hospitalization durations[days:7(3,13)vs.23(20,44),P<0.05].Conclusion For FM-RCS patients receiving VA-ECMO treatment,Lac 24 h and cTnT 24 h after ECMO initiation are independent predictors of in-hospital mortality.Clinicians should be vigilant about poor prognosis in FM-RCS patients with high Lac 24 h hours(>2.5 mmol/L)and cTnT 24 hours(>3.01 μg/L)after ECMO treatment.

Objective:To establish the normal reference value of left ventricular function parameters by cadmium-zinc-tellurium (CZT) SPECT stress gated myocardial perfusion imaging (G-MPI) in low-likelihood of stable coronary artery disease (SCAD).Methods:From March 2022 to August 2022, 348 consecutive SCAD patients (146 males, 202 females, age (58±10) years) who underwent exercise or pharmacological stress G-MPI (CZT SPECT) in Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively recruited. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were acquired using quantitative gated SPECT (QGS) analysis. EDV and ESV were corrected by body surface area (BSA) to obtain EDV index (EDVI) and ESV index (ESVI), respectively. Independent-sample t test, one-way analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney U test were used for data analysis. The influences of EDV, ESV, EDVI, ESVI and LVEF were analyzed by multiple regressions for linear models. Results:There were 314 patients with low-likelihood of SCAD (128 males, 186 females, age (58±10) years) and 34 normal controls (18 males, 16 females, age (55±10) years). There were no significant differences of basic clinical characteristics and left ventricular function parameters in different genders between 2 groups ( z values: from -1.74 to -0.02, t values: from -1.16 to 1.17, all P>0.05). Using the 95% CI as the cut-off value for left ventricular function parameters in patients with a low-likelihood of SCAD, the upper limits of EDV, ESV, EDVI and ESVI in females and males were 84 and 111 ml, 30 and 44 ml, 47 and 54 ml/m 2, 17 and 21 ml/m 2, respectively, and the lower limit of LVEF in females and males were 58% and 55%, respectively. In the low-likelihood of SCAD group, the EDV ((58±13) vs (77±17) ml) and ESV ((16±7) vs (26±9) ml) of females were smaller than those of males ( t values: 10.65, 10.35, both P<0.001), while LVEF of females was higher than that of males ((72±7)% vs (67±6)%; t=-6.23, P<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in left ventricular function parameters among different age groups with the same gender ( F values: 0.12-2.19, all P>0.05). Based on multiple regression for linear models, the primary predictors of EDV, ESV and LVEF were gender and weight ( β values: from -0.380 to 0.358, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Normal reference values of left ventricular function parameters are established by CZT SPECT stress G-MPI in low-likelihood of SCAD patients. Left ventricular EDV and ESV of females are smaller than those of males, while LVEF of females is higher than that of males. The influence of gender on left ventricular function parameters should be considered in clinical practice.

Objective:To explore the independent risk factors of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis, and to establish and evaluate a risk prediction model for PVT in patients with cirrhosis.Methods:A total of 295 cases of cirrhosis hospitalized in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from December 2019 to October 2021 were divided into a modeling set ( n=207) and an internal validation set ( n=88) by the random number table. In addition, patients with cirrhosis hospitalized in Yichang Central People's Hospital, Wuhan Puren Hospital, No.2 People's Hospital of Fuyang City and People's Hospital of China Three Gorges University during the same period were collected as an external validation set ( n=92). The modeling set was divided into PVT group ( n=56) and non-PVT group ( n=151). Univariate analysis was used to preliminarily screen the related indicators of PVT, and then multivariate logistic regression analysis with forward stepwise regression was used to determine independent risk factors for PVT. A nomogram prediction model was constructed based on the independent risk factors obtained. The internal and external validation set were used to verify the predictive ability of the model. Distinction degree was used to evaluate the ability of the model to distinguish patients with or without PVT. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to evaluate the consistency between predicted risk and the actual risk of the model. Results:Univariate analysis showed that smoking, history of splenectomy, trans-jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), gastrointestinal bleeding and endoscopic variceal treatment, and levels of hemoglobin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and D-dimer were significantly different between the PVT group and the non-PVT group ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that smoking ( P=0.020, OR=31.21, 95% CI: 1.71-569.40), levels of D-dimer ( P=0.003, OR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.04-1.20) and hemoglobin ( P=0.039, OR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.97-1.00), history of TIPS ( P=0.011, OR=18.04, 95% CI: 1.92-169.90) and endoscopic variceal treatment ( P=0.001, OR=3.21, 95% CI: 1.59-6.50) were independent risk factors for PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the internal validation set was 0.802 (95% CI: 0.709-0.895) ( P<0.001), and the AUC for the external validation set was 0.811 (95% CI: 0.722-0.900) ( P<0.001). Both AUC were larger than 0.75. The calibration curve of Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed that the P values of both internal validation set ( χ2=3.602, P=0.891) and the external validation set ( χ2=11.025, P=0.200) were larger than 0.05. Conclusion:Smoking, history of TIPS or endoscopic variceal treatment, levels of D-dimer and hemoglobin are independent risk factors for PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis. The prediction nomogram model based on the above factors has strong predictive ability.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided coil embolization combined with endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection for gastric fundal varices with large spontaneous shunt.Methods:Data of 24 patients with gastric fundal varices with large spontaneous shunt (the smallest diameter was 5-15 mm) treated by EUS-guided coil embolization combined with endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from December 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The short-term efficacy (the rates of technical success, five-day rebleeding and six-week mortality) and long-term efficacy (the rates of one-year rebleeding, one-year mortality and three-year mortality) and safety (ectopic embolism) were evaluated.Results:The technical success rate was 91.7% (22/24), and the five-day rebleeding rate was 0 (0/22). Computed tomography angiography of portal vein reexamined 2 days after the treatment showed embolism of splenic vein in 1 patient (4.5%). The median follow-up time was 14.9 months (ranging 1.0-48.6 months) and 2 patients were lost during follow-up. The six-week mortality was 0 (0/20), and the one-year rebleeding rate was 35.0% (7/20). Among 12 patients who underwent endoscopy in the follow-up, 5 had aggravation of esophageal varices, and 5 had aggravation of portal hypertension gastropathy. The one-year and three-year mortalities were 5.0% (1/20) and 20.0% (4/20), respectively, neither of which was related to such events as bleeding or ectopic embolism.Conclusion:EUS-guided coil embolization combined with endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection for gastric fundal varices with large spontaneous shunt is effective and safe in short term, with a low rate of ectopic embolism. Long-term efficacy and safety need to be further confirmed.