Objective Based on 25 indicators including immune factors, cell count classification, and smear results of the knee joint fluid, machine learning models were established to distinguish between osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods 100 OA and 40 RA patients scheduled for total knee arthroplasty were enrolled respectively. Each patient's knee joint fluid was collected preoperatively. Nucleated cells were counted and classified. The expression levels of immune factors, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), MMP9, MMP13, rheumatoid factor (RF), serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and others were measured. Smears and microscopic classification of all the immune factors were performed. Independent influencing factors for OA or RA were identified using univariate binary logistic regression, Lasso regression, and multivariate binary logistic regression. Based on the independent influencing factors, three machine learning models were constructed which are logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machine. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate and compare the models. Results A total of 5 indicators in the knee joint fluid were screened out to distinguish OA and RA, which were IL-1β(odds ratio(OR)=10.512, 95× confidence interval (95×CI) was 1.048-105.42, P=0.045), IL-6 (OR=1.007, 95×CI was 1.001-1.014, P=0.022), MMP9 (OR=3.202, 95×CI was 1.235-8.305, P=0.017), MMP13 (OR=1.002, 95× CI was 1-1.004, P=0.049), and RF (OR=1.091, 95×CI was 1.01-1.179, P=0.026). According to the results of ROC, calibration curve and DCA, the accuracy (0.979), sensitivity (0.98) and area under the curve (AUC, 0.996, 95×CI was 0.991-1) of the random forest model were the highest. It has good validity and feasibility, and its distinguishing ability is better than the other two models. Conclusion The machine learning model based on immune factors in the knee joint fluid holds significant value in distinguishing OA and RA. It provides an important reference for the clinical early differential diagnosis, prevention and treatment of OA and RA.
Humans ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism* ; Machine Learning ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Synovial Fluid/immunology* ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism* ; Knee Joint/metabolism* ; ROC Curve ; Diagnosis, Differential

OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and safety of hetrombopag combined with low-dose prednison in the treatment of patients with refractory/recurrent primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP). METHODS A total of 40 patients with ITP who failed to respond to previous treatment or relapsed in the Department of Hematology of Gansu Provincial People’s Hospital From July 2021 to August 2022 were selected. Used randomized controlled trial research methods, according to the treatment plan, they were divided into observation group and control group, with 20 cases in each group. The control group was treated with low-dose prednison alone. The observation group was combined with hetrombopag treatment on this basis. The efficacy and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. RESULTS Treatment 6 weeks, patients who's proportion of platelet counts(PLT) reached≥50×109·L−1 and ≥30×109·L−1 in observation group were higher than control group with statistically significant differences in both groups[90%(18/20) vs 50%(10/20), P＝0.006; 90%(18/20) vs 65%(13/20), P＝0.130]; The study also indicated a statistically significant difference in favour of observation group compared with control group in the odds of achieving the outcome of a PLT≥50×109·L−1at least once during 6-week treatment[90%(18/20) vs 55%(11/20), P＝0.147], was more than placebo-treated one. The median time of PLT ≥ 50×109·L−1 for the first time within 6 weeks of treatment in the observation group was 3 weeks, which was the same as that in the control group. After 6 weeks of treatment, the median platelet count in the observation group was higher than that in the control group[97.50(58.25−166.75)×109·L−1 vs 45.50(13.25−82.50)×109·L−1 , P<0.05]. The median PLT count in the observation group was higher than that in the control group at week 1−6 after treatment, and the curative effect was significant. The two groups of patients tolerated the regimen well, and the degree of adverse reactions was mild, which improved quickly after symptomatic treatment. CONCLUSION Hetrombopag combined with low-dose prednison has a high effective rate in the treatment of refractory/recurrent ITP, which is better than that of single use, and the adverse reactions are tolerable, so it can be widely used in clinical practice.

Objective To conduct Rh blood group serological testing and third-generation sequencing(TGS)on 22 RhD variant voluntary blood donors in Chongqing and explore the phenotypic distribution and genotyping of RhD variants in Chongqing.Methods From January to August 2023,individuals who participated in blood donation in our blood center were selected as the study objects.RhD variant phenotype identification was performed using routine serological methods.Once the RhD variants were identified,tests on different antigenic epitopes of RhD were conducted using a D-screen assay kit.Furthermore,after the genomic DNA from 22 RhD variant blood samples was extracted,imbraided primers design and multi-segment amplification and splicing were used to sequence the full-length RHD gene for TGS.The RHD gene sequence was analyzed using SnapGene software.Results Among the 22 RhD variants,8 were DVI type 3(36.36%),with the main mutation of RHD-CE(3-6)-D hybrid allele.Six cases(27.27%)showed partial weak D15 type,with the main mutation of c.845G>A.There were 6 cases of Asia type Del(27.27%),with the main mutation of c.1227G>A.One case was weak D17 type with a mutation of c.340C>T and 1 case speculated to be partial D(c.491A>T,p.Asp164Val,missense mutation).Conclusion The most common RhD variant phenotype among blood donors in Chongqing is DVI type 3,and the full-length haplotype sequence of RHD variant alleles can be obtained by Pacific Bioscience single-molecule real-time sequencing(SMRT).

Objective:To evaluate the real-world short-term effectiveness of ixekizumab in the treatment of psoriasis, and to investigate factors influencing the effectiveness.Methods:Baseline data and short-term effectiveness evaluation results were retrospectively collected from patients with psoriasis, who received ixekizumab treatment in Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital from November 2019 to September 2021. A descriptive analysis was performed on the baseline characteristics of patients, continuous data were described as median (lower quartile, upper quartile), and categorical data were described as percentages. Comparisons of disease severity scores before and after the treatment with ixekizumab were performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired McNemar test. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore factors influencing the effectiveness of 4-week ixekizumab treatment.Results:A total of 118 patients with psoriasis were included, including 94 males and 24 females, and their age [ M ( Q1, Q3) ] was 43.4 (32.5, 53.0) years; plaque psoriasis (99 cases, 83.9%) and severe psoriasis (72 cases, 68.6%) predominated among the 118 patients, and skin lesions were mainly located on the scalp (59/116, 50.9%). Among the 49 patients who had received 2-week ixekizumab treatment, 27 (55.1%) achieved a 50% improvement in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score (PASI50) ; after 4-week treatment, 44 (89.8%), 30 (61.2%), 13 (26.5%) and 10 (20.4%) patients achieved PASI50/75/90/100 respectively, and their PASI scores (2.1 [1.1, 7.1]), involved body surface area (3.9% [0.5%, 14.5%]), dermatology life quality index scores (1.0 [0.0, 2.0]) and physician global assessment (PGA) scores (1.0 [1.0, 3.0]) were significantly lower than the corresponding scores at baseline (12.4 [8.8, 23.2], 22.0% [11.3%, 43.4%], 6.0 [3.0, 11.0], 4.0 [3.0, 5.0], respectively; all P < 0.001]. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline body mass index was significantly associated with the PASI75 response rate ( OR = 0.814, 95% CI: 0.659 - 0.958, P = 0.029) and the proportion of patients with PGA0/1 ( OR = 0.743, 95% CI: 0.562 - 0.917, P = 0.017) after 4-week ixekizumab treatment, and the baseline BSA score was significantly associated with the proportion of patients with PGA0/1 after 4-week ixekizumab treatment ( OR = 0.924, 95% CI: 0.870 - 0.968, P = 0.003) . Conclusion:The 4-week ixekizumab treatment significantly decreased the severity of psoriasis, and may be more effective in patients with lower disease severity and lower body mass index at baseline.

Objective To optimize the extraction process for icariin from Herba Epimedii. Methods The content of icariin in the extracts obtained by different extraction methods was determined with HPLC. The effect of solvents, boiling time, extracting time and temperature, and the size of the medicinal powder was observed. Results Different extraction methods had great influence on the extraction rate of icariin. Conclusion This research can provide evidence for the extraction of active component from Herba Epimedii in industrial production.