Objective To explore the value of MRI quantitative parameters and free/total prostate-specific antigen ratio(f/tPSA)for diagnosing prostate imaging reporting and data system(PI-RADS)3-point clinically significant prostate cancer(csPCa).Methods Totally 57 patients with PI-RADS 3-point prostate lesions were retrospectively enrolled,including 18 prostate cancer(PCa)(PCa group)and 39 benign hyperplasia with chronic prostatitis(non-PCa group).The former included 12 cases of csPCa and 6 cases of clinically insignificant PCa(ciPCa).Taken non-PCa and ciPCa into non-csPCa group(n=45),laboratory and MRI parameters(apparent diffusion coefficient[ADC],T1,T2,proton density[PD]values)were compared between PCa and non-PCa groups,also between csPCa and non-csPCa groups.Based on laboratory and MRI parameters being statistically different between groups according to univariate analysis,combined models were established using logistic regression.The efficacy of laboratory,MRI parameters and combined models for differentiating PCa and non-PCa as well as csPCa and non-csPCa were evaluated.Results ADC,T1,T2,PD values in PCa group were all lower those in non-PCa group(all P＜0.05),and f/tPSA,ADC,T1,T2 and PD values in csPCa group were all lower than those in non-csPCa group(all P＜0.05).AUC of ADC,T1,T2 and PD values for differentiating PCa from non-PCa was 0.662,0.755,0.793 and 0.729 respectively,while of ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model was 0.839,higher than that of ADC alone(P＜0.05)but not significantly different with T1,T2 and PD values alone(all P＞0.05).AUC of f/tPSA,ADC,T1,T2 and PD values for differentiating csPCa from non-csPCa was 0.692,0.759,0.741,0.805 and 0.737,respectively,while of ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model was 0.889,higher than that of f/tPSA,ADC and T1 values alone(all P＜0.05)but not significantly different with that of T2 and PD value alone(both P＞0.05).AUC of f/tPSA-ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model was 0.898,higher than that of f/tPSA,ADC,T1 and PD values alone(all P＜0.05)but not significantly different with T2 value and ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model(both P＞0.05).Conclusion MRI quantitative parameters combined with f/tPSA could effectively diagnose PI-RADS 3-point csPCa.

Objective To explore the value of MRI quantitative parameters and free/total prostate-specific antigen ratio(f/tPSA)for diagnosing prostate imaging reporting and data system(PI-RADS)3-point clinically significant prostate cancer(csPCa).Methods Totally 57 patients with PI-RADS 3-point prostate lesions were retrospectively enrolled,including 18 prostate cancer(PCa)(PCa group)and 39 benign hyperplasia with chronic prostatitis(non-PCa group).The former included 12 cases of csPCa and 6 cases of clinically insignificant PCa(ciPCa).Taken non-PCa and ciPCa into non-csPCa group(n=45),laboratory and MRI parameters(apparent diffusion coefficient[ADC],T1,T2,proton density[PD]values)were compared between PCa and non-PCa groups,also between csPCa and non-csPCa groups.Based on laboratory and MRI parameters being statistically different between groups according to univariate analysis,combined models were established using logistic regression.The efficacy of laboratory,MRI parameters and combined models for differentiating PCa and non-PCa as well as csPCa and non-csPCa were evaluated.Results ADC,T1,T2,PD values in PCa group were all lower those in non-PCa group(all P＜0.05),and f/tPSA,ADC,T1,T2 and PD values in csPCa group were all lower than those in non-csPCa group(all P＜0.05).AUC of ADC,T1,T2 and PD values for differentiating PCa from non-PCa was 0.662,0.755,0.793 and 0.729 respectively,while of ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model was 0.839,higher than that of ADC alone(P＜0.05)but not significantly different with T1,T2 and PD values alone(all P＞0.05).AUC of f/tPSA,ADC,T1,T2 and PD values for differentiating csPCa from non-csPCa was 0.692,0.759,0.741,0.805 and 0.737,respectively,while of ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model was 0.889,higher than that of f/tPSA,ADC and T1 values alone(all P＜0.05)but not significantly different with that of T2 and PD value alone(both P＞0.05).AUC of f/tPSA-ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model was 0.898,higher than that of f/tPSA,ADC,T1 and PD values alone(all P＜0.05)but not significantly different with T2 value and ADC-T1-T2-PD combined model(both P＞0.05).Conclusion MRI quantitative parameters combined with f/tPSA could effectively diagnose PI-RADS 3-point csPCa.

Objective:The transjugular or transfemoral approach is used as a common method for hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement in current practice. This study aims to confirm the safety and effectiveness of measuring HVPG via the forearm venous approach.Methods:Prospective recruitment was conducted for patients with cirrhosis who underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach at six hospitals in China and Japan from September 2020 to December 2020. Patients' clinical baseline information and HVPG measurement data were collected. The right median cubital vein or basilic vein approach for all enrolled patients was selected. The HVPG standard process was used to measure pressure. Research data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 statistical software. Quantitative data were used to represent medians (interquartile ranges), while qualitative data were used to represent frequency and rates. The correlation between two sets of data was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis.Results:A total of 43 cases were enrolled in this study. Of these, 41 (95.3%) successfully underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach. None of the patients had any serious complications. The median operation time for HVPG detection via forearm vein was 18.0 minutes (12.3~38.8 minutes). This study confirmed that HVPG was positively closely related to Child-Pugh score ( r = 0.47, P = 0.002), albumin-bilirubin score ( r = 0.37, P = 0.001), Lok index ( r = 0.36, P = 0.02), liver stiffness ( r = 0.58, P = 0.01), and spleen stiffness ( r = 0.77, P = 0.01), while negatively correlated with albumin ( r = -0.42, P = 0.006). Conclusion:The results of this multi-centre retrospective study suggest that HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach is safe and feasible.

Objective:The investigation and research on the application status of Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient (HVPG) is very important to understand the real situation and future development of this technology in China.Methods:This study comprehensively investigated the basic situation of HVPG technology in China, including hospital distribution, hospital level, annual number of cases, catheters used, average cost, indications and existing problems.Results:According to the survey, there were 70 hospitals in China carrying out HVPG technology in 2021, distributed in 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central Government). A total of 4 398 cases of HVPG were performed in all the surveyed hospitals in 2021, of which 2 291 cases (52.1%) were tested by HVPG alone. The average cost of HVPG detection was (5 617.2±2 079.4) yuan. 96.3% of the teams completed HVPG detection with balloon method, and most of the teams used thrombectomy balloon catheter (80.3%).Conclusion:Through this investigation, the status of domestic clinical application of HVPG has been clarified, and it has been confirmed that many domestic medical institutions have mastered this technology, but it still needs to continue to promote and popularize HVPG technology in the future.

Objective To investigate the regulatory effect of Jiedu Huayu Tongfu prescription on intestinal homeostasis in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis with liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome, as well as its effect on endotoxin, inflammatory factors, and cellular immune function. Methods A total of 72 patients who attended The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from June 2019 to January 2021 and met the diagnostic and inclusion criteria were enrolled as subjects and then randomly divided into observation group and control group, with 36 patients in each group. In the treatment group, 2 patients were lost to follow-up, 2 patients were excluded, and 32 patients completed the study; in the control group, 2 patients were lost to follow-up, 1 patient was excluded, and 33 patients completed the study. In addition to the basic treatment including antiviral therapy and liver-protecting treatment, the patients in the observation group were given Jiedu Huayu Tongfu granules, and those in the control group were given oral administration of Bifidobacterium tetravaccine tablets; the course of treatment was 4 weeks for both groups. The 16S rDNA sequencing technique was used for sequencing of fecal flora, and the two groups were measured in terms of the changes in liver function [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil), and albumin (Alb)], endotoxin (ET), levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and T lymphocyte subsets (CD3 + T, CD4 + T, CD8 + T, and CD4 + /CD8 + ) after treatment. For normally distributed continuous data with homogeneity of variance, the paired t -test was used for comparison within each group, and the independent samples t -test was used for comparison between two groups; the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data. Results The observation group had a significantly higher overall response rate than the control group (87.5% vs 60.6%, χ 2 =-2.299, P =0.022). After treatment, both groups had significant reductions in ALT, AST, and TBil and a significant increase in Alb (all P < 0.05), and compared with the control group, the observation group had a significantly greater reduction in TBil ( Z =-2.165, P =0.030). After treatment, both groups had significant improvements in the levels of CD3 + T, CD4 + T, and CD4 + /CD8 + , and the observation group had significantly greater improvements than the control group ( Z =-2.146, -2.940, and 3.157, P =0.032, 0.003, and 0.002). After treatment, both groups had significant reductions in the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and ET, and the observation group had significantly greater reductions than the control group ( Z =-2.139, -1.982, and -2.062, P =0.032, 0.048, and 0.043). Both groups had an increase in the number of operational taxonomic units after treatment. As for the abundance of intestinal flora at the phylum level, the observation group had a significant increase in the abundance of Firmicutes and a significant reduction in the abundance of Bacteroidetes after treatment ( Z =-3.181 and -2.215, P =0.001 and 0.027); compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly greater increases in the abundance of Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria and significantly greater reductions in the abundance of Bacteroidetes, Cercozoa, and ε-Proteobacteria (all P < 0.05). At the genus level, the observation group had a significant increase in the abundance of Bifidobacterium after treatment ( Z =-2.045, P =0.041). The alpha-diversity analysis showed that the observation group had significant increases in Chao1 and Ace indices after treatment ( t =-4.263 and -3.328, P =0.001 and 0.005) and a significantly greater increase in Ace index than the control group ( t =2.292, P =0.030). The beta-diversity analysis showed that the two groups had a similar composition of flora without significant difference (all P > 0.05). Conclusion Jiedu Huayu Tongfu prescription, in combination with etiological and basic treatments, can alleviate clinical symptoms, reduce liver injury, and improve cellular immune function in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis with liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome. Jiedu Huayu Tongfu prescription can improve the imbalance of intestinal flora by increasing the abundance of the probiotic bacteria such as Firmicutes, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium and the pathogenic bacteria such as Bacteroidetes and Cercozoa, and its effect in further improving liver and immune function may be associated with the regulation of intestinal microecology.