A case of secondary pulmonary infection in a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was admitted.The patient was initially giren piperacillin-tazobactam combined with levofloxacin for anti-infective treatment before the pathogen was identified.lafer,the HRZE anti-tuberculosis regimen was added,but the patient continued to experience high fever,yellow purulent sputum,and dyspnea.Subsequent,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid pathogen metagenomic sequencing revealed Nocardia terpenica.Clinical pharmacists,based on the patient's condition changes and in accordance with relevant guidelines and literature,suggested using various antimicrobial agents,including compound sulfamethoxazole tablets,linezolid glucose injection,amikacin injection combined with imipenem-cilastatin,to manage the patient's intolerance to sulfonamides and the bone marrow suppression induced by linezolid and to provide medication suggestions.The clinician adopted all the suggestions.Through the collaborative efforts of physicians and clinical pharmacists,the patient's condition improved,allowing for discharge with medication.Post-discharge,medication education and follow-up were conducted,leading to successful recovery.In this case,the clinical pharmacist reviewed domestic and international literature on Nocardia terpenica and the characteristics of antimicrobial drugs,and utilized their expertise to assist clinicians in treating rare infection cases,realizing their professional value.

BACKGROUND: Valvular heart disease (VHD) has become increasingly common with the aging in China. This study aimed to evaluate regional differences in the clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes of patients with VHD across different regions in China. METHODS: Data were collected from the China-VHD Study. From April 2018 to June 2018, 12,347 patients who presented with moderate or severe native VHD with a median of 2 years of follow-up from 46 centers at certified tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in Chinese mainland were included in this study. According to the locations of the research centers, patients were divided into five regional groups: eastern, southern, western, northern, and central China. The clinical features of VHD patients were compared among the five geographical regions. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence rate. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients (mean age, 61.96 years; 6877 [55.70%] male), multiple VHD was the most frequent type (4042, 32.74%), which was mainly found in eastern China, followed by isolated mitral regurgitation (3044, 24.65%), which was mainly found in northern China. The etiology of VHD varied significantly across different regions of China. The overall rate of valve interventions was 32.67% (4008/12,268), with the highest rate in southern China at 48.46% (205/423). In terms of procedure, the proportion of transcatheter valve intervention was relatively low compared to that of surgical treatment. Patients with VHD in western China had the highest incidence of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Valve intervention significantly improved the outcome of patients with VHD in all five regions (all P  <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that patients with VHD in China are characterized by significant geographic disparities in clinical features, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Targeted efforts are needed to improve the management and prognosis of patients with VHD in China according to differences in geographical characteristics. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03484806.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Heart Valve Diseases/therapy* ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: To create a mixed valvular heart disease (MVHD)-related age-adjusted comorbidity index (MVACI) model for predicting mortality risk of patients with MVHD. METHODS: A total of 4080 patients with moderate or severe MVHD in the China-VHD study were included. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality. A MVACI model prediction model was constructed based on the mortality risk factors identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Restricted cubic splines were used to assess the relationship between MVACI scores and 2-year all-cause mortality. The optimal threshold, determined by the maximum Youden index from receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, was used to stratify patients. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate 2-year all-cause mortality and compared using the Log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), evaluating the association between MVACI scores and mortality. Paired ROC curves were used to compare the discriminative ability of MVACI scores with the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation Ⅱ(EuroSCORE Ⅱ) or the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) in predicting 2-year clinical outcomes, while calibration curves assessed the calibration of these models. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on etiology, treatment strategies, and disease severity. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis identified the following variables independently associated with 2-year all-cause mortality in patients: pulmonary hypertension, myocardiopathy, heart failure, low body weight (body mass index <18.5 kg/m²), anaemia, hypoalbuminemia, renal insufficiency, cancer, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and age. The score was independently associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, and exhibited good discrimination (AUC=0.777, 95%CI: 0.755-0.799) and calibration (Brier score 0.062), with significantly better predictive performance than EuroSCORE Ⅱ or ACCI (both adjusted P<0.01). The internal validation showed that the MVACI model's predicted probability of 2-year all-cause mortality was generally consistent with the actual probability. The AUCs for predicting all-cause mortality risk were all above 0.750, and those for predicting adverse events were all above 0.630. The prognostic value of the score remained consistent in patients regardless of their etiology, therapeutic option, and disease severity. CONCLUSIONS The MVACI was constructed in this study based on age and comorbidities, and can be used for mortality risk prediction and risk stratification of MVHD patients. It is a simple algorithmic index and easy to use.
Humans ; Prognosis ; Comorbidity ; Heart Valve Diseases/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Age Factors ; Risk Assessment ; Adult ; ROC Curve

Objective To explore the current status and influencing factors of heart failure occurrence in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP), and to provide a scientific basis for developing individualized prevention and treatment strategies. Methods A total of 310 patients with UAP admitted to the Fifth People's Hospital from October 2021 to October 2024 were selected as study subjects. The current status of the patients' heart failure was statistically analyzed, and the patients were divided into heart failure group and non-heart failure group according to whether they had heart failure. Univariate and logistic multivariate regression analyses were used to analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of heart failure in patients with UAP. Results Among the 310 patients with UAP, 63 cases had heart failure, with an incidence rate of 20.32%. After logistic multivariate analysis, it was found that diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, number of coronary artery lesions, homocysteine and plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels were risk factors of heart failure in patients with UAP, and hemoglobin level was a protective factor (OR: 2.010, 95%CI: 1.063-3.800; OR: 4.495, 95%CI: 2.228-9.067; OR: 2.408, 95%CI: 1.256-4.617; OR: 3.655, 95%CI: 1.812-7.372; OR: 4.693, 95%CI: 2.622-8.399; OR: 0.359, 95%CI: 0.205-0.628, P<0.05). Conclusion The coronary heart disease risk of heart failure is high in patients with UAP, and is affected by comorbidities, number of coronary artery lesions, homocysteine, and plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels. It is necessary to perform clinical screening and pay attention to such patients, and take active prevention and control interventions.

A case of secondary pulmonary infection in a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was admitted.The patient was initially giren piperacillin-tazobactam combined with levofloxacin for anti-infective treatment before the pathogen was identified.lafer,the HRZE anti-tuberculosis regimen was added,but the patient continued to experience high fever,yellow purulent sputum,and dyspnea.Subsequent,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid pathogen metagenomic sequencing revealed Nocardia terpenica.Clinical pharmacists,based on the patient's condition changes and in accordance with relevant guidelines and literature,suggested using various antimicrobial agents,including compound sulfamethoxazole tablets,linezolid glucose injection,amikacin injection combined with imipenem-cilastatin,to manage the patient's intolerance to sulfonamides and the bone marrow suppression induced by linezolid and to provide medication suggestions.The clinician adopted all the suggestions.Through the collaborative efforts of physicians and clinical pharmacists,the patient's condition improved,allowing for discharge with medication.Post-discharge,medication education and follow-up were conducted,leading to successful recovery.In this case,the clinical pharmacist reviewed domestic and international literature on Nocardia terpenica and the characteristics of antimicrobial drugs,and utilized their expertise to assist clinicians in treating rare infection cases,realizing their professional value.

A domestically produced self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve controllable bending delivery system(VitaFlow? Ⅲcontrollable bending retrievable delivery system)was first used to perform transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)in a symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis patient with severe heart failure and high risk of surgery in China on September 22,2023.The patient successfully completed TAVR under general anesthesia,with good valve position and function after the operation.Before discharge and at one month of follow-up,the patient's symptoms and degree of heart failure were significantly improved.The follow-up results of this case showed that the VitaFlow? Ⅲ controllable bending retrievable delivery system for TAVR is safe and feasible,and future prospective,multicenter clinical trials are expected to evaluate its efficacy.

Objective To predict whether antiviral therapy is required in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection and an age of≤30 years by establishing a noninvasive model,and to investigate the diagnostic value of this model.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 175 patients with chronic HBV infection who were admitted to Shenzhen Third People's Hospital from January 2017 to January 2023 and met the inclusion criteria,and according to the results of liver biopsy,they were divided into treatment group with 41 patients(with indications for antiviral therapy)and observation group with 134 patients(without indications for antiviral therapy).The two groups were analyzed in terms of the indicators including clinical data,imaging examinations,and serum biochemical parameters.The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the parameters affecting the indication for antiviral therapy,and different models for predicting the need for antiviral therapy were constructed based on related parameters.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to compare the diagnostic value of different models.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous variables between groups,and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous variables between groups;the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.Results There were significant differences between the treatment group and the observation group in alanine aminotransferase,ferritin,total cholesterol(CHOL),triglyceride,platelet count,liver stiffness measured by sound touch elastography(STE),and procollagen Ⅲ N-terminal propeptide(PIIIP)(all P<0.05).The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CHOL(odds ratio[OR]=0.4,95％confidence interval[CI]:0.2—1.0),STE(OR=1.5,95％CI:1.0—2.1),and PIIIP(OR=1.1,95％CI:1.0—1.1)were independent predictive factors for the indications for antiviral therapy.Model 1(STE+PIIIP+CHOL),model 2(STE+PIIIP),model 3(STE+CHOL),model 4(PIIIP+CHOL)had an area under the ROC curve of 0.908,0.848,0.725,and 0.725,respectively,while STE,PIIIP,and CHOL used alone had an AUC of 0.836,0.725,and 0.634,respectively,suggesting that model 1 had the largest AUC,with a specificity of 77.34％and a sensitivity of 96.36％,and had a significant difference compared with STE,PIIIP,CHOL,and the models 2,3,and 4(Z=0.21,3.08,3.06,3.23,0.89,and 0.88,all P<0.05).Conclusion The noninvasive model established based on CHOL,STE,and PIIIP has a good value in predicting the need for antiviral therapy in patients with chronic HBV infection and an age of≤30 years.

Objective To reveal the correlation between follistatin-like protein 1(FSTL1)level and severity of ventricular arrhythmia.Methods A total of 107 patients treated in our department from October 2019 to September 2020 were recruited and divided into control group(40 cases),accidental premature ventricular contraction(PVC)group(35 cases),frequent PVC group(20 cases)and ventricular tachycardia(VT)group(12 cases)according to the Lown's grading.The blood content of FSTL1 was determined by ELISA,and its expression level was detected by RT-qPCR.Electrocardiographic indicators,blood FSTL1 content and relative level of FSTL1 were compared among the four groups.Results The FSTL1 content was significantly higher in the fre-quent PVC group and the VT group than the control group[(39.62±14.29)ng/L and(50.66±21.37)ng/L vs(24.58±10.15)ng/L,P＜0.05],so was the content in the frequent PVC group and the VT group than the accidental PVC group[(39.62±14.29)ng/L and(50.66±21.37)ng/L vs(31.83±9.54)ng/L,P＜0.05].The VT group had significantly higher FSTL1 than the frequent PVC group[(50.66±21.37)ng/L vs(39.62±14.29)ng/L,P＜0.05].The mRNA level of FSTL1 was significantly higher in the frequent PVC group and the VT group than the control group and the accidental PVC group(P＜0.05),and in the VT group than the frequent PVC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion To a certain extent,the blood FSTL1 content is positively correlated with the severity of ventricular arrhythmia,which may be a new target for disease warming.

Objective To reveal the correlation between follistatin-like protein 1(FSTL1)level and severity of ventricular arrhythmia.Methods A total of 107 patients treated in our department from October 2019 to September 2020 were recruited and divided into control group(40 cases),accidental premature ventricular contraction(PVC)group(35 cases),frequent PVC group(20 cases)and ventricular tachycardia(VT)group(12 cases)according to the Lown's grading.The blood content of FSTL1 was determined by ELISA,and its expression level was detected by RT-qPCR.Electrocardiographic indicators,blood FSTL1 content and relative level of FSTL1 were compared among the four groups.Results The FSTL1 content was significantly higher in the fre-quent PVC group and the VT group than the control group[(39.62±14.29)ng/L and(50.66±21.37)ng/L vs(24.58±10.15)ng/L,P＜0.05],so was the content in the frequent PVC group and the VT group than the accidental PVC group[(39.62±14.29)ng/L and(50.66±21.37)ng/L vs(31.83±9.54)ng/L,P＜0.05].The VT group had significantly higher FSTL1 than the frequent PVC group[(50.66±21.37)ng/L vs(39.62±14.29)ng/L,P＜0.05].The mRNA level of FSTL1 was significantly higher in the frequent PVC group and the VT group than the control group and the accidental PVC group(P＜0.05),and in the VT group than the frequent PVC group(P＜0.05).Conclusion To a certain extent,the blood FSTL1 content is positively correlated with the severity of ventricular arrhythmia,which may be a new target for disease warming.

Objective:To analyze potential roles of mechanical stress in the formation of plantar melanoma.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 129 cases of plantar melanoma in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University between 2014 and 2021, and the distribution and clinical characteristics of plantar melanoma were analyzed. The goodness-of-fit test was used to compare the distribution of plantar melanoma between weight-bearing areas (the toes, forefoot, lateral midfoot, heel) and non-weight-bearing areas of the foot (the arch) , while t test, Fisher′s exact test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to analyze differences in clinicopathological characteristics of plantar melanoma between weight-bearing areas and non-weight-bearing areas of the foot. Results:Among the 129 patients with plantar melanoma, 66 (51.2%) were males and 63 (48.8%) were females, and their age at onset was 60.6 ± 13.1 years. Plantar melanoma mostly occurred on the heel (65 lesions, 1.31 lesions per square centimeter) , followed by the forefoot (31 lesions, 0.41 lesions per square centimeter) , the bottom of the toes (15 lesions, 0.43 lesions per square centimeter) , lateral midfoot (11 lesions, 0.38 lesions per square centimeter) and the arch of foot (7 lesions, 0.16 lesions per square centimeter) . The goodness-of-fit test showed that melanoma was more prone to occur in the weight-bearing areas than in the non-weight-bearing areas ( χ2 = 66.59, P < 0.001) ; compared with the arch of foot, a higher incidence density was observed in the heel and forefoot ( χ2 = 38.29, 5.23, P < 0.001, = 0.022, respectively) . There were no significant differences in the gender ratio, age and occupation of patients, prevalence rates of left/right foot involvement, Breslow thickness, ulceration status, Clark grades, lymph node metastasis rate, and stages between melanomas in the weight-bearing areas and those in non-weight-bearing areas (all P > 0.05) . Conclusion:Plantar melanoma was more prone to occur in the weight-bearing areas than in the non-weight-bearing areas, suggesting that mechanical stress may be related to the occurrence and development of melanoma.