1.Five-year survival analysis and influencing factors of elderly lung cancer patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Mianyang City
Haishi XUE ; Ling HUANG ; Junjie XIA ; Yu QIU ; Ke GE ; Jincheng WANG ; Yuting CHEN ; Runjiao CHEN ; Lingna LI ; An LAN ; Yan HOU
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(1):138-141
Objective To study the five-year survival status and influencing factors of elderly patients with lung cancer complicated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods A cohort study was conducted to follow up 450 patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2023. The endpoint of the follow-up was the end of a five-year period or death. The Life Tables method was used to calculate survival rates and plot survival curves. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the influencing factors of five-year survival. Results The results indicated that the overall five-year survival rate of patients was 4.89%, and it decreased year by year. Cox regression analysis showed that age, gender, family functioning, and psychological status significantly influenced patient survival rate (all P<0.05). Stratified analysis found that the smoking status, family functioning, and psychological status of male patients all had an impact on survival rate (all P<0.05), while the psychological status of female patients had a more significant impact on survival (P=0.008). Conclusion This study provides a scientific basis for comprehensive intervention of elderly lung cancer patients with COPD. It is recommended that clinical attention should be paid to psychological and family factors to improve patient prognosis.
2.Flavonoids Intervene in Diabetic Nephropathy by Regulating TGF-β/Smad Signaling Pathway: A Review
Qihui QIU ; Chang LIU ; Xiaotong YAN ; Jinwei HAN ; Hui SUN ; Fengting YIN ; Yuhang WANG ; Mengmeng WANG ; Xijun WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):300-309
Diabetic nephropathy (DKD), as a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), is a major cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Its clinical manifestations include increased urinary protein excretion, thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, and renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. The pathogenesis of DKD is complex and involves multiple factors, including disordered glucose metabolism, hemodynamic alterations, and oxidative stress. Although modern medical approaches can alleviate certain symptoms, they still have limitations such as insufficient therapeutic targeting and prominent adverse effects. The transforming growth factor-β/Smad (TGF-β/Smad) signaling pathway is not only a tissue fibrosis pathway that has attracted considerable attention in recent years, but also regulates multiple protein molecules, including the glomerular podocyte slit diaphragm protein Podocin, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), thereby participating in various pathological processes and ultimately mediating renal injury. Flavonoid compounds, owing to their sustained pharmacological effects, broad spectrum of action, and high safety profile, have become ideal candidates for targeted therapy research in DKD. Existing studies have shown that these compounds can exert inhibitory effects on renal fibrosis, alleviate inflammatory responses, protect podocytes, and reduce oxidative stress by regulating the interactions between the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and the aforementioned protein molecules, thereby maintaining renal structure and function, reducing proteinuria, and significantly improving DKD lesions. This review briefly outlines the composition and functions of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, elucidates the mechanisms by which this pathway regulates DKD, and focuses on summarizing major studies from the past decade on flavonoid-based interventions in DKD through targeted inhibition of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. Furthermore, it discusses the considerable therapeutic potential of flavonoids in the treatment of this disease, aiming to provide a scientific basis for future clinical prevention and treatment of DKD and to promote the development of targeted drugs.
3.Photodynamic performance and anti-lung cancer effect of novel chlorin compounds
Yan QIU ; Hao WU ; Yafen DONG ; Ye CHEN ; Jian WANG ; Hui JIN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(1):39-45
Objective To study the photodynamic performance and the killing effect of photodynamic therapy on lung cancer of novel chlorin compounds 2-(4-(5,15,20-triphenyl-7H,8H-porphyrin-10-yl) phenoxy) acetic acid(D1)and 4-(4-(5,15,20-triphenyl-7H,8H-porphyrin-10-yl) phenoxy) butanoic acid (D2). Methods The ultraviolet visible absorption spectrum and fluorescence spectrum of D1 and D2 were determined. The singlet oxygen generation capacity of D1 and D2 was measured by using DPBF as singlet oxygen capture agent. Fluorescence assay was used to detect the cellular phagocytosis rate of the compounds in A549 cells, and MTT assay was used to detect their dark toxicity and phototoxicity. A nude mouse model of lung cancer was established to investigate the antitumor activity of the compounds mediated photodynamic action in vivo, and the blood concentration of D2 in nude mice, its distribution in tumor tissue and skin tissue were further detected. Results D1 and D2 had strong absorption at 652 nm with the best excitation wavelength at 429 nm and 427 nm, and the optimal emission wavelength was at about 659 nm. They also had a higher singlet oxygen generation rate than the control drug m-THPC. D1 and D2 had no dark toxicity at concentrations below 10 μmol/L, and could be ingested by A549 cells, basically reaching saturation in 18~24 hours. After laser irradiation at 650 nm wavelength, D1 and D2 showed significant antitumor activity in vivo and in vitro (P<0.01). However, D2 could selectively accumulate in tumor tissues after administration, and the optimal treatment time was less than 30 min after administration. Conclusion D2 had excellent photodynamic antitumor activity and could selectively aggregate in tumor tissues, which had the potential to be a candidate drug for photosensitizer and treatment of lung cancer with independent intellectual property rights, and was worth further research.
4.Innovative Development and Cutting-edge Applications of Split Intein Technology
Jin-Qiu GAN ; Xiang-Yu DENG ; Xin-Yan WANG ; Jia-Bin LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1520-1540
Inteins are unique protein insertion sequences capable of self-excision, enabling the covalent ligation of flanking extein peptides via amide bond formation. This process proceeds spontaneously without requiring external enzymes, cofactors, or chemical reagents, granting inteins exceptional biocompatibility and traceless performance in protein engineering applications. Split inteins represent a specialized and versatile subclass whose splicing domains are encoded by two separate gene fragments rather than a single continuous open reading frame. These fragments, known as the N-terminal (IntN) and C-terminal (IntC) split inteins, associate through non-covalent interactions including hydrophobic forces, hydrogen bonds, and van der Waals forces to assemble into an active three-dimensional structure, which then drives efficient extein ligation and enables protein trans-splicing. Protein trans-splicing mediated by split inteins has become a cornerstone for traceless protein ligation owing to its high specificity and irreversibility, fundamentally reshaping strategies for protein modification, assembly, and functional regulation. Compared with traditional chemical ligation methods, split intein systems require no complex chemical derivatization of peptide fragments and can operate efficiently at micromolar concentrations under physiological conditions, thus avoiding structural and functional damage caused by organic reagents. In contrast to enzymatic ligation tools such as sortase, split inteins eliminate the need for additional enzymes or cofactors, simplifying reaction systems, reducing costs, and minimizing non-specific side products. These distinctive advantages render split inteins highly promising for applications in chemical biology, synthetic biology, and biopharmaceutical development. In recent years, deepened mechanistic understanding has established structure-guided rational design as the primary approach to overcoming key limitations of split inteins, including intrinsic aggregation propensity, strict extein sequence dependence, and limited splicing efficiency. Bioinformatic tools have been used to identify aggregation-prone regions in the IntN fragment, and site-directed mutagenesis of hydrophobic residues, relocation of split sites, or removal of misfolding-prone sequences has substantially reduced in vitro aggregation and improved soluble expression and assembly activity. Rational engineering of catalytic residues and adjacent flexible loops has relaxed strict amino acid preferences at extein junctions, enhancing sequence tolerance and reducing the risk of functional impairment in target proteins. Consensus design based on multiple sequence alignments has yielded ultra-fast splicing variants such as Cfa DnaE and Cat-TerL, which exhibit significantly accelerated kinetics and improved tolerance to denaturing conditions. Meanwhile, advances in structural biology have further clarified the conformational dynamics and catalytic mechanisms of splicing, supporting the precise design of high-performance intein modules. On this basis, electrostatic interaction tuning and metagenomic screening have yielded multiple mutually orthogonal split intein pairs, enabling selective multi-fragment protein ligation and providing new routes for the efficient synthesis of large multi-domain functional proteins. With these engineered split inteins offering continuously improved performance and expanded applicability, protein trans-splicing has been widely applied in numerous cutting-edge areas of protein research and biomedicine. In gene delivery, split intein-based systems overcome the packaging limit of adeno-associated viral vectors, enabling the accurate reconstitution of large therapeutic proteins and base editors in target cells, thereby enhancing the efficacy and scope of gene therapy for genetic diseases. In internal protein sequence editing, split inteins mediate precise sequence replacement and modification in flexible regions or loops of target proteins, without the need for complex multi-step ligation and protein refolding involved in traditional protein semisynthesis. In protein-protein interaction studies, intein-mediated splicing covalently captures transient and weak intracellular complexes, enabling sensitive, high-throughput interaction detection and drug screening. In synthetic biology, conditionally controllable splicing systems support the construction of diverse intracellular and cell-surface biological logic gates for the precise regulation of cellular behavior. In mechanistic biochemical research, split inteins enable photocatalytic proximity labeling and site-specific tagging, allowing the preparation of homogeneous protein samples carrying precise post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination and polyglutamylation for chromatin interactome analysis and epigenetic studies. Moreover, covalent trapping strategies using split inteins stabilize transient enzymatic intermediates, providing unprecedented insights into molecular mechanisms such as nucleosome ubiquitination that are difficult to elucidate using conventional methods. This review systematically summarizes key technological advances in split inteins over the past decade, highlighting engineering strategies, mechanistic insights, and the development of orthogonal components. It comprehensively surveys emerging applications at the frontiers of protein research, analyzes current core challenges, and proposes future directions, particularly emphasizing artificial intelligence-driven de novo design and novel splicing pathways to break existing technical bottlenecks. By enabling traceless, efficient, and versatile protein manipulation, split inteins continue to serve as indispensable tools that drive innovation in protein engineering and fundamental life science research.
5.Expert consensus on the application of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment (2026 edition)
Wenzhao ZHONG ; Haibo WANG ; Yi HU ; Hao ZHANG ; Jigang DAI ; Junqiang FAN ; Guibin QIAO ; Fan YANG ; Jian HU ; Fengwei TAN ; Xuening YANG ; Qiang PU ; Zihao CHEN ; Hongxia TIAN ; Lunxu LIU ; Hecheng LI ; Xiaolong YAN ; Zongyang YU ; Zhenbin QIU ; Yihua SUN ; Jing HU ; Yuhang SHI ; Zhifei GUO ; Peng ZHANG ; Kezhong CHEN ; Shugeng GAO ; Yilong WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):848-856
With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.
6.Mechanism of Shen Hong capsule in preventing and treating acute mountain sickness based on network pharmacology and in vitro experiments
Mengdi ZHANG ; Haiying QIU ; Guangyun WANG ; Yan WU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(8):408-416
Objective To explore the mechanism of Shen Hong capsule in preventing and treating acute mountain sickness based on biological information platform and in vitro experiment. Methods Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Information Database (TCMID) were used to obtain the active components and predicted targets of Shen Hong capsule. Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), Disease Gene Network (DisGeNET) database and GeneCards database were used to search for the targets of acute mountain sickness related diseases, and the potential therapeutic targets were obtained. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) was analyzed by Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING), the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) online platform was used to analyse the Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signal pathway enrichment. The network information was visualized by Cytoscape software, the key targets in PPI network were obtained according to the topology data, and the binding ability of main active components and key therapeutic targets were analyzed by molecular docking. The validation of the main active components was performed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The hypoxia model was created by H9c2 cells, apoptosis was visualized by Hoechst33342 staining, and key target proteins were verified by Western blot. Results 91 active components, 3 main active components and 150 predicted targets were selected from Shen Hong capsule. 515 targets of altitude sickness-related diseases and 37 targets of Shen Hong capsule regulating altitude sickness-related diseases were screened out. 44 related signal pathways, such as HIF-1 signal pathway, PPAR signal pathway, drug metabolism - cytochrome P450, were enriched and analyzed. TNF, IL1B, VEGFA, NOS3, EGFR, ESR1, PPARG, NR3C1, HMOX1 and IFNG were 10 key targets. The molecular docking results showed that the docking conformations between the main active components and the key targets were stable. The three main active components of quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol were identified by LC-MS, and in vitro experiments proved that Shen Hong capsule could relieve acute hypoxia injury by regulating the expression of HIF-1α, PPARG, NOS3, and TNF. Conclusion Shen Hong capsule could regulate the body’s hypoxia response and metabolism through multi-component, multi-target and multi-channel ways, so as to prevent and treat acute mountain sickness. This study provided a direction for further exploring the mechanism of Shen Hong capsule, and also provided a theoretical basis for further development and clinical application.
7.Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Regulates Ferroptosis via Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 Signaling Pathway to Alleviate Myocardial Remodeling in Rat Model of Myocardial Infarction
Xuesong CHEN ; Rongnan QIU ; Shenghao WANG ; Yan FENG ; Jutong XIE ; Yuwen YAN ; Tianlin YANG ; Changxu XIE ; Lei GAO ; Jianping SHEN ; Yuehong SHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(20):54-62
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma on ferroptosis in the rat model of myocardial infarction and further elucidate its role in myocardial remodeling. MethodsThe rat model of myocardial infarction was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The 50 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group, ferroptosis inhibitor group (2 mg·kg-1), enalapril group (2.1 mg·kg-1), and low- and high-dose (4 g·kg-1 and 8 g·kg-1, respectively) Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, with 10 rats in each group. The rat model of myocardial infarction was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. After 4 weeks of treatment, echocardiography was used to assess the cardiac structure and function. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were employed to observe pathological morphology and fibrosis of the myocardial tissue. Serum levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and myosin heavy chain-β (MHC-β) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Prussian blue staining was performed to detect myocardial iron deposition. The myocardial mitochondrial structure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in the myocardial tissue were determined by lipid peroxidation assay kits. Immunofluorescence assay was conducted to observe the fluorescence intensity of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the myocardial tissue. Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate the expression levels of proteins in the Nrf2/solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), and serum levels of NT-proBNP, TGF-β, and MHC-β (P<0.01), decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) (P<0.01), disarrangement of myocardial cells, inflammatory cell infiltration, severe myocardial fibrosis, increased myocardial iron deposition, and irregular mitochondrial morphology with vacuolation. Furthermore, the modeling led to increased MDA (P<0.01), decreased GSH (P<0.01), diminished Nrf2 fluorescence intensity in the myocardial tissue, and downregulated expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, and GPX4 (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma reduced the LVEDD, LVESD, and serum levels of NT-proBNP, TGF-β, and MHC-β (P<0.05, P<0.01), increased the LVEF and LVFS (P<0.05, P<0.01), alleviated pathological changes such as myocardial cell disarrangement, inflammatory cell infiltration, myocardial fibrosis, and iron deposition, lowered the level of MDA (P<0.05, P<0.01), raised the level of GSH (P<0.05, P<0.01), improved the mitochondrial morphology and reduced vacuolation in the myocardial tissue, enhanced Nrf2 fluorescence intensity, and upregulated the expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, and GPX4 (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the rat model of myocardial infarction. ConclusionGardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma alleviates pathological damage and myocardial remodeling in the rat model of myocardial infarction by inhibiting ferroptosis, the mechanism of which is related to the activation of Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway.
8.Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Regulates Ferroptosis via Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 Signaling Pathway to Alleviate Myocardial Remodeling in Rat Model of Myocardial Infarction
Xuesong CHEN ; Rongnan QIU ; Shenghao WANG ; Yan FENG ; Jutong XIE ; Yuwen YAN ; Tianlin YANG ; Changxu XIE ; Lei GAO ; Jianping SHEN ; Yuehong SHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(20):54-62
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma on ferroptosis in the rat model of myocardial infarction and further elucidate its role in myocardial remodeling. MethodsThe rat model of myocardial infarction was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The 50 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group, ferroptosis inhibitor group (2 mg·kg-1), enalapril group (2.1 mg·kg-1), and low- and high-dose (4 g·kg-1 and 8 g·kg-1, respectively) Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, with 10 rats in each group. The rat model of myocardial infarction was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. After 4 weeks of treatment, echocardiography was used to assess the cardiac structure and function. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were employed to observe pathological morphology and fibrosis of the myocardial tissue. Serum levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and myosin heavy chain-β (MHC-β) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Prussian blue staining was performed to detect myocardial iron deposition. The myocardial mitochondrial structure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) in the myocardial tissue were determined by lipid peroxidation assay kits. Immunofluorescence assay was conducted to observe the fluorescence intensity of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the myocardial tissue. Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate the expression levels of proteins in the Nrf2/solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the model group showed increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), and serum levels of NT-proBNP, TGF-β, and MHC-β (P<0.01), decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) (P<0.01), disarrangement of myocardial cells, inflammatory cell infiltration, severe myocardial fibrosis, increased myocardial iron deposition, and irregular mitochondrial morphology with vacuolation. Furthermore, the modeling led to increased MDA (P<0.01), decreased GSH (P<0.01), diminished Nrf2 fluorescence intensity in the myocardial tissue, and downregulated expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, and GPX4 (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, Gardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma reduced the LVEDD, LVESD, and serum levels of NT-proBNP, TGF-β, and MHC-β (P<0.05, P<0.01), increased the LVEF and LVFS (P<0.05, P<0.01), alleviated pathological changes such as myocardial cell disarrangement, inflammatory cell infiltration, myocardial fibrosis, and iron deposition, lowered the level of MDA (P<0.05, P<0.01), raised the level of GSH (P<0.05, P<0.01), improved the mitochondrial morphology and reduced vacuolation in the myocardial tissue, enhanced Nrf2 fluorescence intensity, and upregulated the expression levels of Nrf2, SLC7A11, and GPX4 (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the rat model of myocardial infarction. ConclusionGardeniae Fructus-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma alleviates pathological damage and myocardial remodeling in the rat model of myocardial infarction by inhibiting ferroptosis, the mechanism of which is related to the activation of Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway.
9.Burden of pulmonary arterial hypertension in Asia from 1990 to 2021: Findings from Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.
Shenshen HUANG ; Jiayong QIU ; Anyi WANG ; Yuejiao MA ; Peiwen WANG ; Dong DING ; Luhong QIU ; Shuangping LI ; Mengyi LIU ; Jiexin ZHANG ; Yimin MAO ; Yi YAN ; Xiqi XU ; Zhicheng JING
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(11):1324-1333
BACKGROUND:
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) presents a significant health burden in Asia and remains a critical challenge. This study aims to delineate the PAH burden in Asia from 1990 to 2021.
METHODS:
Using the latest data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021, we evaluated and analyzed the distributions and patterns of PAH disease burden among various age groups, sexes, regions, and countries in Asia. Additionally, we examined the associations between PAH disease burden and key health system indicators, including the socio-demographic index (SDI) and the universal health coverage (UHC) index.
RESULTS:
In 2021, there were 25,989 new PAH cases, 103,382 existing cases, 13,909 PAH-associated deaths, and 385,755 DALYs attributed to PAH in Asia, which accounted for approximately 60% of global PAH cases. The age-standardized rates (ASRs) for prevalence and deaths were 2.05 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 1.66-2.52) per 100,000 population and 0.31 (95% UI: 0.23-0.38) per 100,000 population, respectively. From 1990 to 2021, Asia reported the lowest ASRs for PAH prevalence but the highest ASRs for deaths compared to other continents. While the ASRs for prevalence increased slightly, ASRs for mortality and DALYs decreased over time. This increasing burden of PAH was primarily driven by population growth and aging. The burden was especially pronounced among individuals aged ≥60 years and <9 years, who collectively accounted for the majority of deaths and DALYs. Moreover, higher SDI and UHC levels were linked to reduced incidence, but higher prevalence rates.
CONCLUSIONS
Although progress has been made in reducing PAH-related mortality and DALYs, the disease continues to impose a substantial burden in Asia, particularly among older adults and young children. Region-specific health policies should focus on improving early diagnosis, expanding access to treatment, and effectively addressing the growing PAH burden in the region.
Humans
;
Global Burden of Disease
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Asia/epidemiology*
;
Prevalence
;
Aged
;
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension/mortality*
;
Adolescent
;
Young Adult
;
Child
;
Child, Preschool
;
Infant
;
Hypertension, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
10.Impact of early detection and management of emotional distress on length of stay in non-psychiatric inpatients: A retrospective hospital-based cohort study.
Wanjun GUO ; Huiyao WANG ; Wei DENG ; Zaiquan DONG ; Yang LIU ; Shanxia LUO ; Jianying YU ; Xia HUANG ; Yuezhu CHEN ; Jialu YE ; Jinping SONG ; Yan JIANG ; Dajiang LI ; Wen WANG ; Xin SUN ; Weihong KUANG ; Changjian QIU ; Nansheng CHENG ; Weimin LI ; Wei ZHANG ; Yansong LIU ; Zhen TANG ; Xiangdong DU ; Andrew J GREENSHAW ; Lan ZHANG ; Tao LI
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(22):2974-2983
BACKGROUND:
While emotional distress, encompassing anxiety and depression, has been associated with negative clinical outcomes, its impact across various clinical departments and general hospitals has been less explored. Previous studies with limited sample sizes have examined the effectiveness of specific treatments (e.g., antidepressants) rather than a systemic management strategy for outcome improvement in non-psychiatric inpatients. To enhance the understanding of the importance of addressing mental health care needs among non-psychiatric patients in general hospitals, this study retrospectively investigated the impacts of emotional distress and the effects of early detection and management of depression and anxiety on hospital length of stay (LOS) and rate of long LOS (LLOS, i.e., LOS >30 days) in a large sample of non-psychiatric inpatients.
METHODS:
This retrospective cohort study included 487,871 inpatients from 20 non-psychiatric departments of a general hospital. They were divided, according to whether they underwent a novel strategy to manage emotional distress which deployed the Huaxi Emotional Distress Index (HEI) for brief screening with grading psychological services (BS-GPS), into BS-GPS ( n = 178,883) and non-BS-GPS ( n = 308,988) cohorts. The LOS and rate of LLOS between the BS-GPS and non-BS-GPS cohorts and between subcohorts with and without clinically significant anxiety and/or depression (CSAD, i.e., HEI score ≥11 on admission to the hospital) in the BS-GPS cohort were compared using univariable analyses, multilevel analyses, and/or propensity score-matched analyses, respectively.
RESULTS:
The detection rate of CSAD in the BS-GPS cohort varied from 2.64% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.49%-2.81%) to 20.50% (95% CI: 19.43%-21.62%) across the 20 departments, with a average rate of 5.36%. Significant differences were observed in both the LOS and LLOS rates between the subcohorts with CSAD (12.7 days, 535/9590) and without CSAD (9.5 days, 3800/169,293) and between the BS-GPS (9.6 days, 4335/178,883) and non-BS-GPS (10.8 days, 11,483/308,988) cohorts. These differences remained significant after controlling for confounders using propensity score-matched comparisons. A multilevel analysis indicated that BS-GPS was negatively associated with both LOS and LLOS after controlling for sociodemographics and the departments of patient discharge and remained negatively associated with LLOS after controlling additionally for the year of patient discharge.
CONCLUSION
Emotional distress significantly prolonged the LOS and increased the LLOS of non-psychiatric inpatients across most departments and general hospitals. These impacts were moderated by the implementation of BS-GPS. Thus, BS-GPS has the potential as an effective, resource-saving strategy for enhancing mental health care and optimizing medical resources in general hospitals.
Humans
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Male
;
Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data*
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Psychological Distress
;
Inpatients/psychology*
;
Aged
;
Anxiety/diagnosis*
;
Depression/diagnosis*


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