Vertebral refracture following percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA) is commonly seen in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures (OTLCF). It can lead to recurrent pain, loss of vertebral height, progression of kyphosis, and even neurological dysfunction, significantly impairing patients′ quality of life. Current diagnosis and treatment face multiple challenges, including high misdiagnosis rate, difficulty in choosing between surgical and non-surgical treatment options, lack of standardized surgical protocols, interference from intralesional bone cement during procedures, inadequate stability of internal fixation in osteoporotic bone, and suboptimal compliance of anti-osteoporotic therapy. Establishing a standardized diagnostic and therapeutic framework is urgently needed. To standardize the management process and improve outcomes for vertebral refractures after PVA in elderly OTLCF patients, Spinal Trauma Group of the Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the field to develop Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of vertebral refracture after percutaneous vertebral augmentation in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures ( version 2025), based on current literature and clinical experience, and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and clinical applicability. A total of 11 recommendations were proposed, encompassing diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of vertebral refracture after PVA in elderly patients with OTLCF, aiming to provide a foundation for a standardized management.

Thoracolumbar spine fracture often leads to severe pain, functional impairments, and neurological deficits, for which open reduction and internal fixation can effectively restore the spinal structural stability. Open decompression and reduction with internal fixation can help relieve spinal cord compression and improve spinal function in cases of concomitant cord injury. Although spinal stability can be restored through surgery, patients often face chronic pain and functional impairments postoperatively. A postoperative rehabilitation program is critical in optimizing therapeutic outcomes, reducing complications, and minimizing the risk of secondary injuries. However, current rehabilitation methods, such as physical therapy, functional training, and pain management, are confronted with problems in clinical practice, including significant variation in efficacy, poor patient adherence, and prolonged rehabilitation period. There is an urgent need for a unified rehabilitation strategy to address these problems. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of the Orthopedic Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and the Spine Health Professional Committee of the Chinese Human Health Technology Promotion Association organized experts from relevant fields to formulate Evidence-based guidelines for rehabilitation treatment after internal fixation of thoracolumbar spine fracture in adults ( version 2025) by integrating evidences from clinical researches and advanced rehabilitation concepts at home and abroad. A total number of 14 recommendations concerning the rehabilitation treatment with multimodal analgesia, psychological intervention, deep vein thrombosis prevention, core muscle and extremity exercise, appropriate use of braces, early weight-bearing, device-aided rehabilitation exercise, neuroregulatory therapy, rehabilitation team were put forward, aiming to standardize the post-operative rehabilitation process following internal fixation, promote the functional recovery, and enhance patients′ quality of life.

Acute symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture (ASOTLF) can lead to chronic low back pain, kyphosis deformity, pulmonary dysfunction, loss of mobility, and even life-threatening complications. Vertebral augmentation is currently the mainstream treatment method for this condition. In 2019, the Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Trauma and the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedic Surgeons Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association collaboratively led the development of Clinical guideline for vertebral augmentation for acute symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures. Six years later, with advances in clinical diagnosis and treatment techniques as well as accumulating evidence in related fields, the 2019 guideline requires updating. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedic Surgeons Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the Spinal Health Professional Committee of China Human Health Science and Technology Promotion Association, and the Minimally Invasive Orthopedics Professional Committee of Shaanxi Medical Doctor Association have organized experts in the field to develop the Clinical guideline for vertebral augmentation of acute symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures ( version 2025) , based on the latest evidence-based medical researches. This guideline incorporates 3 recommendations retained from the 2019 version with updated strength of evidence, along with 12 new recommendations. It provides recommendations from six aspects of diagnosis, pain management, treatment option selection, prevention of postoperative complications, anti-osteoporosis therapy, and postoperative rehabilitation, aiming to provide a reference for standard treatment of vertebral augmentation for ASOTLF in hospitals at all levels.

Objective:To investigate the differences in electrophysiological brain development of neonates in Tibet and Beijing.Methods:This prospective cohort study included neonates with gestational ages of 28 to 40 weeks and 6 days, without asphyxia, hypoxia, or brain injury, who were born between January 2022 and June 2024 at the Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital and Peking University First Hospital. The first electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring was completed within 48 hours to 7 days after birth, which included a 4-channel amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG) and a 12-channel continuous EEG (cEEG). Two electrophysiology experts scored the EEG results according to a rating scale, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to explore the consistency between different evaluators. Preterm infants with gestational ages of 32 to 36 weeks and 6 days and post-menstrual age (PMA) less than full-term at the first EEG monitoring were re-examined with aEEG and cEEG at PMA of 37 to 40 weeks and 6 days. Infants were grouped based on PMA at the first EEG monitoring. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlations between total aEEG+cEEG scores, individual aEEG and cEEG scores, and PMA, gestational age, birth weight, and head circumference at the first EEG monitoring. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Bonferroni correction were used to compare the differences in total aEEG+cEEG scores, individual aEEG and cEEG scores between Tibet and Beijing, among adjacent PMA groups, and for premature infants at full-term PMA. Results:(1) A total of 341 neonates were included in this study, including 154 cases from Tibet (nine cases in the PMA of 28-29 weeks and 6 days group, 13 cases in the PMA of 30-31 weeks and 6 days group, 28 cases in the PMA of 32-33 weeks and 6 days group, 38 cases in the PMA of 34-36 weeks and 6 days group, and 66 cases in the PMA of 37-40 weeks and 6 days group) and 187 cases from Beijing (10 cases in the PMA of 28-29 weeks and 6 days group, 10 cases in the PMA of 30-31 weeks and 6 days group, 16 cases in the PMA of 32-33 weeks and 6 days group, 91 cases in the PMA of 34-36 weeks and 6 days group, and 60 cases in the PMA of 37-40 weeks and 6 days group). (2) Inter-rater consistency:the consistency of PMA inferred based on the total aEEC+CEEC score and actual PMA was high in two raters ( ICCrater one=0.96, ICCrater two=0.94, both P<0.01). (3) The correlation between total aEEG+cEEG score and PMA ( r=0.80) was stronger than that between the aEEG alone or cEEG scores and PMA ( r were 0.79 and 0.66, respectively). The total aEEG+cEEG score also correlated with gestational age at birth ( r=0.74), birth weight ( r=0.69), and head circumference at first EEG monitoring ( r=0.69) (all P<0.01). (4) Regardless of whether in Tibet or Beijing, the total aEEG+cEEG score increased sequentially in the PMA of 30- 31 weeks and 6 days, 32-33 weeks and 6 days, 34-36 weeks and 6 days, and 37-40 weeks and 6 days groups; the cEEG score increased sequentially in the PMA of 32-33 weeks and 6 days group, 34-36 weeks and 6 days group, and 37-40 weeks and 6 days groups; the aEEG score in the PMA 32- 33 weeks and 6 days group was higher than that in the 30-31 weeks and 6 days group, and the score in the PMA 37-40 weeks and 6 days group was higher than that in the 34-36 weeks and 6 days group (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.05). (5) At PMA of 34-36 weeks and 6 days, the total aEEG+cEEG score [25 points (22-26 points) vs. 26 points (24-28 points), Z=－2.62, P=0.009] and cEEG score [12 points (12-14 points) vs. 15 points (13-16 points), Z=－4.77, P<0.001] of newborns in Tibet were lower than those in Beijing, while the aEEG score was higher than those in Beijing [12 points (10-13 points) vs. 11 points (10-12 points), Z=2.17, P=0.030]; at PMA of 37-40 weeks and 6 days, the cEEG score of newborns in Tibet was lower than those in Beijing [16 points (15-17 points) vs. 17 points (15-18 points), Z=－2.27, P=0.023]. (6) The total aEEG+cEEG score of preterm infants born at 32 to 33 weeks and 6 days in Tibet was lower at PMA full-term compared to those in Beijing [27 points (26-28 points) vs. 29 points (28 -30 points), Z=－2.94], and also lower compared to the total aEEG+cEEG score of full-term gestational age newborns in Tibet during their first EEG monitoring [29 points (27-30 points)] (both P<0.05). Conclusions:In the high-altitude hypobaric hypoxic environment, the electroencephalographic development of newborns, especially premature infants, maybe lag behind of plain areas. The combined use of aEEG+cEEG may provide a better evaluation of neonatal brain development than using cEEG or aEEG alone.

Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

Objective:To develop a post competence assessment scale for nurses in the health management (physical examination) center and assess its reliability and validity.Methods:This study adopted an empirical approach. A total of 801 nurses from the health management (physical examination) center were recruited to participate in this study. A research team was formed in August 2024. This team transformed the previously constructed core competence evaluation index system for health management specialist nurses in the health management (physical examination) center (comprising 6 first-level indicators and 70 third-level indicators) into a preliminary post competence assessment scale. Seven experts evaluated the content validity of the scale. In September 2024, a pilot survey was conducted among 27 nurses from the health management (physical examination) center of Sichuan Provincial People′s Hospital using convenience sampling. From October to November 2024, the first main survey was administered to 385 nurses of health management (physical examination) center across 54 cities in China using both convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods, followed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Subsequently, utilizing the refined scale obtained after eliminating certain items, a second main survey was conducted among 389 nurses in the health management (physical examination) center, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability of the final scale was assessed using Cronbach′s α coefficient, split-half reliability, composite reliability, and test-retest reliability.Results:The finalized scale for nurses′ post competency in health management (physical examination) center comprises five dimensions—basic nursing service competency, health management practice competency, knowledge integration competency, professional development competency, and professional attitude—with a total of 57 items. The item level content validity index (I-CVI) of the items of the content validity display scale ranged from 0.857 to 1.000, and the content validity index of each dimension ranged from 0.984 to 1.000. The scale-level Content Validity index/average (S-CVI/Ave) was 0.995. The contribution rate of the 6 factors extracted by EFA was 74.07%. After group discussion and CFA, the scale of the 5-factor structural equation model was constructed. The total Cronbach′s α coefficient of the scale was 0.986, the split-half reliability was 0.865, the composite reliability was 0.960-0.980, the total table test-retest reliability was 0.762, and the test-retest reliability of each dimension was 0.681-0.731.Conclusion:The developed assessment scale for assessing the post competence of nurses in the health management (physical examination) center demonstrates excellent reliability and validity.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with bone cement strengthening and bilateral nail placement in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar fractures. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was used to analyze the clinical data of 78 patients with osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar fractures admitted from October 2017 to May 2019. According to the surgical method, it was divided into percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with unilateral bone cement strengthening group(bone cement group) and percutaneous pedicle screw combined with bilateral nail placement(screw group). In the bone cement group, 40 patients included 16 males and 24 females, with a mean age of (62.1±8.1) years old. In the screw group, 38 patients included 18 males and 20 females with a mean age of (65.1±9.3) years old. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications were compared between two groups. The kyphosis Cobb angle, anterior edge height ratio, central height ratio and pain visual analogue score(VAS) were compared. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 25 to 36 months. The operation time (70.1±17.3) min of the cement group was shorter than that of the screw group (78.6±18.2) min(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss and length of hospital stay(P>0.05). The VAS in the cement group 1 year 1.5±0.5 and the latest follow-up 0.5±0.3 after operation were lower than 1 year 1.8±0.3 and the latest follow-up 0.8±0.4 in the screw group(P<0.05). The kyphosis Cobb angle, anterior edge height ratio, central height ratio in bone cement group, 1 year (6.2±1.2)°, (86.6±3.5)%, (91.1±2.5)%, the last follow-up (6.4±0.7)°, (85.5±3.3)%, (90.5±6.3)% were better than that of the screw group 1 year (6.8±1.4)°, (83.1±2.4)%, (89.9±3.4)% and the latest follow-up (7.1±1.1)°, (82.6±4.1)%, (87.6±5.9)%(P<0.05). There were 3 cases of bone cement leakage in the cement group, all of which had no clinical symptoms;and 2 cases of pedicle screws were extracted in the screw group, and the screws were removed at the last follow-up. CONCLUSION Percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with bone cement strengthening and bilateral nail placement in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar compression fractures in the elderly can achieve satisfactory efficacy and effectively relieve the pain of patients, but the former internal fixation system is more stable, and the long-term follow-up can effectively maintain the height of the anterior middle column and the correction of kyphosis deformity, and the incidence of chronic low back pain is lower.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Bone Cements ; Middle Aged ; Thoracic Vertebrae/surgery* ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Case-Control Studies ; Bone Nails ; Pedicle Screws

Objective:To explore the predictive value of serum interleukin-6(IL-6)combined with Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)score and CHANGE risk score for post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI),and to provide a basis for early identification and intervention of high-risk patients.Methods:The general data of 200 patients with acute stroke who were admitted to our hospital from October 2022 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed,they were divided into PSCI group(49 cases)and non PSCI group(151 cases)based on whether PSCI occurred 3 months after acute stroke.The general data of two groups were compared,multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of PSCI,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to evaluate predictive efficiency of serum IL-6,MoCA score and CHANGE risk score for of PSCI.Results:There was a statistically significant difference in age and education level between the two groups(P＜0.05).The serum IL-6 level and CHANGE risk score in the PSCI group were higher than those in the non PSCI group,while the MoCA score was lower than that in the non PSCI group(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression showed that elevated IL-6 levels(OR=1.851,P=0.001)and elevated CHANGE risk scores(OR=1.076,P=0.016)were independent risk factors of the occurrence of PSCI,while elevated in MoCA score(OR=0.806,P=0.001)was a protective factor(P＜0.05).IL-6 levels,MoCA scores and CHANGE risk scores have high predictive efficiency for the occurrence of PSCI,the area under the curve(AUC)for predicting occurrence of PSCI by the three alone were 0.783,0.825 and 0.857 respectively,the AUC for the combined detection of the three indicators was 0.912,significantly higher than that of each indicator detected separately.Conclusion:Elevated serum IL-6,decreased MoCA score and increased CHANGE risk score are risk factors for PSCI,the combined detection model of the three has the highest predictive efficiency for occurrence of PSCI and can provide scientific basis for early clinical intervention.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of serum interleukin-6(IL-6)combined with Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)score and CHANGE risk score for post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI),and to provide a basis for early identification and intervention of high-risk patients.Methods:The general data of 200 patients with acute stroke who were admitted to our hospital from October 2022 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed,they were divided into PSCI group(49 cases)and non PSCI group(151 cases)based on whether PSCI occurred 3 months after acute stroke.The general data of two groups were compared,multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of PSCI,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to evaluate predictive efficiency of serum IL-6,MoCA score and CHANGE risk score for of PSCI.Results:There was a statistically significant difference in age and education level between the two groups(P＜0.05).The serum IL-6 level and CHANGE risk score in the PSCI group were higher than those in the non PSCI group,while the MoCA score was lower than that in the non PSCI group(P＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression showed that elevated IL-6 levels(OR=1.851,P=0.001)and elevated CHANGE risk scores(OR=1.076,P=0.016)were independent risk factors of the occurrence of PSCI,while elevated in MoCA score(OR=0.806,P=0.001)was a protective factor(P＜0.05).IL-6 levels,MoCA scores and CHANGE risk scores have high predictive efficiency for the occurrence of PSCI,the area under the curve(AUC)for predicting occurrence of PSCI by the three alone were 0.783,0.825 and 0.857 respectively,the AUC for the combined detection of the three indicators was 0.912,significantly higher than that of each indicator detected separately.Conclusion:Elevated serum IL-6,decreased MoCA score and increased CHANGE risk score are risk factors for PSCI,the combined detection model of the three has the highest predictive efficiency for occurrence of PSCI and can provide scientific basis for early clinical intervention.

Vertebral refracture following percutaneous vertebral augmentation (PVA) is commonly seen in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures (OTLCF). It can lead to recurrent pain, loss of vertebral height, progression of kyphosis, and even neurological dysfunction, significantly impairing patients′ quality of life. Current diagnosis and treatment face multiple challenges, including high misdiagnosis rate, difficulty in choosing between surgical and non-surgical treatment options, lack of standardized surgical protocols, interference from intralesional bone cement during procedures, inadequate stability of internal fixation in osteoporotic bone, and suboptimal compliance of anti-osteoporotic therapy. Establishing a standardized diagnostic and therapeutic framework is urgently needed. To standardize the management process and improve outcomes for vertebral refractures after PVA in elderly OTLCF patients, Spinal Trauma Group of the Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the field to develop Guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of vertebral refracture after percutaneous vertebral augmentation in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures ( version 2025), based on current literature and clinical experience, and adhering to principles of scientific rigor and clinical applicability. A total of 11 recommendations were proposed, encompassing diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of vertebral refracture after PVA in elderly patients with OTLCF, aiming to provide a foundation for a standardized management.