BACKGROUND: Spicy food consumption has been reported to be inversely associated with mortality from multiple diseases. However, the effect of spicy food intake on the incidence of vascular diseases in the Chinese population remains unclear. This study was conducted to explore this association. METHODS: This study was performed using the large-scale China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) prospective cohort of 486,335 participants. The primary outcomes were vascular disease, ischemic heart disease (IHD), major coronary events (MCEs), cerebrovascular disease, stroke, and non-stroke cerebrovascular disease. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the association between spicy food consumption and incident vascular diseases. Subgroup analysis was also performed to evaluate the heterogeneity of the association between spicy food consumption and the risk of vascular disease stratified by several basic characteristics. In addition, the joint effects of spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of vascular disease were also evaluated, and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the reliability of the association results. RESULTS: During a median follow-up time of 12.1 years, a total of 136,125 patients with vascular disease, 46,689 patients with IHD, 10,097 patients with MCEs, 80,114 patients with cerebrovascular disease, 56,726 patients with stroke, and 40,098 patients with non-stroke cerebrovascular disease were identified. Participants who consumed spicy food 1-2 days/week (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = [0.93, 0.97], P <0.001), 3-5 days/week (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = [0.94, 0.99], P = 0.003), and 6-7 days/week (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = [0.95, 0.99], P = 0.002) had a significantly lower risk of vascular disease than those who consumed spicy food less than once a week ( Ptrend <0.001), especially in those who were younger and living in rural areas. Notably, the disease-based subgroup analysis indicated that the inverse associations remained in IHD ( Ptrend = 0.011) and MCEs ( Ptrend = 0.002) risk. Intriguingly, there was an interaction effect between spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of IHD ( Pinteraction = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS Our findings support an inverse association between spicy food consumption and vascular disease in the Chinese population, which may provide additional dietary guidance for the prevention of vascular diseases.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Vascular Diseases/etiology* ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Cerebrovascular Disorders/epidemiology* ; East Asian People

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with multiple myeloma(MM)complicated by bone lesions and the risk factors associated with bone lesions.Methods:The clinical data of 294 newly diagnosed MM patients in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2017 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into the bone lesion group(154 cases)and the non-bone lesions group(140 cases)based on the presence of absence of bone lesions at diagnosis.The general data and laboratory parameters were compared between the two groups.The risk factors for bone lesions in MM patients were analyzed by logistic regression analysis,and the characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to assess the predictive value of each risk factor for the occurrence of bone lesions in MM patients.Results:Compared to the non-bone lesion group,the bone lesion group had significantly higher serum calcium levels and significantly greater proportions of patients with Durie-Salmon(DS)stage Ⅲ,and bone pain(all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated serum calcium(OR=5.135,95％CI:1.931-13.653,P=0.001),DS stage Ⅲ(OR=1.841,95％CI:1.019-3.328,P=0.043),and bone pain(OR=8.208,95％CI:4.761-14.151,P＜0.001)were independent risk factors for bone lesions in MM patients.ROC curve analysis showed that serum calcium(AUC=0.619,95％CI:0.555-0.683,P＜0.001)and bone pain(AUC=0.743,95％CI:0.692-0.793,P＜0.001)had predictive value for bone lesions in MM patients.Conclusion:MM patients have a high incidence of bone lesions,and active monitoring and management of risk factors may improve treatment outcomes and prognosis.

Objective To investigate whether the application of automated software for computed tomography angiography(CTA)and computed tomography perfusion imaging(CTP)can improve in-hospital workflow for endovascular treatment(EVT)in acute ischemic stroke patients.Methods We included patients with acute ischemic stroke who received CTA and CTP evaluation followed by EVT through the stroke emergency pathway at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University between January 1,2020 and December 30,2022.The patients were divided into two groups:control group and artificial intelligence(Al)group based on whether automated software was used for assessment.The control group consisted of patients who underwent manual post-processing of multimodal imaging before June 2021,while the AI group was composed of patients whose imaging was processed with automated software from July 2021 onwards.The primary outcome was door-to-puncture time(DPT),and the secondary outcome was the 90-day modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score.Results A total of 312 patients were included,with 145 in the control group and 167 in the AI group.The median age of all the patients was 68 years(range:58-74 years),and 55.4％(173 patients)were male.The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score at presentation was 16 scores(range:12-19 scores).The median DPT was reduced from 110 min(range:80-150 min)before the use of automated software to 95 min(range:65-125 min)after its implementation(P＜0.001).However,there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients achieving functional independence(mRS score of 0-2)between the two groups(39.3％vs.41.3％,P=0.719).Conclusion The application of multimodal CT automated software improves the in-hospital workflow for acute ischemic stroke patients by reducing the time to EVT.However,the software did not significantly impact neurological functional outcomes as measured by the mRS.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Objective To investigate whether the application of automated software for computed tomography angiography(CTA)and computed tomography perfusion imaging(CTP)can improve in-hospital workflow for endovascular treatment(EVT)in acute ischemic stroke patients.Methods We included patients with acute ischemic stroke who received CTA and CTP evaluation followed by EVT through the stroke emergency pathway at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University between January 1,2020 and December 30,2022.The patients were divided into two groups:control group and artificial intelligence(Al)group based on whether automated software was used for assessment.The control group consisted of patients who underwent manual post-processing of multimodal imaging before June 2021,while the AI group was composed of patients whose imaging was processed with automated software from July 2021 onwards.The primary outcome was door-to-puncture time(DPT),and the secondary outcome was the 90-day modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score.Results A total of 312 patients were included,with 145 in the control group and 167 in the AI group.The median age of all the patients was 68 years(range:58-74 years),and 55.4％(173 patients)were male.The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score at presentation was 16 scores(range:12-19 scores).The median DPT was reduced from 110 min(range:80-150 min)before the use of automated software to 95 min(range:65-125 min)after its implementation(P＜0.001).However,there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients achieving functional independence(mRS score of 0-2)between the two groups(39.3％vs.41.3％,P=0.719).Conclusion The application of multimodal CT automated software improves the in-hospital workflow for acute ischemic stroke patients by reducing the time to EVT.However,the software did not significantly impact neurological functional outcomes as measured by the mRS.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with multiple myeloma(MM)complicated by bone lesions and the risk factors associated with bone lesions.Methods:The clinical data of 294 newly diagnosed MM patients in Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2017 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into the bone lesion group(154 cases)and the non-bone lesions group(140 cases)based on the presence of absence of bone lesions at diagnosis.The general data and laboratory parameters were compared between the two groups.The risk factors for bone lesions in MM patients were analyzed by logistic regression analysis,and the characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to assess the predictive value of each risk factor for the occurrence of bone lesions in MM patients.Results:Compared to the non-bone lesion group,the bone lesion group had significantly higher serum calcium levels and significantly greater proportions of patients with Durie-Salmon(DS)stage Ⅲ,and bone pain(all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated serum calcium(OR=5.135,95％CI:1.931-13.653,P=0.001),DS stage Ⅲ(OR=1.841,95％CI:1.019-3.328,P=0.043),and bone pain(OR=8.208,95％CI:4.761-14.151,P＜0.001)were independent risk factors for bone lesions in MM patients.ROC curve analysis showed that serum calcium(AUC=0.619,95％CI:0.555-0.683,P＜0.001)and bone pain(AUC=0.743,95％CI:0.692-0.793,P＜0.001)had predictive value for bone lesions in MM patients.Conclusion:MM patients have a high incidence of bone lesions,and active monitoring and management of risk factors may improve treatment outcomes and prognosis.

Objective To monitor the susceptibility of clinical isolates to antimicrobial agents in healthcare facilities in major regions of China in 2023.Methods Clinical isolates collected from 73 hospitals across China were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using a unified protocol based on disc diffusion method or automated testing systems.Results were interpreted using the 2023 Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints.Results A total of 445199 clinical isolates were collected in 2023,of which 29.0％ were gram-positive and 71.0％ were gram-negative.The prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains in Staphylococcus aureus,Staphylococcus epidermidis and other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species (excluding Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi) (MRSA,MRSE and MRCNS) was 29.6％,81.9％ and 78.5％,respectively.Methicillin-resistant strains showed significantly higher resistance rates to most antimicrobial agents than methicillin-susceptible strains (MSSA,MSSE and MSCNS).Overall,92.9％ of MRSA strains were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and 91.4％ of MRSE strains were susceptible to rifampicin.No vancomycin-resistant strains were found.Enterococcus faecalis had significantly lower resistance rates to most antimicrobial agents tested than Enterococcus faecium.A few vancomycin-resistant strains were identified in both E.faecalis and E.faecium.The prevalence of penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae was 93.1％ in the isolates from children and and 95.9％ in the isolates from adults.The resistance rate to carbapenems was lower than 15.0％ for most Enterobacterales species except for Klebsiella,22.5％ and 23.6％ of which were resistant to imipenem and meropenem,respectively .Most Enterobacterales isolates were highly susceptible to tigecycline,colistin and polymyxin B,with resistance rates ranging from 0.6％ to 10.0％.The resistance rate to imipenem and meropenem was 21.9％ and 17.4％ for Pseudomonas aeruginosa,respectively,and 67.5％ and 68.1％ for Acinetobacter baumannii,respectively.Conclusions Increasing resistance to the commonly used antimicrobial agents is still observed in clinical bacterial isolates.However,the prevalence of important crabapenem-resistant organisms such as crabapenem-resistant K.pneumoniae,P.aeruginosa,and A.baumannii showed a slightly decreasing trend.This finding suggests that strengthening bacterial resistance surveillance and multidisciplinary linkage are important for preventing the occurrence and development of bacterial resistance.

Purpose::Cerebral edema (CE) is the main secondary injury following traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs). It is challenging to be predicted timely. In this study, we aimed to develop a prediction model for CE by identifying its risk factors and comparing the timing of edema occurrence in TBI patients with varying levels of injuries.Methods::This case-control study included 218 patients with TBI caused by RTAs. The cohort was divided into CE and non-CE groups, according to CT results within 7 days. Demographic data, imaging data, and clinical data were collected and analyzed. Quantitative variables that follow normal distribution were presented as mean ± standard deviation, those that do not follow normal distribution were presented as median (Q 1, Q 3). Categorical variables were expressed as percentages. The Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors for CE. Logistic curve fitting was performed to predict the time to secondary CE in TBI patients with different levels of injuries. The efficacy of the model was evaluated using the receiver operator characteristic curve. Results::According to the study, almost half (47.3%) of the patients were found to have CE. The risk factors associated with CE were bilateral frontal lobe contusion, unilateral frontal lobe contusion, cerebral contusion, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and abbreviated injury scale (AIS). The odds ratio values for these factors were 7.27 (95% confidence interval ( CI): 2.08 -25.42, p = 0.002), 2.85 (95% CI: 1.11 -7.31, p = 0.030), 2.62 (95% CI: 1.12 -6.13, p = 0.027), 2.44 (95% CI: 1.25 -4.76, p = 0.009), and 1.5 (95% CI: 1.10 -2.04, p = 0.009), respectively. We also observed that patients with mild/moderate TBI (AIS ≤ 3) had a 50% probability of developing CE 19.7 h after injury (χ 2= 13.82, adjusted R2 = 0.51), while patients with severe TBI (AIS > 3) developed CE after 12.5 h (χ 2= 18.48, adjusted R2 = 0.54). Finally, we conducted a receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of CE time, which showed an area under the curve of 0.744 and 0.672 for severe and mild/moderate TBI, respectively. Conclusion::Our study found that the onset of CE in individuals with TBI resulting from RTAs was correlated with the severity of the injury. Specifically, those with more severe injuries experienced an earlier onset of CE. These findings suggest that there is a critical time window for clinical intervention in cases of CE secondary to TBI.