Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Ruanjian Sanjie Pills in the treatment of patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis in compensatory stage differentiated as blood stasis blocking collaterals syndrome.Methods A total of 80 cases of patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis in compensatory stage admitted to Bao'an Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from January 2023 to April 2024 were randomly divided into the trial group and the control group,40 cases in each group.The control group was treated with oral administration of Entecavir for hepatitis B virus(HBV),and the trial group was treated with Ruanjian Sanjie Pills on the basis of treatment for the control group,the course of treatment covering one year.Before and after treatment,the two groups were observed in the changes of routine blood test indicators of white blood cell count(WBC)and platelet count(PLT),liver function indicators[albumin(ALB),total bilirubin(TBIL),alanine transaminase(ALT)and aspartate transaminase(AST)],prothrombin time(PT),liver stiffness measurement(LSM),and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated.Results(1)There were three cases in the control group and four cases in the trial group fell off,and eventually 37 cases in the control group and 36 cases in the trial group were enrolled in the efficacy statistics.(2)After one year of treatment,the total effective rate of the trial group was 91.67%(33/36)and that of the control group was 67.57%(25/37),and the intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the therapeutic efficacy of the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.05).(3)After treatment,the routine blood test indicators of WBC and PLT in the trial group were increased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),while the WBC and PLT in the control group did not change significantly(P>0.05).The post-treatment WBC and PLT in the trial group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).(4)After treatment,the ALB of patients in the two groups was increased compared with that before treatment(P<0.05),and the PT value of patients in the two groups and the ALT of the trial group were decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),but TBIL and AST of the two groups and ALT of the control group did not differ from those before treatment(P>0.05).The comparison between the two groups showed that the decrease of PT value in the trial group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P>0.05),but no statistically significant differences of ALT,AST,TBIL and ALB were shown between the two groups(P>0.05).(5)After treatment,the LSM of patients in the two groups was decreased compared with that before treatment(P<0.05),and the decrease in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(6)After treatment,the TCM syndrome scores of the two groups of patients were decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the decrease in the trial group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(7)There were no significant adverse reactions or adverse events occurring in the two groups during the treatment.Conclusion Ruanjian Sanjie Pills can improve the clinical symptoms of patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis in the compensatory stage,improve the coagulation function,reduce the hardness of the liver,and slow down the process of cirrhosis,with satisfactory efficacy and good safety.

Objective:To develop a training program for general practitioners (GPs) on carotid plaque screening using portable intelligent point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS).Methods:A draft training program for GPs on carotid plaque screening using POCUS was initially formulated through focus group discussions involving experts in ultrasonography and general practice. Two rounds of Delphi consultation were conducted with 15 ultrasound experts from 6 secondary and tertiary public hospitals in Shanghai in February and April 2023. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to assign weights to the indicators in the final program.Results:The final program consisted of 4 first-level indicators, 10 second-level indicators, and 47 third-level indicators. Among the first-level indicators,"training objects" had the lowest weight (7.69%), while the other three indicators were equally weighted (30.77% each). The top 3 third-level indicators by combined weight were "mastering key diagnostic points of carotid plaque"(10.26%),"mastering carotid plaque screening using portable POCUS"(6.84%), and "primary care hands-on training sessions"(6.39%).Conclusion:A structured training program for GPs has been successfully developed for carotid plaque screening using portable intelligent POCUS, comprising 4 first-level, 10 second-level, and 47 third-level indicators.

Objective:To develop a training program for general practitioners (GPs) on carotid plaque screening using portable intelligent point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS).Methods:A draft training program for GPs on carotid plaque screening using POCUS was initially formulated through focus group discussions involving experts in ultrasonography and general practice. Two rounds of Delphi consultation were conducted with 15 ultrasound experts from 6 secondary and tertiary public hospitals in Shanghai in February and April 2023. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to assign weights to the indicators in the final program.Results:The final program consisted of 4 first-level indicators, 10 second-level indicators, and 47 third-level indicators. Among the first-level indicators,"training objects" had the lowest weight (7.69%), while the other three indicators were equally weighted (30.77% each). The top 3 third-level indicators by combined weight were "mastering key diagnostic points of carotid plaque"(10.26%),"mastering carotid plaque screening using portable POCUS"(6.84%), and "primary care hands-on training sessions"(6.39%).Conclusion:A structured training program for GPs has been successfully developed for carotid plaque screening using portable intelligent POCUS, comprising 4 first-level, 10 second-level, and 47 third-level indicators.

Objective:To analyze the clinical outcomes of the first frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in patients <35 years old applying natural cycle (NC) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze 4 814 young infertility patients who underwent the first FET in Reproductive Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2016 to June 2021. According to different endometrial preparation protocols, they were divided into 2 groups: NC group and HRT group, who were matched the baseline data using 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM). After the matching, the two groups of their baseline data, pregnancy outcomes and perinatal outcomes were compared, and then we adjusted the confounding factors which affect live birth rate by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Based on antral follicle count (AFC), number of embryos transferred and number of high-quality embryos transferred, the effect of NC and HRT on the live birth rate were further analyzed.Results:Before PSM, 2 131 patients in NC group and 2 683 patients in HRT group were included. The differences in female age, male age, body mass index (BMI), basal follicle-stimulating hormone (bFSH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), AFC, endometrial thickness on conversion day, and number of embryos transferred were all statistically significant between the two groups (all P<0.05). And the differences in number of high-quality embryos transferred and type of embryos transferred between the two groups were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). After PSM, 1 441 patients in each of NC group and HRT group were included, and there were no significant differences in their baseline characteristics such as female age, male age and BMI between the two groups (all P<0.05). The live birth rate [50.66% (730/1 441)] and the clinical pregnancy rate [60.31% (869/1 441)] in NC group were significantly higher than those in HRT group [44.69% (644/1 441), P=0.001; 54.27% (782/1 441), P=0.001], and the incidence of very low birth weight in NC group was significantly lower than that in HRT group, and there were no statistical significances in other indicators between the two groups (all P>0.05). After adjusting confounders including bFSH, AMH, AFC, endometrial thickness on conversion day, number of embryos transferred and high-quality embryos transferred using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the results showed that NC was an independent protective factor for live birth rate in the first FET cycle ( aOR=1.280, 95% CI: 1.103-1.486, P=0.001). Stratified analysis showed that those with AFC<11, AFC 11-12, 2 embryos transferred and 2 high-quality embryos tranferred in NC group had significantly higher live birth rate [49.03% (151/308), 49.09% (349/711), 56.38% (442/784), 57.85% (350/605)] than those in HRT group [36.36% (120/330), P=0.001; 43.14% (286/663), P=0.027; 48.97% (379/774), P=0.003; 48.68% (294/604), P=0.001]. Conclusion:NC-FET had higher live birth rate and clinical pregnancy rate than HRT-FET in young patients.

Objective:To analyze the clinical outcomes of the first frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in patients <35 years old applying natural cycle (NC) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze 4 814 young infertility patients who underwent the first FET in Reproductive Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2016 to June 2021. According to different endometrial preparation protocols, they were divided into 2 groups: NC group and HRT group, who were matched the baseline data using 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM). After the matching, the two groups of their baseline data, pregnancy outcomes and perinatal outcomes were compared, and then we adjusted the confounding factors which affect live birth rate by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Based on antral follicle count (AFC), number of embryos transferred and number of high-quality embryos transferred, the effect of NC and HRT on the live birth rate were further analyzed.Results:Before PSM, 2 131 patients in NC group and 2 683 patients in HRT group were included. The differences in female age, male age, body mass index (BMI), basal follicle-stimulating hormone (bFSH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), AFC, endometrial thickness on conversion day, and number of embryos transferred were all statistically significant between the two groups (all P<0.05). And the differences in number of high-quality embryos transferred and type of embryos transferred between the two groups were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). After PSM, 1 441 patients in each of NC group and HRT group were included, and there were no significant differences in their baseline characteristics such as female age, male age and BMI between the two groups (all P<0.05). The live birth rate [50.66% (730/1 441)] and the clinical pregnancy rate [60.31% (869/1 441)] in NC group were significantly higher than those in HRT group [44.69% (644/1 441), P=0.001; 54.27% (782/1 441), P=0.001], and the incidence of very low birth weight in NC group was significantly lower than that in HRT group, and there were no statistical significances in other indicators between the two groups (all P>0.05). After adjusting confounders including bFSH, AMH, AFC, endometrial thickness on conversion day, number of embryos transferred and high-quality embryos transferred using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the results showed that NC was an independent protective factor for live birth rate in the first FET cycle ( aOR=1.280, 95% CI: 1.103-1.486, P=0.001). Stratified analysis showed that those with AFC<11, AFC 11-12, 2 embryos transferred and 2 high-quality embryos tranferred in NC group had significantly higher live birth rate [49.03% (151/308), 49.09% (349/711), 56.38% (442/784), 57.85% (350/605)] than those in HRT group [36.36% (120/330), P=0.001; 43.14% (286/663), P=0.027; 48.97% (379/774), P=0.003; 48.68% (294/604), P=0.001]. Conclusion:NC-FET had higher live birth rate and clinical pregnancy rate than HRT-FET in young patients.