ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate and evaluate the staged efficacy and safety of the representative empirical prescription of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory， Qijia Rougan prescription， combined with entecavir in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled clinical study was conducted， and 101 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B-related hepatic fibrosis （CHB-HF） who met the diagnosis and inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an observation group （Qijia Rougan prescription + entecavir） and a control group （entecavir）. The treatment duration was 24 weeks. Liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， fibrosis-4 index （FIB-4）， portal vein diameter， hepatitis B serology， biochemical indicators， hepatic fibrosis markers in serum ［hyaluronic acid （HA）， laminin （LN）， procollagen Ⅲ peptide （PⅢP）， and type Ⅳ collagen （Ⅳ-C）］， and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores were used as efficacy evaluation indicators. Efficacy assessments and explorations of different staged subgroups of Qijia Rougan prescription were conducted according to LSM values based on the Metavir pathological staging standard. ResultsA total of 98 cases were included for statistical analysis， with 49 cases in the observation group and 49 in the control group. The general data of the patients in both groups were comparable. Compared with the same group before treatment， the observation group showed a significant reduction in LSM and FIB-4 （P<0.01）， as well as notable improvements in LN， Ⅳ-C， and various TCM syndrome scores （P<0.05， P<0.01）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group demonstrated significant improvements in LSM， FIB-4， and various TCM syndrome score indicators （P<0.05， P<0.01）， indicating that the observation group performed better than the control group. Subgroup analysis of the regression of hepatic fibrosis stages showed that compared to the same group before treatment， the observation group had better improvement in regression of stages F2 and F3 （P<0.05）. When compared to the control group after treatment， the observation group exhibited superior improvement in regression of stage F3 （P<0.05）. No adverse events occurred in either group during the treatment period. ConclusionCompared with entecavir alone， the combination of Qijia Rougan prescription and entecavir significantly improves the degree of hepatic fibrosis and clinical TCM symptoms in patients. The optimal intervention period is primarily during stage F3， which is a potential “interception” point of the “Zhu Ke Jiao” theory.

Objective To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of clinically isolated Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis in hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021,and provide evidence for rational use of antimicrobial agents.Methods Data of H.influenzae and M.catarrhalis strains isolated from 2015 to 2021 in CHINET program were collected for analysis,and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion method or automated systems according to the uniform protocol of CHINET.The results were interpreted according to the CLSI breakpoints in 2022.Beta-lactamases was detected by using nitrocefin disk.Results From 2015 to 2021,a total of 43 642 strains of Haemophilus species were isolated,accounting for 2.91％of the total clinical isolates and 4.07％of Gram-negative bacteria in CHINET program.Among the 40 437 strains of H.influenzae,66.89％were isolated from children and 33.11％were isolated from adults.More than 90％of the H.influenzae strains were isolated from respiratory tract specimens.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 53.79％in H.influenzae strains.The H.influenzae strains isolated from children showed higher resistance rate than the strains isolated from adults.Overall,779 strains of H.influenzae did not produce β-lactamase but were resistant to ampicillin(BLNAR).Beta-lactamase-producing strains showed significantly higher resistance rates to these antimicrobial agents than the β-lactamase-nonproducing strains.Of the 16 191 M.catarrhalis strains,80.06％were isolated from children and 19.94％isolated from adults.M.catarrhalis strains were mostly susceptible to both amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefuroxime,evidenced by resistance rate lower than 2.0％.Conclusions The emergence of antibiotic-resistant H.influenzae due to β-lactamase production poses a challenge for clinical anti-infective treatment.Therefore,it is very important to implement antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae and guide rational antibiotic use.All local clinical microbiology laboratories should actively improve antibiotic susceptibility testing and strengthen antibiotic resistance surveillance for H.influenzae.

Objective To investigate the changing antibiotic resistance profiles of E.coli isolated from patients in the 52 hospitals participating in the CHINET program from 2015 to 2021.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested for clinical isolates of E.coli according to the unified protocol of CHINET program.WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 20.0 software were used for data analysis.Results Atotal of 289 760 nonduplicate clinical strains ofE.coli were isolated from 2015 to 2021,mainly from urine samples(44.7±3.2)％.The proportion of E.coli strains isolated from urine samples was higher in females than in males(59.0％vs 29.5％).The proportion of E.coli strains isolated from respiratory tract and cerebrospinal fluid samples was significantly higher in children than in adults(16.7％vs 7.8％,0.8％vs 0.1％,both P＜0.05).The isolates from internal medicine department accounted for the largest proportion(28.9±2.8)％with an increasing trend over years.Overall,the prevalence of ESBLs-producing E.coli and carbapenem resistant E.coli(CREco)was 55.9％and 1.8％,respectively during the 7-year period.The prevalence of ESBLs-producing E.coli was the highest in tertiary hospitals each year from 2015 to 2021 compared to secondary hospitals.The prevalence of CREco was higher in children's hospitals compared to secondary and tertiary hospitals each year from 2015 to 2021.The prevalence of ESBLs-producing E.coli in tertiary hospitals and children's hospitals and the prevalence of CREco in children's hospitals showed a decreasing trend over the 7-year period.The prevalence of CREco in secondary and tertiary hospitals increased slowly.Antibiotic resistance rates changed slowly from 2015 to 2021.Carbapenem drugs(imipenem,meropenem)were the most active drugs amongβ-lactams against E.coli(resistance rate≤2.1％).The resistance rates of E.coli to β-lactam/β-lactam inhibitor combinations(piperacillin-tazobactam,cefoperazone-sulbactam),aminoglycosides(amikacin),nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin(for urinary isolates only)were all less than 10％.The resistance rate of E.coli strains to antibiotics varied with the level of hospitals and the departments where the strains were isolated,especially for cefazolin and ciprofloxacin,to which the resistance rate of E.coli strains from children in non-ICU departments was significantly lower than that of the strains isolated from other departments(P＜0.05).The E.coli isolates from ICU showed higher resistance rate to most antimicrobial agents tested(excluding tigecycline)than the strains isolated from other departments.The E.coli strains isolated from tertiary hospitals showed higher resistance rates to the antimicrobial agents tested(excluding tigecycline,polymyxin B,cefepime and carbapenems)than the strains from secondary hospitals and children's hospitals.Conclusions E.coli is an important pathogen causing clinical infection.More than half of the clinical isolates produced ESBL.The prevalence of CREco is increasing in secondary and tertiary hospitals over the 7-year period even though the overall prevalence is still low.This is an issue of concern.

Objective:To investigate the changes of nitric oxide(NO),endothelin-1(ET-1),thromboxane B2(TXB2)levels in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF)and their correlation with plasma brain natriuretic peptide(BNP).Methods:We enrolled 110 CHF patients admitted in the Second Hospital of Qinhuangdao between January and December 2022.According to the New York Heart Association(NYHA)cardiac function classification,the patients were divided into cardiac function class Ⅱ group(n=22),cardiac function class Ⅲ group(n=50),and cardiac function class Ⅳ group(n=38).Baseline data,levels of NO,ET-1,TXB2,BNP and other related laboratory indexes were compared among three groups.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the association of NO,ET-1,TXB2 with plasma BNP in CHF patients.Multivariate linear regression was employed to analyze related factors of elevated BNP in CHF patients.Results:Compared with patients in class Ⅱ group and class Ⅲ group,those in class Ⅳ group had significant higher uric acid[(467.39±32.60)μmol/L vs.(367.25±22.39)μmol/L vs.(421.42±28.34)μmol/L],total bilirubin[(17.36±3.10)μmol/L vs.(10.65±1.39)μmol/L vs.(11.12±2.01)μmol/L],BNP[(897.60±50.11)ng/L vs.(381.37±31.25)ng/L vs.(527.60±47.84)ng/L],NO[(50.12±5.95)μmol/L vs.(25.36±2.14)μmol/L vs.(37.92±4.84)μmol/L],ET-1[(114.10±10.53)pg/L vs.(80.25±7.38)pg/L vs.(97.03±8.40)pg/L],TXB2[(417.98±29.35)pg/ml vs.(302.63±19.63)pg/ml vs.(381.29±26.44)pg/ml](P＜0.001 all).Compared with those in class Ⅱ group,those in class Ⅲ group had significant higher above-mentioned indexes(except total bilirubin)(P＜0.001 all).Pearson correlation analysis indicated that plasma NO,ET-1,TXB2 were positively associated with BNP(r=0.828,0.750,0.720,P＜0.001 all).Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that uric acid,total bilirubin,plasma NO,ET-1 and TXB2 levels were independent risk factors for elevated BNP level in CHF patients(B=0.555～20.550,P＜0.05 or＜0.01),while the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEI)/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blockers(ARB)was an independent protective factor(B=-46.222,P=0.027).Conclusion:The levels of NO,ET-1,and TXB2 are closely related to the occurrence and development of CHF,and they show an increasing trend with the progression of CHF,and is closely related to BNP.

Objective To investigate the relationship between deep medullary vein(DMV)score and enlarged perivascular space(EPVS)score with cranial MRI to explore the mechanisms of EPVS occurrence and development.Methods Totally 118 patients with cerebral small vessel disease in some hospital had their clinical and imaging data analyzed retrospectively.On T2-weighted images,EPVS scores ranging from 0 to 4 were assigned to the basal ganglia and centrum semiovale regions based on the number of EPVS.For DMV scoring on magnetic susceptibility weighted images,the brain lobes were divided into six regions,including bilateral frontal,parietal and occipital lobes,and scored according to the significance and continuity of the DMV signals(0 to 3 points),and the scores of the regions were summed up as the total DMV score(0 to 18 points).Spearman correlation analysis was employed to investigate the correlation between DMV and EPVS scores.Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the differences among groups with different EPVS scores.Additionally,multinomial ordinal regression analysis was conducted to explore the factors influencing EPVS.Results No significant correlation was found between EPVS scores in centrum semiovale and DMV scores(r2=0.015,P=0.191),while DMV scores and EPVS scores in basal ganglia showed a significant positive correlation(r2=0.558,P<0.000 1).Univariate analysis revealed statisti-cally significant differences in age,hypertension and DMV scores when different scoring groups of EPVS in the basal ganglia region were compared(P<0.05);multinomial ordinal regression analysis showed that age,hypertension and DMV scores were independently correlated with EPVS scores in the basal ganglia region.Conclusion There is a positive correlation between DMV scores and EPVS scores in the basal ganglia.Age,hypertension,and DMV score are independent influe-ncing factors for EPVS in the basal ganglia region.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(4):52-56]

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement(ViV-TMVR)in patients with bioprosthetic valve degeneration who are at high surgical risk.Methods This study is a multi-center,retrospective cohort analysis of 20 consecutive patients who underwent transseptal ViV-TMVR using the Edwards SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve(THV).The primary endpoints include technical success and procedural success,both defined according to the Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium(MVARC)criteria,as well as mortality and functional change assessed based on New York Heart Association(NYHA)classification at 30-days and six months post-procedure.Clinical follow-up assessments are conducted at 30-days and six months.Results From February 2021 to October 2022,a total of 20 patients with symptoms of bioprosthetic valve degeneration were enrolled across nine sites in China.The patients had a mean age of(73.5±5.5)years,with 85.0％being females and 70.0％classified as NYHA class Ⅲ/Ⅳ.The study achieved a 100.0％technical success rate and a 90.0％procedural success rate finally.All patients remained alive during the 30-day follow-up period.However,six months post-intervention,two patients(10.0％)were re-hospitalized due to heart failure,and sadly,one of them(5.0％)died.None of the patients reported any adverse events related to ViV-TMVR during the follow-up period.Notably,there was a significant improvement in NYHA class compared to baseline(P=0.0004)at six-month follow-ups.Conclusions The transseptal ViV-TMVR technique proved to be highly successful and was associated with significant improvement in NYHA class function.These findings strongly suggest that it serves as a safe and efficient treatment alternative for high-risk patients suffering from bioprosthetic valve degeneration.

Objective To examine the changing prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Burkholderia cepacia in 52 hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021.Methods A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were collected from 52 hospitals between January 1,2015 and December 31,2021.Antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains was tested using Kirby-Bauer method or automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems according to a unified protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints released in the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)guidelines(2023 edition).Results A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were isolated from all age groups,especially elderly patients.The proportion was 11.1％(1 032 strains)in children,significantly lower than the proportion in adults.About half(46.5％,4 310/9 261)of the strains were isolated from patients at least 60 years old and 42.3％(3 919/9 261)of the strains were isolated from young adults.Most isolates(71.1％)were isolated from sputum and respiratory secretions,followed by urine(10.7％)and blood samples(8.1％).B.cepacia isolates were highly susceptible to the five antimicrobial agents recommended in the CLSI M100 document(33rd edition,2023).B.cepacia isolates showed relatively higher resistance rates to meropenem and levofloxacin.However,the resistance rates to ceftazidime,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,and minocycline remained below 8.1％.The percentage of B.cepacia strains resistant to levofloxacin was the highest compared to other antibiotics in any of the three age groups(from 12.4％in the patients＜18 years old to 20.6％in the patients aged 60 years or older).Conclusions B.cepacia is one of the clinically important non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria.Accurate and timely reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility test results and ongoing antimicrobial resistance surveillance are helpful for rational prescription of antimicrobial agents and proper prevention and control of nosocomial infections.

Objective:To investigate the changes of nitric oxide(NO),endothelin-1(ET-1),thromboxane B2(TXB2)levels in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF)and their correlation with plasma brain natriuretic peptide(BNP).Methods:We enrolled 110 CHF patients admitted in the Second Hospital of Qinhuangdao between January and December 2022.According to the New York Heart Association(NYHA)cardiac function classification,the patients were divided into cardiac function class Ⅱ group(n=22),cardiac function class Ⅲ group(n=50),and cardiac function class Ⅳ group(n=38).Baseline data,levels of NO,ET-1,TXB2,BNP and other related laboratory indexes were compared among three groups.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the association of NO,ET-1,TXB2 with plasma BNP in CHF patients.Multivariate linear regression was employed to analyze related factors of elevated BNP in CHF patients.Results:Compared with patients in class Ⅱ group and class Ⅲ group,those in class Ⅳ group had significant higher uric acid[(467.39±32.60)μmol/L vs.(367.25±22.39)μmol/L vs.(421.42±28.34)μmol/L],total bilirubin[(17.36±3.10)μmol/L vs.(10.65±1.39)μmol/L vs.(11.12±2.01)μmol/L],BNP[(897.60±50.11)ng/L vs.(381.37±31.25)ng/L vs.(527.60±47.84)ng/L],NO[(50.12±5.95)μmol/L vs.(25.36±2.14)μmol/L vs.(37.92±4.84)μmol/L],ET-1[(114.10±10.53)pg/L vs.(80.25±7.38)pg/L vs.(97.03±8.40)pg/L],TXB2[(417.98±29.35)pg/ml vs.(302.63±19.63)pg/ml vs.(381.29±26.44)pg/ml](P＜0.001 all).Compared with those in class Ⅱ group,those in class Ⅲ group had significant higher above-mentioned indexes(except total bilirubin)(P＜0.001 all).Pearson correlation analysis indicated that plasma NO,ET-1,TXB2 were positively associated with BNP(r=0.828,0.750,0.720,P＜0.001 all).Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that uric acid,total bilirubin,plasma NO,ET-1 and TXB2 levels were independent risk factors for elevated BNP level in CHF patients(B=0.555～20.550,P＜0.05 or＜0.01),while the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEI)/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blockers(ARB)was an independent protective factor(B=-46.222,P=0.027).Conclusion:The levels of NO,ET-1,and TXB2 are closely related to the occurrence and development of CHF,and they show an increasing trend with the progression of CHF,and is closely related to BNP.

Objective To summarize the changing prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales based on the data of CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021 for improving antimicrobial treatment in clinical practice.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using a commercial automated susceptibility testing system according to the unified CHINET protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)M100 31st ed in 2021.Results Over the seven-year period(2015-2021),the overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE)was 9.43％(62 342/661 235).The prevalence of CRE strains in Klebsiella pneumoniae,Citrobacter freundii,and Enterobacter cloacae was 22.38％,9.73％,and 8.47％,respectively.The prevalence of CRE strains in Escherichia coli was 1.99％.A few CRE strains were also identified in Salmonella and Shigella.The CRE strains were mainly isolated from respiratory specimens(44.23±2.80)％,followed by blood(20.88±3.40)％and urine(18.40±3.45)％.Intensive care units(ICUs)were the major source of the CRE strains(27.43±5.20)％.CRE strains were resistant to all the β-lactam antibiotics tested and most non-β-lactam antimicrobial agents.The CRE strains were relatively susceptible to tigecycline and polymyxins with low resistance rates.Conclusions The prevalence of CRE strains was increasing from 2015 to 2021.CRE strains were highly resistant to most of the antibacterial drugs used in clinical practice.Clinicians should prescribe antimicrobial agents rationally.Hospitals should strengthen antibiotic stewardship in key clinical settings such as ICUs,and take effective infection control measures to curb CRE outbreak and epidemic in hospitals.

Objective To characterize the changing species distribution and antibiotic resistance profiles of respiratory isolates in hospitals participating in the CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021.Methods Commercial automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems and disk diffusion method were used to test the susceptibility of respiratory bacterial isolates to antimicrobial agents following the standardized technical protocol established by the CHINET program.Results A total of 589 746 respiratory isolates were collected from 2015 to 2021.Overall,82.6％of the isolates were Gram-negative bacteria and 17.4％were Gram-positive bacteria.The bacterial isolates from outpatients and inpatients accounted for(6.0±0.9)％and(94.0±0.1)％,respectively.The top microorganisms were Klebsiella spp.,Acinetobacter spp.,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Staphylococcus aureus,Haemophilus spp.,Stenotrophomonas maltophilia,Escherichia coli,and Streptococcus pneumoniae.Each microorganism was isolated from significantly more males than from females(P＜0.05).The overall prevalence of methicillin-resistant S.aureus(MRSA)was 39.9％.The prevalence of penicillin-resistant S.pneumoniae was 1.4％.The prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase(ESBL)-producing E.coli and K.pneumoniae was 67.8％and 41.3％,respectively.The overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant E.coli,K.pneumoniae,Enterobacter cloacae,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Acinetobacter baumannii was 3.7％,20.8％,9.4％,29.8％,and 73.3％,respectively.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 96.1％in Moraxella catarrhalis and 60.0％in Haemophilus influenzae.The H.influenzae isolates from children(＜18 years)showed significantly higher resistance rates to β-lactam antibiotics than the isolates from adults(P＜0.05).Conclusions Gram-negative bacteria are still predominant in respiratory isolates associated with serious antibiotic resistance.Antimicrobial resistance surveillance should be strengthened in clinical practice to support accurate etiological diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing results.