Olfactory disorders are a common symptom in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, and their diagnosis and treatment have garnered extensive attention from both patients and doctors. Currently, there are various evaluation and treatment methods for olfactory dysfunction; however, choosing a simpler and more accurate assessment, as well as an effective treatment, remains a clinical challenge. In this article, we review the assessment and treatment methods commonly used in clinical practice in recent years to provide better support for the diagnosis and treatment of olfactory disorders.
Humans ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Sinusitis/complications* ; Chronic Disease ; Rhinitis/complications* ; Rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence and prognosis of olfactory,gustatory and auditory dysfunctions related to the COVID-19 Omicron strain infection.METHODS A cross-sectional investigation was performed through online questionnaires.Data of patients with Omicron strain infection from December 24th,2022 to January 2nd,2023 were collected.The visual analogue scale(VAS)was used to evaluate the self-reported olfactory,gustatory and auditory functions of patients.RESULTS A total of 869 valid questionnaires were obtained.The incidence of otolaryngology-related symptoms associated with omicron strain infection was 96.8%.The incidence of olfactory,gustatory and auditory dysfunction was 44.4%,44.2%and 10.7%,respectively.There were statistically significant differences(P<0.001)in VAS scores for olfactory,gustatory,and auditory impairments between all surveyed individuals before and after infection,as well as in the corresponding VAS scores for those who experienced these impairments.The median duration of olfactory,gustatory and auditory dysfunction were 5,4 and 3 days,respectively.CONCLUSION The incidence of olfactory,gustatory,and auditory impairments is high after Omicron infection,with most cases experiencing rapid spontaneous improvement.For the long-term symptoms,the otolaryngology doctors are responsible for exploring and developing effective intervention measures.

Objective:To investigate the effects of Kanglaite injection combined with chemotherapy on quality of life and myelosuppression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:The clinical data of 60 patients with NSCLC who received treatment at Zhejiang Jinhua Guangfu Tumor Hospital from August 2018 to February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 30 patients in each group according to the treatment methods used. The patients in the experimental group received the Kanglaite injection in combination with chemotherapy using gemcitabine and cisplatin, whereas the patients in the control group were treated solely with chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. The quality of life was evaluated using the Karnofsky Performance Status score. Before and after treatment, a comparison was made between the two groups in terms of Karnofsky Performance Status score, the incidence of adverse reactions (such as myelosuppression), and clinical efficacy.Results:After treatment, the disease control rate and objective response rate in the experimental group were 86.67% (26/30) and 60.00% (18/30), respectively, which were significantly higher than 60.00% (18/30) and 30.00% (9/30) in the control group ( χ2 = 4.18, 4.31, both P < 0.05). Prior to treatment, the Karnofsky Performance Status scores in the experimental and control groups were (70.68 ± 3.75) points and (70.29 ± 5.11) points ( t = 0.34, P = 0.790), respectively. After treatment, the Karnofsky Performance Status scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group [(67.02 ± 5.87) points vs. (62.37 ± 3.59) points, t = -5.29, P < 0.05]. The incidence of adverse reactions in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group [40.00% (12/30) vs. 36.67% (11/30), χ2 = 0.07, P = 0.790). Additionally, the incidence of myelosuppression in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group [56.67% (17/30) vs. 86.67% (26/30), χ2 = 6.90, P = 0.030]. Conclusion:Compared with chemotherapy alone, Kanglaite injection combined with chemotherapy can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, leading to improved prognosis.

Objective:To explore the mechanism of Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets in the treatment of premature ovarian failure (POF) using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology; To conduct further experimental verification.Methods:The active components and related targets of Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets were obtained using TCMSP and PubChem databases, and the related targets of POF were obtained by using GeneCards database. The Venn online tool was used to screen the intersection genes, and the STRING database was used to construct the PPI network. Then, GO function enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the intersecting genes through the Metescape database, and Cytoscape 3.7.1 software was used to construct the "active component-target" network and "Chinese materia medica-active component-target-key pathway-disease" network. Finally, molecular docking verification was carried out. Mice were divided into blank group, model group, and Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets group using a random number table method, with 8 mice in each group. Except for the blank group, mice in each group were treated with zona pellucida polypeptide 3 (ZP3) and Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) to establish a mouse model of immune POF. Mice in the Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets group received Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets solution 0.56 g/kg for gavage, and the blank control group and the model group received saline for gavage for consecutive 4 weeks. The histopathological changes of the mouse ovary were observed by HE staining. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression of ESR1, and Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Akt and p-Akt.Results:A total of 80 intersection targets between Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets and POF were obtained, and the PPI network contained 44 core targets. The top 5 compounds in the topological analysis were formononetin, quercetin, Betulinic acid, Hydroxysafflor Yellow A and Baicalin, and the top 5 targets were PPARG, ESR1, AR, AKT1 and IL6. The molecular function of core genes was mainly receptor ligand activity, and its biological process mainly involved the positive regulation of cell migration. The cellular components mainly included membrane rafts, which were involved in signaling pathways such as cancer signaling pathway, proteoglycans in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and HIF-1 signaling pathway. "Chinese materia medica-component-target-pathway-disease" network showed that 8 kinds of Chinese materia medica in the Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets had important core components, among which Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Carthami Flos involved the most important core components. Molecular docking results showed that the active components had a good affinity with the core target. The experimental verification confirmed that Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets promoted follicular development, increased the expression of ESR1 in ovarian tissues and up-regulated the expression level of the key factor of Akt phosphorylation in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.Conclusions:The various active components of Honghua Xiaoyao Tablets may act on PPARG, ESR1 and other targets through multiple signaling pathways such as PI3K-Akt and HIF-1 to treat POF. The potential active components are mainly formononetin, quercetin, etc.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance is vital for a functional cure of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, the incidence and predictors of HBsAg seroclearance in patients co-infected with HBV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remain largely unknown in Guangdong, China. METHODS: Between 2009 and 2019, patients co-infected with HBV/HIV undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University were retrospectively reviewed with the endpoint on December 31, 2020. The incidence and risk factors for HBsAg seroclearance were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1550 HBV/HIV co-infected patients were included in the study, with the median age of 42 years and 86.0% (1333/1550) males. Further, 98.3% (1524/1550) received ART containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) plus lamivudine (3TC). HBV DNA was examined in 1283 cases at the last follow-up. Over the median 4.7 years of follow-up, 8.1% (126/1550) patients achieved HBsAg seroclearance, among whom 50.8% (64/126) obtained hepatitis B surface antibody, 28.1% (137/488) acquired hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion, and 95.9% (1231/1283) undetectable HBV DNA. Compared with patients who maintained HBsAg positive, cases achieving HBsAg seroclearance showed no differences in age, gender, CD4 + T cell count, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, or fibrosis status; however, they presented lower HBV DNA levels, lower HBsAg levels, and higher rates of HBV genotype B at the baseline. Multivariate analysis showed that baseline HBsAg <1500 cutoff index (COI) (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.74, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.48-5.09), ALT elevation >2 × upper limit of normal during the first six months after receiving ART (aHR, 2.96, 95% CI: 1.53-5.77), and HBV genotype B (aHR, 3.73, 95% CI: 1.46-9.59) were independent predictors for HBsAg seroclearance (all P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS Long-term TDF-containing ART has high anti-HBV efficacy including relatively high overall HBsAg seroclearance in HBV/HIV co-infected patients. Lower baseline HBsAg levels, HBV genotype B, and elevated ALT levels during the first six months of ART are potential predictors of HBsAg seroclearance.
Male ; Humans ; Adult ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics* ; HIV Infections/drug therapy* ; HIV ; DNA, Viral ; Incidence ; Coinfection/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tenofovir/therapeutic use* ; Lamivudine/therapeutic use* ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/drug therapy*

Objective:To investigate the effects of Tiaogan Lifei Decoction on the level of symptom control in patients with bronchial asthma (asthma) treated with moderate and high dosage inhaled glucocorticoids (ICS).Methods:Randomized double-blind placebo controlled prospective study was used. Totally 90 patients with asthma (liver lung disharmony, wind phlegm blocking collateral syndrome) using moderate and high dosage ICS who met the inclusion criteria from January 2020 to December 2021 in Chaoyang District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing were divided into two groups according to random number table method, with 45 cases in each group. On the basis of using the original dosage of ICS, the treatment group used Tiaogan Lifei Decoction, while the control group used Tiaogan Lifei Decoction simulant. The course of treatment was 12 weeks. TCM symptom score of both group before and after the treatment was detected; asthma control test (ACT) was used to assess the effects of asthma on the patients; St George's Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to assess patients' quality of life; the peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) was measured with a peak expiratory flow meter. 2 ml of venous blood was collected for eosinophil (EOS) detection, and the serum allergen specific IgE level was determined by ELISA. The adverse reactions were observed during the treatment and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.Results:During the test, 3 cases and 2 cases in the treatment group and control group lost prevention respectively. 3 cases in the treatment group and 6 cases in the control group withdrew from the trial because of the aggravation of symptoms and the need to increase the dosage of ICS. The total effective rate in the treatment group was 78.6% (33/42), and that in the control group was 55.8% (24/43), with statistical significance ( χ2=4.98, P=0.026). After treatment, the scores of daily activities, early awakening, control and total scores in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group ( t values were 1.76, 1.99, 2.00, 2.69, respectively, P<0.01 or P<0.05); after treatment, the scores of cough, chest tightness, active wheezing, upset, pharyngeal itch and total score in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group ( t values were -5.89, -6.01, -5.66, -4.27, -6.67, -9.05, respectively, P<0.01); SGRQ score in the treatment group was lower than that of the control group ( t=-7.19, P<0.01). No serious adverse reactions occurred during treatment in the two groups. Conclusion:Tiaogan Lifei Decoction is helpful to improve the symptom control level of asthma patients who are using ICS, and effectively improve the quality of life of patients with asthma of liver lung disharmony and wind phlegm obstructing collaterals syndrome.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors of low-level viremia (LLV) among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients after combined anti-retroviral therapy (ART), and to provide evidence for reducing the risk of LLV.Methods:It was a cross-sectional observation study that enrolled HIV/AIDS patients with LLV (plasma HIV-1 RNA was 50 to 1 000 copies/mL) receiving ART over one year (LLV group) from January 2019 to December 2020 in Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University. Contemporaneous patients with ART over one year and successful viral suppression (plasma HIV-1 RNA<50 copies/mL) were randomly selected as the control group (suppression group) with a ratio of 1∶2.5, and the risk factors for LLV were analyzed by unconditional logistic regression.Results:A total of 128 and 297 patients were enrolled in LLV group and the suppression group, respectively.ART durations were 3.62(1.83, 4.89) years and 4.91(2.90, 5.88) years, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors associated with LLV included the age of initial ART treatment above 50 years old (odds ratio ( OR)=1.82, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.01 to 3.26, P=0.046), the baseline HIV-1 RNA over 1×10 5 copies/mL ( OR=2.18, 95% CI 1.30 to 3.68, P=0.003), using the simplified initial ART regimen ( OR=1.82, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.26, P=0.044), missing medication more than three times per year ( OR=2.49, 95% CI 1.55 to 4.01, P<0.001) and changing regimen during ART ( OR=1.90, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.14, P=0.013), while the duration of ART longer than five years could reduce the risk of LLV ( OR=0.37, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.64, P<0.001). In patients with simplified initial ART regimen, the baseline CD4 + T lymphocyte count of whom with LLV was lower than that of whom with viral suppression, and the difference was statistically significant (94.00 (24.00, 281.00)/μL vs 375.00 (310.00, 435.00)/μL, Z=-2.60, P<0.001). Conclusions:The occurrence of LLV is related to the age of initial ART treatment, the baseline HIV-1 RNA, the initial ART regimen, the medication adherence and the change of ART regimen during ART. Strategies may be beneficial to reducing the risk of LLV for HIV/AIDS patients, such as initiating ART as soon as possible, using simplified regimen as initial regimen with caution in patients with low baseline CD4 + T lymphocyte counts, strengthening compliance education, avoiding unnecessary ART regimen changes.

Objective:To evaluate the residual risk (RR) of transfusion transmitted HIV (TT-HIV) after the implementation of nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) in blood screening test among blood centers in China.Methods:The data of blood donors and HIV infection markers from 2017 to 2020 were collected from 28 blood centers via the Platform of Comparison of blood establishments Practice in Chinese Mainland. The new infection rate/window period mathematical model was used for two types of blood screening strategies, namely, two rounds ELISA plus individual NAT take turn with pooling NAT (2ELISA+ ID-NAT/MP-NAT) and two ELISA plus one round pooling NAT (2ELISA+ MP-NAT), and the RR of HIV infection was estimated also based on first donors (FDs) and repeated donors (RDs) in different blood donation years. T-test analyses were conducted for comparing TT HIV RR among FDs and RDs in different blood donation years with two blood screening strategies, and the variation trend of RR in HIV test was observed.Results:From 2017 to 2020, the RR of FDs in 2ELISA+ ID-NAT/MP-NAT blood screening strategy was 2.869/10 6 person-year, 3.795/10 6 persons-year, 3.879/10 6 person-year, and 2.890/10 6 person-year respectively. The RR of RDs was 1.797/10 6 person-year, 1.502/10 6 person-year, 1.857/10 6 person-year, and 1.483/10 6 person-year respectively. Significant difference exists between RR of FDs and RDs, with F=9.898 and p<0.05. In 2ELISA+ MP-NAT strategy, the RR of FDs was 3.508/10 6 person-year, 1.868/10 6 person-year, 2.204/10 6 person-year, and 1.765/10 6 person-year respectively. The RR of RDs was 0.948/10 6 person-year, 0.926/10 6 person-year, 0.748/10 6 person-year, and 0.682/10 6 person-year respectively. Statistical difference existed between RR of FDs and RDs, with F=17.126 and P<0.05. There was no significant difference between the RR of FDs in these two strategies with F=3.493 and P>0.05, while there was a difference between the RR of RDs in these two strategies with F=24.516 and P<0.05, and a difference between the RR of total donors (TDs) in these two strategies F=20.216 and P<0.05. Conclusions:The RR of TT HIV significantly decreased after the introduction of NAT into blood test among blood centers in China. There were some differences in the RR of HIV testing among different blood screening strategies. There could be significant differences in the RR of HIV testing among different groups of blood donors. Compared with FDs, RDs is the low risk group for HIV.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum neuregulin 4(Nrg4)level and metabolic associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A total of 240 T2DM patients admitted to the Department of Endocrinology of Second People's Hospital of Yichang from June 2021 to August 2022 were collected and divided into simple T2DM group(n=120)and MAFLD group(MAFLD,n=120).120 healthy individuals were selected as the normal control(NC)group.Results The serum Nrg4 decreased gradually from NC group,T2DM group to MAFLD group(P＜0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum Nrg4 was negatively correlated with WC,HOMA-IR and hs-CRP(P＜0.05),and positively correlated with HDL-C(P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that Nrg4,WC,HOMA-IR and hs-CRP were the influencing factors of MAFLD.After adjusting for age,sex,smoking history,BMI,TC,TG,HDL-C,LDL-C,FPG,FIns,HbA1c and other factors,serum Nrg4 was still the influencing factor of MAFLD.Conclusion The decrease of serum Nrg4 is a risk factor for T2DM combined with MAFLD.