Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is considered the standard treatment for advanced and metastatic prostate cancer.The most commonly used drugs in this therapy are gonadotropin hormone-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and GnRH antagonists. Both types of drugs exert their therapeutic effects through the endocrine system，but their mechanisms of action differ significantly. GnRH agonists activate the GnRH receptor，leading to a negative feedback mechanism，whereas GnRH antagonists directly bind to the GnRH receptor and block the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These differences result in varying clinical outcomes. This paper provides a systematic comparison of the two types of drugs in terms of efficacy，safety，adverse events，and improvements of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in different clinical scenarios. Additionally，the paper also discusses the benefits of switching between these two treatment options and the future directions of ADT，aiming to offer practical insights to clinicians for the optimal use of these therapies.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical automated diagnostic system for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) based on the diagnostic criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) to assist dentists in making rapid and accurate clinical diagnosis of TMD. METHODS: Clinical and imaging data of 354 patients, who visited the Center for TMD & Orofacial Pain at Peking University Hospital of Stomatology from September 2023 to January 2024, were retrospectively collected. The study developed a clinical automated diagnostic system for TMD using the DC/TMD, built on the. NET Framework platform with branching statements as its internal structure. Further validation of the system on consistency and diagnostic efficacy compared with DC/TMD were also explored. Diagnostic efficacy of the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system for degenerative joint diseases, disc displacement with reduction, disc displacements without reduction with limited mouth opening and disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening was evaluated and compared with a specialist in the field of TMD. Accuracy, precision, specificity and the Kappa value were assessed between the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system and the specialist. RESULTS: Diagnoses for various TMD subtypes, including pain-related TMD (arthralgia, myalgia, headache attributed to TMD) and intra-articular TMD (disc displacement with reduction, disc displacement with reduction with intermittent locking, disc displacement without reduction with limited opening, disc displacement without reduction without limited opening, degenerative joint disease and subluxation), using the TMD clinical automated diagnostic system were completely identical to those obtained by the TMD specialist based on DC/TMD. Both the system and the expert showed low sensitivity for diagnosing degenerative joint disease (0.24 and 0.37, respectively), but high specificity (0.96). Both methods achieved high accuracy (> 0.9) for diagnosing disc displacements with reduction and disc displacements without reduction with limited mouth opening. The sensitivity for diagnosing disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening was only 0.59 using the automated system, lower than the expert (0.87), while both had high specificity (0.92). The Kappa values for most TMD subtypes were close to 1, except the disc displacement without reduction without limited mouth opening, which had a Kappa value of 0.68. CONCLUSION This study developed and validated a reliable clinical automated diagnostic system for TMD based on DC/TMD. The system is designed to facilitate the rapid and accurate diagnosis and classification of TMD, and is expected to be an important tool in clinical scenarios.
Humans ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/diagnosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Facial Pain/diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Xiaoxuming Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine therapy in the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke in the recovery period.Methods:A randomized controlled clinical study was conducted. A total of the 118 patients with wind phlegm obstructing collaterlas syndrome during the recovery period of ischemic stroke in our hospital from September 2023 to July 2024 were selected as the observation subjects. They were divided into two groups using a random number table method, with 59 patients in each group. The control group was treated with conventional Western medicine therapy, while the TCM group was treated with modified Xiaoxuming Decoction on the basis of the control group. Both groups were treated for 2 months and followed up for 1 month. TCM syndrome scoring was performed before and after treatment, Barthel Index was used to evaluate daily living ability, and carotid artery ultrasound detector was used to evaluate the stability of carotid vascular plaques. Inter group comparisons were performed using t test, χ2 test, or repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA). Results:RM-ANOVA showed that the time effect and inter group effect of TCM syndrome integration in the TCM group were significantly different from those in the control group ( Ftime=55.56, Ptime<0.001); Fbetween=18.94, Pbetween<0.001); there was no statistical significance in the interaction effect compared to the control group ( Finteraction=0.24, Pinteraction=0.866); the time effect, inter group effect, and interaction effect of Barthel Index in the TCM group were significantly different from those in the control group ( Ftime=44.57, Ptime<0.001); Fbetween=18.94, Pbetween<0.001; Finteraction=7.45, Pinteraction<0.001). The number of patients with unstable plaques in the TCM group after 3 months of treatment was lower than that in the control group ( χ2=4.52, P=0.033). Conclusion:The combination of modified Xiaoxuming Decoction and conventional Western medicine therapy can effectively improve the clinical symptoms and daily living ability of patients in the recovery period of ischemic stroke, improve the stability of cervical vascular plaques, and the clinical efficacy becomes more significant over time.

Background::Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as the leading cause of death from prostate cancer (PCa) in recent decades, bringing a great disease burden worldwide. Men with preexisting CVD have an increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events when treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The present study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk evaluation of CVD among people with newly diagnosed PCa in China.Methods::Clinical data of newly diagnosed PCa patients were retrospectively collected from 34 centers in China from 2010 to 2022 through convenience sampling. CVD was defined as myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke, ischemic heart disease, and others. CVD risk was estimated by calculating Framingham risk scores (FRS). Patients were accordingly divided into low-, medium-, and high-risk groups. χ2 or Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical variables. Results::A total of 4253 patients were enrolled in the present study. A total of 27.0% (1147/4253) of patients had comorbid PCa and CVD, and 7.2% (307/4253) had two or more CVDs. The enrolled population was distributed in six regions of China, and approximately 71.0% (3019/4253) of patients lived in urban areas. With imaging and pathological evaluation, most PCa patients were diagnosed at an advanced stage, with 20.5% (871/4253) locally progressing and 20.5% (871/4253) showing metastasis. Most of them initiated prostatectomy (46.6%, 1983/4253) or regimens involving ADT therapy (45.7%, 1944/4253) for prostate cancer. In the present PCa cohort, 43.1% (1832/4253) of patients had hypertension, and half of them had poorly controlled blood pressure. With FRS stratification, as expected, a higher risk of CVD was related to aging and metabolic disturbance. However, we also found that patients with treatment involving ADT presented an originally higher risk of CVD than those without ADT. This was in accordance with clinical practice, i.e., aged patients or patients at advanced oncological stages were inclined to accept systematic integrative therapy instead of surgery. Among patients who underwent medical castration, only 4.0% (45/1118) received gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonists, in stark contrast to the grim situation of CVD prevalence and risk.Conclusions::PCa patients in China are diagnosed at an advanced stage. A heavy CVD burden was present at the initiation of treatment. Patients who accepted ADT-related therapy showed an original higher risk of CVD, but the awareness of cardiovascular protection was far from sufficient.

Objective:To explore the clinical safety and effectiveness of self-draining ureteral stent with thread in kidney transplant recipients in renal transplantation.Methods:This study is a prospective cohort clinical study in the Department of Urology of Peking University People's Hospital from November 2022 to January 2024.The ureteral stent with thread group,in which a 2-0 Mersilene suture of 20-30 cm was used at the bladder end of the ureteral stent during the operation.On the 9th day after the opera-tion,the suture attached to the end of the ureteral stent was expelled out of the urethral orifice with the urine when the catheter was removed.The ureteral stent could be removed along with the suture.As to the cystoscope group,a ureteral stent was routinely placed during kidney transplantation,and the ureteral stent was removed under local infiltration anesthesia through cystoscopy after the operation.The pain scores[numerical rating scale(NRS)-11]during catheter removal and the incidence of urinary tract in-fections were observed and compared between the two groups.t test was used to compare the pain scores of indwelling ureteral stents and ureteral stents removal between the two groups,and Chi-square test was used to compare the occurrence of urinary system complications within 3 months after operation between the two groups.P＜0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:As of March 2024,all the re-cipients were followed up for an average of 6 months(3 to 12 months)postoperatively.A total of 46 kid-ney transplantation patients were included,with 21 in the ureteral stent with thread group and 25 in the cystoscope group.There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in age distri-bution,male-to-female ratio,and deceased versus live donor grafts.Three months after renal transplanta-tion,there were 15 cases of urinary tract infection in the cystoscope group and 4 cases in the ureteral stent with thread group(P=0.007).No significant urinary fistula,wound infection,or ureteral stenosis occurred in either group.No stent-related complications,stent migration,or stone formation were ob-served.The postoperative bladder spasm symptom scores for indwelling ureteral stents in the cystoscope group and the ureteral stent with thread group were 4.4±2.5 and 4.6±2.4,respectively,with no sta-tistically significant difference(t=0.29,P=0.773).However,the pain scores during ureteral stent re-moval were 4.9±1.6 and 3.0±1.0 in the two groups,respectively,with a statistically significant diffe-rence(t=5.017,P＜0.001).The total costs of indwelling and removing ureteral stents in the cystosco-py group and the ureteral stent with thread group were 6 452.0(5 539.5,6 452.0)yuan and 3 225.0(3 225.0,3 225.0)yuan,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.001).Conclusion:Compared with the conventional transplanted kidney ureteral stent,the self-discharge ure-teral stent technique with sutures is simpler,has a shorter ureteral stent inlay time,reduces the symptoms of bladder spasms,significantly reduces the cost of catheterization,and has fewer postoperative urinary system complications.It is a worthy improved surgical method to be promoted.

Objective To investigate associations between three-dimensional(3D)morphology of cervical vertebrae and skeletal mat-uration by cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT)and establish corresponding regression models for quantitatively evaluating cervical vertebral maturation(CVM).Methods The analyzed sample consisted of 358 CBCT images(175 male,183 female),of which 277 images were randomly selected as the model development group and 81 as the performance test group.Twenty-one 3D morphological pa-rameters were defined and measured,incorporating all parts of the cervical vertebrae,including the cervical vertebral bodies,transverse processes,spinous processes,pedicles,lamina,and articular processes.The cervical vertebral maturation index(CVMI)was determined by experienced orthodontists as reference standard.Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and multivariable stepwise regression analysis were used to identify the associations and build regression models.The performance test group was employed to ex-amine each model's reliability.Paired-samples Wilcoxon signed-rank test compared the CVMI of the model prediction with the reference standard.Results Three-dimensional morphological changes in various parts of the cervical vertebrae correlated with CVMI(P＜0.05).Six 3D morphometric parameters were each recognized for male and female models,three of which were identical.The adjusted R2 was 0.899 for males and 0.902 for females,with corresponding accuracies of 85.0%and 85.4%,respectively.These models showed no difference as compared with the reference standard(P＞0.05).Con-clusion New associations were found between 3D morphology of cer-vical vertebrae and skeletal maturation.The 3D-driven morphometric CVM assessment method and corresponding regression models exhibited good credibility and high consistency with experts.

Objective To evaluate the long-term efficacy of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)inhibitor(TNFi)in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis(AS)complicated with osteoporosis(OP)and the impact on bone metabolism,bone density,and inflammatory factors.Methods The data of 158 patients with AS and OP,who were admitted to Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University(Second Military Medical University)from Jan.1,2010 to Dec.31,2017,were retrospectively collected.The patients were divided into bisphosphonate group(n=54),TNFi group(n=58),and TNFi+bisphosphonate group(n=46)according to the treatment methods.All patients were treated with calcium combined with calcitriol as the background treatment.After 5 years of treatment,Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index(BASDAI)and Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index(BASFI)scores were evaluated,and inflammatory indexes,bone metabolism markers,and bone mineral density were detected.Results After 5 years of treatment,the BASDAI and BASFI scores,erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),C reactive protein(CRP),TNF-α,and interleukin-17A of the TNFi+bisphosphonate group and TNFi group were significantly lower than those before treatment(all P＜0.05);in the bisphosphonate group only ESR and CRP were significantly lower than those before treatment(both P＜0.05),and the other inflammatory indexes and BASDAI and BASFI scores showed no significant changes(all P＞0.05).The bone mineral density of the 3 groups after 5 years of treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment(all P＜0.05),and the bone mineral density of the TNFi+bisphosphonate group was significantly higher than that of the other 2 groups(both P＜0.05).After 5 years of treatment,the levels of parathyroid hormone(PTH),procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide(P1NP)and β-C-terminal telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen(β-CTX)in the TNFi+bisphosphonate group and bisphosphonate group were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(all P＜0.05),while the levels of N-terminal midfragment of osteocalcin(N-MID)and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D(25VitD)were significantly increased(all P＜0.05);in the TNFi group only PTH and P1NP levels were significantly decreased(both P＜0.05),while β-CTX,N-MID and 25VitD levels showed no significant differences(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Long-term use of TNFi in patients with AS and OP can effectively reduce disease activity,improve physical function,decrease the level of inflammatory factors,alleviate abnormal bone metabolism,and increase bone mineral density;and the combined use of TNFi and bisphosphonates has better efficacy.

Objective:To investigate the clinical significance of a new classification system for atlas fractures based on pre- and post-treatment CT features, with a focus on diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 75 cases of cervical vertebra fractures treated at the Sixth Hospital of Ningbo City between January 2015 and December 2020. The study included 44 males and 31 females, with an average age of 53.3±13.0 years (range: 27-81 years). The fractures were classified according to the Landells classification, resulting in 12 cases of type I, 13 cases of type II, 33 cases of type III, 9 cases that were difficult to classify due to fracture lines located at anatomical junctions, and 8 cases that could not be classified using the Landells classification due to diverse injury mechanisms. To establish a new preliminary classification for cervical vertebra fractures, the researchers considered whether the fracture line in the CT images involved the facet joint surface of the atlas, the impact on bilateral half-rings, and the displacement distance of the fracture ends. Five spinal surgeons were randomly selected to classify the CT images of the 75 patients using the new classification method. After one month, the imaging data of the 75 cases of cervical vertebra fractures were randomized and reclassified to assess the reliability and repeatability of the classification.Results:The new cervical vertebra fracture classification method comprised three types based on whether the fracture line involved the facet joint surface of the atlas: type A (no involvement of the facet joint surface of the atlas), type B (involvement of one side of the facet joint surface with intact contralateral half-ring), and type C (involvement of one side of the facet joint surface with fractured contralateral half-ring). Additionally, based on the maximum displacement distance between the fracture ends (>4 mm), six subtypes were identified: subtype 1 (≤4 mm displacement) and subtype 2 (>4 mm displacement). Consequently, the subtypes were classified as A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. According to the new classification method, the 75 patients included 17 cases of A1, 12 cases of A2, 7 cases of B1, 13 cases of B2, 12 cases of C1, and 14 cases of C2. The classification demonstrated excellent consistency, as assessed by the five doctors, with Kappa values of 0.85 and 0.91 for reliability and repeatability, respectively. At the final follow-up, all conservatively treated patients achieved bone healing, while four surgically treated patients experienced non-union of the fracture ends but exhibited good fusion between the atlas and axis. The remaining surgically treated patients achieved bony union without complications such as loosening or fracture of internal fixation.Conclusion:The new cervical vertebra fracture classification method, based on CT imaging features, comprehensively covers common clinical cases of cervical vertebra fractures and demonstrates excellent consistency. It provides valuable clinical guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical vertebra fractures.

Objective:In order to explore the possibility of expanding the surgical indications of the ambulatory laparoscopic transcystic common bill duct exploration(LTCBDE).Methods:A retrospective case-control study analysis was performed on the clinical data of 585 patients who underwent laparoscopic transcystic common bill duct exploration in the Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2015 to December 2018, including 155 cases of the ambulatory LTCBDE (study group) and 430 cases of the overnight LTCBDE (control group). The propensity score was used to match the related variables, and 144 pairs were successfully matched. The two groups were compared in surgery-related indicators, such the preoperative tests, history of acute exacerbation in the last one month, history of upper abdominal surgery, concomitant diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and respiratory diseases), american society of anesthesiology (ASA) score, intraoperative bleeding, operation time, total medical costs, unplanned readmission rate. Measurement data with normal distribution were expressed as mean±standard deviation( ± s), chi-square test was used for comparison between groups, and M( Q1, Q3) was used for measurement data with non-normal distribution. Fisher exact probability test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used for comparison between groups. Results:The indexes of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), total bilirubin, direct bilirubin (DBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), ASA score, intraoperative bleeding and total medical costs of the study group were 21.8(18.0, 31.0) U/L, 21.5(15.0, 42.5) U/L, 14.2(11.2, 18.6) umol/L, 2.6(2.1, 3.5) μmol/L, 91.0(73.3, 118.5) U/L, 44.5(22.0, 109.8) U/L, 2.0(2.0, 2.0) grade, 7.5(5.0, 10.0) mL, 9 659.0(8 704.8, 10 640.2) yuan respectively, and the control group were 26.0(17.7, 45.3) U/L, 29.5(16.0, 85.5) U/L, 17.2(13.0, 27.5) μmol/L, 3.8(2.4, 8.7) μmol/L, 105.0(81.0, 156.0) U/L, 86.5(25.0, 224.8) U/L, 2.0(2.0, 2.0) grade, 10.0(6.3, 20.0) mL, 14 366.6(11 766.4, 16 764.4) yuan, which the differences between the two groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). In two groups of the surgery-related indicators, such as the history of acute exacerbation in the last one month, history of upper abdominal surgery, hypertension are significant statistical differences ( P<0.05). Then there were no significant differences in diabetes, coronary heart diseases, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory diseases, surgical time and unplanned readmission rate. Conclusion:The concomitant diseases may not be the absolute contraindications of the ambulatory LTCBDE. More patients can be treated with ambulatory LTCBDE in experienced centers if relevant outpatient assay and examinations can be further improved, risks of surgery and anesthesia can be fully evaluated, and surgical contraindications can be clearly excluded.

Objective:To evaluate the long-term efficacy of AdVance sling bulbar urethral suspension and artificial urethral sphincter (AUS) implantation in the treatment of moderate to severe male stress urinary incontinence.Methods:The clinical data of 12 male patients with urinary incontinence who underwent surgical treatment in Peking University People's Hospital from June 2011 to June 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The median age was 75(64-80) years. There were 9 cases after radical prostatectomy and 3 cases after transurethral prostatectomy. Patients had a median history of urinary incontinence of 3(1-9) years, and needed an average of 8(5-10) pads per day. Among them, 5 patients had moderate urinary incontinence and 7 patients had severe urinary incontinence. All patients underwent urinary incontinence surgery for the first time. Among the 12 patients, 6 received AdVance sling ball urethral suspension (AdVance group), and 6 received AUS implantation (AUS group). The median age of the AdVance group was 72 (64-73) years. The median number of pads used daily was 6 (5-8) tablets. Urinary incontinence Quality of Life questionnaire (I-QOL) score was (15.0±5.4). Five patients had moderate urinary incontinence and one patient had severe urinary incontinence. In the AUS group, the median age was 78(76-80) years old, the median daily pad use was 8(6-10) tablets, and the I-QOL score was (16.7±5.1), all of which were severe urinary incontinence. The daily pad usage, I-QOL and postoperative complications were recorded at 1 and 5 years after operation.Results:All patients completed the operation successfully. The postoperative follow-up was 5-7 years (mean 5.5 years). In AdVance group, 1 patient with severe urinary incontinence had no significant improvement in postoperative symptoms at 1 year after operation. The other 5 patients showed significant improvement in urinary incontinence symptoms. In the AdVance group, the median number of pads used per day was 2.5 (1-10), and the I-QOL score was (75.0±28.1), which were all significantly improved compared with that before operation ( P<0.05). The median number of pads used per day in the AdVance group 5 years after operation was 2.5(1-10), and the I-QOL score was (78.3±29.3), which were significantly improved compared with those before operation (all P<0.01). In the AUS group, no pad was needed at 1 year after operation, which was significantly improved compared with that before operation ( P<0.01). Urethral erosion occurred in 2 cases 3 years after operation, and the AUS was removed. Urinary incontinence recurred and returned to the preoperative state without reoperation. The other 4 cases did not need to use the pad 5 years after operation. In AdVance group, 3 patients had perineal pain within 3 months after operation, which was related to activity and relieved spontaneously. No wound infection, urethral erosion and other complications occurred. Urethral erosion occurred in 3 cases in AUS group. Conclusions:AdVance sling ball urethral suspension is effective for patients with moderate stress urinary incontinence and has fewer complications. AUS implantation is effective for patients with severe male stress urinary incontinence. However, the long-term complications of this operation may affect the postoperative efficacy.