1.Immunomodulatory effect of short-chain fatty acids in hepatic encephalopathy and its potential diagnostic value
Weiyu CHEN ; Dewen MAO ; Han WANG ; Yang DU ; Wenqian FENG ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(5):954-962
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of severe liver disease in the end stage, and it is urgently needed to improve the rate of effective treatment and clarify the pathogenesis of HE. The liver is a crucial hub for immune regulation, and disruption of immune homeostasis is a key factor in the pathological mechanisms of HE. As the main metabolites of intestinal flora, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) play a vital role in the biological processes of both innate and adaptive immunity and can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells maintain the homeostasis of intestinal microenvironment and the integrity of barrier function. Studies have shown that SCFAs participate in bidirectional and dynamic interactions with the liver-gut-brain axis through immunomodulatory pathways, thereby playing an important role in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic evaluation of HE. Starting from the immunoregulatory effect of SCFAs, this article summarizes and analyzes the crosstalk relationship between SCFAs and the liver-gut-brain axis and the significance of SCFAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HE, in order to provide new ideas for optimizing clinical prevention and treatment strategies.
2.Association between bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorders and hepatic encephalopathy based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of Yin and Yang
Luyi YAN ; Weiyu CHEN ; Han WANG ; Wenqian FENG ; Yang DU ; Xueru TIAN ; Yang HONG ; Dewen MAO ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(7):1443-1449
Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome secondary to severe liver disease.Recent studies have shown that the development of hepatic encephalopathy is closely associated with bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorder.As the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine,the theory of Yin and Yang provides a unique perspective for analyzing the association between bile acids/short-chain fatty acids and hepatic encephalopathy.Bile acids function like Yang,governing the free flow of Qi and assisting in metabolic processes,while short-chain fatty acids belong to Yin,maintaining internal stability and conservation,preserving the intestinal barrier,and combating inflammation and toxins.Bile acids and short-chain fatty acids constrain each other and are interdependent to regulate the dynamic equilibrium of the gut-liver-brain axis.On this basis,by regulating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids and short-chain fatty acids,it is expected to restore the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang in patients with hepatic encephalopathy under the synergistic intervention of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.
3.A survey on the cognition of mpox expertise among relevant clinicians in China
Zewei CHEN ; Wenqian ZHU ; Yuelin WU ; Shiqing LIANG ; Xiaoli YUE ; Jing LI ; Jiahui ZHANG ; Xiangdong GONG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(2):239-244
Objective:To investigate and evaluate the correct cognition and influencing factors of mpox expertise among relevant Chinese clinicians and to provide a reference for prevention and control.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinicians in relevant departments using a structured questionnaire compiled by ourselves through a non-random network recruitment method. The content includes demography, clinical specialties, and characteristics of medical institutions, and 37 questions to evaluate the professional cognition of mpox etiology, clinical characteristics, transmission, prevention, and control. Using the modified Bloom's cutoff point to determine the correct answer is greater than or equal to 26 entitled correct cognition. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing the correct cognition rate.Results:A total of 4 332 clinicians in 23 provinces (autonomous regions, municipality) in China were investigated by online questionnaires and 4 276 effective questionnaires were collected, with an effective rate of 98.71%. The mean age of the respondents was (39.46±9.54) years old, 61.18% were female. The overall correct cognition rate of mpox expertise was 62.04% (95% CI: 60.59%-63.50%), the correct cognition rates of mpox etiology, clinical characteristics, transmission, prevention and control were 48.25% (95% CI: 46.68%-49.82%), 78.66% (95% CI: 77.38%-79.95%), 68.56% (95% CI: 67.10%-70.02%), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the relevant factors affecting the overall correct cognition of mpox expertise among Chinese clinicians included gender (female: OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.31-1.80), region (eastern region: OR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.18-1.79; midwestern region: OR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.04-1.49), professional title (deputy senior: OR=1.43, 95% CI:1.16-1.76; senior: OR=1.72, 95% CI:1.30-2.28), the clinical field (the clinical fields of dermatology and venereal diseases: OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.42-2.23). Conclusions:The overall correct cognition rate of mpox expertise among relevant Chinese clinicians was low. It was essential to conduct mpox knowledge training for clinicians in males, northeast regions, junior professional title and the clinical fields other than dermatology and venereal diseases to improve their correct cognition rates and epidemic prevention and control ability.
4.Association of urinary serine protease Corin with clinical staging in early diabetic kidney disease
Wenqian TIAN ; Jingyi LU ; Danyang CHEN ; Sa LI ; Shiyu LIU ; Xiaoying ZHANG ; Wanjun PANG ; Yahui HU
Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025;41(2):120-128
Objective:To investigate the level of urinary serine protease(Corin) in early diabetic kidney disease(DKD) and its correlation with clinical stage.Methods:One hundred and seventy-three patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM) from two tertiary A hospitals in Henan, diagnosed between April 2023 and December 2023 were selected as the research group, and 120 healthy subjects were selected as the control group. Basic clinical information and laboratory data were collected, and urinary Corin level was detected. DM patients were classified into G1-G5 stages based on estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR), and those in the early DKD stages(G1-G3) were further divided into A1-A3 subgroups based on urinary albumin/creatinine ratio(ACR). Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess relationships between urinary Corin and other indicators, linear regression analysis identified factors influencing urinary Corin in early DKD patients, logistic regression analysis evaluated the risk factors for early DKD, and receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis determined the diagnostic value of urinary Corin in early DKD. Results:Urinary Corin levels were significantly higher in early DKD patients compared to healthy controls, with levels increasing as ACR rose( P<0.05). Urinary Corin was positively associated with serum creatinine( r=0.570), urea( r=0.458), cystatin C( r=0.693), ACR( r=0.616), urinary transferrin( r=0.448), urinary α1 microglobulin( r=0.507), urinary n-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminase( r=0.388) and A subgroup( r=0.692) while was negatively correlated with eGFR( r=-0.647), albumin( r=-0.312)(all P<0.05). eGFR was the only independent factor affecting urinary Corin. After adjusting for confounding factors in logistic regression analysis, urinary Corin was still an independent influencing factor for early DKD. ROC curve analysis indicated that urinary Corin had a diagnostic AUC of 0.842(95% CI 0.791-0.892, P<0.001), with a cut-off value of 2 226.04 pg/mL, sensitivity of 0.712, and specificity of 0.858 for early DKD diagnosis. Conclusions:Urinary Corin was elevated in early DKD patients and correlated with clinical stage. Urinary Corin is an independent factor of early DKD, and a reliable predictor of early DKD diagnosis.
5.Effect of exercise on freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease:a meta-analysis
Wenqian DU ; Xu ZHANG ; Jiwei CHEN ; Xing WANG ; Kun ZHU
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2025;31(7):781-789
Objective To evaluate the effect of exercise on freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.Methods After constructing a PICO framework,randomized controlled trials(RCTs)about exercise for freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease were systematically retrieved from Web of Science,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Embase,CNKI,VIP and Wanfang Data,from the establishment of the databases to March,2025.The PEDro scale was used to evaluate the quality of literature,Stata 17.0 was used for meta-analysis,and GRADE was used to assess the evidence quality.Results A total of twelve RCTs involving 463 patients were included,with PEDro scale scores of five to eight.Exercise improved the scores of Freezing of Gait Questionnaire(FOGQ)(SMD=-0.61,95%CI-0.85~-0.36,P<0.001)and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Ⅲ(UPDRSⅢ)(SMD=-0.84,95%CI-1.27~-0.41,P<0.001).Subgroup analysis revealed that the patients aged 59 to 68 years,the course of disease
6.Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of infection after internal fixation of closed lower limb fractures in adults (version 2025)
Bobin MI ; Faqi CAO ; Weixian HU ; Wu ZHOU ; Chenchen YAN ; Hui LI ; Yun SUN ; Yuan XIONG ; Jinmi ZHAO ; Qikai HUA ; Xinbao WU ; Xieyuan JIANG ; Dianying ZHANG ; Zhongguo FU ; Dankai WU ; Guangyao LIU ; Guodong LIU ; Tengbo YU ; Jinhai TAN ; Xi CHEN ; Fengfei LIN ; Zhangyuan LIN ; Dongfa LIAO ; Aiguo WANG ; Shiwu DONG ; Gaoxing LUO ; Zhao XIE ; Dong SUN ; Dehao FU ; Yunfeng CHEN ; Changqing ZHANG ; Kun LIU ; Deye SONG ; Yongjun RUI ; Fei WU ; Ximing LIU ; Junwen WANG ; Meng ZHAO ; Biao CHE ; Bing HU ; Chengjian HE ; Guanglin WANG ; Xiao CHEN ; Guandong DAI ; Shiyuan FANG ; Wenchao SONG ; Ming CHEN ; Guanghua GUO ; Yongqing XU ; Lei YANG ; Wenqian ZHANG ; Kun ZHANG ; Xin TANG ; Hua CHEN ; Weiguo XU ; Shuquan GUO ; Yong LIU ; Xiaodong GUO ; Zhewei YE ; Liming XIONG ; Tian XIA ; Hongbin WU ; Qisheng ZHOU ; Mengfei LIU ; Yiqiang HU ; Yanjiu HAN ; Hang XUE ; Kangkang ZHA ; Wei CHEN ; Zhiyong HOU ; Bin YU ; Jiacan SU ; Peifu TANG ; Baoguo JIANG ; Guohui LIU
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2025;41(5):421-432
Postoperative infection of internal fixation of closed fractures the lower limbs in adults represents a devastating complication, characterized by diagnostic challenges, prolonged treatment duration and high disability rates. Current management of these infections faces multiple challenges, such as difficulties in early accurate diagnosis, and various controversies about the treatment plan, leading to poor overall diagnosis and treatment results. To address these issues, based on evidence-based medicine and principles with emphasis on scientific rigor, clinical applicability and innovation, the Trauma Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Orthopedics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Trauma Orthopedics and Polytrauma Group of the Resuscitation and Emergency Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association have collaboratively organized a panel of relevant experts to develop the Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of infection after internal fixation of closed lower limb fractures in adults ( version 2025). The guideline proposed 10 recommendations, aiming to provide a foundation for standardized diagnosis and treatment of postoperative infection in adults with closed lower limb fractures.
7.Predictive value of patient-reported outcomes combined with hematological indicators for moderate-to-severe endoscopic activity in patients with ulcerative colitis
Caimin LI ; Wenqian LI ; Sicong HOU ; Weiming XIAO ; Jie CHEN ; Mei WANG
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(13):55-60,65
Objective To analyze the predictive value of patient-reported outcomes(PRO)com-bined with hematological indicators for moderate-to-severe endoscopic activity in patients with ulcera-tive colitis(UC).Methods Clinical data of UC patients were retrospectively collected,including PRO,hematological parameters and endoscopic findings.Based on the Mayo endoscopic score,pa-tients were divided into remission and mild activity group(<2 points)and moderate-to-severe activity group(≥ 2 points).Independent influencing factors for moderate-to-severe endoscopic activity were screened through multivariate Logistic regression analysis,and a binary Logistic regression model was constructed.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the discriminato-ry ability of the predictive model.The calibration of the model was assessed using calibration curves and the Spiegelhalter Z-test,and the model's performance was further validated in an external valida-tion cohort.Results Rectal bleeding(RB),C-reactive protein/albumin(CAR)and erythrocyte sed-imentation rate(ESR)were independent influencing factors for moderate-to-severe endoscopic activity(P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of the nomogram predictive model constructed based on the logistic regression analysis results was 0.848(95%CI,0.798 to 0.900),with sensitivity of 76.6%and specificity of 79.6%.In the external validation cohort,the model's AUC was 0.778(95%CI,0.699 to 0.857),and there was no statistically significant difference compared with the AUC of the training cohort model(P>0.05).In both the training and validation cohorts,the Spiegelhalter Z-test results indicated that the model had good goodness-of-fit(P>0.05).Conclu-sion RB,CAR and ESR are independent influencing factors for moderate-to-severe endoscopic ac-tivity in UC patients.The combination of RB,CAR and ESR has high predictive value for moderate-to-severe endoscopic activity in UC patients,with good discriminatory and calibration abilities.
8.Wendan Decoction ameliorates metabolic phenotypes in rats with metabolic syndrome and phlegm syndrome by modulating the gut microbiota-bile acid axis
Kaiyue HUANG ; Jingxin QI ; Wenqian LUO ; Yixuan LIN ; Meimei CHEN ; Huijuan GAN
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(6):1174-1184
Objective To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Wendan Decoction for phlegm syndrome in rats with metabolic syndrome(MS).Methods Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group(n=8)and 3 phlegm syndrome model groups(induced by high-fat,high-sugar,and high-salt feeding and a single-dose intraperitoneal STZ injection;n=24)treated with daily gavage of saline,Wendan Decoction(3.6 g/kg),or metformin(0.1 g/kg)for 4 weeks.General conditions and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters of the rats were monitored,and serum LPS,liver histopathology,hepatic expressions of FXR,CYP7A1 and FGFR4 and ileal expressions of FXR and FGF15 were examined.Gut microbiota structure was analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing,and serum bile acids were quantified with UHPLC-MS/MS.Results The rat models of phlegm syndrome exhibited severe hepatic steatosis and necrosis,increased body weight,abdominal circumference,Lee's index,FBG,FINS,HOMA-IR,TG,TC,LDL and LPS,and decreased HDL level.The abundance of Bacteroidetes,Megamonas,and Bacteroides in gut microbiota increased while Firmicutes,Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group,isohyodeoxycholic acid,and glycohyodeoxycholic acid decreased significantly;hepatic FXR and FGFR4 expressions and ileal FXR and FGF15 expressions decreased while hepatic CYP7A1 expression increased significantly in the rat models.Treatment with Wendan Decoction effectively alleviated hepatic pathology,reduced body weight and abdominal circumference,improved glucose and lipid metabolic profiles and gut microbiota structure,and reversed the changes in hepatic and ileal protein expressions.Correlation analysis revealed that Firmicutes and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were positively correlated while Bacteroidetes,Megamonas and Bacteroides were negative correlated with the levels of isohyodeoxycholic acid and hyodeoxycholic acid.Conclusion Wendan Decoction can significantly improve metabolic profiles in rats with phlegm syndrome of MS possibly by regulating the intestinal flora-bile acid axis to modulate the intestinal flora structure and maintain bile acid homeostasis via the FXR signaling pathway.
9.Immunomodulatory effect of short-chain fatty acids in hepatic encephalopathy and its potential diagnostic value
Weiyu CHEN ; Dewen MAO ; Han WANG ; Yang DU ; Wenqian FENG ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;42(5):954-962
Hepatic encephalopathy(HE)is a common complication of severe liver disease in the end stage,and it is urgently needed to improve the rate of effective treatment and clarify the pathogenesis of HE.The liver is a crucial hub for immune regulation,and disruption of immune homeostasis is a key factor in the pathological mechanisms of HE.As the main metabolites of intestinal flora,short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)play a vital role in the biological processes of both innate and adaptive immunity and can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells maintain the homeostasis of intestinal microenvironment and the integrity of barrier function.Studies have shown that SCFAs participate in bidirectional and dynamic interactions with the liver-gut-brain axis through immunomodulatory pathways,thereby playing an important role in the diagnosis,treatment,and prognostic evaluation of HE.Starting from the immunoregulatory effect of SCFAs,this article summarizes and analyzes the crosstalk relationship between SCFAs and the liver-gut-brain axis and the significance of SCFAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HE,in order to provide new ideas for optimizing clinical prevention and treatment strategies.
10.Wendan Decoction ameliorates metabolic phenotypes in rats with metabolic syndrome and phlegm syndrome by modulating the gut microbiota-bile acid axis.
Kaiyue HUANG ; Jingxin QI ; Wenqian LUO ; Yixuan LIN ; Meimei CHEN ; Huijuan GAN
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(6):1174-1184
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Wendan Decoction for phlegm syndrome in rats with metabolic syndrome (MS).
METHODS:
Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=8) and 3 phlegm syndrome model groups (induced by high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt feeding and a single-dose intraperitoneal STZ injection; n=24) treated with daily gavage of saline, Wendan Decoction (3.6 g/kg), or metformin (0.1 g/kg) for 4 weeks. General conditions and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters of the rats were monitored, and serum LPS, liver histopathology, hepatic expressions of FXR, CYP7A1 and FGFR4 and ileal expressions of FXR and FGF15 were examined. Gut microbiota structure was analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing, and serum bile acids were quantified with UHPLC-MS/MS.
RESULTS:
The rat models of phlegm syndrome exhibited severe hepatic steatosis and necrosis, increased body weight, abdominal circumference, Lee's index, FBG, FINS, HOMA-IR, TG, TC, LDL and LPS, and decreased HDL level. The abundance of Bacteroidetes, Megamonas, and Bacteroides in gut microbiota increased while Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, isohyodeoxycholic acid, and glycohyodeoxycholic acid decreased significantly; hepatic FXR and FGFR4 expressions and ileal FXR and FGF15 expressions decreased while hepatic CYP7A1 expression increased significantly in the rat models. Treatment with Wendan Decoction effectively alleviated hepatic pathology, reduced body weight and abdominal circumference, improved glucose and lipid metabolic profiles and gut microbiota structure, and reversed the changes in hepatic and ileal protein expressions. Correlation analysis revealed that Firmicutes and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were positively correlated while Bacteroidetes, Megamonas and Bacteroides were negative correlated with the levels of isohyodeoxycholic acid and hyodeoxycholic acid.
CONCLUSIONS
Wendan Decoction can significantly improve metabolic profiles in rats with phlegm syndrome of MS possibly by regulating the intestinal flora-bile acid axis to modulate the intestinal flora structure and maintain bile acid homeostasis via the FXR signaling pathway.
Animals
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Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
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Metabolic Syndrome/microbiology*
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Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism*
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Rats, Wistar
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Rats
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Male
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Fibroblast Growth Factors/metabolism*
;
Liver/metabolism*
;
Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase/metabolism*
;
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism*

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