PURPOSE: The rate of complications among patients undergoing surgery has increased due to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and other variants of concern. However, Omicron has shown decreased pathogenicity, raising questions about the risk of postoperative complications among patients who are infected with this variant. This study aimed to investigate complications and related factors among patients with recent Omicron infection prior to undergoing orthopedic surgery. METHODS: A historical control study was conducted. Data were collected from all patients who underwent surgery during 2 distinct periods: (1) between Dec 12, 2022 and Jan 31, 2023 (COVID-19 positive group), (2) between Dec 12, 2021 and Jan 31, 2022 (COVID-19 negative control group). The patients were at least 18 years old. Patients who received conservative treatment after admission or had high-risk diseases or special circumstances (use of anticoagulants before surgery) were excluded from the study. The study outcomes were the total complication rate and related factors. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify related factors, and odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the impact of COVID-19 infection on complications. RESULTS: In the analysis, a total of 847 patients who underwent surgery were included, with 275 of these patients testing positive for COVID-19 and 572 testing negative. The COVID-19-positive group had a significantly higher rate of total complications (11.27%) than the control group (4.90%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for relevant factors, the OR was 3.08 (95% CI: 1.45-6.53). Patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 at 3-4 weeks (OR = 0.20 (95% CI: 0.06-0.59), p = 0.005), 5-6 weeks (OR = 0.16 (95% CI: 0.04-0.59), p = 0.010), or ≥7 weeks (OR = 0.26 (95% CI: 0.06-1.02), p = 0.069) prior to surgery had a lower risk of complications than those who were diagnosed at 0-2 weeks prior to surgery. Seven factors (age, indications for surgery, time of operation, time of COVID-19 diagnosis prior to surgery, C-reactive protein levels, alanine transaminase levels, and aspartate aminotransferase levels) were found to be associated with complications; thus, these factors were used to create a nomogram. CONCLUSION Omicron continues to be a significant factor in the incidence of postoperative complications among patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. By identifying the factors associated with these complications, we can determine the optimal surgical timing, provide more accurate prognostic information, and offer appropriate consultation for orthopedic surgery patients who have been infected with Omicron.
Humans ; COVID-19/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Orthopedic Procedures/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Nomograms ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Objective To develop a diagnostic model combining the CT angiography(CCTA)-derived myocardial radiomics signatures with the CT-derived fractional flow reserve(CT-FFR)based on coronary CCTA and investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the hybrid model for hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods The patients presenting stable angina pectoris,diagnosed with CAD,and clinically referred for CCTA examination and invasive coronary angiography were prospectively recruited.Radiomics features of the left ventricular myocardium were extracted from the three main perfusion territories demarcated according to the coronary blood supply.The extracted features were first selected by the minimum redundancy maximum relevance feature ranking method.A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Logistic regression algorithm with leave-one-out cross-validation was then employed to construct a radiomics model.The CT-FFR value was generated for each blood vessel.The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve(AUC_ROC),sensitivity,and specificity were adopted to evaluate the performance of each model against the reference standard invasive coronary angiography/FFR.Results A total of 70 patients[42 men and 28 women;(61±10) years old] were included in this study and complemented CCTA examination,with 175 vessels and the corresponding myocardial territories undergoing invasive coronary angiography/FFR.A total of 1 656 specific radiomics parameters were extracted,from which 14 features were selected to establish the radiomics model.The AUC_ROC,sensitivity,and specificity were 0.797(95%CI=0.732-0.861),77.1%,and 73.7%for the radiomics model,0.892(95%CI=0.841-0.943),81.4%,and 88.8%for the CT-FFR model,and 0.928(95%CI=0.890-0.965),83.3%,and 88.4%for the hybrid model,respectively.The hybrid model outperformed the radiomics model and CT-FFR alone(P=0.040).Conclusions The radiomics signatures of the vessel-related myocardium from CCTA could provide incremental value to the diagnostic performance of CT-FFR and improve vessel-specific ischemia detection.The hybrid model combining CT-FFR with radiomics signatures is potentially feasible for improving the diagnostic accuracy for hemodynamically significant CAD.
Coronary Angiography/methods* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Humans ; Hemodynamics ; Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Radiomics ; Angina Pectoris/diagnostic imaging* ; China ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging*

Thyroglobulin(Tg)is a glycoprotein with large molecular weight,which is synthesized and secreted into the bloodstream by thyroid follicular cells.The concentration level of Tg in blood is one of the important biomarkers for diagnosis of thyroid diseases such as differentiated thyroid cancer(DTC),subacute thyroiditis,etc..Radioimmunoassay(RIA),immunoradiometric assay(IRMA),and immunochemiluminescence assay(ICMA)are the main clinical methods for detecting Tg.Recently,for meeting the requirement of detecting low concentration of Tg in blood after thyroid clearance surgery,researchers have developed various high-performance analysis methods for detecting Tg concentration in blood samples,providing new assays for thyroid disease screening and efficacy evaluation.This review summarized the analysis methods of Tg,especially the new progresses in the biosensors for monitoring low concentration of Tg in blood during the past five years.The current technical challenges of these methods in clinical applications were briefly discussed,which might provide useful information for developing new liquid biopsy methods of DTC.

Aim To explore the improvement effect of Bazi Bushen capsule on thymic degeneration in SAMP6 mice and the possible mechanism.Methods Twenty 12 week old male SAMP6 mice were randomly divided into the model group(SAMP6)and the Bazi Busheng capsule treatment group(SAMP6+BZBS).Ten SAMR1 mice were assigned to a homologous control group(SAMR1).The SAMP6+BZBS group was oral-ly administered Bazi Bushen capsule suspension(2.8 g·kg-1)daily,while the other two groups were orally administered an equal amount of distilled water.After nine weeks of administration,the morphology of the thymus in each group was observed and the thymus in-dex was calculated;HE staining was used to observe the structural changes of thymus tissue;SA-β-gal stai-ning was used to detect thymic aging;flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of thymic CD3+T cells in each group;Western blot was used to detect the levels of p16,Bax,Bcl-2,and cleaved caspase-3 proteins in thymus;immunofluorescence was applied to detect the proportion of cortical thymic epithelial cells in each group;ELISA was employed to detect IL-7 lev-els in thymus.Results Compared with the SAMP6 group,the thymic index of the SAMP6+BZBS group significantly increased(P＜0.05);the disordered thy-mic structure was significantly improved;the positive proportion of SA-β-gal staining significantly decreased(P＜0.01);the proportion of CD3+T cells apparently increased(P＜0.05);the level of p16 protein signifi-cantly decreased(P＜0.05);the level of Bcl-2 pro-tein significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the lev-el of cleaved caspase-3 protein markedly decreased(P＜0.05);the proportion of cortical thymic epithelial cells evidently increased;the level of IL-7 significantly increased(P＜0.01).Conclusions Bazi Bushen capsule can delay thymic degeneration,inhibit cell ap-optosis in thymus and promote thymic cell development in SAMP6 mice,which may be related to increasing the proportion of cortical thymic epithelial cells and promoting IL-7 secretion.

Objective To retrieve and extract the best evidence for preventing intracranial infections related to ex-ternal cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)drainage,and provide evidence-based support for reducing the incidence of intracra-nial infection caused by external CSF drainage.Methods Evidence-based care issues were determined according to PIPOST,and the best evidence on intracranial infection related to external CSF drainage tube was retrieved from top to bottom.The literature retrieval period was 2013-2023.Quality control of the literatures,as well as extraction and summary of the evidence were carried out by 2 trained graduate students.Results A total of 17 literatures were included in the analysis,including 3 guidelines,5 expert consensus,8 systematic reviews,and 1 randomized con-trolled trial.Management strategies from 3 dimensions(pre-catheterization,in-catheterization and post-catheteriza-tion)were obtained,including 20 pieces of evidence for preventing intracranial infection,such as preparation for ex-ternal CSF drainage tube,precautions during catheterization,and post-catheterization disposal.Conclusion There are differences in the management of external CSF drainage tube in clinical practice.It is necessary to develop uni-fied,standardized,and rational bundle strategies to prevent intracranial infection,so as to reduce the incidence of catheter-related intracranial infection.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of single-port thoracoscopic surgery for elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods The clinical data of 93 patients with NSCLC who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy was collected,the patients were divided into uniportal operation group(40 cases,received single-port thoracoscopic surgery)and single-operation port operation group(53 cases,received single-operation port thoracoscopic surgery)according to the operation methods.The operation time,the amount of blood loss,the number of lymph node dissection,chest drainage volume 3 days after surgery,duration of indwelling drainage tube,postoperative hospital stay,visual analogue scale(VAS)score of postoperative pain,and incidence of postoperative complications of patients between the two groups were compared.The cumulative survival rate between the two groups was compared.Results The operation were successfully completed in both groups.There was no statistically significant difference in terms of operation time,the amount of blood loss,the number of lymph node dissection,chest drainage volume 3 days after surgery,duration of indwelling drainage tube,or postoperative hospital stay of patients between the two groups(P>0.05).There was significant difference in VAS score of postoperative pain of patients between the two groups(P<0.05).There was no early death within 1 months after surgery in both groups.There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups(P>0.05).After 4 to 30 months of follow-up,there was no significant difference in the cumulative survival rate between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Single-port thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy for elderly patients with NSCLC has high safety and feasibility,with less trauma,faster recovery and less postoperative pain.

Objective To explore the mechanism of'Wenyang Tongmai'(warming yang to unblock meridians)moxibustion in preventing and treating atherosclerosis.Methods Ten C57BL/6J mice fed with normal diet were set as blank group.Thirty ApoE-/-mice were fed with high-fat diet to establish atherosclerosis model,and were randomly divided into model group,Simvastatin group and moxibustion group,with 10 mice in each group.The intervention began on the first day of modeling.The mice in the moxibustion group were given moxibustion at Danzhong(RN17),Shenque(RN8),Neiguan(PC6),Xuehai(SP10)points,and the Simvastatin group was given Simvastatin distilled water suspension by gavage for 12 weeks.After administration,the pathological structure of thoracic aorta in mice was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining method.The ultrastructure of thoracic aortic endothelial cells in mice was observed by transmission electron microscopy.The levels of serum tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),intercellular adhesion molecule 1(ICAM-1)and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1(VCAM-1)in mice were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The mRNA expression levels of silent information regulator 1(SIRT1)and forkhead box O3a(FOXO3a)in thoracic aorta were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).The protein expression levels of SIRT1 and FOXO3a in thoracic aorta were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the pathological changes of thoracic aorta and vascular endothelial cells in the model group were obvious,the levels of serum inflammatory factor TNF-α,ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),the mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1 in thoracic aorta were decreased(P＜0.01),and the mRNA and protein expressions of FOXO3a had no significant difference(P＞0.05).Compared with the model group,the thoracic aorta and vascular endothelial cell structure of the mice in the Simvastatin group and the moxibustion group were obviously improved,the levels of serum TNF-α,ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were decreased(P＜0.05),the mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1 in the thoracic aorta were increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the mRNA and protein expressions of FOXO3a had no significant difference(P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in the above indexes between the Simvastatin group and the moxibustion group(P＞0.05).Conclusion'Wenyang Tongmai'moxibustion can prevent and treat atherosclerotic in rats via regulating and controlling SIRT1/FOXO3a signaling pathway to reduce inflammatory response.

Objective: To compare the effects and safety of dydrogesterone (DG) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) on the treatment in patients with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia (EH). Methods: This was a single-center, open-label, prospective non-inferior randomized controlled phase Ⅲ trial. From February 2019 to November 2021, patients with EH admitted to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University were recruited. Enrolled patients were stratified according to the pathological types of simple hyperplasia (SH) or complex hyperplasia (CH), and were randomised to receive MPA or DG. Untill May 14, 2022, the median follow-up time after complete response (CR) was 9.3 months (1.1-17.2 months). The primary endpoint was the 6-month CR rate (6m-CR rate). The secondary endpoints included the 3-month CR rate (3m-CR rate), adverse events rate, recurrence rate, and pregnancy rate in one year after CR. Results: (1) A total of 292 patients with EH were enrolled in the study with the median age of 39 years (31-45 years). A total of 135 SH patients were randomly assigned to MPA group (n=67) and DG group (n=68), and 157 CH patients were randomly assigned to MPA group (n=79) and DG group (n=78). (2) Among 292 patients, 205 patients enrolled into the primary endpoint analysis, including 92 SH patients and 113 CH patients, with 100 patients in MPA group and 105 in DG group, respectively. The 6m-CR rate of MPA group and DG group were 90.0% (90/100) and 88.6% (93/105) respectively, and there were no statistical significance (χ²=0.11, P=0.741), with the rate difference (RD) was -1.4% (95%CI:-9.9%-7.0%). Stratified by the pathology types, the 6m-CR rate of SH patients was 93.5% (86/92), and MPA group and DG group were respectively 91.1% (41/45) and 95.7% (45/47); and the 6m-CR rate of CH patients was 85.8% (97/113), and MPA group and DG group were 89.1% (49/55) and 82.8% (48/58) respectively. The 6m-CR rates of the two treatments had no statistical significance either (all P>0.05). A total of 194 EH patients enrolled into the secondary endpoint analysis, including 88 SH patients and 106 CH patients, and 96 patients in MPA group and 98 in DG group, respectively. The 3m-CR rate of SH patients were 87.5% (77/88), while the 3m-CR rates of MPA group and DG group were 90.7% (39/43) and 84.4% (38/45), respectively; the 3m-CR rate of CH patients was 66.0% (70/106), and MPA group and DG group had the same 3m-CR rate of 66.0% (35/53). No statistical significance was found between the two treatments both in SH and CH patients (all P>0.05). (3) The incidence of adverse events between MPA group and DG group had no statistical significance (P>0.05). (4) A total of 93 SH patients achieved CR, and the cumulative recurrence rate in one year after CR were 5.9% and 0 in MPA group and DG group, respectively. While 112 CH patients achieved CR, and the cumulative recurrence rate in one year after CR were 8.8% and 6.5% in MPA group and DG group, respectively. There were no statistical significance between two treatment groups (all P>0.05). Among the 93 SH patients, 10 patients had family planning but no pregnancy happened during the follow-up period. Among the 112 CH patients, 21 were actively preparing for pregnancy, and the pregnancy rate and live-birth rate in one year after CR in MPA group were 7/9 and 2/7, while in DG group were respectively 4/12 and 2/4, and there were no statistical significance in pregnancy rate and live-birth rate between the two treatment groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Compared with MPA, DG is of good efficacy and safety in treating EH. DG is a favorable alternative treatment for EH patients.
Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate/adverse effects* ; Endometrial Hyperplasia/pathology* ; Dydrogesterone/adverse effects* ; Hyperplasia ; Prospective Studies

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis