BACKGROUND: Changes in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels may not fully translate into patient-reported health status in patients with heart failure (HF). We aimed to evaluate the correlation between NT-proBNP levels and patient-reported health status changes at one month after discharge of patients, and their associations with risk of death and rehospitalization in patients with acute HF. METHODS: We used data from the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Prospective Heart Failure Study (PEACE 5p-HF Study). Patient-reported health status was measured by the 12-item Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12). Patients who were hospitalized for HF and completed the KCCQ-12 and NT-proBNP tests before and one month after discharge were eligible in our study. We stratified patients into different groups based on NT-proBNP levels (i.e., improved, stable, and deteriorated) and KCCQ-12 scores (i.e., not deteriorated and deteriorated). We also examined the associations of the joint NT-proBNP and KCCQ-12 change with the risk of one-year and four-year clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 2461 patients were included in the analysis. The mean age was 64.06 ± 13.51 years, and 36.37% (895/2461) of the study population were female. Among patients with improved NT-proBNP levels, 115 (10.95%) patients had deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores. The correlation between the change in the KCCQ-12 score and NT-proBNP level was weak ( r2 = 0.002, P = 0.013). Stratification by changes in the KCCQ-12 score revealed subgroups with distinctive risks, such that patients with deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores in any of the NT-proBNP change groups exhibited an increased risk of one-year all-cause death than participants with not deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores in any of the NT-proBNP change groups. Patients with improved NT-proBNP levels and deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores presented greater risks of one-year all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-4.48) than patients with stable NT-proBNP levels and not deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores (HR [95% CI], 1.77 [1.25-2.53]). CONCLUSIONS: A discrepancy between changes in NT-proBNP levels and KCCQ-12 scores was common. The change in NT-proBNP levels was not sufficient to characterize critical aspects related to HF during one month after discharge of patients. Changes in the KCCQ-12 score exhibit complementary information to NT-proBNP levels for the prediction of clinical outcomes in patients with acute HF. REGISTRATION www.clinicaltrials.gov (No. NCT02878811).
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Health Status ; Heart Failure/metabolism* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/metabolism* ; Peptide Fragments/metabolism* ; Prospective Studies

Objective To screen the anti-CD22-specific nanobodies to provide a basis for immunotherapy agents. Methods The naive phage nanobody library was constructed and its diversity was analyzed. Three rounds of biotinylated streptavidin liquid phase screening were performed by using biotinylated CD22 antigen as the target, and the sequence of nanobodies against CD22 were identified by ELISA and gene sequencing. Results The capacity of the constructed naive phage nanobody library was 3.89×10⁹ CFU/mL, and the insertion of effective fragments was higher than 85%. Based on this library, seven anti-human CD22 nanobodies were screened, and the amino acid sequence comparison results showed that the overall similarity was 70.34%, and all of them were hydrophilic proteins. The results of protein-protein complex docking prediction showed that the mimetic proteins of the five nanobody sequences could be paired and linked to CD22, and the main forces were hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding. Conclusion This study provided a basis for the study of chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting CD22, successfully constructed the natural phage nanobody library and obtaining five anti-CD22-specific nanobodies.
Camelus/immunology* ; Single-Domain Antibodies/chemistry* ; Peptide Library ; Humans ; Animals ; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2/genetics* ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Molecular Docking Simulation

Humans ; Aged ; Lung Diseases ; Pneumonia/drug therapy* ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/drug therapy* ; Administration, Inhalation ; Community-Acquired Infections/drug therapy*

AIM: To analyze the causes of blindness and low vision in patients with visual disability in Yangpu District of Shanghai from 2019 to 2022.METHODS:Cross-sectional study. A total of 1 604 patients who participated in the evaluation of visual disability in Shanghai Yangpu District Kongjiang Hospital, from April 2019 to December 2022 were selected for the study. The grade of visual disability and the main causes of blindness and low vision were determined by trained doctors.RESULTS:A total of 804 patients with visual disabilities were identified, with 87.31% aged 60 and above. The causes of visual disability were high myopic retinopathy(30.47%), age-related macular degeneration(23.26%), glaucoma(17.04%), and diabetic retinopathy(11.07%). Glaucoma(36.96%)is the leading cause of blindness.CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with visual disability are aged 60 years and above. More attention should be paid to the elderly population. Comprehensive prevention, treatment and rehabilitation measures should be applied in different diseases based on classification, so as to early reduce the occurrence of visual disability.

Objective:To explore the selection strategy of blastocyst transfer number in freeze-thaw cycle for women over 40 years old, so as to provide reference for reducing twin rate and improving perinatal clinical outcome.Methods:A retrospective analysis was made of 377 patients who underwent freeze-thaw blastocyst transplantation in the reproductive center of Guangdong Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. They were divided into single blastocyst and double blastocyst transplantatio groups according to the number of blastocyst transplantation. The clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, abortion rate, live birth rate, premature delivery rate, twin rate and singleton delivery rate were compared between the two groups.Results:⑴There was no significant difference between two groups regarding the majority of baseline characteristics, including age at retrieval, age at transfer, body mass index (BMI), antral follicle count (AFC), basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), anti Mullerian hormone (AMH), endometrial thickness at transfer day, number of oocytes retrieved, Gn starting dose, Gn days, Gn dosage, embryos at cleavage stage and top-quality embryos ( P>0.05). ⑵ There was no significant difference in the rate of implantation, early pregnancy loss, late pregnancy loss and live birth between two groups ( P>0.05). ⑶ The preterm birth rate was higher in the double blastocyst transplantation group compared with the single blastocyst transplantation group, albeit not reaching significant difference (31.7% vs 12.5%, P=0.083). ⑷ The clinical pregnancy rate and the twin pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the double blastocyst transplantation group compared with the single blastocyst transplantation group ( P<0.05). ⑸ The singleton birth rate was significantly lower in the double blastocyst transplantation group compared with the single blastocyst transplantation group (75.61% vs 95.83%, P<0.05). Conclusions:In women ≥40 years old, transferring a single blastocyst can result in live birth rate that is similar as transferring two blastocysts while dramatically reducing the risk of twin pregnancy rate and increasing singleton birth rate.

Objective:To evaluate the impact of short-term low-medium dose of corticosteroids on the clinical outcomes of patients with community-acquired pneumonia due to influenza A (FluA-CAP).Methods:This was a multicenter, retrospective study, including 693 patients hospitalized with FluA-CAP from Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Beijing Huimin Hospital, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital and the 2nd People′s Hospital of Yunnan Province during January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2018. The clinical characteristics of patients with or without corticosteroids administration were compared. The first dose of corticosteroids was administrated within 72 hours after admission, with the average dose of methylprednisolone (0.6±0.3) mg/(kg·d) and duration of (4.0±1.2) days. An adjusted logistic regression model was performed to assess the impact of corticosteroids treatment on the clinical outcomes (noninvasive ventilation, invasive ventilation, vasopressor use, admittance to intensive care unit (ICU), 30-day mortality, hyperglycemia needing insulin treatment and gastrointestinal bleeding). Mann-Whitney test and χ2 test were used for the statistical analysis. Results:Among the 693 patients, 132 patients received corticosteroids. Logistic regression analysis revealed that asthma (odd ratios ( OR)=15.528, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.953-123.484, P=0.01), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( OR=21.904, 95% CI 4.548-105.504, P<0.01) and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2)<300 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa, OR=2.701, 95% CI 1.513-4.822, P<0.01) were independent risk factors for corticosteroids use in the FluA-CAP patients. An adjusted logistic regression model showed that low-medium dose corticosteroids administration was associated with decreased risks for early (defined as zero to three days after the first dose of corticosteroids) noninvasive ventilation ( OR=0.342, 95% CI 0.156-0.750, P<0.01), and increased risk for late (defined as four to 14 days after the first dose of corticosteroids) vasopressor use ( OR=2.651, 95% CI 1.913-6.306, P<0.01), late hyperglycemia which needed insulin treatment ( OR=9.739, 95% CI 2.174-21.769, P=0.019), ICU admission ( OR=3.075, 95% CI 1.166-8.143, P<0.01) and the 30-day mortality ( OR=2.372, 95% CI 1.337-4.549, P<0.01). In patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( OR=2.343, 95% CI 1.145-4.073, P<0.01) and PaO 2/FiO 2<300 mmHg ( OR=1.961, 95% CI 1.029-4.212, P<0.01), corticosteroids administration increased the risk of 30-day mortality. Conclusion:Low-medium corticosteroids treatment is associated with poor outcomes of FluA-CAP patients, and is not recommended to be used routinely.

Objective To assess the impact of short-term, low-dose systemic glucorticosteroids treatment on the clinical outcomes in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP). Methods A multi-center retrospective study was conducted. Data of patients hospitalized with SCAP in five teaching hospitals from Beijing, Shandong and Yunnan Provinces from January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2015 were reviewed. Patients were divided into steroids group and non-steroids group according to whether treated with glucorticosteroids during the disease course or not. Data of patients were reviewed, including gender, age, underlying disease, blood routine, biochemical examination and radiology findings (the worst value was recorded if there were more than one value), supportive treatment, complications (hyperglycemia needing insulin treatment and gastrointestinal bleeding) and clinical outcomes [early (0-3 days) treatment failure, late (4-14 days) treatment failure and 30-day mortality, treatment failure was defined as one of the followings: needing noninvasive or invasive ventilation, needing vasopressor use or death]. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the impact of short-term, low-dose systemic glucorticosteroids on the clinical outcomes in SCAP patients. Results Overall, 3 561 immunocompetent adult and adolescent patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) were screened, 132 SCAP patients were entered into final analysis, including 24 patients in steroids group and 108 patients in non-steroids group. The patients in steroids group were prescribed with methylprednisolone (0.6±0.1) mg·kg-1·d-1 for (4.0±1.7) days. Compared with patients in non-steroids group, patients in steroids group showed younger age [years old: 70.5 (59.0, 75.0) vs. 80.0 (76.0, 85.0)], less frequency of male [41.7% (10/24) vs. 72.2% (78/108)], less comorbidities with cardiovascular [16.7% (4/24) vs. 42.6% (46/108)] and cerebrovascular disease [0% (0/24) vs. 40.7% (44/108)], less confusion [16.7% (4/24) vs. 40.7% (44/108)]; more frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD, 41.7% (10/24) vs. 13.0% (14/108)], asthma [25.0% (6/24) vs. 1.9% (2/108)], chronic hepatic disease [8.3% (2/24) vs. 0% (0/108)] and respiratory rate≥30 times/min [33.3% (8/24) vs. 9.3% (10/108)] with significant differences (all P < 0.05), the proportion of guideline-based empirical antimicrobial therapy, early needing noninvasive ventilation, late gastrointestinal bleeding, early and late hyperglycemia needing insulin treatment were higher in steroids group than non-steroids group [50.0% (12/24) vs. 21.3% (23/108), 33.3% (8/24) vs. 7.4% (8/108), 20.8% (5/24) vs. 4.6% (5/108), 20.8% (5/24) vs. 1.9% (2/108), 37.5% (9/24) vs. 2.8% (3/108), all P < 0.05]. Adjusted by gender, age, comorbidities and empirical antimicrobial therapy, Logistic regression confirmed short-term, low-dose systemic glucorticosteroids was associated with higher risk for vasopressor usage [odds ratio (OR) = 3.369, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.369-6.133, P = 0.035], hyperglycaemia needing insulin treatment (OR = 4.738, 95%CI = 1.890-8.652, P = 0.017) in late stage and 30-day mortality (OR = 2.187, 95%CI = 1.265-4.743, P = 0.002). Conclusion Adjunctive treatment with short-term, low-dose systemic glucorticosteroids worsen the clinical outcomes and should not be used to SCAP patients routinely.

Objective To analyze the pattern of recurrence risk and investigate the association between pathological staging and recurrence risk in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods Clinical data of 174 patients with advanced thoracic ESCC treated with neoadjuvant CRT between 2002 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received preoperative concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy with conformal radiotherapy (40-50. 4 Gy,conventional fractionation) combined with surgery. Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to analyze the survival,the log-rank test was conducted to compare the differences between groups,and the Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis. Results The median follow-up time was 53. 9 months. A total of 44. 8% of patients achieved pathological complete response, and 59 patients ( 33. 9%) recurred after neoadjuvent CRT.The postoperative recurrence rate was 22. 2% for patients with pathological stage 0/I,38. 7% for stageⅡand 68. 2% for stageⅢ(P=0. 000).The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 74. 7%, 61. 4% and 20. 9% for patients with pathological stage 0/Ⅰ,ⅡandⅢ,respectively (P=0. 000).In total,20. 5% of patients with pathological stage 0/I orⅡrecurred after postoperative 3 years, whereas all patients with pathological stageⅢrecurred within postoperative 2 years. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that age,clinical TNM staging,chemotherapy regimen,and pathological response after CRT were independent prognostic factors affecting the RFS ( P= 0. 027, 0. 047, 0. 010, 0. 005). Conclusions Pathological stage is significantly correlated with the recurrence risk in ESCC patients after neoadjuvant CRT.Risk-based surveillance strategies can be defined according to different pathologial staging.

Objective To analyze the outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with esophageal cancer after concurrent chemoradiotherapy.Methods A total of 135 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled in the clinical study from January 2008 to June 2015.The patients were treated with two-dimensional radiotherapy (56 patients) or three-dimensional radiotherapy (79 patients).The radiotherapy was delivered at a total dose of 60-64 Gy (1.8-2.0 Gy per fraction).The concurrent chemotherapy regimen consisted of fluorouracil plus cisplatin or paclitaxel plus cisplatin and was performed on days 1 and day 29 of radiotherapy.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate overall survival (OS)and progression-free survival (PFS) rates,the log-rank test was used for survival difference analysis and univariate prognostic analysis,and the Cox model was used for multivariate prognostic analysis.Results The 1-,3-,and 5-year sample sizes were 96,31,16,respectively.The 1-,3-,and 5-year OS rates were 74.0％,39.0％,and 28.6％,respectively;the median OS time was 25 months.The 1-,3-,and 5-year PFS rates were 57.3％,27.3％,and 16.6％,respectively;the median PFS time was 15 months.The univariate analysis indicated that clinical stage,radiotherapy method,and M stage were prognostic factors for OS and PFS (P =0.006,0.000,and 0.032;P=0.017,0.004,and O.000).The multivariate analysis showed that clinical stage and radiotherapy method were independent prognostic factors for OS and PFS (P=0.006 and 0.000;P =0.033 and 0.023).Conclusions For non-surgical treatment of patients with esophageal cancer,concurrent chemoradiotherapy is a preferred strategy and has proven to be effective and tolerable.

Objective To investigate the current situation of quality of care for people with disabilities and the related factors. Methods In November, 2015, 399 disabled persons from five special service institutions in Hubei, China were conveniently sampled, and investigated with the Chinese version of Quality of Care and Support (QOCS) for people with disability scale and demographic questionnaire. Results The total score of QOCS was (38.11±6.24), and the proportion of total score in the dimensions of caring provision, caring environment and caring information were more than 70%. The score of QOCS was various with the age, domicile, employment, medical insurance, monthly household expenditure and expenditure for food of the people with disabilities, and the age (β=0.06, P<0.01) and medical insurance (β=-0.850, P<0.001) were the independent factors related with the score of QOCS. Conclusion People with disabilities self-reportedly satis-fied in the quality of care in Hubei, and it can be improved from the increase of medical insurance level.