OBJECTIVES: Near vision loss (NVL) is one of the leading causes of visual impairment worldwide, exerting a profound impact on individual quality of life and socio-economic development. This study aims to analyze the burden of NVL in China by sex and age groups from 1990 to 2021 and to project trends over the next 15 years. METHODS: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, we conducted descriptive analyses of NVL prevalence in China, calculated age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR) and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years rates (ASDR) to compare burden differences between sexes and age groups, and applied an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to predict NVL trends for the next 15 years. The model selection was based on best-fit criteria to ensure reliable projections. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2021, China's ASPR of NVL rose from 10 096.24/100 000 to 15 624.54/100 000, and ASDR increased from 101.75/100 000 to 158.75/100 000. In 2021, ASPR (16 551.70/100 000) and ASDR (167.69/100 000) were higher among females than males (14 686.21/100 000 and 149.76/100 000, respectively). China ranked highest globally in both NVL cases and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), with female burden significantly exceeding male burden. Projections indicated this trend and sex gap will persist until 2036. Compared with 1990, the prevalence cases and DALYs increased by 239.20% and 238.82%, respectively in 2021, with the highest burden among females and the 55-59 age group. The ARIMA model predicted continued increases in prevalence and DALYs by 2036, with females maintaining a higher burden than males. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals a marked increase in the NVL burden in China and predicts continued growth in the coming years. Public health policies should prioritize NVL prevention and control, with special attention to women and middle-aged populations to mitigate long-term societal and health impacts.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Adult ; Global Burden of Disease ; Adolescent ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Aged ; Sex Factors ; Child ; Young Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Cost of Illness ; Infant ; Aged, 80 and over ; Vision Disorders/epidemiology*

OBJECTIVES: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition among women that severely impairs quality of life. Pelvic floor proprioceptive training (PFPT) has attracted increasing attention for its potential to enhance pelvic floor muscle function and alleviate SUI symptoms. This study aims to observe and compare the clinical efficacy of PFPT combined with electroacupuncture, electrical stimulation, and biofeedback therapy versus conventional therapy consisting of electroacupuncture, electrical stimulation, and biofeedback alone in women with SUI, and to explore the role of PFPT in improving symptom and functional outcomes. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 72 women with mild to moderate SUI were recruited from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, between December 2021 and October 2023. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=36) or a control group (n=36). Both groups received health education. The control group underwent electroacupuncture combined with electrical stimulation and biofeedback therapy, while the experimental group additionally received PFPT 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Secondary outcomes included pelvic floor muscle strength, bladder neck mobility, and balance ability. The ICIQ-SF was reassessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment. RESULTS: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in all parameters after treatment (all P<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in most measures (all P>0.05). The experimental group demonstrated longer single-leg stance duration with eyes closed than the control group (left leg: P=0.026; right leg: P=0.006), with a significant increase from baseline (P<0.001). At 6 months post-treatment, the cure rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS Conventional therapy effectively improves SUI symptoms, but adding PFPT provides notable additional benefits, including enhanced balance ability and sustained mid-term cure rates. These findings suggest that PFPT is a valuable adjunct to standard SUI management strategies.
Humans ; Female ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/physiopathology* ; Pelvic Floor/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; Adult ; Exercise Therapy/methods* ; Proprioception ; Electroacupuncture/methods* ; Quality of Life ; Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Combined Modality Therapy

Objective:To analyze the value of the modified 5-factor frailty index in assessing postoperative complications and mortality in elderly hip fracture patients.Methods:In this retrospective study, clinical data were collected of hip fracture patients aged 60 years and above surgically treated at Beijing Luhe Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University between January 2015 and December 2019.Patients' group assignment was based on whether the modified frailty index score was ≤1 or ≥2, and a post-surgery follow-up was conducted for survival at 30 days, 1 year, 2 years, and 4 years, which was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method.Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors affecting death in elderly patients.Results:A total of 1 208 patients were included, with 890 in the group with the index score ≤1 and 318 in the group with the index score ≥2.There was no difference in mortality at 30 days(1.6% or 14/890 vs.1.9% or 6/318, P=0.707), 1-year(11.3% or 99/874 vs.11.6% or 36/310, P=0.917), 2-years(19.7% or 168/852 vs.24.3% or 73/300, P=0.099)and 4-years(44.0% or 238/541 vs.51.5% or 106/206, P=0.071). The incidence of postoperative complications in the group with the score ≥2 was higher(14.8% or 47/318 vs.9.7% or 86/890, P=0.012), including the incidence of stroke(6.3% or 20/318 vs.1.8% or 16/890, P<0.001)and the incidence of postoperative pneumonia(6.0% or 19/318 vs.3.1% or 28/890, P=0.029), and the differences were statistically significant.Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, being female, the Charlson comorbidity index score and low hemoglobin at admission were risk factors for 1-year, 2-year and 4-year mortality post-surgery(all P<0.05), while the modified frailty index score had no correlation with postoperative mortality. Conclusions:A modified frailty index ≥2 is predictive of increased risk of postoperative pneumonia and stroke in patients with hip fractures, but is not correlated with the risk of postoperative mortality.

Objective:To evaluate the incidence of arrhythmias and electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).Methods:This was a cohort study conducted in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. Cancer patients initiating ICIs treatments from November 2020 to September 2022 were included in this study. Baseline 12-leads ECG before ICIs initiation and post-treatment ECG were analyzed. An abnormal ECG was defined as the presence of any of the following changes: sinus arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, premature contractions, conduction disorder, and ST-T changes.Results:A total of 87 patients were enrolled, aged 63 (57, 68) years, with 66 (75.9%) males. And 44.8% (39/87) of patients presented with at least one confirmed cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular risk factor at baseline. The incidence of abnormal ECG increased from 31.0% (27/87) at baseline to 65.5% (57/87) after receiving (5.0±2.7) cycles of ICIs treatment ( P<0.001). The incidence of sinus arrhythmias was significantly increased after ICIs treatment (23.0% (20/87) vs. 9.2% (8/87), P=0.023), of which only the incidence of sinus tachycardia was significantly increased (11.5% (10/87) vs. 2.3% (2/87), P=0.039). There was also a significantly increased incidence of ST-T changes after ICIs treatment (31.0% (27/87) vs. 17.2% (15/87), P=0.012), which mainly attributed to the T wave changes (29.9% (26/87) vs. 13.8% (12/87), P=0.001). The incidence of premature contractions was also significantly increased after ICIs treatment (9.2% (8/87) vs. 0, P=0.008). Additionally, compared with baseline, the P wave axis was significantly increased after ICIs treatment ((56.94±21.01)° vs. (52.00±22.69)°, P=0.043). After ICIs treatment, the heart rate was significantly increased ((79.07±15.37) beats/min vs. (75.64±13.37) beats/min, P=0.029). Sokolow-Lyon index ((2.21±0.81)mV vs. (2.33±0.75)mV, P=0.138), QTc interval ((431.44±36.04)ms vs. (428.00±30.05)ms, P=0.415) all showed signs of change after treatment, but did not reach the traditional significant level. Conclusions:The incidence of abnormal ECG is significantly increased after ICIs treatment, especially for sinus tachycardia, premature contractions and T wave changes; the P wave axis and heart rate is also significantly increased after treatment. It is important to perform regular ECG monitoring in patients receiving ICIs treatment.

To investigate the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Yunnan Province, explore its risk factors, and provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). This is a large cross-sectional study, in all, 1 524 DM patients in 16 communities and villages of Yunnan Province who were registered in health service centers were included in this study from August to November 2019. All patients completed a uniform questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, biochemical measurements, and auxiliary examinations. Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors of DR. The prevalence rates of DR, mild non-proliferative DR (mild-NPDR), and referable DR (RDR) were 16.0% (244/1 524), 4.5% (69/1 524), and 11.5% (175/1 524), respectively. Glycated hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c)≥7.0% was the risk factor of mild-NPDR ( OR=1.872, 95% CI 1.055-3.323) and RDR ( OR=4.821, 95% CI 2.917-7.969). Blood pressure≥130/80 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) was the risk factor of mild-NPDR ( OR=1.933, 95% CI 1.112-3.358) and RDR ( OR=1.505, 95% CI 1.063-2.130). In Yunnan Province, 16.0% DM patients had accompanying DR, wherein about 71.7% of them required an ophthalmology referral, and the high incidence of RDR in DM patients was associated with poor control of blood glucose and blood pressure.

The cultivation of medical ethics includes two aspects, namely, the education of professional ethics in the doctor-patient communication and the cultivation of personal virtues. The morality of doctors is not only a pure personal morality, but mostly based on the professional ethics of "maintaining the connection with the others" in the doctor-patient relationship. In fact, doctors need to deal with and respond to the interaction of doctor-patient communication in medical service activities, and construct professional ethics and personal virtues within an appropriate "degree" range in correct behavior ways, that is, the virtue and ability of doctors’ practical wisdom. In reality, medical recipients of medical skills (patients and their relatives) not only decline but also lack of active dialogue and interaction power with medical professionals. There is a considerable lack of professional medical knowledge and patients have high medical expectations. Starting from the doctor’s professional ethics, it is necessary to not only abide by the medical scientific guidelines and professional ethics, but also take into account patients’ wishes and expectations, use practical wisdom to balance the measurement of medical benefits and risk, and make correct and appropriate scheme suitable for medical cases, with a view to achieving good medical effect. Patients’ good wishes for medical treatment are limited by the development degree of medical science and technology. A stable and mature doctor-patient relationship needs to be oriented towards fulfilling others, everything except oneself, and oneself. It is necessary to stick to the professional ethics of doctors as professionals, vigorously advocate professional ethics in performing their duties for the sake of obligations, and improve the doctors’ personal practical wisdom and virtue ability. Exploring the practice of medical wisdom from the perspective of medical treatment, grasping the wisdom of medical practice through the coordinated development of medical personal morality and professional ethics to explore the reflection and expression of doctors’ private ethics and professional ethics in promoting the construction of "the art of benevolence".

Diabetes mellitus(DM),as a common and frequently-occurring disease,has become a huge burden of chronic diseases worldwide,whose pathogenesis is very complex and has not yet been fully elucidated.Small intestine is one of important immune organ in body,and relationship between its innate immune function and DM has become forefront of research in medical field.In this paper,role of intestinal innate immunity in pathogenesis of DM is reviewed,including tissue barrier dysfunction of small intestine,dysfunction of intestinal innate immune cells and imbalance of proportion of intestinal innate immune molecules,in order to provide references for future research on related mechanisms.

Objective To investigate the expression level of soluble Programmed cell death ligand2 (sPD-L2) in the peripheral blood of patients with Brucella infection and their correlation with helper T cells (Th) subsets. Methods Data from eighty-three patients with confirmed Brucella infection, including 37 patients with acute phase Brucella infection and 46 patients with chronic phase Brucella infection, collected from the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region between January 2019 and December 2021, were analyzed. Fifty healthy individuals undergoing regular medical check-ups during the same period were included as the Healthy Control (HC) group. Flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage of Th1 and Th2 cells as CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood of the three groups of samples. Quantitative real-time fluorescence PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to measure the mRNA expression levels of Th1 and Th2 cell-associated transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 in the peripheral blood of the three samples. The expression levels of cytokines sPD-L2, IFN-γ, and IL-4 in the serum of the three groups of samples were measured by the cytometric bead array (CBA) technique. Results Th1 cells in the acute phase brucellosis infection group (45.33±4.96)%, mRNA expression levels of T-bet (1.91±0.41), and IFN-γ expression levels (74.42±13.95) pg/mL were significantly higher in the acute phase Brucella disease group compared to the chronic phase group (21.78±4.42)%, (0.65±0.24), and (10.64±3.04) pg/mL, as well as the HC group (28.87±6.67)%, (1.12±0.25), and (7.48±2.92) pg/mL, respectively (P<0.05). Th2 cells (59.80±10.09)%, GATA-3 mRNA expression level (1.50±0.44), and IL-4 level (8.76±2.06) pg/mL were significantly higher in the chronic phase brucellosis infection group compared to the acute phase brucellosis patient group (40.61±9.32)%, (1.02±0.23), and (2.08±0.50) pg/mL, as well as the HC group (46.06±8.84)%, (1.18±0.28), and (2.70±0.75) pg/mL, respectively (P<0.05). Compared to the HC group (91.61±11.44) pg/mL, the sPD-L2 levels were significantly higher in the acute phase brucellosis patient group (156.77±24.69) pg/mL and slightly higher in the chronic phase brucellosis patient group (110.99±29.44) pg/mL, with a statistically significant difference between the acute and chronic phase brucellosis patient groups (P<0.05). Correlation analysis of the brucellosis patient group showed that sPD-L2 levels were positively correlated with the percentage of Th1 cells (r=0.540, P<0.01) and the levels of IFN-γ (r=0.692, P<0.01), and negatively correlated with the percentage of Th2 cells (r=-0.565, P<0.01) and the levels of IL-4 (r=-0.528, P<0.01). Conclusions In patients with acute brucellosis, sPD-L2 levels are significantly increased, which may resist brucellosis by promoting Th1 cells to secrete more pro-inflammatory factors to defend against Brucella infection. In chronic Brucella disease patients, the tilting of immune response types from Th1 to Th2 may be due to a decrease in sPD-L2 expression, which reduces the inhibitory effect of Th2, leading to incomplete clearance of Brucella and thus immune escape. Brucella may affect the conversion of Th1 to Th2 through the sPD-L2 pathway, exerting negative regulatory effects and resulting in difficulty in complete Brucella clearance, thus turning into a chronic phase.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of compound Huangbai liquid fomentation on diabetic foot ulcer of Wagner grade 1-2. MethodPatients were classified into the observation group and control group， with 41 cases in either group. The observation group received routine therapy and compound Huangbai liquid fomentation， while the control group was treated by routine therapy and medical silver nanoparticles-containing dressing. Ulcer area， ulcer depth， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， ankle-brachial index， transcutaneous oxygen pressure， vascular endothelial growth factor， epidermal growth factor， advanced glycation end product， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein， interleukin-6， erythrocyte sedimentation rate， and adverse events were observed before and after treatment in two groups. ResultAfter treatment， the ulcer area， ulcer depth， TCM syndrome score， vascular endothelial growth factor， epidermal growth factor， advanced glycation end product， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein， interleukin-6（IL-6）， and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were lower than those before treatment in two groups （P<0.05）， and ankle-brachial index， transcutaneous oxygen pressure， vascular endothelial growth factor， and epidermal growth factor were higher than those before treatment in two groups （P<0.05）. After treatment， the ulcer area， ulcer depth， TCM syndrome score， advanced glycation end product， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein， IL-6， and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were lower in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.05）， and ankle-brachial index， transcutaneous oxygen pressure， vascular endothelial growth factor， and epidermal growth factor were higher in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.05）. The clinical efficacy of observation group was better than that of the control group （P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events and endpoint events between two groups. ConclusionCompound Huangbai liquid fomentation is effective for diabetic foot ulcer of Wagner grade 1-2， as it is beneficial to the healing of the ulcer. This study provides clinical evidence for the further promotion of Chinese medicine fomentation.