Objective To retrospectively study the characteristics and short-term outcomes of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis accompanied by diastolic cardiac dysfunction,and to inform the clinical diagnosis and treatment of decompensated liver cirrhosis.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with liver cirrhosis and diastolic heart dysfunction admitted to Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University from April 1,2019 to July 31,2023.The patients were divided into compensated cirrhosis group(n=37)and decompensated cirrhosis group(n=226),and those with decompensated cirrhosis were further divided into subgroups of patients with heart dysfunction(n=84)and patients without heart dysfunction(n=142).We compared two groups using the independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test for continuous data in normal distribution and data in skewed distribution,respectively;compared multiple groups using the Kruskal-Wallis H test,with subsequent paired comparisons using the Wilcoxon test;compared categorical data between two groups using the chi-square test or corrected chi-square test;identified the factors affecting patient survival using a Logistic regression model;and plotted Kaplan-Meier survival curves,with inter-group comparisons using the log-rank test.Results A total of 263 eligible patients were ultimately included,among whom 226 patients were diagnosed with decompensated liver cirrhosis(84 patients with diastolic dysfunction).Between the diastolic dysfunction group and non-diastolic dysfunction group,significant differences were detected in age(t=-4.566,P<0.05),activated partial thromboplastin time(Z=-3.026,P<0.05),prothrombin time(Z=-2.450,P<0.05),international normalized ratio(Z=2.779,P<0.05),and the proportion of moderate esophageal varices(χ2=4.273,P<0.05).During hospitalization,35 patients experienced new or aggravated ascites(18 with cardiac dysfunction and 17 without cardiac dysfunction),6 patients experienced new gastroesophageal variceal bleeding,and 9 patients experienced new or aggravated hepatic encephalopathy(3 with cardiac dysfunction and 6 without cardiac dysfunction).Jaundice was the most common decompensation event upon admission,and electrophysiological abnormalities were the most common electrocardiogram findings upon admission.During the 90-day follow-up period,30 individuals(12 with cardiac dysfunction and 18 without cardia dysfunction)died.The logistic regression analysis showed that age(odds ratio[OR]=1.075,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.033-1.119,P<0.001),N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP,OR=0.996,95%CI:0.992-0.999,P=0.016),and mild/moderate ascites(OR=0.270,95%CI:0.092-0.789,P=0.017)were independent predictive factors for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.Conclusion Timely attention should be paid to elderly patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and diastolic heart dysfunction who have a decline in NT-proBNP and mild to moderate ascites.Symptomatic treatment such as diuretics may improve diastolic heart dysfunction.

Objective To retrospectively study the characteristics and short-term outcomes of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis accompanied by diastolic cardiac dysfunction,and to inform the clinical diagnosis and treatment of decompensated liver cirrhosis.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with liver cirrhosis and diastolic heart dysfunction admitted to Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University from April 1,2019 to July 31,2023.The patients were divided into compensated cirrhosis group(n=37)and decompensated cirrhosis group(n=226),and those with decompensated cirrhosis were further divided into subgroups of patients with heart dysfunction(n=84)and patients without heart dysfunction(n=142).We compared two groups using the independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test for continuous data in normal distribution and data in skewed distribution,respectively;compared multiple groups using the Kruskal-Wallis H test,with subsequent paired comparisons using the Wilcoxon test;compared categorical data between two groups using the chi-square test or corrected chi-square test;identified the factors affecting patient survival using a Logistic regression model;and plotted Kaplan-Meier survival curves,with inter-group comparisons using the log-rank test.Results A total of 263 eligible patients were ultimately included,among whom 226 patients were diagnosed with decompensated liver cirrhosis(84 patients with diastolic dysfunction).Between the diastolic dysfunction group and non-diastolic dysfunction group,significant differences were detected in age(t=-4.566,P<0.05),activated partial thromboplastin time(Z=-3.026,P<0.05),prothrombin time(Z=-2.450,P<0.05),international normalized ratio(Z=2.779,P<0.05),and the proportion of moderate esophageal varices(χ2=4.273,P<0.05).During hospitalization,35 patients experienced new or aggravated ascites(18 with cardiac dysfunction and 17 without cardiac dysfunction),6 patients experienced new gastroesophageal variceal bleeding,and 9 patients experienced new or aggravated hepatic encephalopathy(3 with cardiac dysfunction and 6 without cardiac dysfunction).Jaundice was the most common decompensation event upon admission,and electrophysiological abnormalities were the most common electrocardiogram findings upon admission.During the 90-day follow-up period,30 individuals(12 with cardiac dysfunction and 18 without cardia dysfunction)died.The logistic regression analysis showed that age(odds ratio[OR]=1.075,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.033-1.119,P<0.001),N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP,OR=0.996,95%CI:0.992-0.999,P=0.016),and mild/moderate ascites(OR=0.270,95%CI:0.092-0.789,P=0.017)were independent predictive factors for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.Conclusion Timely attention should be paid to elderly patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and diastolic heart dysfunction who have a decline in NT-proBNP and mild to moderate ascites.Symptomatic treatment such as diuretics may improve diastolic heart dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE： To prepare puerarin microemulsion with phase Ⅰ metabolic regulation （R-PR-ME） and to study pharmacokinetic characteristics of rats in vivo. METHODS： R-PR-ME and Puerarin microemulsion without metabolic regulation （NR-PR-ME） were prepared by Shah method. Pseudo-ternary phase diagram was used to optimize microemulsion formula using drug loading amount as index. The particle size and PDI of microemulsion were characterized by using a laser particle size analyzer. Rats were used as animal models， and HPLC method was used to determine the blood concentration of puerarin before and 5， 10， 15， 20， 30， 45， 60， 90， 120， 180， 240， 360， 480， 600 min after intragastric administration of R-PR-ME， NR-PR-ME and puerarin suspension （PR-SP） at puerarin dosage of 120 mg/kg. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by using DAS 2.0 software. SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis. The relative bioavailability of R-PR-ME was calculated with NR-PR-ME as reference preparation. RESULTS： The formula of R-PR-ME included that oleoyl polyoxyl-6 glyserides （oil phase）-polysorbate 20 （emulsifier）-glycerides （co-emulsifier） mass ratio of 2 ∶ 4 ∶ 4； drug-loading amount of 67.50 mg/g， particle size was （22.59±0.53） nm （n＝3） and PDI was 0.182±0.017 （n＝3）. The formula of NR-PR-ME included that soybean oil （oil phase）-polysorbate 80 （emulsifier）- glycerol （co-emulsifier） mass ratio of 1 ∶ 4.5 ∶ 4.5， drug-loading amount of 61.32 mg/g， particle size of （15.45±1.06） nm（n＝3） and PDI of 0.156±0.012 （n＝3）. Pharmacokinetic parameters of R-PR-ME， NR-PR-ME and PR-SP included that AUC0-600 min were （134.187±37.152）， （65.145±18.762） and （49.623±12.143） μg·min/mL； cmax were （1.316±0.306）， （1.082±0.294） and （0.425±0.106） μg/mL； MRT were （155.068±33.204）， （100.264±27.683）， （60.524±14.086） min； t1/2β were （365.880±101.250）， （283.280±80.940）， （80.063±21.189） min （n＝6）， respectively. Compared with PR-SP， AUC0-600 min， cmax， MRT and t1/2β of R-PR-ME and NR-PR-ME were increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with NR-PR-ME， AUC0-600 min， MRT and  t1/2β of R-PR-ME were more higher （P＜0.05）. The relative bioavailability of of R-PR-ME was 205.98％. CONCLUSIONS： R-PR-ME is prepared successfully with high drug-loading amount， and can significantly increase the bioavailability of puerarin in rats， compared with PR-SP and NR-PR-ME.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of cholestatic liver disease (CLD), and to provide a reference for strengthening the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 107 patients who were admitted to Chenggong Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University from January 2015 to December 2017 and were diagnosed with CLD. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. ResultsMost patients had the clinical symptoms of weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal distension, pruritus, and jaundice. According to the site of cholestasis, there were 64 patients (59.8%) with intrahepatic cholestasis and 43 (40.2%) with extrahepatic cholestasis. The cause of the disease was common bile duct stones in 21 patients (19.6%), bile duct parasites in 1 patient (0.9%), primary sclerosing cholangitis in 2 patients (1.9%), primary biliary cirrhosis in 3 patients (2.8%), liver cancer in 8 patients (7.5%), bile duct carcinoma in 5 patients (4.7%), pancreatic cancer in 4 patients (3.7%), pancreatitis in 12 patients (11.2%), viral hepatitis in 28 patients (26.2%), drug-induced liver injury in 11 patients (10.3%), alcoholic hepatitis in 6 patients (5.6%), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in 4 patients (3.7%), and autoimmune hepatitis in 2 patients (19%). The CLD patients with underlying diseases had a significantly poorer liver function (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, bile acid, and total bilirubin) than those with CLD alone (t=-3.44, -2.99, -2.42, -4.39, -3.34, and -2.49, all P＜0.05). Most of the patients achieved good recovery after liver-protecting, transaminase-lowering, and jaundice clearance treatment. The patients with tumors had poor prognosis. ConclusionCLD has various causes, and its clinical features lack specificity. Clinicians should pay enough attention to this disease.

AIM: To observe the effects of Egr-1 gene knockout on the expression of inflammatory-related factors in pancreatic tissue in a mouse acute pancreatitis model.METHODS: The experimental pancreatitis was induced by high-dose of cearulein in wildtype mice and Egr-1 knockout mice.The pancreatitis indexes,such as serum amylase,pancreata edema,and myeloperoxidase(MPO) levels in pancreata and lungs were recorded.The mRNA levels of tissue factor(TF),plasminogen activator inhibitor(PAI-1),monocyte chemoattractant protein(MCP-1),Gro-1,IL-6 and ICAM-1 were measured by quantitative PCR.RESULTS: Contrary to wildtype mice,typical pancreatitis was not induced by high-dose cearulein in the Egr-1 knockout mice,not only markedly reduced edema in pancreata and lungs,but decreased MPO levels in lungs as well were found.Furthermore,the mRNA of TF,PAI,MCAP,ICAM-1 and IL-6 in pancreata were significantly decreased in Egr-1 knockout mice.CONCLUSION: The severity of pancreatitis and lung damage is ameliorated in Egr-1 knockout mice stimulated by high-dosage of cearulein,which was probably mediated by decreasing expression of inflammatory-related factors in pancreata,such as TF,PAI,MCP-1,ICAM-1 and IL-6.