The gut microbiota is regarded as the "eighth organ" of the human body and plays a critical regulatory role in the occurrence and progression of various diseases. Ulcerative colitis （UC） is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with a complex etiology and a tendency toward recurrent episodes. In recent years， studies have shown that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a key role in its pathological processes. Meanwhile， an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that imbalances in the gut microbiota and abnormalities in its metabolites are closely associated with the development of atrial fibrillation （AF）. Although UC and AF belong to diseases of the digestive system and cardiovascular system， respectively， both exhibit systemic inflammatory characteristics and are often accompanied by gut microbiota dysregulation and abnormal metabolic products. However， systematic investigations into the mechanisms by which gut microbiota-derived metabolites act in these two diseases remain limited. Based on this， the present study adopts literature review and theoretical analysis methods， taking the "gut microbiota-gut-heart" axis as the entry point， to systematically summarize the signaling networks of three key classes of metabolites， i.e.， short-chain fatty acids （SCFAs）， bile acids （BAs）， and trimethylamine N-oxide （TMAO）， in the comorbidity mechanism of UC and AF. The findings indicate that these metabolites may activate key inflammatory pathways， such as NF-κB and NLRP3， thereby synergistically mediating intestinal barrier dysfunction and systemic inflammation and constructing a potential comorbidity network. On this basis， potential intervention strategies for the treatment of UC-AF comorbidity， including probiotic intervention and fecal microbiota transplantation， are further discussed. This study aims to provide new theoretical evidence and research perspectives for prevention and treatment strategies of cross-system diseases.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the application and influencing factors of sodium-dependent glucose transporters 2 inhibitors（SGLT-2i） in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction（HFpEF） in the real world. METHODS Data from 358 patients with HFpEF who were hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from May 2023 to May 2024 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into the SGLT-2i group and the non-SGLT-2i group based on whether they were prescribed SGLT-2i upon discharge. Baseline characteristics， comorbidities， and differences in drug treatment were compared between the two groups. Based on univariate analysis， multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent influencing factors of SGLT-2i use in patients with HFpEF， followed by further stratified analysis. RESULTS Among 358 HFpEF patients， the overall utilization rate of SGLT-2i was 33.5%. Combined with type 2 diabetes [OR＝9.063，95%CI（4.924-16.679） ] ， atrial fibrillation [OR＝3.135，95%CI（1.590-6.178） ] ， coronary artery heart disease [OR＝1.888，95%CI（1.072-3.327） ] and the use of loop diuretics [OR＝3.822， 95%CI （1.588-9.200） ] were all independent influencing factors for the use of SGLT-2i in patients with HFpEF （ P ＜0.05）. The results of the stratified descriptive analysis were consistent with those of the multivariate analysis， showing a higher utilization rate of SGLT-2i among patients with concomitant T2DM，atrial fibrillation， coronary artery heart disease， and those receiving loop diuretics （ P ＜0.05）； whereas the utilization rate of SGLT-2i was comparable across patients with different levels of renal function （ P ＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS In the real-world clinical practice， the utilization of SGLT-2i in patients with HFpEF remains suboptimal， and treatment coverage still needs to be improved. Their use of SGLT-2i is primarily influenced by the presence of type 2 diabetes， atrial fibrillation， coronary artery heart disease， and the use of loop diuretics.

Xuefu zhuyu decoction is a classic formula for promoting blood circulation and resolving blood stasis， characterised by its remarkable ability to treat different diseases with the same approach. Qi stagnation and blood stasis， the primary syndrome for which this formula is indicated， has been found through modern medical research to be intrinsically linked to a wide range of pathophysiological processes， including microcirculatory disorders， abnormalities in hemorheology， inflammatory responses and endothelial dysfunction； which opens up vast scope for the innovative application of traditional formulas. In terms of pharmacological effect and mechanism， the formula exerts a synergistic regulatory effect across multiple key pathological pathways， including the regulation of coagulation function， the maintenance of vascular structure and function， anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions， the mitigation of oxidative stress， and the modulation of programmed cell death （such as pyroptosis and ferroptosis）. This systematically demonstrates its scientific rationale， which is based on integrated regulation through multiple constituents， multiple targets and multiple pathways. In terms of clinical application， the formula has expanded from cardiovascular diseases to multiple disciplines， including gastroenterology， respiratory medicine， urology， neurology， endocrinology， gynaecology and andrology， with evidence-based medical evidence continuing to accumulate. Current research still faces bottlenecks such as a relatively low level of clinical evidence， insufficient systems biology analysis of the mechanisms underlying the compound’s formulation， and a weak correlation between quality control indicators and therapeutic efficacy. Future efforts should focus on conducting multicentre randomised controlled trials for conditions where the formula demonstrates particular efficacy， deepening research into the relationship between integrated pharmacology and spectrum-efficacy relationship， and promoting the precise application and formulation innovation of classical herbal formulas.

Xuefu zhuyu decoction is a classic formula for promoting blood circulation and resolving blood stasis， characterised by its remarkable ability to treat different diseases with the same approach. Qi stagnation and blood stasis， the primary syndrome for which this formula is indicated， has been found through modern medical research to be intrinsically linked to a wide range of pathophysiological processes， including microcirculatory disorders， abnormalities in hemorheology， inflammatory responses and endothelial dysfunction； which opens up vast scope for the innovative application of traditional formulas. In terms of pharmacological effect and mechanism， the formula exerts a synergistic regulatory effect across multiple key pathological pathways， including the regulation of coagulation function， the maintenance of vascular structure and function， anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions， the mitigation of oxidative stress， and the modulation of programmed cell death （such as pyroptosis and ferroptosis）. This systematically demonstrates its scientific rationale， which is based on integrated regulation through multiple constituents， multiple targets and multiple pathways. In terms of clinical application， the formula has expanded from cardiovascular diseases to multiple disciplines， including gastroenterology， respiratory medicine， urology， neurology， endocrinology， gynaecology and andrology， with evidence-based medical evidence continuing to accumulate. Current research still faces bottlenecks such as a relatively low level of clinical evidence， insufficient systems biology analysis of the mechanisms underlying the compound’s formulation， and a weak correlation between quality control indicators and therapeutic efficacy. Future efforts should focus on conducting multicentre randomised controlled trials for conditions where the formula demonstrates particular efficacy， deepening research into the relationship between integrated pharmacology and spectrum-efficacy relationship， and promoting the precise application and formulation innovation of classical herbal formulas.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Tianmeng Lingjiao Formula（天礞羚角方， TLF） as an adjunctive therapy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation （PAF） with phlegm-heat harassing the interior syndrome. MethodsNinety patients with PAF and phlegm-heat harassing the interior syndrome were enrolled and randomly assigned in a 2∶1 ratio to test group （60 cases） and control group （30 cases）. The control group received conventional western medicine， while the test group received TLF in addition to the conventional treatment， with one dose administered daily. The treatment course for both groups was 4 weeks. The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome and the rate of atrial fibrillation （AF） conversion were compared between groups. Assessments included AF burden， frequency and duration of AF episodes， TCM syndrome scores， and European Heart Rhythm Association （EHRA） AF symptom classification before and after treatment. Safety indicators such as blood routine， urine routine， stool routine， liver function， kidney function， and electrolytes were also monitored. Adverse events were recorded. ResultsA total of 82 patients completed the study （54 in the test group and 28 in the control group）. After treatment， AF burden， the frequency and duration of AF episodes， and TCM syndrome scores were significantly reduced in both groups， and the test group showed lower indicators than the control group （P＜0.01 or P＜0.05）. The AF conversion rate was 25.93% （14/54） in the test group， significantly higher than 3.57% （1/28） in the control group （P＜0.05）. The total effective rate for TCM syndrome efficacy was 83.33% （45/54） in the test group， which was significantly higher than 67.86% （19/28） in the control group （P＜0.05）. After treatment， the EHRA atrial fibrillation symptom severity in the test group showed significant improvement， and the improvement in atrial fibrillation symptoms was superior to that in the control group （P＜0.01or P＜0.05）. No significant abnormalities were observed in safety indicators， and no adverse events occurred during the trial. ConclusionTLF as an adjunctive therapy can reduce AF burden， enhance the conversion rate of AF， decrease the frequency and duration of episodes， and improve clinical symptoms in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation presenting with phlegm-heat harassing the interior syndrome， with a favorable safety profile.

Background and Objectives: Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) tend to be accompanied by biventricular impairment. We hypothesized that the combination of the aortic pulsatility index (API) and pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPI) could refine risk stratification in DCM. Methods: We studied 120 consecutive patients with advanced DCM who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 1 year after RHC. We used the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the optimal cut-off of API and PAPI to predict outcomes. Results: The optimal cut-offs of API (1.02) and PAPI (2.16) were used to classify patients into four groups. There were significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) among the four groups (both p<0.05).When delineating API by LVEF above or below the median (28%), the cumulative rate of survival in patients with API <1.02 was lower than that of those with API ≥1.02 in both higher and lower LVEF groups (both p<0.05). Similar trends were observed when delineating PAPI using TAPSE higher or lower than the cut-off (17 mm) (both p<0.05). The cumulative rate of survival in the API <1.02 and PAPI <2.16 group was lower than that in the API ≥1.02 and/or PAPI ≥2.16 (all p<0.05). Conclusions API and PAPI could add additional prognostic value to LVEF and TAPSE, respectively. The combination of API and PAPI could provide a comprehensive assessment of biventricular function and refine risk stratification.

Background and Objectives: There is no dedicated occlusive device for closing coronary artery fistulas (CAFs), and specific efficacy and safety data of various off-label occlusive devices for CAFs closure are scarce. Methods: Patients undergoing transcatheter closure of CAFs from January 2011 to December 2022 were included in the single-center retrospective study. The study population was divided into 2 groups: coils group (n=35) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occluders group (n=66). Results: No significant intergroup differences were observed in demographic characteristics except age. The presence of multiple CAF origins (54.3% vs. 4.5%, p<0.001) and multiple draining sites (51.4% vs. 3.0%, p<0.001) were more common in the coils group. In contrast, the presence of aneurysm (72.7% vs. 14.3%, p<0.001), and large fistula (75.8% vs. 37.1%, p<0.001) were more prevalent in the PDA occluders group. The acute procedural success rate of the PDA occluders group was higher compared to that of the coils group (87.9% vs.62.9%, adjusted odds ratio [OR], 7.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.59–32.64; p=0.01).In addition, no significant intergroup differences were noted in both the recanalization rate (7.8% vs. 20%, p=0.107) and the reintervention rate (3.1% vs. 8.6%, p=0.342). Conclusions Transcatheter closure of CAFs using PDA occluders was associated with significantly higher acute procedural success rates compared to coil embolization with comparable late outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the active components that mediate the therapeutic effect of Centella asiatica on psoriasis and their therapeutic mechanisms. METHODS: TCMSP, TCMIP, PharmMapper, Swiss Target Prediction, GeneCards, OMIM and TTD databases were searched for the compounds in Centella asiatica and their targets and the disease targets of psoriasis. A drug-active component-target network and the protein-protein interaction network were constructed, and DAVID database was used for pathway enrichment analysis. In a RAW264.7 macrophage model of LPS-induced inflammation, the anti-inflammatory effect of 7.5, 15, 30, and 60 μmol/L quercetin, asiaticoside, and asiatic acid, which were identified as the main active components in Centella asiatica, were tested by measuring cellular production of NO, TNF‑α and IL-6 using Griess method and ELISA and by detecting mRNA expressions of IL-23, IL-17A, TNF-α and IL-6 and protein expressions of p-STAT3 (Tyr705) and p-STAT3 (Ser727) with RT-qPCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: A total of 139 targets of Centella asiatica and 4604 targets of psoriasis were obtained, and among them CASP3, EGFR, PTGS2, and ESR1 were identified as the core targets. KEGG analysis suggested that quercetin, asiaticoside, and asiatic acid in Centella asiatica were involved in cancer and IL-17 and MAPK signaling pathways. In the RAW264.7 macrophage model of inflammation, treatment with quercetin significantly reduced cellular production of NO, TNF‑α and IL-6, and lowered mRNA expressions of IL-23, IL-17A, TNF‑α and IL-6 and protein expressions of p-STAT3 (Tyr705) and p-STAT3 (Ser727). CONCLUSIONS Quercetin, asiaticoside and asiatic acid are the main active components in Centella asiatica to mediate the therapeutic effect against psoriasis, and quercetin in particular is capable of suppressing cellular production of NO, TNF‑α and IL-6 and regulating the IL-23/IL-17A inflammatory axis by mediating STAT3 phosphorylation to inhibit inflammatory response.
Quercetin/pharmacology* ; Psoriasis/metabolism* ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism* ; Mice ; Animals ; Centella/chemistry* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Phosphorylation ; Interleukin-17/metabolism* ; Interleukin-23/metabolism* ; RAW 264.7 Cells ; Pentacyclic Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Macrophages/drug effects* ; Signal Transduction ; Plant Extracts

Objective To explore the utility of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in screening risk factors for osteosarcopenia (OS) among older adults (≥80 years old) and to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of CGA-guided integrated interventions for OS. Methods A total of 420 patients aged ≥80 years, recruited from the Department of Geriatrics, General Practice of The Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Nantong University, and community health centers from January 2022 to October 2024, were enrolled. Participants were classified into OS (n＝139) and non-OS (n＝281) groups based on diagnostic criteria. CGA was utilized to compare differences in general characteristics, laboratory indicators, comorbidities between groups. Binary logistic regression analysis identified independent risk and protective factors. Subsequently, 40 OS patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n＝20) receiving integrated interventions including nutritional support, exercise training, and psychological management or a control group (n＝20, receiving routine care). Appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), grip strength, gait speed, and bone mineral density (BMD) T-score were compared between groups after 3 months. Results The prevalence of OS in this cohort was 33.1%. Compared to the non-OS group, the OS group exhibited significant differences in age, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, comorbidity index, concomitant medication, cognitive impairment, visual and hearing impairment, sleep disorders, depression, marital status, social participation, activities of daily living, nutritional risk, total cholesterol, uric acid, and constipation (P＜0.05). Logistic regression analysis identified age and comorbidity index as significant risk factors for OS, while BMI, married status, total cholesterol, and activities of daily living (assisted and independent) served as protective factors. The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in grip strength, gait speed, BMD T-score, and male ASMI compared to controls (P＜0.05). Conclusions CGA demonstrates clinical utility in systematically identifying risk factors for OS in the old population. Multimodal interventions guided by CGA effectively improve musculoskeletal function in elderly OS patients.

Background and Objectives: Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) tend to be accompanied by biventricular impairment. We hypothesized that the combination of the aortic pulsatility index (API) and pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPI) could refine risk stratification in DCM. Methods: We studied 120 consecutive patients with advanced DCM who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 1 year after RHC. We used the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the optimal cut-off of API and PAPI to predict outcomes. Results: The optimal cut-offs of API (1.02) and PAPI (2.16) were used to classify patients into four groups. There were significant differences in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) among the four groups (both p<0.05).When delineating API by LVEF above or below the median (28%), the cumulative rate of survival in patients with API <1.02 was lower than that of those with API ≥1.02 in both higher and lower LVEF groups (both p<0.05). Similar trends were observed when delineating PAPI using TAPSE higher or lower than the cut-off (17 mm) (both p<0.05). The cumulative rate of survival in the API <1.02 and PAPI <2.16 group was lower than that in the API ≥1.02 and/or PAPI ≥2.16 (all p<0.05). Conclusions API and PAPI could add additional prognostic value to LVEF and TAPSE, respectively. The combination of API and PAPI could provide a comprehensive assessment of biventricular function and refine risk stratification.