OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To analyze the relationship between neck pain severity and duration and cervical sagittal parameters in non-specific neck pain (NNP) patients from a real world data, and to initially explore the relationship between NNP and cervical sagittal position sequence.Methods:The clinical data of 126 patients with main complaint of neck pain in the outpatient department of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from January to September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. This cohort included 84 female and 42 male patients with a mean age of (42.21±14.88) years (aged from 15 to 76 years). According to the duration of neck pain was more than 3 month or not, patients were divided into acute neck pain group ( n=57) and chronic neck pain group ( n=69). Patients were divided into mild neck pain group ( n=72) and moderate and severe neck pain group ( n=54) according to the severity of neck pain. The duration and visual analogue scale (VAS) of neck pain for each patient was recorded. Cervical sagittal related parameters, including cervical lordosis (C 2-C 7 Cobb′ angle, CL), C 2-C 7 sagittal vertical axis (cSVA), T 1 slope (TS) were measured by cervical lateral X-ray, and the value of T 1 slope minus cervical lordosis (TS-CL) was calculated. At the same time, cervical lateral X-ray was used to record whether the patient had cervical kyphosis and whether the patient was associated with ossification of the nuchal ligament (ONL). The VAS score of neck pain was expressed as the median (interquartile) [ M( Q1, Q3)]. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as mean±standard deviation( ± s), and the comparison between groups was conducted using the t-test; the comparison of count data were represented as cases and percentage, and was conducted by Chi-square test. Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of VAS score and duration of neck pain with age, gender, imaging parameters (CL, cSVA, TS, TS-CL), cervical kyphosis and ONL. Results:The median VAS score of all patients with neck pain was 4(3, 5). For all patients, VAS score of neck pain was significantly correlated with cSVA ( P=0.029) and TS-CL ( P=0.028). There was no correlation between VAS score and CL ( P=0.235), TS ( P=0.355), with cervical kyphosis or not ( P=0.988), or with ONL or not ( P=0.181). The TS-CL values of acute neck pain group and chronic neck pain group were (11.80±8.38)° and (8.77±7.61)°, respectively, with a significant difference ( P=0.035). There was no significant difference in the incidence of cSVA, CL, TS, ONL and cervical kyphosis between the two groups ( P>0.05). The cSVA of mild neck pain group and moderate and severe neck pain group were (1.16±0.94) cm and (1.80±1.04) cm, respectively. CL was (12.25±10.76)° and (8.27±9.08)°, respectively. The TS-CL values were (8.11±7.54)° and (12.84±8.04)°, respectively, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The incidence of ONL in moderate and severe neck pain group was significantly higher (35.2% vs 19.4%), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The severity of NNP was significantly correlated with cSVA, the more severe the neck pain, the more the mismatch between TS and CL was presented. Compared with chronic neck pain, patients with acute neck pain tended to appear TS and CL mismatch. There was a large value of cSVA and TS-CL in moderate and severe neck pain patients. The incidence of ONL was significantly increased in patients with moderate and severe neck pain.

Objective:To evaluate the perioperative application effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) clinical pathway in percutaneous vertebro plasty (PVP).Methods:The clinical data of 274 patients who underwent PVP treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2023 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the different numbers of surgical segments: the single-segment group ( n=211) and the multisegment group ( n=63). Patients in the single-segment group underwent single-segment surgery, while patients in the multisegment group underwent surgery on ≥2 segments. The core points of the ERAS clinical pathway adopted in this study include perioperative education, pain management, early mobilization, application of "outfast", and joint guidance from the departments of nutrition and rehabilitation. Comparison was made between the two groups of patients in terms of visual analog scale (VAS) scores for low back pain at preoperative, 2 h, 6 h, 24 h postoperatively, and on the day of discharge; Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores preoperatively and on the day of discharge; time to first ambulation postoperatively, total length of hospital stay, postoperative length of stay, perioperative complications, and perioperative application of Opioid consumption. Measurement data were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and the independent sample t-test was used for comparison between groups; count data were expressed as cases and percentage, and the Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. The VAS pain scores at each stage of the perioperative period were evaluated using repeated measures analysis of variance or generalized estimating equations. Results:Compared with that before the operation [(6.17±0.93) points, (6.29±0.83) points], the VAS scores of low back pain of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group at 2 hours after surgery [(3.09±0.82) points, (3.27±0.65) points], 6 hours after surgery [(2.60±0.79) points, (2.62±0.55) points], and 24 hours after surgery [(1.89±0.77) points, (1.97±0.72) points] and on the day of discharge [(1.72±0.71) points, (1.81±0.64) points] were significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). At the same stage, the VAS scores of low back pain in both groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The ODI scores of patients in the single-segment group and the multisegment group on the day of discharge [(24.21±2.35) points, (24.63±3.31) points] were significantly lower than those before the operation [(64.50±4.81) points, (65.52±4.08) points], and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in perioperative complications and the proportion of Opioid drug application between the two groups of patients ( P>0.05). Conclusion:For patients with single-segment or multisegment OVCF, PVP surgical treatment under ERAS clinical pathway management can achieve immediate pain relief, early ambulation exercise, and satisfactory perioperative efficacy.

Spinal fusion remains a cornerstone of spine surgery; however, long-term follow-up and biomechanical studies have highlighted trade-offs, including loss of segmental motion and adjacent segment degeneration. Non-fusion fixation techniques aim to provide limited stabilization and load sharing via implants while avoiding bony fusion, thereby preserving motion as much as possible. This review synthesizes recent clinical advances in the application of non-fusion techniques for cervical and lumbar degenerative disorders and spinal deformity, with the goal of informing clinical decision-making and practice.

Purpose::Mannitol is one of the first-line drugs for reducing cerebral edema through increasing the extracellular osmotic pressure. However, long-term administration of mannitol in the treatment of cerebral edema triggers damage to neurons and astrocytes. Given that neural stem cell (NSC) is a subpopulation of main regenerative cells in the central nervous system after injury, the effect of mannitol on NSC is still elusive. The present study aims to elucidate the role of mannitol in NSC proliferation.Methods::C57 mice were derived from the animal house of Zunyi Medical University. A total of 15 pregnant mice were employed for the purpose of isolating NSCs in this investigation. Initially, mouse primary NSCs were isolated from the embryonic cortex of mice and subsequently identified through immunofluorescence staining. In order to investigate the impact of mannitol on NSC proliferation, both cell counting kit-8 assays and neurospheres formation assays were conducted. The in vitro effects of mannitol were examined at various doses and time points. In order to elucidate the role of Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the suppressive effect of mannitol on NSC proliferation, various assays including reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunocytochemistry were conducted on control and mannitol-treated groups. Additionally, the phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) was examined to explore the potential mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of mannitol on NSC proliferation. Finally, to further confirm the involvement of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent (MAPK) signaling pathway in the observed inhibition of NSC proliferation by mannitol, SB203580 was employed. All data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL). The statistical analysis among multiple comparisons was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Turkey's post hoc test in case of the data following a normal distribution using a Shapiro-Wilk normality test. Comparisons between 2 groups were determined using Student's t-test, if the data exhibited a normal distribution using a Shapiro-Wilk normality test. Meanwhile, data were shown as median and interquartile range and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, if the data failed the normality test. A p < 0.05 was considered as significant difference. Results::Primary NSC were isolated from the mice, and the characteristics were identified using immunostaining analysis. Thereafter, the results indicated that mannitol held the capability of inhibiting NSC proliferation in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner using cell counting kit-8, neurospheres formation, and immunostaining of Nestin and Ki67 assays. During the process of mannitol suppressing NSC proliferation, the expression of AQP4 mRNA and protein was downregulated, while the gene expression of p-p38 was elevated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunostaining, and western blotting assays. Subsequently, the administration of SB203580, one of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway inhibitors, partially abrogated this inhibitory effect resulting from mannitol, supporting the fact that the p38 MAPK signaling pathway participated in curbing NSC proliferation induced by mannitol.Conclusions::Mannitol inhibits NSC proliferation through downregulating AQP4, while upregulating the expression of p-p38 MAPK.

Objective:To analyze the perioperative data of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis who were surgically treated by unilateral biportal endoscopy-unilateral laminectomy for bilateral decompression (UBE-ULBD) technique, and to explore the occurrence, clinical features, and influencing factors for perioperative complications.Methods:A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 77 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis who underwent UBE-ULBD surgery in the Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from June 2021 to June 2023 was performed, of which 28 were males and 49 were females, with a mean age of (67.61±15.29) years. The baseline data, surgery-related information, and complications and subjective scores during the perioperative and follow-up periods of the patients were collected. Continuous variables were tested for normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Normally distributed continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation ( ± s), and the Student- t test and analysis of variance for repeated measures information were used for comparison between groups; non-normally distributed continuous variables were expressed as median (interquartile distance) [ M( Q1, Q3)], and and non-parametric tests were used for comparison between groups. Categorical variables were expressed as number of cases and percentage, and the Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups. Variables were analyzed using univariate analysis, and indicators with statistically significant differences in the results of univariate analysis were further included in multivariate Logistic regression analysis to further clarify the independent risk factors for the occurrence of complications. Results:According to the occurrence of postoperative complications, the patients were divided into the non-complication group ( n=73) and the complication group ( n=4). The complication group included 2 cases of dural tear, 1 case of postoperative residual symptoms, and 1 case of postoperative epidural hematoma. Compared with the preoperative results, the Oswestry disability index (ODI) score and visual analogue score (VAS) for low back pain and leg pain on the first day after surgery were improved, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01). Compared with the first day after surgery, except for the ODI scores, the VAS scores for low back pain and leg pain were improved at the third month after surgery, and the differences were statistically significant ( P< 0.01). The differences in intraoperative blood loss and operative time between the two groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The variables with statistically significant differences in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate Logistic regression analysis, and the results indicated that prolonged operative time was an independent risk factor for perioperative complications in patients ( OR=1.031, 95% CI: 1.000-1.054, P=0.030). Conclusions:As an effective minimally invasive spinal endoscopic technique for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis, the UBE-ULBD technique has the advantages of lower complication rates and faster postoperative recovery. Improvement of surgical proficiency by the operator and appropriate shortening of operative time can help to reduce the incidence of complications such as dural tear.

Purpose::Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common functional injuries observed in trauma patients. However, certain trauma medications may exacerbate renal injury. Therefore, the early detection of trauma-related AKI holds paramount importance in improving trauma prognosis.Methods::Qualified datasets were selected from public databases, and common differentially expressed genes related to trauma-induced AKI and hub genes were identified through enrichment analysis and the establishment of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Additionally, the specificity of these hub genes was investigated using the sepsis dataset and conducted a comprehensive literature review to assess their plausibility. The raw data from both datasets were downloaded using R software (version 4.2.1) and processed with the "affy" package19 for correction and normalization.Results::Our analysis revealed 585 upregulated and 629 downregulated differentially expressed genes in the AKI dataset, along with 586 upregulated and 948 downregulated differentially expressed genes in the trauma dataset. Concurrently, the establishment of the PPI network and subsequent topological analysis highlighted key hub genes, including CD44, CD163, TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1, cytochrome b-245 beta chain, versican, membrane spanning 4-domains A4A, mitogen-activated protein kinase 14, and early growth response 1. Notably, their receiver operating characteristic curves displayed areas exceeding 75%, indicating good diagnostic performance. Moreover, our findings postulated a unique molecular mechanism underlying trauma-related AKI. Conclusion::This study presents an alternative strategy for the early diagnosis and treatment of trauma-related AKI, based on the identification of potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Additionally, this study provides theoretical references for elucidating the mechanisms of trauma-related AKI.

Objective:To explore the impact of different preoperative fluid supplementation methods (oral multidimensional carbohydrates and conventional fluid supplementation) on early postoperative recovery and pain management in patients undergoing unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) spine surgery.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the data of 386 patients who underwent UBE lumbar spine surgery under general anesthesia in the two courtyards of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from May 2023 to April 2024. All patients were divided into oral multidimensional carbohydrates ( "Outfast" supplementation, composed mainly of water, sugars, salts, and vitamins) group (referred to as oral "Outfast" group, 189 patients) and conventional fluid supplementation group (197 patients) according to the type of fluid replenishment. Patients in the oral "Outfast" group were given one oral dose in the morning of the first surgery, and another oral infusion before 10∶00 in the morning of the next surgery or afternoon surgery. Patients in the conventional fluid supplementation group received intravenous infusion in the morning of the first surgery, and were given intravenous infusion of glucose and sodium chloride injection in the morning of the next surgery or afternoon surgery. The two groups were compared for the proportion of patients receiving preoperative intravenous fluids on the day of surgery, intraoperative and postoperative fluid volumes, average daily fluid volumes over the first three postoperative days, time to first postoperative ambulation, time to first bowel movement, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay duration, 4-hour and 24-hour postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, incidence of anesthesia-related adverse reactions, and incidence of severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions. The measurement data of normal distribution were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( ± s), and t-test was used for inter-group comparison. The measurement data of skewed distribution were expressed as M ( Q1, Q3) and rank sum test was used for inter-group comparison. Count data was presented in terms of examples and percentages, and a chi-square test was used for comparison between two groups. Results:In the oral "Outfast" group, 8 patients (4.2%) received preoperative intravenous fluids on the day of surgery, compared to 136 patients (69.0%) in the conventional fluid supplementation group, showing a significant difference ( P<0.001). The postoperative fluid volumes, average daily fluid volumes over the first three postoperative days, and shorter time to first ambulation in the oral multidimensional carbohydrates group were 700.0(600.0, 1 100.0) mL, 200.0(200.0, 300.0) mL, and 6.0(6.0, 11.0) h, respectively. The conventional fluid supplementation group was 1 100.0(700.0, 1 200.0) mL, 600.0(500.0, 700.0) mL, and 12.0(6.0, 19.0) h, respectively. The oral "Outfast" group was lower than the conventional fluid supplementation group ( P<0.001).There were no significant differences between the two groups in intraoperative fluid volumes, time to first bowel movement, PACU stay duration, 4-hour and 24-hour VAS pain scores, incidence of anesthesia-related adverse reactions, or incidence of severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Preoperative oral multidimensional carbohydrates supplementation effectively reduces the amount of preoperative and postoperative intravenous fluid required, shortens the time to first ambulation. Preoperative oral multidimensional carbohydrates is safe and does not adversely impact gastrointestinal reactions or pain management in the postoperative period.

Objective:To investigate various clinical treatment measures for thoracolumbar fractures and provide new diagnosis and treatment methods.Methods:The case data of 5 patients(3 males, 2 females, and the age ranged from 39 to 59 years with an average of 51 years) with thoracolumbar fractures were treated with Waveflex semi-rigid internaI fixation system from May 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, imaging indexes and clinical effects were followed up, and analyzed and summarized in combination with relevant literatures.Results:The operations of all 5 patients were successfully completed, and the follow-up period was 6 months. At the last follow-up, the internal fixation position was good, the height of the injured vertebra was maintained satisfactorily, and the clinical effect was satisfactory.Conclusion:Waveflex semi-rigid internal fixation system combines the advantages of fusion and non-fusion, providing a new idea for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, but its long-term effect still needs further follow-up.

Objective: Risk factors related to residual cancer or lymph node metastasis after endoscopic non-curative resection of early colorectal cancer were analyzed to predict the risk of residual cancer or lymph node metastasis, optimize the indications of radical surgical surgery, and avoid excessive additional surgical operations. Methods: Clinical data of 81 patients who received endoscopic treatment for early colorectal cancer in the Department of Endoscopy, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2009 to 2019 and received additional radical surgical surgery after endoscopic resection with pathological indication of non-curative resection were collected to analyze the relationship between various factors and the risk of residual cancer or lymph node metastasis after endoscopic resection. Results: Of the 81 patients, 17 (21.0%) were positive for residual cancer or lymph node metastasis, while 64 (79.0%) were negative. Among 17 patients with residual cancer or positive lymph node metastasis, 3 patients had only residual cancer (2 patients with positive vertical cutting edge). 11 patients had only lymph node metastasis, and 3 patients had both residual cancer and lymph node metastasis. Lesion location, poorly differentiated cancer, depth of submucosal invasion ≥2 000 μm, venous invasion were associated with residual cancer or lymph node metastasis after endoscopic (P<0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that poorly differentiated cancer (OR=5.513, 95% CI: 1.423, 21.352, P=0.013) was an independent risk factor for residual cancer or lymph node metastasis after endoscopic non-curative resection of early colorectal cancer. Conclusions: For early colorectal cancer after endoscopic non-curable resection, residual cancer or lymph node metastasis is associated with poorly differentiated cancer, depth of submucosal invasion ≥2 000 μm, venous invasion and the lesions are located in the descending colon, transverse colon, ascending colon and cecum with the postoperative mucosal pathology result. For early colorectal cancer, poorly differentiated cancer is an independent risk factor for residual cancer or lymph node metastasis after endoscopic non-curative resection, which is suggested that radical surgery should be added after endoscopic treatment.
Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Retrospective Studies ; Endoscopy ; Risk Factors ; Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness