1.Dilemmas and challenges in the clinical diagnosis of Wilson disease
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):509-514
Wilson disease (WD) is characterized by marked heterogeneity in clinical phenotype, and it often overlaps with liver diseases (such as cholestatic liver diseases and active hepatitis) and neuropsychiatric diseases, which may easily lead to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. This article focuses on the confusing scenarios in clinical practice, reviews the pathophysiological basis of ATPase copper transporting beta (ATP7B) gene dysfunction, and systematically elaborates on the key interpretation points and limitations of ceruloplasmin, total serum copper/non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper, 24-hour urinary copper excretion, D-penicillamine challenge test, hepatic copper quantification, and histopathological assessment across different clinical scenarios. This article also summarizes the potential application of emerging dynamic copper indicators, such as relative exchangeable copper, in diagnosis, family screening, and treatment monitoring. In addition, it discusses the role of ATP7B genetic testing in “gray-zone” cases, difficulties in interpreting variants of uncertain significance, and the features of mutation spectrum in Chinese population, as well as the potential decline in diagnostic performance of the Leipzig scoring system in the context of complex liver diseases. Overall, the diagnosis of WD should not rely on a single indicator, and it is recommended to adopt a multidimensional hierarchical decision-making pathway that integrates phenotype, biochemical tests, dynamic copper indices, tissue/genetic evidence, and scoring systems. Furthermore, key thresholds and workflows should be optimized using real-world data from China, so as to enhance the efficiency of early identification and familial management, thereby improving the long-term prognosis of patients.
2.Clinical features of muscle changes and related risk factors in patients with porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder
Ruijia LI ; Yuxiang GONG ; Yu ZHANG ; Shasha LI ; Yongfeng YANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):639-646
ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of muscle changes (including sarcopenia and myosteatosis) and related influencing factors in patients with porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD), and to provide a theoretical basis for the early identification, prevention, and intervention of muscle changes in PSVD patients. MethodsA total of 132 PSVD patients who were diagnosed in Nanjing Second Hospital from July 2017 to July 2024 were enrolled as case group, and the hospital staff who underwent physical examination in 2025 were enrolled as healthy control group. Propensity score matching was performed based on age and sex at a ratio of 1∶1. According to muscle status assessed by abdominal CT, the subjects were divided into non-muscle change group, mild muscle change group (myosteatosis alone), and severe muscle change group (sarcopenia alone or sarcopenia comorbid with myosteatosis), with the type and severity of muscle change as the exposure factors. General information, laboratory tests, L3-level CT images, and liver biopsy data were collected for the patients in the case group, and general information and CT images were collected for the individuals in the healthy control group. Sarcopenia was diagnosed by measuring skeletal muscle index at the L3 level (<44.77 cm2/m2 for men and <32.50 cm2/m2 for women), and myosteatosis was defined by mean muscle attenuation combined with BMI (BMI <24.9 kg/m2 with attenuation <41 HU or BMI ≥25 kg/m2 with attenuation <33 HU). Demographic, laboratory, and clinical parameters were compared between the case group and the healthy control group. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors associated with sarcopenia in PSVD. ResultsAmong the 132 patients with PSVD, there were 83 patients with portal hypertension (PH) and 49 patients without PH, and there were significant differences between these two groups in age, albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, leukocyte count, neutrophil count, red blood cell count, platelet count, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, hemoglobin, blood calcium, cholinesterase, total bile acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, decompensation, gastroesophageal or ectopic varices, bleeding and ascites (all P<0.05). The analyses after matching showed that compared with the healthy control group, the case group had significantly higher prevalence rates of abnormal muscle structure (43.18% vs 18.94%, P<0.001), mild muscle changes (22.73% vs 7.58%, P<0.001), and severe muscle changes (20.45% vs 11.36%, P<0.001). Further comparison showed that there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with muscle changes between the PSVD patients with PH and those without PH (42.17% vs 44.90%, P=0.760). The binary Logistic regression analysis with the presence or absence of muscle changes as the dependent variable showed that age (odds ratio [OR]=1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 — 1.09, P<0.05), subcutaneous fat index (OR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.01 — 1.06, P<0.05), hemoglobin (OR=0.97, 95%CI: 0.95 — 0.99, P<0.05), and thrombin time (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.06 — 1.49, P<0.05) were independent influencing factors for muscle changes in PSVD patients. The multivariate ordinal Logistic regression analysis with the severity of muscle changes as the dependent variable showed that age (OR=1.04, 95%CI: 1.01 — 1.07, P<0.05) and thrombin time (OR=1.17, 95%CI: 1.01 — 1.36, P<0.05) were independent risk factors for the grading of muscle changes. ConclusionMuscle changes are common in PSVD patients, and these changes may be caused by PSVD itself rather than PH. Age, fat distribution, thrombin time, and hemoglobin are important influencing factors for muscle changes.
3.Etiology spectrum, clinical features, and gene mutations of unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis: An analysis of 62 cases
Jialuo WANG ; Yufeng ZHENG ; Qingfang XIONG ; Yongfeng YANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):307-313
ObjectiveTo investigate the etiology and clinical features of intrahepatic cholestasis and the diagnostic value of whole exome sequencing (WES) through a retrospective analysis of the medical history, pathological results, and gene sequencing data of 62 patients with unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 480 patients who underwent WES due to unexplained liver function abnormalities in Nanjing Second Hospital from January 2017 to December 2023, among whom 62 patients with unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis were selected based on laboratory data, and a confirmed diagnosis was made based on imaging data, pathological findings, and gene sequencing data. The patients with unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis were analyzed in terms of demographic features, clinical manifestation, etiology spectrum, and genetic profile. ResultsA total of 62 patients with unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis were included, among whom there were 35 male patients and 27 female patients, with a median age of 42 (7 — 77) years. WES was used to make a definite diagnosis in 21 patients (33.87%), among whom the patients with familial intrahepatic cholestasis accounted for the highest proportion of 52.38% (11/21); genetic metabolic disorders were excluded by WES in 34 patients, with drug-induced liver injury and sepsis-associated liver injury accounting for the highest proportion of 55.88% (19/34), followed by primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis accounting for 20.59% (7/34) and intrahepatic bile duct stones accounting for 17.65% (6/34), while the patients with a lack of confirmed diagnosis accounted for 11.29% (7/62). A total of 21 novel mutation sites which were not reported in previous articles were identified in this study. ConclusionGenetic metabolic disorders constitute a significant proportion of unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis, and WES plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of unexplained intrahepatic cholestasis.
4.Erratum: Author correction to "Up-regulation of glyclipid transfer protein by bicyclol causes spontaneous restriction of hepatitis C virus replication" Acta Pharm Sin B 9 (2019) 769-781.
Menghao HUANG ; Hu LI ; Rong XUE ; Jianrui LI ; Lihua WANG ; Junjun CHENG ; Zhouyi WU ; Wenjing LI ; Jinhua CHEN ; Xiaoqin LV ; Qiang LI ; Pei LAN ; Limin ZHAO ; Yongfeng YANG ; Zonggen PENG ; Jiandong JIANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(3):1721-1721
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.01.013.].
5.Tranexamic acid-fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether conjugation/PVA foam for venous sclerotherapy via vascular damage and inhibiting plasmin system.
Jizhuang MA ; Keda ZHANG ; Wenhan LI ; Yu DING ; Yongfeng CHEN ; Xiaoyu HUANG ; Tong YU ; Di SONG ; Haoran NIU ; Huichao XIE ; Tianzhi YANG ; Xiaoyun ZHAO ; Xinggang YANG ; Pingtian DING
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):3291-3304
Venous system diseases mainly include varicose veins and venous malformations of lower limbs and the genital system. Most of them are chronic diseases that cause serious clinical symptoms to patients and affect their health and quality of life. Sclerotherapy has become the first-line therapy for venous system diseases. However, there are problems such as incomplete fibrosis and vascular recanalization after sclerotherapy, and improper operation will cause serious adverse consequences. Therefore, exploring a safe and effective sclerotherapy strategy is essential for developing clinically successful sclerotherapy. To solve the above problems, we proposed a new sclerotherapy strategy with a dual mechanism of "vascular damage and plasmin (PLA) system inhibition." We intended to construct a novel cationic surfactant (AEOx-TA) by reacting tranexamic acid (TA), a parent structure, with fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEOx) by ester bonds. AEOx-TA could damage vascular endothelium and initiate a coagulation cascade effect to induce thrombus. Furthermore, AEOx-TA could be degraded by esterase and release the parent drug, TA, which could inhibit the PLA system to inhibit the degradation of thrombus and extracellular matrix and promote the process of vascular fibrosis. In addition, such surfactant-based sclerosants have foam-forming properties, and they can be blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare a highly stable foam formulation (AEOx-TA/P), which can achieve a precise drug delivery and prolonged drug retention time, thereby improving drug efficacy and reducing the risk of ectopic embolism. Overall, the novel cationic surfactant AEOx-TA provides a new avenue to resolve the bottleneck: surfactant sclerosants' efficiency is relatively low in the current sclerotherapy.
6.Graph Neural Networks and Multimodal DTI Features for Schizophrenia Classification: Insights from Brain Network Analysis and Gene Expression.
Jingjing GAO ; Heping TANG ; Zhengning WANG ; Yanling LI ; Na LUO ; Ming SONG ; Sangma XIE ; Weiyang SHI ; Hao YAN ; Lin LU ; Jun YAN ; Peng LI ; Yuqing SONG ; Jun CHEN ; Yunchun CHEN ; Huaning WANG ; Wenming LIU ; Zhigang LI ; Hua GUO ; Ping WAN ; Luxian LV ; Yongfeng YANG ; Huiling WANG ; Hongxing ZHANG ; Huawang WU ; Yuping NING ; Dai ZHANG ; Tianzi JIANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(6):933-950
Schizophrenia (SZ) stands as a severe psychiatric disorder. This study applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data in conjunction with graph neural networks to distinguish SZ patients from normal controls (NCs) and showcases the superior performance of a graph neural network integrating combined fractional anisotropy and fiber number brain network features, achieving an accuracy of 73.79% in distinguishing SZ patients from NCs. Beyond mere discrimination, our study delved deeper into the advantages of utilizing white matter brain network features for identifying SZ patients through interpretable model analysis and gene expression analysis. These analyses uncovered intricate interrelationships between brain imaging markers and genetic biomarkers, providing novel insights into the neuropathological basis of SZ. In summary, our findings underscore the potential of graph neural networks applied to multimodal DTI data for enhancing SZ detection through an integrated analysis of neuroimaging and genetic features.
Humans
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Schizophrenia/pathology*
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Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods*
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Male
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Female
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Adult
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Brain/metabolism*
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Young Adult
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Middle Aged
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White Matter/pathology*
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Gene Expression
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Nerve Net/diagnostic imaging*
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Graph Neural Networks
7.An analysis of the disease burden of acute viral hepatitis in China and globally from 1990 to 2021
Siwei ZHENG ; Shasha LI ; Jialuo WANG ; Yiran LIU ; Yongfeng YANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(10):2013-2021
ObjectiveTo analyze the changing trend of the disease burden of acute viral hepatitis (AVH) globally and in China from 1990 to 2021, and to provide a basis for optimizing prevention and control strategies. MethodsRelated data were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database, including incidence rate, mortality rate, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) for AVH globally and in China from 1990 to 2021, and the patients were divided into groups according to region, age, sex, and type of hepatitis. The Joinpoint regression model was used to calculate average annual percentage change (AAPC) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). ResultsFrom 1990 to 2021, there was a tendency of reduction in the age-standardized incidence rate, mortality rate, and DALY rate of AVH globally, with an average annual reduction of 1.02% (95%CI: -1.10% to -0.94%, P<0.001), 3.97% (95%CI: -4.12% to -3.82%, P<0.001), and 3.64% (95%CI: -3.84% to -3.44%, P<0.001), respectively; in China, there was also a tendency of reduction in these indicators, with an average annual reduction of 1.63% (95%CI: -1.70% to -1.57%, P<0.001), 9.24% (95%CI: -9.51% to -8.97%, P<0.001), and 7.93% (95%CI: -8.15% to -7.71%, P<0.001), respectively. In addition, China’s share of the global disease burden of AVH continued to decrease; the proportion of new cases decreased from 24% in 1990 to 15% in 2021, the proportion of deaths decreased from 19% to 4%, and the proportion of DALY decreased from 16% to 4%. From 1990 to 2021 globally, the peaks in the incidence rate, mortality, and DALY of AVH were observed in children under 5 years of age; in China, although the peak incidence rate of the disease was still observed in children under 5 years of age, there was a tendency of increase in the incidence rate of AVH among young adults aged 25 — 29 years in recent years, with the most significant increase in the cases of acute hepatitis B (accounting for 59% of the cases in this age group), while the disease burden of mortality and DALY mainly affected the middle-aged and elderly populations. The disease burden of AVH in the male population was higher than that in the female population. As for the distribution of disease types, acute hepatitis A was the predominant type of AVH, accounting for 64% globally and 48% in China, whereas acute hepatitis B was the leading cause of mortality and DALY, accounting for 50% of deaths globally, 80% of deaths in China, 47% of DALY globally, and 69% of DALY in China. ConclusionThere is a tendency of reduction in the disease burden of AVH globally and in China from 1990 to 2021, but there is a tendency of increase in the incidence rate of AVH among young adults in China, especially acute hepatitis B. It is necessary to implement targeted prevention and control strategies.
8.New progress in diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer
Zhenli LONG ; Ying YANG ; Yongfeng YU ; Shun LU
Practical Oncology Journal 2025;40(4):293-305
This review summarizes recent clinical progress in the field of lung cancer within the multidisciplinary team(MDT)diagnosis and treatment model across domestic and international studies.In the perioperative treatment of early-stage resectable non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC),the"sandwich"strategy combining preoperative neoadjuvant therapy with postoperative adjuvant therapy has demonstrat-ed significant survival benefits for patients.Notably,domestic toripalimab combined chemotherapy significantly increases the major patho-logic response(MPR)rate and event-free survival(EFS)rate of resectable stage Ⅲ NSCLC patients,emerging as a novel treatment regimen for perioperative NSCLC.For unresctable NSCLC patients,consolidative therapy combined with osimertinib,a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor,following radical chemotherapy has significantly extended progression free survival,filling the gap in targeted therapy for stage Ⅲ lung cancer.Furthermore,the combination of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic agents has ef-fectively improved the overall survival of advanced NSCLC patients.Significant progress has also been made in the field of antibody-drug conjugates,with agents such as sacituzumab and trastuzumab demonstrating substantial therapeutic efficacy.In the field of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer(ES-SCLC),the bispecific antibody tarlatamab targeting Delta-like ligand 3(DLL3)and cluster of differentiation 3(CD3)has exhibited significant efficacy,and has received accelerated approval from U.S.Food and Drug Administration(FDA)as a sec-ond-line treatment for ES-SCLC.
9.Pathological characteristics and diagnostic criteria of autoimmune hepatitis
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2025;33(7):622-627
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a kind of chronic inflammatory liver disease mainly characterized by hepatocellular damage. There is no gold standard for its diagnosis, and it still relies on liver histological examination. Pathological examination is indispensable in the differential diagnosis and disease assessment of AIH. This article systematically reviews the evolution of pathological diagnostic criteria for AIH since the introduction of the initial scoring system by the International AIH in 1993, moving from early-stage empirical descriptions to quantitative scoring systems and then to the ongoing advancement of the latest international consensus standards. The standardization and accuracy of pathological diagnosis have significantly improved; at the same time, it reflects that the role of pathology in diagnosing AIH has shifted from a traditional auxiliary role to a key role in definitive diagnosis. The core pathological features of AIH include interface hepatitis, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, and hepatocellular rosettes; however, none of which are specific. The scarcity of specialized professionals, insufficient diagnostic resources at the foundation level, and the high subjectivity of pathological evaluation are the primary factors promoting to the current challenges in the pathological diagnosis of AIH. Quantitative pathological assessment, digital pathology, artificial intelligence assistance, and other advancements could drive the development of pathological diagnosis in AIH in the future.
10.Safety and efficacy analysis of different doses of epidural oxycodone injection for prevention of traction reactions in cesarean sections
Shunyu HAN ; Wei YANG ; Tao ZENG ; Yumei XIE ; Dandan CHEN ; Yongfeng LIU
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(2):216-221
Objective To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of different doses of epidural oxycodone injection for traction reaction during cesarean sections to determine the optimal dose.Methods Totally 119 cases of parturients who underwent cesarean sections from October 2023 to May 2024 were selected and randomly divided into groups A,B,C and D.All four groups of lying-in women received epidural injection after the umbilical cord was cut.Groups A,B and C were given oxycodone 3 mg,5 mg and 7 mg respectively,and group D was given an equal amount of normal saline.The primary outcomes were documentation of maternal vital signs and traction reaction during the surgery.Secondary outcomes included patient-controlled intravenous analgesia(PCIA)times within 48 hours and documentation of any postoperative adverse events within 24 hours.Results The comparison of in-tra?operative vital signs among the four groups of patients revealed no statistically significant differences.In groups A,B and C the incidence of traction reactions was significantly lower at 20%,17.2%and 3.3%,respectively,compared to group D at 53.3%,showing statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Additionally,the inci?dence of traction reaction in group C was significantly lower than in group A(P<0.05).Groups A,B and C pro?duced significantly better results than group D in terms of the duration of anesthesia.PCIA presses were substan?tially less in groups A and C than in group D(P<0.05),and group C had a significantly higher total incidence of adverse events than group A and group D(P<0.05).Conclusions Epidural injection of 3 mg,5 mg and 7 mg oxycodone has been proved to significantly reduce traction reaction during cesarean sections while minimally im?pacting intraoperative vital signs.This intervention has the potential to extend the duration of anesthesia,decrease the frequency of PCIA presses.Among these,7 mg is the most effective but has the highest incidence of adverse effects,requiring carefully post?operative monitoring.

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