PURPOSE: The rate of complications among patients undergoing surgery has increased due to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and other variants of concern. However, Omicron has shown decreased pathogenicity, raising questions about the risk of postoperative complications among patients who are infected with this variant. This study aimed to investigate complications and related factors among patients with recent Omicron infection prior to undergoing orthopedic surgery. METHODS: A historical control study was conducted. Data were collected from all patients who underwent surgery during 2 distinct periods: (1) between Dec 12, 2022 and Jan 31, 2023 (COVID-19 positive group), (2) between Dec 12, 2021 and Jan 31, 2022 (COVID-19 negative control group). The patients were at least 18 years old. Patients who received conservative treatment after admission or had high-risk diseases or special circumstances (use of anticoagulants before surgery) were excluded from the study. The study outcomes were the total complication rate and related factors. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify related factors, and odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the impact of COVID-19 infection on complications. RESULTS: In the analysis, a total of 847 patients who underwent surgery were included, with 275 of these patients testing positive for COVID-19 and 572 testing negative. The COVID-19-positive group had a significantly higher rate of total complications (11.27%) than the control group (4.90%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for relevant factors, the OR was 3.08 (95% CI: 1.45-6.53). Patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 at 3-4 weeks (OR = 0.20 (95% CI: 0.06-0.59), p = 0.005), 5-6 weeks (OR = 0.16 (95% CI: 0.04-0.59), p = 0.010), or ≥7 weeks (OR = 0.26 (95% CI: 0.06-1.02), p = 0.069) prior to surgery had a lower risk of complications than those who were diagnosed at 0-2 weeks prior to surgery. Seven factors (age, indications for surgery, time of operation, time of COVID-19 diagnosis prior to surgery, C-reactive protein levels, alanine transaminase levels, and aspartate aminotransferase levels) were found to be associated with complications; thus, these factors were used to create a nomogram. CONCLUSION Omicron continues to be a significant factor in the incidence of postoperative complications among patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. By identifying the factors associated with these complications, we can determine the optimal surgical timing, provide more accurate prognostic information, and offer appropriate consultation for orthopedic surgery patients who have been infected with Omicron.
Humans ; COVID-19/complications* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Orthopedic Procedures/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Nomograms ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) may affect the severity of hot flashes (HFs) associated with natural menopause and provide additional benefits for postmenopausal women. However, the evidence for its effectiveness in the management of early postmenopausal HFs remains inadequately understood. OBJECTIVE: We designed this trial to assess the efficacy and safety of EA for relieving early postmenopausal HFs. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This randomized sham-controlled trial involved 72 women with HFs. The participants were divided equally into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group was treated with EA, while the control group was treated with sham acupuncture. The main acupoints used were Hegu (LI4), Guanyuan (RN4), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Taixi (KI3), Fuliu (KI7) and Shenshu (BL23). All participants received 18 treatment sessions, distributed across a 6-week period. The treatment was administered on three occasions per week, adhering to a fixed weekday schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) with a minimum interval of one day between sessions. Each patient received a 12-week follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The HF score was the primary outcome. Participants documented the frequency and severity of HFs in a 7-day symptom diary, which provided data for calculating the HF score. Secondary outcomes were the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Score Scale (TCMSSS), as well as estradiol (E₂), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in HF scores after the treatment and during the follow-up (P < 0.001). Immediately after completion of the 6-week treatment cycle and at 12 weeks post-intervention, the HF scores were similar in both groups. At week 6, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in MRS, MENQOL (vasomotor, psychosocial, and physical), PSQI and TCMSSS scores (P < 0.05). The improvements in the MENQOL (vasomotor, and psychosocial) and PSQI total scores persisted through the follow-up (P < 0.05). However, the results showed no significant inter- or intragroup differences in sexual scores on the MENQOL (P > 0.05). EA did not significantly decrease E₂, LH or FSH levels compared to placebo. The incidence of adverse events was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: EA does not significantly improve HFs in early postmenopausal patients. However, it enhances the quality of sleep and decreases menopausal symptoms across vasomotor, psychosocial and physical domains. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn); Trial ID: ChiCTR2300072002. Please cite this article as: Wang HX, Yu XT, Hu J, Chen JJ, Mei YT, Chen YF. Electroacupuncture for hot flashes in early menopause: A randomized sham-controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):519-527.
Humans ; Female ; Electroacupuncture ; Hot Flashes/therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Quality of Life ; Menopause ; Treatment Outcome ; Adult

L-carnitine is a carrier that assist in transport of long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria and an effective drug for treating primary carnitine deficiency(PCD).Starting supplementation as early as possible before irreversible organ damage oc-cured can alleviate organ damage,reduce the risk of sudden death,and improve the quality of life.However,in recent years,some studies have suggested that long-term oral L-carnitine has potential risks,the metabolism of L-carnitine through intestinal flora re-sults in the production of trimethylamine oxide(TMAO),which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease(CVD).There-fore,this paper summarizes the clinical research progress of L-carnitine in treating PCD to provide a theoretical basis for the clini-cal application of L-carnitine in PCD.

Aim To screen and study the expression of long non-coding RNA (IncRNA) in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with MCAO treated with Tao Hong Si Wu decoction (THSWD) and determine the possible molecular mechanism of THSWD in treating MCAO rats. Methods Three cerebral hemisphere tissue were obtained from the control group, MCAO group and MCAO + THSWD group. RNA sequencing technology was used to identify IncRNA gene expression in the three groups. THSWD-regulated IncRNA genes were identified, and then a THSWD-regu-lated IncRNA-mRNA network was constructed. MCODE plug-in units were used to identify the modules of IncRNA-mRNA networks. Gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) were used to analyze the enriched biological functions and signaling pathways. Cis- and trans-regulatory genes for THSWD-regulated IncRNAs were identified. Reverse transcription real-time quantitative pol-ymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to verify IncRNAs. Molecular docking was used to identify IncRNA-mRNA network targets and pathway-associated proteins. Results In MCAO rats, THSWD regulated a total of 302 IncRNAs. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that some core IncRNAs might play an important role in the treatment of MCAO rats with THSWD, and we further found that THSWD might also treat MCAO rats through multiple pathways such as IncRNA-mRNA network and network-enriched complement and coagulation cascades. The results of molecular docking showed that the active compounds gallic acid and a-mygdalin of THSWD had a certain binding ability to protein targets. Conclusions THSWD can protect the brain injury of MCAO rats through IncRNA, which may provide new insights for the treatment of ischemic stroke with THSWD.

Objective:To study the incidence and risk factors of herpes zoster in patients with multiple myeloma and to evaluate the preventive effect of antiviral therapy.Methods:The clinical features of multiple myeloma patients with herpes zoster were retrospectively analyzed,the risk factors of herpes zoster and the effect of antiviral prophylaxis were analyzed.Results:Among 180 patients with multiple myeloma,23 cases developed herpes zoster(12.8％).The incidence of herpes zoster was 19.1％in patients with renal dysfunction and 23.5％after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(ASCT).The incidence of herpes zoster was higher in patients receiving bortezomib-containing regimens(21/137,15.3％)than that in those without bortezomib(2/43,4.7％),but there was no statistical difference(P=0.067).Antiviral prophylaxis was associated with fewer zoster infections,8/111(7.2％)developed herpes zoster in patients who received antiviral prophylaxis,and 15/69(21.7％)in those receiving no prophylaxis(P=0.005).65.2％of patients with herpes zoster did not receive antiviral prophylaxis.Multivariate analysis showed that bortezomib treatment,AHSCT and renal dysfunction were independent risk factors for multiple myeloma with herpes zoster,while antiviral prophylaxis was independently associated with reducing the risk of herpes zoster.Herpes zoster had no effect on OS in patients with multiple myeloma.Conclusion:The risk of herpes zoster in multiple myeloma patients was increased.Antiviral prophylaxis can reduce the risk of herpes zoster in patients on bortezomib-based therapy.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy and prognosis of Rituximab combined with DHAX and CHOP regimen in the first-line treatment of elderly patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL).Methods:A total of 36 elderly patients with DLBCL who were admitted and treated with 3 of more courses of treatment from August 2011 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed,and they were divided into rituximab± DHAX(R±DHAX)regimen group(18 cases)and rituximab±CHOP(R-CHOP)regimen group(18 cases)according to the treatment plan,and clinical features,efficacy and survival of the patients were observed.Results:Compared with R-CHOP group,patients of the R±DHAX group were older,and had worse performance status and higher IPI score,the differences between two groups in age,ECOG score and IPI score were statistically significant(P=0.005,P=0.018,P=0.035),but there were no significant differences be ween two groups in gender,whether there were B symptoms,whether LDH was elevated,whether there was extranodal involvement,cell origin,bone marrow infiltration,and whether rituximab was combined(P=0.738,P=1,P=0.315,P=0.305,P=0.413,P=0.177,P=0.711,P=0.229).The efficacy could be evaluated in 36 cases,including CR 14(38.9％),PR 17(47.2％),PD 5(13.9％),and ORR of 86.1％(31/36).There were no statistically significant differences in CR[(27.8％(5/18)vs 50.0％(9/18);P＞0.05]and PR[44.4％(8/18)vs 50.0％(9/18);P＞0.05]of R±DHAX group and R-CHOP group,there was statistically significant difference in ORR[72.2％(13/18)vs 100.0％(18/18);P=0.045]between two groups.The 1-year OS of R±DHAX group and R-CHOP group was(38.9+11.5％)％and(94.4±7.4％)％,respectively,2-year OS was(16.7±8.8)％and(72.2±10.6)％,respectively,and the differences between two groups were statistically significant(P=0.001,P=0.002).The median survival time in the R±DHAX group was 11 months(95％CI;8.9-13.1),and the median survival time in the R-CHOP group was not reached,and there was a statistically significant difference between the groups(P＜0.001).Conclusion:For elderly DLBCL patients,R± DHAX may not be superior to R-CHOP in OS,and ECOG score,IPI score and age may affect the survival of elderly DLBCL patients.However,R±DHAX regimen is safe,tolerable and has a certain efficacy,which can be used as one of the clinical treatment options for elderly DLBCL.

Aim To screen and study the effects of Tao Hong Si Wu decoction(THSWD)-mediated treat-ment on circular RNA(circRNA)expression profiles in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO),and investigate the possible roles and molecular mecha-nisms of THSWD.Methods Next-generation RNA sequencing was conducted to identify circRNA expres-sion profiles in MCAO rats after treatment with THSWD and compared with the MCAO model group and control group.Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the potential target microRNAs and mRNAs.Gene On-tology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analyses for the potential target mRNAs were applied to explore the potential roles of differentially expressed circRNAs.RT-qPCR was performed to verify circRNAs with significant differences in expression.Results We identified 87 significantly differentially expressed circRNAs between the MCAO group versus the control group,and 86 sig-nificantly differentially expressed circRNAs between the MCAO group versus the THSWD group.respective-ly.Among them,17 circRNAs induced by the MCAO model were reversed via treatment with THSWD.To demonstrate the roles of mRNAs targeted by DECs,the GO and KEGG databases were used.Further analysis revealed that five circRNAs may play important roles in the development of MCAO.Conclusions The com-prehensive expression profile of circRNAs in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion after THSWD treat-ment is determined for the first time,suggesting that the therapeutic effect of THSWD on MCAO may be a-chieved by regulating the expression of circRNAs.

Aim To explore the improvement effect of Bazi Bushen capsule on thymic degeneration in SAMP6 mice and the possible mechanism.Methods Twenty 12 week old male SAMP6 mice were randomly divided into the model group(SAMP6)and the Bazi Busheng capsule treatment group(SAMP6+BZBS).Ten SAMR1 mice were assigned to a homologous control group(SAMR1).The SAMP6+BZBS group was oral-ly administered Bazi Bushen capsule suspension(2.8 g·kg-1)daily,while the other two groups were orally administered an equal amount of distilled water.After nine weeks of administration,the morphology of the thymus in each group was observed and the thymus in-dex was calculated;HE staining was used to observe the structural changes of thymus tissue;SA-β-gal stai-ning was used to detect thymic aging;flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of thymic CD3+T cells in each group;Western blot was used to detect the levels of p16,Bax,Bcl-2,and cleaved caspase-3 proteins in thymus;immunofluorescence was applied to detect the proportion of cortical thymic epithelial cells in each group;ELISA was employed to detect IL-7 lev-els in thymus.Results Compared with the SAMP6 group,the thymic index of the SAMP6+BZBS group significantly increased(P＜0.05);the disordered thy-mic structure was significantly improved;the positive proportion of SA-β-gal staining significantly decreased(P＜0.01);the proportion of CD3+T cells apparently increased(P＜0.05);the level of p16 protein signifi-cantly decreased(P＜0.05);the level of Bcl-2 pro-tein significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the lev-el of cleaved caspase-3 protein markedly decreased(P＜0.05);the proportion of cortical thymic epithelial cells evidently increased;the level of IL-7 significantly increased(P＜0.01).Conclusions Bazi Bushen capsule can delay thymic degeneration,inhibit cell ap-optosis in thymus and promote thymic cell development in SAMP6 mice,which may be related to increasing the proportion of cortical thymic epithelial cells and promoting IL-7 secretion.

Wearable spectral sensors are integrated smart devices consisting of flexible substrates,sensing and detection units,and analysis units.These sensors can track chemicals in human fluids including sweat,transdermal gases,wound secretions,subcutaneous mesenchymal fluids,tears,exhaled gases,and saliva quickly and non-invasively.Their application is crucial in drug analysis,disease diagnosis,and health monitoring.This paper summarized the literature studies of wearable colorimetric,fluorescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors since 2016,and reviewed the advancements in wearable spectroscopic sensors,focusing on their composition and applications in epidermal,ocular,and oral forms.Additionally,the future challenges and opportunities of wearable spectroscopic sensors were discussed,providing a reference for the design and development of wearable spectroscopic sensors.

Objective:To develop an integrated point-of-care testing (POCT) reagent for genotying respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and evaluate its performance.Methods:Specific primers and probes were designed based on the conserved sequences of the genomes of RSV A and B as well as ON1 and BA9 genotypes. The PCR reaction system and conditions were optimized. The vitrification technology of reagents and multiplex detection platform were integrated to develop the RSV genotyping POCT reagent. The sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and clinical performance of the product were then evaluated.Results:The sensitivity of the developed integrated RSV genotyping POCT reagent reached 500 copies/ml. It exhibited good specificity with no cross-reaction with clinically similar pathogens. The coefficient of variation of Ct values for both inter-batch and intra-batch reproducibility was less than 5%, indicating good reproducibility. In testing 53 clinical samples, the detection results showed high consistency and concordance with the reference reagent, with a positive concordance rate of up to 98.11%.Conclusions:The developed integrated RSV genotyping POCT reagent incorporates nucleic acid extraction, purification, and detection into a single process, achieving a "sample in, result out" workflow. It is simple to operate and provides accurate, reliable, and stable detection results. This product can be used for the genotyping of RSV A and B in POCT, offering support for the prevention, control, and diagnosis of RSV.