Objective:To explore the feasibility of using a simplified multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) for the diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1.Methods:Data from 158 patients with narcolepsy type 1 and 58 patients with non-type 1 narcolepsy who underwent overnight video-polysomnography (V-PSG) and MSLT in the Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University from March 2019 to April 2024 were retrospectively collected. By reducing the number of naps in the MSLT, the diagnostic consistency between the simplified MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The DeLong test was used to compare whether there was a statistically significant difference between the simplified MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT. Cohen′s Kappa statistical analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic consistency between the simplified MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT.Results:The age of the 216 patients who were ultimately enrolled was 17 (13, 30) years, including 152 male patients (70.4%). The Cohen′s Kappa between the simplified 3-nap MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT was 0.875, which was 0.903 between the simplified 4-nap MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT (Bonferroni-corrected, both P0.001), indicating high and statistically significant agreement for both simplified protocols with the standard test. However, the DeLong test revealed that the area under the curve of the standard 5-nap MSLT (0.900, 95% CI 0.863-0.938) differed significantly from that of the simplified 3-nap MSLT (0.860, 95% CI 0.817-0.904; P0.05), whereas no significant difference was observed between the standard 5-nap MSLT and the simplified 4-nap MSLT (0.876, 95% CI 0.834-0.918; P0.05). Consequently, performing only the first 4 naps was sufficient for diagnosing narcolepsy type 1. Conclusion:The simplified 4-nap MSLT, specifically the first to fourth naps, may be used for the diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of airway mucus plugging in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).Methods:This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. A total of 322 hospitalized AECOPD patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from February 2023 to February 2025 were enrolled. Based on chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings of airway mucus plugging, patients were classified into mucus plugging and non-mucus plugging groups. General and clinical data were collected, including age, sex, disease duration, smoking and alcohol history, comorbidities, number of acute exacerbations in the past year, routine blood tests, biochemical indices, pulmonary function, and pathogen detection. The incidence of airway mucus plugging in AECOPD patients was calculated, and differences in baseline characteristics, laboratory parameters, and pulmonary function between the two groups were compared. Logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for mucus plugging, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive value of relevant indicators.Results:Of the 322 enrolled patients, 87(27.02%) were found to have airway mucus plugging. Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the mucus plug group and the non-plug group in the following parameters (all P<0.05): body mass index (BMI), disease duration, smoking status, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification, modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, frequency of acute exacerbations, neutrophil percentage, absolute lymphocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, fibrin(ogen) degradation products, D-dimer, Aspergillus infection rate, percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to predicted value (FEV 1%pred), ratio of FEV 1 to forced vital capacity (FEV 1/FVC), and percentage of maximal mid-expiratory flow to predicted value (MMEF 75/25%pred). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the following as independent risk factors for airway mucus plugs (all P<0.05): elevated CRP ( OR=1.022, 95% CI: 1.013-1.036), decreased albumin ( OR=0.891, 95% CI: 0.825-0.959), Aspergillus infection ( OR=1.774, 95% CI: 1.366-2.317), and reduced MMEF 75/25%pred value ( OR=0.978, 95% CI: 0.964-0.990). ROC curve analysis showed that the combined predictive model incorporating CRP, albumin, Aspergillus infection, and MMEF 75/25%pred had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.776(95% CI: 0.714-0.838), which was superior to each individual indicator alone, with AUCs of 0.721 for CRP, 0.687 for albumin, 0.579 for Aspergillus infection, and 0.631 for MMEF 75/25%pred. Conclusions:AECOPD patients with airway mucus plugging exhibit higher inflammatory markers, poorer nutritional status, a higher likelihood of Aspergillus infection, worse pulmonary function, and poorer prognosis. Aspergillus infection, elevated CRP, decreased albumin, and reduced MMEF 75/25%pred are independent risk factors for mucus plugs in AECOPD.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of airway mucus plugging in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).Methods:This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. A total of 322 hospitalized AECOPD patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from February 2023 to February 2025 were enrolled. Based on chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings of airway mucus plugging, patients were classified into mucus plugging and non-mucus plugging groups. General and clinical data were collected, including age, sex, disease duration, smoking and alcohol history, comorbidities, number of acute exacerbations in the past year, routine blood tests, biochemical indices, pulmonary function, and pathogen detection. The incidence of airway mucus plugging in AECOPD patients was calculated, and differences in baseline characteristics, laboratory parameters, and pulmonary function between the two groups were compared. Logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for mucus plugging, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive value of relevant indicators.Results:Of the 322 enrolled patients, 87(27.02%) were found to have airway mucus plugging. Univariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the mucus plug group and the non-plug group in the following parameters (all P<0.05): body mass index (BMI), disease duration, smoking status, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification, modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, frequency of acute exacerbations, neutrophil percentage, absolute lymphocyte count, lymphocyte percentage, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, fibrin(ogen) degradation products, D-dimer, Aspergillus infection rate, percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to predicted value (FEV 1%pred), ratio of FEV 1 to forced vital capacity (FEV 1/FVC), and percentage of maximal mid-expiratory flow to predicted value (MMEF 75/25%pred). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the following as independent risk factors for airway mucus plugs (all P<0.05): elevated CRP ( OR=1.022, 95% CI: 1.013-1.036), decreased albumin ( OR=0.891, 95% CI: 0.825-0.959), Aspergillus infection ( OR=1.774, 95% CI: 1.366-2.317), and reduced MMEF 75/25%pred value ( OR=0.978, 95% CI: 0.964-0.990). ROC curve analysis showed that the combined predictive model incorporating CRP, albumin, Aspergillus infection, and MMEF 75/25%pred had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.776(95% CI: 0.714-0.838), which was superior to each individual indicator alone, with AUCs of 0.721 for CRP, 0.687 for albumin, 0.579 for Aspergillus infection, and 0.631 for MMEF 75/25%pred. Conclusions:AECOPD patients with airway mucus plugging exhibit higher inflammatory markers, poorer nutritional status, a higher likelihood of Aspergillus infection, worse pulmonary function, and poorer prognosis. Aspergillus infection, elevated CRP, decreased albumin, and reduced MMEF 75/25%pred are independent risk factors for mucus plugs in AECOPD.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of using a simplified multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) for the diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1.Methods:Data from 158 patients with narcolepsy type 1 and 58 patients with non-type 1 narcolepsy who underwent overnight video-polysomnography (V-PSG) and MSLT in the Sleep Center, Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University from March 2019 to April 2024 were retrospectively collected. By reducing the number of naps in the MSLT, the diagnostic consistency between the simplified MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The DeLong test was used to compare whether there was a statistically significant difference between the simplified MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT. Cohen′s Kappa statistical analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic consistency between the simplified MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT.Results:The age of the 216 patients who were ultimately enrolled was 17 (13, 30) years, including 152 male patients (70.4%). The Cohen′s Kappa between the simplified 3-nap MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT was 0.875, which was 0.903 between the simplified 4-nap MSLT and the standard 5-nap MSLT (Bonferroni-corrected, both P0.001), indicating high and statistically significant agreement for both simplified protocols with the standard test. However, the DeLong test revealed that the area under the curve of the standard 5-nap MSLT (0.900, 95% CI 0.863-0.938) differed significantly from that of the simplified 3-nap MSLT (0.860, 95% CI 0.817-0.904; P0.05), whereas no significant difference was observed between the standard 5-nap MSLT and the simplified 4-nap MSLT (0.876, 95% CI 0.834-0.918; P0.05). Consequently, performing only the first 4 naps was sufficient for diagnosing narcolepsy type 1. Conclusion:The simplified 4-nap MSLT, specifically the first to fourth naps, may be used for the diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1.

Objective:To establish a rapid quantitative PCR (qPCR) technique for Mycobacterium marinum skin infections, and to analyze its clinical diagnostic efficiency. Methods:DNA was extracted from Mycobacterium marinum colonies and serially diluted (10 -1 to 10 -8). Twelve pairs of previously reported primers and probes, as well as 6 pairs of newly designed primers and probes in this study, were used for qPCR amplification to identify the most sensitive primers and probes for the detection of Mycobacterium marinum. Skin lesion tissues were collected from 72 patients with confirmed Mycobacterium marinum infections (experimental group) and 68 with other mycobacterial infections (control group) at Shandong Provincial Hospital for Skin Diseases & Shandong Provincial Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences in 2021. These skin tissues were subjected to qPCR amplification, interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), acid-fast staining, and tissue culture to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy. Results:The newly designed primers and probes targeting the mycobacterial enhanced infection locus 2 (Mel2) demonstrated the highest sensitivity, with a detection limit of 0.86 copies/μl (cycle threshold value = 37) ; the qPCR amplification with the Mel2 primers/probes did not yield positive results when used for the detection of other mycobacteria (including Mycobacterium leprae and Staphylococcus spp) . Among the 72 patients in the experimental group, 44 were positive for qPCR with a sensitivity of 61.1% (95% CI: 49.6% - 71.5%), and 47 were positive for culture with a sensitivity of 65.2% (95% CI: 53.8% - 75.3%) ; all the 68 controls were negative for both qPCR and culture, with their specificities both being 100%. Among 65 patients subjected to IGRA, 31 were positive with a sensitivity of 47.7% (95% CI: 36.0% - 59.6%), while 16 out of 25 controls were negative for IGRA with a specificity of 64.0% (95% CI: 44.5% - 79.8%). Among 58 patients subjected to acid-fast staining, 37 were positive with a sensitivity of 63.8% (95% CI: 50.9% - 74.9%), and 52 out of 66 controls were negative for acid-fast staining with a specificity of 78.8% (95% CI: 67.5% - 86.9%). The combination of qPCR and culture resulted in a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 100% for the detection of Mycobacterium marinum. Conclusion:In this study, a highly sensitive qPCR assay was developed for the detection of Mycobacterium marinum, and its combination with culture could further improve the detection sensitivity.

Objective:To explore the electro-clinical characteristics of sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE) in rapid eye movement (REM) stage.Methods:Five patients of SHE in REM stage were studied and followed up in the Electroencephalogram Monitoring Center, Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, the Air Force Military Medical University, from January 2016 to August 2021.Results:Among the 5 patients, there are 3 male patients, aged 21 to 46 years. A total of 23 seizures were monitored in 5 patients, of which 22 occurred in REM sleep and 1 occurred in non-REM Ⅲ sleep. Each attack lasted from 30 seconds to 1 minute, and was manifested as "hyperkinetic attack" during sleep, with or without disturbance of consciousness. There were no obvious abnormalities in electroencephalography during 13 attacks, with the focal sharp slow waves or slow waves during 9 attacks, and the focal slow waves occurrence at the end of the 10 attacks.Conclusion:Most of the hypermotor epileptic seizures in REM stage started from awakening reaction, and the interictal discharges occured in waking and non-REM sleep stage, which is necessary to distinguish from the REM sleep behavior disorder.