Objective To evaluate the prognostic nutritional index(PNI)in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellites(T2DM)complicated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN).Methods A total of 300 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM from the Wenzhou People's Hospital during January 2017 to March 2023 were enrolled in this study.The patients were divided into uncomplicated DPN(n=214)and complicated DPN(n=86).The general data,biochemical indicators,PNI and other clinical indicators of the two groups were compared.According to PNI thirds,patients were divided into three groups:low,medium and high,comparing the proportion of DPN among the three groups;Logistic regression calculated the risk of DPN in different groups;Drawing receiver operating characteristic curve to analyze PNI and other indicators to predict the value of DPN.Results Compared with the non-DPN group,patients had lower PNI in the DPN group(P＜0.05);lower PNI was associated with higher risk of DPN(P＜0.001).Area under the curve of PNI was 0.882(95％CI:0.841-0.923,P＜0.001),and better predictive value of PNI for DPN than the systemic immune inflammation index,the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio.Conclusion PNI is closely associated with the occurrence of DPN in newly diagnosed T2DM complicated,and PNI may be used as an important indicator for screening patients with T2DM complicated with DPN.

Psoriasis arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disease intricately linked to psoriasis (PsO), with a multifaceted etiology encompassing genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Characterized by complex clinical manifestations, PsA often follows a protracted course with a propensity for relapses, potentially culminating in joint deformity and disability. The condition is further complicated by associated comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease, uveitis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, which significantly diminish patients′ quality of life. Early detection and screening of PsA are crucial for its management and prevention of adverse outcomes. However, in China, there is a notable deficiency in the recognition and early diagnosis of PsA, with missed or incorrect diagnoses being relatively common. The consensus comprises four overarching statements and sixteen detailed recommendations, with the overarching goal of enhancing the early diagnosis and treatment of PsA by clinical physicians, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Objective To evaluate the prognostic nutritional index(PNI)in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellites(T2DM)complicated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN).Methods A total of 300 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM from the Wenzhou People's Hospital during January 2017 to March 2023 were enrolled in this study.The patients were divided into uncomplicated DPN(n=214)and complicated DPN(n=86).The general data,biochemical indicators,PNI and other clinical indicators of the two groups were compared.According to PNI thirds,patients were divided into three groups:low,medium and high,comparing the proportion of DPN among the three groups;Logistic regression calculated the risk of DPN in different groups;Drawing receiver operating characteristic curve to analyze PNI and other indicators to predict the value of DPN.Results Compared with the non-DPN group,patients had lower PNI in the DPN group(P＜0.05);lower PNI was associated with higher risk of DPN(P＜0.001).Area under the curve of PNI was 0.882(95％CI:0.841-0.923,P＜0.001),and better predictive value of PNI for DPN than the systemic immune inflammation index,the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio.Conclusion PNI is closely associated with the occurrence of DPN in newly diagnosed T2DM complicated,and PNI may be used as an important indicator for screening patients with T2DM complicated with DPN.

Psoriasis arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disease intricately linked to psoriasis (PsO), with a multifaceted etiology encompassing genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Characterized by complex clinical manifestations, PsA often follows a protracted course with a propensity for relapses, potentially culminating in joint deformity and disability. The condition is further complicated by associated comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease, uveitis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, which significantly diminish patients′ quality of life. Early detection and screening of PsA are crucial for its management and prevention of adverse outcomes. However, in China, there is a notable deficiency in the recognition and early diagnosis of PsA, with missed or incorrect diagnoses being relatively common. The consensus comprises four overarching statements and sixteen detailed recommendations, with the overarching goal of enhancing the early diagnosis and treatment of PsA by clinical physicians, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Background::Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is purported to accurately distinguish uric acid stones from non-uric acid stones. However, whether DECT can accurately discriminate ammonium urate stones from uric acid stones remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to explore whether they can be accurately identified by DECT and to develop a radiomics model to assist in distinguishing them.Methods::This research included two steps. For the first purpose to evaluate the accuracy of DECT in the diagnosis of uric acid stones, 178 urolithiasis patients who underwent preoperative DECT between September 2016 and December 2019 were enrolled. For model construction, 93, 40, and 109 eligible urolithiasis patients treated between February 2013 and October 2022 were assigned to the training, internal validation, and external validation sets, respectively. Radiomics features were extracted from non-contrast CT images, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm was used to develop a radiomics signature. Then, a radiomics model incorporating the radiomics signature and clinical predictors was constructed. The performance of the model (discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness) was evaluated.Results::When patients with ammonium urate stones were included in the analysis, the accuracy of DECT in the diagnosis of uric acid stones was significantly decreased. Sixty-two percent of ammonium urate stones were mistakenly diagnosed as uric acid stones by DECT. A radiomics model incorporating the radiomics signature, urine pH value, and urine white blood cell count was constructed. The model achieved good calibration and discrimination {area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC; 95% confidence interval [CI]), 0.944 (0.899–0.989)}, which was internally and externally validated with AUCs of 0.895 (95% CI, 0.796–0.995) and 0.870 (95% CI, 0.769–0.972), respectively. Decision curve analysis revealed the clinical usefulness of the model.Conclusions::DECT cannot accurately differentiate ammonium urate stones from uric acid stones. Our proposed radiomics model can serve as a complementary diagnostic tool for distinguishing them in vivo.

The incidence of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fracture (OTLVF) in the elderly is gradually increasing. The kyphotic deformity caused by various factors has become an important characteristic of OTLVF and has received increasing attention. Its clinical manifestations include pain, delayed nerve damage, sagittal imbalance, etc. Currently, the definition and diagnosis of OTLVF with kyphotic deformity in the elderly are still unclear. Although there are many treatment options, they are controversial. Existing guidelines or consensuses pay little attention to this type of fracture with kyphotic deformity. To this end, the Lumbar Education Working Group of the Spine Branch of the Chinese Medicine Education Association and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized the experts in the relevant fields to jointly develop Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fractures with kyphotic deformity in the elderly ( version 2024), based on evidence-based medical advancements and the principles of scientificity, practicality, and advanced nature, which provided 18 recommendations to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective:To explore the differences on clinical characteristics, concomitant diseases and treatment status between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and provide clues for the early diagnosis and treatment of PsA.Methods:Data were collected by in-person interview of 225 patients with psoriasis and 299 patients with PSA who visited the department of rheumatology and Immunology and Department of Dermatology in People′s Hospital of Peking University from November 2020 to May 2021. After informed consent, the questionnaire was completed on site. The differences of clinical characteristics, concomitant diseases, mental health evaluation and treatment status between patients with arthritis (PsA) and patients with psoriasiswere analyzed and compared. Enumeration data were described by frequency. Chi square test was used to compare categorical variables. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors. P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:Dactylitis [ OR(95% CI)=8.439(4.677,15.226), P<0.001], hip pain [ OR(95% CI)=3.442(1.829,6.480), P<0.001], heel pain [ OR(95% CI)=2.621(1.652,4.157), P<0.001] and low back pain [ OR(95% CI)=1.924(1.156,3.203), P=0.012] may be closely related to the progression of PsA ( P<0.05). The three most common concomitant diseases of patients with PsA and psoriasis both were overweight [43.1%(129/299)、29.3%(66/225)], fatty liver [(28.4%(85/299)、23.1%(52/225)]and hypertension[24.1%(72/299、13.3%(30/225)]. The proportion of osteoporosis in PsA group at the age of 30-39 and 40-49 years old was significantly higher than those in psoriasis group (30-39 years old:12.5%(10/80) vs 1.5%(1/65), χ2=6.14, P=0.013; 40~49 years old: 19.2%(15/78) vs 2.0%(1/51), χ2=8.46, P=0.004]. The proportion of hypertension in PsA group was also higher than that in psoriasis group at the age of 40~49 years old[7.0% (21/78) vs 2.7%(6/51), χ2=4.99, P=0.026)]. And the proportion of fatty liver in PsA group was also higher than that in psoriasis group at the age ≥60 years old [(46.0%(23/50) vs 29.1(7/24), χ2=4.99, P=0.025)]. Among 299 PsA patients, 47.1%(141/299) had anxiety tendency, 45.2%(135/299) had sleep disorder and 41.8%(125/299) had depression tendency. Among 225 psoriasis patients, 44.4%(100/225) had anxiety tendency, 40%(90/225) had sleep disorder and 36.9%(83/225) had depression tendency, there was no significant difference in above-mentioned situations between the PsA and psoriasis patients ( P>0.05). Conclusion:More attention should be paid to the management of concomitant diseases and psychological intervention in patients with PsA. When psoriasis patients occur with heel pain, dactylitis, low back pain and hip pain, the risk of development into PsA should be considered.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the regulatory effect of berberine on autophagy and apoptosis balance of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) from patients with in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and explore the mechanism. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 μmol/L berberine on RA-FLS proliferation was assessed using CCK-8 method. Annexin V/PI and JC-1 immunofluorescence staining was used to analyze the effect of berberine (30 μmol/L) on apoptosis of 25 ng/mL TNF-α- induced RA-FLSs, and Western blotting was performed to detect the changes in the expression levels of autophagy- and apoptosis-related proteins. The cells were further treated with the autophagy inducer RAPA and the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine to observe the changes in autophagic flow by laser confocal detection of mCherry-EGFP-LC3B. RA-FLSs were treated with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) mimic H₂O₂ or the ROS inhibitor NAC, and the effects of berberine on ROS, mTOR and p-mTOR levels were observed. RESULTS: The results of CCK-8 assay showed that berberine significantly inhibited the proliferation of RA-FLSs in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometry and JC-1 staining showed that berberine (30 μmol/L) significantly increased apoptosis rate (P < 0.01) and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential of RA-FLSs (P < 0.05). Berberine treatment obviously decreased the ratios of Bcl-2/Bax (P < 0.05) and LC3B-II/I (P < 0.01) and increased the expression of p62 protein in the cells (P < 0.05). Detection of mCherry-EGFP-LC3B autophagy flow revealed obvious autophagy flow block in berberine-treated RA-FLSs. Berberine significantly reduced the level of ROS in TNF-α-induced RA-FLSs and upregulated the expression level of autophagy-related protein p-mTOR (P < 0.01); this effect was regulated by ROS level, and the combined use of RAPA significantly reduced the pro-apoptotic effect of berberine in RA-FLSs (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Berberine can inhibit autophagy and promote apoptosis of RA-FLSs by regulating the ROS-mTOR pathway.
Humans ; Synoviocytes ; Berberine/metabolism* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism* ; Sincalide/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Apoptosis ; Fibroblasts ; Autophagy ; Cells, Cultured

Background and Objectives: Despite advances in wound treatments, chronic diabetic wounds remain a significant medi-cal challenge. Exosomes from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and small molecule activators of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) have emerged as potential therapies for nonhealing diabetic wounds. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of exosomes from bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) alone, or in combination with a small molecule activator of Nrf2 on diabetic wound healing. Methods: and Results: BMSCs and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were isolated from the femur and tibia bone marrow of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and culture-expanded. Exosomes were harvested from the BMSC culture supernatants through ultracentrifugation. The effects of the exosomes and Nrf2 knockdown, alone or in combination, on EPC tube formation were evaluated. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats bearing a fresh full-thickness round wound were treated with the exosomes alone, or in combination with a lentiviral shRNA targeting Nrf2 (Lenti-sh-Nrf2) or tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), a small molecule activator of Nrf2. Two weeks later, wound closure, re-epithelization, collagen deposition, neovascularization, and local inflammation were evaluated. BMSC exosomes promoted while Nrf2 knockdown inhibited EPC tube formation. BMSC exosomes accelerated wound closure, re-epithelization, collagen deposition, and neovascularization, and reduced wound inflammation in diabetic rats. These regenerative and anti-inflammatory effects of the exosomes were inhibited by Lenti-sh-Nrf2 but enhanced by tBHQ administration. Conclusions BMSC exosomes in combination with a small molecule Nrf2 activator hold promise as a new therapeutic option for chronic diabetic wounds.

Background and Objectives: Venous thromboembolism (VTE), consisting of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is highly prevalent in in-hospital HF patients and contributes to worse prognoses. However, the risk of VTE in out-patients with HF in long-term period is controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between HF and the risk of VTE in a long-term follow-up duration. Methods: We searched for studies investigating the risk of VTE, PE, and DVT in patients with HF before April 15, 2020, in PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases. Cohort studies and post hoc analysis of RCTs were eligible for inclusion if they reported relative risk of VTE, DVT or PE in patients with HF in more than 3-month follow-up period. Results: We identified 31 studies that enrolled over 530,641 HF patients. Overall, patients with HF were associated with an increased risk of VTE (risk ratio [RR]=1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.34–1.84) and PE (RR=2.00, 95% CI=1.38–2.89). However, the risk of DVT was not significantly increased in HF patients (RR=1.33, 95% CI=0.67–2.63). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with chronic HF (RR=1.54, 95% CI=1.32–1.80) had a higher risk of VTE than those with acute HF (RR=0.95, 95% CI=0.68–1.32). Conclusions In conclusion, HF was an independent risk for VTE and PE but not DVT in a longterm follow-up period. Patients with chronic HF were prone to suffer from VTE than acute HF.