OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect and safety of acupuncture manipulation on treatment of intractable facial paralysis (IFP), and verify the practicality and precision of the Anzhong Facial Paralysis Precision Scale (Eyelid Closure Grading Scale, AFPPS-ECGS). METHODS: A multicentre, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from October 2022 to June 2024. Eighty-nine IFP participants were randomly assigned to an ordinary acupuncture group (OAG, 45 cases) and a characteristic acupuncture group (CAG, 44 cases) using a random number table method. The main acupoints selected included Yangbai (GB 14), Quanliao (SI 18), Yingxiang (LI 20), Shuigou (GV 26), Dicang (ST 4), Chengjiang (CV 24), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Jiache (ST 6), Fengchi (GB 20), and Hegu (LI 4). The OAG patients received ordinary acupuncture manipulation, while the CAG received characteristic acupuncture manipulation. Both groups received acupuncture treatment 3 times a week, with 10 times per course, lasting for 10 weeks. Facial recovery was assessed at baseline and after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd treatment course by AFPPS-ECGS and the House-Brackmann (H-B) Grading Scale. Infrared thermography technology was used to observe the temperature difference between healthy and affected sides in various facial regions. Adverse events and laboratory test abnormalities were recorded. The correlation between the scores of the two scales was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: After the 2nd treatment course, the two groups showed statistically significant differences in AFPPS-ECGS scores (P<0.05), with even greater significance after the 3rd course (P<0.01). Similarly, H-B Grading Scale scores demonstrated significant differences between groups following the 3rd treatment course (P<0.05). Regarding temperature measurements, significant differences in temperatures of frontal and ocular areas were observed after the 2nd course (P<0.05), becoming more pronounced after the 3rd course (P<0.01). Additionally, mouth corner temperature differences reached statistical significance by the 3rd course (P<0.05). No safety-related incidents were observed during the study. Correlation analysis revealed that the AFPPS-ECGS and the H-B Grading Scale were strongly correlated (r=0.86, 0.91, 0.93, and 0.91 at baseline, and after 1st, 2nd, and 3rd treatment course, respectively, all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture is an effective treatment for IFP, and the characteristic acupuncture manipulation enhances the therapeutic effect. The use of the AFPPS-ECGS can more accurately reflect the recovery status of patients with IFP. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR2200065442).
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Facial Paralysis/therapy* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Acupuncture Points ; Aged

This study aimed to comprehensively examine the association of gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to estimate the observational associations of gallstones and cholecystectomy with cancer risk, using data from a nationwide cohort involving 239 799 participants. General and gender-specific two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was further conducted to assess the causalities of the observed associations. Observationally, a history of gallstones without cholecystectomy was associated with a high risk of stomach cancer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50-4.28), liver and bile duct cancer (aOR=2.46, 95% CI 1.17-5.16), kidney cancer (aOR=2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.94), and bladder cancer (aOR=2.23, 95% CI 1.01-5.13) in the general population, as well as cervical cancer (aOR=1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56) in women. Moreover, cholecystectomy was associated with high odds of stomach cancer (aOR=2.41, 95% CI 1.29-4.49), colorectal cancer (aOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.18-2.85), and cancer of liver and bile duct (aOR=2.58, 95% CI 1.11-6.02). MR analysis only supported the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer. This study added evidence to the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer, highlighting the importance of cancer screening in individuals with gallstones.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Gallstones/complications* ; Female ; Male ; Cholecystectomy/statistics & numerical data* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Aged ; Adult ; Neoplasms/etiology* ; Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiology*

Langerhans cell histiocytosis of bone is a rare tumor disease characterized by the large accumulation of CD1a⁺ and CD207⁺ dendritic cells in tissues of unknown cause.It mainly occurs in children aged 1-4 years old,with incidences of 4-6 per million in children and 1-2 per million in adults.Due to its low incidence,diverse clinical manifestations,and no obvious specificity of imaging manifestations,the definitive diagnosis and early treatment of this type of tumor are challenging.In this paper,we report 8 cases of Langerhans cell histiocytosis of bone and review the relevant literature published in the past five years to summarize the clinical characteristics,pathological features,diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of this disease.
Humans ; Bone Diseases/therapy* ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell/therapy*

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

Background/Aims: Low educational attainment is a well-established risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in developed areas. However, the association between educational attainment and the risk of NAFLD is less clear in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study including over 200,000 Chinese adults across mainland China was conducted. Information on education level and lifestyle factors were obtained through standard questionnaires, while NAFLD and advanced fibrosis were diagnosed using validated formulas. Outcomes included the risk of NAFLD in the general population and high probability of fibrosis among patients with NAFLD. Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the risk of NAFLD and fibrosis across education levels. A causal mediation model was used to explore the potential mediators. Results: Comparing with those receiving primary school education, the multi-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD were 1.28 (1.16 to 1.41) for men and 0.94 (0.89 to 0.99) for women with college education after accounting for body mass index. When considering waist circumference, the odds ratios (95% CIs) were 0.94 (0.86 to 1.04) for men and 0.88 (0.80 to 0.97) for women, respectively. The proportions mediated by general and central obesity were 51.00% and 68.04% for men, while for women the proportions were 48.58% and 32.58%, respectively. Furthermore, NAFLD patients with lower educational attainment showed an incremental increased risk of advanced fibrosis in both genders. Conclusions In China, a low education level was associated with a higher risk of prevalent NAFLD in women, as well as high probability of fibrosis in both genders.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (D-FISH) detection without sorting and CD138 immunomagnetic bead sorting technology combined with FISH (MACS-FISH) on cytogenetic analysis of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: FISH test results of 229 patients with initial MM were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups, 140 patients were tested with D-FISH and 89 patients with MACS-FISH. The combination probe was designed as P53, D13S319, RB1, 1q21, and IgH. Cytogenetic detection results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The total detection rate of cytogenetic abnormalities in D-FISH group was 52.9%, and that in MACS-FISH group was 79.8%. There was a significant difference in the cytogenetic abnormality rate between the two groups (P=0.020). The abnormal genes with the highest detection rate in the two groups were 1q21 and IgH, respectively, while the lowest was P53. There was no significant difference in the percentage of P53 positive cells (positive rate) between the two groups, while D13S319, RB1, 1q21, and IgH showed significant difference in positive cell rate (P=0.0002, P<0.0001, P=0.0033, P=0.0032). There was no significant correlation between the proportion of plasma cells (PC) detected by bone marrow morphology and cytogenetic abnormality rate in the D-FISH group, while there was a correlation between the proportion of PC detected by flow cytometry and cytogenetic abnormality rate (r=0.364). The PC proportion detected by bone marrow morphology and flow cytometry in the MACS-FISH group had no correlation with the cytogenetic abnormality rate and positive cell rate of the 5 genes mentioned above. Additionally, the PC proportion detected by bone marrow morphology and flow cytometry showed significant difference (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION CD138 immunomagnetic bead sorting combined with FISH technology can significantly improve the abnormality detection rate of MM cytogenetics.
Chromosome Aberrations ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence/methods* ; Multiple Myeloma/genetics* ; Retrospective Studies ; Syndecan-1/immunology* ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics*

Objective: To analyze the clinical epidemiological characteristics including composition of pathogens , clinical characteristics, and disease prognosis acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) in Chinese children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical and laboratory data of 1 610 children <15 years of age with ABM in 33 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2019 to December 2020. Patients were divided into different groups according to age,<28 days group, 28 days to <3 months group, 3 months to <1 year group, 1-<5 years of age group, 5-<15 years of age group; etiology confirmed group and clinically diagnosed group according to etiology diagnosis. Non-numeric variables were analyzed with the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, while non-normal distrituction numeric variables were compared with nonparametric test. Results: Among 1 610 children with ABM, 955 were male and 650 were female (5 cases were not provided with gender information), and the age of onset was 1.5 (0.5, 5.5) months. There were 588 cases age from <28 days, 462 cases age from 28 days to <3 months, 302 cases age from 3 months to <1 year of age group, 156 cases in the 1-<5 years of age and 101 cases in the 5-<15 years of age. The detection rates were 38.8% (95/245) and 31.5% (70/222) of Escherichia coli and 27.8% (68/245) and 35.1% (78/222) of Streptococcus agalactiae in infants younger than 28 days of age and 28 days to 3 months of age; the detection rates of Streptococcus pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae were 34.3% (61/178), 14.0% (25/178) and 13.5% (24/178) in the 3 months of age to <1 year of age group; the dominant pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae and the detection rate were 67.9% (74/109) and 44.4% (16/36) in the 1-<5 years of age and 5-<15 years of age . There were 9.7% (19/195) strains of Escherichia coli producing ultra-broad-spectrum β-lactamases. The positive rates of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture and blood culture were 32.2% (515/1 598) and 25.0% (400/1 598), while 38.2% (126/330)and 25.3% (21/83) in CSF metagenomics next generation sequencing and Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen detection. There were 4.3% (32/790) cases of which CSF white blood cell counts were normal in etiology confirmed group. Among 1 610 children with ABM, main intracranial imaging complications were subdural effusion and (or) empyema in 349 cases (21.7%), hydrocephalus in 233 cases (14.5%), brain abscess in 178 cases (11.1%), and other cerebrovascular diseases, including encephalomalacia, cerebral infarction, and encephalatrophy, in 174 cases (10.8%). Among the 166 cases (10.3%) with unfavorable outcome, 32 cases (2.0%) died among whom 24 cases died before 1 year of age, and 37 cases (2.3%) had recurrence among whom 25 cases had recurrence within 3 weeks. The incidences of subdural effusion and (or) empyema, brain abscess and ependymitis in the etiology confirmed group were significantly higher than those in the clinically diagnosed group (26.2% (207/790) vs. 17.3% (142/820), 13.0% (103/790) vs. 9.1% (75/820), 4.6% (36/790) vs. 2.7% (22/820), χ²=18.71, 6.20, 4.07, all P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the unfavorable outcomes, mortility, and recurrence between these 2 groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The onset age of ABM in children is usually within 1 year of age, especially <3 months. The common pathogens in infants <3 months of age are Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae, and the dominant pathogen in infant ≥3 months is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Subdural effusion and (or) empyema and hydrocephalus are common complications. ABM should not be excluded even if CSF white blood cell counts is within normal range. Standardized bacteriological examination should be paid more attention to increase the pathogenic detection rate. Non-culture CSF detection methods may facilitate the pathogenic diagnosis.
Adolescent ; Brain Abscess ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Meningitis, Bacterial/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Streptococcus agalactiae ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Subdural Effusion ; beta-Lactamases

Objective:To summarize the experience of surgical methods without repairing the fistula for 92 cases with gastrointestinal intrathoracic fistula.Methods:The surgical methods without repairing the fistula were performed through VATS, small incision assisted with VATS or thoracotomy. The focus of the surgery was to promote lung expansion, eliminate the residual cavity of chest cavity and keep effective drainage. After entering the chest cavity from the affected side, wash chest cavity with a large amount of warm normal saline and sterilize intermittently with iodophor to ensure the sterile environment in the pus cavity. Then completely remove the pleural cellulose or fiberboard on visceral pleura to promote lung expansion, eliminate the residual cavity of the chest cavity. The fistula was covered tightly and supported firmly by the visceral pleura on the lung. Multiple T-tubes were placed in thoracic cavity and fistula to keep effective postoperative drainage.Results:Among 92 cases, 85 cases were cured and the cure rate was 92.4% (85/92).7 cases died and the mortality rate was 7.61% (7/92). The 7 dead cases include 5 cases with esophagogastric anastomotic fistula (the death of 3 cases was cause by aortic esophagogastric fistula, the death of 1 case was cause by thoracic gastric tracheal fistula and 1 case was dead because of pulmonary infection and respiratory failure), 1 case with esophageal rupture (the cause of death was septic shock ), and 1 case with esophageal perforation(the cause of death was pulmonary infection and respiratory failure).Conclusion:Most of the surgeries without repairing gastrointestinal intrathoracic fistula are conducted simply through VATS or small incision assisted with VATS., which is safe and effective.

Objective: To examine the outcomes of Slide tracheoplasty for the children with severe congenital tracheal stenosis received previous repeated balloon dilatation or metal stent placement under endoscopy. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 9 children with congenital tracheal stenosis undergoing previous interventional therapy under tracheoscopy and later received Slide tracheoplasty due to obvious respiratory symptoms at Department of Cardiac Surgery, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University between February 2017 and July 2021. There were 7 males and 2 females with a median age at operation of 72.4 months (range: 13.3 to 98.9 months), and the median weight was 19.0 kg (range: 9.0 to 33.0 kg). Among the 9 patients, 2 patients began to receive repeated balloon dilatation (more than 3 times) 17.8 and 51.8 months ago respectively. One patient received metal stents placement into the trachea for 4 days and the other 6 children for median 56.8 months (range: 21.6 to 74.2 months). Complete tracheal cartilage rings and long segmental stenosis were present. in all 9 children. Operative details and outcome measures, including the need for endoscopic airway intervention and mortality, were collected. Results: Slide tracheoplasty was performed in all cases. Two patients with repeated balloon dilatation had different thickness of tracheal wall, local scar hyperplasia and irregular lumen. Among them, 1 case had obvious local calcification of tracheal wall, which was difficult to suture. The metal stent in one patient with short time of placement was completely removed. However, only part of the metal stents could be removed due to the long placement time in the other 6 cases. There was no operative death in the 9 children. The median postoperative tracheal intubation time was 25.3 hours (range: 17.4 to 74.5 hours). A silicone stent was placed in the trachea of 1 child due to obvious respiratory symptoms. Follow-up of median 11 months (range: 1 to 23 months) showed that no death occurred after discharge and all children had basically normal activity tolerance with no obvious respiratory symptoms. Conclusions: Slide tracheoplasty is feasible for children undergoing prior balloon dilatation or metal stents placement. Previously repeated balloon dilatation or metal stent placement under endoscopy increased the difficulty of slide tracheoplasty, the metal stent could not be completely removed after a long time.
Child ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Trachea/surgery* ; Tracheal Stenosis/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome