1.Distritution Characteristics of TCM Syndromes and Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Efficacy in 2506 Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Different Course of Disease:A Real-World Retrospective Study
Zhengyao SHEN ; Jingtao LI ; Yuchen YANG ; Shujuan ZHANG ; Quan JIANG ; Xun GONG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(23):2453-2459
ObjectiveTo investigate the syndrome evolution patterns, characteristics of the used herbal medicinals, and efficacy variations across different stages of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progression. MethodsBased on the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN), 2,506 RA patients were retrospectively enrolled and categorized into <6 months group (166 cases), 6 months to <5 years group (1063 cases), 5 to <20 years group (1067 cases), and ≥20 years group (210 cases). Syndromes were differentiated before and after traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment, including damp-heat obstruction, wind-damp obstruction, cold-damp obstruction, blood stasis obstructed in the collaterals, phlegm-stasis obstruction, liver-kidney insufficiency, qi and blood deficiency, and qi-yin deficiency. The syndrome evolution rate was calculated for high-frequency syndromes before and after treatment. Analysis was conducted on top 20 frequently used Chinese herbs at the first diagnosis. Clinical efficacy of the 28-joint disease activity score based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) and 28-joint disease activity score based on C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) before and after treatment were assessed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors affecting the efficacy of TCM treatment. ResultsPatients with course of disease shorter than 6 months predominantly presented with cold-dampness obstruction syndrome (49/166, 29.5%), wind-dampness obstruction syndrome (46/166, 27.7%), and dampness-heat obstruction syndrome (43/166, 25.9%). For patients with course of disease logner than 6 months and shorter than 5 years and those within 5 to 20 years, the dominant syndrome was dampness-heat obstruction syndrome (324/1063, 30.5% and 318/1067, 29.8%, respectively). In patients with disease duration ≥20 years, liver-kidney insufficiency syndrome and dampness-heat obstruction syndrome both predominated, each accounting for 25.24% (53/210). The syndromes with more than 100 cases before treatment and a syndrome evolution rate greater than 10% after treatment were dampness-heat obstruction (201/738, 27.2%), liver-kidney insufficiency (119/367, 32.4%), and phlegm-stasis obstruction syndromes (73/172, 42.4%). These were classified as high-frequency syndromes. After treatment, damp-heat obstruction syndrome and liver-kidney insufficiency syndrome primarily evolved into wind-damp obstruction syndrome, while phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome evolved into damp-heat obstruction and cold-damp obstruction syndrome. The top two commonly used Chinese herbs across all groups were Gancao (Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae) and Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba). In the <6 months group and the 6 months to <5 years group, high-frequency herbs also included Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae), Duhuo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), and Qianghuo (Radix et Rhizoma Notopterygii). In the 5 to <20 years group and the ≥20 years group, the usage of Huangqi (Radix Astragali), Fuling (Poria), Niuxi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), and Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) increased, while the proportion of Fangfeng and Duhuo decreased. After treatment, the DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP scores in all groups significantly decreased (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in clinical efficacy based on DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP across all groups (P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression revealed significantly reduced treatment efficacy in the 6 months-5 years group (OR=0.4), 5~20 years group (OR=0.5), and ≥20 years group (OR=0.4) compared to the <6 months group. ConclusionRA syndromes follow a progression pattern from excess to deficiency, with corresponding transition in herbal usage from pathogen-eliminating to healthy qi-reinforcing approaches. TCM intervention can significantly reduce disease activity of RA, with superior efficacy in patients with disease duration shorter than 6 months.
2.Strategies and Recommendations for the Development of Clinical Machine Learning Predictive Models
Zhengyao HOU ; Jinqi LI ; Yong YANG ; Mengting LI ; Hao SHEN ; Huan CHANG ; Xinyu LIU ; Bo DENG ; Guangjie GAO ; Yalin WEN ; Shiyue LIANG ; Yanqiu YU ; Shundong LEI ; Xingwei WU
Herald of Medicine 2024;43(12):2048-2056
Objective To propose strategies for developing clinical predictive models,aiming to assist researchers in conducting standardized clinical prediction model studies.Methods Literature review was conducted to summarize the operational steps and content for developing clinical predictive models.Then,a methodological framework was summarized and refined through expert consultation.Results The 11-step methodological framework for developing clinical predictive models was obtained by synthesizing the experience of 456 clinical predictive modeling studies and expert consultation,and the details were analyzed and elaborated.Conclusions This study presents methodological strategies and recommendations for the development of clinical predictive models,intended to serve as a guide for researchers.
3.Curative Effect of Tripterygium wilfordii Polyglycoside Tablets in Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Real World Based on Propensity Score Matching
Xieli MA ; Quan JIANG ; Xun GONG ; Congmin XIA ; Chuanhui YAO ; Tian CHANG ; Zixia LIU ; Yuchen YANG ; Jiameng LIU ; Zhengyao SHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(18):125-131
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside tablets (TWP) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the real world. MethodDiagnosis and treatment data of patients with RA in Chinese medicine rheumatology registration research information platform information database (CERTAIN) from January 1,2019 to January, 2024 were collected. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, data were screened. The included data were divided into an exposure group and a control group according to the use of TWP or not. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used in both groups to keep the baseline balanced and comparable. The disease activity score (DAS28-ESR) of 28 joints based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)before and after treatment was compared between the two groups, as well as health assessment questionnaire (HAQ),visual analogue scale (VAS),tender joint count (TJC),swollen joint count (SJC), patient's global assessment (PGA),evaluator's global assessment (EGA),laboratory indexes, clinical curative effect, and adverse reactions. ResultA total of 3 978 patients were included,including 929 in the exposure group and 3 049 in the control group. Before PSM,there were significant differences in demographic information,DAS28-ESR score,PGA,EGA,HAQ,VAS scores,SJC, and TJC between the two groups (P<0.05). After successful PSM matching,922 patients in the exposure group and 922 patients in the control group were included. There was no significant difference in demographic information and DAS28-ESR between the two groups before treatment,and the differences in other indexes between the two groups decreased to varying degrees. After treatment,the DAS28-ESR,PGA,EGA,HAQ,SJC,TJC,VAS scores, ESR,and IgG immune index of the two groups were significantly lower (P<0.01). Compared with those in the control group after treatment,the DAS28-ESR,PGA,EGA,HAQ,VAS scores, and ESR in the exposure group after treatment decreased more significantly (P<0.05,P<0.01). There was no significant difference in TJC in the exposure group after treatment. However, TJC in the exposure group was significantly higher than that in the control group before treatment (P<0.05). In terms of TJC reduction,the exposure group performed better than the control group. There was no significant difference in SJC and IgG between the exposure group and the control group after treatment. After treatment,the clinical symptoms of poor appetite,insomnia and many dreams,upset,fatigue,and fear of wind and cold in the two groups were improved. Except that the proportion of women in the exposure group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01),there was no significant difference in the incidence of other adverse reactions between the two groups after treatment. ConclusionTWP to treat RA can effectively reduce DAS28-ESR,PGA,EGA,HAQ,TJC,and VAS scores and improve the general symptoms. Except for the women at childbearing age with fertility requirements that TWP is not applicable,it shows good security.
4.Exploration of management system for hospital localized high-throughput sequencing
Zhengyao XIE ; Siyuan LIU ; Ziyao LIU ; Yiqiang CHEN ; Jingjing LI ; Jie SHEN
Chinese Journal of Hospital Administration 2023;39(11):862-866
High-throughput sequencing has the characteristics of complex experimental procedures, multiple quality control nodes, and a high proportion of bioinformatics technology. It is difficult to uniformly management and reuse the related detection samples and data. In May 2023, a tertiary hospital launched the construction of a localized high-throughput sequencing management system. Based on the design principles of security, friendliness, compatibility, and scalability, the management system had established three core modules: standardized data collection integration, clinical high-throughput sequencing full process management, and scientific research services, as well as a large clinical high-throughput sequencing database of hospital. By connecting with big data storage devices, local and third-party high-throughput sequencing detection platforms, sample libraries, and user terminals, this system broke down the data barriers of high-throughput sequencing related systems and devices, and met the different application scenarios of physician users, technician users, management users, and scientific research users in the hospital. As of October 2023, the system had been integrated with two high-throughput sequencing manufacturer devices in a public network environment and hospital information systems in an internal network environment, improving data retrieval efficiency and achieving closed-loop management of high-throughput sequencing detection projects preliminary, which can provided references for promoting the standardized management of high-throughput sequencing projects in hospitals in China.

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