Objective:To investigate the effects of short-term olfactory training and visual stimulation on olfactory recognition function and quality of life in patients following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).Methods:A total of 80 patients who underwent FESS in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University between December 2023 and February 2024 were enrolled in this study. The cohort comprised 67 males and 13 females, aged from 17 to 75 years. Participants were randomly allocated to either a control group ( n=40) or an experimental group ( n=40). The participants in control group received routine postoperative management, including nasal irrigation, oral antibiotics and glucocorticoids, topical budesonide nasal spray, and hypertonic saline solution for 12 weeks. In addition to the standard care, the participants in experimental group underwent olfactory-visual stimulation training starting 24 hours postoperatively, lasting for 2 weeks. The olfactory identification test (OIT), visual analogue scale (VAS) for olfaction and Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders of Life (QOD-QoL, hereafter referred to as QOD) were administered preoperatively. Follow-up assessments were performed 2 weeks and 3 months postoperatively, with the same tests repeated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and GraphPad Prism 7 statistical software. Results:There was no significant difference in preoperative OIT, VAS, and QOD scores between the two groups. The olfactory recognition function of some patients was improved after removing the packing material 24 hours after FESS surgery. The OIT scores of 2 weeks post-surgery were significantly higher than preoperative values in both groups (the experimental group Z=-4.73, P<0.001; the control group Z=-4.73, P<0.001). Participants in both groups showed improvements in olfactory VAS and QOD scores (experimental group Z value was -2.88 and -5.45, P<0.01 and<0.001, respectively; the control group Z value was -4.42 and -5.50, respectively, both P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the VAS score between the two groups ( Z=-0.68, P=0.499). The paticipants in experimental group showed greater improvement in OIT and greater reduction in QOD scores compared to the control group ( Z=-2.19, P=0.029; Z=-2.99, P=0.003). There was no significant difference in the decrease of olfactory VAS between the two groups ( Z=-0.02, P=0.988). There were no statistically significant differences of all patients in VAS, OIT and QOD scores at 2 weeks and 3 months after surgery (experimental group Z value was -0.91, -0.90 and -1.43, respectively, all P>0.05; control group Z value was -1.21, -0.84 and -0.91, respectively, all P>0.05). At 3 months post-surgery, the OIT scores in the experimental group were higher, the QOD scores were lower than those in the control group ( Z=-2.89, P=0.004; Z=-2.87, P=0.004). Conclusion:Short-term olfactory-visual stimulation training in the early postoperative period of FESS significantly improves the olfactory recognition function and enhances the quality of life of patients.

Objective:To investigate the effects of short-term olfactory training and visual stimulation on olfactory recognition function and quality of life in patients following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).Methods:A total of 80 patients who underwent FESS in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University between December 2023 and February 2024 were enrolled in this study. The cohort comprised 67 males and 13 females, aged from 17 to 75 years. Participants were randomly allocated to either a control group ( n=40) or an experimental group ( n=40). The participants in control group received routine postoperative management, including nasal irrigation, oral antibiotics and glucocorticoids, topical budesonide nasal spray, and hypertonic saline solution for 12 weeks. In addition to the standard care, the participants in experimental group underwent olfactory-visual stimulation training starting 24 hours postoperatively, lasting for 2 weeks. The olfactory identification test (OIT), visual analogue scale (VAS) for olfaction and Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders of Life (QOD-QoL, hereafter referred to as QOD) were administered preoperatively. Follow-up assessments were performed 2 weeks and 3 months postoperatively, with the same tests repeated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and GraphPad Prism 7 statistical software. Results:There was no significant difference in preoperative OIT, VAS, and QOD scores between the two groups. The olfactory recognition function of some patients was improved after removing the packing material 24 hours after FESS surgery. The OIT scores of 2 weeks post-surgery were significantly higher than preoperative values in both groups (the experimental group Z=-4.73, P<0.001; the control group Z=-4.73, P<0.001). Participants in both groups showed improvements in olfactory VAS and QOD scores (experimental group Z value was -2.88 and -5.45, P<0.01 and<0.001, respectively; the control group Z value was -4.42 and -5.50, respectively, both P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the VAS score between the two groups ( Z=-0.68, P=0.499). The paticipants in experimental group showed greater improvement in OIT and greater reduction in QOD scores compared to the control group ( Z=-2.19, P=0.029; Z=-2.99, P=0.003). There was no significant difference in the decrease of olfactory VAS between the two groups ( Z=-0.02, P=0.988). There were no statistically significant differences of all patients in VAS, OIT and QOD scores at 2 weeks and 3 months after surgery (experimental group Z value was -0.91, -0.90 and -1.43, respectively, all P>0.05; control group Z value was -1.21, -0.84 and -0.91, respectively, all P>0.05). At 3 months post-surgery, the OIT scores in the experimental group were higher, the QOD scores were lower than those in the control group ( Z=-2.89, P=0.004; Z=-2.87, P=0.004). Conclusion:Short-term olfactory-visual stimulation training in the early postoperative period of FESS significantly improves the olfactory recognition function and enhances the quality of life of patients.

Objective: To determine the level of Soluble Suppression of Tumorigenicity-2 (sST2) in patients with heart failure(HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF), and to explore its diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with HF and AF. Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out to investigate the data of 185 HF patients who were hospitalized between January 2018 and June 2018 in department of cardiology or department of cardiac care unit in TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital. And according to whether they had atrial fibrillation before admission, we categorized patients into: HF with sinus rhythm (HF-SR, n=90) and HF with AF(HF-AF, n=95). Meanwhile, 40 healthy controls were collected. Baseline data of HF-SR and HF-AF groups and plasma sST2 levels in different ejection fraction groups were compared. Plasma sST2 level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Statistical methods such as nonparametric test and Spearman correlation analysis were used. The receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to evaluate the diagnostic value of sST2 in HF-SR and HF-AF groups. And by using the COX risk model, Multi-factor COX analysis was used to analyze the prognosis of patients. Results: Compared with healthy controls, the median (P₂₅, P₇₅) of Plasma sST2 levels in HF patients increased remarkably [32.93 (20.31-51.39) ng/mL vs 15.99(7.97-22.69) ng/mL, Z=-4.373, P<0.001]. Patients with HF-AF group had significantly higher test results [39.86 (27.20-59.21)] ng/mL than HF-SR group [24.74 (14.83-44.11)] ng/mL, Z=-6.783, P<0.001].In the HFmrEF and HFpEF subgroups, the plasma sST2 level of patients in the HF-AF group was higher than that in the HF-SR group (Z=-2.381, P=0.017; Z=-3.701, P<0.001).Spearman correlation analysis showed that, in HF-AF patients, plasma sST2 level was positively correlated with diastolic blood pressure, Hypertension, New York Association (NYHA) cardiac function classification Ⅲ to Ⅳ, white blood count(WBC), and the level of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Υ-glutamine transaminase (Υ-GT), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (r>0, P<0.05).Also, there is a negative correlation between sST2, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) (r<0, P<0.05). At ROC analysis, sST2 showed predictive value in both HF-AF and HF-SR group, with an optimal cut-off value of 25.33 ng/mL(AUC 0.872, 95%CI: 0.805-0.935, P<0.001, sensitivity 81.1%, specificity 87.5%) and 23.34 ng/mL(AUC 0.665, 95%CI: 0.570-0.761, P<0.001, sensitivity 55.6%, specificity 77.5%).The AUC of BNP and sST2 in differential diagnosis of HF-SR and HF-AF was 0.604 and 0.699, respectively, and the AUC of sST2 was higher than that of BNP. Multi-factor COX analysis indicated that plasma sST2 level, BNP, NYHA cardiac function grading could be risk factors for cardiac events in HF patients. Plasma sST2, left atrial diameter (LA-D), and associated cardiomyopathy are risk factors for cardiac events in patients with HF-AF. The incidence of cardiac events in HF patients with sST2≥20.31 ng/mL was significantly higher than that of patients with sST2<20.31 ng/mL (χ²=7.625, P=0.006). The incidence of cardiac events in HF-AF patients with plasma sST2≥39.86 ng/mL was significantly higher than that in patients with sST2<39.86 ng/mL (χ²=4.287, P=0.038). Conclusions The plasma sST2 level in patients with HF-AF is significantly higher than that both in HF-SR and healthy controls. The diagnostic value of plasma sST2 in patients with HF-AF is higher than that in patients with HF-SR. It is suggested that sST2 are more valuable for the differential diagnosis of HF-SR, HF-AF than BNP. HF-AF Patients with plasma sST2 ≥ 39.86 ng/mL are prone to cardiovascular events.

Objective To investigate the lipid hepatoprotective effect of silibinin on high fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) rat model and provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of silibinin on NAFL.Methods The NAFL rat model was established by administration of high fat emulsion and high fat diet.Rats in control group was treated with saline and normal diet.The model rats were randomly divided into model group,simvastatin (positive drug,1.8 mg/kg) group,Silibinin groups with low,middle and high doses (18.9,37.8 and 75.6 mg/kg).From the fifth week,NAFLrats were treated with different drugsonce a day for eight weeks.All rats were anaesthetized after final administration,Livertissues were weighed for the calculation of hepatic coefficient The hepatic morphology was observed through HE staining.Serum was obtained from abdominal aortic blood for detection of triglyceride separation (TG),total cholesterol (TC),high density lipoprotein (HDL),low-density lipoprotein (LDL),aspartate aminotransferase (AST),and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.Results After eight-week treatment,compared with model group,middle and high doses of silibinin could significantly improve the hepatic steatosis.The levels of hepatic coefficient,serum TC,TG,AST and ALT in rats treated with individual dose of Silibinin were significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05,0.01).Particularly,high dose of silibinin significantly reduced LDL level whereas elevated HDL level in serum (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Silibinin has a therapeutic effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver rats,and possible mechanism is related to lipid-lowering and hepatic protection.