Chronic heart failure （CHF） is a clinical syndrome characterized by impaired ventricular ejection function due to cardiac abnormalities， representing the terminal stage of most cardiovascular diseases. With its rising prevalence and significant impact on patients' quality of life， CHF has emerged as a major global public health concern. Current Western medicine treatments mainly involve the oral administration of the "new quadruple therapy" drugs and diuretics. Despite substantial progress in pathological research and clinical treatment， challenges persist， including considerable side effects， drug resistance， and marked interindividual variability in therapeutic response. Therefore， exploring and leveraging the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in treating CHF has become an urgent research priority. TCM has a millennia-long history in the prevention and treatment of heart failure， accumulating extensive clinical experience. Characterized by its multi-component and multi-target properties， TCM enables holistic regulation of multiple systemic functions and intervention in the progression of heart failure， demonstrating significant clinical relevance in its management. By employing therapeutic strategies such as warming Yang， promoting diuresis， replenishing Qi， nourishing Yin， and activating blood circulation， TCM effectively improves myocardial fibrosis， inhibits oxidative stress responses， enhances myocardial contractility， and ameliorates ventricular remodeling. Modern proprietary Chinese medicines derived from classic formulas， based on the theoretical foundation of traditional prescriptions， not only exhibit favorable clinical efficacy but also offer notable advantages in convenience， stability， and safety. This review systematically examined the significant therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of classical TCM formulas in the treatment of CHF， and provided an overview of the clinical application of modern proprietary Chinese medicines. It aims to provide new strategies for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CHF.

Chronic heart failure （CHF） is the final stage of cardiovascular diseases. It is a complex syndrome， with dyspnea and edema as the main clinical manifestations， and it is characterized by complex disease conditions， difficult cure， and high mortality. Ferroptosis， a new type of programmed cell death， is different from other types of programmed cell death. Ferroptosis is iron-dependent， accompanied by lipid peroxide accumulation and mitochondrial shrinkage， becoming a hot research topic. Studies have confirmed that ferroptosis plays a key role in the occurrence and development of CHF. The regulation of ferroptosis may become a potential target for the treatment of CHF in the future. The theory of Qi deficiency and stagnation refers to the pathological state of original Qi deficiency and abnormal transportation and distribution of Qi， blood， and body fluid， which has guiding significance for revealing the pathogenesis evolution of some chronic diseases. We believe that Qi deficiency and stagnation is a summary of the pathogenesis of ferroptosis in CHF. Deficiency of Qi （heart Qi） is the root cause of CHF， and stagnation （phlegm turbidity and blood stasis） is the branch of this disease. The two influence each other in a vicious circle to promote the development of this disease. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） plays an important role in the treatment of CHF， improving the prognosis and quality of life of CHF patients. This paper explores the correlation between the theory of Qi deficiency and stagnation and the mechanism of ferroptosis in CHF. Furthermore， this paper reviews the mechanism of Chinese medicines and compound prescriptions in preventing and treating CHF by regulating ferroptosis according to the principles of replenishing Qi and dredging to remove stagnation， aiming to provide new ideas and methods for the treatment of CHF with TCM.

BACKGROUND: Severe stroke has high rates of mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to investigate the clinical course, causes of worsening, and outcomes of severe ischemic stroke. METHODS: This prospective, multicenter cohort study enrolled adult patients admitted ≤30 days after ischemic stroke from nine hospitals in China between September 2017 and December 2019. Severe stroke was defined as a score of ≥15 on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Clinical worsening was defined as an increase of 4 in the NIHSS score from baseline. Unfavorable functional outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale score ≥3 at 3 months and 1 year after stroke onset, respectively. We performed Logistic regression to explore baseline features and reperfusion therapies associated with clinical worsening and functional outcomes. RESULTS: Among 4201 patients enrolled, 854 patients (20.33%) had severe stroke on admission. Of 3347 patients without severe stroke on admission, 142 (4.24%) patients developed severe stroke in hospital. Of 854 patients with severe stroke on admission, 33.95% (290/854) experienced clinical worsening (median time from stroke onset: 43 h, Q1-Q3: 20-88 h), with brain edema (54.83% [159/290]) as the leading cause; 24.59% (210/854) of these patients died by 30 days, and 81.47% (677/831) and 78.44% (633/807) had unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months and 1 year respectively. Reperfusion reduced the risk of worsening (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.12-0.49, P  <0.01), 30-day death (adjusted OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.11-0.41, P  <0.01), and unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months (adjusted OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08-0.68, P <0.01) and 1 year (adjusted OR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.50, P  <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one-fifth of patients with ischemic stroke had severe neurological deficits on admission. Clinical worsening mainly occurred in the first 3 to 4 days after stroke onset, with brain edema as the leading cause of worsening. Reperfusion reduced the risk of clinical worsening and improved functional outcomes. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03222024.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Ischemic Stroke/mortality* ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Stroke ; Brain Ischemia

Objective:To analyze the color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) features of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) at different stages.Methods:A retrospective study. A total of 104 patients with 201 eyes from Department of Ophthalmology of Beijing Tongren Hospital who were hospitalized for fundus examination and diagnosed with FEVR from 2018 to 2022 were included. There were 69 male cases with 133 eyes and 35 female cases with 68 eyes. The age was ranged from 2 months to 11 years, with a mean age of 2.9 years. Fundus and CDFI examination were performed in both eyes. Fluorescein fundus angiography was performed in 72 cases (144 eyes). FEVR staging was conducted according to literature standards. The presence of avascular areas in the peripheral retina or abnormal retina neovascularization was stage 1; the presence of retinal neovascularization at the vitreoretinal interface in the avascular area was stage 2; partial retinal detachment without macula involvement was stage 3; partial retinal detachment involving the macula was stage 4; complete retinal detachment was stage 5. The CDFI ultrasound features of FEVR at different stages were analyzed. The CDFI image features of FEVR patients in different stages were observed.Results:Among the 104 patients, 97 (93.3%, 97/104) cases were binocular and 7 (6.7%, 7/104) cases were monocular. In 201 eyes, stages 1 to 5 of FEVR were 49 (24.4%, 49/201), 23 (11.4%, 23/201), 39 (19.4%, 39/201), 71 (35.3%, 71/201), and 19 (9.5%, 19/201) eyes, respectively. CDFI examination showed no abnormality or mild vitreous opacity in 49 eyes vitreous body at stage 1. Vitreous opacities were observed in all 23 eyes in stage 2, and the echo of the temporal ballwall was not smooth. In 39 eyes at stage 3, the anterior globular cluster echo in temporal peripheral eyes was observed in 17 eyes and partial retinal detachment was observed in 13 eyes. In 71 eyes at stage 4, 51 eyes had temporal or infratemporal retinal folds, and 20 eyes had temporal retinal detachment. All the 19 eyes in stage 5 had total retinal detachment, of which 15 eyes had closed "funnel-shaped" retinal detachment. Among the patients with retinal folds, 13 had bilateral folds, and the fellow eyes of the other 25 patients with unilateral folds all had vitreous opacity or clump echo in front of the temporal spherical wall. Blood flow signals could be detected on the retinal folds with Doppler imaging.Conclusions:The CDFI manifestations of FEVR patients at different stages have different characteristics. The possibility of FEVR should be considered when the temporal or infratemporal retinal folds of both eyes are present, as well as the retinal folds of one eye, the contralateral vitreous body opacity, or the anterior temporal peribulbar cluster echoes are present.

Objective To explore the value of MR T2WI-spectral attenuated inversion recovery(T2WI-SPAIR)sequence and dif-fusion tensor imaging(DTI)in the recovery process of vertebral compression fractures over time.Methods Three patients aged 60-75 years with a clear time and mechanism of injury were selected.They underwent conventional MR sequences and DTI scans at eight time points.The morphological and signal changes of the fractured vertebrae on T2WI-SPAIR sequences were dynamically observed.Statistical analysis was performed on the apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)and fractional anisotropy(FA)of the fractured verte-brae and adjacent normal vertebrae.Results T2WI-SPAIR sequence showed that the vertebral morphology gradually worsened from the initial mild compression changes over time after vertebral fracture.Local bone collapse occurred at the upper edge of the verte-brae at>7-9 weeks,followed by stabilization.The initially diffuse and uniform high signal of the fractured vertebrae gradually changed a mixed signal,stabilizing around>9-12 weeks.Statistical analysis results revealed significant differences in ADC values between>1-2 weeks,>3-5 weeks,and>9-12 weeks post-fracture(P<0.05).Significant differences in FA values were also observed between≤1 week,>1-2 weeks,>3-5 weeks,>12 weeks,and>9-12 weeks post-fracture(P<0.05).Furthermore,ADC and FA values between the fractured and normal vertebrae also showed significant differences within the first 12 weeks post-fracture(P<0.05).Conclusion The T2WI-SPAIR sequence demonstrates specific patterns of morphological and signal changes dur-ing the recovery process of fractured vertebrae.Changes in DTI parameters,including ADC and FA values,in self-comparison within the fracture zone and comparison with normal regions,follow certain patterns.These findings can provide reliable imaging evidence for clinicians to make treatment decisions and estimate the time of vertebral injury.

Objective To explore the value of MR T2WI-spectral attenuated inversion recovery(T2WI-SPAIR)sequence and dif-fusion tensor imaging(DTI)in the recovery process of vertebral compression fractures over time.Methods Three patients aged 60-75 years with a clear time and mechanism of injury were selected.They underwent conventional MR sequences and DTI scans at eight time points.The morphological and signal changes of the fractured vertebrae on T2WI-SPAIR sequences were dynamically observed.Statistical analysis was performed on the apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)and fractional anisotropy(FA)of the fractured verte-brae and adjacent normal vertebrae.Results T2WI-SPAIR sequence showed that the vertebral morphology gradually worsened from the initial mild compression changes over time after vertebral fracture.Local bone collapse occurred at the upper edge of the verte-brae at>7-9 weeks,followed by stabilization.The initially diffuse and uniform high signal of the fractured vertebrae gradually changed a mixed signal,stabilizing around>9-12 weeks.Statistical analysis results revealed significant differences in ADC values between>1-2 weeks,>3-5 weeks,and>9-12 weeks post-fracture(P<0.05).Significant differences in FA values were also observed between≤1 week,>1-2 weeks,>3-5 weeks,>12 weeks,and>9-12 weeks post-fracture(P<0.05).Furthermore,ADC and FA values between the fractured and normal vertebrae also showed significant differences within the first 12 weeks post-fracture(P<0.05).Conclusion The T2WI-SPAIR sequence demonstrates specific patterns of morphological and signal changes dur-ing the recovery process of fractured vertebrae.Changes in DTI parameters,including ADC and FA values,in self-comparison within the fracture zone and comparison with normal regions,follow certain patterns.These findings can provide reliable imaging evidence for clinicians to make treatment decisions and estimate the time of vertebral injury.

The drug resistance of the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae(CRE)strains was mainly induced by multiple approaches such as production of carbapenemases,increase of bacterial outer membrane permeability,activation of active efflux pump system,formation of biofilm and drug modifying mechanisms.Those mecha-nisms involve deletion,mutation,insertion and posttranscriptional modification of relevant encoding genes,which may affect the susceptibility of the CRE strains to antibiotics.At present,the conventional clinical thera-pies include the use of traditional antibiotics,either the one-drug use or combined use of drugs.The development of novel antibacterial therapy is under way.The epidemiological characteristics of CRE infections,drug resist-ance mechanisms,current and prospective treatment strategies for CRE infections(covering new application of the drugs in available,the novel drugs such as ceftazidime/avibactam,meropenem/vaborbactam and imipenem/rele-bactam)were deeply reviewed in this article,so as to provide reliable reference for clinical prevention,control and treatment of CRE infections.

The drug resistance of the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae(CRE)strains was mainly induced by multiple approaches such as production of carbapenemases,increase of bacterial outer membrane permeability,activation of active efflux pump system,formation of biofilm and drug modifying mechanisms.Those mecha-nisms involve deletion,mutation,insertion and posttranscriptional modification of relevant encoding genes,which may affect the susceptibility of the CRE strains to antibiotics.At present,the conventional clinical thera-pies include the use of traditional antibiotics,either the one-drug use or combined use of drugs.The development of novel antibacterial therapy is under way.The epidemiological characteristics of CRE infections,drug resist-ance mechanisms,current and prospective treatment strategies for CRE infections(covering new application of the drugs in available,the novel drugs such as ceftazidime/avibactam,meropenem/vaborbactam and imipenem/rele-bactam)were deeply reviewed in this article,so as to provide reliable reference for clinical prevention,control and treatment of CRE infections.

Objective:To analyze the color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) features of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) at different stages.Methods:A retrospective study. A total of 104 patients with 201 eyes from Department of Ophthalmology of Beijing Tongren Hospital who were hospitalized for fundus examination and diagnosed with FEVR from 2018 to 2022 were included. There were 69 male cases with 133 eyes and 35 female cases with 68 eyes. The age was ranged from 2 months to 11 years, with a mean age of 2.9 years. Fundus and CDFI examination were performed in both eyes. Fluorescein fundus angiography was performed in 72 cases (144 eyes). FEVR staging was conducted according to literature standards. The presence of avascular areas in the peripheral retina or abnormal retina neovascularization was stage 1; the presence of retinal neovascularization at the vitreoretinal interface in the avascular area was stage 2; partial retinal detachment without macula involvement was stage 3; partial retinal detachment involving the macula was stage 4; complete retinal detachment was stage 5. The CDFI ultrasound features of FEVR at different stages were analyzed. The CDFI image features of FEVR patients in different stages were observed.Results:Among the 104 patients, 97 (93.3%, 97/104) cases were binocular and 7 (6.7%, 7/104) cases were monocular. In 201 eyes, stages 1 to 5 of FEVR were 49 (24.4%, 49/201), 23 (11.4%, 23/201), 39 (19.4%, 39/201), 71 (35.3%, 71/201), and 19 (9.5%, 19/201) eyes, respectively. CDFI examination showed no abnormality or mild vitreous opacity in 49 eyes vitreous body at stage 1. Vitreous opacities were observed in all 23 eyes in stage 2, and the echo of the temporal ballwall was not smooth. In 39 eyes at stage 3, the anterior globular cluster echo in temporal peripheral eyes was observed in 17 eyes and partial retinal detachment was observed in 13 eyes. In 71 eyes at stage 4, 51 eyes had temporal or infratemporal retinal folds, and 20 eyes had temporal retinal detachment. All the 19 eyes in stage 5 had total retinal detachment, of which 15 eyes had closed "funnel-shaped" retinal detachment. Among the patients with retinal folds, 13 had bilateral folds, and the fellow eyes of the other 25 patients with unilateral folds all had vitreous opacity or clump echo in front of the temporal spherical wall. Blood flow signals could be detected on the retinal folds with Doppler imaging.Conclusions:The CDFI manifestations of FEVR patients at different stages have different characteristics. The possibility of FEVR should be considered when the temporal or infratemporal retinal folds of both eyes are present, as well as the retinal folds of one eye, the contralateral vitreous body opacity, or the anterior temporal peribulbar cluster echoes are present.

Heart failure （HF） is a group of syndromes caused by cardiac dysfunction with impaired ventricular pumping， seriously affecting patients' health and quality of life. The pathogenesis of HF is complex， including myocardial contractility decline， myocardial fibrosis， and ventricular remodeling， and it is related to neuroendocrine regulation， inflammation， and cardiomyocyte autophagy. Autophagy is a key regulatory mechanism by which cells degrade themselves to maintain body homeostasis. In the process of HF， moderate autophagy can remove aging and damaged cardiomyocytes and maintain the balance of myocardial energy metabolism， while abnormal autophagy may lead to functional decline and pathological changes of cardiomyocytes. The adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway is one of the classical pathways regulating autophagy. This pathway can mediate the autophagy of cardiomyocytes and play a role in protecting the cardiac function and delaying HF progression. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） with a long history has a unique theoretical system and shows satisfactory therapeutic effects and wide application prospects amid the integration with modern medicine. The clinical practice of TCM has accumulated rich experience in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. A large number of studies have shown that the active components and compound prescriptions of TCM and Chinese patent medicines can mediate autophagy by regulating the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway to treat HF. This article explains the role of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway-mediated autophagy in the treatment of HF， introduces the understanding of autophagy， AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway， and HF based on TCM theories， and reviews the research progress in the regulation of autophagy by TCM in the treatment of HF via the AMPK/mTOR pathway. This review is expected to tap the potential of TCM in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases， provide theoretical support for subsequent experimental studies， and demonstrate the advantages of TCM in clinical practice to achieve more accurate treatment.