Objective:To evaluate the predictive value of postnatal esophageal deviation index for clinical outcomes of fetuses with left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (L-CDH).Methods:This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 103 neonates with prenatally diagnosed L-CDH who were admitted to Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from January 2016 to February 2023. These patients were divided into the survival group ( n=82) and the death group ( n=21) according to the outcomes, and the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) group ( n=25) and the non-ECMO group ( n=78) according to whether ECMO support was required. Thoracoabdominal X-ray screening was performed on all neonates within 24 h after admission and the esophageal deviation index and cardiac deviation index were calculated. Independent sample t-test or Fisher's exact probability test were used to analyze the differences in general condition and postnatal imaging features between different groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of postnatal imaging features in predicting the prognosis of L-CDH. Results:The esophageal deviation index and the cardiac deviation index of neonates in the survival group were lower than those in the death group [(10.5±5.3)% vs. (18.0±4.5)%, t=－5.47; (37.7±7.1)% vs. (42.8±8.2)%, t=－2.62; both P<0.05], while that were both higher in the ECMO group compared with the non-ECMO group [(18.0±4.3)% vs. (10.1±5.2)%, t=6.34; (42.4±7.9)% vs. (37.6±7.1)%, t=2.63; both P<0.05]. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for predicting the need for ECMO support was 0.879 (95% CI: 0.805-0.953) for esophageal deviation index and 0.712 (95% CI: 0.570-0.854) for cardiac deviation index, with the optimal cut-off values of 11.7% and 41.7%, respectively. The AUC for predicting the survival rate in patients with L-CDH by esophageal deviation index and cardiac deviation index were 0.854 (95% CI: 0.761-0.947) and 0.735 (95% CI: 0.582-0.887), respectively, with the corresponding optimal cut-off values of 15.8% and 41.7%. Conclusion:Postnatal esophageal deviation index is of value in predicting the need for ECMO support and survival rate in patients with L-CDH.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Xiaoqinglong Decoction Granules in the treatment of chronic persistent cold syndrome of bronchial asthma; To explore its treatment mechanism.Methods:A randomized double-blind controlled study was performed. Totally 60 patients from the Respiratory Department of Guang'anmen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2021 to January 2022 were selected as the observation subjects. They were divided into two groups using a random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. The control group was given conventional treatment plus placebo, and the experimental group was given conventional treatment plus Xiaoqinglong Decoction Granules. The treatment for both group lasted for 14d. TCM syndromes and clinical symptoms before and after treatment were scored. Asthma Control Test Questionnaire (ACT) was used to evaluate asthma control status, and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini AQLQ) was used to evaluate the physiological and psychological effects of asthma on patients; FEV1 was detected using a German Jaeger lung function instrument FEV1/FVC. A exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) detection instrument was used to observe the changes in FeNO at a flow rate of 50 ml/s, and non-targeted metabolomics analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS); adverse reactions were observed during treatment and drug safety was evaluated.Results:Eventually 47 cases were included, 24 cases of test group and of 23 cases of control group. Xiaoqinglong Decoction Granules could reduce the TCM syndrome score of patients with chronic duration cold syndrome of asthma ( P<0.05). 2 weeks after treatment, follow up for 4 weeks experimental group clinical symptom score [3.00(1.00,4.00),3.00(0.00,4.00) vs. 3.5(3.00,5.00), Z=8.62], breathing symptom scores [1.00(0.00,1.00),1.00(0.00,1.00) vs. 1.00(0.75,2.00), Z=6.80], cough symptom score [0.50(0.00,1.00),1.00(0.00,1.00) vs. 1.00(0.00,1.25), Z=6.12] were lower than those in the experimental group before treatment in the same group ( P<0.01 or P<0.05). The ACT score of the experimental group at 4 weeks of follow-up was [22.50 (21.00, 24.00) vs. 9.00 (15.00, 21.50), Z=-4.87], Mini AQLQ score (78.5 ± 12.46 vs. 71.27 ± 9.70, t=-2.46) and the control group had an ACT score of [24.00 (19.00, 25.00) vs. 21.5 (8.00, 23.00) Z=-3.18] at 4 weeks of follow-up was higher than before treatment in the same group ( P<0.01 or P<0.05). The experimental group was followed up for 4 weeks with a FEV1 of [2.96 (2.27, 3.49) L vs. 2.60 (2.32, 3.49) L, Z=-3.72], FEV1/FVC [(80.83 ± 6.84)% vs. (77.46 ± 8.15)%, t=-2.32] and FeNO [24.00 (12.50, 31.00) ppb vs. 30.00 (17.00, 91.00) ppb, Z=-3.72] was higher than before treatment in the same group ( P<0.01 or P<0.05). Through LC-MS technique analysis, there were 75 kinds of different metabolites between the experimental group before and after treatment, and 295 kinds of different metabolites between the control group and the experimental group after treatment. Further intersection of differential metabolites showed that they were mainly concentrated in histidine metabolic pathway, phosphonate metabolic pathway and phosphate metabolic pathway. Related metabolites 2-aminoethyl phosphonate and thiomalonic acid were involved. Conclusions:Xiaoqinglong Decoction Granules can effectively improve the TCM syndrome and clinical symptoms of patients with chronic persistent cold syndrome of asthma, especially for wheezing, cough and chest tightness, which can improve the levels of FEV1 and FEV1/FVC in patients and effectively reduce FeNO. Through metabolomics studies, it is speculated that Xiaoqinglong Decoction Granules may play a role in the treatment of asthma by regulating histidine metabolism pathway through thiomalonic acid.

Objective:To study the risk factors of surgical therapy in neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).Methods:From January 2016 to July 2020, neonates with a confirmed diagnosis of NEC (Bell's Stage Ⅱ and above) admitted to our hospital were retrospectively enrolled. They were assigned into surgical group and conservative group according to whether surgeries were performed. The conditions during perinatal period, clinical characteristics and laboratory examinations at the onset of NEC were compared between the two groups. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors of surgical therapy.Results:A total of 177 neonates with NEC were identified, including 62 cases (35.0%) in the surgical group and 115 cases (65.0%) in the conservative group. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that male gender ( OR=3.178,95% CI 1.457~6.929, P=0.004), comorbidity with shock ( OR=3.434, 95% CI 1.112~10.607, P=0.032), mechanical ventilation>7 d before NEC onset ( OR=3.663, 95% CI 1.098~12.223, P=0.035) and lymphocytes <2.0×10 9/L ( OR=4.121, 95% CI 1.801~9.430, P=0.001) at the onset of NEC were independent risk factors for surgical therapy. Conclusions:Male gender, comorbidity with shock, mechanical ventilation >7 d before NEC and lymphocytopenia at the onset are independent risk factors for surgical therapy in neonates with NEC (Stage Ⅱ and above).

Objective This study aims to comprehensively investigate the molecular characteristics of the predominant circulating Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) during the 2019 Dengue fever outbreak in Xishuangbanna, providing an essential insight to support the prevention and control of dengue fever in the local area. Methods A Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) strain, designated as JHS45, isolated from the blood of a febrile patient in Xishuangbanna in 2019, underwent a process of inoculation and cultivation in C6/36 cells. Second-generation sequencing was employed to capture the viral genetic sequence. Bioinformatics software, including CLC, was used for assembling the sequencing data. Sequentially, sequence alignment, construction of a phylogenetic tree, and analysis of amino acid sites were conducted using software such as Lasergene and MEGA6.1. Results Cytopathic effects of JHS45 appeared in C6/36 cells after 6 days. After sequencing and assembly, a 10 687-nucleotide (nt) long sequence of the JHS45 virus was obtained (GenBank accession number: OR593353). Genetic evolutionary analysis revealed that the JHS45 virus formed an evolutionary branch with DENV-1 genotype I viruses prevalent in Xishuangbanna, Guangzhou, Henan, and Zhejiang in China during 2019, as well as the DENV-1 genotype I virus prevalent in Thailand in 2013, with nucleotide homology of 97.6% to 99.9% and amino acid homology of 99.1% to 100%. Further analysis revealed that the JHS45 strain shared a smaller evolutionary branch with the DENV-1 genotype I viruses prevalent in Xishuangbanna (MW386863) and Guangzhou (MW261839) in 2019, showing the highest homology with nucleotide and amino acid homology of 99.9% and 100%, respectively. Amino acid differential site analysis between the JHS45 strain and the DENV-1 prevalent in Xishuangbanna since 2015 revealed 40 amino acid differential sites in the coding region of the JHS45 virus, primarily concentrated in the NS3 and NS5 regions of non-structural proteins. Conclusion The comprehensive analysis of the JHS45 strain's whole genome sequence indicates it is a DENV-1 genotype I virus. The genetic evolutionary relationship between this Xishuangbanna dengue fever outbreak is closely related to the prevalent virus strains in Xishuangbanna, Guangzhou, Henan, and Zhejiang. These findings provide a robust scientific foundation for monitoring dengue fever outbreaks, conducting virus evolution studies, and shaping effective prevention and control strategies, not only within Yunnan Province but also on a broader scale throughout China.

This article reported a case of kaposiform lymphangiomatosis (KLA) identified in the fetal stage and diagnosed at the neonatal stage. A routine ultrasound examination at 19 weeks of gestation showed multiple masses in the whole body of the fetus (involving neck, chest wall and armpit) complicated by pleural and peritoneal effusion. Shunting was performed to drain pleural effusion from the right chest in another hospital at 26 +5 weeks of gestation. The patient was born at 34 +3 weeks of gestation by cesarean section due to "intrauterine distress" and required invasive ventilator assisted ventilation support after birth because of respiratory distress. A large amount of hemorrhagic effusion was drained out during the shunting. Coagulation dysfunction and thrombocytopenia occurred on the 3rd day after birth and KLA was suspected. Empirical treatment with sirolimus turned out to be ineffective. Biopsy was taken on postnatal day 7. However, the patient died on the 12th day after birth due to respiratory and circulatory failure. Pathological findings obtained the day after death were consistent with the features of KLA. The diagnosis of KLA was confirmed based on the clinical manifestations and pathological results.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and management of right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (RCDH) with hepatopulmonary fusion (HPF).Methods:This retrospective study analyzed the clinical characteristics of three cases of RCDH complicated by HPF that were treated in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from June to December 2022. Diaphragm defects in the three cases were classified according to the international standard of diaphragm defect classification. Besides, an extensive search of publications was performed including domestic and foreign databases, including CNKI, Wanfang Database, Yiigle, VIP Chinese journals, PubMed, Embase and UpToDate databases from January 1997 to April 2023 using terms including "congenital diaphragmatic hernia" and "hepatopulmonary fusion". Clinical features and prognosis of RCDH complicated by HPF were summarized.Results:(1) Cases in the present study: RCDH was found in case 1 and case 2 during routine prenatal ultrasound examination; antenatal fetal MRI showed partial displacement of the hepatocele into the right hemithorax, right lung hypoplasia, a normal-sized left lung and without left shift of the mediastinum in both cases. Postnatal chest radiographs of case 1 and case 3 showed dense shadow in the left lung and mediastinum shifted to the right. Case 2 had a D-type defect and a slight shift of the mediastinum to the left was observed on the postnatal chest radiograph. Preoperative imaging findings indicated highly suspected HPF in the three cases. Case 1 and case 2 had complete separation of liver and lung and underwent diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy with patch. Partial lung resection was performed in case 2. Both case 1 and case 2 survived (length of hospital stay was 22 d and 23 d, respectively). Case 3 did not undergo hepatopulmonary separation or herniorrhaphy after exploratory operation and died of persistent pulmonary hypertension. (2) Literature review: Only 40 cases of CDH with HPF were retrieved from PubMed. Among the 43 cases including the above three cases, 27 (62.8%) had a right shift or no deviation of the mediastinum before surgery and nine (20.9%) had a left shift of the mediastinum, while the condition of seven patients (16.3%) were not described. There were 26 patients undergoing complete separation of liver and lung and 19 (73.1%) of them survived. Thirteen patients underwent partial separation of liver and lung and six of them survived. Four patients died without receiving separation.Conclusions:HPF should be considered in patients with RCDH, especially in cases with no left shift in the mediastinum in the imaging. Preoperative evaluation for surgery in such cases needs to be managed as if it were a major operation that may require hepatectomy or partial pneumonectomy.

Objective:To study the clinical characteristics of double aortic arch (DAA) combined with aortoesophageal fistula (AEF), and summarize the diagnosis and treatment experience.Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed on the diagnosis and treatment of a newborn with hemorrhagic shock caused by DAA combined with AEF in the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center. The key searching words included "double aortic arch", "aortoesophageal fistula", "vascular ring", "newborn or neonate", and "infant, newborn". The relevant reports were retrieved from databases of CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed, Springer Link, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library and OVID, to summarize the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment experience of neonates with DAA and AEF. The retrieval deadline was December 31, 2020.Results:A full-term female newborn was hospitalized for dyspnea immediately after birth, and failed to evacuate from the ventilator for several times. The patient was fed with nasogastric tube and transferred to our hospital because of hemorrhagic shock occurring in 32 days after birth, and gastrointestinal bleeding occurred repeatedly with the maximum bleeding volume reaching 200 ml/time. DAA was diagnosed by cardiac ultrasound and CT, AEF hemorrhage was finally confirmed by gastroscopy, aortography and operation. DAA correction and esophagus repair were successfully performed, and the infant recovered well after the operation. At 9-month old, the infant grew and developed well. At present, no reports of DAA combined with AEF neonates have yet to be published in medical literatures in China. Seven English language literatures included 7 cases of AEF complicated with DAA in neonatal period, 5 cases survived and 2 cases died have so far been reported. All patients have a long history of gastric tube indwelling.Conclusions:The incidence of DAA combined with AEF is rare in the newborn with respiratory and swallowing difficulties as the first manifestation. The disease symptoms progressed rapidly, and life-threatening digestive tract hemorrhage may occur, which often requires surgical treatment. Prolonged gastric tube retention should be avoided in DAA children to prevent the occurrence of AEF.

Objective:To study the characteristics and related factors of neonatal intestinal necrosis caused by midgut volvulus.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of neonates with midgut volvulus who were admitted to Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, from January 2009 to December 2019 and confirmed by surgery. The cases with intestinal necrosis belong to the intestinal necrosis group, and those without intestinal necrosis, the non-intestinal necrosis group which was randomly sampled at a ratio of about 4∶1 to the number of cases in the intestinal necrosis group. The two groups were compared in terms of personal history, age of onset, initial symptoms, vital signs within 2 h after admission, time from symptom onset to operation, clinical outcome, laboratory indicators within 2 h after admission, etc. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the related factors of intestinal necrosis in midgut volvulus. The effective warning indexes are screened by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:(1) Among 231 cases of midgut volvulus, 21 cases (9.1%, 21/231) had intestinal necrosis at the time of operation, 87 cases were included in the non-intestinal necrosis group. (2) The levels of heart rate within 2 h after admission, mean arterial pressure, WBC, C reactive protein (CRP), blood glucose and potassium in intestinal necrosis group were significantly higher than those in non-intestinal necrosis group ( P<0.05). Admission days of age, hemoglobin, serum albumin, serum sodium, pH and BE levels were significantly lower than those in the group without intestinal necrosis ( P<0.05). (3) In the multivariate analysis, increased heart rate, mean arterial pressure, serum CRP, and decreased serum sodium, serum albumin, and pH levels were predictors related to intestinal necrosis in patients with midgut volvulus. (4) The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of CRP was 0.883, the cutoff value was 9.88 mg/L, the sensitivity was 76.2%, and the specificity was 94.3%. The ROC curve of serum albumin was 0.792, the cut-off value was 36.65 g/L, the sensitivity was 70.1%, and the specificity was 94.3%. Conclusions:Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, increased CRP, decreased serum sodium, serum albumin and pH are helpful to predict whether intestinal necrosis occurs in midgut volvulus, and CRP > 9.88 mg/L and serum albumin < 36.65 g/L are likely warning indicators.

Objective:To investigate the prediction value of observed to expected lung area to head circumference ratio (o/e LHR), measured at different gestational age with various methods, on indication for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in fetuses with isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).Methods:Clinical data of 40 neonates who were diagnosed with left-sided CDH and treated in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center were retrospectively collected from January 2017 to May 2021. The o/e LHRs were prenatally calculated using maximum diameter and tracing method at 22-24 and 31-33 weeks of gestation. According to whether the neonates had indications for ECMO after birth or not, they were divided into ECMO ( n=12) or non-ECMO group ( n=28). Differences in the o/e LHR and general situations between the two groups were analyzed using C hi-square test, independent sample t-test, and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors for ECMO requirement and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of o/e LHR in predicting the indication for ECMO. Results:Both maximum diameter and tracing method suggested that the o/e LHR at 31-33 gestational weeks was lower than that at 22-24 gestational weeks [maximun diameter method: 40.4 (32.9-51.5) vs 45.1 (36.3-53.4), Z=－2.48, P=0.013; tracing method: 38.6 (33.2-47.6) vs 44.1 (35.9-51.7), Z=－3.29, P=0.001]. There was no statistical difference in o/e LHR detected at the same gestational weeks between the two methods (both P>0.05). Binary logistic regression showed that o/e LHR measured at 31-33 gestational weeks using maximum diameter method was an independent protective factor for ECMO requirement ( OR=0.873, 95% CI: 0.790-0.965, P=0.008). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for evaluating the predictive value of o/e LHR for ECMO requirement was 0.830 with the sensitivity of 83.3% and the specificity of 71.4% when the cut-off value of o/e LHR at 31-33 gestational weeks was 38.195 measured by maximum diameter method. Conclusions:The o/e LHR measured at 31-33 weeks is lower than that at 22-24 weeks of gestation by both methods. The o/e LHR measured by maximum diameter method at 31-33 weeks of gestation may be useful for predicting the ECMO indication after birth but requiring comprehensive evaluation of clinical conditions due to its insufficient predicting power.

We report the clinical features of a case of congenital extralobar pulmonary sequestration in the left upper lobe supplied by the pulmonary artery. Prenatal ultrasound examination at 24 weeks of gestation revealed a high echogenic and uniform density mass in the fetal left thoracic cavity with the congenital pulmonary airway malformation volume vatio (CVR) of 1.16, which was supplied by pulmonary arterial vessels. MRI examination at 27 weeks indicated that the left lung volume increased to about 48.52 ml, while the right lung volume was about 8.56 ml giving the total lung volume of 57.08 ml. The congenital pulmonary airway malformation in the left upper lobe was suspected to be congenital bronchial atresia (CBA) or congenital lobar overinflation (CLO). The baby boy was born through vaginal delivery assisted by forceps at 38 +1 weeks without neonatal asphyxia. Postnatal CT and MRI were both indicated suspicious bronchial atresia in the left upper lobe. Bronchofibroscopy on postnatal day 2 excluded CBA or CLO and extralobar pulmonary sequestration was considered. Thoracoscopic surgery was performed due to continuous shortness of breath after birth, despite two-week conservative treatment including oxygenation, invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation,etc, and congenital extralobar sequestration was diagnosed. Blood supply from the left pulmonary artery was observed at the base of abnormal lung tissue. Resection of the pathogenic tissue of the left lung was performed thoracoscopically. The boy recovered and was discharged after the operation. Pulmonary sequestration was confirmed by histopathology.