1.Current Status of Stratified Diagnosis and Treatment of Sjögren's Syndrome and Reflections on It
Wenjing LIU ; Xinyao ZHOU ; Quan JIANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(3):244-250
Stratified diagnosis and treatment is a crucial approach in precision medicine, aiming to optimize medical care by grouping patients based on clinical manifestations, biomarkers, and pathological characteristics. Based on clinical stages, symptoms, age, gene expression, and pathology, research on Sjögren's syndrome (SS) has proposed various stratification methods, incorporating both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine perspectives. These methods provide essential support for early diagnosis, risk assessment, and personalized treatment. Key strategies include moving SS intervention time forward, to leverage TCM's preventive principles, integrating TCM and Western tools to enhance precision, innovating clinical trial designs, developing multifactorial risk prediction models and digital imaging technologies, and constructing combined prognostic models for personalized follow-up and big data-driven treatment. These insights offer a comprehensive framework for advancing SS precision medicine.
2.Correlation Between Cardiovascular Events and Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis:A Cross-Sectional Study
Fuyuan ZHANG ; Quan JIANG ; Jun LI ; Yuchen YANG ; Xieli MA ; Tian CHANG ; Congmin XIA ; Jian WANG ; Xun GONG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(15):1572-1578
ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between the occurrence of cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis(RA) and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome. MethodsThe cross-sectional study selected 6713 RA patients from 122 centres nationwide, in which general information such as name, gender, age, height, body weight, and course of disease were collected by completing a questionnaire; patients were classified into eight types of syndrome according to the information of their four examinations,i.e. wind-dampness obstruction syndrome, cold-dampness obstruction syndrome, dampness-heat obstruction syndrome, phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome, stasis-blood obstructing collateral syndrome, qi-blood deficiency syndrome, liver-kidney insufficiency syndrome, and qi-yin deficiency syndrome. According to the occurrence of cardiovascular events, they were divided into the occurrence group and the non-occurrence group, and the condition assessment data and laboratory examination indexes were recorded. The test of difference between groups was used to analyse the possible risk factors for the occurrence of RA cardiovascular events, and binary logistic regression was used to analyse the correlation between TCM syndromes and RA cardiovascular events. ResultsA total of 6713 RA patients were included, including 256 cases in occurrence group and 6457 in non-occurrence group. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of height, gender, insomnia, appetite, white blood cell(WBC), hemoglobin(HGB), platelets(PLT), rheumatoid factor(RF), anti-cyclic peptide containing citrulline(CCP), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT), urea creatinine(CREA), and glucose(GLU)(P>0.05). The TCM syndromes between groups showed significant statistic differences(P<0.05). Patients in occurrence group had longer disease duration, heavier body weight, and older age; more severe conditions such as disease activity(DAS-28), number of painful joints(TJC), number of swollen joints(SJC), health questionnaire scores(HAQ), visual analog scores(VAS), restlessness, and fatigue; higher blood sedimentation rate(ESR), low-density lipoprotein(LDL-C), triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), D-Dimer, and lower high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C)(P<0.05). The distribution of syndrome types showed that dampness-heat obstruction syndrome accounted for the largest proportion of patients in both groups and was higher in RA cardiovascular events. Logistic regression analysis showed that the occurrence of RA cardiovascular events was strongly associated with dampness-heat obstruction syndrome[OR=5.937, 95%CI (4.434, 7.949), P<0.001]. ConclusionThe occurrence of RA cardiovascular events were associated with TCM syndromes, and the probability of cardiovascular events in the RA patients with dampness-heat obstruction syndrome was 5.937 times higher than patients with other TCM syndromes.
3.Preparation and Recognition Features of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Membrane for Lamotrigine in Plasma
Dong-Yu LU ; Yu-Xin YOU ; Yan-Lin ZHAO ; Han JIANG ; Ying ZHANG ; Yan DU ; Dao-Quan TANG
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2024;52(1):80-92
The molecularly imprinted polymers membranes(MIPMs)were prepared for selective adsorption of lamotrigine(LTG)in plasma by surface molecular imprinting technology with polyvinylidenefluoride(PVDF)membranes as supporter,lamotrigine as template molecule,methyl methacrylate as functional monomer,ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linking agent,azodiisobutyronitrile as initiator and acetonitrile-dimethylformamide(1∶1.5,V/V)as pore-forming agent.The prepared MIPMs were characterized by scanning electron microscope,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,Brunaner-emmet-teller measurements,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,and thermogravimetric analysis.The adsorption properties of the materials were investigated by kinetic adsorption,isothermal adsorption,selective adsorption,adsorption-desorption and reusability experiments.The results showed that the imprinted layer of LTG was successfully coated on the surface of PVDF,and the materials had uniform particle size.The adsorption capacity and imprinting factor of the MIPMs towards LTG were 3.77 mg/g and 8.97,respectively.The nanomaterials showed fast mass transfer rate(30 min)and good reusability(the adsorption efficiency was 86.66%after 6 cycles),and could be used for the adsorption of LTG in plasma with low matrix interference,recoveries of 86.54%-90.48%and RSD of 1.51%-3.15%(n=5).The proposed LTG MIPMs were demonstrated to be simple and environment friendly,and had high selectivity in rapid separation and extraction of LTG in plasma.
4.Kagami-Ogata syndrome: a case report and literature review
Jingjing JIANG ; Zhixing SUN ; Zhenghong LI ; Weilin WAN ; Meiying QUAN
Chinese Journal of Neonatology 2024;39(1):23-29
Objective:To study the clinical manifestations, genetic profiles and treatment of Kagami-Ogata syndrome (KOS).Methods:A neonate admitted to our hospital was genetically diagnosed of KOS from amniocentesis sampling. The phenotype, genotype and treatment of the neonate were analyzed. Multiple databases were searched using key words including "Kagami-Ogata syndrome", "14q32 microdeletion syndrome", "coat-hanger ribs", "paternal uniparental disomy (pUPD)(14) " from the inception of the databases to Jan. 23th 2023. The clinical features, genotype and treatment of patients from the literature were summarized.Results:The neonate in our hospital was born at 30 weeks gestational age with a birth weight of 2 035 g. Prenatal ultrasound indicated overgrowth, bilateral fetal renal pelvis dilatation (FRPD), dilatation of intestines in lower abdomen, clenched hands with overlapping fingers and polyhydramnios. After birth, the neonate showed progressively worsening respiratory distress, distinct facial features (small jaw, short neck, flat nasal bridge, upward-facing nostrils, small and malformed ears with auricular deformity and narrow external auditory canals), bell-shaped thorax, diastasis recti and abnormal posture (overlapping fingers, clenched fists), as well as feeding difficulties, recurrent fever and dependence of respiratory support. Whole exome sequencing (WES) revealed a 268.2Kb deletion (101034306_101302541) in 14q32.2 region on both the neonate and the mother and the father was otherwise normal. The prognosis was poor and the parents refused further treatment. The neonate died at one month of age after two days of palliative care. A total of 36 articles were identified in the literature review, including 78 KOS cases with complete clinical data (a total of 79 cases adding our case).The primary clinical manifestations included distinctive facial and thoracic abnormalities (79/79, 100%), polyhydramnios (71/75, 94.7%), feeding difficulties (55/63, 87.3%), abdominal wall defects (57/72, 79.2%), joint contractures (39/70, 55.7%) and dependence of respiratory support (29/56, 51.8%). Long-term follow-up revealed 86.8% (59/68) experienced physical, movement and intellectual development delay, 39.7% (25/63) died or gave up treatments within five years. Genetic testing showed pUPD in 44 cases (55.7%), maternal deletions in 23 cases (29.1%), epimutations in 8 cases (10.1%) and unreported variations in 4 cases (5.1%).Conclusions:KOS is a genetic imprinting disorder affecting multiple organs. Prenatal screening can detect abnormalities such as polyhydramnios. Specific clinical signs, radiological findings and 14q32 gene analysis are helpful for the diagnosis of the disease.
5.Methodological Evaluation of Advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Sjögren's Syndrome
Wenjing LIU ; Shiya WU ; Ruihua LIU ; Xinyao ZHOU ; Juan JIAO ; Ying LIU ; Zeguang LI ; Zhenbin LI ; Huadong ZHANG ; Xiaopo TANG ; Quan JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(1):192-197
Screening and evaluating the diseases responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) will help to highlight the advantages of TCM treatment, and the evaluation method should be standardized with consideration to the unique characteristics of the diseases. The incidence of Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) is increasing year by year, while the pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Modern therapies for this disease include biological agents and immunosuppressants, which generally have unsatisfactory efficacy. The TCM treatment of SS focuses on the harmony of the physical and mental health. The Rheumatology Branch of the China Association of Chinese Medicine organizes experts in TCM, Western medicine, and evidence-based medicine to form working groups. Delphi method and bibliometric method were used for analysis, and SS was selected as a disease responding specifically to TCM. Furthermore, the evaluation system was established for this disease, and the consensus regarding this disease was reached after seminar discussion. This paper summarized the whole process of the evaluation of the advantages of TCM treatment of SS. First, because TCM atomization is widely used in clinical practice and enriches TCM administration methods, this therapy is included after other non-drug therapies were taken as characteristic therapies. Second, the evaluation indicators of therapeutic effect should be determined with consideration to international acceptance and the current research status. Third, the expression method should be accurate, standardized, and objective, highlight the natural advantages of TCM, and avoid arbitrary extension. This paper provides a reference for clinicians to explore other diseases responding specifically to TCM.
6.Expert Consensus on Clinical Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine:Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Juan JIAO ; Jinyang TANG ; Xiujuan HOU ; Mengtao LI ; Dongfeng LIANG ; Yuhua WANG ; Weixia JING ; Guangtao LI ; Qin ZHANG ; Yongfeng ZHANG ; Guangyu LI ; Qian WANG ; Yang YANG ; Jin HUO ; Mei MO ; Jihua GUO ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Quan JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(1):216-222
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a refractory, chronic non-articular rheumatic disease characterized by widespread pain throughout the body, for which there are no satisfactory therapeutic drugs or options. There are rich Chinese medical therapies, and some non-drug therapies, such as acupuncture, Tai Chi, and Ba-Duan-Jin, have shown satisfactory efficacy and safety and definite advantages of simultaneously adjusting mind and body. FMS is taken as a disease responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2018. In order to clarify the research progress in FMS and the clinical advantages of TCM/integrated Chinese and Western medicine, the China Academy of Chinese Medicine organized a seminar for nearly 20 experts in Chinese and Western medicine, including rheumatology, psychology, acupuncture and moxibustion, and encephalopathy, with the topic of difficulties in clinical diagnosis and treatment of FMS and advantages of TCM and Western medicine. The recommendations were reached on the difficulties in early diagnosis and solutions of FMS, mitigation of common non-specific symptoms, preferential analgesic therapy, TCM pathogenesis and treatment advantages, and direction of treatment with integrated Chinese and Western medicine. FMS is currently facing the triple dilemma of low early correct diagnosis, poor patient participation, and unsatisfactory benefit from pure Western medicine treatment. To solve the above problems, this paper suggests that rheumatologists should serve as the main diagnostic force of this disease, and they should improve patient participation in treatment decision-making, implement exercise therapy, and fully utilize the holistic and multidimensional features of TCM, which is effective in alleviating pain, improving mood, and decreasing adverse events. In addition, it is suggested that FMS treatment should rely on both TCM and Western medicine and adopt multidisciplinary joint treatment, which is expected to improve the standard of diagnosis and treatment of FMS in China.
7.She Medicine (畲药) Diren Zishen Formula (地稔滋肾方) Combined with Acupuncture as Adjunctive Treatment for 32 Cases of Primary Biliary Cholangitis with Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency Syndrome
Shiguo LI ; Quan PAN ; Liping JIANG ; Wenxiao CHEN ; Peilun JIN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(2):198-204
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness and safety of She medicine (畲药) Diren Zishen Formula(地稔滋肾方) combined with acupuncture as adjunctive treatment for primary biliary cholangitis with liver and kidney yin deficiency syndrome. MethodsSeventy patients of primary biliary cholangitis with liver and kidney yin deficiency syndrome were randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group, with 35 patients in each group. The control group received oral ursodeoxycholic acid capsules (250 mg per dose, three times daily). The treatment group received She medicine Diren Zishen Formula oral decoction (one dose daily, 200 ml per dose in the morning and evening, served warm) and acupuncture [bilateral Sanyingjiao (SP6), Taichong (LR3), Ganshu (BL18), Zusanli (ST36), Fenglong (ST17), once daily, 5 consecutive days per week] in addition to the same treatment as the control group. The treatment duration was three months for both groups. Comparisons were made between the two groups before and after treatment for the following parameters, which were four traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms scores (skin itching, fatigue, jaundice, and flank pain), TCM syndrome scores, liver function indicators including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and total bilirubin (TBiL), liver fibrosis markers including serum laminin (LN), serum hyaluronic acid (HA), serum type Ⅳ collagen (Ⅳ-C) and serum type Ⅲ procollagen (PC-Ⅲ), and inflammatory factor indicators including serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). The effectiveness of TCM syndrome between the two groups was compared and safety evaluations were also conducted after treatment. ResultsA total of 32 cases were finally analyzed in the treatment group, while the control group had 31 cases. The total effective rate of TCM syndrome in the treatment group (87.50%, 28/32) was higher than that in the control group (67.74%, 20/31) (P<0.05). After treatment, the TCM symptom scores, syndrome scores, liver function, and liver fibrosis markers in both groups signi-ficantly decreased, while in the treatment group, the inflammatory factor indicators decreased after treatment, and more decreases were found than those in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Both groups had good safety, and no adverse reactions were observed. ConclusionThe combination of She medicine Diren Zishen Formula and acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for primary biliary cholangitis can significantly improve the clinical effectiveness, improve liver function, reduce inflammatory response, and alleviate liver fibrosis, with good safety.
8.Intervention of Traditional Chinese Medicine in NLRP3 Signaling Pathway for Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Review
Xinyu JIANG ; Yanyan ZHOU ; Qi WANG ; Quan LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(8):290-298
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease often characterized by cognitive impairment in clinical practice. The main pathogenesis includes β amyloid protein (Aβ) excessive deposition, neuroinflammatory response, Tau protein hyperphosphorylation, and other factors, and currently only a few chemical drugs have been approved for clinical treatment of AD. The mechanism of action is relatively single, so it is imperative to find new treatment strategies. Traditional Chinese medicine theory believes that the loss of nourishment in the brain and marrow, as well as the loss of vital energy, is the internal mechanisms underlying the occurrence and development of AD, which runs through the entire treatment process. The pathogenesis of AD is closely related to the inflammasome signaling pathway of nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3). Activating the NLRP3 signaling pathway increases neuroinflammatory response, intervenes in microglial polarization, and regulates Aβ sedimentation, cellular autophagy, brain homeostasis, etc. This article takes the NLRP3 signaling pathway as the starting point to sort out and summarize the upstream and downstream targets under the AD mechanism in the past five years, as well as the research on the NLRP3 signal pathway targets with the participation of the relevant traditional Chinese medicine compounds, such as Danggui Shaoyaosan, modified Shuyu Wan, Qingxin Kaiqiao prescription, Kaixin San, Jiedu Yizhi prescription, and modified Buwang San, traditional Chinese medicine monomer extracts, such as silibinin, Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, liquiritigenin, salidroside, baicalin, cinnamaldehyde, betaine, acacetin, and Hericium erinaceus, and acupuncture and moxibustion. It also reviews the latest achievements in the prevention and treatment of AD. This study provides ideas and directions for in-depth research on the prevention and treatment of cognitive dysfunction related diseases with traditional Chinese medicine.
9.Discussion on the Targeting Mechanism of Qingre Huoxue Formula (清热活血方) for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis by Regulating “Inflammation-Bone Destruction”:Based on LRG1/TGF- β Signalling Axis
Weixiang LIU ; Yu SHI ; Yanqiong ZHANG ; Xun GONG ; Quan JIANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(7):691-696
Based on the previous publications, it is believed that damp-heat syndrome is the core syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Qingre Huoxue Formula (清热活血方) is an effective formula for the treatment of damp-heat syndrome of RA. “Inflammation-bone destruction” is a key pathological link of RA, and it is also the advantage of the effectiveness of Qingre Huoxue Formula. Leucine rich α-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) can mediate the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signalling pathway to participate in the pathogenic process of “inflammation-bone destruction” of RA, and it can be used as a target protein in the treatment of damp-heat syndrome of RA by Qingre Huoxue Formula. Accordingly, a scientific hypothesis was proposed that Qingre Huoxue Formula may regulate TGF-β signalling pathway mediated by LRG1 to improve “inflammation-bone destruction” of RA, and it was envisioned that the clinical effect of Qingre Huoxue Formula on LRG1 could be confirmed through clinical studies, and the mechanism of action of Qingre Huoxue Formula on the LRG1/TGF-β signalling axis as well as the influence of the expression or non-expression of the LRG1/TGF-β signalling axis on the therapeutic effectiveness of Qingre Huoxue Formula could be clarified through animal experiments.
10.Impact of therapeutic plasma exchange intervention timing and liver injury periodization on the prognosis of pa-tients with exertional heat stroke
Zongzhong HE ; Min WANG ; Yuan ZHUANG ; Jie LIN ; Leiying ZHANG ; Liyang ZOU ; Lingling LI ; Chunya MA ; Xiaomin LIU ; Xiang QUAN ; Ying JIANG ; Mou ZHOU ; Hongjun KANG ; Yang YU
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2024;37(7):728-733
Objective To explore the prognostic impact and clinical application value of therapeutic plasma exchange(TPE)intervention timing and liver injury periodization in patients with exertional heat stroke(EHS).Methods Data of 127 EHS patients from the First Medical Center of the General Hospital of the People′s Liberation Army from January 2011 to December 2023 were collected,then divided into the death group and the survival group based on therapeutic outcomes and into 5 stages according to the dynamic changes of ALT,AST,TBIL and DBIL.According to propensity score matching analysis,11 patients in the survival group and 12 patients in the death group were included in the statistical analysis,and 20 of them were treated with TPE.The changes in indicators and clinical outcomes before and after TPE were observed,in order to evaluate the impact of intervention timing on prognosis.Results Among the 23 patients,14 had no liver injury or could progress to the repair phase,resulting in 3 deaths(with the mortality rate of 21.43%),while 9 patients failed to pro-gress to the repair phase,resulting in 9 deaths(with the mortality rate of 100%),with significant differences(P<0.05).The mortality rate of the first TPE intervention before the third stage of liver injury was 23.08%(3/13),while that of interven-tion after reaching or exceeding the third stage was 85.71%(6/7),and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion TPE should be executed actively in EHS patients combined with liver injury before the third phase to lock its pathological and physiological processes,thereby improving prognosis and reducing mortality.

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