Real-world study (RWS), based on multi-source data from real medical environments, is gradually becoming an important supplement to traditional randomized controlled trials, and its application in the field of transfusion medicine is becoming increasingly widespread. This article systematically reviews the definition and methodological system of RWS, examines its application cases in clinical blood transfusion research, and discusses the advantages, limitations, and future research directions of RWS, aiming to provide a reference for evidence-based research in blood transfusion medicine.

Real-world study (RWS), based on multi-source data from real medical environments, is gradually becoming an important supplement to traditional randomized controlled trials, and its application in the field of transfusion medicine is becoming increasingly widespread. This article systematically reviews the definition and methodological system of RWS, examines its application cases in clinical blood transfusion research, and discusses the advantages, limitations, and future research directions of RWS, aiming to provide a reference for evidence-based research in blood transfusion medicine.

Background::Oral anti-coagulants (OAC) are the intervention for the prevention of stroke, which consistently improve clinical outcomes and survival among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The main purpose of this study is to identify problems in OAC utilization among hospitalized patients with AF in China.Methods::Using data from the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-Atrial Fibrillation (CCC-AF) registry, guideline-recommended OAC use in eligible patients was assessed.Results::A total of 52,530 patients with non-valvular AF were enrolled from February 2015 to December 2019, of whom 38,203 were at a high risk of stroke, 9717 were at a moderate risk, and 4610 were at a low risk. On admission, only 20.0% (6075/30,420) of patients with a diagnosed AF and a high risk of stroke were taking OAC. The use of pre-hospital OAC on admission was associated with a lower risk of new-onset ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack among the diagnosed AF population (adjusted odds ratio: 0.54, 95% confidence interval: 0.43–0.68; P <0.001). At discharge, the prescription rate of OAC was 45.2% (16,757/37,087) in eligible patients with high stroke risk and 60.7% (2778/4578) in eligible patients with low stroke risk. OAC utilization in patients with high stroke risk on admission or at discharge both increased largely over time (all P <0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that OAC utilization at discharge was positively associated with in-hospital rhythm control strategies, including catheter ablation (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 11.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.04–13.47; P <0.001), electronic cardioversion (adjusted OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.65–3.51; P <0.001), and anti-arrhythmic drug use (adjusted OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.38–1.53; P <0.001). Conclusions::In hospitals participated in the CCC-AF project, >70% of AF patients were at a high risk of stroke. Although poor performance on guideline-recommended OAC use was found in this study, over time the CCC-AF project has made progress in stroke prevention in the Chinese AF population.Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02309398.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of repairing unilateral incomplete cleft lip functionally and sub-regionally with modified micro-triangular skin flap and orbicularis oris muscle flaps.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted in the patients with unilateral incomplete cleft lip, who underwent repair at Department of Plastic, Aesthetic and Maxillofacial Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University from April 2020 to February 2023. Surgical landmarks were fixed according to the anatomical structure of non-cleft side. Short straight skin incisions were designed along the philtral column. A micro-triangular flap was designed above the vermilion margin of the affected lip, which was inserted into the contralateral lip peak to lower the lip peak and lengthen the philtral column. The orbicularis oris muscle was reconstructed with five muscle flaps in three areas to create a good sub-structure of the upper lip and the nasal floor. The vermilion tubercle and philtral column were reconstructed. Deviation of nasal columella was corrected and the nasal floor was elevated. The outcomes were assessed through subjective evaluation and objective anthropometric measurements.(1) Subjective outcomes were assessed by two plastic surgeons together who were not included in this study. The following parameters were assessed: scar appearance, Cupid’s bow continuity, lip pick height, alar base width, nostril symmetry, philtral ridge contour. Each parameter was graded from 1 point (poor), 2 points (average), or 3 points (good). (2) Objective measurements were taken by one plastic surgeon who was not included in this study using the Image-Pro Plus 6.0. Measurements were included bilateral vermilion thickness, bilateral length of lip pick to cheilion, bilateral philtral column length, bilateral length of Cupid’s pick to ala nasi, bilateral alar base width. Asymmetry ratio = |non-cleft counts-cleft counts|/non-cleft counts×100%, and a value closer to 0 would mean the less different, the more symmetrical. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive methods. Non-normal distributed measurement datas were expressed by M( Q1, Q3). Results:A total of 32 patients of unilateral incomplete cleft lip were enrolled, including 19 males and 13 females, aged 3-18 months. All patients were primary healing, and no serious complications (i.e., infection, hematoma, wound dehiscence) occurred. The postoperative follow-up time was 6-24 months. The patients were satisfied with the results, including favorable red lip contour, good continuity, obvious vermilion, cubical philtrum column, good symmetry of bilateral structure and sub-structure and light scar. The overall score of the subjective evaluation was 2.66 points. Cupid’s bow continuity got the highest score(2.84 points), and nostril symmetry got the lowest score(2.38 points). Objective measurements indicated excellent parameters were bilateral alar base width [2.60%(1.02%, 7.08%)] and bilateral philtral length[3.95%(2.03%, 5.98%)].Conclusion:Repairing unilateral incomplete cleft lip functionally and sub-regionally with modified micro-triangular skin flap and orbicularis oris muscle flaps can create a good sub-structure of the upper lip contour, and bring a significant improvement in the upper lip and the nasal floor symmetry, which is an effective method for incomplete unilateral cleft lip repair.

Objective:To explore the role of mechanical hemodynamic support (MHS) in mapping and catheter ablation of patients with hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT), report single-center experience in a cohort of consecutive patients receiving VT ablation during MHS therapy, and provide evidence-based medical evidence for clinical practice.Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients with hemodynamically unstable VT who underwent catheter ablation with MHS at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University between August 2021 and December 2023 were included. Patients were divided into rescue group and preventive group according to the purpose of treatment. Their demographic data, periprocedural details, and clinical outcomes were collected and analyzed.Results:A total of 15 patients with hemodynamically unstable VT were included (8 patients in the rescue group and 7 patients in the preventive group). The acute procedure was successful in all patients. One patient in the rescue group had surgical left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, remaining 14 patients received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for circulation support. ECMO decannulation was performed in 12 patients due to clinical and hemodynamic stability, of which 6 patients were decannulation immediately after surgery and the remaining patients were decannulation at 2.0 (2.5) d after surgery. Two patients in the rescue group died during the index admission due to refractory heart failure and cerebral hemorrhage. During a median follow-up of 30 d (1 d to 12 months), one patient with LVAD had one episode of ventricular fibrillation at 6 months after discharge, and no further episodes of ventricular fibrillation and/or VT occurred after treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs. No malignant ventricular arrhythmia occurred in the remaining 12 patients who were followed up.Conclusions:MHS contributes to the successful completion of mapping and catheter ablation in patients with hemodynamically unstable VT, providing desirable hemodynamic status for emergency and elective conditions.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of repairing unilateral incomplete cleft lip functionally and sub-regionally with modified micro-triangular skin flap and orbicularis oris muscle flaps.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted in the patients with unilateral incomplete cleft lip, who underwent repair at Department of Plastic, Aesthetic and Maxillofacial Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University from April 2020 to February 2023. Surgical landmarks were fixed according to the anatomical structure of non-cleft side. Short straight skin incisions were designed along the philtral column. A micro-triangular flap was designed above the vermilion margin of the affected lip, which was inserted into the contralateral lip peak to lower the lip peak and lengthen the philtral column. The orbicularis oris muscle was reconstructed with five muscle flaps in three areas to create a good sub-structure of the upper lip and the nasal floor. The vermilion tubercle and philtral column were reconstructed. Deviation of nasal columella was corrected and the nasal floor was elevated. The outcomes were assessed through subjective evaluation and objective anthropometric measurements.(1) Subjective outcomes were assessed by two plastic surgeons together who were not included in this study. The following parameters were assessed: scar appearance, Cupid’s bow continuity, lip pick height, alar base width, nostril symmetry, philtral ridge contour. Each parameter was graded from 1 point (poor), 2 points (average), or 3 points (good). (2) Objective measurements were taken by one plastic surgeon who was not included in this study using the Image-Pro Plus 6.0. Measurements were included bilateral vermilion thickness, bilateral length of lip pick to cheilion, bilateral philtral column length, bilateral length of Cupid’s pick to ala nasi, bilateral alar base width. Asymmetry ratio = |non-cleft counts-cleft counts|/non-cleft counts×100%, and a value closer to 0 would mean the less different, the more symmetrical. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive methods. Non-normal distributed measurement datas were expressed by M( Q1, Q3). Results:A total of 32 patients of unilateral incomplete cleft lip were enrolled, including 19 males and 13 females, aged 3-18 months. All patients were primary healing, and no serious complications (i.e., infection, hematoma, wound dehiscence) occurred. The postoperative follow-up time was 6-24 months. The patients were satisfied with the results, including favorable red lip contour, good continuity, obvious vermilion, cubical philtrum column, good symmetry of bilateral structure and sub-structure and light scar. The overall score of the subjective evaluation was 2.66 points. Cupid’s bow continuity got the highest score(2.84 points), and nostril symmetry got the lowest score(2.38 points). Objective measurements indicated excellent parameters were bilateral alar base width [2.60%(1.02%, 7.08%)] and bilateral philtral length[3.95%(2.03%, 5.98%)].Conclusion:Repairing unilateral incomplete cleft lip functionally and sub-regionally with modified micro-triangular skin flap and orbicularis oris muscle flaps can create a good sub-structure of the upper lip contour, and bring a significant improvement in the upper lip and the nasal floor symmetry, which is an effective method for incomplete unilateral cleft lip repair.

Objective:To investigate the effects of thinned anterolateral thigh perforator flaps combined with finger splitting and webplasty in sequential treatment of degloving destructive wound of total hand.Methods:This study was a retrospective observational study. From January 2012 to January 2023, a total of 15 cases who met the inclusion criteria with degloving destructive wound of total hand were admitted to Ningbo No.6 Hospital, including 10 males and 5 females, aged 17-75 years. The wounds were all combined with exposed bones or tendon. Emergency debridement and vacuum sealing drainage were performed in all cases before flap transplantation in stage Ⅰ. After thorough debridement, the wound area was 11.0 cm×3.0 cm-23.0 cm×13.5 cm. One or both anterolateral thigh perforator flaps with size of 12.5 cm×5.0 cm-25.0 cm×15.5 cm were designed, cut, and thinned to repair the skin and soft tissue defects of the hand. The donor site was sutured directly or repaired with medium-thickness skin graft from the opposite thigh. As needed, the flap was reconstructed by finger splitting and webplasty once or more times every 3 months after stage Ⅰoperation. The survival and complications of flap and wound healing at the donor site were observed after stage Ⅰoperation. The appearance of flap, two-point discrimination distance, and hand function were observed during the follow-up. At the final follow-up, the function of the affected hand was evaluated by the trial standards for evaluation of partial function of upper extremity by the Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association.Results:After the operation of stage Ⅰ, all the flaps of 15 cases of patients survived completely, including 1 case that had arterial crisis of flap but survived completely after exploration and re-anastomosis of blood vessels; all the wounds at the donor site healed. During the follow-up period of 6 to 18 months after stage Ⅰ, the flap was slightly swollen, with a little pigmentation, and the two-point discrimination distance in the finger flap was 8-11 mm. The fingers could complete the basic life actions such as flexion, extension, pinch, and grip. At the final follow-up, 3 cases were excellent, 9 cases were good, and 3 cases were acceptable in function evaluation of the affected hand.Conclusions:For degloving destructive wound of total hand, free transplantation of one or both thinned anterolateral thigh perforator flaps is used for repair in stage Ⅰ, and finger splitting and webplasty are used to reconstruct the flaps in the later stage, which can basically restore the pinch and grip function of the affected hand that is required for daily life, and is worthy of clinical promotion.

BACKGROUND: The age, biomarkers, and clinical history (ABC)-atrial fibrillation (AF)-Stroke score have been proposed to refine stroke risk stratification, beyond what clinical risk scores such as the CHA2DS2-VASc score can offer. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with thromboembolism and evaluate the performance of the ABC-AF-Stroke score in predicting thromboembolism in non-anticoagulated AF patients following successful ablations. METHODS: A total of 2692 patients who underwent successful ablations with discontinued anticoagulation after a 3-month blanking period in the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry (CAFR) between 2013 and 2019 were included. Cox regression analysis was conducted to present the association of risk factors with thromboembolism risk. The ABC-AF-Stroke score was evaluated in terms of discrimination, including concordance index (C-index), net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), clinical utilization by decision curve analysis (DCA), and calibration by comparing the predicted risk with the observed annualized event rate. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 3.5 years, 64 patients experienced thromboembolism events. Age, prior history of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (cTnT-hs), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were independently associated with thromboembolism risk. The ABC-AF-Stroke score performed statistically significantly better than the CHA2DS2-VASc score in terms of C-index (0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-0.74 vs. 0.60, 95% CI: 0.52-0.67, P = 0.030) and reclassification capacity. The DCA implied that the ABC-AF-Stroke score could identify more thromboembolism events without increasing the false positive rate compared to the CHA2DS2-VASc score. The calibration curve showed that the ABC-AF-Stroke score was well calibrated in this population. CONCLUSIONS In this real-world study enrolling non-anticoagulated AF patients following successful ablations, age, prior history of stroke/TIA, level of NT-proBNP, and cTnT-hs were independently associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism. The ABC-AF-Stroke score was well-calibrated and statistically significantly outperformed the CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting thromboembolism risk.
Humans ; Anticoagulants/therapeutic use* ; Atrial Fibrillation/complications* ; East Asian People ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Registries ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Stroke/etiology* ; Thromboembolism/etiology* ; Troponin T

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of 3D-printed quantitative bone implants assisting second-stage Masquelet technique for the treatment of long-segment bone defect following Gustilo type IIIB and IIIC tibial fractures.Methods:A retrospective case series analysis was made on 26 patients with long-segment bone defect following Gustilo type IIIB and IIIC tibial fractures treated in Wuxi Ninth People′s Hospital from July 2015 to December 2020, including 20 males and 6 females; aged 19-63 years [(46.5±4.5)years]. Gustilo classification was type IIIB in 23 patients and type IIIC in 3. In the first stage, all patients had thoroughly emergent debridement, removal of all free bone pieces, restoration of the length and force line plus externally fixion, and vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) of the residual wound. After 2-7 days, the external fixation was removed and replaced by internal fixation, with the bone cement filling in the defect area and the free flap covering the wound. The length of tibial bone defect was 5-14 cm [(6.3±0.4)cm], and the tibial defect volume was 12.2-73.1 cm 3 [(33.6±9.2)cm 3]. In the second stage (6-19 weeks after injury), the bone cement was removed, followed by autologous bone grafting. Prior to bone grafting, digital technology was used to accurately calculate the bone defect volume, and an equal volume of bone harvesting area was designe to produce the 3D printed osteotomy template. Bone grafting was conducted after bone removal according to the osteotomy template during operation. The success rate of one-time iliac bone extraction, bone harvesting time, and bleeding volume were recorded. Pain in the bone extraction area was evaluated by visual analogue score (VAS) at 1 day and 1 month after operation and at the last follow-up. Wound healing, complications, and bone healing were observed. Life quality was evaluated by health survey brief form (SF-36) including scores of physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) before bone grafting and at the last follow-up. Results:All the patients were followed up for 13-53 months [(32.3±12.5)months]. One-time iliac bone extraction was successful in all the patients. Bone harvesting time was 15-30 minutes [(21.0±2.5)minutes]. The bleeding volume was 50-120 ml [(62.3±29.0)ml]. The VAS was 1-4 points [(1.2±0.9)points] at 1 day after operation, higher than these (0.0±0.0)points at 1 month after operation and at the last follow-up (all P<0.01). Totally, 25 patients obtained wound healing after operation, except for 1 patient with superficial wound infection after bone grafting that was healed by dressing change. There was 1 patient with bone infection after 3 months of bone grafting that was healed by repeated surgery with Masquelet technique in the first and second stage. Besides, 2 patients had symptoms of cutaneous nerve injury in the iliac donor area. The time of bone healing was 4-7 months [(5.8±0.8)months]. The scores of PCS and MCS in SF-36 at the last follow-up were (73.6±12.8)points and (83.6±13.2)points, significantly higher than those before bone grafting [(46.8±0.5)points, (60.7±2.0)points] (all P<0.01). Conclusion:Second-stage Masquelet technique with 3D printed quantitative bone implants for the treatment of long-segment bone defect following Gustilo type IIIB and IIIC tibial fractures is associated with shortened bone harvesting time, attenuated pain, reduced complications, accelerated bone healing and improved function.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of postauricular island flap in reconstruction of anterior auricular defect.Methods:Twelve patients with auricular tumors were retrospectively analyzed in the Department of Aesthetic Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. After the tumors were completely removed, the skin defects were repaired with retroauricular island flaps, and the clinical results of the flaps were observed.Results:All the twelve postauricular island flaps were survived postoperatively. One of the flaps had the disorder of blood supply. After puncture with the needle, the congestion was drained out and the flap survived finally. During 1 to 2 years' follow-up, all patients were well satisfied with the surgical results.Conclusions:The posterior auricular island flap in reconstruction of anterior auricular defect has the advantages of simple and easy operation, high survival rate, small scar in the donor area and good aesthetic effect, which is worthy of clinical promotion.