Humans ; Aged ; Lung Diseases ; Pneumonia/drug therapy* ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/drug therapy* ; Administration, Inhalation ; Community-Acquired Infections/drug therapy*

AIM: To evaluate the risk of drug-related dysphagia in elder people based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). METHODS: We collected the reports of dysphagia in elder people (Age≥65) from 2004 quarter 1 through 2022 quarter 2 of FAERS by Open Vigil 2.1 database. The reported odds ratio (ROR) and the proportional reported ratio (PRR) were calculated to detect the adverse reaction signal of drug-induced dysphagia in elder people. Signal generation standard of ROR: number of reports≥3 with the lower limit of 95% confidence interval (CI) of the ROR value>1, PRR≥2 and c

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of ultrasound contrast agent enema (UCAE) for anastomotic leakage (AL) after rectal cancer surgery.Methods:From January 2020 to December 2022, a total of 95 patients with presacral fluid collection after rectal cancer surgery in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University who received perineal ultrasound (PNUS) and UCAE were retrospectively selected. Among them, 70 patients (73.3%) were diagnosed with AL.After PNUS scanning, all patients received a diluted ultrasound contrast agent administered through the rectum. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to compare the accuracies of PNUS, UCAE, CT, MRI and water-soluble contrast enema in the diagnosis of AL. Factors that may have impacts on the sensitivity of UCAE were thoroughly analyzed.Results:UCAE improved the consistency (Kappa value: 0.757 vs 0.292, P<0.001) and accuracy (AUC: 0.893 vs 0.693, P<0.001) of PNUS in the diagnosis of AL, and its diagnostic accuracy was comparable to that of CT (AUC 0.807), MRI (AUC 0.811) and water-soluble contrast enema (AUC 0.923) (all P>0.05). For mid-to-high AL (anastomotic stoma distance ≥70 mm) and tiny AL (≤3 mm), the sensitivity of UCAE decreased significantly (anastomotic stoma position: 25.0% vs 85.5%, P=0.001; anastomotic leak diameter: 42.9% vs 87.5%, P=0.002). Conclusions:UCAE can significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy and consistency of PNUS for AL after rectal cancer surgery, and its diagnostic sensitivity is affected by the anastomotic stoma distance and the diameter of the leak.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy in optimizing painless transesophageal echocardiography in elderly patients.Methods:Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅱ patients, regardless of gender, aged 60-75 yr, with body mass index of 18.5-23.9 kg/m 2, were randomized into 2 groups ( n=30 each) by a random number table method: group HFNC and conventional ventilation group (group C). Pure oxygen 10 L/min was inhaled for 3 min preoxygenation using the HFNC device in group HFNC. Group C inhaled pure oxygen at 6 L/min for 3 min preoxygenation via a nasal cannula. Sufentanil 0.1 μg/kg and remazolam 0.25-0.30 mg/kg were intravenously injected in turn. Group HFNC was connected to a high-flow humidification oxygen therapy device and inhaled pure oxygen at 60 L/min (37℃, FiO 2 100%). The flow rate of pure oxygen was maintained at 6 L/min (FiO 2 100 %) in group C. The patients were placed in left lateral decubitus position, esophageal ultrasound was performed after the eyelash reflex disappeared, and remazolam 0.1 mg/kg was intravenously injected intermittently when bucking and body movement were induced by operation stimulation. The occurrence of hypoxia-related adverse events, mandibular intervention and ventilation-related adverse events was observed during examination. The operation time, time of emergence from anesthesia and consumption of remazolam were recorded. Results:Compared with group C, the incidence of severe hypoxia and rate of mandibular intervention were significantly decreased (7%/0 and 53%/17%, P<0.05), the lowest intraoperative SpO 2 was increased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the operation time, time of emergence from anesthesia and consumption of remazolam in group HFNC ( P>0.05). No ventilation-related adverse events occurred in both groups. Conclusions:HFNC can markedly optimize the ventilation management of elderly patients undergoing painless transesophageal echocardiography.

Objective:To investigate the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of facial onset sensory motor neuronopathy (FOSMN) syndrome.Methods:Ten patients diagnosed with FOSMN syndrome in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2012 to December 2022 were included. The clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of patients were analyzed and summarized, and the genetic testing was also performed in these patients.Results:The age of onset was (56.6±6.5) years, and the longest survival duration of disease was 10 years. All patients had numbness around the face and mouth as the first symptom and abnormal blink reflex. A total of 52 sensory nerve conduction nerves were detected, among which 2 median nerves and 2 μlnar nerves showed decreased amplitude of sensory nerve action potential. Needle electromyography showed neurogenic lesions, with both progressive and chronic denervation. Whole exome sequencing identified the heterozygous variant c.272A>C in the exon 4 of the SOD1 gene resulting in the amino acid change p.Asp90Ala in 1 patient. In all patients, the disease progressed relentlessly and eventually led to involvement of respiratory muscle. Conclusion:FOSMN syndrome is characterized by abnormal blink reflex and sometimes abnormal sensory nerve conduction may be shown on electrophysiologic testing.

The outbreak and spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) highlighted the importance and urgency of the research and development of therapeutic drugs. Very early into the COVID-19 pandemic, China has begun developing drugs, with some notable progress. Herein, we summarizes the anti-COVID-19 drugs and promising drug candidates originally developed and researched in China. Furthermore, we discussed the developmental prospects, mechanisms of action, and advantages and disadvantages of the anti-COVID-19 drugs in development, with the aim to contribute to the rational use of drugs in COVID-19 treatment and more effective development of new drugs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the variants. Neutralizing antibody is an effective approach to overcome COVID-19. However, drug resistance induced by rapid virus mutation will likely to challenge neutralizing antibodies. Taking into account current epidemic trends, small molecule drugs have a crucial role in fighting COVID-19 due to their significant advantage of convenient administration and affordable and broad-spectrum. Traditional Chinese medicines, including natural products and traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, contribute to the treatment of COVID-19 due to their unique mechanism of action. Currently, the research and development of Chinese anti-COVID-19 drugs have led to some promising achievements, thus prompting us to expect even more rapidly available solutions.

Objective:To analyze the abnormal vestibular function of Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and to explore its diagnostic value.Methods:WE patients who visited the Vertigo Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2018 to January 2021 were retrospectively collected. All patients were evaluated by clinical neurology. Before treatment, all patients completed video head impulse test (vHIT) and video nystagmusgraphy (VNG) in addition to cranial magnetic resonance and serum thiamine level examination.Results:All 12 patients had a history of eating defects, including 8 cases of alcoholism. All 12 patients had walking instability, 7 cases had dizziness and 8 cases had oscillopsia. Six cases had ophthalmoplegia. All 12 cases showed positive gaze nystagmus. The pathological saccades of bilateral horizontal semicircular canals were found in 12 patients by vHIT before treatment, but there was only 1 patient showing abnormality in vertical semicircular canals, the difference being statistically significant ( P<0.05). All patients could detect bilateral, horizontal, gaze-evoked nystagmus, including 3 cases with vertical nystagmus, 1 case with abnormal saccade test, 3 cases with abnormal smooth tracking test and 1 case with abnormal optokinetic test. There were abnormalities in the caloric test, including 6 cases of bilateral dysfunction and 2 cases of unilateral dysfunction. Conclusions:WE patients may have abnormal vHIT and bilateral, horizontal, gaze-evoked nystagmus, which is similar to the special abnormal signs of simultaneous damage of both peripheral and central vestibular dysfunction.Vestibular function test is valuable for diagnosis of WE, and it is suitable for patients with a history of nutritional disorders who have dizziness or walking instability and suspected WE.

Objective:To investigate any anti-aging effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and explore the relationship between the effect and relief of clinical symptoms in patients with Parkinson′s disease (PD).Methods:A total of 108 PD patients were randomly divided into an rTMS group and a control group, each of 54, while another 54 healthy counterparts were selected to form a normal group. In addition to anti-PD drug therapy, the rTMS group was given daily rTMS treatment, 5 days a week for 4 weeks, while the control group received sham rTMS treatment, with no treatment of the normal group. Before the treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment as well as and 1 month after the ending of the treatment, the subjects′ clinical exercise symptoms were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson′s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), a timed exercise test and the 10m re-entry exercise test. Non-exercise symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE). Fasting venous blood samples were analyzed to quantify the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3).Results:Four weeks and 1 month after the treatment, the average UPDRS scores, exercise test times and 10m re-entry exercise test results of the rTMS group were significantly better than those before treatment and significantly better than those of the control group at the same time point. The rTMS group′s average HAMA, HAMD and MMSE scores, as well as its average P300 latency and amplitude were also significantly better than those of the control group at the same time point and significantly better than those before treatment. After 4 weeks, the average MMP-3 content in the rTMS group was significantly lower than the control group′s average, and after a month the average levels of TNF, IL-6, IL-1β and MMP-3 of the rTMS group were all significantly different from those before treatment and those of the control group. The TNF, IL-6, IL-1β and MMP-3 levels were all positively correlated with the average UPDRS total score.Conclusion:High-frequency rTMS therapy can change the phenotypes related to cell senescence, and thus has good therapeutic effect on motor and non-motor symptoms of PD.

Cobalamin, also known as Vitamin B 12, is the most complex vitamin in nature, and also one of essential vitamins in human body, which involved in many physiological activities, including homocysteine metabolism and translation of methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA as a biological coenzyme.As a higher organism, human cannot synthesize cobalamin by themselves, so cobalamin needs to be supplemented by diet or medicine.At present, there are various forms of cobalamin, including cyanocobalamin (a common form of Vitamin B 12), hydroxylcobalamin, mecoba-lamin and 5′-adenosylcobalamin.These different forms of cobalamin are similar in structures and physiochemical pro-perties, but have some differences in the pharmacokinetics of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination, as well as clinical application and therapeutic efficacy.Among them, cyanocobalamin and hydroxycobalamin are widely used in Europe and the United States.Mecobalamin is more commonly used in Asia.5′-adenosylcobalamin has been approved in China, but less widely used in the world.Cyanocobalamin and mecobalamin are mainly used for the treatment of diseases caused by peripheral neuropathy and cobalamin deficiency.Hydroxycobalamin has been approved as an antidote to cyanide and has shown some potential in the treatment of methylmalonic acidemia in recent years.Now, the chemical structures, physiochemical properties, pharmacokinetic characteristics and clinical applications of the four cobalamins were compared and distinguished, so as to provide references for clinicians in clinical rational drug use and to avoid confusion.

Objective: To detect the prevalence of sleep disorders among metro staff and to analyze influencing effects of effort reward imbalance (ERI) on it. Methods: In January 2015, subway driver, dispatcher and station operator from Guangzhou subway were selected as the research object in the whole group sampling method. A total of 1200 questionnaires were distributed and 1124 were valid questionnaires, and the effective questionnaire recovery rate was 93.7%. Based on the effort reward imbalance questionnaire and the self-administered sleep questionnaire, the data of the general demographic characteristics, life satisfaction, occupational stress and sleep status of the respondents were collected. Epi.data3.1 and spss19.0 were used for analyzing. Results: A total of 1124 subway employees were surveyed, with an average age of (28±5) years; the working age was (4.5±3.6) years. ERI occupied 24.7% (278/1124) of the study population and sleep disorders as 42.2% (474/1124) . Single factor analysis showed that marital status, educational level, work position, life satisfaction and ERI could significantly influence sleep disorders of metro staff (P<0.05) . Logistic regression showed that higher effort (adjusted OR=2.56, 95%CI: 1.79-3.68) , lower reward (adjusted OR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.34-2.68) and ERI (adjusted OR=2.33, 95%CI: 1.69-3.22) could increase the risk of sleep disorders after the confounding factors were controlled. ERI (adjusted OR=2.89, 95% CI: 1.80-4.64) , and over commitment (adjusted OR=4.64, 95%CI: 2.81-7.68) could influence the risk of sleep disorders independently when over commitment was evaluated as a moderating variable. Conclusion Occupational stress as ERI could influence the risk of sleep disorders among metro staff. The situation should not be neglected for occupational health of metro staff.