OBJECTIVE To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of remimazolam and propofol in general anesthesia induction and maintenance for elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. METHODS A total of 86 elderly lung cancer patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy at Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital from February to July 2024 were selected and divided into the propofol group and the remimazolam group according to the randomized numerical table method， with 43 cases in each group. During anesthesia induction， patients in the propofol group and the remimazolam group were intravenously administered 2 mg/kg of Propofol medium- and long-chain fat emulsion injection or 0.25 mg/kg of Remimazolam tosilate for injection， respectively； during anesthesia maintenance， the two groups received intravenous infusion of 6-10 mg/（kg·h） of Propofol medium- and long- chain fat emulsion injection or 1-3 mg/（kg·h） of Remimazolam tosilate for injection， respectively. The anesthesia effects， anesthesia-related indicators， intraoperative opioid and muscle relaxant dosages， Ramsay sedation score， numerical rating scale （NRS） score， and hemodynamic parameters were compared between the two groups， and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions was recorded. RESULTS A total of 41 patients in the propofol group and 43 patients in the remimazolam group completed the trial. The proportion of patients with grade Ⅰ anesthesia effect in the remimazolam group was significantly higher than that in the propofol group， while the proportion of patients with grade Ⅱ anesthesia effect was significantly lower than that in the propofol group （P＜0.05）. In this group， the disappearance time of eyelash reflex， the time taken for the bispectral index to drop to 60， and the Ramsay sedation scores （2 and 6 hours after operation） were all significantly prolonged or increased， while the recovery time， NRS scores （2 and 6 hours after operation）， and the incidence of intraoperative hypotension were all significantly shortened or reduced； moreover， the improvements of the above sedation/NRS scores exhibited a time-dependent pattern within 2 to 24 hours after operation （P＜0.05）. Compared with before anesthesia induction （T0）， the heart rate [except at 2 min after medication （T1）， 60 min after anesthesia （T4）， and at the end of surgery （T5） in the remimazolam group] and mean arterial pressure [except at T1 in the remimazolam group] of patients in both groups significantly decreased at T1， 5 min after medication （T2）， at the start of surgery （T3）， T4， and T5 （P＜0.05）. Meanwhile， regional cerebral oxygen saturation significantly increased in both groups. Furthermore， the heart rate and mean arterial pressure of patients in the remimazolam group were significantly higher than those in the propofol group at T1， T2 and T4 （P＜0.05）. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of postanesthesia care unit stay time， dosage of opioids and muscle relaxants， regional cerebral oxygen saturation， or peripheral oxygen saturation at various time points （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Compared to propofol， remimazolam demonstrates superior anesthesia effects when used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. It not only provides more stable intraoperative hemodynamics and shortens the postoperative recovery time but also effectively reduces the incidence of intraoperative hypotension.

In order to investigate whether the effect of Yuxuebi Tablets on the peripheral and central inflammation resolution of mice with inflammatory pain is related to their regulation of G protein-coupled receptor 37(GPR37), an inflammatory pain model was established by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA) into the paws of mice, with a sham-operated group receiving a similar volume of normal saline. The mice were assigned randomly to the sham-operated group, model group, ibuprofen group(91 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of Yuxuebi Tablets(60, 120, and 240 mg·kg~(-1)). The drug was administered orally from days 1 to 19 after modeling. Von Frey method and the hot plate test were used to detect mechanical pain thresholds and heat hyperalgesia. The levels of interleukin-10(IL-10) and transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-β) in the spinal cord were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the mRNA and protein expression of GPR37 in the spinal cord was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR(qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Additionally, immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of macrosialin antigen(CD68), mannose receptor(MRC1 or CD206), and GPR37 in dorsal root ganglia, as well as the expression of calcium-binding adapter molecule 1(IBA1), CD206, and GPR37 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The results showed that compared with those of the sham-operated group, the mechanical pain thresholds and hot withdrawal latency of the model group significantly declined, and the expression of CD68 in the dorsal root ganglia and the expression of IBA1 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord significantly increased. The expression of CD206 and GPR37 significantly decreased in the dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn of the spinal cord, and IL-10 and TGF-β levels in the spinal cord were significantly decreased. Compared with those of the model group, the mechanical pain thresholds and hot withdrawal latency of the high-dose group of Yuxuebi Tablets significantly increased, and the expression of CD68 in the dorsal root ganglion and IBA1 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord significantly decreased. The expression of CD206 and GPR37 in the dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn of the spinal cord significantly increased, as well as IL-10 and TGF-β levels in the spinal cord. These findings indicated that Yuxuebi Tablets may reduce macrophage(microglial) infiltration and foster M2 macrophage polarization by enhancing GPR37 expression in the dorsal root ganglia and dorsal horn of the spinal cord of CFA-induced mice, so as to improve IL-10 and TGF-β levels, promote resolution of both peripheral and central inflammation, and play analgesic effects.
Inflammation/genetics* ; Pain/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Mice ; Freund's Adjuvant/pharmacology* ; Ibuprofen ; Pain Threshold/drug effects* ; Hyperalgesia/genetics* ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Interleukin-10/genetics* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics* ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tablets ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled

PURPOSE: Intertrochanteric fractures undergoing proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) surgery are associated with significant hidden blood loss. This study aimed to explore whether intramedullary administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) can reduce bleeding in PFNA surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly individuals. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted from January 2019 to December 2022. Patients aged over 60 years with intertrochanteric fractures who underwent intramedullary fixation surgery with PFNA were eligible for inclusion and grouped according to random numbers. A total of 249 patients were initially enrolled, of which 83 were randomly allocated to the TXA group and 82 were allocated to the saline group. The TXA group received intramedullary perfusion of TXA after the bone marrow was reamed. The primary outcomes were total peri-operative blood loss and post-operative transfusion rate. The occurrence of adverse events was also recorded. Continuous data was analyzed by unpaired t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, and categorical data was analyzed by Pearson Chi-square test. RESULTS: The total peri-operative blood loss (mL) in the TXA group was significantly lower than that in the saline group (577.23 ± 358.02 vs. 716.89 ± 420.30, p = 0.031). The post-operative transfusion rate was 30.67% in the TXA group and 47.95% in the saline group (p = 0.031). The extent of post-operative deep venous thrombosis and the 3-month mortality rate were similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION We observed that intramedullary administration of TXA in PFNA surgery for intertrochanteric fractures in elderly individuals resulted in less peri-operative blood loss and decreased transfusion rate, without any adverse effects, and is, thus, recommended.
Humans ; Tranexamic Acid/administration & dosage* ; Hip Fractures/surgery* ; Male ; Aged ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary/adverse effects* ; Blood Loss, Surgical/prevention & control* ; Antifibrinolytic Agents/administration & dosage* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Nails ; Middle Aged ; Blood Transfusion/statistics & numerical data*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of chronic disseminated candidiasis (CDC) in children with acute leukemia (AL) following chemotherapy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on children diagnosed with CDC (including confirmed, clinically diagnosed, and suspected cases) after AL chemotherapy from January 2015 to December 2023 at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Zhangzhou Municipal Hospital, and Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University. Clinical characteristics and prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence of CDC in children with AL following chemotherapy was 1.92% (32/1 668). Among the children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the incidence of CDC in the high-risk group was significantly higher than in the low-risk group (P=0.002). All patients presented with fever unresponsive to antibiotics during the neutropenic period, with 81% (26/32) involving the liver. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly elevated (≥50 mg/L) in 97% (31/32) of the patients. The efficacy of combined therapy with liposomal amphotericin B and caspofungin or posaconazole for CDC was 66% (19/29), higher than with caspofungin (9%, 2/22) or liposomal amphotericin B (18%, 2/11) monotherapy. The overall cure rate was 72% (23/32). The proportion of patients with CRP ≥50 mg/L and/or a positive β-D-glucan test for more than 2 weeks and breakthrough infections during caspofungin treatment was significantly higher in the treatment failure group compared to the successful treatment group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS CDC in children with AL after chemotherapy may be associated with prolonged neutropenia due to intensive chemotherapy. Combination antifungal regimens based on liposomal amphotericin B have a higher cure rate, while persistently high CRP levels and positive β-D-glucan tests may indicate poor prognosis.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use* ; Candidiasis/diagnosis* ; Chronic Disease ; Leukemia/complications* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/complications* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of gut microbiota changes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) undergoing induction chemotherapy and to explore the relationship between infectious complications and gut microbiota. METHODS: Fecal samples were collected from 37 newly diagnosed AML patients at four time points: before induction chemotherapy, during chemotherapy, during the neutropenic phase, and during the recovery phase. Metagenomic sequencing was used to analyze the dynamic changes in gut microbiota. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between changes in gut microbiota and the occurrence of infectious complications. RESULTS: During chemotherapy, the gut microbiota α-diversity (Shannon index) of AML patients exhibited significant fluctuations. Specifically, the diversity decreased significantly during induction chemotherapy, further declined during the neutropenic phase (P < 0.05, compared to baseline), and gradually recovered during the recovery phase, though not fully returning to baseline levels.The abundances of beneficial bacteria, such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, gradually decreased during chemotherapy, whereas the abundances of opportunistic pathogens, including Enterococcus, Klebsiella, and Escherichia coli, progressively increased.Analysis of the dynamic changes in gut microbiota of seven patients with bloodstream infections revealed that the bloodstream infection pathogens could be detected in the gut microbiota of the corresponding patients, with their abundance gradually increasing during the course of infection. This finding suggests that bloodstream infections may be associated with opportunistic pathogens originating from the gut microbiota.Compared to non-infected patients, the baseline samples of infected patients showed a significantly lower relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (P < 0.05). Regression analysis indicated that Bacteroidetes abundance is an independent predictive factor for infectious complications (P < 0.05, OR =13.143). CONCLUSION During induction chemotherapy in AML patients, gut microbiota α-diversity fluctuates significantly, and the abundance of opportunistic pathogens increase, which may be associated with bloodstream infections. Patients with lower baseline Bacteroidetes abundance are more prone to infections, and its abundance can serve as an independent predictor of infectious complications.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/microbiology* ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Feces/microbiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Background::Although overnight fasting is recommended prior to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), the benefits and safety of high-carbohydrate fluid diet (CFD) intake 2 h before ERCP remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze whether high-CFD intake 2 h before ERCP can be safe and accelerate patients’ recovery.Methods::This prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial involved 15 tertiary ERCP centers. A total of 1330 patients were randomized into CFD group ( n = 665) and fasting group ( n = 665). The CFD group received 400 mL of maltodextrin orally 2 h before ERCP, while the control group abstained from food/water overnight (>6 h) before ERCP. All ERCP procedures were performed using deep sedation with intravenous propofol. The investigators were blinded but not the patients. The primary outcomes included postoperative fatigue and abdominal pain score, and the secondary outcomes included complications and changes in metabolic indicators. The outcomes were analyzed according to a modified intention-to-treat principle. Results::The post-ERCP fatigue scores were significantly lower at 4 h (4.1 ± 2.6 vs. 4.8 ± 2.8, t = 4.23, P <0.001) and 20 h (2.4 ± 2.1 vs. 3.4 ± 2.4, t= 7.94, P <0.001) in the CFD group, with least-squares mean differences of 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26–0.71, P <0.001) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.57–0.95, P <0.001), respectively. The 4-h pain scores (2.1 ± 1.7 vs. 2.2 ± 1.7, t = 2.60, P = 0.009, with a least-squares mean difference of 0.21 [95% CI: 0.05–0.37]) and positive urine ketone levels (7.7% [39/509] vs. 15.4% [82/533], χ2 = 15.13, P <0.001) were lower in the CFD group. The CFD group had significantly less cholangitis (2.1% [13/634] vs. 4.0% [26/658], χ2 = 3.99, P = 0.046) but not pancreatitis (5.5% [35/634] vs. 6.5% [43/658], χ2 = 0.59, P = 0.444). Subgroup analysis revealed that CFD reduced the incidence of complications in patients with native papilla (odds ratio [OR]: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39–0.95, P = 0.028) in the multivariable models. Conclusion::Ingesting 400 mL of CFD 2 h before ERCP is safe, with a reduction in post-ERCP fatigue, abdominal pain, and cholangitis during recovery.Trail Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT03075280.

Objective To investigate the distribution patterns of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution in 959 patients with endometriosis(EMs).Methods From January 2019 to November 2019,959 EMs patients were selected from Guang'anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences,Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University,Beijing Hospital,Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University,and Fuxing Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University.The general clinical information of the patients was recorded and then the TCM constitution was identified.After that,the correlation of TCM constitution distribution with concurrent constitution and the relationship of TCM constitution distribution with age and the complication of dysmenorrhea were analyzed.Results(1)The constitution types of EMs patients listed in descending order of the proportion were yang deficiency constitution(65.1％,624/959),qi stagnation constitution(58.4％,560/959),qi deficiency constitution(52.8％,506/959),blood stasis constitution(44.2％,424/959),phlegm-damp constitution(42.5％,408/959),damp-heat constitution(41.9％,402/959),yin deficiency constitution(39.6％,380/959),balanced constitution(26.8％,257/959),and inherited special constitution(16.6％,159/959).Among the patients,there were fewer patients with single constitution,accounting for 20.2％(194/959),and most of them had concurrent constitution types,accounting for 79.8％(765/959).(2)The association rule mining based on Apriori algorithm obtained 33 related rules.The concurrent constitution types of qi deficiency-yang deficiency,blood stasis-yang deficiency,and blood stasis-qi stagnation were the association rules with high confidence.(3)Compared with patients aged 35 years and below,the patients over 35 years old were predominated by high proportion of blood stasis constitution(P＜0.05).Compared with patients without dysmenorrhea,the patients with dysmenorrhea had the increased proportion of biased constitutions and the decreased proportion of balanced constitution(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion Yang deficiency constitution,qi stagnation constitution,qi deficiency constitution and blood stasis constitution are the high-risk constitution types of EMs patients.The concurrent constitution types are commonly seen in EMs patients,which are more common than single biased constitution.Management of EMs patients with the methods of warming yang,relieving stagnation,benefiting qi and activating blood will be helpful for correcting the biased constitutions in time and preventing disease progression,which will achieve the preventive treatment efficacy through TCM constitution correction.

Objective To explore the mechanism of'homotherapy for heteropathy'Zhigancao Decoction in the treatment of coronary heart disease arrhythmia and pulmonary fibrosis by network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.Methods All the active components of Zhigancao Decoction were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP)and Herbal Compendium(HERB).The SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict the targets.Cytoscape software was used to construct the drugs-targets network diagram and network topology analysis was performed to obtain the core drug targets.The disease targets of coronary heart disease,arrhythmia and pulmonary fibrosis were obtained in GeneCards and OMIM databases,and the intersection targets of Chinese medicine and disease were obtained by Venny software.The intersection targets were imported into the STRING online database to construct a protein-protein interaction network,and the data were imported into Cytoscape software for visualization and screening of core targets.Gene ontology(GO)function enrichment analysis and kyto encyclo-pedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the intersection targets using the Metascape database.Molecular docking verification and heat map visualization were performed on the core intersection target and the core drug target through the CB-DOCK2 online platform.Results A total of 137 active components of Zhigancao Decoction were screened out,and 848 corresponding drug targets were obtained by removing repeated values.A total of 9 962 targets of coronary heart disease,5 735 targets of arrhythmia and 7 722 targets of pulmonary fibrosis were obtained.A total of 362 drug-disease intersection targets were obtained by Venny platform processing.The potential core targets with higher degree values were GAPDH,IL-6,ALB,STAT3,TNF,MMP-9 and so on by network topology analysis.GO functional enrichment analysis showed that the main biological processes(BP)involved in Zhigancao Decoction'homotherapy for heteropathy'were the response to hormones,the positive regulation of circulatory system process,phosphorus metabolism process,the response to exogenous stimulation,and the response to organic matter,the main cellular components(CC)include lipid rafts,receptor complexes,cytoplasmic perinuclear regions,dendrites,membrane sides,etc.,the main molecular functions(MF)include protein kinase activity,kinase binding,protein homopolymerization activity,nuclear receptor activity,heme binding,etc..KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the main signaling pathways involved in Zhigancao Decoction'homotherapy for heteropathy'were lipid and atherosclerosis,calcium signaling pathway,cAMP signaling pathway,insulin resistance,cGMP-PKG signaling pathway,JAK-STAT signaling pathway,NF-κB signaling pathway,etc..The results of molecular docking suggested that there was a good binding activity between the main active component targets of Zhigancao Decoction and the core targets of'homotherapy for heteropathy'.Conclusion Zhigancao Decoction mainly regulates JAK-STAT,NF-κB,cAMP and other signaling pathways,acts on IL-6,STAT3,TNF,MMP-9 and other gene targets,and exerts the effect of'homotherapy for heteropathy'on coronary heart disease arrhythmia and pulmonary fibrosis.