[Objective] To obtain accurate data on alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels among blood donors in China and to explore the necessity of adjusting the qualification criteria for ALT. [Methods] A collaborative study was conducted involving 26 blood centers and 7 central blood stations with an annual testing volume exceeding 100 000 samples. Between December 1 and 15, 2024, pre-donation ALT testing was suspended for 1-2 days for all whole blood donations. ALT levels were measured only post-donation using standard laboratory equipment and reagents. All transfusion-transmitted infectious disease-related serological and nucleic acid testing, including hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA testing, were performed. Within one week of testing completion, anonymized data on basic donor information, routine test results, and HEV RNA results were collected and statistically analyzed. [Results] A total of 21 345 blood donors were included in the study, with an ALT disqualification rate of 7.6% (1 623/21 345). The disqualification rate was 9.6% (1 453/15 205) for males and 2.8% (170/6 140) for females. There were significant regional variations in both the disqualification rates and levels of ALT, with Shaanxi Province exhibiting the highest disqualification rate (12.3%, 87/710) and Yunnan Province the lowest (2.9%, 19/652). Among the provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), Beijing recorded the lowest ALT levels. ALT levels varied across different age groups and genders. Among all samples tested by HEV RNA, the HEV RNA positive rate was 0.29‰ (6/21 003). HCV infection was found to directly affect ALT levels, while HBV, HIV, syphilis, and HEV infections did not significantly impact ALT disqualification rates. It is recommended to adjust the ALT qualification criteria to twice the upper limit of the clinical reference range, which would increase the number of eligible blood donations by 6.61% (1 293/19 550). [Conclusion] In China, the ALT levels of blood donors are correlated with gender, age, geographical region, and HCV infection status. Appropriately raising the ALT eligibility criteria to ≤100 U/L for male donors and ≤80 U/L for female donors could expand the pool of eligible donors and reduce the blood discard rate while ensuring blood safety.

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Hubei province, and to provide scientific basis for prevention and control. Methods The data of Chlamydia trachomatis infection cases reported through the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention from 2008 to 2022 were collected for epidemiological statistical analysis. Results The incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Hubei Province showed an increasing trend from 2008 to 2022, with an average annual reported incidence of 2.26/100 000. The top three reported incidence areas were Shiyan (6.04/100 000), Yichang (5.62/100 000) and Shennongjia (3.47/ 100 000). The reported incidence in southeast area was significantly higher than that in other areas (χ²=2869.603 , P < 0.001). The high incidence age group was 20-39 years old, accounting for more than 70%. The reported incidence in females was higher than that in males (χ²=1429.27 , P < 0.001). Housework and unemployment were the most common professions (43.54%). The case reporting institutions were mainly comprehensive hospitals (87.29%). Conclusion To effectively control the infection and transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis, it is necessary to strengthen the health popularization of STD knowledge, intervention and early active screening of high-risk groups.

This study aimed to explore key quality control factors that affected the prognosis of intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Chinese mainland over six years (2015-2020). The data for this study were from 31 provincial and municipal hospitals (3425 hospital ICUs) and included 2 110 685 ICU patients, for a total of 27 607 376 ICU hospitalization days. We found that 15 initially established quality control indicators were good predictors of patient prognosis, including percentage of ICU patients out of all inpatients (%), percentage of ICU bed occupancy of total inpatient bed occupancy (%), percentage of all ICU inpatients with an APACHE II score ⩾15 (%), three-hour (surviving sepsis campaign) SSC bundle compliance (%), six-hour SSC bundle compliance (%), rate of microbe detection before antibiotics (%), percentage of drug deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis (%), percentage of unplanned endotracheal extubations (%), percentage of patients reintubated within 48 hours (%), unplanned transfers to the ICU (%), 48-h ICU readmission rate (%), ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) (per 1000 ventilator days), catheter related blood stream infection (CRBSI) (per 1000 catheter days), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) (per 1000 catheter days), in-hospital mortality (%). When exploratory factor analysis was applied, the 15 indicators were divided into 6 core elements that varied in weight regarding quality evaluation: nosocomial infection management (21.35%), compliance with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines (17.97%), ICU resources (17.46%), airway management (15.53%), prevention of deep-vein thrombosis (14.07%), and severity of patient condition (13.61%). Based on the different weights of the core elements associated with the 15 indicators, we developed an integrated quality scoring system defined as F score=21.35%xnosocomial infection management + 17.97%xcompliance with SSC guidelines + 17.46%×ICU resources + 15.53%×airway management + 14.07%×DVT prevention + 13.61%×severity of patient condition. This evidence-based quality scoring system will help in assessing the key elements of quality management and establish a foundation for further optimization of the quality control indicator system.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Cross Infection/epidemiology* ; Intensive Care Units/statistics & numerical data* ; Quality Control ; Quality Indicators, Health Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Sepsis/therapy* ; East Asian People/statistics & numerical data*

Humans ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms/surgery* ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule/surgery* ; Bronchoscopy

Objective:Patient risk-based statistical quality control (SQC) program was designed for 9 specific protein projects using Westgard sigma rules with run length.Methods:The cumulative coefficient of variation of immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, rheumatoid factor (RF), antistreptolysin O (ASO), transferrin (TRF) and prealbumin (PA) from the laboratory department of Beijing Tongren Hospital between December 2018 to May 2019 were used as the estimated value of imprecision. The mean of the absolute value of the percentage difference of 10 batches in the laboratory, which was derived from the results of participating the external quality assessment (EQA), was used as the estimated value of bias. The National Center for Clinical Laboratories EQA evaluation criteria was used as an allowable total error (TEa), and the sigma value of each project (σ) was calculated. Westgard Sigma rule with run length was used to design appropriate SQC program for each project, including quality control rules, number of control measurements (N) and frequency of quality control.Results:The sigma value was larger than 6 for SQC procedure of IgG, IgA, IgM, C4 and TRF. SQC could be established with the use of 1 3s rule, number of control measurements (N)=2, number of runs (R)=1, and a run length of 1 000 patient samples. Combined with the average daily workload, internal quality control could be conducted once every 10 days for IgG, IgA, IgM and C4, every 50 days for TRF. The σ was 5.86 for C3, SQC program could be established with run length of 450 using 1 3S/2 2S/R 4s rule (N=2, R=1), combined with average daily workload, internal quality control could be conducted every 4.5 days. σ was between 3 and 4 for RF, ASO and PA. With the use of 1 3S/2 2S/R 4s/4 1s/6 X rule (N=6, R=1), SQC program with a run length of 45 and higher frequency internal quality control activities. Conclusion:It is feasible to use Westgard sigma rules with run length for the laboratories design of personalized risk-based SQC procedures, the method is very simple and intuitive. This tool is valued to be recommended to be actively applied by all clinical laboratories.

Background::The pharmacokinetic and clinical behaviors of many proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in peptic ulcer treatment are altered by CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms. This non-inferiority study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the novel PPI anaprazole compared with rabeprazole. We also explored the influence of Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) infection status and CYP2C19 polymorphism on anaprazole. Methods::In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, positive-drug parallel-controlled, phase III study, Chinese patients with duodenal ulcers were randomized 1:1 to receive rabeprazole 10 mg + anaprazole placebo or rabeprazole placebo + anaprazole 20 mg once daily for 4 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the 4-week ulcer healing rate assessed by blinded independent review. Secondary endpoints were the proportion of patients with improved overall and individual duodenal ulcer symptoms at 4 weeks. Furthermore, exploratory subgroup analysis of the primary endpoint by H. pylori status and CYP2C19 polymorphism was conducted. Adverse events were monitored for safety. Non-inferiority analysis was conducted for the primary endpoint. Results::The study enrolled 448 patients (anaprazole, n = 225; rabeprazole, n = 223). The 4-week healing rates were 90.9% and 93.7% for anaprazole and rabeprazole, respectively (difference, -2.8% [95% confidence interval, -7.7%, 2.2%]), demonstrating non-inferiority of anaprazole to rabeprazole. Overall duodenal ulcer symptoms improved in 90.9% and 92.5% of patients, respectively. Improvement rates of individual symptoms were similar between the groups. Healing rates did not significantly differ by H. pylori status or CYP2C19 genotype for either treatment group. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events was similar for anaprazole (72/220, 32.7%) and rabeprazole (84/219, 38.4%). Conclusions::The efficacy of anaprazole is non-inferior to that of rabeprazole in Chinese patients with duodenal ulcers.Registration::ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04215653.

Lipotoxicity,caused by intracellular lipid accumulation,accelerates the degenerative process of cellular senescence,which has implications in cancer development and therapy.Previously,camitine palmi-toyltransferase 1C (CPT1C),a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes carnitinylation of fatty acids,was found to be a critical regulator of cancer cell senescence.However,whether loss of CPT1C could induce senescence as a result of lipotoxicity remains unknown.An LC/MS-based lipidomic analysis of PANC-1,MDA-MB-231,HCT-116 and A549 cancer cells was conducted after siRNA depletion of CPT1C.Cellular lipotoxicity was further confirmed by lipotoxicity assays.Significant changes were found in the lipidome of CPT1 C-depleted cells,including major alterations in fatty acid,diacylglycerol,triacylglycerol,oxidative lipids,cardiolipin,phosphatidylglycerol,phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine ratio and sphingomyelin.This was coincident with changes in expressions of mRNAs involved in lipogenesis.Histological and biochemical analyses revealed higher lipid accumulation and increased malondialde-hyde and reactive oxygen species,signatures of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress.Reduction of ATP synthesis,loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and down-regulation of expression of mito-chondriogenesis gene mRNAs indicated mitochondrial dysfunction induced by lipotoxicity,which could further result in cellular senescence.Taken together,this study demonstrated CPT1C plays a critical role in the regulation of cancer cell lipotoxicity and cell senescence,suggesting that inhibition of CPT1C may serve as a new therapeutic strategy through induction of tumor lipotoxicity and senescence.

Objective:Analysis of clustering characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Guangdong Province.Methods:The COVID-19 cases in Guangdong Province onset from January 1 to February 29, 2020 were collected from Chinese information system for disease control and prevention and Emergency Public Reporting System. Obtain the epidemiological survey data of the cluster epidemic situation, and clarify the scale of cluster epidemic situation, the characteristics of the index cases, family and non-family subsequent cases. Calculate serial interval according to the onset time of the index cases and subsequent cases, secondary attack rate based on the close contacts tracking results, the characteristics of different cases in the clustered epidemic were compared.Results:A total of 283 cluster were collected, including 633 index cases, 239 subsequent cases. Families are mainly clustered, the total number involved in each cluster is in the range of 2-27, M( P25, P75) are 2.0 (2.0, 4.0). During January 15 to February 29, the secondary attack rate is 2.86% (239/8 363) in Guangdong Province, the family secondary attack rate was 4.84% (276/3 697), and the non-family secondary attack rate was 1.32% (61/4 632). According to the reporting trend of the number of cases in Guangdong Province, it can be divided into four stages, the rising stage, the high platform stage, the descending stage and the low level fluctuation period. The secondary attack rate of the four stages were 3.5% (140/3 987), 2.3% (55/2 399), 2.6% (37/1 435), 1.3% (7/542), respectively. The difference was statistically significant ( P=0.003). Conclusion:COVID-19 cluster mainly occurs in families in Guangdong Province. The scale of the clustered epidemic was small; the serial interval was short; and the overall secondary attack rate was low.

Objective:Analysis of clustering characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Guangdong Province.Methods:The COVID-19 cases in Guangdong Province onset from January 1 to February 29, 2020 were collected from Chinese information system for disease control and prevention and Emergency Public Reporting System. Obtain the epidemiological survey data of the cluster epidemic situation, and clarify the scale of cluster epidemic situation, the characteristics of the index cases, family and non-family subsequent cases. Calculate serial interval according to the onset time of the index cases and subsequent cases, secondary attack rate based on the close contacts tracking results, the characteristics of different cases in the clustered epidemic were compared.Results:A total of 283 cluster were collected, including 633 index cases, 239 subsequent cases. Families are mainly clustered, the total number involved in each cluster is in the range of 2-27, M( P25, P75) are 2.0 (2.0, 4.0). During January 15 to February 29, the secondary attack rate is 2.86% (239/8 363) in Guangdong Province, the family secondary attack rate was 4.84% (276/3 697), and the non-family secondary attack rate was 1.32% (61/4 632). According to the reporting trend of the number of cases in Guangdong Province, it can be divided into four stages, the rising stage, the high platform stage, the descending stage and the low level fluctuation period. The secondary attack rate of the four stages were 3.5% (140/3 987), 2.3% (55/2 399), 2.6% (37/1 435), 1.3% (7/542), respectively. The difference was statistically significant ( P=0.003). Conclusion:COVID-19 cluster mainly occurs in families in Guangdong Province. The scale of the clustered epidemic was small; the serial interval was short; and the overall secondary attack rate was low.

The laboratory medicine is aimed to support clinical decisions and patient health by providing accurate results. The internal statistical quality control (SQC) can help laboratories detecting the instability of the analytical system and preventing laboratories from reporting the patient results with medically important errors, so it is essential to ensure the quality of testing results and patient safety. The traditional methods of designing SQC strategy are based on the probability of error detection (P_ed) and the probability of false rejection (P_fr). With the introduction of risk management concepts, the design of SQC strategy began to be based on the patient risk parameter [MaxE(N_uf)] proposed by Parvin, which means the maximum increase in the number of unacceptable patient results reported compared to the in-control condition during the existence of an undetected out-of control error condition. MaxE(N_uf) is related to the SQC frequency and patient risk, which is very essential for optimizing the SQC frequency and designing a risk-based SQC strategy.