Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2013 to 2022, so as to provide the evidence for the improvement of PTB prevention and control measures in this population. Methods: Data of PTB cases aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The temporal, population, and regional distribution characteristics of PTB cases were analyzed using the descriptive epidemiological method. Results: A total of 8 726 PTB cases aged 60 years and older were registered in Yangzhou City from 2013 to 2022, including 4 167 cases positive for pathogenic tests, with a positive rate of 47.75%. The registered incidence rates and the positive rates of pathogenic tests of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed downward trends from 2013 to 2022 (both P<0.05). The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB was 83.95/105, and the average annual registered incidence rate of PTB positive for pathogenic tests was 40.09/105. The average annual registered incidence rate of PTB in males was higher than that in females (138.57/105 vs. 31.76/105, P<0.05). The registered incidence rate of PTB showed an increasing trend with age (P<0.05), with the highest rate observed in the age group of 75-<80 years (110.37/105). The top three regions with the highest average annual registered incidence rates of PTB were Jiangdu District (94.34/105), Baoying County (91.61/105) and Hanjiang District (84.93/105). Conclusions The registered incidence of PTB among residents aged 60 years and older in Yangzhou City showed a downward trend from 2013 to 2022. Particular attention should be payed to males, residents aged 75- <80 years, and the elderly in Jiangdu District and Baoying County.

Sepsis is one of the common severe diseases caused by the dysregulated host response to infection， which seriously threatens the life and health of human beings all over the world. The incidence and mortality of the disease are extremely high， and it has always been an urgent problem to be solved in the field of acute and critical diseases. At present， anti-infection， fluid resuscitation， mechanical ventilation and other programs are most used in clinic to treat sepsis， but their poor prognosis and high cost and other issues remain to be resolved. Therefore， it is necessary to explore a new， efficient， safe and inexpensive drug and treatment model at this stage. The treatment of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is based on syndrome differentiation and holistic concept. It can effectively regulate the progression of sepsis， maintain the homeostasis of the body， and has fewer adverse reactions. It has achieved good clinical results. In recent years， a large number of studies have shown that TCM can reduce the inflammatory response by regulating the Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4） signaling pathway， thereby reducing the severity and mortality of sepsis patients. However， there is still a lack of systematic exposition of TCM regulating TLR4 signaling pathway in the treatment of sepsis. Therefore， this article summarizes the relationship between TLR4 signaling pathway and sepsis and the mechanism of TCM in the disease by searching and consulting relevant literature in recent years. It is found that some Chinese medicine monomers and active ingredients， Chinese medicine compounds and Chinese medicine preparations can effectively reduce systemic inflammatory response， repair organ damage and improve the prognosis of sepsis by inhibiting the activation of TLR4 signaling pathway. However， due to various limitations， some studies have directly focused on the differential expression and function of TLR4， ignoring the downstream molecular expression and phenotypic effects of TLR4. The alternative mechanism， relationship and specific molecular mechanism of the pathway are still unclear. There are problems such as unclear pharmacokinetics and unclear mechanism in the pro- and anti-inflammatory balance， which need to be further studied and explored in order to provide new ideas for the potential treatment and drug development for sepsis.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein skin test (EC-ST) in screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among HIV/AIDS patients, so as to provide insights into the applicability of EC-ST in LTBI screening among HIV/AIDS patients. Methods: From April to June 2023, HIV/AIDS patients under management and treatment in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, were selected as study subjects. Basic information was collected through questionnaire surveys. LTBI was screened by EC-ST and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA). Taking IGRA results as the diagnostic standard, the positive rate, sensitivity, specificity and consistency rate of EC-ST, and the impact of CD4+T lymphocyte (CD4) counts on the screening effect of EC-ST were analyzed. Results: A total of 523 HIV/AIDS patients were screened, including 458 males (87.57%) and 65 females (12.43%). The median age was 48.00 (interquartile range, 21.00) years. The positive rate of EC-ST was 7.27% and the positive rate of IGRA was 7.46%, with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). The consistency rate of the two methods was 94.84%, and the Kappa value of 0.621 (95%CI: 0.489-0.752, P<0.05). The sensitivity of EC-ST was 64.10% and the specificity was 97.31%. Comparing the groups with CD4 counts <500 and ≥500 cells/μL, the consistency rates of the two methods were 95.32% and 94.44%, and the Kappa values were 0.568 and 0.650, respectively (both P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the positive rates, sensitivity, and specificity of EC-ST (all P>0.05). Comparing the groups with CD4 counts <200 and ≥200 cells/μL, the consistency rates of the two methods were 96.55% and 94.62%, and the Kappa values were 0.648 and 0.619, respectively (both P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the positive rates, sensitivity, and specificity of EC-ST (all P>0.05). Conclusion The effectiveness of EC-ST in screening for LTBI among HIV/AIDS patients is consistent with that of IGRA and is not affected by CD4 counts.

Information on patients with rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (RR-PTB) in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was obtained from the Information System of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The epidemic characteristics of RR-PTB patients were analyzed by using χ2 test. The average annual registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was 0.57/100 000, and the difference between the registered incidence rates in each year was statistically significant ( χ2=29.326, P<0.001). The proportion of re-treated patients (64.8%) was higher than that of newly treated patients (35.2%, χ2=50.593, P<0.001). The registered incidence rate in males (0.91/100 000) was higher than that in females (0.24/100 000, χ2=80.566, P<0.001). The age distribution showed that the highest incidence rate was in the age group≥60 years (0.96/100 000) and the lowest was in the age group 0-<45 years (0.31/100 000, χ2=55.853, P<0.001). From 2012 to 2020, Baoying County had the largest number of registered RR-PTB patients (44 cases), and its registered incidence rate (0.64/100 000) was only lower than that of Guangling District (0.98/100 000). The registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Baoying County during 2016—2020 also increased significantly compared to 2012—2015 ( P=0.001). Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to the treatment outcome of RR-PTB patients. The results showed that patients aged≥60 years and those classified as the re-treatment were risk factors for successful treatment of RR-PTB patients ( P<0.05). In summary, males, people aged≥60 years, patients classified as the re-treatment, and residents of Baoying County should be the key populations for RR-PTB epidemic prevention and control in Yangzhou City.

Information on patients with rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (RR-PTB) in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was obtained from the Information System of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The epidemic characteristics of RR-PTB patients were analyzed by using χ2 test. The average annual registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Yangzhou City from 2012 to 2020 was 0.57/100 000, and the difference between the registered incidence rates in each year was statistically significant ( χ2=29.326, P<0.001). The proportion of re-treated patients (64.8%) was higher than that of newly treated patients (35.2%, χ2=50.593, P<0.001). The registered incidence rate in males (0.91/100 000) was higher than that in females (0.24/100 000, χ2=80.566, P<0.001). The age distribution showed that the highest incidence rate was in the age group≥60 years (0.96/100 000) and the lowest was in the age group 0-<45 years (0.31/100 000, χ2=55.853, P<0.001). From 2012 to 2020, Baoying County had the largest number of registered RR-PTB patients (44 cases), and its registered incidence rate (0.64/100 000) was only lower than that of Guangling District (0.98/100 000). The registered incidence rate of RR-PTB patients in Baoying County during 2016—2020 also increased significantly compared to 2012—2015 ( P=0.001). Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to the treatment outcome of RR-PTB patients. The results showed that patients aged≥60 years and those classified as the re-treatment were risk factors for successful treatment of RR-PTB patients ( P<0.05). In summary, males, people aged≥60 years, patients classified as the re-treatment, and residents of Baoying County should be the key populations for RR-PTB epidemic prevention and control in Yangzhou City.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among the elderly at ages of 65 years and older in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province from 2017 to 2021, so as to provide the evidence for the development of PTB prevention and control measures in the elderly. Methods: Data of PTB cases at ages of 65 years and older in Yangzhou City from 2017 to 2021 were collected from the Tuberculosis Management Information System of the Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System, including age, gender, current address, population classification and diagnosis classification. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the temporal distribution, regional distribution, population distribution and delay in healthcare-seeking of PTB cases. Results: A total of 3 283 PTB patients at ages of 65 years and older were registered in Yangzhou City from 2017 to 2021, accounting for 41.12% of the total number of PTB cases. The incidence decreased from 112.10/105 to 66.03/105 (P<0.05), with an average annual incidence of 80.43/105. There were 1 236 cases of PTB cases from April to July, accounting for 37.65%. Guangling District had the highest annual incidence of 96.45/105, followed by Hanjiang District (89.29/105) and Jiangdu district (87.05/105). The average annual incidence of PTB in males was 134.07/105, which was higher than that in females (30.55/105, P<0.05). There were 1 070 cases of PTB cases at ages of 65-69 years, accounting for 32.59%. The highest incidence was seen in men at ages of 85 years and older (200.39/105) and in women at ages of 80-84 years (38.34/105). Farmers were the predominant occupation of PTB cases (2 488 cases, 75.78%). There were 2 365 cases of PTB with delay in healthcare-seeking, accounting for 72.04%. Conclusions The incidence of PTB in the elderly at ages of 65 years and older in Yangzhou City showed an overall downward trend from 2017 to 2021, peaked from April to July, and was higher in Guangling District, Hanjiang District and Jiangdu District. Males and farmers had higher risks of PTB.

Aim To clarify the anti-rheumatoid arthritis effect of Tibetan medicine Pulicaria insignis (P. insignis),sift out the active parts against rheumatoid arthritis,and investigate the mechanism. Methods Rat rheumatoid arthritis (CIA) model was established with bovine type II collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant. The effects of the total extract of P. insignis, macroporous resin eluted parts with different concentrations of ethanol and Tripterygium Glycosides (GTW) on the degree of foot swelling in CIA rats were observed,the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), intd rheumaerleukin-1β (IL-1β) antoid factor (RF) in serum of rats were detected, the pathological changes of synovial tissues were investigated, and the effects on MAPK/p38/NF-κB, TLR4/NF-κB protein expressions were explored by Western blot. Results Compared with the model group, the total extract of P. insignis and the eluted part of macroporous resin 60% ethanol could significantly reduce the degree of joint swelling in CIA rats, effectively improve the pathological changes of rats synovium tissues, and significantly reduce the levels of rat tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and rheumatoid factor (RF) in serum inflammatory factors, and markedly decrease the expression of related inflammatory proteins (TLR4, NF-κB, Myd88, p-p38, p-IκBα, iNOS, etc) in synovial tissue. Conclusions (1) P. insignis can relieve the symptoms of joint inflammation in rats with rheumatoid arthritis, and the eluted part of macroporous resin 60% ethanol of P. insignis is the effective active part for anti-rheumatoid arthritis. (2) The total and partial extracts of P. insignis can relieve arthritis symptoms in CIA rats through inhibiting the MAPK/ p38/NF-κB and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: LY01005 (Goserelin acetate sustained-release microsphere injection) is a modified gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist injected monthly. This phase III trial study aimed to evaluated the efficacy and safety of LY01005 in Chinese patients with prostate cancer. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial across 49 sites in China. This study included 290 patients with prostate cancer who received either LY01005 or goserelin implants every 28 days for three injections. The primary efficacy endpoints were the percentage of patients with testosterone suppression ≤50 ng/dL at day 29 and the cumulative probability of testosterone ≤50 ng/dL from day 29 to 85. Non-inferiority was prespecified at a margin of -10%. Secondary endpoints included significant castration (≤20 ng/dL), testosterone surge within 72 h following repeated dosing, and changes in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and prostate specific antigen levels. RESULTS: On day 29, in the LY01005 and goserelin implant groups, testosterone concentrations fell below medical-castration levels in 99.3% (142/143) and 100% (140/140) of patients, respectively, with a difference of -0.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], -3.9% to 2.0%) between the two groups. The cumulative probabilities of maintaining castration from days 29 to 85 were 99.3% and 97.8%, respectively, with a between-group difference of 1.5% (95% CI, -1.3% to 4.4%). Both results met the criterion for non-inferiority. Secondary endpoints were similar between groups. Both treatments were well-tolerated. LY01005 was associated with fewer injection-site reactions than the goserelin implant (0% vs . 1.4% [2/145]). CONCLUSION: LY01005 is as effective as goserelin implants in reducing testosterone to castration levels, with a similar safety profile. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04563936.
Humans ; Male ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/therapeutic use* ; East Asian People ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/agonists* ; Goserelin/therapeutic use* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Testosterone

Objective    To evaluate the prognosis of interventional treatment with covered stent graft for retrograde Stanford type A aortic dissection and intramural hematoma by single-arm meta-analysis. Methods    Related studies on treating retrograde Stanford type A aortic dissection and intramural hematoma with covered stent graft were retrieved from the databases by computer, including PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Wanfang Data, VIP, CNKI and CBM, from inception to January 2020. Literatures were screened by researchers step by step according to the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality of the enrolled literatures was evaluated, and data were extracted from the included studies. Afterwards, single-arm meta-analysis was carried out by the R3.6.3 software. Results    A total of 12 English and 5 Chinese studies were included, which were all case series, and the quality of all literatures was moderate evaluated by Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). After analyzing the clinical prognosis of 260 patients, the 30-day mortality was 6% (95%CI 0.04 to 0.11, P=0.97), the late mortality was 8% (95%CI 0.05 to 0.14, P=0.78), the incidence of endoleak was 21% (95%CI 0.16 to 0.29, P=0.06), the incidence of stroke was 5% (95%CI 0.03 to 0.09, P=0.99), the incidence of new aortic dissection was 7% (95%CI 0.04 to 0.11, P=0.96), the incidence of dissection progression was 10% (95%CI 0.07 to 0.16, P=0.24), and the absorption rate of intramural hematoma was 84% (95%CI 0.37 to 1.00, P<0.01). Conclusion    Interventional treatment with covered stent graft for retrograde Stanford type A aortic dissection and intramural hematoma can obtain good early treatment results for some patients, and can be used as a safe and effective treatment for aged patient with high risk who cannot tolerate surgery. Endoleak, stroke and new aortic dissection are the early serious complications of this method.

Objective: Several COVID-19 patients have overlapping comorbidities. The independent role of each component contributing to the risk of COVID-19 is unknown, and how some non-cardiometabolic comorbidities affect the risk of COVID-19 remains unclear. Methods: A retrospective follow-up design was adopted. A total of 1,160 laboratory-confirmed patients were enrolled from nine provinces in China. Data on comorbidities were obtained from the patients' medical records. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio ( Results: Overall, 158 (13.6%) patients were diagnosed with severe illness and 32 (2.7%) had unfavorable outcomes. Hypertension (2.87, 1.30-6.32), type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (3.57, 2.32-5.49), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (3.78, 1.81-7.89), fatty liver disease (7.53, 1.96-28.96), hyperlipidemia (2.15, 1.26-3.67), other lung diseases (6.00, 3.01-11.96), and electrolyte imbalance (10.40, 3.00-26.10) were independently linked to increased odds of being severely ill. T2DM (6.07, 2.89-12.75), CVD (8.47, 6.03-11.89), and electrolyte imbalance (19.44, 11.47-32.96) were also strong predictors of unfavorable outcomes. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease on admission (5.46, 3.25-9.19), while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes (6.58, 1.46-29.64) within two weeks. Conclusion Besides hypertension, diabetes, and CVD, fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, other lung diseases, and electrolyte imbalance were independent risk factors for COVID-19 severity and poor treatment outcome. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease, while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes.
Adult ; Aged ; COVID-19/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Treatment Outcome