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U-shaped association between serum triglyceride levels and mortality among septic patients: An analysis based on the MIMIC-IV database

by Min Xiao, Hongbin Deng, Wenjian Mao, Yang Liu, Qi Yang, Yuxiu Liu, Jiemei Fan, Weiqin Li, Dadong Liu

Background

Sepsis is characterized by upregulated lipolysis in adipose tissue and a high blood triglyceride (TG) level. It is still debated whether serum TG level is related to mortality in septic patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between serum TG level and mortality in septic patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

Data from adult septic patients (≥18 years) admitted to the ICU for the first time were obtained from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The patients’ serum TG levels that were measured within the first week after ICU admission were extracted for statistical analysis. The endpoints were 28-day, ICU and in-hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 2,782 septic patients were included. Univariate analysis indicated that the relationship between serum TG levels and the risk of mortality was significantly nonlinear. Both the Lowess smoothing technique and restricted cubic spline analyses revealed a U-shaped association between serum TG levels and mortality among septic patients. The lowest mortality rate was associated with a serum TG level of 300–500 mg/dL. Using 300∼500 mg/dL as the reference range, we found that both hypo-TG ( Conclusions

There was a U-shaped association between serum TG and mortality in septic ICU patients. The optimal concentration of serum TG levels in septic ICU patients is 300–500 mg/dL.

Efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells in the treatment of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion in mice: An analytical and systematic review of meta-analyses

by Xiaoxuan Zhao, Yijie Hu, Wenjun Xiao, Yiming Ma, Dan Shen, Yuepeng Jiang, Yi Shen, Suxia Wang, Jing Ma

Objectives

Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) remains an intractable reproductive dilemma due to the lack of understanding of the pathogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate the preclinical evidence for the mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) treatment for URSA.

Methods

A meticulous literature search was independently performed by two authors across the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases from inception to April 9, 2023. Each study incorporated was assessed using the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk of bias tool. The amalgamated standardized mean difference (SMD) accompanied by 95% confidence interval (CI) were deduced through a fixed-effects or random-effects model analysis.

Results

A total of ten studies incorporating 140 mice were subjected to data analysis. The MSC treatment yielded a significant reduction in the abortion rate within the URSA model (OR = 0.23, 95%CI [0.17, 0.3], PP = 0.01), IL10 (SMD 1.60, 95% CI [0.58, 2.61], P = 0.002), IFN-γ (SMD -1.66, 95%CI [-2.79, -0.52], P = 0.004), and TNF-α (SMD -1.98, 95% CI [-2.93, -1.04], PPP>0.05).

Conclusions

The findings underscore the considerable potential of MSCs in URSA therapy. Nonetheless, the demand for enhanced transparency in research design and direct comparisons between various MSC sources and administration routes in URSA is paramount to engendering robust evidence that could pave the way for successful clinical translation.

Efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal dexamethasone on postoperative nausea and vomiting following laparoscopy: study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Por: Xu · N. · Jiang · K. · Liu · L. · Chen · L.
Introduction

Intraperitoneal dexamethasone has been reported to be effective to reduce the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Therefore, this meta-analysis will analyse the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal dexamethasone on PONV following laparoscopy.

Methods and analysis

Electronic databases (eg, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Web of Science, National Institute of Informatics, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and clinical trial registries will be systematically searched from their inception to 1 October 2022. After the study and data collection processes, we will identify randomised controlled trials that reported details of intraperitoneal dexamethasone on PONV following laparoscopy to conduct a meta-analysis. We will perform the study process and data collection separately. The collected data will be statistically analysed using Review Manager 5.4 software. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool 2. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation certainty assessment, and a trial sequential analysis will be conducted to ensure the accuracy of this meta-analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval and patient consent are not required since this study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. The findings of this meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022362924.

Health system barriers to timely routine measles vaccinations in rural southwest China: a qualitative study on the perspectives of township vaccination professionals and village doctors

Por: Cheng · M. · Lan · T. · Geater · A. · Deng · Q.-Y. · Lin · Y.-D. · Jiang · L.-Y. · Chen · N. · Zhu · M.-T. · Li · Q. · Tang · X.-Y.
Objectives

A well-functioning health system ensures timely routine measles vaccinations for age-appropriate children, minimising measles risk. However, there is limited knowledge about the impact of the performance of immunisation programmes in health systems on the timeliness of measles vaccination. This study aimed to identify health system barriers to timely routine measles vaccination in rural southwest China, integrating the perspectives of township vaccination professionals and village doctors.

Design, setting and participants

Qualitative study among township vaccination professionals and village doctors in rural Guangxi, southwest China.

Methods

20 focus group discussions (FGDs) at township level and 120 in-depth interviews (IDIs) at village level, based on a four-theme framework. We used convenience sampling to recruit 60 township vaccination professionals and 120 village doctors in 2015. Instruments used were a semistructured questionnaire and interview outlines. We collected township and village-level data focusing on themes of health resources allocation, pattern of vaccination services, management and supervision of vaccination services, and perceptions of vaccination policy. The FGDs and IDIs were audio-recorded and transcribed. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach was adopted to synthesise findings into meaningful subthemes, narrative text and illustrative quotations.

Results

The health system barriers to timely routine vaccinations were explored across four themes. Barriers in the health resources allocation theme comprised (1) inadequacy of vaccination-related human resources (eg, lack of township vaccination professionals and lack of young village doctors), and (2) incompatible and non-identical information system of vaccination services across regions. Barriers in the pattern of vaccination services theme included inflexible vaccination services models, for example, routine vaccination services being offered monthly on fixed vaccination days, limited numbers of vaccination days per month, vaccination days being set on non-local market days, vaccination days being clustered into a specific period and absence of formal vaccination appointments. Ineffective economic incentive mechanism was identified as a barrier in the management and supervision of vaccination services theme. Low-degree participation of village doctors in routine vaccination services was identified as a barrier in the perceptions of vaccination policy theme.

Conclusions

We encourage policymakers and stakeholders to apply these findings to improve the timeliness of routine vaccination. Barriers to timely routine vaccination include inadequate allocation of vaccination-related resources and inflexible vaccination service delivery models. Financial and non-financial incentives should be used to retain and recruit vaccination professionals and village doctors. Strengthening information systems with unified data standards enables cross-regional data exchange. Optimising immunisation services and rationalising vaccination days could eliminate health system barriers and improve vaccination timeliness in rural China.

Early 6 months usage of single anTiplAtelet OR anTicoAgulant followed by single antiplatelet after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: protocol for a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled clinical trial

Por: Hu · X. · Xu · H. · Wang · C. · Wang · Y. · Wang · Y. · Zhou · D. · Zhu · Q. · Xu · K. · Yang · J. · Zhang · H. · Jiang · N. · Zhang · J. · Fang · Z. · Fu · G. · Guo · Y. · Li · Y. · Wang · M. · Feng · D. · Niu · G. · Zhang · E. · Chen · Y. · Ye · Y. · Wu · Y.
Introduction

The strategy for initiating antithrombotic therapy to prevent bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains uncertain. There is still lacking evidence on the efficacy and safety of early 6 months usage of single-antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) or oral anticoagulant (OAC) after TAVR in patients without anticoagulant indications.

Methods and analysis

This is a multicentre, randomised controlled, open-label trial, and 650 patients undergoing TAVR from 13 top TAVR centres in China will be recruited. Each eligible participant will be randomly assigned to two groups (1:1 ratio) as (1) SAPT (aspirin 75–100 mg for 6 months) group or (2) OAC group (warfarin, therapeutic international normalised ratio at 1.8–2.5 for 6 months), both followed by sequential aspirin 75–100 mg for 6 months. Participants in both groups will be invited for three follow-up visits of 1, 6 and 12 months after discharge. We will use both the net clinical benefit endpoint (composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke/transient ischaemic attacks, peripheral artery thrombosis, intracardiac thrombosis and major bleeding and disabling or life-threatening bleeding) and the BPVT endpoint evaluated by four-dimensional CT as our primary endpoints. P value of

Ethics and dissemination

The present study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases of China (Approval No. 2023-1947). All patients will be informed of the details of the study and will sign an informed consent prior to inclusion in the study. Results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

NCT05375474.

Association of body fat distribution with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in US adults: a secondary analysis using NHANES

Por: Li · F. · Wang · Z. · Li · S. · Liu · W. · Li · Y. · Jiang · C. · Tian · Y. · Cui · W. · Zhang · X. · Zhang · J. · Xu · Y.
Objective

To investigate the association of fat and lean mass in specific regions with all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality.

Design

Population based cohort study.

Setting

US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003–2006 and 2011–2018).

Participants

22 652 US adults aged 20 years or older.

Exposures

Fat and lean mass in specific regions obtained from the whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Main outcome measures

All-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality.

Results

During a median of 83 months of follow-up, 1432 deaths were identified. Associations between body composition metrics and mortality risks were evident above specific thresholds. For all-cause mortality, Android fat mass showed elevated HRs above 2.46 kg (HR: 1.17, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.34), while Android lean mass (ALM) had similar trends above 2.75 kg (HR: 1.17, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.33), and Android total mass above 5.75 kg (HR: 1.08, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.16). Conversely, lower HRs were observed below certain thresholds: Gynoid fat mass (GFM) below 3.71 kg (HR: 0.72, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.93), Gynoid lean mass below 6.44 kg (HR: 0.77, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.92), and Gynoid total mass below 11.78 kg (HR: 0.76, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.84). Notably, below 0.722 kg, the HR of visceral adipose tissue mass (VATM) was 1.25 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.48) for all-cause mortality, and above 3.18 kg, the HR of total abdominal fat mass was 2.41 (95% CI 1.15 to 5.05). Cardiovascular-related mortality exhibited associations as well, particularly for Android fat mass (AFM) above 1.78 kg (HR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.47) and below 7.16 kg (HR: 0.50, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.69). HRs varied for Gynoid total mass below and above 10.98 kg (HRs: 0.70, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.93, and 1.12, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.23). Android per cent fat, subcutaneous fat mass (SFM), AFM/GFM, and VATM/SFM were not statistically associated with all-cause mortality. Android per cent fat, Gynoid per cent fat, AFM/GFM, and VATM/SFM were not statistically associated with cardiovascular-related mortality. Conicity index showed that the ALM/GLM had the highest performance for all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality with AUCs of 0.785, and 0.746, respectively.

Conclusions

The relationship between fat or lean mass and all-cause mortality varies by region. Fat mass was positively correlated with cardiovascular mortality, regardless of the region in which they located. ALM/GLM might be a better predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality than other body components or body mass index.

Lifestyle behaviours and associated factors among people with type 2 diabetes attending a diabetes clinic in Ningbo, China: A cross-sectional study

by Naomi Carter, Jialin Li, Miao Xu, Li Li, Shengnan Xu, Xuelan Fan, Shuyan Zhu, Prit Chahal, Kaushik Chattopadhyay

The burden of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in China is significant and growing, and this is reflected in high rates of T2DM in the city of Ningbo, China. Consequent impacts on morbidity, mortality, healthcare expenditure, and health-related quality of life, make this a problem of the utmost importance to address. One way to improve T2DM outcomes is to address lifestyle behaviours that may affect prognosis and complications, such as physical activity levels, dietary habits, smoking status, and alcohol intake. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to describe the prevalence of being physically active, having a healthy diet, currently smoking, and currently drinking alcohol among people living with T2DM attending a diabetes clinic in Ningbo, China. Regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with these lifestyle behaviours. We found a high prevalence of a healthy diet (97.8%, 95% CI 96.5–98.7%). Prevalence of being physically active (83.4%, 95% CI 80.6–85.9%), smoking (21.6%, 95% CI 18.8–24.6%), and alcohol drinking (32.9%. 95% CI 29.6–36.2%) appeared in keeping with those of the general population. Marked associations were demonstrated between male sex and smoking (OR 41.1, 95% CI 16.2–139.0), and male sex and alcohol drinking (OR 4.00, 95% CI 2.62–6.20). Correlation between lifestyle factors was demonstrated including between alcohol drinking and smoking, and between physical activity and reduced smoking. General diabetes self-management education programmes that address multiple lifestyle risk factors simultaneously may be beneficial in this population. Specific interventions targeting smoking cessation and reduction in alcohol drinking may be of benefit to men living with T2DM attending a diabetes clinic in Ningbo.

Data glove-based gesture recognition using CNN-BiLSTM model with attention mechanism

by Jiawei Wu, Peng Ren, Boming Song, Ran Zhang, Chen Zhao, Xiao Zhang

As a novel form of human machine interaction (HMI), hand gesture recognition (HGR) has garnered extensive attention and research. The majority of HGR studies are based on visual systems, inevitably encountering challenges such as depth and occlusion. On the contrary, data gloves can facilitate data collection with minimal interference in complex environments, thus becoming a research focus in fields such as medical simulation and virtual reality. To explore the application of data gloves in dynamic gesture recognition, this paper proposes a data glove-based dynamic gesture recognition model called the Attention-based CNN-BiLSTM Network (A-CBLN). In A-CBLN, the convolutional neural network (CNN) is employed to capture local features, while the bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) is used to extract contextual temporal features of gesture data. By utilizing attention mechanisms to allocate weights to gesture features, the model enhances its understanding of different gesture meanings, thereby improving recognition accuracy. We selected seven dynamic gestures as research targets and recruited 32 subjects for participation. Experimental results demonstrate that A-CBLN effectively addresses the challenge of dynamic gesture recognition, outperforming existing models and achieving optimal gesture recognition performance, with the accuracy of 95.05% and precision of 95.43% on the test dataset.

A meta‐analysis of the effectiveness of antibacterial bone cement in the treatment of diabetic foot skin wound infections

Abstract

A meta-analysis research was implemented to appraise the effect of antibiotic bone cement (ABC) in treating infected diabetic foot wounds (IDFWs). Inclusive literature research till April 2023 was done and 1237 interconnected researches were revised. The 15 selected researches enclosed 895 IDFWs persons were in the utilized researchers' starting point, 449 of them were utilizing ABC, and 446 were in the control group. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were utilized to appraise the consequence of ABC in treating IDFWs by the contentious approach and a fixed or random model. ABC had significantly lower wound healing time (MD, −9.83; 95% CI, −12.45–−7.20, p < 0.001), and time to bacterial conversion of the wound (MD, −7.30; 95% CI, −10.38–−4.32, p < 0.001) compared to control in IDFWs persons. However, caution needs to be taken when interacting with its values since there was a low sample size of most of the chosen research found for the comparisons in the meta-analysis.

Effects of an enhanced recovery after surgery nursing programme on surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: A meta‐analysis

Abstract

This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) nursing program on surgical wound infection (SWI) and postoperative complications in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases were searched from the date of establishment of the database until August 2023 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the effects of the ERAS nursing program on SWI and postoperative complications in patients undergoing TKA. The literature was screened, data were extracted by two independent investigators, and the literature quality was assessed using the methods recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. Data analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 software. Nineteen RCTs with 1580 patients were included in the study. The meta-analysis results showed that the rates of SWI (odds ratio [OR] = 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10–0.37, p < 0.001) and postoperative complications (OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.12–0.25, p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the ERAS intervention group than those in the control group. Therefore, ERAS intervention after TKA can significantly reduce the occurrence of SWI and postoperative complications. It has a remarkable rehabilitation effect and can be widely used in clinical settings.

Construction of a standardized training system for hospital infection prevention and control for new medical staff in internal medicine ICUs based on the Delphi method

by Linfei Wu, Li Tang, Linli Zhuang, Wenyi Xie, Min Liu, Jianfang Li

In China, studies have shown nosocomial infections contribute to increased mortality rates, prolonged hospital stays, and added financial burdens for patients. Previous studies have demonstrated that effective infection control training can enhance the quality of infection control practices, particularly in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. However, there is currently no universally accepted training mode or program that adequately addresses the specific needs of ICU medical staff regarding nosocomial infection control. The objective of this study was to develop a standardized training system for preventing and controlling hospital-acquired infections among new medical staff in the internal medicine ICU. Our methodology encompassed an extensive literature review, technical interviews focusing on key events, semi-structured in-depth interviews, and two rounds of Delphi expert correspondence. We employed intentional sampling to select 16 experts for the Delphi expert consultation. Indicators were chosen based on an average importance score of >3.5 and a coefficient of variation of

Utilizing the visual analogue scale (VAS) to monitor and manage pain in post‐operative skin wounds after thoracic surgery

Abstract

Due to the global increase in thoracic interventions, there is greater emphasis on refining post-operative care. The purpose of this study was to validate the visual analogue scale (VAS) as the valid method for measuring post-operative pain in thoracic surgery patients. From January 2020 to June 2022, this cross-sectional study investigated 240 adult patients who underwent elective thoracic surgeries in Thoracic Surgery Department of Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital. The participants were instructed to rate their discomfort using VAS at predetermined intervals after surgery. The following demographic and clinical information was recorded: age, gender, type of thoracic surgery, and history of chronic pain. Results showed a progressive decline in post-operative VAS scores over 72 h: 8.2 immediately after surgery, 6.0 at 24 h, 5.4 at 48 h, and 3.6 by 72 h. There were notable correlations between VAS scores and chronic pain history, with moderately positive correlation of 0.40 being observed. Mean scores for males and females were 3.8 and 3.9, respectively. The analysis by age revealed comparable mean scores for age categories below and above 40. With the exception of thoracic wall resection, which resulted in an average VAS score of 4.1 ± 1.0 (p < 0.05), the type of surgery had the minimal effect on variability of pain scores. The VAS is a reliable method for evaluating post-thoracic surgery discomfort. Given the substantial impact of pain history on VAS scores, there is an urgent need for personalized pain management strategies to improve post-operative care.

Promoting healthy cooking patterns in China: Analysis of consumer clusters and the evolution of cooking pattern trends

by Chuan Bo Liang, Bin Cui, Fu Rong Wang, Jing Peng, Jian Ying Ma, Mei Yin Xu, Jun Ke, Yi Tian, Zi Qi Cui

Cooking methods can change the composition of foods and have important effects on human health. The Chinese people have developed many distinct and unique cooking methods. However, the daily cooking patterns of Chinese people and the characteristics and evolution of trends in cooking patterns commonly used by Chinese consumers remain unclear. The objective of this study was to identify the major cooking patterns and discuss their effects on human health, as well as to identify the cooking pattern consumer clusters and the evolution of trends in Chinese consumer cooking patterns. From March to June 2021, this study interviewed 4,710 residents in Eastern China regarding the consumption frequency of each cooking method when food is prepared at home or when eating out. Exploratory factor analysis, K-Means cluster analysis, Chi-square test, pairwise comparisons of multiple sample rates, and multivariate linear regression were used to identify the cooking patterns and cooking pattern consumer clusters, to assess differences in consumption preferences between consumer clusters, and to examine the relationship between demographic characteristic variables and different cooking patterns. Results revealed three major cooking patterns, namely traditional Chinese (cooking methods with native Chinese characteristics), bland, and high-temperature cooking patterns, as well as seven cooking pattern consumer clusters and their demographic characteristics in the Eastern Chinese population. With increases in age, education level, and income, consumers tended to choose the healthy “Bland” cooking pattern. Further, there was a higher proportion of people aged 36–65 years in the C3 cluster, which is characterized by the “Bland” cooking pattern. However, participants who were male and younger made fewer healthy choices in their cooking patterns. Specifically, a higher proportion of participants aged 21–35 years were found in the C5 cluster, which is characterized by the unhealthy “High-temperature” cooking pattern. Therefore, culinary health education should focus on individuals who are male and young. Specifically, the shift in cooking patterns among people aged 21–35 years should receive special attention.

Effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy on mortality and major adverse cardiovascular event outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Por: Deng · C.-J. · Yan · J. · Zheng · Y.-Y. · Wu · T.-T. · Pan · Y. · Hou · X.-G. · Wang · S.-F. · Sirajidin · S. · Aimaitijiang · M. · Xie · X.
Background

Emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can quickly restore myocardial perfusion after acute coronary syndrome. Whether and which lipid-lowering regimens are effective in reducing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and mortality risk after PCI remain unclear.

Objective

This study assessed the benefits of different lipid-lowering regimens on the risk of MACEs and mortality in the post-PCI population by network meta-analysis.

Methods

Public databases, including PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library, were searched from inception to August 2022. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on lipid-lowering regimens in post-PCI populations were included and analysed. The outcomes were the incidence of all-cause mortality and MACEs, whether reported as dichotomous variables or as HRs.

Results

Thirty-nine RCTs were included. For MACEs, alirocumab plus rosuvastatin (OR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.44), evolocumab plus ezetimibe and statins (OR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.59), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus pitavastatin (HR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.96) and icosapent ethyl plus statins (HR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.62 to 0.86) had significant advantages and relatively high rankings. For mortality, rosuvastatin (OR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.84), ezetimibe plus statins (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.89) and icosapent ethyl plus statins (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.96) had significant advantages compared with the control.

Conclusion

EPA, especially icosapent ethyl, plus statins had a beneficial effect on reducing the risk of MACEs and mortality in post-PCI patients. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 inhibitors plus statins were able to reduce the risk of MACEs, but the risk of mortality remained unclear.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018099600.

Identification and validation of aging-related genes in atrial fibrillation

by Yong Zhou, Chao Sun, Yingxu Ma, Yunyin Huang, Keke Wu, Shengyuan Huang, Qiuzhen Lin, Jiayi Zhu, Zuodong Ning, Ningyuan Liu, Tao Tu, Qiming Liu

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the clinic. Aging plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of AF. Herein, we aimed to identify the aging-related genes associated with AF using bioinformatics analysis. Transcriptome profiles of AF were obtained from the GEO database. Differential expression analysis was performed to identify AF-specific aging-related genes. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed. Subsequently, the LASSO, SVM-RFE, and MCC algorithms were applied to screen aging-related genes. The mRNA expression of the screened genes was validated in the left atrial samples of aged rapid atrial pacing-induced AF canine models and their counterparts. The ROC curves of them were drawn to evaluate their diagnostic potential. Moreover, CIBERSORT was used to estimate immune infiltration. A correlation analysis between screened aging-related genes and infiltrating immune cells was performed. A total of 24 aging-related genes were identified, which were found to be mainly involved in the FoxO signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, longevity regulating pathway, and peroxisome according to functional enrichment analysis. LASSO, SVM-RFE, and MCC algorithms identified three genes (HSPA9, SOD2, TXN). Furthermore, the expression levels of HSPA9 and SOD2 were validated in aged rapid atrial pacing-induced AF canine models. HSPA9 and SOD2 could be potential diagnostic biomarkers for AF, as evidenced by the ROC curves. Immune infiltration and correlation analysis revealed that HSPA9 and SOD2 were related to immune cell infiltrates. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the potential aging-related genes associated with AF. HSPA9 and SOD2 may play a significant role in the occurrence and development of AF.

Meta‐analysis on the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in enhancing surgical site wound healing post‐colorectal surgery

Abstract

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in enhancing surgical site wound healing following colorectal surgery. We systematically reviewed and analysed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the outcomes of TCM interventions in postoperative wound management, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcome was the assessment of wound healing through the REEDA (redness, oedema, ecchymosis, discharge and approximation) scale at two different time points: the 10th day and 1-month post-surgery. Seven RCTs involving 1884 patients were included. The meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in wound healing in the TCM-treated groups compared to the control groups at both time intervals. On the 10th day post-surgery, the TCM groups exhibited a significant reduction in REEDA scale scores (I2 = 98%; random: SMD: −2.25, 95% CI: −3.52 to −0.98, p < 0.01). A similar trend was observed 1-month post-surgery, with the TCM groups showing a substantial decrease in REEDA scale scores (I 2 = 98%; random: SMD: -3.39, 95% CI: −4.77 to −2.01, p < 0.01). Despite the promising results, the majority of the included studies were of suboptimal quality, indicating a need for further high-quality RCTs to substantiate the findings. The results suggest that TCM interventions can potentially enhance wound healing post-colorectal surgery, paving the way for further research in this area to validate the efficacy of TCM in postoperative management.

Identification of potential immunologic resilience in the healing process of diabetic foot ulcers

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are one of the most common and challenging complications of diabetes, yet our understanding of their pathogenesis remains limited. We collected gene expression data of DFU patients from public databases. Bioinformatics tools were applied for systematic analysis, including the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and enrichment analysis. We further used single-cell RNA sequencing to identify the distribution of different cell populations in DFU. Finally, key results were validated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and flow cytometry. We identified 217 DEGs between ulcerated and healthy skin, and 37 DEGs between healing ulcers and ulcers. WGCNA revealed that the cyan module had the highest positive correlation with healthy skin and negative correlation with ulcers. The black module had the highest negative correlation with healthy skin and positive correlation with ulcers. Enrichment analysis showed that the genes in the cyan module were mainly associated with complement and coagulation cascades, while the genes in the black module were mainly associated with the IL-17 signalling pathway. In addition, CD8 T cells were significantly lower in ulcers than in healthy and healing ulcers. By comparing marker genes of CD8 T cells, we identified key genes in the cyan and black modules and validated their expression using RT-qPCR. The proportion of CD8 T cells was increased in healing ulcers. Flow cytometry detected increased levels of CD8 T, B and natural killer cells in healing ulcers. CD8 T cells and related key genes play an important role in the healing process of DFU. The results of this study provide a new perspective for understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of DFU.

Risk factors for sternal wound infection after open‐heart operations: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

We aimed to quantitatively and systematically elucidate the rationality of the examined variables as independent risk factors for sternal wound infection. We searched databases to screen studies, ascertained the variables to be analysed, extracted the data and applied meta-analysis to each qualified variable. Odds ratios and mean differences were considered to be the effect sizes for binary and continuous variables, respectively. A random-effects model was used for these procedures. The source of heterogeneity was evaluated using a meta-regression. Publication bias was tested by funnel plot and Egger's test, the significant results of which were then calculated using trim and fill analysis. We used a sensitivity analysis and bubble chart to describe their robustness. After screening all variables in the eligible literature, we excluded 55 because only one or no research found them significant after multivariate analysis, leaving 33 variables for synthesis. Two binary variables (age over 65 years, NYHA class >2) and a continuous variable (preoperative stay) were not significant after the meta-analysis. The most robust independent risk factors in our study were diabetes mellitus, obesity, use of bilateral internal thoracic arteries, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, prolonged surgery time, prolonged ventilation and critical preoperative state, followed by congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, renal insufficiency, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and use of an intra-aortic balloon pump. Relatively low-risk factors were emergent/urgent surgery, smoking, myocardial infarction, combined surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting. Sternal wound infection after open-heart surgery is a multifactorial disease. The detected risk factors significantly affected the wound healing process, but some were different in strength. Anything that affects wound healing and antibacterial ability, such as lack of oxygen, local haemodynamic disorders, malnutrition condition and compromised immune system will increase the risk, and this reminds us of comprehensive treatment during the perioperative period.

Effect of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy prior to oesophageal cancer surgery on postoperative wound complications in patients: A meta‐analysis

Abstract

It is still a matter of controversy whether percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy(PEG) should be used prior to the operation for the purpose of feeding the patient with resectable oesophageal carcinoma (EC). Comparison was made between EC and preoperatively treated PEG and non-preoperative PEG. An extensive literature review has been conducted to determine the results about PEG and No-PEG trials. In this paper, we chose 4 papers out of 407 of them through a strict selection process. In this trial, there were 1027 surgical cases of oesophagus carcinoma, 152 with PEG pre-surgery and 875 without PEG. The total sample size ranged from 14 to 657. Two studies showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of postoperative wound infection among PEG and No-PEG(OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.38, 2.80 p = 0.96), there was no statistical significance in the likelihood of anastomotic leak among PEG after surgery compared to No-PEG in 4 trials (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.62–2.07 p = 0.69), and there were no statistical differences between PEG and No-PEG before operation on anastomotic stricture for esophagectomy(OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.31–1.56 p = 0.38). No wound or anastomosis complications were observed in the PEG group. Thus, PEG preoperatively is an effective and safe procedure without any harmful influence on gastrointestinal structure or anastomosing. It can be applied to patients with oesophagus carcinoma who have a high risk of undernutrition. Nevertheless, because of the limited number of randomized controlled trials in this meta-analysis, caution should be exercised in their treatment. More high-quality research involving a large sample is required to confirm the findings.

A meta‐analysis of the risk factors for surgical site infection in patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

The purpose of the meta-analysis was to evaluate and compare the surgical site infection (SSI) risk factors in patients with colorectal cancer (CC). The results of this meta-analysis were analysed, and the odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using dichotomous or contentious random or fixed-effect models. For the current meta-analysis, 23 examinations spanning from 2001 to 2023 were included, encompassing 89 859 cases of CC. Clean-contaminated surgical site wounds had significantly lower infections (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20–0.64, p < 0.001) compared to contaminated surgical site wounds in patients with CCs. Males had significantly higher SSIs (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.12–1.24, p < 0.001) compared to females in patients with CC. American Society of Anesthesiology score ≥3 h had a significantly higher SSI (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.18–1.71, p < 0.001) compared to <3 score in patients with CCs. Body mass index ≥25 had significantly higher SSIs (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11–2.14, p = 0.01) compared to <25 in patients with CCs. The presence of stoma creation had a significantly higher SSI rate (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.37–3.79, p = 0.001) compared to its absence in patients with CC. Laparoscopic surgery had significantly lower SSIs (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.59–0.78, p < 0.001) compared to open surgery in patients with CC. The presence of diabetes mellitus had a significantly higher SSI rate (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.15–1.33, p < 0.001) compared to its absence in patients with CCs. No significant difference was found in SSI rate in patients with CCs between <3 and ≥3 h of operative time (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.75–1.51, p = 0.72), between the presence and absence of blood transfusion (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 0.69–3.66, p = 0.27) and between the presence and absence of previous laparotomies (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 0.93–2.32, p = 0.10). The examined data revealed that contaminated wounds, male sex, an American Society of Anesthesiology score ≥3 h, a body mass index ≥25, stoma creation, open surgery and diabetes mellitus are all risk factors for SSIs in patients with CC. However, operative time, blood transfusion and previous laparotomies were not found to be risk factors for SSIs in patients with CC. However, given that several comparisons had a small number of chosen research, consideration should be given to their values.

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