Proteína C reactiva, aspectos cardiovasculares de una proteína de fase aguda: una actualización para el médico / C-reactive protein, cardiovascular issues of an acute-phase protein: an update for the clinician

Resumen La inflamación es un factor patogénico importante para el desarrollo de la enfermedad cardiovascular aterosclerótica. Actualmente, el biomarcador utilizado con mayor frecuencia que refleja la inflamación sistémica es la proteína C reactiva (PCR), una proteína de fase aguda producida principalmente por los hepatocitos bajo la influencia de la interleucina 6, la interleucina 1 beta y el factor de necrosis tumoral. La evidencia proveniente de estudios epidemiológicos ha demostrado una fuerte asociación entre las concentraciones elevadas de PCR en suero o plasma y la incidencia de un primer evento cardiovascular (incluido infarto agudo de miocardio, accidente vascular cerebral isquémico y muerte cardíaca súbita) en la población general, así como la recurrencia de eventos cardiovasculares adversos en los pacientes con enfermedad establecida. El valor aditivo que la medición de la PCR otorga a los factores de riesgo tradicionales se refleja en novedosas calculadoras de riesgo cardiovascular y en los actuales regímenes de intervención, que ya consideran a la PCR como objetivo terapéutico. Sin embargo, las variaciones en los niveles de PCR, que dependen del sexo, la etnia, el estado hormonal y algunas peculiaridades de los ensayos de medición, deben tenerse en cuenta al decidir implementar la PCR como un biomarcador útil en el estudio y el tratamiento de la enfermedad cardiovascular aterosclerótica. Esta revisión pretende ofrecer una visión actualizada de la importancia de medir la PCR como biomarcador de riesgo cardiovascular más allá de los factores tradicionales que estiman el riesgo de enfermedad aterosclerótica.

Abstract Inflammation is an important pathogenic factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Currently, the most frequently used biomarker reflecting systemic inflammation is C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase protein produced primarily by hepatocytes under the influence of interleukin-6, interleukin-1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor. Growing evidence from epidemiological studies has shown a robust association between elevated serum or plasma CRP concentrations and the incidence of a first cardiovascular adverse event (including acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and sudden cardiac death) in the general population, as well as recurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events among patients with established disease. The additive value that CRP measurement gives to traditional risk factors is reflected in novel cardiovascular risk calculators and in current intervention regimens, which already consider CRP as a target therapeutic. However, the variations in CRP levels, that depend on sex, ethnicity, hormonal status, and some peculiarities of the measurement assays, must be taken into consideration when deciding to implement CRP as a useful biomarker in the study and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This review aims to offer an updated vision of the importance of measuring CRP levels as a biomarker of cardiovascular risk beyond the traditional factors that estimate the risk of atherosclerotic disease.

Validez de herramientas diagnósticas en pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados con diagnóstico presuntivo de dengue en un Hospital de Referencia de Paraguay / Validity of diagnostic tools in pediatric patients hospitalized with a presumptive diagnosis of dengue in a Reference Hospital in Paraguay

Introducción: El dengue es la enfermedad arboviral más común en los seres humanos. Un diagnóstico temprano y preciso del dengue puede respaldar el manejo clínico, la vigilancia y el control de la enfermedad y es fundamental, por ello en el diagnóstico del dengue es importante contar con pautas clínicas y epidemiológicas que permitan la identificación oportuna y una conducta terapéutica adecuada. Objetivos: Evaluar la validez de herramientas diagnósticas en pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados con diagnóstico presuntivo de dengue en un Hospital de Referencia de Paraguay durante los años de 2012 a 2020. Materiales y métodos: Estudio analítico de tipo observacional, retrospectivo correspondientes a pacientes pediátricos (0 a 18 años) internados en el Hospital de Referencia de Paraguay el periodo enero 2012 a julio 2020 con diagnostico presuntivo de dengue al ingreso. Se realizó́ un análisis bivariado relacionando las frecuencias de 20 grupos de criterios diagnósticos combinados y 3 criterios diagnósticos aislados (OMS 2009, nexo epidemiológico y antigenemia NS1 para dengue) con el gold standard de diagnóstico que fue la conversión serológica. Resultados: Participaron del estudio 342 sujetos. EL 44% tenía edad escolar y 70% tenía 5 años o más. El 52,76% (191) fueron masculinos. Se encontraron desnutrición y sobrepeso en el 13% y 2%, respectivamente. La combinación de proteína C reactiva con plaquetopenia se encontró́ en 0.45% de los pacientes sin dengue y en el 6% de los pacientes con diagnóstico final de dengue (p=0.004). Conclusión: Este resultado aporta la alternativa de uso de una combinación sencilla de exámenes de laboratorio que puede replicarse en salas de urgencias como en salas de internación en un primer contacto con pacientes febriles con sospecha de fiebre dengue.

Introduction: Dengue is the most common arboviral disease in humans. An early and accurate diagnosis of dengue can support the clinical management, surveillance and control of the disease and is essential, therefore in the diagnosis of dengue it is important to have clinical and epidemiological guidelines that allow timely identification and appropriate therapeutic conduct. Objectives: To evaluate the validity of diagnostic tools in pediatric patients hospitalized with a presumptive diagnosis of dengue in a Reference Hospital in Paraguay during the years 2012 to 2020. Materials and methods: Analytical study of case and control type, observational, longitudinal, retrospective corresponding to pediatric patients (0 to 18 years) admitted to the Reference Hospital of Paraguay from January 2012 to July 2020 with a presumptive diagnosis of dengue at income. A bivariate analysis was performed relating the frequencies of 20 groups of combined diagnostic criteria and 3 isolated diagnostic criteria (WHO 2009, epidemiological link and NS1 antigenemia for dengue) with the gold standard of diagnosis, which was serological conversion. Results: 342 subjects participated in the study. 44% were school age and 70% were 5 years old or older. 52.76% (191) were male. Malnutrition and overweight were found in 13% and 2%, respectively. The combination of C-reactive protein with thrombocytopenia was found in 0.45% of patients without dengue and in 6% of patients with a final diagnosis of dengue (p=0.004). Conclusion: This result provides the alternative of using a simple combination of laboratory tests that can be replicated in emergency rooms and inpatient wards in a first contact with febrile patients with suspected dengue fever.

Proteína-C reactiva de alta sensibilidad y homocisteína en pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica

Fundamento: la proteína C reactiva de alta sensibilidad (PCR-as) y la homocisteína (Hci) parecen relacionarse con la enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica, pero sus hallazgos sobre el riesgo y pronóstico de esta enfermedad resultan controversiales y no concluyentes. Objetivo caracterizar la proteína C reactiva de alta sensibilidad y homocisteína en pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo de corte transversal en pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica, ingresados en el Servicio de Ictus del Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugía entre 2016 y 2019. Se recogieron variables demográficas, manifestaciones clínicas, tiempo de evolución, etiología y localización del infarto y factores riesgo. Se cuantificaron la PCR-as (riesgo cardiovascular) y la Hci. Resultados las medias de PCR-as (7,0±8,3 mg/L) y Hci (17,1±7,3 µM) fueron elevadas. El riesgo cardiovascular moderado y alto se presentaron en igual proporción (46,8 %). Hubo diferencias estadísticas en la relación entre el riesgo cardiovascular y la edad (p=0,00); pero ni el tiempo de evolución ni los factores de riesgo de la enfermedad mostraron este comportamiento. Los pacientes con riesgo cardiovascular alto (PCR-as >3 mg/L) y elevada Hci (>15 (M) exhibieron mayores frecuencias de etiologías aterotrombótica o cardioembólica. Conclusiones el riesgo cardiovascular aumenta en la medida que se incrementa la edad de pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular isquémica. Las características demográficas, clínicas y neurológicas no mostraron relación con el alto riesgo cardiovascular y los valores elevados de Hci, aunque se encontró una tendencia asociativa de la etiología aterotrombótica con el incremento de PCR-as y Hci.

Foundation: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein and homocysteine seem to be related to ischemic cerebrovascular disease, but their findings on the risk and prognosis of this disease are controversial and inconclusive. Objective: to characterize high sensitivity C-reactive protein and homocysteine in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Methods: a descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease, admitted to the Stroke Service of the Neurology and Neurosurgery Institute between 2016 and 2019. Demographic variables, clinical manifestations, time of evolution, etiology and infarction location, risk factors. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (cardiovascular risk) and homocysteine were quantified. Results: the means of C-reactive protein (7.0±8.3 mg/L) and homocysteine (17.1±7.3 µM) were high. Moderate and high cardiovascular risk occurred in equal proportions (46.8%). There were statistical differences in the relationship between cardiovascular risk and age (p=0.00); but neither the time of evolution nor the risk factors of the disease showed this behavior. Patients with high cardiovascular risk (hs-CRP >3 mg/L) and high homocysteine (>15 (M), exhibited higher frequencies of atherothrombotic or cardioembolic etiologies. Conclusions: cardiovascular risk increases as the age of patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease increases. Demographic, clinical and neurological characteristics did not show a relationship with high cardiovascular risk and high homocysteine values, although an associative trend of atherothrombotic etiology was found with increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and homocysteine.

Nephrolithotomy in patients with complex kidney calculi / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To analyze the predictive value of serum β-defensin-3 (HBD-3) and decoy receptor 3 (DCR3) for urinary tract infection after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in patients with complex kidney calculi. 【Methods】 A prospective study was conducted on 112 patients treated with PCNL at our hospital during Jan.2020 and Dec.2022.The patients were divided into the non-infection group (52 cases) and infection group (60 cases).The general data, HBD-3 and DCR3 levels of the two groups were compared.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to analyze the predictive value of C reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), HBD-3 and DCR3 levels for postoperative urinary tract infection. 【Results】 Compared with the non-infection group, the infection group had higher levels of HBD-3 [(0.77±0.08) ng/mL vs. (1.36±0.25) ng/mL, P=0.001] and DCR3 [(4.68±0.53) ng/mL vs.(13.21±0.28) ng/mL, P=0.001].Multivariate logistic regression showed that a history of urinary tract surgery, preoperative urinary tract infection, operation time, catheterization time, stone load, type of antibiotics, concomitant renal dysfunction, intraoperative channel type, CRP, PCT, HBD-3 and DCR3 were risk factors of postoperative urinary tract infection (P<0.05).The ROC curve showed that the accuracy of CRP, PCT, and CRP plus PCT were 70.54%, 72.32%, and 78.57%, respectively; the accuracy of HBD-3, DCR3, and HBD-3 plus DCR3 were 69.64%, 75.89%, and 86.61%, respectively. 【Conclusion】 Postoperative urinary tract infection in patients with complex kidney calculi is associated with multiple factors, especially high expression levels of HBD-3 and DCR3.Combined detection has high predictive value.

The role of C-reactive protein to prealbumin ratio for diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of sepsis / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To explore the application of C-reactive protein(CRP) to prealbumin (PA) ratio(CRP/PA) for diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of sepsis.Methods:By a retrospective study, a total of 95 sepsis patients (sepsis group) and 100 local infection patients(non-sepsis group) treated in Dongying People′s Hospital from September 2021 to September 2022 were enrolled. Sepsis patients were divided into survival group(57 cases) and death group (38 cases) according to the 28-day outcome. The clinical data were collected and CRP/PA was calculated. Multivariate Logistic regression and Cox regression were used to analyze the relationship between various indicators and the occurrence and prognosis of sepsis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of CRP/PA for sepsis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate the prognostic value of different CRP/PA ratios for patients with sepsis.Results:The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, prealbumin were lower and heart rate, respiratory rate, CRP, CRP/PA, procalcitonin were higher in the sepsis group compared to the non-sepsis group: (117.27 ± 11.65) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (123.26 ± 10.71) mmHg, (69.42 ± 8.58) mmHg vs. (75.44 ± 6.53) mmHg, (174.09 ± 24.77) g/L vs. (207.13 ± 34.31) g/L, (97.87 ± 12.73) bpm vs. (86.90 ± 10.19) bpm, 22.0(20.00, 25.00) times/min vs. 21.00(19.00, 23.00) times/min, (93.96 ± 19.64) mg/L vs. (77.56 ± 22.54) mg/L, 0.54(0.44, 0.65) vs. 0.37(0.28, 0.46), 3.35(2.16, 4.17) μg/L vs. 1.52(0.81, 2.16) μg/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CRP/PA and procalcitonin were risk factors for sepsis ( P<0.05). The results of ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of CRP/PA in diagnosis of sepsis was 0.821, the specificity and sensitivity was 76.0% and 93.7%, respectively. The diastolic blood pressure, prealbumin, neutrophil were higher and the heart rate, respiratory rate, CRP, CRP/PA, lymphocytes, procalcitonin were lower in the survival group compared to the death group: (71.76 ± 8.86) mmHg vs. (67.86 ± 8.10) mmHg, (181.46 ± 24.35) g/L vs. (163.05 ± 21.28) g/L, (63.46 ± 9.88) × 10 9/L vs.(57.13 ± 8.64) × 10 9/L, (95.68 ± 13.48) times/min vs. (101.16 ± 10.88) times/min, 22.00(19.50, 24.00) times/min vs. 24.00(20.00, 28.00) times/min, (88.09 ± 19.35) mg/L vs. (102.76 ± 16.75) mg/L, 0.46(0.41, 0.58) vs. 0.63(0.55, 0.72), 21.00(16.00, 30.00) ×10 9/L vs. 29.50(18.00, 37.30) ×10 9/L, 2.94(2.10, 3.97) μg/L vs. 3.82(2.21, 4.77) μg/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that CRP/PA and procalcitonin were independent risk factors for the prognosis of sepsis ( P<0.05). The AUC of CRP/PA in predicting the prognosis of sepsis was 0.827, the specificity and sensitivity was 92.1% and 63.8%, respectively. Grouped by the cut-off of CRP/PA (0.48), the 28-day mortality rate of patients in the CRP/PA>0.48 was significantly higher than that of patients in the CRP/PA≤0.48, there was statistical difference ( P<0.01). Conclusions:CRP/PA ratio can be used as an index for diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of sepsis.

Ginkgo ketone ester dropping pills combined with agatroban injection for the treatment of acute cerebral infarction / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of ginkgo ketone ester dropping pills combined with agatroban injection in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction.Methods:This prospective case-control study was conducted on 120 patients with acute cerebral infarction who were treated at The Hospital of Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine between April 2020 and April 2022. These patients were randomly divided into a control group and a study group using the random number table method, with 60 patients in each group. The control group received intravenous injections of agatroban based on conventional treatment, while the study group received treatment with ginkgo ketone ester dropping pills combined with agatroban injection based on conventional treatment. The treatment duration was 2 weeks. Clinical efficacy was evaluated after continuous treatment for 2 weeks.Results:The overall response rate in the study group was 95.0% (57/60), which was significantly higher than 80.0% (48/60) in the control group ( χ2 = 6.17, P = 0.012). After treatment, the Barthel index in the study group was (65.3 ± 7.3) points, which was significantly higher than (59.8 ± 7.5) points in the control group ( t = -4.07, P < 0.001). The modified Rankin Scale score and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score in the study group were (1.2 ± 0.4) points and (4.6 ± 0.7) points, which were significantly lower than (2.4 ± 0.6) points and (7.6 ± 1.1) points, respectively, in the control group ( t = 12.89, 17.82, both P < 0.001). Interleukin-6, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t = 10.10, 18.25, 14.15, all P < 0.001). The nitric oxide levels in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while endothelin 1 and thromboxane A2 levels in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t = -7.65, 10.77, 21.90, all P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:The combination of ginkgo ketone ester dropping pills and agatroban injection has a remarkable therapeutic effect on acute cerebral infarction. The combined therapy can reduce the severity of neurological deficits in patients, promote brain function recovery, improve quality of life, adjust serum inflammatory factors, and thereby be worthy of clinical application.

Effect of endoscopic injection of norepinephrine on cerebral infarction complicated by stress-induced gastrointestinal bleeding / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of endoscopic injection of norepinephrine on cerebral infarction complicated by stress-induced gastrointestinal bleeding.Methods:A total of 150 patients with cerebral infarction complicated by stress-induced gastrointestinal bleeding who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Lishui City People's Hospital from October 2020 to October 2021 were included in this study. These patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group using the random number table method, with 75 patients in each group. Patients in the control group received routine clinical treatment, while those in the observation group received endoscopic injection of norepinephrine in addition to routine clinical treatment. The hemostatic time, blood transfusion volume, and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. The stress index and inflammatory index were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. The hemostatic effect and adverse reactions were evaluated in each group.Results:The hemostatic time, blood transfusion volume, and length of hospital stay in the observation group were (16.16 ± 4.36) hours, (385.35 ± 41.28) mL, and (5.35 ± 1.28) days, respectively, which were significantly shorter or less than (27.27 ± 6.34) hours, (447.07 ± 32.07) mL, and (7.07 ± 2.07) days in the control group ( t = 12.50, 10.22, 6.12, all P < 0.001). After treatment, the levels of cortisol, norepinephrine, antidiuretic hormone, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the observation group were (288.33 ± 19.53) mmol/L, (29.17 ± 4.26) μg/L, (4.08 ± 1.08) mU/L, (38.27 ± 8.72) ng/L, (6.69 ± 1.35) μg/L, and (6.37 ± 1.51) mg/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than (327.22 ± 22.01) mmol/L, (39.32 ± 5.54) μg/L, (5.36 ± 1.22) mU/L, (51.24 ± 13.23) ng/L, (8.67 ± 2.29) μg/L, and (11.44 ± 3.13) mg/L in the control group ( t = 11.44, 12.57, 6.80, 7.08, 6.45, 12.63, all P < 0.001). The overall response rate of hemostasis in the observation group was 94.67% (71/75), which was significantly higher than 82.67% (62/75) in the control group ( χ2 = 5.37, P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 8.00% (6/75), which was slightly, but not significantly, lower than 14.67% (11/75) in the control group ( χ2 = 1.66, P > 0.05). Conclusion:Endoscopic injection of norepinephrine for the treatment of cerebral infarction complicated by stress-induced gastrointestinal bleeding can rapidly stop bleeding, effectively reduce inflammation,improve stress index, and be highly safe.

Construction and evaluation of a multifactor prediction model for the risk of pneumothorax in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 中国基层医药

Objective:To analyze the independent risk factors for pneumothorax in older adult patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), construct and validate a prediction model of pneumothorax risk in patients with COPD.Methods:A total of 500 patients with COPD who received treatment at the Department of Emergency, Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from January 2018 to December 2021 were selected using the convenience sampling method and included in this study. Chest CT scan or chest X-ray film findings were used as diagnostic criteria. These patients were divided into a pneumothorax group and a control group according to whether they developed pneumothorax. Taking whether patients develop pneumothorax as a dependent variable and predictive risk factors as independent variables, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of the included risk factors were performed to identify the independent influential factors for developing pneumothorax in patients with COPD. Subsequently, a prediction model for predicting the risk of pneumothorax was constructed and evaluated. A decision curve analysis was conducted to evaluate its clinical practicality.Results:Among 500 patients with COPD, 104 developed pneumothorax, with an incidence of 20.80%. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that long duration of COPD, C-reactive protein, and mechanical ventilation were independent risk factors for the development of pneumothorax in these patients. The percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1%), the FEV 1/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV 1/FVC), and serum albumin are protective factors for the development of pneumothorax in patients with COPD. A prediction model for the risk of developing pneumothorax was constructed. Finally, we obtained the formula: Logit( P) = 12.427 + 2.241 × COPD duration + 0.899 × smoking + 7.715 × CRP + 0.208 × mechanical ventilation history -0.514 × albumin -0.243 × FEV 1%-0.286 FEV 1/FVC. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis results showed that the area under the curve was 0.815 and the C-Index was 0.781 (95% CI: 0.856-0.891), indicating that the constructed prediction model can better distinguish between patients with and without pneumothorax among those with COPD. Conclusion:C-reactive protein, albumin, FEV 1%, FEV 1/FVC, smoking history, and mechanical ventilation history are all risk factors for the development of pneumothorax. A prediction model has been successfully constructed based on these risk factors, which can effectively predict the risk of pneumothorax. This constructed risk prediction model provides good guidance in taking preventive treatment and nursing measures by medical staff.

Efficacy of Tanzhuo Decoction in the treatment of early diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its effect on cystatin C, C-reactive protein, urinary albumin excretion rate, and creatinine clearance rate / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of Tanzhuo Decoction in the treatment of early diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its effect on cystatin C (Cys-C), C-reactive protein (CRP), urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), and creatinine clearance rate (CCr). Methods:Eighty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated by early diabetic nephropathy who received treatment at Maanshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 2019 to 2021 were included in this randomized controlled study. They were divided into a control group ( n = 40) and a treatment group ( n = 40) using the random number table method. Patients in the control group received conventional therapy including blood glucose and blood pressure control, while those in the treatment group received Tangzhuo Decoction in addition to the same treatment as that given to the control group. Both groups of patients were treated for 30 days. The clinical efficacy as well as pre- and post-treatment Cys-C, CRP, UAER, and CCr were compared between the two groups. Results:The total response rate in the treatment group was 92.5% (37/40), which was significantly higher than 75.0% (30/40) in the control group ( χ2 = 4.50, P < 0.05). After treatment, Cys-C, CRP, and UAER in the treatment group were (2.04 ± 0.08) mg/L, (3.97 ± 1.71) mg/L, and (91.18 ± 18.68) μg/min, respectively, which were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment ( t = 12.14, 5.59, 4.73, all P < 0.05). After treatment, CCr in the treatment group was (56.3 ± 5.01) mL/min, which was significantly increased compared with that before treatment ( t = -8.56, P < 0.05). After treatment, Cys-C, CRP, and UAER in the control group were (2.17 ± 0.04) mg/L, (4.66 ± 1.47) mg/L, and (103.93 ± 22.62) μg/min, respectively, which were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment ( t = 4.05, 5.00, 2.24, all P < 0.05). After treatment, CCr in the control group was (45.9 ± 4.9) mL/min, which was significantly increased compared with that before treatment ( t = -3.98, P < 0.05). There were significant differences in Cys-C, UAER, and CCr between the treatment and control groups ( t = -7.42, -2.29, 7.82, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:Tanzhuo Decoction for the treatment of early diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus has a definite effect. It can effectively reduce levels of Cys-C and UAER, reduce inflammatory reactions, improve kidney function, and delay the progression of kidney injury.

Effect of amlodipine/benazepril tablets on blood pressure and cardiac function in older adults with hypertension complicated by coronary heart disease / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the effect of amlodipine/benazepril tablets on blood pressure control and cardiac function improvement in older adult patients with hypertension complicated by coronary heart disease.Methods:A randomized controlled clinical study was conducted on 98 older adult patients with hypertension complicated by coronary heart disease who were diagnosed and treated at Liaoning Jinqiu Hospital between February 2020 and February 2022. The patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, with 49 patients in each group using a random lottery method. The control group was treated with amlodipine tablets, while the observation group was treated with amlodipine/benazepril tablets for 3 months. Blood pressure levels and cardiac function improvement were compared between the two groups.Results:Prior to treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, cardiac function indices, and inflammatory factor levels between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After treatment, the observation group exhibited lower levels of diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure [(88.74 ± 4.26) mmHg, (125.47 ± 6.23) mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa] compared with the control group [(95.71 ± 4.55) mmHg, (134.28 ± 6.10) mmHg, t = 7.07, 7.82, both P < 0.001]. After treatment, the observation group showed lower levels of endothelin 1 and higher levels of nitric oxide compared with the control group ( t = 5.02, 4.96, both P < 0.05). After treatment, the observation group demonstrated lower left ventricular end-systolic diameters [(44.04 ± 3.26) mm vs. (48.58 ± 3.19) mm, t = 6.96, P < 0.001], lower left ventricular end-diastolic diameters [(52.07 ± 4.11) mm vs. (60.12 ± 4.30) mm, t = 9.47, P < 0.001], and higher levels of left ventricular ejection fraction [(54.08 ± 3.06)% vs. (47.50 ± 3.22)%, t = 10.36, P < 0.001] compared with the control group. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t = 5.53, 12.48, 13.45, all P < 0.001). Conclusion:Amlodipine/benazepril tablets are effective in facilitating the recovery of cardiac and vascular endothelial function in older adult patients with hypertension complicated by coronary heart disease. Furthermore, they improve blood pressure control and mitigate the inflammatory response in the body.

Relationship between protein-energy wasting and parathyroid hormone levels in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the relationship between protein-energy wasting (PEW) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted to enroll 150 adult patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis at The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2022 to May 2023. These patients were categorized into four groups based on their PTH levels: low PTH group (< 150 ng/L), standard PTH group (150-300 ng/L), very high PTH group (300-600 ng/L), and extreme high PTH group (> 600 ng/L). The diagnosis of PEW was determined using the diagnostic criteria proposed by the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism (ISRNM). Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between PEW and PTH levels.Results:Among the 150 patients undergoing maintenance dialysis, 52 (34.7%) were diagnosed with PEW. The prevalence of PEW was significantly higher in the low PTH group compared with the standard, very high, and extreme high PTH groups ( χ2 = 20.64, all P < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed a strong association between low PTH levels ( OR = 13.810, 95% CI: 2.907-65.603, P = 0.001) and an increased risk of PEW. The risk of PEW in the low PTH group was 13.810 times higher than that in the extreme high PTH group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis further confirmed that low PTH levels ( OR = 19.891, 95% CI: 1.810-218.620, P = 0.014) and low C-reactive protein levels ( OR = 1.056, 95% CI: 1.015-1.099, P = 0.007) were independently associated with an increased risk of PEW. Higher hemoglobin levels ( OR = 0.959, 95% CI: 0.931-0.988, P = 0.005) and a larger middle upper arm circumference ( OR = 0.544, 95% CI: 0.338-0.875, P = 0.012) were independently associated with a reduced risk of PEW. The risk of PEW in the low PTH group was 19.891 times higher than that in the extreme high PTH group. However, there was no significant difference in the risk of PEW in the standard and very high PTH groups compared with the extreme high PTH group (both P > 0.05). Conclusion:The risk of PEW is markedly elevated in patients with low PTH levels, emphasizing the importance of clinical attention to the prevention and treatment of low PTH levels. Addressing this issue may hold great value in reducing the risk of PEW.

Application of anesthesia management plan based on ERAS concept in thoracoscopic surgery / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To investigate the application of anesthesia management plan based on the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)in thoracoscopic surgery.Methods From December 2021 to December 2022,100 patients underwent thoracoscopic surgery were randomly divided into control group and observation group with 50 patients in each.The control group received routine anesthesia management,and the observation group received anesthesia management based on ERAS concept.The two groups were compared in terms of clinical indicators,the degree of incision pain on day 1,3,5 and 7 after surgery,the levels of inflammatory factors on day 1 and 3 after surgery.The incidence rates of pulmonary complications,nausea and vomiting,and respiratory depression in the two groups were calculated.Results Awakening and extubation time and hospital stay of observation group were shorter than those of control group,the treatment costs of observation group was less than that of control group,the visual analogue scale(VAS)of observation group at each time point after surgery were lower than those of control group,the levels of C-reactive protein(CRP)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)of observation group on day 1 and 3 after surgery were lower than those of control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The total incidence of pulmonary complications of observation group was lower than that of control group(6.00%vs 22.22%),the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The incidence rates of respiratory depression and nausea and vomiting in the observation group were 0.00%and 2.00%,respectively,while the incidence rates of respiratory depression and nausea and vomiting in the control group were 4.00%and 6.00%,respectively.There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence rates of other complications between the two groups of patients(P>0.05).Conclusion Applying the anesthesia management plan based on ERAS concept in thoracoscopic surgery can promote postoperative recovery,reduce pain and pulmonary complications,and save treatment costs.It is worthy of clinical application.

Clinical significance of negative fluid balance and infection management in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by severe novel coronavirus infection / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To explore the clinical significance of negative fluid balance and infection management in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by severe novel coronavirus infection.Methods:A retrospective survey was conducted. Patients with ARDS caused by severe novel coronavirus infection who were hospitalized in the department of critical care medicine of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine and received non-invasive ventilator assisted ventilation were selected as the research objects. The fluid intake and output of all patients were accurately counted every day, and the fluid intake of the next day was adjusted according to the output of the previous day. According to the fluid negative balance, and whether the hospital infection management measures were complied with during the treatment and inspection of the patients, 45 patients with a negative fluid balance of more than 200 mL/d and strict management of nosocomial infection were taken as the observation group, and 48 patients with a negative fluid balance of less than 200 mL/d and no strict management of nosocomial infection were taken as the control group. The general data, weaning success rate, endotracheal intubation rate, mortality, as well as laboratory indicators such as white blood cell count (WBC), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) after treatment were compared between the two groups.Results:There were no significant differences in gender (male: 51.1% vs. 52.1%), age (years old: 66.31±15.92 vs. 67.50±13.59), acute physiology and chronic health evalution Ⅱ (APACHEⅡ: 18.98±4.81 vs. 18.54±4.35) between the observation group and the control group (all P > 0.05), indicating that the baseline data were balanced and comparable. Compared with the control group, the weaning success rate of the observation group significantly increased [53.3% (24/45) vs. 31.2% (15/48), P = 0.031], endotracheal intubation rate significantly decreased [22.2% (10/45) vs. 43.8% (21/48), P = 0.028], mortality significantly reduced [20.0% (9/45) vs. 41.7% (20/48), P = 0.024], laboratory indicators WBC, PCT and CRP levels were significantly reduced [WBC (×10 9/L): 8.085±4.136 vs. 16.898±7.733, CRP (mg/L): 82.827±52.680 vs. 150.679±74.625, PCT (μg/L): 3.142±2.323 vs. 7.539±5.939, all P < 0.01]. Conclusion:Fluid negative balance and infection management have significant clinical significance in the treatment of severe novel coronavirus infection with ARDS.

Early prediction of severe acute pancreatitis based on improved machine learning models / 陆军军医大学学报

Objective To establish an early prediction model for the diagnosis of severe acute pancreatitis based on the improved machine learning models,and to analyze its clinical value.Methods A case-control study was conducted on 352 patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Surgery Departments of the Army Medical Center of PLA and Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Department of No.945 Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA from January 2014 to August 2023.According to the severity of the disease,the patients were divided into the severe group(n=88)and the non-severe group(n=264).The RUSBoost model and improved Archimead optimization algorithm was used to analyze 39 routine laboratory biochemical indicators within 48 h after admission to construct an early diagnosis and prediction model for severe acute pancreatitis.The task of feature screening and hyperparameter optimization was completed simultaneously.The ReliefF algorithm feature importance rank and multivariate logistic analysis were used to analyze the value of the selected features.Results In the training set,the area under curve(AUC)of the improved machine learning model was 0.922.In the testing set,the AUC of the improved machine learning model reached 0.888.The 4 key features of predicting severe acute pancreatitis based on the improved Archimedes optimization algorithm were C-reactive protein,blood chlorine,blood magnesium and fibrinogen level,which were consistent with the results of ReliefF algorithm feature importance ranking and multivariate logistic analysis.Conclusion The application of improved machine learning model analyzing the laboratory examination results can help to early predict the occurrence of severe acute pancreatitis.

Evaluation of molecular point-of-care testing for rapid diagnosis of influenza A virus and influenza B virus / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the performance of two molecular point-of-care testing(POCT)prod-ucts in the diagnosis of influenza A virus(Flu A)and influenza B virus(Flu B)of clinical samples,and pre-liminarily evaluate the clinical diagnostic value of the changes of infection-related indicators in peripheral blood.Methods A total of 491 oropharyngeal swabs from patients with influenza-like symptoms who were treated in the hospital were recruited into this study from November 1,2019 to June 30,2023.These swabs were collected using reverse transcription real-time quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR),and two POCT molecular products,XpertTM Xpress Flu/RSV and EasyNAT? Flu Assay,respectively.The diagnostic performance of two POCT molecular products was analyzed using RT-qPCR reaction as a standard.According to the results of RT-qPCR method,the subjects were divided into Flu A positive group,Flu B positive group and negative group(both Flu A and Flu B were negative).The levels of indicators in pe-ripheral blood of the three groups were compared to evaluate the value of these indicators in the clinical diag-nosis of Flu A and Flu B.Results Among the 491 patient specimens,the XpertTM Xpress Flu/RSV assay showed the sensitivity for Flu A was 96.88%,and the specificity was 99.75%,and the sensitivity for Flu B was 100.00%,and the specificity was 100.00%.EasyNAT? Flu Assay assay showed the sensitivity for Flu A was 94.79%,and the specificity was 96.81%,and the sensitivity for Flu B was 100.00%,and the specificity was 100.00%.And two POCT molecular methods performed well consistency(Kappa value was 0.974).There was no significant difference in the levels of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A among the negative group,Flu A positive group,and Flu B positive group(P>0.05).But the levels of white blood cell count in the negative group were higher than those in the Flu A positive group and Flu B positive group(P<0.01).Conclusion In this paper,two typical molecular POCT products are studied.Their sensitivity and specificity are highly consistent with the results of RT-qPCR.Molecular POCT products have the advantages of flexibil-ity and rapidity,which are of great value for the improvement of clinical diagnosis and treatment.Molecular detection combined with peripheral blood infection related indicators is helpful for the early diagnosis of influ-enza virus infectious diseases.

Relationship and clinical significance between CCR2 and CRP levels and the severity of stroke associated pneumonia in stroke patients / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To detect the serum levels of CC chemokine receptor 2(CCR2)and C-reactive pro-tein(CRP)in stroke patients,and analyze their relationship with the severity of stroke associated pneumonia and their clinical significance.Methods A total of 78 patients with stroke associated pneumonia who were di-agnosed and treated in the hospital from October 2022 to February 2023 were collected as the study group,ac-cording to the severity of pneumonia,the study group was divided into mild group(31 cases),moderate group(29 cases),and severe group(18 cases),78 stroke patients who did not develop pneumonia were included into control group.Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation between serum CCR2 and CRP levels in stroke associated pneumonia patients.Multivariate Logistic regression was applied to analyze the factors influ-encing the occurrence of stroke associated pneumonia.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was ap-plied to analyze the diagnostic value of serum CCR2 and CRP for stroke associated pneumonia.Results The National Institute of Health stroke scale(NIHSS)score,serum CCR2,and CRP levels in the study group were obviously higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).The levels of serum CCR2 and CRP increased with the aggravation of pneumonia(P<0.05).The levels of serum CCR2 and CRP in the study group were positively correlated(r=0.799,P<0.05).NIHSS score,CCR2,and CRP levels were risk factors for stroke associated pneumonia in stroke patients(P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)for the diagnosis of stroke associated pneumonia using serum CCR2 and CRP alone was 0.873 and 0.888,respectively,and the AUC for the combined detection of the two was 0.936,the combined detection of the two was superior to the individual detection of serum CCR2 and CRP(Zcombination-CCR2=1.987,Zcombination-CRP=1.832,P=0.041,0.047).Conclusion Serum CCR2 and CRP are closely related to the severity of stroke associated pneumonia,and their combined detection has high diagnostic value for stroke associated pneumonia.

Efficacy of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D,and PCT in predicting heart failure after acute myocardial infarction based on ROC and DCA curve analysis / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To investigate the predictive efficacy of serum aminoterminal brain natriuretic pep-tide precursor(NT-proBNP),hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),D-dimer(D-D)and procalcitonin(PCT)in heart failure after acute myocardial infarction(AMI),Methods A total of 100 AMI patients admit-ted to the hospital from July 2021 to July 2023 were enrolled in the study as the observation group,In addi-tion,100 healthy people who underwent physical examination in the hospital during the same period were en-rolled as the control group,The serum levels of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT were detected and com-pared between the observation group and the control group,The AMI patients enrolled in the study were fur-ther divided into the heart failure group(31 cases)and the non-heart failure group(69 cases)according to the presence or absence of heart failure.The serum levels of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D,and PCT were compared between the two groups,Univariate analysis and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of heart failure after AMI,Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and decision curve a-nalysis(DCA)were used to analyze the predictive efficacy of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT for heart failure after AMI.Results The levels of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT in the observation group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The serum levels of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT in the complicated heart failure group were higher than those in the non-heart failure group(P＜0.05),Body mass index(BMI),smoking history,hypertension,number of diseased vessels,serum uric acid(SUA),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT were risk factors for heart failure after AMI(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of combined detection of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT for predicting heart failure after AMI was 0.857(95％CI:0.811-0.948),the sensitivity was 96.12％,and the specificity was 91.28％,which were higher than the corresponding efficacy indexes of single detection(P＜0.05).DCA analysis showed that when the high-risk threshold was 0-0.99,the net benefit rate was greater than 0,which had clinical significance,When the threshold was 0-0.76,the net benefit rate of combined detection of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT was better than that of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT alone.Conclusion Combined detection of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT can improve the predictive efficiency of AMI compli-cated with heart failure,BMI,smoking history,hypertension,number of diseased vessels,SUA,LDL-C,NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,D-D and PCT are risk factors for AMI complicated with heart failure.

Influence of Qishen Yiqi Guttate Pills on the Clinical Efficacy of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To observe the influence of Qishen Yiqi Guttate Pills(mainly composed of Astragali Radix,Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma,and Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum)on the clinical efficacy of patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods Sixty post-PCI patients with acute myocardial infarction of qi deficiency and blood stasis type who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,with 30 patients in each group.The control group was treated with conventional western medicine,and the treatment group was treated with Qishen Yiqi Guttate Pills on the basis of treatment for the control group.The course of treatment for the two groups lasted for 3 months.The changes of cardiac function indicators and serum levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)and N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide precursor(NT-pro BNP)were observed before and after the treatment in the two groups,and the incidence of cardiovascular adverse events during the treatment in the two groups were also compared.Results(1)After treatment,the serum hs-CRP and NT-pro BNP levels of patients in the two groups were significantly decreased(P＜0.05)and the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)was significantly increased(P＜0.05)compared with those before treatment.And the effects on lowering the levels of serum hs-CRP and NT-pro BNP and on increasing LVEF of the treatment group were significantly superior to those of the control group,the differences being statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)During the treatment period,the incidence of cardiovascular adverse events in the treatment group was 6.67%(2/30),which was significantly lower than 26.67%(8/30)of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant when comparing the two groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion Qishen Yiqi Guttate Pills can effectively improve cardiac function,decrease serum hs-CRP and NT-pro BNP levels,and reduce the occurrence of adverse cardiovascular events in post-PCI patients with acute myocardial infarction of qi deficiency and blood stasis type.

Analysis of the impact factors on early neurological deterioration in patients with cerebral infarction combined with coronavirus disease 2019 / 临床神经病学杂志

Objective To explore the impact factors on early neurological deterioration(END)in patients with cerebral infarction combined with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Methods The clinical characteristics and laboratory of patients with acute ischemic stroke and COVID-19 in Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University were retrospectively analyzed from December 15,2022 to January 15,2023.According to whether or not END occurred,all patients were divided into END group and non-END group.The clinical data of two groups were analyzed.Results A total of eligible 56 patients were included in this study,with 16 cases in END group and 40 cases in non-END group.The average age of END group(74.31±12.04)was older than non-END group(67.18±8.15)(P＜0.05).The proportion of previous history of coronary heart disease and diabetes were higher than non-END group(all P＜0.05).In terms of laboratory examination,the number of monocytes,C-reactive protein,glycated hemoglobin,lactate dehydrogenase,myoglobin,albumin,D-dimer,and fibrin degradation products in END group were significantly higher than that in non-END group(all P＜0.05).Logistic analysis showed that C-reactive protein is an independent risk factor for cerebral infarction combined with COVID-19(OR =1.084,95%CI:1.002-1.173,P＜0.05).Area under the ROC curve was0.825(95%CI:0.709-0.941,P＜0.001).Conclusions For patients with cerebral infarction combined with COVID-19,early neurological deterioration is more likely to occur in elderly patients with multiple underlying diseases,abnormal coagulation and inflammation indicators.Increased C-reactive protein has good predictive ability.

The association between C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and the risk of cardiovascular events in mainte-nance hemodialysis patients / 实用医学杂志

Objective To explore the association between C-reactive protein/albumin ratio(CAR)and the risk of cardiovascular events in maintenance hemodialysis(MHD)patients.Methods This study enrolled MHD patients who were treated in the blood purification center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between August 2016 to December 2019,and the follow-up deadline was March 31,2021.Collected the clinical data of patients who conform to the inclusion criteria,including demographic,complications,primary basic disease,biochemical indicators of the patients who underwent 3 months regular dialysis treatment and the occurrence of cardiovascular events during the follow-up period.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the probability of cardiovascular incidents in MHD patients.The Cox proportional hazards model based on generalized propensity score weighting(GPSW)was used to estimate the relationship between CAR and cardiovas-cular events in MHD patients.Results A total of 170 eligible objects were included in this study,64 patients with cardiovascular events(37.6%).The Cox proportional hazards model which based on GPSW(HRCAR = 2.087,95%CI:1.085～4.015,P = 0.028),indicated that the hazard ratio of cardiovascular events was 2.087 when the CAR each additional a unit in MHD patients.Conclusion CAR and the risk of cardiovascular events in MHD patients have a significant positive correlation,which can help clinical workers recognize the MHD patients who have high risk of cardiovascular events and intervene in time.