Self-reported quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease and analysis of the associated factors / 中华内科杂志

Objective: To investigate the quality of life and associated factors in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 25 provinces and cities in China was performed from June to September 2020. A questionnaire was used to collect the socio-demographic and clinical information of patients with CHD, while the European Five-dimensional Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D) was used to assess the quality of life. Multiple linear regression model was performed to analyze the associated factors. Results: The median age of the 1 075 responders was 60 (52, 67) years, and 797 (74.1%) were men. The EQ-5D and EQ-VAS indices were 0.7 (0.5, 0.8) and 60.0 (40.0, 80.0). Among the five dimensions in the quality of life scale, the frequency of anxiety/depression was the highest (59.8%), while problems in self-care was the lowest (35.8%). In the multiple linear regression model, female, increasing age, obesity, comorbidity(ies), anxiety/depression, social media channels, and receiving the CABG therapy were associated with the lower EQ-5D index (all P<0.05). In addition, increasing age, obesity, comorbidity (ies), depression, anxiety and depression, social media channels, and receiving the CABG therapy were associated with lower EQ-VAS index (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Over half of the patients with CHD in China have a low quality of life, which is related to gender, age, obesity, treatment pathway, the presence or absence of comorbidity (ies), and psychological state. In addition to managing the adverse effects of traditional socio-demographic factors on the quality of life, clinical practices should pay attention to the psychological state of patients. Moreover, establishing a WeChat group for doctor-patient communication could improve the quality of life of CHD patients.

Quality evaluation system for standard decoction of salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus / 中草药

Objective To establish a quality evaluation system for standard decoction of salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus (PF). Methods Fifteen batches of crude drugs were collected and processed into decoction pieces with salt complied with the 2015 Edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and then the standard decoctions of salt-processed PF were prepared as freeze-dried powders. Based on the established HPLC fingerprint, seven common peaks were recognized and the main chemical constituents were identified in combination with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Results Benzofuran glycosides and furanocoumarins turned out to be the main composition of standard decoction of salt-processed PF. The dry extract yielding rate varied from 16.31% to 20.59%, while the total contents of psoralen and isopsoralen were 1.17%—1.50% with a transfer rate ranging from 13.55% to 23.57%, and the fingerprint similarity of 15 batches of samples were all higher than 0.9. Conclusion This stable and reliable method of comprehensive quality evaluation for standard decoction of salt-processed PF may provide reference for quality control of salt-processed PF dispensing granules and related preparations.

Correlation between blood T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles levels and severe infection in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study quantitatively examined signal joint T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (sjTRECs) levels in peripheral blood of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at different stages in order to evaluate the role of sjTRECs in predicting severe infection postchemotherapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>sjTRECs levels in peripheral blood were measured by fluorescent quantitation-polymerase chain reaction in 30 children with newly diagnosed ALL, 36 children with ALL who accepted chemotherapy but were not infected, 30 children with ALL who had severe infection after chemotherapy, and 50 normal children.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Blood sjTRECs levels in the normal group (394 ± 270 copies/103 MNC) were significantly higher than those in the other three groups (P<0.05). Blood sjTRECs levels in the chemotherapy group without infection (96 ± 78 copies/103 MNC) were significantly lower than those in the newly diagnosed ALL group (210 ± 219 copies/103 MNC) (P<0.05). The chemotherapy group with severe infection showed the lowest blood sjTRECs levels (48 ± 40 copies/103 MNC) in the four groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The measurement of blood sjTRECs levels might be helpful for predicting the occurrence of severe infection postchemotherapy in children with ALL.</p>