Prevalence and risk factors of disability and anxiety in a retrospective cohort of 432 survivors of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (Covid-19) from China.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of disability and anxiety in Covid-19 survivors at discharge from hospital and analyze relative risk by exposures. DESIGN: Multi-center retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Twenty-eight hospitals located in eight provinces of China. METHODS: A total of 432 survivors with laboratory-confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection participated in this study. At discharge, we assessed instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) with Lawton's IADL scale, dependence in activities of daily living (ADL) with the Barthel Index, and anxiety with Zung's self-reported anxiety scale. Exposures included comorbidity, smoking, setting (Hubei vs. others), disease severity, symptoms, and length of hospital stay. Other risk factors considered were age, gender, and ethnicity (Han vs. Tibetan). RESULTS: Prevalence of at least one IADL problem was 36.81% (95% CI: 32.39-41.46). ADL dependence was present in 16.44% (95% CI: 13.23-20.23) and 28.70% (95% CI: 24.63-33.15) were screened positive for clinical anxiety. Adjusted risk ratio (RR) of IADL limitations (RR 2.48, 95% CI: 1.80-3.40), ADL dependence (RR 2.07, 95% CI 1.15-3.76), and probable clinical anxiety (RR 2.53, 95% CI 1.69-3.79) were consistently elevated in survivors with severe Covid-19. Age was an additional independent risk factor for IADL limitations and ADL dependence; and setting (Hubei) for IADL limitations and anxiety. Tibetan ethnicity was a protective factor for anxiety but a risk factor for IADL limitations. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of Covid-19 survivors had disability and anxiety at discharge from hospital. Health systems need to be prepared for an additional burden resulting from rehabilitation needs of Covid-19 survivors.

[Effect of acupuncture at " three points of ilioumbar" on lumbar function and pain in patients with iliopsoas muscle strain].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect of acupuncture at "three points of iliolumbar" combined with celecoxib and celecoxib alone in the treatment of iliopsoas muscle strain. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with iliopsoas muscle strain were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 patients in each group. Celecoxib was given orally to both groups, 200 mg once a day for 3 days. On the basis of the above drugs, acupuncture was applied at Yaoda (Extra), Wushu (GB 27), Qiayao (Extra) in the observation group, once a day for 3 days. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and visual analogue scale (VAS) score were observed and compared before and after treatment, and the content of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the JOA scores in the two groups were increased (both P<0.05), and the VAS scores and 5-HT contents were decreased (all P<0.05). The increase of JOA score in the observation group was greater than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the decrease of VAS score and 5-HT content in the observation group was greater than that in the control group (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at "three points of ilioumbar" combined with celecoxib in the treatment of iliopsoas muscle strain can improve lumbar function, relieve pain and reduce 5-HT content in serum, which is better than celecoxib alone.

The Effects of Phellinus linteus Polysaccharide Extracts on Cholesterol Efflux in Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein-Loaded THP-1 Macrophages.

The removal of excess cellular cholesterol is critical for maintaining cellular cholesterol homeostasis. Phellinus linteus polysaccharide extracts (PLPEs) is an immunomudulatory agent with a molecular weight of 153 kd. Here, we analyzed the effects of PLPEs on cholesterol efflux in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-loaded THP-1 (human acute monocytic leukemia cell line) macrophages. Various concentrations of PLPEs (5, 10, 20, and 100 µg/mL) were used to treat cells. Cholesterol efflux analysis was performed to analyze the cholesterol efflux ratio in PLPE-treated cells. Semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were conducted to assess the expression of target genes. Low dose of PLPEs (5-20 µg/mL) dose dependently enhanced cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), evidenced by promoting the expression of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette A1, ATP-binding cassette G1, and peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor γ, key regulators for cholesterol efflux. Moreover, GW9662, a potent antagonist of peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor γ, inhibited PLPE (20 µg/mL)-promoted cholesterol efflux to ApoA-I in a dose-dependent fashion. However, high dose of PLPEs (100 µg/mL) inhibited cholesterol efflux to ApoA-I from ox-LDL-loaded THP-1 macrophages, enhanced the production of superoxide anion, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels, and raised nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase subunits. Thus, these results indicate that low and high doses of PLPEs exhibit opposite effects on cholesterol efflux from ox-LDL-loaded THP-1 cells.