Improved eutrophication model with flow velocity-influence function and application for algal bloom control in a reservoir in East China.

Improving hydrodynamic conditions is considered an effective method for facilitating the eutrophication management. However, the effect of hydrodynamic conditions on algal growth has rarely been quantified. In this work, a eutrophication model was developed and flow velocity was introduced into the algae growth kinetic formula to simulate the dynamics of algae growth in a drinking water source reservoir in East China. Based on the previous research and model calibration, the flow velocity-influence function f(v) and its parameters were determined. Accordingly, the optimal flow velocity for the dominant algae growth and critical flow velocity for algal growth inhibition were presented to be 0.055 m/s and 0.200 m/s for the study reservoir. Modeled results considering f(v) agreed with better with observations and reproduced the algal overgrowth process more accurately. The spatial-temporal differences in chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration distribution during the algal proliferation period were analyzed on the basis of simulation results, which corroborated the significant influence of flow velocity on algal growth. The established model was applied to investigate the effect of improvement in hydrodynamic conditions on algal bloom control in the reservoir, and the scenario simulation of the additional sluice was conducted. Results showed that the additional sluice operation inhibited algal overgrowth effectively, resulting in an average decrease of 24.8%, 3.3%, 43.0%, and 37.5% in modeled Chl a concentration upstream north, upstream south, midstream and downstream, respectively. The established model might serve as a practical tool for eutrophication management in the study reservoir and other water bodies with similar hydrological characteristics and geographical features.

Prevalence, correlates, and impact of sleep disturbance in Chinese patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

AIM: Sleep disturbances are common in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients and may lead to disease aggravation and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There are currently no known reported studies related to the prevalence, correlates, and impact of sleep disturbance in pSS patients from China. Therefore, this study aims to assess the sleep quality in Chinese pSS patients and evaluate its relationship with the disease activity, quality of life and mood disorders. METHODS: A self-report survey was administered to 221 pSS patients and 198 healthy individuals using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality. Disease activity and damage were evaluated with the European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI). Independent samples t tests, Chi-square analysis, logistic regression were used to analyze these data. RESULTS: Our results found that the prevalence of poor sleep (PSQI ≥ 6) was 57.5% and the mean global score of PSQI was 6.57 (SD 3.19) in patients, which were significantly higher than the controls (32.3% and 4.93 [SD 2.86], respectively). When trying to fall asleep, patients with pSS had some sleep disturbances, reduced sleep efficiency, increased number of awakenings than controls. There were significant correlations among dryness, ocular surface disease, HRQoL, pain, disease activity, anxiety/depression and sleep quality in pSS patients. Meanwhile, logistic regression models identified depression and Short Form-36 mental composite score as predictors of poor sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbances are commonly reported in pSS patients and sleep quality is lower in pSS patients than in healthy controls. The data suggested the need for holistic assessment and management of pSS patients.

The impact of systemic sclerosis on health-related quality of life assessed by SF-36: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to systematically review the literature to evaluate the impact of systemic sclerosis (SSc) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessed by the Medical Outcomes Short-Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed on PubMed, Web of Science and Embase until April 2017 to obtain eligible studies. Random effect model was performed to summarize the scores of each domain. Scores from the SF-36 questionnaire were used as the outcome measurements, and mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: In total, seven studies were eligible for inclusion criteria, comprising 795 SSc patients and 1154 healthy controls. The SF-36 questionnaire score of each domain (physical function, role physical function, emotional role function, vitality, mental health, social function, body pain, general health) was lower in SSc patients than in healthy controls, meanwhile, physical component scale (PCS) and mental component scale (MCS) scores were all lower in patients with SSc than in healthy controls. Likewise, pooled mean scores of PCS and MCS ranged from 31.20 to 52.80, 37.40 to 68.30, respectively. Additionally, the score of PCS was lower than that of MCS in SSc patients. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that SSc patients had lower HRQoL than healthy controls, and SSc had negative influence on the HRQoL of patients. This indicates that clinical workers should pay more attention to SSc patients' HRQoL, so as to improve global health of patients with SSc.

The impact of disease activity and psychological status on quality of life for Chinese patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of the present study was to survey the quality of life (QoL) in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and to analyze the relationships between disease activity, anxiety/depression, fatigue, pain, age, oral disorders, impaired swallowing, sicca symptoms, and QoL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A survey was conducted on 185 pSS patients and 168 healthy individuals using the Short Form 36 health survey for QoL. Disease activity was assessed using the European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index. We examined these data using independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U test, chi squared analysis, and linear regression. RESULTS: The result for each domain in Short Form 36 health survey was lower in pSS patients than in healthy controls, especially the score in the dimension of role physical function. In the bivariate analysis, age, pain, fatigue, disease activity, disease complication, anxiety/depression, oral disorders, and impaired swallowing correlated with QoL. Also, in the linear regression model, pain, fatigue, disease activity, impaired swallowing, and anxiety/depression remained the main predictors of QoL. CONCLUSION: pSS patients had a considerably impaired QoL compared to the controls, and pSS could negatively affect the QoL of patients. Measuring QoL should be considered as a vital part of the comprehensive evaluation of the health status of pSS patients, which could contribute some valuable clues in improving the management of disease and treatment decisions.

Prevalence, severity, and predictors of dry eye and dry mouth in Chinese patients with primary Sjögren syndrome.

Dry eye and dry mouth are typical clinical symptoms of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), yet not considered in the assessment of severity and predictors in China. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, severity, and potential predictors of dry eye/dry mouth among Chinese pSS patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted from the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University. A series of questionnaires were applied: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjogren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI)-dry mouth items, fatigue severity scale (FSS), the 10 cm visual analog scale (VAS). Laboratory examinations were taken to obtain some biochemical indicators (i.e., C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anti-SSA/SSB antibody). Stepwise logistic/linear regression model was used to investigate the potential predictors of dry eye/dry mouth, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0. Two hundred twenty-four pSS patients were included in this study. Among them, 215 (95.98%) patients reported ESSPRI-dry mouth items score > 0, and the mean score was 4.92 ± 2.43. In addition, according to the score of OSDI, 84 (37.5%) subjects reported non-dry eye, whereas 140 (62.5%) subjects reported dry eye (44 mild, 31 moderate, 65 severe), and the mean of the total OSDI score was 25.01 ± 23.58. Then, using logistic regression and linear regression respectively, we found that age and fatigue were the potential predictors of dry eye, whereas dry mouth was predicted by age, fatigue, total pain, and ESR. The results of this study suggested that rheumatologists should pay attention to pSS patients' dry eye and dry mouth, especially those with older age, higher level of ESR, more severe fatigue, and pain.

The prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in patients with rheumatic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A number of studies have reported the suicidal ideation (SI) or suicide attempts (SA) of patients with rheumatic diseases. However, the estimated prevalence of those disorders varies substantially between studies. This systematic review aimed to describe the prevalence of SI and SA in rheumatic diseases. Literature search was done using Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane database library, PubMed and CNKI database through June 2017. Studies were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and the qualities of included studies were evaluated. The data was analyzed using STATA version 12.0. A random-effect meta-analysis was conducted on all eligible data. A total of 17 identified studies matched the inclusion criteria, involving 5174 participants with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and fibromyalgia (FM). Meta-analysis showed that rheumatic diseases patients have high prevalence of SI (26%, 95% CI: 19%-32%, I²=96.2%) and SA (12%, 95% CI: 3%-21%, I²=96.6%). We also found the prevalence of SI and SA in females may be higher than in males. All of these indicated that rheumatologists should screen for SI and SA in their patients. Early appropriate intervention is therefore essential to promote the patients' good mental health.

Anxiety and depression in primary Sjögren's syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of anxiety and depression is high in people with Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). However, there are currently no known reported studies about anxiety/depression in pSS patients from China. Our aim was to compare anxiety/depression in pSS patients and healthy controls; to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and/or depression among pSS patients in China; to evaluate its relationship with the disease activity, fatigue, pain, education, ocular surface disease, oral health, swallowing disorders, employment status, European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index(ESSPRI) as well as to analyze potential determinants of anxiety and depression. METHODS: In this study, 160 pSS patients and 170 age- and sex- matched healthy controls were included. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and so on. Independent samples t-tests, χ2 analyses and multivariable stepwise logistic regression modeling were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: We found 33.8% pSS patients were anxiety, and 36.9% had depression, which were significantly higher than controls. And there were significant correlations among education, employment status, disease activity, fatigue, ocular surface disease, ESSPRI, oral health, swallowing disorders and anxiety/depression. Meanwhile, logistic regression analysis revealed that oral health and swallowing disorders were significantly associated with anxiety in pSS patients; as well as fatigue was significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depression and anxiety was high in adult pSS patients. Interestingly, oral health and swallowing disorders were the most important predictors of anxiety in pSS patients. Therefore, rheumatologists should pay attention to the potential mental comorbidities while managing patients with pSS and provide the basis for mental health providers in order to identify effective strategies for preventing and treating depression and anxiety among adult pSS patients. Simultaneously, rheumatologists should also focus on the oral health and swallowing disorders in pSS patients.

Rate of adherence to urate-lowering therapy among patients with gout: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Reported adherence to urate-lowering therapy (ULT) in gout varies widely (17%-83.5%). Variability may partly be due to different adherence measurement methods. This review aimed to quantify ULT adherence in adult patients with gout. METHODS: This analysis examined studies in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI Scholar and WanFang databases from inception to January 2017. Papers were selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria in the context. Random-effect meta-analysis estimated adherence. RESULTS: 22 studies were found by the inclusion criteria, which involved 1 37 699 patients with gout. Four ways to define adherence were reported. Meta-analysis revealed that the overall adherence rate was 47% (95% CI 42% to 52%, I2=99.7%). Adherence rate to ULT was 42% (95% CI 37% to 47%, I2=99.8%) for prescription claims, 71% (95% CI 63% to 79%) for pill count, 66% (95% CI 50% to 81%, I2=86.3%) for self-report and 63% (95% CI 42% to 83%, I2=82.9%) for interview, respectively. The influential factor on adherence rate was country of origin. CONCLUSIONS: Among adult patients with gout, overall adherence rate to ULT was as low as 47%, which suggested that clinicians should pay more attention to medication adherence in patients with gout to effectively improve adherence to ULT.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with negatively variable impacts on domains of sleep disturbances: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sleep disturbances are common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the features of sleep disturbances are not well understood. The aim of this study was to identify the impact of SLE on specific sleep quality domains and to determine its prevalence and associations. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the sleep outcomes of individuals with SLE and healthy controls. PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science CNKI, VIP, CNKI and Wanfang database were searched to find the published literatures (from these databases established to May 2017). Studies were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and the qualities of included studies were evaluated. The data was analyzed using Revman5.3 software. Score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scoring system was used as the outcome measurement, and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Five studies were included, including 350 SLE and 1396 healthy controls. A total of 5 studies including 827 patients were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review and meta-analysis. In this meta-analysis, each domain of the PSQI score: subjective sleep quality (MD, .58; 95% CI, .26, .89), sleep latency(MD, .47; 95% CI, .21, .73), sleep duration (MD, .36; 95% CI, .13, .58), habitual sleep efficiency (MD, .58; 95% CI, .32, .84),sleep disorders (MD, .56; 95% CI, .34, .77), use of sleep medication (MD, .56; 95% CI, .33, .80), daytime dysfunction (MD, .57; 95% CI, .11, 1.04) and the global score (MD, 3.59; 95% CI, 1.37, 5.80) were higher in SLE women than healthy controls. Furthermore, subjective sleep quality and habitual sleep efficiency were most severely affected especially. It demonstrated that targeted interventions should be done to improve their sleep quality. Early recognition and appropriate intervention are essential to reduce the negative impact of sleep disturbances on the patient's sleep quality and outcome of their disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with negatively variable impacts on domains of female sexual function: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To systematically review the literature to identify the impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on specific female sexual function domains. A meta-analysis was performed and the related literature were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CBM and Web of Science databases, and in reference lists of articles and systematic reviews. Score of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used as the outcome measurement, and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Five studies were included, including 346 women with RA and 237 healthy female controls. Each domain of the FSFI score: lubrication (MD, -2.48; 95% CI, -3.69, -1.28), orgasm-1.71 (-2.09, -1.33), sexual desire-1.27 (-1.59, -0.95), satisfaction-1.67 (-2.18, -1.16), arousal-1.83 (-2.85, -0.82), pain-1.57 (-2.43, -0.70) and the total score -8.84 (-11.88, -5.79) were lower in RA women than healthy controls. Furthermore, lubrication dimension was most severely affected especially. This meta-analysis showed that female RA patients scored lower in each dimension of FSFI, mostly in the lubrication domain. It demonstrated that targeted interventions should be done to improve their sexual function. Future well-designed researches with larger sample sizes are necessary to evaluate the potential risk factors which determine female sexual dysfunction.

Depression in primary Sjögren's syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is substantial uncertainty regarding the prevalence of depression in Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). We conducted a systematic review aiming to evaluate the association of pSS with depression. PubMed, Web of Science, VIP, CNKI and Wanfang database were searched to find the published literatures (from these databases established to October 2016). Studies were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and the qualities of included studies were evaluated. The data was analyzed using Revman5.2 software. A total of 12 studies including 1917 patients were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review and meta-analysis. In this meta-analysis, Severity of depression was assessed using psychometric measures, such as PHQ-9; HADS; CES-D; Zung depression scale and BDI. The result revealed that pSS was associated with an increased prevalence of depression (summary odds ratio (OR) = 5.36, 95% CI: 4.05-7.09, P < 0.01). The depression score in pSS patients (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.47, 95% CI: 0.81-2.12, P < 0.01) were higher than in the control group. Depression is highly prevalent in pSS than in healthy controls. Early recognition and appropriate intervention are therefore essential to reduce the negative impact of depression on the patient's quality of life and outcome of their disease.

Medication adherence has an impact on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was often measured by the 28-joint count disease activity score (DAS-28), which consists of 28 swollen and tender joint counts, patient's assessment of disease activity (visual analog scale [VAS]) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. C-reactive protein was also used to measure disease activity in RA patients. The aim was to explore the impact of medication adherence on disease activity in patients with RA. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in major electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wan fang) to identify studies reporting medication adherence and disease activity in RA patients. Results were expressed as mean difference (MD) and 95% CI. RESULTS: A total of seven identified studies matched the inclusion criteria, reporting on a total of 1,963 adult RA patients in the analysis. The total score of DAS-28 was significantly lower in adherent patients than in nonadherent subjects (MD =-0.42, 95% CI [-0.80, -0.03], P=0.03). Similarly, a significant difference was observed between medication adherent and nonadherent groups in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (MD =-7.39, 95% CI [-11.69, -3.08], P<0.01) and tender joint count (MD =-1.29, 95% CI [-2.51, -0.06], P=0.04). Interestingly, the results of the meta-analysis showed no significant difference between medication adherent and nonadherent patients in swollen joint count (MD =-0.16, 95% CI [-2.13, 1.80], P=0.87), visual analog scale (MD =1.41, 95% CI [-3.68, 6.50], P=0.59) and C-reactive protein (MD =0.35, 95% CI [-0.64, 1.34], P=0.49). CONCLUSION: The study suggests that RA patients with higher medication adherence tended to have lower disease activity.