Effect of treatment with Fufang Huangqi decoction on dose reductions and discontinuation of pyridostigmine bromide tablets, prednisone, and tacrolimus in patients with type I or II myasthenia gravis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Fufang Huangqi decoction in combination with pyridostigmine bromide tablets, prednisone, and tacrolimus in the treatment of type I and II myasthenia gravis (MG) through changes in the clinical symptom scores of 100 patients with type I and II MG. This study also aimed to examine dose reductions and dis-continuation of these 3 Western medicines after administration of Fufang Huangqi decoction. METHODS: The clinical data on 100 patients with type I or II MG who were treated in the outpatient department of the Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, between June 2017 and June 2020 were collected. The patients were divided into 4 groups based on whether they had taken pyridostigmine bromide tablets, prednisone, and/or tacrolimus at the time of their hospital visit: the Fufang Huangqi decoction group (group A), the pyridostigmine bromide tablets + Fufang Huangqi decoction group (group B), the pyridostigmine bromide tablets + prednisone + Fufang Huangqi decoction group (group C), and the pyridostigmine bromide tablets + tacrolimus + Fufang Huangqi decoction group (group D). The average treatment time was (15.6 ± 11.5) months (range: 0.5-55 months). Changes in the clinical symptom scores of the 4 groups of patients after medication administration and dose reductions and discontinuation of the 3 Western medicines were analyzed. RESULTS: An overall effectiveness rate of 86.00% was achieved in the 100 patients after treatment for (15.6 ± 11.5) months (range 0.5-55 months). The effectiveness rates were 85.71% in group A, 88.24% in group B, 76.92% in group C, and 80.00% in group D. The dosage of pyridostigmine bromide was reduced for 69.12% of the patients in group B for the first time after (4.2 ± 4.1) months, and 45.59% of the patients in group B discontinued pyridostigmine bromide after (8.8 ± 6.1) months. The dosage of pyridostigmine bromide was reduced for 46.15% of the patients in group C for the first time after (5.3 ± 3.4) months, and 23.08% of the patients in group C discontinued pyridostigmine bromide after (19.8 ± 11.0) months; 76.92% reduced hormone dosage after (2.8 ± 1.9) months, and 23.08% discontinued hormone treatment after (6.7 ± 2.9) months. The dosage of pyridostigmine bromide was reduced for 1 patient in group D after 1 month; this patient discontinued pyridostigmine bromide after 3 months and reduced tacrolimus dosage after 5 months. One patient in group D discontinued pyridostigmine bromide and tacrolimus on his own initiative at 0.5 months and took Fufang Huangqi decoction for 2 months without discontinuing Western medicine. CONCLUSION: Fufang Huangqi decoction is effective for the treatment of type I and II MG and improves the associated clinical symptoms. Moreover, this agent is conducive to dose reductions and discontinuation of basic Western medicines, thereby reducing the side effects experienced by patients.

Experience of COVID-19 prevention and control in shelter CT / 中国医学物理学杂志

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), chest computed tomography (CT) has been an important imaging modality in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with COVID-19,but meanwhile the risk of cross-infection between the staff and patients in Department of Radiology is increasing. Shelter CT is specifically used for the examination of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to reduce the infection risk. Based on practical work experience, the management and prevention measures for COVID-19 in shelter CT are discussed from the aspects of the installation, function division and examination procedures of shelter CT, patient examination route, the staff management and infection prevention for radiology technologists, and the disinfection of CT equipments and object surface.

A Study on the Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) Syndrome Screening of Myasthenia Gravis Based on Expert Consensus / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This study preliminarily discussed the TCM syndrome types of myasthenia gravis (or flaccidity) and its treatments and prescriptions through consensus method,providing evidence and level revision of the recommended expert consensus of myasthenia gravis in TCM clinical practice guideline.Literatures over TCM syndrome types,symptoms,therapeutic regime,medication and acupuncture were involved in the syndrome analysis of myasthenia gravis through literature retrieval.The common clinical syndromes were outputted by mentioned rate.Ten first-rate hospitals were finally included,such as The Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Guangdong Province Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital and Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.Twelve experts in aggregate were confirmed to participate in the discussion for the identification of the TCM syndrome types,treatments and prescriptions of myasthenia gravis.As a result,five TCM syndrome types,such as syndrome of spleen and stomach qi deficiency,syndrome of spleen-kidney deficiency,deficiency syndrome of both qi and yin,syndrome of deficiency and sinking of qi,were confirmed;while five therapeutic regimes were approved,including reinforcement of qi,tonification of spleen and stomach,tonification of spleen and kidney qi,tonification of qi and yin,the supplement of qi and restoration of yang for ascending qi collapse.In addition,five prescriptions were supported by the experts,such as Bu Zhong Yi Qi (BZYQ) decoction,BZYQ decoction combined with You Gui pills,BZYQ decoction combined with Sheng Mai powders and Sheng Xian decoction.In conclusion,the expert consensus method for the screen of TCM syndrome types of myasthenia gravis embodied the conception of literature research based on the clinical practice combined with the scientific methods in conformity with the current research approaches to TCM syndrome types.