An evaluation of a community-based vision care programme for the elderly.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the real-world effectiveness and potential cost-effectiveness of a community-based vision care programme for the elderly population aged 60 years or above. METHODS: Data from a total of 8899 subjects participating in a community-based comprehensive vision care programme from 2015 to 2019 were analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in terms of the prevalence of distance visual impairment (VI), the change in the prevalence of distance VI after refractive error correction, and the types of ocular disorders suspected. Distance VI was defined as a) visual acuity (VA) worse than 6/18 in any eye (worse eye) and b) VA worse than 6/18 in the better eye. The cost-effectiveness from the funder's perspective was also estimated in terms of cost per distance VI avoided. RESULTS: Based on the presenting vision of the worse eye, the prevalence of distance VI was 39.1% (3482/8899, 95% CI: 38.1%-40.1%) and reduced to 13.8% (1227/8899, 95% CI: 13.1%-14.5%) based on best-corrected VA. Referenced to the presenting vision of the better eye, the prevalence of distance VI was 17.3% (1539/8899, 95% CI: 16.5%-18.1%) and decreased to 4.2% (373/8899, 95% CI: 3.8%-4.6%) with best optical correction. Uncorrected refractive error was the major cause of presenting distance VI. From the funder's perspective, the cost per distance VI case prevented was HK$1921 based on VA in the worse eye and HK$3715 based on the better eye. CONCLUSION: This community-based programme identified distance VI in the best eye of 17 out of every 100 subjects. With appropriate new or updated distance optical corrections, distance VI was reduced to about 4 in 100 subjects. Visual impairment in the elderly is common even in a relatively affluent city. A model of care which could minimise avoidable distance VI would bring benefits at individual and societal levels.

Efficacy and safety of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine in moderate type of COVID-19: a prospective open-label randomized controlled study

The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic. Drug repurposing may represent a rapid way to fill the urgent need for effective treatment. We evaluated the clinical utility of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19. Forty-eight patients with moderate COVID-19 were randomized to oral treatment with chloroquine (1000 mg QD on Day 1, then 500 mg QD for 9 days; n=18), hydroxychloroquine (200 mg BID for 10 days; n=18), or control treatment (n=12). Adverse events were mild, except for one case of Grade 2 ALT elevation. Adverse events were more commonly observed in the chloroquine group (44.44%) and the hydroxychloroquine group (50.00%) than in the control group (16.67%). The chloroquine group achieved shorter time to clinical recovery (TTCR) than the control group (P=0.019). There was a trend toward reduced TTCR in the hydroxychloroquine group (P=0.049). The time to reach viral RNA negativity was significantly faster in the chloroquine group and the hydroxychloroquine group than in the control group (P=0.006 and P=0.010, respectively). The median numbers of days to reach RNA negativity in the chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and control groups was 2.5 (IQR: 2.0-3.8) days, 2.0 (IQR: 2.0-3.5) days, and 7.0 (IQR: 3.0-10.0) days, respectively. The chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine groups also showed trends toward improvement in the duration of hospitalization and findings on lung computerized tomography (CT). This study provides evidence that (hydroxy)chloroquine may be used effectively in treating moderate COVID-19 and supports larger trials.

Research on polymorphism of MICA genes in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Han and Lipopulations in Hainan province / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective To investigate the genetic diversity of MICA, and to analyze the correlation between genetic polymorphisms of MICA and T1DM in population of Han and Li nationalities in Hainan province.Methods This study was performed as a case-control study.Fifty-five individuals with T1DM and Fifty-five healthy controls of Han and Li nationalities from Wuzhishan, Lingshui, Qiongzhong, Baisha, Ledong,Changjiang, Dongfang and Haikou regions in Hainan province(35 Male,20 Female of T1DM of Han;28 Male,27 Female of healthy controls of Han; 33 Male,22 Female of T1DM of Li; 28 Male, 27 Female of healthy controls of Li), were enrolled for the study.MICA allelic variation was analyzed by sequencing-based typing(PCR-SBT).Fisher′s exact test was performed to determine the statistical significance of the distribution and allele frequency of MICA.Results In healthy population,11 MICA-sequence and 5 MICA-STR alleles were found in Han nationality, while 13 MICA-sequence and 5 MICA-STR alleles were detected in Li nationality.The MICA-sequence allele MICA*008:01 and the MICA-STR allele MICA-A5 were most frequently observed in Han nationality[30.85%(29/94)and 41.49%(39/94), respectively],while MICA*002:01 and A4 were the most common in Li nationality[21.57%(22/102) and 36%(36/100), respectively].Among patients with T1DM, 10 MICA-sequence and 5 MICA-STR alleles were detected in Han, and 9 MICA-sequence and 5 MICA-STR alleles were found in Li.MICA*002:01 and A9 were most frequently observed in Han[29%(29/100),29.29%(29/99),respectively], while MICA*012:01, MICA*002:01 and the A4 were the most common in Li[21.15%(22/104), 21.15%(22/104),38.24%(39/102), respectively].The allelic frequency of MICA*002:01, MICA*010, MICA-A5, MICA-A6 and MICA-A9 between the healthy population and T 1DM patients of Han nationality(5.32%,22.34%,41.49 %,9.58%,6.38%, respectively in healthy population;29%,7%, 26.26%,2.02%,29.29%, respectively in T1DM patients), exist significant difference(χ2value were 18.799,9.233,5.218,5.197,16.762, respectively.P value were 0.000,0.002, 0.025,0.024,0.000, respectively.all P<0.05),while no significant difference(all P>0.05)between the healthy population and T1DM patients of Li nationality.Conclusions The most common MICA alleles were MICA*008:01 and MICA-A5 in healthy population of Han nationality, while MICA*002:01 and MICA-A4 in healthy population of Li nationality.MICA*002:01 and MICA-A9 were high frequency in T1DM patients of Han population,while the MICA*010,MICA-A5 and MICA-A6 were low frequency.There was not any MICA alleles associated with T1DM in Li nationality.

Healthcare-associated Pneumonia: Clinical Features and Retrospective Analysis Over 10 Years / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is associated with drug-resistant pathogens and high mortality, and there is no clear evidence that this is due to inappropriate antibiotic therapy. This study was to elucidate the clinical features, pathogens, therapy, and outcomes of HCAP, and to clarify the risk factors for drug-resistant pathogens and prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Retrospective observational study among hospitalized patients with HCAP over 10 years. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause hospital mortality after admission. Demographics (age, gender, clinical features, and comorbidities), dates of admission, discharge and/or death, hospitalization costs, microbiological results, chest imaging studies, and CURB-65 were analyzed. Antibiotics, admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation, and pneumonia prognosis were recorded. Patients were dichotomized based on CURB-65 (low- vs. high-risk).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 612 patients (mean age of 70.7 years), 88.4% had at least one comorbidity. Commonly detected pathogens were Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Initial monotherapy with β-lactam antibiotics was the most common initial therapy (50%). Mean age, length of stay, hospitalization expenses, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation use, malignancies, and detection rate for P. aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were higher in the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. CURB-65 ≥3, malignancies, and mechanical ventilation were associated with an increased mortality. Logistic regression analysis showed that cerebrovascular diseases and being bedridden were independent risk factors for HCAP.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Initial treatment of HCAP with broad-spectrum antibiotics could be an appropriate approach. CURB-65 ≥3, malignancies, and mechanical ventilation may result in an increased mortality.</p>

Laboratory to Clinical Investigation of Carbapenem Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Outbreak in a General Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The number of reported cases, infected with carbepenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAb) and multi-drug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter species had gradually increased in most PLA general hospital wards from April to June in 2007. OBJECTIVES: We have described the investigation of an outbreak of CRAb and MDR Acinetobacter in PLA general hospital, Beijing. The prospective and retrospective findings were identified and analyzed to study the infection causes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A. baumannii samples were collected from the patients and environment in each hospital unit. The onset times were recorded according to their case information. All samples were characterized by genotype and compared using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The microorganism susceptibility was tested using the in vitro minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints method. RESULTS: A total of 69 A. baumannii strains were successfully isolated from 53 patients. About 89.1% of them were resistant to ampicillin and 89.2% to cefotaxime and 75.4% to all standard antibiotics. PFGE analysis revealed that nine of the isolates had unique clones and the epidemic clone types were A, B and C. CONCLUSIONS: The A. baumannii outbreak, was caused by MDR A. baumannii. The strains had widely spread among 12 departments especially in surgical intensive care unit (SICU), emergency intensive care unit (EICU) and the department of respiratory disease. The outbreak was more likely caused by the A. baumannii infected or carrier patients and EICU was its origin.

Blastomycosis in China: a case report and literature review / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Blastomycosis is a fungal disease that is endemic in parts of North America. It is very rare in China and also commonly misdiagnosed, often as cancer or other infectious diseases. The clinical profile of a case of disseminated blastomycosis with pulmonary changes and skin ulcers was described. He had been misdiagnosed with tuberculosis, after adequate therapy with a lipid formulation of amphotericin B, followed by itraconazole, the lung and skin lesions improved. Then the five cases reported in China and literatures were reviewed. The aim of this report was to improve the knowledge regarding blastomycosis for physicians in China to avoid delaying adequate therapy.

Significance of clue cells in the diagnosis of male urogenital infection / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the significance of clue cells in the diagnosis of male urogenital infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Urethra swabs or prostatic fluid of 264 male outpatients were collected and smeared directly on the slice to find clue cells under the ultramicroscopy. Meanwhile, the positive patients' spouses were detected for bacterial vaginosis (BV).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rates of the urethra swabs and the prostatic fluid were 5.1% (11/215 ) and 2.0% (1/49), respectively. Nine cases in 11 of the patients' spouses (81.8%) were diagnosed as BV.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BV pathogen can attack and attach to the epithelia of male genitals to form clue cells. Clue cells positive, along with clinical symptoms, contribute to the diagnosis of male urogenital bacterial infection.</p>