It has always been an important policy of the Chinese government to provide aid and assistance for the development of Tibet. With nearly one-eighth of China’s total land areas and about 0.002% of China’s total population, the Tibet Autonomous Region lags behind the domestic average level in medical education and is in bad need for medical professionals. The West China Center of Medical Sciences (WCCMS) of Sichuan University has managed to introduce US projects to set up the West China–Tibet Telemedical Education System to transmit medical courses in a real-time and interactive way. Based on this system, WCCMS has established a model for assisting the Tibet University Medical College through transmitting medical courses, training their medical faculty, sending WCCMS faculty to work in Tibet and admitting medical teachers and students from Tibet to study and be trained at West China Medical School and Hospital.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the diagnostic value of interferon-gamma release assay (TB-IGRA) for tuberculosis in the Tibetan. MethodsFrom January 2014 to December 2014, suspected Tibetan tuberculosis patients were enrolled from AVIC 363 Hospital and underwent TB-IGRA test. All patients were also underwent smear test for Mycobacteria. The diagnostic value of TB-IGRA test for Tibetan TB patients was analyzed. ResultsA total of 77 suspected Tibetan tuberculosis patients were included. According to the diagnostic criteria, of the 77 suspected patients, 50 were diagnosed as TB patients, and 27 were diagnosed as not-TB patients. The sensitivity and specificity of TB-IGRA test was 86% and 81.5%. While the sensitivity and specificity of smear test were 22% and 100%, respectively. ConclusionThe TB-IGRA test is superior to smear test, and is the fast and sensitivity test for diagnosing Tibetan TB patients.
West China Hospital of Sichuan University as a national-level regional medical center in the western part of the country, focused on the actual situation in Tibet and actively carried out precision health poverty alleviation work. Guided by " precision”, the hospital has built a close-knit medical association – Hospital of Tibet People’s Government in Chengdu Office, and through the comprehensive improvement of medical care, teaching, scientific research, and management, creates a medical and health service system with Tibet characteristics. Combining " blood transfusion” and " hematopoietic” to build a " West China Model” for precision health poverty alleviation, West China Hospital of Sichuan University fully demonstrates the public welfare and responsibility of a national-level regional medical center, and constantly exerts regional radiation and leading role, promotes the medical and health service system continuous improvement in Tibet.
Objective To observe and evaluate the safety and efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the treatment of eyes with macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in Lhasa, Tibet. MethodsA retrospective case series. From September 2018 to January 2022, a total of 41 patients (41 eyes) with BRVO-ME, who were diagnosed in Department of Ophthalmology of Tibet Autonomous Region People’s Hospital, were included in this study. There were 21 eyes in 21 males and 20 eyes in 20 females. The median age was 53 (31,75) years. There were 24 patients with hypertension (58.8%, 24/41). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ocular pressure, fundus color photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed in all eyes. The BCVA was performed using the international standard logarithmic visual acuity chart, which was converted into logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA for record. The foveal macular thickness (CMT) was measured by OCT. All eyes were treated with intravitreous injection of anti-VEGF drugs, once a month, among which 23 eyes (56.1%, 23/41) received intravitreous injection of ranibizumab (IVR), and 18 eyes (43.9%, 18/41) received intravitreous injection of conbercept (IVC), and were grouped accordingly. There was no significant difference in age (Z=－0.447), gender composition (Z=－0.485), logMAR BCVA (t=－1.591), intraocular pressure (t=－0.167) and CMT (t=－1.290) between two groups (P＞0.05). During the follow-up, the same devices and methods were used at baseline to perform relevant examinations, and the changes of BCVA, intraocular pressure, CMT and new cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events were compared between baseline and the last follow-up. logMAR BCVA, intraocular pressure and CMT were compared between baseline and last follow-up using Student t test. The comparison of injection times and follow-up time between IVR group and IVC group was conducted by Mann-Whitney U test. ResultsAt baseline, logMAR BCVA, intraocular pressure, and CMT were 0.852±0.431, (12.5±2.5) mm Hg (1 mm Hg= 0.133 kPa), and (578.1±191.1) μm, respectively. At the last follow-up, the number of anti-VEGF drug treatments was (2.7±1.2) times; logMAR BCVA and CMT were 0.488±0.366 and (207.4±108.7) μm, respectively, with CMT > 250 μm in 14 eyes (34.1%, 14/41). Compared with baseline, BCVA (t=4.129) and CMT (t=－0.713) were significantly improved, with statistical significance (P＜0.001). The injection times of IVR group and IVC group were (2.6±0.9) and (3.0±1.5) times, respectively. There were no significant differences in the number of injection times (t=－1.275), logMAR BCVA (t=－0.492), intraocular pressure (t=0.351) and CMT (t=－1.783) between the two groups (P＞0.05). No new hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events occurred in all patients during follow-up. At the last follow-up, there were no eye complications related to treatment modalities and drugs. ConclusionShort-term anti-VEGF treatment can improve the visual acuity of BRVO secondary ME patients and alleviate ME in Lhasa, Tibet. The safety and efficacy of ranibizumab and conbercept were similar.
ObjectiveTo compare whether the training process of commissioned training residents from Tibet and non-commissioned training residents have achieved homogenized.MethodsThe training time and operation frequency data of 170 commissioned training residents from Tibet and 96 non-commissioned training residents of grade 2016 during the 19 months from September 2016 to April 2018 were collected. The 25 operational data of 11 departments that are representative and comparable are compared.ResultsThe two types of trainees completed the rotation of 47 different departments within 19 months, of which 45 departments were the departments where both types of students were rotated. Among these 11 departments, the average training time of trainees from Tibet in the Departments of Anesthesiology was lower than that of non-commissioned trainees (Z=–4.543, P<0.001). There were statistically significant differences in 7 of the 25 operating data (P<0.05). The operation number of arterial puncture and ventilator management (Intensive Care Unit); patient treatment (Department of Emergency); arterial puncture, ventilator management and intraoperative monitoring (Department of Anesthesiology) of trainees from Tibet were lower than those of non-commissioned trainees (P<0.05). The operation number of lung and mediastinal examinations (Department of Radiology) of trainees from Tibet was higher than that of non-commissioned trainees (P<0.05).ConclusionsDuring the training of the two types of trainees, the rotation schedule was basically the same, but there were differences in the clinical practice operations. Trainees from Tibet have higher requirements for radiology training. Trainees from Tibet will return to Tibet with independent practice needs, so their requirements of medical imaging skills operation would be higher. Due to language and training time, the critically ill, emergency first aid, and surgical skills of trainees from Tibet are not as good as those of non-commissioned trainees, and they need to gradually strengthen and improve these skills in subsequent trainings.
Objective To analyze clinical characteristics and treatment experience of 143 tibetan victims of China Yushu earthquake, so as to provide reference for emergency preparation for earthquake disasters. Methods A retrospective study from April 16th to April 22th, 2010 was designed. A total of 143 injured Tibetans (74 men, 69 women) of the magnitude 7.1 Yushu earthquake were included in this study. Data from victims was collected retrospectively as follows: age, gender, cause of injury, place and time of rescue, chief complaint, primary diagnosis, onsite treatment, transfer, psychological crisis intervention and so on. Results The 143 tibetan victims contained 67 fracture cases (4 open fracture, 63 closed fracture), 5 joint dislocation cases and 3 neural injury cases. 62 victims with fracture were treated by Tibetan-Chinese therapy combined with external fixation, 5 victims were operated with emergency surgery, 6 victims refused to the surgical debridement and suture, and no dead case reported. All patients were given 3 to 11 psychological intervention treatments. As to the aspect of the wounded transferring, 48 cases among 54 supposed evacuating victims were transferred to Xinin hospitals, and the other six refused to be transferred and kept staying in the original place for treatment. Conclusion The clinical characteristics of the tibetan victims are outstanding. The medical rescue for disaster in ethnic region should be appropriate for features of disaster areas.Both the individualized remedy and early psychological intervention are regarded as the important measures for improving the general level of earthquake medical rescue in ethnic regions.
ObjectiveTo analyze the types and characteristics of common paroxysmal diseases in order to improve the diagnosis of onset types and to analyze the related factors of epileptic seizures in Tibetan population.Methods510 patients with paroxysmal diseases were enrolled in the Department of Neurology, People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region from June 2013 to December 2018 and the video electroencephalogram (VEEG) data were analyzed.ResultsAmong the 510 patients, there were 35 types of paroxysmal diseases, 335 cases (65.69%) of seizures and 86 cases (16.86%) of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). There were significant differences in the incidence of seizures between male and female patients (P<0.05), the incidence of seizures were different at different altitude and the concentration of hemoglobin (P<0.05), the course of seizures was always more than 2 years (P<0.05), and the frequency and age of seizures were higher, but there were no significant difference, and epileptic patients in Tibet were more likely to be young adults (34.51%).ConclusionsThere are many kinds of paroxysmal diseases in Tibetan population, and epileptic seizures are the main type. There was a qualitative relationship between the incidence of epilepsy and altitude. The incidence of epilepsy didn’t increase along with the increase of hemoglobin, and the course of seizures was mostly more than 2 years.
ObjectiveTo explore the application of PDCA cycle in the examination of medical quality of Tibetan area hospitals. MethodsIn the October 2014, PDCA cycle theory was introduced into the examination of Tibetan hospital medical quality. We collected quality problems existing in the medical activities actively, analyzed the reason and influencing factors and made corresponding plans. Then we implemented the plans and measures strictly, surveyed the results, found out and analyzed the problems, summarized the results of the examination, and turned the unsolved problems to the next PDCA circulation. Continuous follow-up was performed until the results were satisfactory. Based on Sichuan Province Secondary Comprehensive Hospital Evaluation Standard, we analyzed the medical quality of the hospital before PDCA application (July to September 2014) and after PDCA application (October to December 2014). ResultsThe incidence of medical nursing documents writing defects decreased from 12.4% to 5.9%. Hospital infection management defect rate declined from 13.5% to 5.3% and drug safety management defect rate declined from 11.8% to 2.5%, and all the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). ConclusionPDCA cycle in the Tibetan hospital for medical quality examination has greatly improved the medical quality of Tibetan hospitals.
ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes of kidney transplantation (KT) between Tibetan and Han recipients.MethodsPatients greater than 18 years old, who had received the first ABO-compatible KT between April 2006 and March 2017, were retrospectively included. A propensity score matching (PSM) of Tibetans to Hans was performed by 1∶3 ratio. Survival, renal function and adverse events of the two groups were compared.ResultsOf the 1 820 patients who fit the screening criteria, 123 Tibetans and 357 Hans were included after PSM. The median follow-up time was 48 months. There was no statistically significant difference in death-censored grafts survival (P=0.061) or patients survival (P=0.440) between the two groups. The serum creatinine was higher in Tibetans than that in Hans within one year after KT (P<0.05), and the estimated glomerular filtration rate was lower in Tibetans than that in Hans within 5 years after KT (P<0.05), but no difference thereafter (P>0.05). The incidence of delayed graft function in Tibetan patients after operation was higher than that in Han patients (4.9% vs. 1.4%, P=0.037), but there was no significant difference in the incidence of acute rejection, infection, reoperation, or cancer between the two groups (P>0.05).ConclusionTibetans receiving KT achieve excellent and comparable long-term graft and patient survival to Hans, with similar long-term graft function.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical features of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, PNES) in Tibetan population in Tibet, so as to help clinicians identify the disease.MethodsRetrospective analyzed the clinical data of patients with PNES in the Department of Neurology, People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region from June 2016 to December 2018.ResultsIn general clinical data, there were significant differences between male and female patients in the results of video electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring the non-epileptic seizures (P< 0.05). There were no significant differences in mean age, mean onset time, family history of epilepsy, head injury and marital status between male and female patients (P> 0.05). There was no significant difference in symptoms between male and female, but there were differences among different age groups (P> 0.05). In the onset age, the main manifestation was young women, but there was no significant difference in the onset of PNES among different age groups.ConclusionsThere was significant differences between male and female PNES petients, but no significant differences in onset time, marriage and family history of epilepsy between the male and female patients with PNES in Tibet. The clinical manifestations of PNES were different in different ages of patients in Tibet.