ObjectiveTo analyze the microbiological characteristics of airway bacteria in adult patients with bronchiectasis and to analyze their correlation with the clinical features. MethodsPatients diagnosed with bronchiectasis in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from October 2017 to April 2018 were classified into the bronchiectasis group, while the control group was those who were found to have pulmonary nodules (diameter less than 10 mm) requiring bronchoscopy by physical examination. All subjects in both groups had not used antibiotics or hormones within 4 weeks and had no other respiratory diseases. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the lesion site of the branchial expansion group was collected, and BALF from the basal segment of the contralateral inferior bronchial lobe of the pulmonary nodule was collected in the control group. Bacterial culture and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed in both groups. ResultsSeventeen cases and six controls were enrolled in this study and the BALF specimens were collected. Eight cases were in stable period and nine cases were in acute period. The case group was divided into the bacteria-positive group and negative group based on bacterial culture of BALF. Shannon index in the bacteria-positive group was significantly lower than the bacteria-negative group and the control group. And Shannon index showed a negative correlation with positive bacterial culture in BALF. When Shannon index ≤4.5 was used to predict positive bacterial culture, the sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 90.9% respectively. The average relative abundance of bacteria was higher and the average sample distribution uniformity was lower in patients with acute period, compared with those in patients with stable period. Shannon index was negatively correlated with the acute exacerbation in patients. When Shannon index <5.0 was used to predict acute exacerbation, the sensitivity and specificity were 77.8% and 100.0%, respectively. ConclusionsShannon index in 16S rRNA gene sequencing results has certain predictive value for acute exacerbation stage. 16S rRNA gene sequencing combined with bacterial culture results can help guide clinicians to provide more precise treatment plans.
Objective To explore the risk factors, clinical characteristics and pathogenic bacteria of late-onset septicemia (LOS) in neonates, so as to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods Collect LOS in neonates admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University between January 2015 and February 2020, and set them as the observation group. The neonates born at the same time and hospitalized without septicemia were selected as the control group. The general situation and risk factors of the two groups of neonates were analyzed, and the clinical manifestations, complications and pathogenic bacteria of LOS in neonates were analyzed. Results 182 neonates were enrolled, 91 in each group. There were significant differences between the two groups in mechanical ventilation, indwelling peripherally inserted central catheter, parenteral nutrition, tracheal intubation, neonatal asphyxia, gestational age<37 weeks, birth weight<2.0 kg (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that gestational age<37 weeks [odds ratio (OR)=3.010, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.489, 6.085), P=0.002], parenteral nutrition [OR=3.506, 95%CI (1.681, 7.312), P=0.001] were independent risk factors for LOS. The main clinical manifestations of LOS were abnormal temperature, feeding difficulties, jaundice, apnea, hypersensitive C-reactive protein and procalcitonin increase. The neonates with LOS were prone to necrotizing enterocolitis and purulent meningitis. A total of 74 pathogenic bacteria were cultured from neonates with LOS, including 49 Gram-positive bacterium, 21 Gram-negative bacteria and 4 fungi. The critical and death cases were mainly infected by Gram-negative bacteria. Conclusions A number of factors are related to LOS. Gestational age<37 weeks and parenteral nutrition are independent risk factors for LOS. In order to avoid LOS, attention should be paid to prevention, aseptic concept should be strengthened, and drugs should be used reasonably.
Objective To investigate the etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and outcomes of acute necrotizing mediastinitis (ANM) in order to guide future diagnosis and treatment of ANM. Methods The clinical data of patients with ANM referred to West China Hospital, Sichuan University from March 2012 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The etiology, clinical manifestations, demographic characteristics, bacterial culture results, surgical approach and prognostic factors of these patients were summarized. ResultsA total of 176 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 60 ( 0-84) years. There were 124 (70.5%) males and 52 (29.5%) females. The most common origin of infection was neck (n=66, 37.5%). The most common symptom was fever (n=85, 48.3%). Streptococcus constellatus represented the most common pathogens in secretion culture. Surgical treatment was administered to 119 (67.6%) patients through different approaches, including 54 (30.7%) patients of cervical approach, 9 (5.1%) patients of thoracotomy, 18 (10.2%) patients of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), 7 (4.0%) patients of cervical combined with thoracotomy, 30 (17.0%) patients of cervical combined with VATS, and 1 (0.6%) patient of subxiphoid approach. Among this cohort, 144 (81.8%) patients were cured, while 32 (18.1%) patients died. Age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (OR=2.95, P=0.022), perioperative sepsis (OR=2.84, P=0.024), and non-surgical treatment (OR=2.41, P=0.043) were identified as independent predictors of poor outcomes. Conclusion For patients with corresponding history and manifestations of ANM, it is crucial to go through imaging examination to confirm the presence of an abscess and guide the selection of surgical approach. Once the diagnosis of ANM is made, it is imperative to promptly perform surgical intervention for effective drainage. Our study highlights the significance of age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index, perioperative sepsis and surgical treatment in predicting patients’ outcomes.
Objective To analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of inpatients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) and provide a basis for clinical prevention and treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 744 inpatients diagnosed with OVCF between January 2017 and December 2021 who met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 146 were male and 598 were female, with age ranging from 50 to 95 years (mean, 69.37 years). The demographic characteristics (gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, regional distribution, urban-rural distribution, and seasonal incidence) and clinical features [causes of injury, history of vertebral fractures, smoking and drinking history in males, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, cerebral infarction), body mass index (BMI), blood lipid levels, menopausal age in females, vertebral bone mineral density T-value, number of vertebral fractures, and fracture segment distribution] of OVCF patients were analyzed. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors of vertebral osteoporosis. Results The demographic analysis indicated that female patients with OVCF were significantly younger than male patients (P<0.05). Significant differences were observed in the age distribution of OVCF between males and females (P<0.05), with the highest proportion of male patients in the 70-79 years group (37.0%) and the highest proportion of female patients in the 60-69 years group (40.0%). From 2017 to 2021, the age of onset for OVCF gradually increased, with a similar trend observed for both genders. The distribution of occupations between genders also showed significant differences (P<0.05); with the top three occupations for males being farmers (48.6%), retirees (24.7%), and workers (13.7%), while for females, the leading occupations were farmers (51.5%), retirees (19.4%), and service workers (10.0%). Female OVCF patients had higher BMI, vertebral bone mineral density T-value, history of vertebral fractures, hypertension prevalence, and blood lipid levels compared to male patients (P<0.05). No significant difference between the males and the females was found in ethnicity, seasonal distribution, regional distribution, urban-rural distribution, causes of injury, number of vertebral fractures, or prevalence of comorbidities (except hypertension) (P>0.05). Among the 744 OVCF patients, a total of 1 309 vertebrae were involved, with 628 thoracic vertebrae (48.0%) and 681 lumbar vertebrae (52.0%). The most common fracture segments were L1 (22.5%), T12 (21.2%), followed by L2 (12.2%) and T11 (10.2%). No significant gender difference was observed in the distribution of fracture segments (P>0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that older age, female, and lower BMI were independent risk factors for vertebral osteoporosis (P<0.05). ConclusionThe age of onset of OVCF patients is increasing year by year. The number of fractured vertebral bodies, age distribution of morbidity, occupational distribution, BMI, history of vertebral fracture, hypertension, and blood lipid levels are related to gender. The occurrence of OVCF is mainly in the thoracolumbar segment. The female, older age, and lower BMI are independent risk factors of osteoporosis.
Objective To retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics of heat stroke (HS) and HS-acute kidney injury (AKI), analyze the risk factors leading to death in patients, and provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of HS. Methods Patients with HS who visited 13 hospitals in Sichuan subtropical monsoon climate and HS high-incidence areas between July 2019 and September 2023 were retrospectively selected. According to whether in-hospital death or AKI occurred, the patients were divided into survival group and death group, AKI group and non-AKI group. According to serum creatinine level, patients in the AKI group were divided into AKI stage 1 group, AKI stage 2 group and AKI stage 3 group. The main clinical manifestations and important clinical data of the patients were analyzed, and the risk factors affecting the death of patients were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Results A total of 195 patients with HS and 115 patients with HS-AKI were included. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that AKI, abnormal coagulation function, nervous system injury, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and D-dimer were independent risk factors for death (P＜0.05). The results of clinical characteristics analysis of HS-AKI showed that the mortality rate of patients with AKI stage 2 and AKI stage 3 was higher (P＜0.05). Conclusions AKI, abnormal coagulation function, nervous system injury, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and D-dimer are independent risk factors for death in HS. Therefore, active treatment of patients with HS combined with AKI, abnormal coagulation function, and nervous system injury in the future will help reduce the risk of death in patients.
ObjectiveTo summarize the advances in research on Cage subsidence following lumbar interbody fusion, and provide reference for its prevention.MethodsThe definition, development, clinical significance, and related risk factors of Cage subsidence following lumbar interbody fusion were throughout reviewed by referring to relevant domestic and doreign literature in recent years.ResultsAt present, there is no consensus on the definition of Cage subsidence, and mostly accepted as the disk height reduction greater than 2 mm. Cage subsidence mainly occurs in the early postoperative stage, which weakens the radiological surgical outcome, and may further damage the effectiveness or even lead to surgical failure. Cage subsidence is closely related to the Cage size and its placement location, intraoperative endplate preparation, morphological matching of disk space to Cage, bone mineral density, body mass index, and so on.ConclusionThe appropriate size and shape of the Cage usage, the posterolateral Cage placed, the gentle endplate operation to prevent injury, the active perioperative anti-osteoporosis treatment, and the education of patients to control body weight may help to prevent Cage subsidence and ensure good surgical results.
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis with acute kidney injury (AKI) as the first manifestation, and provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of this disease. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 144 patients diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis in Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University between August 2013 and March 2020. The patients were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group according to whether they were complicated with AKI at admission, and the differences in clinical characteristics were analyzed. The risk factors were screened by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results Among the 144 patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis, 30 cases (20.8%) were complicated with AKI at admission, and 70 cases (48.6%) died by the end of follow-up. There were 16 death cases (53.3%) in the AKI group, and 54 death cases (47.4%) in the non-AKI group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Single-factor analyses showed that in the AKI group, the pre-admission incidence of hematuria, neutrophil count, serum creatinine, systolic blood pressure, and Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score were higher than those in the non-AKI group, while the red blood cell count and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were lower than those in the non-AKI group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the neutrophil count [odds ratio (OR)=1.172, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.003, 1.371), P=0.046] and eGFR [OR=0.942, 95%CI (0.907, 0.979), P=0.002] were independent influencing factors for AKI. Conclusions Elevated neutrophil count is an independent risk factor for ANCA-associated vasculitis complicated with AKI. It has certain guiding significance for clinical work. Early identification and intervention of these patients may contribute to reduce the case fatality rate and improve prognosis.
Objective To investigate the characteristics of dyslipidemia in patients with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) and its correlation with clinical indicators and organ involvement. Methods Patients diagnosed with IgG4-RD at West China Hospital of Sichuan University between September 2020 and October 2024 were retrospectively selected. Based on lipid levels, patients were divided into a high-TG group and a normal-TG group, as well as a high-TC group and a normal-TC group. The demographic characteristics, serological indicators (lipids, IgG4, IgE), and organ involvement of the two groups were analyzed, and the correlation between the indicators was evaluated. Results A total of 125 IgG4 RD patients were included. Among them, there were 89 males (71.2%) and 36 females (28.8%); 21 cases of high TG and 29 cases of high TC. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was lower in the high TG group [(1.16±0.33) vs. (1.41±0.50) mmol/L, P=0.032], and the proportion of retroperitoneal fibrosis involvement was higher (23.8% vs. 9.6%). The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level in the high TC group was higher than that in the normal TC group [(3.09±0.95) vs. (2.39±0.93) mmol/L, P<0.001]. Correlation analysis showed that TG was positively correlated with TC (r=0.37, P<0.05), IgG4 levels were positively correlated with the number of affected organs (r=0.24, P<0.05), while lipid parameters were not correlated with IgG4, IgE, and the number of affected organs. Conclusions Dyslipidemia is common in IgG4-RD patients. High TG is associated with low high-density lipoprotein and a tendency for retroperitoneal fibrosis involvement, while high TC is associated with elevated low-density lipoprotein. Serum IgG4 levels can reflect the extent of organ involvement, but lipid indicators show no significant correlation with disease-specific immune markers. It is recommended to emphasize lipid monitoring in clinical management, particularly for patients with retroperitoneal fibrosis or those on long-term glucocorti coid therapy.
Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of Crohn’s disease (CD) with perianal fistula by analyzing the clinical data of them. Methods A total of 139 cases of CD with perianal fistula who got treatment from January 2010 to January 2017 in The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were analyzed retrospectively. Results The proportion of males and females in 139 patients was about 3.3∶1.0, the age was (28±8) years, and 47.5% of patients had perianal fistula before CD diagnosis. The percents of patients with perianal surgery history and medication history were 64.7% and 74.1%, respectively. The ratio of L3 type (diseased position) was 49.6%. The ratios of inflammatory type (B1 type) and stenotic type (B2 type) of the disease were 51.8% and 41.0%, respectively. The complex perianal fistula accounted for 90.6%, and 31.7% of patients combined analrectal stricture. Symptoms of diarrhea were found in 46.0% of patients and perianal lesions alone in 29.5% of patients; 54.0% of patients combined with abnormal BMI; 64.7% of patients were in the active stage of Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) and 94.2 % of patients were in the active period of perianal disease activity index (PDAI). The patients with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) higher than normal were 53.2%. The results of logistic showed that, age and degree of CDAI were influencing factors for CD with stenosis of perianal fistula. Conclusions Characteristics of patients with CD combined with perianal fistula include: young, men predominant, high prevalence of ileocolic position involvement, as well as inflammation and stenosis disease behavior. Fistula symptoms often preced the intestinal symptoms and diarrhea is the most common intestinal performance. History of perianal abscess and fistula operation are common. The anorectal stricture are complicated usually. Intestinal inflammation is active. Some patients show abnormal laboratory indicators of inflammation. This suggests that patients with perianal fistula with these clinical features should be alert to the possibility of CD, so as toavoid the consequences of blind surgery. The higher CDAI score and the older the diagnosis age, the higher the risk ofrectal stenosis.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma after surgical resection.MethodsA retrospective study of patients with resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma undergoing surgical resection from January 2009 to June 2015 in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sichuan Provincial Fourth People's Hospital and Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University was performed. Survival analysis was conducted by Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. Cox regression model was used for identifying independent prognostic factors.ResultsA total of 53 patients with resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma were included for analysis. The mean age was 58.4 ± 8.3 years and there were 42 male patients and 11 female patients. Forty-two patients were diagnosed as pure esophageal small cell carcinoma while 11 patients were diagnosed with mixed esophageal small cell carcinoma, who were all mixed with squamous cell carcinoma. Most of the esophageal small cell carcinomas were located in the middle (58.5%) and lower (32.1%) segments of the esophagus. Thirty patients (56.6%) were found to have lymph node metastasis, and 7 patients (13.2%) were found to have lymphovascular invasion. According to the 2009 TNM staging criteria for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, there were 12 patients with stage Ⅰ disease, 19 patients with stage Ⅱ disease, and 22 patients with stage Ⅲ disease. Most of the patients underwent left thoracotomy with two-field lymphadenectomy. Postoperatively, only twenty-two patients (41.5%) received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The median survival time of these patients was 20.1 months, and the 1- and 3-year survival rate was 75.5% and 33.1%, respectively. For prognosis, age, gender, pathological type, tumor location, and lymphovascular invasion had no significant impact on long-term survival of these patients. However, TNM stage (1 year survival rate: stage Ⅰ: 91.7%; stage Ⅱ: 78.9%; stage Ⅲ: 63.6%; P=0.004) and postoperative adjuvant therapy (1 year survival rate: 81.8% vs. 71.0%; P=0.005) had significant impact on the survival of patients with esophageal small cell carcinoma. In multivariate analysis, TNM stage and postoperative adjuvant therapy were independent prognostic factors for long-term prognosis of patients with esophageal small cell carcinoma.ConclusionEsophageal small cell carcinoma is very rare, with high malignancy and poor prognosis. For patients with resectable esophageal small cell carcinoma, the TNM staging system of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma can be used to direct the choice of treatment options. For early stage esophageal small cell carcinoma (stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ), surgery plus postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy can be the prior therapeutic choice, while for locally advanced esophageal small cell carcinoma (stage Ⅲ), chemoradiotherapy should be the preferred treatment.