Objective To analyze the differences in microbial communities in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with simple pneumonia versus those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) combined with lower respiratory tract infection using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). Methods Patients hospitalized for pulmonary infections at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between December 2021 and March 2023 were included. Based on the presence of COPD, the patients were divided into two groups: those with simple pneumonia and those with COPD combined with lower respiratory tract infection. mNGS was employed to detect microbes in BALF, and the microbial community distribution characteristics of the two groups were analyzed. Results A total of 97 patients were included, of whom 80 (81.82%) had positive microbial detection results. The smoking index in COPD group with lower respiratory tract infection was significantly higher than that in the group with simple pneumonia (t= −3.62, P=0.001). Differences in microbial community distributions were observed between the groups. At the genus level, 19 species of microorganisms were detected in the simple pneumoniapulmonary infection group, including 8 bacteria (42.11%), 2 fungi (10.53%), 3 viruses (15.79%), and 6 other types of microorganisms (31.58%). In contrast, 22 types of microbes were detected in COPD group with lower respiratory tract infection, including 10 bacteria (47.62%), 3 fungi (14.29%), 4 viruses (19.05%), and 4 other types of microorganisms (19.05%). Differences were also noted in reads per million (RPM) values; bacterial RPM values at the genus level were significantly higher in the COPD group during non-severe pneumonia compared to the simple pneumonia group (Z=–2.706, P=0.007). In the patients with severe pneumonia, RPM values at the genus and species levels were significantly higher than those in non-severe pneumonia (Z=−2.202, P=0.028; Z=−2.141, P=0.032). In COPD combined with severe pneumonia, bacterial RPM values were significantly higher at the species level compared to non-severe pneumonia (Z=−2.367, P=0.017). ConclusionsThere are differences in the distribution of microbial communities at the genus and species levels in BALF from patients with COPD combined with lower respiratory tract infection compared to those with simple pulmonary pneumonia. Bacteria are the predominant microbial type in both groups, but the dominant bacterial species differ between them. Simple pneumonia are primarily associated with bacterial, viral, and other types of microbial infections, while COPD combined with lower respiratory tract infection is predominantly associated with fungal and bacterial infections. RPM values may serve as an indicator of the severity of pneumonia.
Post operational recovery from cardiac surgery can be affected by many factors, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors. Prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) , one of the major complications, has been widely accepted as a measure to evaluate the performance and outcomes of cardiac surgeries. Great progress has been made in the studies of risk factors contributing to PMV following cardiac surgeries in recent years. However, no clear and effective measures and approaches are available yet to prevent PMV. In this review, the authors try to summarize the risk factors that are associated with PMV throughout the perioperative period of cardiac surgery, as well as possible interventions when applicable.
Objective To systematically review the health economic evaluations of using long-term rhythm-control antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) for patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods Databases including PubMed, EMbase, Scopus, CNKI, SinoMed, WanFang Data, and official websites of well-established health technology assessment (HTA) institutions were electronically searched to present the economic evaluations of AAD and the recommendations of HTA institutions based on drug economy from inception to April 23rd, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted data and systematic review was then performed. Results A total of 19 studies were included, including 11 cost-effectiveness or cost-utility analysis studies and 8 official documents from HTA institutions. Only 5 (45.5%) economic evaluations were of relatively high quality, and English language studies were of higher quality than Chinese language studies ones. The included studies lacked elements that CHEERS 2022 concerns, such as health economics analysis plans, equity and distributional effects, engagement with patients and other stakeholders and the impact on the study. Dronedarone and amiodarone were the main focus of the evaluation, and the study results showed that dronedarone was cost-effective compared with other drugs in different study designs and national settings. However, there were differences between the recommendations of HTA agencies and the results of economic evaluation studies. Conclusion The completeness of health economics evaluations needs to be improved, along with the quality of clinical evidence in the field of AF-AAD for Chinese patients. Additionally, the informational value of drugs should be thoroughly investigated through budget impact analysis and distributional cost-effectiveness analysis to provide evidence of high-quality studies for decision-makers in China.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and myocardial protective results of single high-dose Atorvastatin loading before off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). MethodsA total of 140 patients undergoing selective OPCAB in Jiangsu Province Hospital between February 2010 and August 2011 were recruited in this study. All the patients were randomly divided into a control group and an Atorvastatin loading group (single oral atorvastatin 80 mg)with 70 patients in each group. Biomarkers of cardiac injury including Troponin T (TnT), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB)and myoglobin (Mb)were measured on admission, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after OPCAB. Liver function (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)and total bilirubin (TBIL)), serum lipids (total cholesterol (TC), trigl-yceride (TG)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C))and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)were measured 2 days before OPCAB, 1, 4 and 7 days after OPCAB as well as before discharge. ResultsAll the patients successfully received OPCAB and were discharged. There was no statistical difference in preoperative clinical characteristics or above indexes between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in ALT or AST between the 2 groups. Incidences of ALT (4.29% vs. 5.71%, P=1.000)and AST (4.29% vs. 0%, P=0.245)greater than 3 times above the upper normal limit were not statistically different between the 2 groups. Peak levels of postoperative TnT (0.23±0.27 ng/ml vs. 0.16±0.24 ng/ml, P=0.011), CK-MB (29.57±30.04 U/L vs. 17.73±14.07 U/L, P=0.001)and hsCRP (31.85±22.89 mg/L vs. 20.81±10.96 mg/L, P=0.001)of the control group were significantly higher than those of Atorvastatin loading group. Incidences of TnT greater than the upper normal limit (47.1% vs. 65.7%, P=0.041)and TnT greater than 5 times above the upper normal limit (8.6% vs. 22.9%, P=0.037)of Atorvastatin loading group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Incidence of CK-MB greater than the upper normal limit of Atorvastatin loading group was significantly lower than that of the control group (20.0% vs. 54.3%, P=0.000). ConclusionSingle high-dose Atorvastatin loading before OPCAB is safe and can alleviate postoperative myocardial injury.