Inverse association of the systemic immune-inflammation index with serum anti-ageing protein Klotho levels in individuals with osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and the serum soluble-Klotho concentration (pg/ml) in osteoarthritis (OA) patients is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the SII and serum soluble-Klotho levels in OA patients. METHODS: All study data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (n = 1852 OA patients; age range = 40-79 years). The SII and serum Klotho measurement data are from the NHANES mobile examination centre. The SII values were divided into quartiles (Q1-4: 0.02-3.36, 3.36-4.78, 4.79-6.70, and 6.70-41.75). A multivariate linear regression model was constructed to evaluate the association between the SII and serum Klotho levels in OA patients; interaction tests were conducted to test the stability of the statistical results. RESULTS: Multivariate linear regression revealed a negative linear relationship between the SII and serum Klotho concentration in OA patients (ß = -6.05; 95% CI: -9.72, -2.39). Compared to Q1, Q4 was associated with lower serum Klotho concentrations (ß = -59.93; 95% CI: -96.57, -23.28). Compared with that of Q1, the ß value of Q2-Q4 showed a downwards trend as the SII increased (Ptrend <0.001). The stratified analysis results indicated that the SII had a greater sensitivity in predicting serum Klotho concentrations in OA patients aged 60-79 years (Pinteraction = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant negative linear correlation between the SII and serum Klotho concentration in OA patients. The SII can serve as a predictive indicator of serum Klotho concentrations in OA patients. Klotho may be a potential anti-inflammatory drug for OA treatment.

Analysis of the causes of primary revision after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: A case series.

BACKGROUND: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has great advantages in the treatment of unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis, but its revision rate is higher than that of total knee arthroplasty. AIM: To summarize and analyse the causes of revision after UKA. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series study in which the reasons for the first revision after UKA are summarized. We analysed the clinical symptoms, medical histories, laboratory test results, imaging examination results and treatment processes of the patients who underwent revision and summarized the reasons for primary revision after UKA. RESULTS: A total of 13 patients, including 3 males and 10 females, underwent revision surgery after UKA. The average age of the included patients was 67.62 years. The prosthesis was used for 3 d to 72 months. The main reasons for revision after UKA were improper suturing of the surgical opening (1 patient), osteophytes (2 patients), intra-articular loose bodies (2 patients), tibial prosthesis loosening (2 patients), rheumatoid arthritis (1 patient), gasket dislocation (3 patients), anterior cruciate ligament injury (1 patient), and medial collateral ligament injury with residual bone cement (1 patient). CONCLUSION: The causes of primary revision after UKA were gasket dislocation, osteophytes, intra-articular loose bodies and tibial prosthesis loosening. Avoidance of these factors may greatly reduce the rate of revision after UKA, improve patient satisfaction and reduce medical burden.

Transcriptomic analyses and machine-learning methods reveal dysregulated key genes and potential pathogenesis in human osteoarthritic cartilage.

Aims: This study aimed to explore the biological and clinical importance of dysregulated key genes in osteoarthritis (OA) patients at the cartilage level to find potential biomarkers and targets for diagnosing and treating OA. Methods: Six sets of gene expression profiles were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differential expression analysis, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), and multiple machine-learning algorithms were used to screen crucial genes in osteoarthritic cartilage, and genome enrichment and functional annotation analyses were used to decipher the related categories of gene function. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis was performed to analyze immune cell infiltration. Correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship among the hub genes and immune cells, as well as markers related to articular cartilage degradation and bone mineralization. Results: A total of 46 genes were obtained from the intersection of significantly upregulated genes in osteoarthritic cartilage and the key module genes screened by WGCNA. Functional annotation analysis revealed that these genes were closely related to pathological responses associated with OA, such as inflammation and immunity. Four key dysregulated genes (cartilage acidic protein 1 (CRTAC1), iodothyronine deiodinase 2 (DIO2), angiopoietin-related protein 2 (ANGPTL2), and MAGE family member D1 (MAGED1)) were identified after using machine-learning algorithms. These genes had high diagnostic value in both the training cohort and external validation cohort (receiver operating characteristic > 0.8). The upregulated expression of these hub genes in osteoarthritic cartilage signified higher levels of immune infiltration as well as the expression of metalloproteinases and mineralization markers, suggesting harmful biological alterations and indicating that these hub genes play an important role in the pathogenesis of OA. A competing endogenous RNA network was constructed to reveal the underlying post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Conclusion: The current study explores and validates a dysregulated key gene set in osteoarthritic cartilage that is capable of accurately diagnosing OA and characterizing the biological alterations in osteoarthritic cartilage; this may become a promising indicator in clinical decision-making. This study indicates that dysregulated key genes play an important role in the development and progression of OA, and may be potential therapeutic targets.

Liuwei Dihuang Pills Enhance Osteogenic Differentiation in MC3T3-E1 Cells through the Activation of the Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The therapeutic efficacy and molecular mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), such as Liuwei Dihuang pills (LWDH pills), in treating osteoporosis (OP) remain an area of active research and interest in modern medicine. This study investigated the mechanistic underpinnings of LWDH pills in the treatment of OP based on network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and in vitro experiments. METHODS: The active ingredients and targets of LWDH pills were retrieved through the TCMSP database. OP-related targets were identified using the CTD, GeneCards, and DisGeNET databases. The STRING platform was employed to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and core targets for LWDH pills in treating OP were identified. The GO functional and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses for potential targets were performed using the R package "clusterProfiler". A "drug-target" network diagram was created using Cytoscape 3.7.1 software. The viability of MC3T3-E1 cells was evaluated using the CCK-8 method after treatment with various concentrations (1.25%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10%) of LWDH pill-medicated serum for 24, 48, and 72 h. Following a 48 h treatment of MC3T3-E1 cells with LWDH pill-medicated serum, the protein levels of collagen Ⅰ, RUNX2, Wnt3, and ß-catenin were quantified using the Western blot analysis, and the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was measured. RESULTS: A total of 197 putative targets for LWDH pills for OP treatment were pinpointed, from which 20 core targets were singled out, including TP53, JUN, TNF, CTNNB1 (ß-catenin), and GSK3B. The putative targets were predominantly involved in signaling pathways such as the Wnt signaling pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The intervention with LWDH pill-medicated serum for 24, 48, and 72 h did not result in any notable alterations in the cell viability of MC3T3-E1 cells relative to the control group (all p > 0.05). Significant upregulation in protein levels of collagen Ⅰ, RUNX2, Wnt3, and ß-catenin in MC3T3-E1 cells was observed in response to the treatment with 2.5%, 5%, and 10% of LWDH pill-medicated serum in comparison to that with the 10% rabbit serum group (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, the intervention with LWDH pill-medicated serum resulted in the formation of red calcified nodules in MC3T3-E1 cells, as indicated by ARS staining. CONCLUSIONS: LWDH pills may upregulate the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway to elevate the expression of osteogenic differentiation proteins, including collagen Ⅰ and RUNX2, and to increase the ALP activity in MC3T3-E1 cells for the treatment of OP.

Interplay of Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Serum Klotho Levels: Unveiling a New Dimension in Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathology.

Aim: The association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and serum Klotho concentrations (pg/ml) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the SII and serum Klotho concentrations in RA patients. Methods: All data come from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database in the United States, which included 982 RA patients (age range: 40 to 79 years). The measurement data of the SII and serum Klotho are all from the NHANES mobile examination centre. We constructed a multivariate linear regression model to evaluate the association between the SII and serum Klotho levels in RA patients and conducted a subgroup analysis to test the stability of the statistical results. Results: Multivariate linear regression results indicated a negative linear relationship between the SII and serum Klotho concentrations in RA patients (ß = -6.33, 95% CI [confidence interval]: -10.15 to -2.53). Compared to the quartile 1 group, the quartile 4 group was associated with significantly lower (P<0.001) serum Klotho concentrations (ß = -120.93, 95% CI: -174.84 to -67.02). Compared with the quartile 1 group, with the increase in the SII, the ß value showed a decreasing trend (P trend < 0.001). The subgroup analysis showed that none of the covariates affected the stability of these results (all P for interaction ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: There is a significant negative linear association between the SII and serum Klotho concentrations in RA patients. The SII can serve as a predictive indicator of serum Klotho concentrations in RA patients, and Klotho may be a potential anti-inflammatory target for RA treatment.

Intravenous Tranexamic Acid Significantly Improved Visualization and Shortened the Operation Time in Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Level I and II Studies.

PURPOSE: To further clarify the role of tranexamic acid (TXA) in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), especially visual field clarity and operation time. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases to find prospective randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) examining the use of TXA in ARCR. All included RCTs were evaluated for methodological quality using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. We used Review Manager 5.3 for meta-analysis and calculated the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the related outcome indicators. The GRADE system was used to evaluate the strength of the clinical evidence provided by the included studies. RESULTS: Six RCTs (3 Level I, 3 Level II) from four countries or regions were included in this study: 2 studies used intra-articular (IA) TXA, and 4 studies used intravenous TXA. A total of 451 patients underwent ARCR, including 227 patients in the TXA group and 224 patients in the non-TXA group. In 2 RCTs evaluating good visualization, intravenous TXA achieved a better surgical field of view in ARCR compared to the control group (P =.036; P = .045). Meta-analysis showed that compared with non-TXA, intravenous TXA shortened the operation time (WMD = -12.87 min, 95% CI: -18.81 to -6.93). These two RCTs did not reveal a statistically significant difference in the impact of intravenous TXA and non-TXA on mean arterial pressure (MAP) (P = .306; P = .549). Compared with epinephrine (EPN), IA TXA had no significant effects on improving the visual field clarity under arthroscopy, shortening the operation time or reducing the total amount of irrigation fluid (P > .05). Compared with saline irrigation, IA TXA improved the surgical field of vision and shortened the operation time (P < .001). No adverse events were reported for either intravenous TXA or IA TXA. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous TXA can shorten the operation time of ARCR, and the conclusions of existing RCTs suggest that intravenous TXA can improve visual field clarity during ARCR, thus supporting the application of intravenous TXA in ARCR. Compared with EPN, IA TXA was not better at improving the visual field clarity under arthroscopy and shortening the operation time, but it was better than saline irrigation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, systematic review and meta-analysis of Level I and II studies.

J-shaped association of serum uric acid concentrations with all-cause mortality in individuals with osteoarthritis: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) concentrations and all-cause mortality in individuals with osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: All participant data were retrieved from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. A total of 4671 participants (age range: 20 to 85 years old), including 2988 females and 1683 males, were included in this study. The determination of death outcome was based on the National Death Index (up to December 31, 2019). We explored the nonlinear relationship between SUA concentrations and all-cause mortality in OA patients by establishing a Cox proportional risk model and a two-segment Cox proportional risk model and ran an interaction test to identify the high-risk population for all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During 30,645 person-years of follow-up, the number of all-cause deaths for females and males was 736 and 516, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, we found a nonlinear relationship between SUA concentrations and all-cause mortality in both females and males with OA. In addition, we found a J-shaped relationship between SUA concentrations and all-cause mortality. The SUA concentration thresholds for all-cause mortality of females and males were stable at 5.6mg/dl and 6.2mg/dl, respectively. Compared with SUA concentrations below the inflection point, the all-cause mortality risk at higher SUA concentrations in females and males with OA increased by 20% (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 1.2) and 25% (HR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.39), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is a nonlinear relationship between SUA concentrations and all-cause mortality in the American OA population (J-shaped association). The all-cause mortality thresholds for SUA concentrations in females and males are 5.6mg/dl and 6.2mg/dl, respectively.

Longbie capsules reduce bone loss in the subchondral bone of rats with comorbid osteoporosis and osteoarthritis by regulating metabolite alterations.

Background and objective: With the development of global population aging, comorbidity (≥2 diseases) is a common health problem among elderly people. Osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis (OP) are common in elderly individuals. There is a lack of drug therapy for OA and OP comorbidities. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and mechanism of Longbie capsule (LBJN), which contains various plant herbs, in treating OA and OP comorbidities (OA + OP) in rats using metabolomics techniques. Methods: We created an OA + OP rat model through bilateral oophorectomy combined with meniscus instability surgery. Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into five groups (six in each group), namely, the sham group, OA group, OA + OP group, LBJN low-dose group (0.625 g/kg, OA + OP+LB-L group) and LBJN high-dose group (1.25 g/kg, OA + OP+LB-H group). After 8 weeks of intervention, we used micro-CT to detect bone microstructure status, ELISA to measure bone metabolism indicators, and UPLC-MS technology for metabolomics analysis. Finally, the screened differentially expressed metabolites were subjected to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and functional enrichment analysis. Results: The micro-CT results showed that LBJN significantly improved the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone quality of subchondral bone in OA + OP rats, and LBJN regulated the expression of bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) in serum to maintain bone metabolism balance. Metabolomics analysis showed that the metabolic trajectory of OA + OP rats after intervention in the OA + OP+LB-H group showed significant changes, and 107 potential biomarkers could be identified. Among them, 50 metabolites were upregulated (such as zeranol) and 57 were downregulated (such as vanillactic acid). The KEGG functional enrichment results indicated that the differentially expressed metabolites are mainly involved in amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism. The KEGG pathway enrichment results indicated that LBJN may exert therapeutic effects on OA + OP rats by regulating the cAMP signaling pathway, and the FoxO signaling pathway. Conclusion: LBJN can maintain bone metabolism balance by regulating serum lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and estrogen, thereby reducing bone loss in subchondral bone, which may be a potential mechanism through which LBJN treats OA + OP.

Global Publication Trends and Research Hotspots of the Immune System and Osteoporosis: A Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis from 2012 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic bone metabolism disorder in which the immune system and bone metabolism interact. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the research status, hot spots and trends regarding the influence of the immune system on OP and to provide a basis for research directions and applications in this field. METHODS: We searched and collected literature about the immune system and OP published from 2012 to 2022 in the Web of Science Core Collection database. All the included studies were subjected to bibliometrics analysis using Hiplot Pro, VOSviewer and CiteSpace software to produce statistics and visual analyses of the literature output, countries, institutions, authors, keywords and journals. RESULTS: A total of 1201 papers were included, and the number of citations of these articles reached 31,776. The number of publications and citations on the immune system and OP has increased year by year. The top three countries with the greatest number of papers published were China, the United States of America (USA) and Italy. The two institutions with the largest number of papers published were Sichuan University and Soochow University, both located in China. De Martinis Massimo (Italy) and Ginaldi Lia (Italy) are prolific authors in this field. The representative academic journals are Osteoporosis International, Frontiers in Immunology, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, PloS One and Bone. The results of the keyword cooccurrence analysis showed that the research topics in this field mainly focused on T cells, cytokines, signaling pathways, vitamin D, postmenopausal OP and immune diseases. The keyword burst results showed that zoledronic acid, chain fatty acids and gut microbiota are the frontiers and trends of future research on this topic. CONCLUSION: The influence of the immune system on OP has been widely studied, and the current research in this field focuses on the effect or mechanism of immune-related cytokines, signaling pathways and vitamin D on OP. Future research trends in this field should focus on the immune regulation mechanism and clinical transformation of zoledronic acid, chain fatty acids and the gut microbiota in OP.

Risk factors for postoperative surgical site infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to evaluate risk factors for surgical site infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The secondary aim was to investigate the surgical site infection incidence rate and the mean time to postoperative surgical site infection symptoms. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from database inception to September 2021 and updated in April 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Quantitative, original studies reporting potential risk factors for surgical site infections after ACLR were included. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies with 3871 infection events from 469 441 ACLRs met the inclusion criteria. Male sex (OR 1.78, p< 0.00001), obesity (OR 1.82, p=0.0005), tobacco use (OR 1.37, p=0.01), diabetes mellitus (OR 3.40, p=0.002), steroid use history (OR 4.80, p<0.00001), previous knee surgery history (OR 3.63, p=0.02), professional athlete (OR 4.56, p=0.02), revision surgery (OR 2.05, p=0.04), hamstring autografts (OR 2.83, p<0.00001), concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis (OR 3.92, p=0.0001) and a long operating time (weighted mean difference 8.12, p=0.005) were identified as factors that increased the risk of surgical site infections (superficial and deep) after ACLR. Age, outpatient or inpatient surgery, bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts or allografts and a concomitant meniscus suture did not increase the risk of surgical site infections. The incidence of surgical site infections after ACLR was approximately 1% (95% CI 0.7% to 1.2%). The mean time from surgery to the onset of surgical site infection symptoms was approximately 17.1 days (95% CI 13.2 to 21.0 days). CONCLUSION: Male sex, obesity, tobacco use, diabetes mellitus, steroid use history, previous knee surgery history, professional athletes, revision surgery, hamstring autografts, concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis and a long operation time may increase the risk of surgical site infections after ACLR. Although the risk of surgical site infections after ACLR is low, raising awareness and implementing effective preventions for risk factors are priorities for clinicians to reduce the incidence of surgical site infections due to its seriousness.

Risk Factors for Revision or Rerupture After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The rerupture or need for revision after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is a serious complication. Preventive strategies that target the early identification of risk factors are important to reduce the incidence of additional surgery. PURPOSE: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate risk factors for revision or rerupture after ACLR. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from database inception to November 2021 and updated in January 2022. Quantitative, original studies reporting potential adjusted risk factors were included. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for potential risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 71 studies across 13 countries with a total sample size of 629,120 met the inclusion criteria. Fifteen factors were associated with an increase in the risk of revision or rerupture after ACLR: male sex (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.14-1.41), younger age (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.08), lower body mass index (BMI) (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.06), family history (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.50-4.08), White race (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.08-1.60), higher posterolateral tibial slope (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.05-1.26), preoperative high-grade anterior knee laxity (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.46-3.64), higher baseline Marx activity level (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.13), return to a high activity level/sport (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.15-3.57), an ACLR within less than a year after injury (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.81-2.32), a concomitant medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.31-2.00), an anteromedial portal or transportal technique (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.22-1.51), hamstring tendon (HT) autografts (vs bone-patellar tendon-bone [BPTB] autografts) (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.40-1.82), allografts (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.65-4.19), and smaller graft diameter (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.05-1.38). The other factors failed to show an association with an increased risk of revision or rerupture after ACLR. CONCLUSION: Male sex, younger age, lower BMI, family history, White race, higher posterolateral tibial slope, preoperative high-grade anterior knee laxity, higher baseline Marx activity level, return to a high activity level/sport, an ACLR within less than a year from injury, a concomitant MCL injury, an anteromedial portal or transportal technique, HT autografts (vs BPTB autografts), allografts, and smaller graft diameter may increase the risk of revision or rerupture after ACLR. Raising awareness and implementing effective preventions/interventions for risk factors are priorities for clinical practitioners to reduce the incidence of revision or rerupture after ACLR.

Comparisons of the Efficacy and Safety of Total Knee Arthroplasty by Different Surgical Approaches: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

The purpose of this network meta-analysis was to investigate the efficacy and safety of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) considering seven different surgical approaches. Four databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science) were searched for clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving TKA with different surgical approaches. STATA 14.0 was used to construct network maps and publication bias graphs and conduct inconsistency tests, network meta-analyses, and surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) calculations. A total of 51 RCTs involving 4061 patients and 4179 knees from 18 countries were included. Among the seven surgical approaches, the midvastus approach (MV) was the top choice to reduce tourniquet use time, the subvastus approach (SV) had the shortest operation time, the mini-midvastus approach (Mini-SV) was associated with the least amount of time to achieve straight leg raise (SLR) after surgery, the mini-medial parapatellar approach (Mini-MP) reduced postoperative pain effects, and the medial parapatellar approach (MP) was the best approach to improve range of motion (ROM). Excluding the quadriceps-sparing approach (QS), which was not compared, the use of the mini-midvastus (Mini-MV) may shorten the hospital stay. There were no significant differences in blood loss, postoperative complications, American Knee Society Score (AKSS) objective, or AKSS functional between the seven surgical approaches (P > 0.05).

Exercise or Dietotherapy Is Not Better than Returning to a Regular Diet to Rebuild Lipid Homeostasis of Rats.

Our aim was to explore the effects of dietary and behavior interventions on lipometabolism caused by an unhealthy high-fat diet and the best method to rebuild lipid homeostasis of this lifestyle. Apart from normal diet rats, 34 rats were fed with high-fat emulsion for 4 weeks and then intervened for another 4 weeks. Eight of them were classified into high-fat control group, and 9 were sorted into high-fat diet with rice vinegar group. Meanwhile, 10 were put into high-fat diet in swimming group, and 7 were just for refeeding normal diet group. Then, the data of body weight was recorded and analyzed. Indexes of serum samples were tested by kits. AMPKα, HNF1α, and CTRP6 in pancreas, liver, cardiac, and epididymis adipose tissues were detected by western blot. According to our experiments, swimming and refeeding groups reflected a better regulation on lipid homeostasis mainly by upregulating the expression of pancreas AMPKα. To be more specific, the refeeding rats showed lower T-CHO (P < 0.001) and LDL-C (P < 0.05), but higher weight gain (P < 0.001), insulin level (P < 0.01), and pancreas AMPKα (P < 0.01) than high-fat control rats. Compared with rats intervened by swimming or rice vinegar, they showed higher weight gain (P < 0.001), insulin level (P < 0.01), and HNF1α, but lower of CTRP6. In summary, refeeding diet functioned better in regulating the lipometabolic level after high-fat diet. Whatever approach mentioned above we adopted to intervene, the best policy to keep the balance of lipid homeostasis is to maintain a healthy diet.

Efficacy of Chinese patent medicine for primary osteoporosis: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) have gained increasing attention for the treatment of primary osteoporosis (POP), but there is a lack of high-quality evidence regarding their efficacy. We conducted a network meta-analysis that considered both direct and indirect comparisons to assess and rank the efficacy and safety of CPMs for POP. METHODS: Seven electronic databases were searched from their inception to May 2020. A random effects model was applied within a frequentist framework. RESULTS: Thirty-eight studies with 16 kinds of medicines (13 CPMs, 3 Western medicines) and 3,941 patients were included in this study. This study showed that Jintiange capsule was the most efficacious for increasing the L2-L4 average bone mineral density (BMD) and that Zuogui Wan was the most efficacious for increasing the femoral neck BMD. Compared with calcium, Gusongjiangu Wan (RR = 10.04, 95% CI 1.36-74.32, p = 0.008), Gushukang granules (RR = 12.63, 95% CI 2.02-78.99, p = 0.015) and Xianling Gubao capsule (RR = 6.06, 95% CI 1.38-26.65, p = 0.0003) had fewer adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of POP, Jintiange capsule and Zuogui Wan are effective CPMs for improving the BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck, respectively.

[Network Meta-analysis of oral Chinese patent medicine in treatment of knee osteoarthritis].

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicine in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis(KOA) with network Meta-analysis, and provide evidence-based medicine evidences for clinical practice. PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and CBM were used to search for clinical randomized controlled trials(RCTs) on Chinese patent medicines for treatment of knee osteoarthritis, with a time limit from the establishment of each database to March 2020. The bias risk assessment tool recommended by Cochrane was used to evaluate the quality of the included RCTs. The network Meta-analysis was performed by Stata 14.0 software. A total of 5 788 patients in 58 RCTs were included, involving 9 kinds of Chinese patent medicines. The results of the network Meta-analysis indicated that in terms of total effective rate, the top three optimal medication regimens were Jinwu Gutong Capsules + Amino Acid Glucose(AAG), Xianling Gubao + AAG and Biqi Capsules; the top three interventions to reduce the VAS score were Panlongqi Tablets > Xianling Gubao + AAG > Xianling Gubao + non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs); the top three interventions to reduce the total score of WOMAC were Jintiange Capsules+NSAIDs> Jinwu Gutong Capsules + AAG > Biqi Capsules + NSAIDs; the top three medication schemes with better curative effect to reduce Lequesnse index were Xianling Gubao + NSAIDs > Biqi Capsules + NSAIDs > Jintiange Capsules + NSAIDs; the top three interventions to reduce TNF-α level Xianling Gubao + AAG > Jintiange Capsules > Jintiange Capsules + AAG=Jinwu Gutong Capsules + AAG. In terms of safety, the top five interventions with the least adverse reactions were Biqi Capsules > Jinwu Gutong Capsules > Biqi Capsules + NSAIDs > Xianling Gubao + NSAIDs > Jintiange Capsules. The combined application of Chinese patent medicine and NSADIs or AAG can improve the clinical treatment effect and reduce adverse reactions in KOA patients.

Chinese Herbal Medicines for Promoting Blood Circulation and Removing Blood Stasis for Preventing Deep Venous Thrombosis after Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicines for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis (PBCRBSM) for preventing deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after total hip arthroplasty (THA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The databases were searched for studies comparing the preventive abilities of PBCRBSM and Western medicine, such as low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), rivaroxaban, and aspirin, as well as for randomized controlled trials on DVT after THA. Data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 3254 randomized controlled trials were included, including 1630 cases in the experimental group and 1624 cases in the control group. Meta-analysis showed that compared with Western medicine, PBCRBSM reduced the incidence of DVT (OR=0.38, 95% CI [0.30, 0.48], P < 0.001); prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) (SMD=0.44, 95% CI [0.35, 0.53], P < 0.001); reduced D-dimer (SMD=-0.75, 95% CI [-0.84,-0.65], P < 0.001), FIB (SMD=-0.61, 95% CI [-0.72, -0.50], P < 0.001), blood viscosity (P<0.01), circumference difference in lower extremities (P<0.01), venous blood flow velocity (SMD=0.97, 95% CI [0.77, 1.16], P < 0.001), and drainage volume (SMD=-1.53, 95% CI [-1.71, -1.35], P < 0.001); and reduced adverse reactions (OR = 0.32, 95% CI [0.19, 0.56], P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in prolonging prothrombin time (PT) between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine (SMD = 0.07, 95% CI [-0.0.01). 3, 0.16], P > 0.05. CONCLUSION: PBCRBSM is an effective method for preventing DVT after THA and has fewer adverse effects.

Meta-analysis Comparing Celecoxib with Diclofenac Sodium in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of celecoxib and diclofenac sodium in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: Clinical controlled trials (CCTs) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from online databases comparing the efficacy of celecoxib and diclofenac sodium in the treatment of KOA were retrieved. The main outcomes included the treatment effect, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), visual analog scale (VAS) score, and complication rate. The Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) tool in Review Manager 5.3.5 was used to assess methodological quality. RESULTS: Twelve studies (N = 2,350) were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that celecoxib reduced pain more effectively than diclofenac sodium in patients with KOA, as evaluated by the VAS score. In addition, celecoxib has certain advantages in terms of better treatment effects and greater reductions in the ESR, CRP level, and complication rate. CONCLUSIONS: Celecoxib is superior to diclofenac sodium in the treatment of KOA. However, well-designed and high-quality RCTs are still needed.

First case report of Cryptococcus laurentii knee infection in a previously healthy patient.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this case report was to report a case of Cryptococcus laurentii infection in the left knee of a previously healthy 29 year old male patient. CASE PRESENTATION: After an initial misdiagnosis and 7 months of failed treatment, the patient received nearly a month of treatment with voriconazole (200 mg IV q12 h) and knee irrigation with amphotericin B until the infection was controlled. The treatment continued with fluconazole for nearly 7 months and approximately 5 weeks of antibiotic treatment for a skin bacterial coinfection. In the end, the patient's symptoms disappeared completely, the left knee recovered well, and there was no recurrence of infection. CONCLUSION: The key points of successful treatment in this case were the thorough debridement, the adequate course of knee irrigation with antifungal drugs and more than 6 months of oral antifungal drugs that were able to eradicate the infection.

Celecoxib vs diclofenac sodium in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most common chronic muscular diseases in old people. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare celecoxib and diclofenac sodium in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs) comparing the use of celecoxib and diclofenac sodium in KOA patients were retrieved from each database from the date of database inception to September 2019. The outcome measurements were the treatment effect, visual analog scale (VAS) score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and complication rate. The pooled data were evaluated with Review Manager 5.3.5. RESULTS: The literature will provide a high-quality analysis of the current evidence supporting celecoxib for KOA based on various comprehensive assessments including the treatment effect, visual analog scale (VAS) score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and complication rate. CONCLUSION: This proposed systematic review will provide up-to-date evidence to assess the effect of celecoxib in the treatment for patients with KOA. RESEARCH REGISTRY REGISTRATION NUMBER:: reviewregistry827.

Effects and safety of the combination of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that the combined application of hyaluronic acid (HA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can repair degenerated cartilage and delay the progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of the intra-articular injection of PRP combined with HA compared with the intra-articular injection of PRP or HA alone in the treatment of KOA. METHODS: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched from inception to December 2019. Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies of PRP combined with HA for KOA were included. Two orthopaedic surgeons conducted the literature retrieval and extracted the data. Outcome indicators included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), the Lequesne Index, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, and adverse events (AEs). Review Manager 5.3 was used to calculate the relative risk (RR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) of the pooled data. STATA 14.0 was used for quantitative publication bias evaluation. RESULTS: Seven studies (5 randomized controlled trials, 2 cohort studies) with a total of 941 patients were included. In the VAS comparison after 6 months of follow-up, PRP combined with HA was more likely to reduce knee pain than PRP alone (SMD: - 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI): - 0.55 to - 0.06; P = 0.01 < 0.05). PRP combined with HA for KOA achieved better improvements in the WOMAC Function Score (SMD: -0.32; 95% CI: - 0.54 to - 0.10; P < 0.05) and WOMAC Total Score (SMD: -0.42; 95% CI: - 0.67 to - 0.17; P < 0.05) at the 12-month follow-up than did the application of PRP alone. In a comparison of Lequesne Index scores at the 6-month follow-up, PRP combined with HA improved knee pain scores more than PRP alone (SMD: -0.42; 95% CI: - 0.67 to - 0.17; P < 0.05). In terms of AEs, PRP combined with HA was not significantly different from PRP or HA alone (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with intra-articular injection of PRP alone, that of PRP combined with HA can improve the WOMAC Function Scores, WOMAC Total Score, 6-month follow-up VAS ratings, and Lequesne Index scores. However, in terms of the incidence of AEs, PRP combined with HA is not significantly different from PRP or HA alone.