A meta-analysis of diabetes risk prediction models applied to prediabetes screening.

AIM: To provide a systematic overview of diabetes risk prediction models used for prediabetes screening to promote primary prevention of diabetes. METHODS: The Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched for a comprehensive search period of 30 August 30, 2023, and studies involving diabetes prediction models for screening prediabetes risk were included in the search. The Quality Assessment Checklist for Diagnostic Studies (QUADAS-2) tool was used for risk of bias assessment and Stata and R software were used to pool model effect sizes. RESULTS: A total of 29 375 articles were screened, and finally 20 models from 24 studies were included in the systematic review. The most common predictors were age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, history of hypertension, and physical activity. Regarding the indicators of model prediction performance, discrimination and calibration were only reported in 79.2% and 4.2% of studies, respectively, resulting in significant heterogeneity in model prediction results, which may be related to differences between model predictor combinations and lack of important methodological information. CONCLUSIONS: Numerous models are used to predict diabetes, and as there is an association between prediabetes and diabetes, researchers have also used such models for screening the prediabetic population. Although it is a new clinical practice to explore, differences in glycaemic metabolic profiles, potential complications, and methods of intervention between the two populations cannot be ignored, and such differences have led to poor validity and accuracy of the models. Therefore, there is no recommended optimal model, and it is not recommended to use existing models for risk identification in alternative populations; future studies should focus on improving the clinical relevance and predictive performance of existing models.

HMGB1-Mediated Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation Exacerbates Intestinal Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Acute Lung Injury.

Influx of activated neutrophils into the lungs is the histopathologic hallmark of acute lung injury (ALI) after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Neutrophils can release DNA and granular proteins to form cytotoxic neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which promotes bystander tissue injury. However, whether NETs are responsible for the remote ALI after intestinal I/R and the mechanisms underlying the dissemination of harmful gut-derived mediators to the lungs are unknown. In the C57BL/6J mouse intestinal I/R model, DNase I-mediated degradation and protein arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) inhibitor-mediated inhibition of NET treatments reduced NET formation, tissue inflammation, and pathological injury in the lung. High-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) blocking prevented NET formation and protected against tissue inflammation, as well as reduced cell apoptosis and improved survival rate. Moreover, recombinant human HMGB1 administration further drives NETs and concurrent tissue toxic injury, which in turn can be reversed by neutrophil deletion via anti-Ly6G Ab i.p. injection. Furthermore, global MyD88 deficiency regulated NET formation and alleviated the development of ALI induced by intestinal I/R. Thus, HMGB1 released from necroptotic enterocytes caused ALI after intestinal I/R by inducing NET formation. Targeting NETosis and the HMGB1 pathway might extend effective therapeutic strategies to minimize intestinal I/R-induced ALI.

HMGB1-associated necroptosis and Kupffer cells M1 polarization underlies remote liver injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats.

Reperfusion of the ischemic intestine often leads to drive distant organ injury, especially injuries associated with hepatocellular dysfunction. The precise molecular mechanisms and effective multiple organ protection strategies remain to be developed. In the current study, significant remote liver dysfunction was found after 6 hours of reperfusion according to increased histopathological scores, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, as well as enhanced bacterial translocation in a rat intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury model. Moreover, receptor-interacting protein kinase 1/3 (RIP1/3) and phosphorylated-MLKL expressions in tissue were greatly elevated, indicating that necroptosis occurred and resulted in acute remote liver function impairment. Inhibiting the necroptotic pathway attenuated HMGB1 cytoplasm translocation and tissue damage. Meanwhile, macrophage-depletion study demonstrated that Kupffer cells (KCs) are responsible for liver damage. Blocking HMGB1 partially restored the liver function via suppressed hepatocyte necroptosis, tissue inflammation, hepatic KCs, and circulating macrophages M1 polarization. What's more, HMGB1 neutralization further protects against intestinal I/R-associated liver damage in microbiota-depleted rats. Therefore, intestinal I/R is likely associated with acute liver damage due to hepatocyte necroptosis, and which could be ameliorated by Nec-1 administration and HMGB1 inhibition with the neutralizing antibody and inhibitor. Necroptosis inhibition and HMGB1 neutralization/inhibition, may emerge as effective pharmacological therapies to minimize intestinal I/R-induced acute remote organ dysfunction.

Microarray Profiling and Functional Identification of LncRNA in Mice Intestinal Mucosa Following Intestinal Ischemia/Reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common clinical event with high mortality, but its mechanism is elusive. Although long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently emerged as critical molecules in I/R damage in other organs, the changes in their expression and potential roles in intestinal I/R remain unclear. METHODS: The expression profiles of both lncRNAs and mRNAs in mouse intestinal mucosa after intestinal I/R were explored by a microarray approach, and their biological functions were elucidated by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Then, some lncRNAs were further verified by qRT-PCR. Based on the coding-noncoding gene coexpression (CNC) network analyses, the role of lncRNA AK089510 in intestinal I/R-induced intestinal mucosa apoptosis was investigated by knockdown assay in vitro. RESULTS: A total of 3602 aberrantly expressed lncRNAs (1503 upregulated and 2099 downregulated) and 3158 mRNAs (1528 upregulated and 1630 downregulated) were identified. The dysregulated transcripts were enriched in the lipid metabolic process, apoptotic process, reactive oxygen species metabolic process, MAPK, TNF, ErbB, mTOR, and FoxO signaling pathways, and so on. The overexpression of lncRNA AK089510 was validated by qRT-PCR, and the CNC analysis revealed its target mRNAs. AK089510-siRNA reduced Casp6 and Casp7 expression and suppressed intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis after oxygen-glucose deprivation treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed the lncRNA and mRNA expression patterns in mouse intestinal mucosa after intestinal I/R and predicted their potential functions and pathways. We identified AK089510 as a novel lncRNA involved in the apoptosis of intestinal mucosa, advancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of intestinal I/R injury.

Intraoperative ventilation strategies to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications: a network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The debate on lung-protective ventilation strategies for surgical patients is ongoing. Evidence suggests that the use of low tidal volume VT improves clinical outcomes. However, the optimal levels of PEEP and recruitment manoeuvre (RM) strategies incorporated into low VT ventilation remain unclear. METHODS: Several electronic databases were searched to identify RCTs that focused on comparison between low VT strategy and conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV), or between two different low VT strategies in surgical patients. The primary outcome was postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). The secondary outcomes were atelectasis, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and short-term mortality. Bayesian network meta-analyses were performed using WinBUGS. The odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% credible intervals (CrIs) were estimated. RESULTS: Compared with CMV, low VT ventilation with moderate-to-high PEEP reduced the risk of PPCs (moderate PEEP [5-8 cm H2O]: OR 0.50 [95% CrI: 0.28, 0.89]; moderate PEEP+RMs: 0.39 [0.19, 0.78]; and high PEEP [≥9 cm H2O]+RMs: 0.34 [0.14, 0.79]). Low VT ventilation with moderate-to-high PEEP and RMs also specifically reduced the risk of atelectasis compared with CMV (moderate PEEP+RMs: OR 0.36 [95% CrI: 0.16, 0.87]; and high PEEP+RMs: 0.41 [0.15, 0.97]), whilst low VT ventilation with moderate PEEP was superior to CMV in reducing the risk of pneumonia (OR 0.46 [95% CrI: 0.15, 0.94]). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of low VT ventilation and moderate-to-high PEEP (≥5 cm H2O) seems to confer lung protection in surgical patients undergoing general anaesthesia. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42019144561).

Clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of Aliskiren Monotherapy (AM): an umbrella review of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Aliskiren is a newly developed drug. Its role in lowering BP has been recognized. However, the role of aliskiren in treating heart and renal diseases are still controversial. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the existing evidence about clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of aliskiren monotherapy (AM). METHODS: An umbrella review of systematic reviews of interventional studies. We searched Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Library up to June 2019. Two reviewers applied inclusion criteria to the select potential articles independently. The extract and analyze of accessible data were did by two reviewers independently too. Discrepancies were resolved with discussion or the arbitration of the third author. RESULTS: Eventually, our review identified 14 eligible studies. Results showed that for essential hypertension patients, aliskiren showed a great superiority over placebo in BP reduction, BP response rate and BP control rate. Aliskiren and placebo, ARBs or ACEIs showed no difference in the number or extent of adverse events. For heart failure patients, AM did not reduce BNP levels (SMD -0.08, - 0.31 to 0.15) or mortality rate (RR 0.76, 0.32 to 1.80), but it decreased NT-proBNP (SMD -0.12, - 0.21 to - 0.03) and PRA levels (SMD 0.52, 0.30 to 0.75), increased PRC levels (SMD -0.66, - 0.8 to - 0.44). For patients who are suffered from hypertension and diabetes and/or nephropathy or albuminuria at the same time, aliskiren produced no significant effects (RR 0.97, 0.81 to 1.16). CONCLUSION: We found solid evidence to support the benefits of aliskiren in the treatment of essential hypertension, aliskiren can produce significant effects in lowering BP and reliable safety. However, the effects of aliskiren in cardiovascular and renal outcomes were insignificant. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Study has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019142141).

Terlipressin relieves intestinal and renal injuries induced by acute mesenteric ischemia via PI3K/Akt pathway.

Background: To date, the effect of vasopressin on organ damages after acute mesenteric ischemia (MI) remains poorly understood. Aims: To investigate the effect of terlipressin, a selective vasopressin V1 receptor agonist, versus norepinephrine on the intestinal and renal injuries after acute MI, and to explore the underlying mechanism of terlipressin. Methods: Acute MI model was produced by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 1 hour. Immediately after unclamping, terlipressin or norepinephrine was intravenously administered for 2 hours. Meanwhile, in vitro, RAW264.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide or lipopolysaccharide+terlipressin. In addition, wortmannin was used to determine the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (Akt) pathway in the potential impacts of terlipressin. Results: MI led to severe hypotension, caused notable intestinal and renal impairments and resulted in high mortality, which were markedly improved by terlipressin or norepinephrine. Terlipressin increased mean arterial pressure, decreased intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis, inhibited the generation of M1 macrophage in intestinal and renal tissues, and hindered the release of inflammatory cytokines after MI. Moreover, in cultured macrophages, terlipressin reduced the mRNA level of specific M1 markers and the release of inflammatory cytokines caused by lipopolysaccharide challenge. Wortmannin decreased the expression of PI3K and Akt induced by terlipressin in cells and in tissues, and abolished the above protective effects conferred by terlipressin. Conclusions: Terlipressin or norepinephrine could effectively improve organ damages and mortality after acute MI. Terlipressin elevates blood pressure and inhibits intestinal epithelial apoptosis and macrophage M1 polarization via the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Targeting intestinal epithelial cell-programmed necrosis alleviates tissue injury after intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal dysfunction, especially acute pathologies linked to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, is profoundly affected by inflammation and improper execution of cell death. Few studies have examined the efficacy of combined strategies in regulated intestinal epithelial necrosis after intestinal I/R. Here, we evaluated the functional interaction between poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1)-induced parthanatos and receptor-interacting protein 1/3 (RIP1/3) kinase-induced necroptosis in the pathophysiological course of acute ischemic intestinal injury. METHODS: Anesthetized adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to superior mesenteric artery occlusion consisting of 1.5 h of ischemia and 6 h of reperfusion. The PARP-1-specific inhibitor PJ34 (10 mg/kg) and the RIP1-specific inhibitor Necrostatin-1 (1 mg/kg) were intraperitoneally administered 30 min before the induction of ischemia. RESULTS: Intestinal I/R was found to result in PARP-1 activation and RIP1/3-mediated necrosome formation. PJ34 or Necrostatin-1 treatment significantly improved the mucosal injury, while the combined inhibition of PARP-1 and RIP1/3 conferred optimal protection of the intestine. Meanwhile, results from terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling assay showed a decrease in intestinal epithelial cell death. Interestingly, we further showed that PARP-1 might act as a downstream signaling molecule of RIP1 in the process of I/R-induced intestinal injury and that the RIP1/PARP-1-dependent cell death signaling pathway functioned independently of caspase 3 inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study provide a molecular basis for combination therapy that targets both pathways of regulated necrosis (parthanatos and necroptosis), to treat acute intestinal I/R-induced intestinal epithelial barrier disruption.

Is goal-directed fluid therapy based on dynamic variables alone sufficient to improve clinical outcomes among patients undergoing surgery? A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Whether goal-directed fluid therapy based on dynamic predictors of fluid responsiveness (GDFTdyn) alone improves clinical outcomes in comparison with standard fluid therapy among patients undergoing surgery remains unclear. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for relevant studies. Studies comparing the effects of GDFTdyn with that of standard fluid therapy on clinical outcomes among adult patients undergoing surgery were considered eligible. Two analyses were performed separately: GDFTdyn alone versus standard fluid therapy and GDFTdyn with other optimization goals versus standard fluid therapy. The primary outcomes were short-term mortality and overall morbidity, while the secondary outcomes were serum lactate concentration, organ-specific morbidity, and length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and in hospital. RESULTS: We included 37 studies with 2910 patients. Although GDFTdyn alone lowered serum lactate concentration (mean difference (MD) - 0.21 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval (CI) (- 0.39, - 0.03), P = 0.02), no significant difference was found between groups in short-term mortality (odds ratio (OR) 0.85, 95% CI (0.32, 2.24), P = 0.74), overall morbidity (OR 1.03, 95% CI (0.31, 3.37), P = 0.97), organ-specific morbidity, or length of stay in the ICU and in hospital. Analysis of trials involving the combination of GDFTdyn and other optimization goals (mainly cardiac output (CO) or cardiac index (CIx)) showed a significant reduction in short-term mortality (OR 0.45, 95% CI (0.24, 0.85), P = 0.01), overall morbidity (OR 0.41, 95% CI (0.28, 0.58), P < 0.00001), serum lactate concentration (MD - 0.60 mmol/L, 95% CI (- 1.04, - 0.15), P = 0.009), cardiopulmonary complications (cardiac arrhythmia (OR 0.58, 95% CI (0.37, 0.92), P = 0.02), myocardial infarction (OR 0.35, 95% CI (0.16, 0.76), P = 0.008), heart failure/cardiovascular dysfunction (OR 0.31, 95% CI (0.14, 0.67), P = 0.003), acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (OR 0.13, 95% CI (0.02, 0.74), P = 0.02), pneumonia (OR 0.4, 95% CI (0.24, 0.65), P = 0.0002)), length of stay in the ICU (MD - 0.77 days, 95% CI (- 1.07, - 0.46), P < 0.00001) and in hospital (MD - 1.18 days, 95% CI (- 1.90, - 0.46), P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It was not the optimization of fluid responsiveness by GDFTdyn alone but rather the optimization of tissue and organ perfusion by GDFTdyn and other optimization goals that benefited patients undergoing surgery. Patients managed with the combination of GDFTdyn and CO/CI goals might derive most benefit.

Association of pre-operative troponin levels with major adverse cardiac events and mortality after noncardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Circulating cardiac troponin levels are powerful predictors of prognosis in many clinical settings, but their association with outcomes after noncardiac surgery is unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to summarise current evidence on the association of pre-operative troponin elevation with postoperative major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. DESIGN: Systematic review of observational studies with meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE and Science Citation Index Expanded (ISI Web of Science) from their inception to 1 October 2017. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Observational studies reporting the associations between pre-operative troponin levels and MACE and all-cause mortality after noncardiac surgeries were included. RESULTS: Ten studies met the eligibility criteria. The entire body of evidence addressing the research question was based on a total of 10 371 patients: 4.7 to 68.3% (median 23.8%) of patients had elevated troponin levels before surgery. Elevated pre-operative troponin was significantly associated with short-term MACE (seven studies, 5180 patients: odds ratio (OR) 6.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.85 to 12.42), short-term mortality (five studies, 6103 patients: OR 4.23, 95% CI 2.27 to 7.89) and long-term mortality (two studies, 760 patients: OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.47 to 4.29). The associations remained significant when only multivariate-adjusted results were analysed. Overall, the reviewers' certainty about the summary estimates of the associations was very low. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that pre-operative high troponin levels are significantly associated with adverse cardiac events and mortality after noncardiac surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (Centre for Reviews and Dissemination 42017077837).

Necroptosis is a key mediator of enterocytes loss in intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion injury.

Cell death is an important biological process that is believed to have a central role in intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. While the apoptosis inhibition is pivotal in preventing intestinal I/R, how necrotic cell death is regulated remains unknown. Necroptosis represents a newly discovered form of programmed cell death that combines the features of both apoptosis and necrosis, and it has been implicated in the development of a range of inflammatory diseases. Here, we show that receptor-interacting protein 1/3 (RIP1/3) kinase and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein recruitment mediates necroptosis in a rat model of ischaemic intestinal injury in vivo. Furthermore, necroptosis was specifically blocked by the RIP1 kinase inhibitor necrostatin-1. In addition, the combined treatment of necrostatin-1 and the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD acted synergistically to protect against intestinal I/R injury, and these two pathways can be converted to one another when one is inhibited. In vitro, necrostatin-1 pre-treatment reduced the necroptotic death of oxygen-glucose deprivation challenged intestinal epithelial cell-6 cells, which in turn dampened the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß), and suppressed high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and the subsequent release of HMGB1 into the supernatant, thus decreasing the activation of Toll-like receptor 4 and the receptor for advanced glycation end products. Collectively, our study reveals a robust RIP1/RIP3-dependent necroptosis pathway in intestinal I/R-induced intestinal injury in vivo and in vitro and suggests that the HMGB1 signalling is highly involved in this process, making it a novel therapeutic target for acute ischaemic intestinal injury.

Treatment with Recombinant Trichinella spiralis Cathepsin B-like Protein Ameliorates Intestinal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mice by Promoting a Switch from M1 to M2 Macrophages.

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, in which macrophages play a key role, can cause high morbidity and mortality. The switch from classically (M1) to alternatively (M2) activated macrophages, which is dependent on the activation of STAT6 signaling, has been shown to protect organs from I/R injuries. In the current study, the effects of recombinant Trichinella spiralis cathepsin B-like protein (rTsCPB) on intestinal I/R injury and the potential mechanism related to macrophage phenotypes switch were investigated. In a mouse I/R model undergoing 60-min intestinal ischemia followed by 2-h or 7-d reperfusion, we demonstrated that intestinal I/R caused significant intestinal injury and induced a switch from M2 to M1 macrophages, evidenced by a decrease in levels of M2 markers (arginase-1 and found in inflammatory zone protein), an increase in levels of M1 markers (inducible NO synthase and CCR7), and a decrease in the ratio of M2/M1 macrophages. RTsCPB reversed intestinal I/R-induced M2-M1 transition and promoted M1-M2 phenotype switch evidenced by a significant decrease in M1 markers, an increase in M2 markers, and the ratio of M2/M1 macrophages. Meanwhile, rTsCPB significantly ameliorated intestinal injury and improved intestinal function and survival rate of animals, accompanied by a decrease in neutrophil infiltration and an increase in cell proliferation in the intestine. However, a selective STAT6 inhibitor, AS1517499, reversed the protective effects of rTsCPB by inhibiting M1 to M2 transition. These findings suggest that intestinal I/R injury causes a switch from M2 to M1 macrophages and that rTsCPB ameliorates intestinal injury by promoting STAT6-dependent M1 to M2 transition.

TGF-ß1 improves mucosal IgA dysfunction and dysbiosis following intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion in mice.

Intestinal ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) severely disrupts gut barriers and leads to high mortality in the critical care setting. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 plays a pivotal role in intestinal cellular and immune regulation. However, the effects of TGF-ß1 on intestinal I/R injury remain unclear. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of TGF-ß1 on gut barriers after intestinal I/R and the molecular mechanisms. Intestinal I/R model was produced in mice by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 1 hr followed by reperfusion. Recombinant TGF-ß1 was intravenously infused at 15 min. before ischaemia. The results showed that within 2 hrs after reperfusion, intestinal I/R disturbed intestinal immunoglobulin A class switch recombination (IgA CSR), the key process of mucosal IgA synthesis, and resulted in IgA dysfunction, as evidenced by decreased production and bacteria-binding capacity of IgA. Meanwhile, the disruptions of intestinal microflora and mucosal structure were exhibited. Transforming growth factor-ß1 activated IgA CSR as evidenced by the increased activation molecules and IgA precursors. Strikingly, TGF-ß1 improved intestinal mucosal IgA dysfunction, dysbiosis and epithelial damage at the early stage after reperfusion. In addition, SB-431542, a specific inhibitor of activating mothers against decapentaplegic homologue (SMAD) 2/3, totally blocked the inductive effect of TGF-ß1 on IgA CSR and almost abrogated the above protective effects on intestinal barriers. Taken together, our study demonstrates that TGF-ß1 protects intestinal mucosal IgA immunity, microbiota and epithelial integrity against I/R injury mainly through TGF-ß receptor 1/SMAD 2/3 pathway. Induction of IgA CSR may be involved in the protection conferred by TGF-ß1.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and heart failure in type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and observational studies.

BACKGROUND: The effect of glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) receptor agonists on heart failure remains uncertain. We therefore conducted a systematic review to assess the possible impact of GLP-1 agonists on heart failure or hospitalization for heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that addressed the effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists in adults with type 2 diabetes, and explicitly reported heart failure or hospitalization for heart failure. Two paired reviewers screened reports, collected data, and assessed the risk of bias. We pooled data from RCTs and observational studies separately, and used the GRADE approach to rate the quality of evidence. RESULTS: We identified 25 studies that were eligible for our review; 21 RCTs (n = 18,270) and 4 observational studies (n = 111,029). Low quality evidence from 20 RCTs suggested, if anything, a lower incidence of heart failure between GLP-1 agonists versus control (17/7,441 vs. 19/4,317; odds ratio (OR) 0.62, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.31 to 1.22; risk difference (RD) 19 fewer, 95 % CI 34 fewer to 11 more per 1000 over 5 years). Three cohort studies comparing GLP-1 agonists to alternative agents provided very low quality evidence that GLP-1 agonists do not increase the incidence of heart failure. One RCT provided moderate quality evidence that GLP-1 agonists were not associated with hospitalization for heart failure (lixisenatide vs placebo: 122/3,034 vs. 127/3,034; adjusted hazard ratio 0.96, 95 % CI 0.75 to 1.23; RD 4 fewer, 95 % CI 25 fewer to 23 more per 1000 over 5 years) and a case-control study provided very low quality evidence also suggesting no association (GLP-1 agonists vs. other anti-hyperglycemic drugs: 1118 cases and 17,626 controls, adjusted OR 0.67, 95 % CI 0.32 to 1.42). CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence suggests that GLP-1 agonists do not increase the risk of heart failure or hospitalization for heart failure among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Decreased PD-1/PD-L1 Expression Is Associated with the Reduction in Mucosal Immunoglobulin A in Mice with Intestinal Ischemia Reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) disrupts intestinal mucosal integrity and immunoglobulin A (IgA) generation. It has recently been shown that the programmed cell death-1 receptor (PD-1) plays a crucial role in regulating intestinal secreted IgA (sIgA). AIMS: To evaluate changes in PD-1 and PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on Peyer's patches (PP) CD4(+) T cells and to investigate the correlation between PD-1/PD-L1 and intestinal IgA production/mucosal integrity in mice following intestinal I/R. METHODS: I/R injury was induced by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 1 h followed by 2-h reperfusion. PD-1/PD-L1 expression on PP CD4(+) T cells was measured in I/R and sham-operated mice. Additionally, transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) and interleukin-21 (IL-21) mRNA in CD4(+) T cells and IgA(+) and IgM(+) in PP B cells, as well as intestinal mucosal injury and sIgA levels, were assessed. RESULTS: PD-1/PD-L1, TGF-ß1, and IL-21 expression was down-regulated after intestinal I/R. Furthermore, IgA(+) B cells decreased and IgM(+) B cells increased in mice with intestinal I/R. Importantly, decreased PD-1/PD-L1 expression was correlated with increased mucosal injury and decreased IgA levels, as well as with decreased TGF-ß1 and IL-21 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal I/R inhibits PD-1/PD-L1 expression on PP CD4(+) T cells, which was associated with an impaired intestinal immune system and mechanical barriers. Our study indicates that PD-1/PD-L1 expression on CD4(+) T cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of intestinal I/R injury.

A study on the effect of using the video teach-back method in continuous nursing care of stroke patients.

Objective: To explore the effect of a video teach-back method on continuous family nursing care of stroke patients. Methods: Stroke patients hospitalized in our hospital between March 2020 and March 2023 who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an intervention group (n = 45), who received routine health education plus video teach-back training of caregivers, and a control group (n = 45), who received routine health education only. The effects on nursing-related variables were compared between the two groups. Results: Total scores representing the caring ability of caregivers in the intervention group increased significantly over time relative to baseline and were higher than those of the control group. Scores representing the care burden of caregivers in the intervention group decreased significantly over time and were lower than those of the control group. Conclusion: The teach-back method combined with video education improves the nursing ability of family caregivers and can improve the self-care ability of stroke patients.

Amplatzer occluder versus CardioSEAL/STARFlex occluder: a meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of transcatheter occlusion for patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect.

OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous transcatheter occlusion has benefited thousands of patients suffering from patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect. However, no general agreement has been reached on the superiority among occluders. Thus, a meta-analysis between the two most commonly adopted types of occluders was conducted. METHODS: The literature review has identified relevant studies up to May, 2011 in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and World Health Organization clinical trials registry centre. Meta-analysis was performed in a fixed/random effects model using Revman 5.1.1. Information on complications and outcomes was extracted. RESULTS: Analysis from included studies reports an outcome in favour of the Amplatzer. The Amplatzer has proven its superiority in efficacy with a significantly lower risk of early (95% confidence interval = 0.09-0.34) and long-term (95% confidence interval = 0.14-0.97) residual shunt rate for atrial septal defect occlusion, although no significant difference in performance has been reported for patent foramen ovale. In addition, the Amplatzer has also remarkably reduced the risk of embolisation by the device (95% confidence interval = 0.07-0.45) for atrial septal defect and new-set atrial fibrillation (95% confidence interval = 0.18-0.48) for patent foramen ovale. On evaluation of recurrent thrombotic events, it was found that the Amplatzer greatly lowered the rate of thrombus formation on the device (95% confidence interval = 0.02-0.21) for patent foramen ovale; however, no statistical difference was found on atrial septal defect evaluation. However, the result indicated no statistically significant difference between the two kinds of occluders in stroke and transient ischaemic attack of patent foramen ovale. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis has proven the Amplatzer to be the superior occluder, serving better prognosis with more fluent procedure and less complications.

Performance of a prediabetes risk prediction model: A systematic review.

Backgrounds: The prediabetes population is large and easily overlooked because of the lack of obvious symptoms, which can progress to diabetes. Early screening and targeted interventions can substantially reduce the rate of conversion of prediabetes to diabetes. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed prediabetes risk prediction models, performed a summary and quality evaluation, and aimed to recommend the optimal model. Methods: We systematically searched five databases (Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, Web Of Science, and CNKI) for published literature related to prediabetes risk prediction models and excluded preprints, duplicate publications, reviews, editorials, and other studies, with a search time frame of March 01, 2023. Data were categorized and summarized using a standardized data extraction form that extracted data including author; publication date; study design; country; demographic characteristics; assessment tool name; sample size; study type; and model-related indicators. The PROBAST tool was used to assess the risk of bias profile of included studies. Findings: 14 studies with a total of 15 models were eventually included in the systematic review. We found that the most common predictors of models were age, family history of diabetes, gender, history of hypertension, and BMI. Most of the studies (83.3%) had a high risk of bias, mainly related to under-reporting of outcome information and poor methodological design during the development and validation of models. Due to the low quality of included studies, the evidence for predictive validity of the available models is unclear. Interpretation: We should pay attention to the early screening of prediabetes patients and give timely pharmacological and lifestyle interventions. The predictive performance of the existing model is not satisfactory, and the model building process can be standardized and external validation can be added to improve the accuracy of the model in the future.

Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E-Waste Area in China.

Electronic waste that has not been properly treated can lead to environmental contamination including of heavy metals, which can pose risks to human health. Infants, a sensitive group, are highly susceptible to heavy metals exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between prenatal heavy metal exposure and infant birth outcomes in an e-waste recycling area in China. We analyzed cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and arsenic (As) concentrations in 102 human milk samples collected 4 weeks after delivery. The results showed that 34.3% of participants for Cr, which exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, as well as the mean exposure of Cr exceeded the WHO guidelines. We collected data on the birth weight (BW) and length of infants and analyzed the association between metal concentration in human milk and birth outcomes using multivariable linear regression. We observed a significant negative association between the Cd concentration in maternal milk and BW in female infants (ß = -162.72, 95% CI = -303.16, -22.25). In contrast, heavy metals did not associate with birth outcomes in male infants. In this study, we found that 34.3% of participants in an e-waste recycling area had a Cr concentration that exceeded WHO guidelines, and there was a significant negative association between prenatal exposure to the Cd and infant BW in females. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to heavy metals in e-waste recycling areas may lead to adverse birth outcomes, especially for female infants.

DEXMEDETOMIDINE PREVENTS PDIA3 DECREASE BY ACTIVATING α2-ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR TO ALLEVIATE INTESTINAL I/R IN MICE.

ABSTRACT: Background: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) attenuates intestinal I/R injury, but its mechanism of action remains to be further elucidated. Protein disulfide isomerase A3 (PDIA3) has been reported as a therapeutic protein for the prevention and treatment of intestinal I/R injury. This study was to investigate whether PDIA3 is involved in intestinal protection of DEX and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The potential involvement of PDIA3 in DEX attenuation of intestinal I/R injury was tested in PDIA3 Flox/Flox mice and PDIA3 conditional knockout (cKO) in intestinal epithelium mice subjected to 45 min of superior mesenteric artery occlusion followed by 4 h of reperfusion. Furthermore, the α2-adrenergic receptor (α2-AR) antagonist, yohimbine, was administered in wild-type C57BL/6N mice intestinal I/R model to investigate the role of α2-AR in the intestinal protection conferred by DEX. Results: In the present study, we identified intestinal I/R-induced obvious inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-dependent apoptosis, and oxidative stress, and all the aforementioned changes were improved by the administration of DEX. PDIA3 cKO in the intestinal epithelium have reversed the protective effects of DEX. Moreover, yohimbine also reversed the intestinal protection of DEX and downregulated the messenger RNA and protein levels of PDIA3. Conclusion: DEX prevents PDIA3 decrease by activating α2-AR to inhibit intestinal I/R-induced inflammation, ER stress-dependent apoptosis, and oxidative stress in mice.