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This article intends to explore the application and implementation effect of network platform teaching in the standardized residency training of rheumatology and immunology. Through the implementation of online platform teaching (micro-class, online PBL teaching, and air class) for the training residents rotating in the rheumatology and immunology department, the questionnaire survey was carried out. The results showed that the satisfaction of the residents with the online platform teaching reached 96.88% (31/32), and more than 90.00% of the residents believed that their self-learning ability and clinical thinking ability have been improved, and their learning initiative and enthusiasm have also been improved, which deserves further promotion.
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Objective:To identify the clinical characteristics and adverse events of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).Methods:Patients who were hospitalized and diagnosed with GCA in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from December 2009 to November 2020 were enrolled into a retrospective study analysis. Baseline data and follow-up data were collected. Adverse events were defined as one of the following events: relapses, ischemic complications and death. Patients with adverse events were analyzed in clinical features and risk factors by univariate and multivariate analysis. Associations with adverse events were assessed using ROC curve and survival curves.Results:A total of 69 patients with GCA were included in this study, with the male: female ratio of 1∶1.03. Fatigue and headache were common symptoms. Finally, 61 patients were followed up at the end of May in 2021. Over the mean follow-up time of (35±20) months, adverse events occurred in 16 cases (26.2%). Patients with adverse events had significantly lower levels of platelet and globulin at baseline than those without adverse events [(325±142)×10 9/L vs (238±112)×10 9/L, t=2.22, P=0.030]; [(31±6) g/L vs (26±6) g/L, t=2.74, P=0.008]. Red cell volume distribution width-coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) was considered an independent risk factor for adverse events [ OR (95% CI)=0.32 (0.14,0.74), P=0.008]. Further, patients especially with RDW-CV<14.75% were prone to have adverse events, which occurred in 2.6%, 20.5%, 25.6%, 33.3%, 41.00% in 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 years. Its risk increased significantly after 2 years ( P=0.042, P=0.021, P=0.002, P=0.001). The incidence of adverse events was much higher in patients with RDW-CV<14.75%(95% CI=0.002). Conclusion:Adverse events are common in patients with GCA. RDW-CV is an independent risk factor for having adverse events. Low level of RDW-CV predicts an increased risk of adverse events by the following years.
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Objective:To explore the application effect of a new type of simulated dermatologic surgical mold based on 3D printing in standardized residency training of dermatology.Methods:In this study, 35 residents in Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 2018 to May 2019 were randomly divided into two groups: a new mold group based on 3D printing ( n=18) and a traditional mold group ( n=17). Two groups of residents were examined by dermatologic biopsy on the mold, and the effect of teaching was evaluated by questionnaire survey. SPSS 22.0 was used for data analysis, and the measurement data was expressed by (means ± standard deviation). The comparison between the new mold group and the traditional mold group was made by two independent samples t test. Results:The scores of dermatologic biopsy examination of residents in the new mold group were higher than those in the traditional mold group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01); and the scores of the questionnaires for the teaching effect of the new mold group were higher than those of the traditional mold group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01). Conclusion:The new type of simulated dermatologic surgical mold based on 3D printing, which has been successfully applied in the practical training of residents, lays a solid foundation for the actual clinical operation and significantly improves the teaching effect, providing a broad application prospect.
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Objective:To perform a prospective cohort study to identify individual susceptibility of glucocorticoid (GC) -associated osteonecrosis of the femoral head (GA-ONFH) and their clinical and genetic risk factors. Methods:The present prospective cohort study enrolled patients who received their first GC therapy between July 2015 and January 2018 at Zhongshan Hospital. All patients did not receive any GC treatment before enrollment. Further, they planned to start GC treatment with the dose (equivalent prednisone) of ≥30 mg/d, lasted ≥3 weeks, or pulse dose ≥200 mg/d, lasted ≥3 d. Blood samples were collected before GC treatment to evaluate bone metabolism and its released factors. Hip MRI was performed at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th and 24th month to diagnose GA-ONFH. All patients were followed-up for ≥2 years. The endpoint was regarded as diagnosis of GA-ONFH or completion of 2 years follow-up. Lasso regression was performed to determine which clinical features were associated with GA-ONFH. A nested case-control sub-cohort (A, n=12) was established prospectively based on the main cohort by 1∶1 matching. Whole exome sequencing was performed to screen differential and functional candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms and insertion-deletions (SNP/InDels). Another sub-cohort (B, n=50) was constructed retrospectively in patients with GA-ONFH and non-ONFH patients received standard high dose GC treatment for more than two years. The candidate SNP/InDels were verified by Sanger sequencing based on the patients from sub-cohort B. Results:A total of 96 patients were enrolled of which 88 of them (32 males and 56 females, mean age 42.30 years) completed follow-up. Eight cases (9.1%) were diagnosed with GA-ONFH. The median time from the start of GC therapy to the diagnosis of ONFH was 53.00(34.00,13.50) days. The baseline characteristics, such as age, sex and body mass index, indicated no significant difference between the ONFH group and the non-ONFH group. The cumulative GC dose of the ONFH patients in the first month was higher than that of non-ONFH [32.74(29.55, 47.05) mg/kg vs. 24.00(21.10, 29.45) mg/kg, Z=-2.410, P=0.016]. However, there was no significant difference of patients who underwent pulse therapy (37.5% vs. 10.0%, adjusted χ 2=2.829, P=0.093). The ratio of serum apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 (ApoB/ApoA1) in patients with ONFH was higher than that in non-ONFH group before GC use [0.95(0.80, 1.50) vs. 0.70(0.60, 0.80), Z=-2.875, P=0.000]. Due to the multicollinearity, Lasso regression model was performed to reduce overfitting. All variables were included in the model. The results suggested that higher ApoB/ApoA1 ratio, lower serum β-c-terminal telopeptide (β-CTX) and higher cumulative GC dose in the first month were the top three risk factors of GA-ONFH. This model had an accuracy of 0.982 in internal validation. Seven differential candidate SNP/InDels were found by whole exome sequencing of sub-cohort A. We further verified these SNP/InDels in sub-cohort B. The patients with COLEC12 mutation (rs2305027, G1816A) were at risk of GA-ONFH ( OR=6.00, 95% CI: 1.17, 30.73). Conclusion:Higher first-month GC dose, lower serum β-CTX level before treatment, higher ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and COLEC12 mutation (rs2305027, G1816A) could increase the risk of GA-ONFH.
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Objective:To compare the diagnostic efficacy of Chinese diagnostic model, the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria and the 2018 ACR new classification criteria (draft) for Takayasu arteritis (TA).Methods:A total of 196 TA patients who came to our hospital from January 1, 2009 to May 31, 2019 in the TA database of the department of rheumatology and immunology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and 131 patients with other vascular diseases visited during the same period were selected. General characteristics, clinical data, laboratory tests and imaging tests of all patients were collected. Categorical variables were presented as numbers and percentages, between-group differences were analyzed using the χ2 test. Continuous variables were presented as the Mean± SD for a normal distribution or median and interquartile range (IQR) for a non-normal distribution. Between-group differences were analyzed using the Student's t-test or Mann- Whitney test, as appropriate. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and receiver operating characteristics of the above diagnostic/classification criteria area under the curve were analyzed. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results:In terms of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), Chinese diagnostic models was 85.7%, 96.2%, 89.9%, 97.1%, 81.5%, 0.909, 1990 ACR criteria was 47.4%, 97.7%, 67.6%, 96.9%, 55.4%, 0.726, 2018 ACR classification criteria was 79.1%, 98.5%, 86.5%, 98.7%, 75.9%, 0.888. The difference between the Chinese diagnostic model and the 2018 ACR criteria in AUC was not statistically significant ( Z=1.186 , P>0.05). The sensitivity, accuracy and diagnostic efficiency of Chinese diagnostic model was the best, that of the 1990 ACR classification criteria was the worst, and the specificity of the 2018 ACR classification criteria was the highest. The Kappa value of the 2018 ACR classification criteria and the Chinese diagnostic model was 0.719, which had good consistency, and the Kappa value of the consistency between the 1990 ACR classification criteria and the Chinese TA diagnostic model was 0.516. Conclusion:The Chinese diagnostic model, which is based on the clinical characteristics of the Chinese TA population, has a good diagnostic efficacy for the Chinese population. The 2018 ACR classification criteria (draft) is highly consistent with the Chinese TA diagnostic model, and can be promoted and applied in practice.
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Objective:To analyze the characteristics of patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) in the east China Takayasu arteritis (ECTA) cohort and their subgroups, and evaluate the disease characteristics.Methods:Patients diagnosed with TA in ECTA cohort from January 2009 to October 2019 were enrolled and their data were analyzed. The characteristics were analyzed and compared within subgroups using t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test or Chi-square test. Results:A total of 454 patients were included, with the male to female ratio of 1∶4.75(79/375), and the main complaint were dizziness/headache, fatigue, and chest tightness/pain. The type Ⅴ and Ⅰ were the most common angiographic pattern, among which the subclavian artery and carotid artery were most vulnerable, manifested as vascular stenosis. Hypertension, tuberculosis and hepatitis B were common complications. In subgroup comparison, symptoms and inflammation index were much more evident in the active group, female group, <40 years old, and newly diagnosed group. C-reactive protein (CRP)[10(2, 33) mg/L vs 3(1, 14) mg/L, Z=-4.49, P<0.01), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) [(45±33) mm/1 h vs (25±23) mm/1 h, t=-5.82, P<0.01), in the active group were significantly higher than those in the inactive group, while the ESR in female patients was only higher than that in males, but without statistical significant difference. SAA in the young age group, ESR in the newly diagnosed group was significantly higher than that in the other subgroups [19(6, 95) mg/L vs 10(4, 39) mg/L, Z=2.06, P<0.05] [(44±34) mm/1 h vs (32±28) mm/1 h, t=3.77, P<0.01]. Conclusion:The TA patients are mainly young women, and are in active disease when first being diagnosed. The type Ⅴ and Ⅰ are the most common artery involve-ment pattern. Hypertension and tuberculosis are the most frequent complications.
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Objective:To investigate the classification of patients with gout, and further analyze their clinical features.Methods:Outpatients with gout were enrolled from January 2018 to July 2019 in Depart-ment of Rheumatology, Zhongshan Hospital. Subjects were classified into four groups according to their 24-hour urinaryexcretion and fractional excretion of urate. Clinical features of different groups were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Kruskal-Wallis H test, or χ2 test. Results:Finally, 378 subjects were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Among them, 186(49.2%) were renal underexcretion type, 100(26.5%) were combined type, 57(15.1%) were renal overload type, 35(9.3%) were the normal type. Renal underexcretion type was the main subtype in any age-stratified groups. With aging, the proportion of combined type decreased, while the normal type increased. Participants in the combined type were the youngest [(42±14) years of age] with the highest estimated glomerular filtration rate [(94±18) ml·min -1·1.73 m -2], while their serum urate levels were the highest [(554±104) μmol/L]. Subjects in the normal type were the oldest [(60±15) years of age] with the lowest estimated glomerular filtration rate [(71±19) mL·min -1·1.73 m -2], however, their serum urate concentrations were the lowest [(427±118) μmol/L], The difference was statistically significant (age, F=13.98; estimated glomerular filtration rate, F=16.11; urate, F=17.14; P<0.01). Prevalence of urolithiasis were similar among the four groups ( χ2 =2.00, P>0.05). Conclusion:The renal underexcretion type is the main type of gout. Young patients are more likely to suffer from combined type with the highest serum urate levels and the best renal function.
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Objective To evaluate the performance of Positron emision tomography (PET) in the assessment of disease activity of Takayasu arteritis (TA). Methods Information retrieval was based on database such as PubMed/Medline and CNKI, etc. The research before Dec 2016 involving Takayasu arteritis and PET were included.The quality of the research was evaluated by diagnostic accuracy studies-2Q(UADAS-2) and the data was analyzed by Meta-disc. Results Among the 70 research, nine studies were included in this study with a total of 126 patients and 254 controls. All patients were diagnosed according to the classification criteria of American College of Rheumatology. The disease activity was mostly assessed by the scoring system of National Institutes of Health and by clinical assessment in one study. The result of PET was evaluated by visual grade and semi-quantitative analysis. The pooled DOR of the 9 studies was 17.54, the pooled sensitivity and specificity was 84% and 73%,respectively.However,the heterogeneity of specificity was 81.4%. Two studies had included one patients repeatedly and suspected active patients were included in the in-active group in one study,which might impact the statistical result of the meta-analysis.After excluded these studies, the pooled DOR was 30.32. The pooled sensitivity and specificity was 86% and 85%, respectively, with better consistency. Conclusion PET shows stable sensitivity and variant specificity in the diagnosis and assess of disease activity of TA, which is a useful method in the clinically evaluation of disease activity of TA.
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Objective To observe the morphological changes of carotid artery wall by ultrasonography in patients with Takayasu arteritis,and to evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for active Takayasu arteritis.Methods High-frequency ultrasound technique was used to analyze the morphological changes of the carotid artery in 40 patients.NIH score was used as the gold standard and the complete clinical data and acute phase reactors were recorded.T test,Chi-square test,sensitivity and specificity were calculated for statistical analysis.Results The thickness of carotid artery wall in active group was much more thickened than the non-active group [(2.2±0.6) mm vs (1.8±0.5) mm,t=-2.142,P＜0.05].The CDD [(0.89±0.06) in active group vs (0.95±0.03) in non-active group,t=3.683,P＜0.01] and RDD [(0.17±0.06 in active group vs (0.09±0.05) in non-active group,t=-4.020,P＜0.01] were significantly different between the two groups.The distribution of neovascularization in the carotid artery wall of the active group was more diffuse in the central part of the wall.The sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography to diagnose the active of Takayasu arteritis were 72.7％ and 87.5％ respectively,and the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value were 80.0％ and 82.4％ respectively.Conclusion Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can be used as an effective way to assess the disease activity of TA patients.
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Objective To measure the expressions of programmed death?1(PD?1)and programmed death ligand?1(PD?L1)on peripheral blood T lymphocytes of patients with condyloma acuminatum(CA), and to investigate their role in cellular immunity in these patients. Methods Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 30 patients with CA(CA group)and 20 healthy human controls (control group). Flow cytometry was conducted to detect the expressions of PD?1 and PD?L1 on the surfaces of peripheral blood CD4+and CD8+T lymphocytes, and to determine the counts of CD4+and CD8+T lymphocytes. Enzyme?linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was performed to measure the levels of serum interleukin?2(IL?2)and interferon?γ(IFN?γ). Statistical analyses were carried out to compare the above parameters between the two groups, and to assess the relationship of PD?1 and PD?L1 expressions with the counts of CD4+and CD8+T lymphocytes as well as with the serum levels of IL?2 and IFN?γ. Results There was a significant increase in the expression rates of PD?1 and PD?L1 on CD4+T lymphocytes(PD?1:9.48%± 3.31%vs. 7.12%± 2.16%, t=2.81, P0.05). The levels of serum IL?2 and IFN?γwere both lower in the CA group than in the control group(t=2.12, 2.16, respectively, both P 0.05). Conclusion PD?1 was highly expressed on peripheral blood T lymphocytes from patients with CA, which may inhibit T lymphocyte?mediated immune response, decrease CD4+T lymphocyte counts, the CD4/CD8 ratio as well as IL?2 and IFN?γserum levels by interacting with its ligand PD?L1 and forming the PD?1/PD?L1 signaling pathway.
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Objective To investigate the effect of different concentrations of methotrexate (MTX) on IL-17 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) and To clarify the active mechanisms of MTX on RA. Methods PBMCs were isolated from heparinized blood of healthy donors or patients with RA using Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. The cells were pretreated with various concentrations of MTX and then stimulated by anti-human CD3/anti-human CD28 at 37℃5%CO2. The IL-17 mRAN level was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The supernatants were harvested and the protein level of IL-17 was tested by ELISA kit. The percentage of CD4+IL-17+cells in PBMCs was detected by flow cytometry. Results For the four different concentrations of MTX groups (0.1,1.0, 5, 25μg/ml), the IL-17 mRNA/GAPDH ratio(0.58±0.09,0.48±0.11, 0.50±0.09, 0.51±0.14) were lower than those of the non-drug group(0.76±0.08). Paired-t test or independent-samplet test showed significant difference between the MTX treatment group and the non-drug group(P＜0.01). The level of IL-17 of the four MTX groups was(121±54)pg/ml and(104±45)pg/ml and(90±36)pg/ml and(115±41)pg/ml, which was lower than the non-drug group(370±187)pg/ml(P＜0.01). The average C D4+IL-17+cell ratio was reduced, but had no statistically signficant differences(P＞0.05). Conclusion MTX can decrease Th17 cells differentiation and suppress IL-17 production of PBMCs, but no association can be found between its effect on the expression of IL-17 and the concentration of MTX.