American journal of translational research最新文献

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of levofloxacin (LEV) hydrochloride plus metronidazole (MNZ) in treating pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Methods: This retrospective study included 80 PID patients and grouped them based on their treatment regimens: a control group (n=40) treated with LEV hydrochloride injection and a research group (n=40) treated with MNZ plus LEV hydrochloride injection. Clinical efficacy, post-treatment inflammatory indexes, hemorheology (high-/low-shear viscosity [HSV/LSV], plasma viscosity [PV]), symptom resolution time, disease recurrence, as well as pre- and post-treatment pelvic mass diameter, pelvic effusion depth, and quality of life, were compared between the two groups. Adverse reactions during treatment and one-year recurrence were also recorded.

Results: Compared with the control group, the research group showed a significantly higher total clinical effective rate and faster clinical symptom resolution (including lower abdominal pain, abnormal leucorrhea, lumbosacral pain, urgent micturition, dysuria, and frequent micturition). Besides, the research group showed smaller pelvic mass diameter and pelvic effusion depth, superior quality of life, lower serum inflammatory markers, and reduced HSV, LSV, and PV levels. The one-year recurrence rate was also significantly lower in the research group.

Conclusions: LEV hydrochloride combined with MNZ is both effective and safe for the treatment of PID, demonstrating notable advantages in promoting inflammation resolution, improving hemorheological parameters, reducing recurrence, and enhancing quality of life.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of early coronary angiography on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: This retrospective study included 221 AMI patients admitted to Zhangye People's Hospital Affiliated to Hexi University from December 2020 to December 2024. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received early coronary angiography or not: the non-early coronary angiography group (n=95) and the early coronary angiography group (n=126). Early coronary angiography was defined as within 120 minutes of admission. Baseline characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, echocardiogram indicators, and 6-month follow-up data were compared between the two groups.

Results: Compared with the non-early coronary angiography group, the early coronary angiography group demonstrated significantly lower incidences of target lesion revascularization (11.90% vs. 24.21%), left ventricle thrombosis (8.73% vs. 18.95%), major bleeding (11.11% vs. 22.11%), and cardiogenic shock (8.73% vs. 18.95%) during hospitalization (all P<0.05). The average hospital stay in the early angiography group was shorter (7.95 ± 1.92 days vs. 8.76 ± 2.27 days, P=0.005), and the readmission rate was also lower (18.25% vs. 35.79%, P=0.003) compared with the non-early coronary angiography group. During the 6-month follow-up, the early angiography group continued to exhibit significantly lower rates of percutaneous coronary intervention (0.00% vs. 6.32%), coronary artery bypass grafting (3.17% vs. 11.58%), and angina incidence (3.97% vs. 12.63%) (all P<0.05).

Conclusions: Early coronary angiography may help improve the in-hospital outcomes and 6-month follow-up outcomes in patients with AMI.

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided super micro needle knife combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) versus PVP alone for senile osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 104 elderly OVCF patients. The study group received the combined treatment, while the control group received PVP only. Outcomes including clinical results, imaging findings, pain scores, and complications were compared.

Results: The results showed that compared with the simple PVP group, the combined treatment group had significantly shorter postoperative ambulation time and hospitalization stay, a lower incidence of short-term complications within 3 months, and a higher clinical success rate at 6 months based on the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) criteria (all P < 0.05). The combined treatment group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in imaging indices, including anterior vertebral height ratio, local kyphosis angle, and vertebral wedge angle, at both 3 and 6 months postoperatively (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, the combined treatment group exhibited significantly lower visual analog scale (VAS) scores at all postoperative time points (3 days, 7 days, 1, 3, and 6 months), as well as lower Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Quality of Life Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis (Qualeffo-41) scores at 3 and 6 months (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of re-fracture between the two groups within 12 months postoperatively (P = 0.320).

Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided super micro needle knife combined with PVP can significantly relieve pain, improve thoracolumbar function and spinal alignment, enhance the quality of life, and promote early recovery in elderly OVCF patients.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) on surgical outcomes and postoperative well-being in elderly patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).

Methods: A total of 118 geriatric patients with OVCF treated at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between March 2022 and March 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 54 underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP group), and 64 received PKP (PKP group). Data collected included surgical outcomes (bone cement injection volume, operative duration) and vertebral morphological parameters (kyphotic Cobb angle, mid/anterior vertebral height). Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism markers, including osteocalcin (BGP), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), were assessed. Functional outcomes (Visual Analog Scale [VAS], Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], and Japanese Orthopaedic Association [JOA] Scale) were evaluated. Additionally, complications such as cement leakage, infection, and pressure ulcers were monitored. Quality of life was assessed using the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36). Variables associated with pain relief were identified through univariate screening followed by multivariate analysis.

Results: Compared with PVP, PKP involved more bone cement use and longer procedural duration. However, PKP achieved more pronounced reductions in post-treatment Cobb angle, VAS, and ODI scores than PVP, along with more significant increases in mid/anterior vertebral height, BMD, BGP, BALP, JOA, and SF-36 scores. The complication rate was similar between groups.

Conclusion: In geriatric OVCF cases, PKP enhances vertebral morphology, BMD, bone metabolism, functional recovery, and patient well-being, while maintaining a safety profile comparable to PVP, despite requiring greater cement volumes and extended surgery time.

Objective: This study aims to explore the association between serum creatinine (Scr), uric acid (UA), D-dimer (D-D) levels and disease severity in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), and to establish a nomogram model for risk stratification and prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 230 HDP patients, categorizing them into two groups based on the occurrence of APO: the APO group (n=75) and the non-APO group (n=155). The predictive value of biomarkers for disease severity was evaluated, and a composite risk model incorporating both severity and biomarkers was constructed to assess APO risk. Then we checked different clinical indicators between the two groups to find which ones might be linked to APO. We used this information to make a nomogram model that showed the risk of APO in HDP patients. We tested how well the model worked.

Results: Out of 230 HDP patients, 75 had bad pregnancy results (32.61%). The univariate logistic regression analysis showed several factors linked to APO: maternal age, disease severity, D-D levels, Scr, and UA (all P<0.05). Further multivariate logistic regression identified four independent risk factors: disease severity, D-D, Scr, and UA (all P<0.05). Using these, we built a nomogram model. The model exhibited good calibration and goodness-of-fit (P=0.230). A receiver operating characteristic analysis showed the model worked well, with an area under the curve of 0.888 (95% confidence interval: 0.844-0.932). The model had a sensitivity of 89.0%, a specificity of 74.7%, and an overall accuracy of 84.35%. A decision curve analysis showed that the model was helpful for doctors in making clinical decisions.

Conclusion: We developed a nomogram model to help predict APO in women with HDP. The results showed that the model performed well in terms of accuracy and consistency.

Objective: Sea buckthorn is rich in flavonoid components that possess significant antioxidant capacity, capable of eliminating free radicals, reducing oxidative damage, and demonstrating inhibitory effects on the proliferation of various cancer cell lines. The total flavonoids of sea buckthorn (SFs) and its monomers have shown their effect in inhibiting the proliferation of human liver cancer cells in vitro, accompanied by a decrease in intracellular oxidative stress indicators. Although current research results indicate that SFs have antioxidant and anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activities, there is still a lack of precise molecular mechanism studies on their role in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: SFs were extracted using an ultrasonication-assisted ammonium sulfate-ethanol method and characterized by LC-MS. Network pharmacology identified core targets, which were subsequently validated through molecular docking and dynamics simulations. In vitro, the antioxidant capacity of SFs was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), Peroxyl Radical Scavenging Capacity (PSC), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TOAC) assays. The effects of SFs on HepG2 cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated using CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays, respectively. Oxidative stress-related factors were measured by ELISA. Western blot and qPCR were used to determine the effect of SFs on the PI3K/Akt and JAK signaling pathways.

Result: LC-MS identified 1,988 compounds, including key flavonoids such as chrysin, hesperetin, acacetin, and nobiletin. Network pharmacology highlighted PI3K and JAK as core targets. To reveal the relationship between SFs and core target, molecular docking was used to find binding affinities between these key flavonoids and the core targets, which was corroborated by stable molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, we found that SFs exerted their antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects through the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt and JAK pathways.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that SFs attenuate oxidative stress in HepG2 cells by scavenging free radicals, inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines, and modulating the PI3K/Akt and JAK pathways. These findings position SFs as a strong candidate for further preclinical development as an adjuvant therapy for HCC.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify early predictors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very preterm, very low birth weight infants and to construct and externally validate a nomogram that quantifies individual BPD risk shortly after birth to guide proactive clinical management.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 304 preterm infants admitted to our hospital between 2019-2024. The cohort comprised 113 infants diagnosed with BPD and 191 non-BPD controls. Clinical data, including maternal characteristics, neonatal parameters, and hematological indices measured at 14 days of postnatal age, were collected. Significant predictors of BPD were identified using logistic regression analysis and incorporated into a nomogram model for BPD risk assessment. The model's performance was externally validated using an independent cohort of 30 preterm infants admitted between January and June 2025.

Results: Factor analysis identified nine key BPD predictors (gestational age, birth weight, hypertensive disorders, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, patent ductus arteriosus, blood transfusion, duration of nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy, mean platelet volume, and white blood cell count), which were used to develop a BPD risk nomogram. The model demonstrated robust predictive performance, with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.946 (95% CI: 0.927-0.966) for internal validation and 0.883 (95% CI: 0.750-0.989) for external validation, indicating a high discriminative ability.

Conclusion: The results of this study provide an important basis for the early identification and management of BPD in premature infants and have potential clinical application value, which is helpful in improving the prognosis of children and optimizing the allocation of medical resources.

Objectives: We developed a new predictive model to more accurately assess the risk of patients developing severe pneumonia (SP) after hospital admission.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with pneumonia admitted between June 2022 and May 2024. According to the 2019 American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America guideline, patients were classified into SP and non-severe pneumonia (NSP) groups. Basic clinical information at admission and laboratory results, including complete blood count, coagulation function, biochemical parameters, and bacterial co-infection, were collected. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the cycle threshold (Ct) values of respiratory pathogen nucleic acids to estimate the pathogen load. Host immune biomarkers were measured in fasting serum collected on the morning following the first positive pathogen detection.

Results: Among 241 patients (NSP group=139, SP group=102), patients with SP showed significantly lower pathogen Ct values (influenza A virus [IVA]: 24.32 ± 4.56 vs. 28.45 ± 3.21, P<0.001), higher C-peptide levels (2.72 ± 0.84 vs. 2.25 ± 0.68 ng/mL, P<0.001), and higher ferritin levels (590.67 ± 102.78 vs. 498.32 ± 110.45 μg/L, P<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.906 in the training set and 0.926 in the test set, indicating high predictive accuracy of the model for SP risk.

Conclusions: This study demonstrats that a predictive model combining quantitative pathogen load with host immune-metabolic biomarkers can effectively predict the risk of severe pneumonia.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly enhanced the clinical outcomes for cancer patients. Nevertheless, they may be associated with the occurrence of ICI-associated thyroid dysfunction (ICI-TD). This study aimed to assess the risk of thyroid dysfunction in patients receiving ICI therapy.

Methods: We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for phase II/III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the use of ICIs in malignant tumors. The statistical analyses were conducted using Stata (version 17), and the risk of bias was assessed using Review Manager (version 5.4).

Results: In total, 40 RCTs encompassing 12,376 patients were included. A higher relative risk (RR) of all-grade hyperthyroidism (RR = 9.91, 95% CI: 5.80-16.94; P < 0.01) was observed compared to hypothyroidism (RR = 7.70, 95% CI: 4.88-12.17; P < 0.01). Subgroup analyses indicated that combination ICI therapy was associated with a significantly higher incidence of ICI-TD than monotherapy. Among combination regimens, the PD-L1 combined with CTLA-4 group showed the highest risk of hypothyroidism (RR = 20.87, 95% CI: 5.07-85.81; P < 0.001), whereas the PD-1 combined with CTLA-4 group exhibited the highest risk of hyperthyroidism (RR = 17.34, 95% CI: 3.88-77.45; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: ICI-associated hyperthyroidism was found to occur more frequently than hypothyroidism. Moreover, combination therapies significantly increased the incidence of ICI-TD.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between oxidative stress (OS) and clinical outcome in patients with rotator cuff injury (RCI).

Methods: Eighty-two surgically treated RCI patients (May 2022-February 2025) were enrolled in this retrospective study. All participants underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and were further grouped into a good prognosis group (n=39) or a poor prognosis group (n=43) based on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Rating Scale (UCLA ≥29 vs. UCLA <29). Relevant clinical details like age, sex, tear area, disease duration, injury pattern, and UCLA scores, were collected. Serum samples were tested pre- and postoperatively for the quantification of OS biomarkers: reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association between OS biomarkers and UCLA scores. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess their predictive value for clinical outcomes. Prognostic determinants were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results: ROS and MDA concentrations were markedly elevated in poor-prognosis patients compared to favorable-prognosis individuals, whereas SOD and GPx activities were reduced. Surgical intervention significantly elevated the levels of SOD and GPx, and reduced the levels of ROS and MDA. Correlation analyses linked higher UCLA scores to elevated ROS/MDA levels and reduced SOD/GPx activity. ROC curve analysis showed that the predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]) for individual OS biomarkers ranged from 0.750-0.810, which was markedly improved (AUC=0.939) when used in combination. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis further identified ROS, MDA, SOD, and GPx as independent factors influencing clinical prognoses in RCI patients.

Conclusion: OS levels can serve as a key determinant of clinical outcome in RCI patients.