Urgent call for attention to diabetes-associated hospital infections

In this editorial,we discuss the recent article by Zhao et al published in the World Journal of Diabetes,which highlights the importance of recognizing the risk indicators associated with diabetes mellitus(DM).Given the severe implications of healthcare-associated infections(HAIs)in hospitalized individuals-such as heightened mortality rates,prolonged hospitalizations,and increased costs-we focus on elucidating the connection between DM and nosocomial infections.Diabetic patients are susceptible to pathogenic bacterial invasion and subsequent infection,with some already harboring co-infections upon admission.Notably,DM is an important risk factor for nosocomial urinary tract infections and surgical site infections,which may indirectly affect the occurrence of nosocomial bloodstream infections,especially in patients with DM with poor glycemic control.Although evidence regarding the impact of DM on healthcare-associated pneumonias remains inconclusive,attention to this potential association is warranted.Hospitalized patients with DM should prioritize meticulous blood glucose management,adherence to standard operating procedures,hand hygiene practices,environmental disinfection,and rational use of drugs during hospitalization.Further studies are imperative to explore the main risk factors of HAIs in patients with DM,enabling the development of preventative measures and mitigating the occurrence of HAIs in these patients.

Diabetes and susceptibility to COVID-19:Risk factors and preventive and therapeutic strategies

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a highly infectious disease caused by a novel human coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for infectious diseases with high prevalence and increased severity.Here,we elucidated the possible factors for the increased vulnerability of diabetic patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the more severe COVID-19 illness.The worsened prognosis of patients with both COVID-19 and diabetes may be attributable to host receptor angiotensinconverting enzyme 2-assisted viral uptake.Moreover,insulin resistance is often associated with impaired mucosal and skin barrier integrity,resulting in microbiota dysbiosis,which increases susceptibility to viral infections.It may also be associated with higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines resulting from an impaired immune system in diabetics,inducing a cytokine storm and excessive inflammation.This review describes diabetes mellitus and its complications,explains the risk factors,such as disease characteristics and patient lifestyle,which may contribute to the high susceptibility of diabetic patients to COVID-19,and discusses preventive and therapeutic strategies for COVID-19-positive diabetic patients.

Role of nutrition in diabetes mellitus and infections

In this editorial,we have commented on the article that has been published in the recent issue of World Journal of Clinical Cases.The authors have described a case of unilateral thyroid cyst and have opined that the acute onset of infection may be linked to diabetes mellitus(DM).We have focused on the role of nutrition in the association between DM and infection.Patients with DM are at a high risk of infection,which could also be attributed to nutrition-related factors.Nutritional interventions for patients with diabetes are mainly based on a low-calorie diet,which can be achieved by adhering to a low-carbohydrate diet.However,dietary fiber supplementation is recommended to maintain the diversity of the gut microbiota.Furthermore,high-quality protein can prevent the increased risk of infection due to malnutrition.Supplementation of vitamins C,vitamins A,vitamins D,and folic acid improves blood sugar control and facilitates immune regulation.Mineral deficiencies augment the risk of infection,but the relationship with diabetes is mostly U-shaped and a good intake should be maintained.

Clinical application value of long non-coding RNAs signatures of genomic instability in predicting prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)presents challenges due to its high recurrence and metastasis rates and poor prognosis.While current clinical diagnostic and prognostic indicators exist,their accuracy remains imperfect due to their biol-ogical complexity.Therefore,there is a quest to identify improved biomarkers for HCC diagnosis and prognosis.By combining long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)expression and somatic mutations,Duan et al identified five representative lncRNAs from 88 lncRNAs related to genomic instability(GI),forming a GI-derived lncRNA signature(LncSig).This signature outperforms previously re-ported LncSig and TP53 mutations in predicting HCC prognosis.In this editorial,we comprehensively evaluate the clinical application value of such prognostic evaluation model based on sequencing technology in terms of cost,time,and practicability.Additionally,we provide an overview of various prognostic models for HCC,aiding in a comprehensive understanding of research progress in pro-gnostic evaluation methods.

Influencing factors and preventive measures of infectious complications after intestinal resection for Crohn’s disease

The incidence of Crohn’s disease(CD)has increased in recent years,with most patients requiring intestinal resection.Complications after intestinal resection for CD can lead to poor prognosis and recurrence,among which infectious complic-ations are the most common.This study aimed to investigate the common risk factors,including medications,preoperative nutritional status,surgery-related factors,microorganisms,lesion location and type,and so forth,causing infectious complications after intestinal resection for CD,and to propose corresponding preventive measures.The findings provided guidance for identifying suscept-ibility factors and the early intervention and prevention of infectious complic-ations after intestinal resection for CD in clinical practice.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood vaccinations

Routine pediatric vaccination is one of the most effective public health inter-ventions for the control of a number of fatal diseases.However,during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic,routine pediatric vaccination rates were severely affected by disruptions of health services and vaccine confidence issues.Governments and the United Nations have taken measures to re-establish routine pediatric vaccination,while additional efforts are needed to catch up and develop plans to ensure routine vaccination services for the future pandemics.

Combined prevention and treatment measures are essential to control nosocomial infections during the COVID-19 pandemic

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is a highly contagious positive-sense,single-stranded RNA virus that has rapidly spread worldwide.As of December 17,2023,772838745 confirmed cases including 6988679 deaths have been reported globally.This virus primarily spreads through droplets,airborne transmission,and direct contact.Hospitals harbor a substantial number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)patients and asymptomatic carriers,accompanied by high population density and a larger susceptible population.These factors serve as potential triggers for nosocomial infections,posing a threat during the COVID-19 pandemic.Nosocomial infections occur to varying degrees across different countries worldwide,emphasizing the urgent need for a practical approach to prevent and control the intra-hospital spread of COVID-19.This study primarily concentrated on a novel strategy combining preventive measures with treatment for combating COVID-19 nosocomial infections.It suggests preventive methods,such as vaccination,disinfection,and training of heathcare personnel to curb viral infections.Additionally,it explored therapeutic strategies targeting cellular inflammatory factors and certain new medications for COVID-19 patients.These methods hold promise in rapidly and effectively preventing and controlling nosocomial infections during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a reliable reference for adopting preventive measures in the future pandemic.

Marine biological injuries and their medical management:A narrative review

The marine environment can be extremely dangerous,and the harm caused by marine organisms when they contact the human body can be especially harmful,even deadly.Contact includes stings,bites,wounds,and consumption as food.In this article,the characteristics of the common marine biological injuries are summarized,the major marine organisms causing damage in China’s marine waters are described,and injury prevention and treatment methods are discussed.

Non-coding RNAs:an emerging player in osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is a debilitating bone infection primarily caused by Staphylococcus aureus.Despite advancements in surgery and chemotherapy,the treatment of osteomyelitis remains unsatisfactory,characterized by antibiotic resistance and recurrent relapses.Numerous studies have confirmed that non-coding RNAs could play an emerging role in regulating gene expression,as well as in the differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts,along with bone formation.In this context,we provide an overview of current knowledge regarding the roles of non-coding RNAs in osteomyelitis and explore the potential therapeutic applications of these molecules in disease management,aiming to uncover novel diagnostic and treatment approaches.

COVID-19 and liver dysfunction:What nutritionists need to know

The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has brought serious challenges for the medical field.Patients with COVID-19 usually have respiratory symptoms.However,liver dysfunction is not an uncommon presentation.Additionally,the degree of liver dysfunction is associated with the severity and prognosis of COVID-19.Prevention,diagnosis,and treatment of malnutrition should be routinely recommended in the management of patients with COVID-19,especially in those with liver dysfunction.Recently,a large number of studies have reported that nutrition therapy measures,including natural dietary supplements,vitamins,minerals and trace elements,and probiotics,might have potential hepatoprotective effects against COVID-19-related liver dysfunction via their antioxidant,antiviral,anti-inflammatory,and positive immunomodulatory effects.This review mainly focuses on the possible relationship between COVID-19 and liver dysfunction,nutritional and metabolic characteristics,nutritional status assessment,and nutrition therapy to provide a reference for the nutritionists while making evidence-based nutritional decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 and the digestive system:A comprehensive review

The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)is spreading at an alarming rate,and it has created an unprecedented health emergency threatening tens of millions of people worldwide.Previous studies have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid could be detected in the feces of patients even after smearnegative respiratory samples.However,demonstration of confirmed fecal-oral transmission has been difficult.Clinical studies have shown an incidence rate of gastrointestinal(GI)symptoms ranging from 2%to 79.1%in patients with COVID-19.They may precede or accompany respiratory symptoms.The most common GI symptoms included nausea,diarrhea,and abdominal pain.In addition,some patients also had liver injury,pancreatic damage,and even acute mesenteric ischemia/thrombosis.Although the incidence rates reported in different centers were quite different,the digestive system was the clinical component of the COVID-19 section.Studies have shown that angiotensinconverting enzyme 2,the receptor of SARS-CoV-2,was not only expressed in the lungs,but also in the upper esophagus,small intestine,liver,and colon.The possible mechanism of GI symptoms in COVID-19 patients may include direct viral invasion into target cells,dysregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2,immune-mediated tissue injury,and gut dysbiosis caused by microbiota.Additionally,numerous experiences,guidelines,recommendations,and position statements were published or released by different organizations and societies worldwide to optimize the management practice of outpatients,inpatients,and endoscopy in the era of COVID-19.In this review,based on our previous work and relevant literature,we mainly discuss potential fecal-oral transmission,GI manifestations,abdominal imaging findings,relevant pathophysiological mechanisms,and infection control and prevention measures in the time of COVID-19.

Potential role of vitamin D in patients with diabetes,dyslipidaemia,and COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has become a worldwide public health crisis.Studies have demonstrated that diabetes and dyslipidaemia are common comorbidities and could be high-risk factors for severe COVID-19.Vitamin D,a group of fatsoluble compounds responsible for intestinal absorption of calcium,magnesium,and phosphate,has been widely used as a dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases,including infectious and non-infectious diseases,due to its high cost-effectiveness;safety;tolerability;and anti-thrombotic,anti-inflammatory,antiviral,and immunomodulatory properties.In this letter to the editor,we mainly discuss the potential role of vitamin D in patients with diabetes,dyslipidaemia,and COVID-19.