Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a common autoimmune condition with an elusive etiology.Conventional and biological disease-modifying drugs sometimes fail or produce only partial responses.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)h...Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a common autoimmune condition with an elusive etiology.Conventional and biological disease-modifying drugs sometimes fail or produce only partial responses.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has long been used in China as a treatment for RA and is achieving everincreasing acceptance worldwide.TCM treatments are traditionally guided by the theory of treatment based on TCM syndrome differentiation;however,they remain a matter of empirical practice relying on TCM theories and doctors’own experience,which places severe restrictions on worldwide TCM application.Nevertheless,TCM is a treasure trove for drug discovery,particularly as a treatment for complicated human conditions.The discoveries of artemisinin as a treatment for malaria and of TCM–arsenic trioxide(As2O3)combination therapy as a treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia(APL)are excellent examples of the great value of TCM.Regarding RA treatments,many Chinese medicinal herbs and their formulas,extracts,ingredients,and even single compounds have been used in clinical applications.Several Chinese proprietary medicines(CPMs)derived from TCM formulas or herbal bioactive components,such as the controlled-release ZhengQingFengTongNing(ZQFTN)Tablets,Tripterygium Glycoside Tablets,and Total Glucosides of Peony(TGP)Capsules,have been included in the National Health Insurance Directory of China,and show comparable therapeutic efficacies to those of western chemical drugs with fewer side effects.As TCM research has advanced,particularly in the use of multidisciplinary technologies,the scientific foundations and characteristics of the use of TCM to treat RA have been revealed,and the quality of TCM treatments have been increasingly enhanced.However,TCM generally lacks sufficient clinical and laboratory data to be consistent with international standards for quality,safety,and efficacy in order to support its application worldwide.Therefore,intensive basic and clinical studies on TCM are required.In particular,investigations that use cutting-edge technologies in analytical chemistry,biology,and biomedical sciences,and the development of randomized clinical trials(RCTs)and personalized pragmatic randomized controlled trials(PPRCTs)are necessary.Researchers should also collaborate to advance TCM from empirical practice to evidence-based therapy,thus consistently promoting TCM development and globalization in a vital,beneficial,and contributable manner.展开更多
Background:Cancer incidence rate has been increasing in recent years,and it has improved people’s living and financial burden.The incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in the Heilongjiang cancer registry area i...Background:Cancer incidence rate has been increasing in recent years,and it has improved people’s living and financial burden.The incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in the Heilongjiang cancer registry area in 2016 were analyzed,which provided a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of malignant tumors in Heilongjiang.Methods:The incidence and death data of tumors were collected from 10 tumor registration areas in Heilongjiang Province in 2016.According to the stratification of urban and rural areas and gender,the crude rate,standard rate,accumulative rates(0–74 years old)were calculated.The China 2000 population census data and Segi’s standard population were used for calculating age-standardized rates.Results:The incidence rate of malignant tumors in the Heilongjiang cancer registry area was 286.05/100,000 in 2016,age-standardized incidence rates by standard Chinese population and by standard world population were 168.11/100,000 and 164.69/100,000 with the cumulative incidence rate(0–74 years old)of 18.55%.The incidence of malignant tumors in urban areas was 313.60/100,000,and that in rural areas was 212.26/100,000.The frequency of malignant tumors in males was 295.94/100,000,higher than that in females(276.40/100,000).Lung cancer had the highest incidence followed by breast cancer,colorectal cancer,liver cancer and thyroid cancer.The mortality rate of malignant tumors in Heilongjiang cancer registration areas was 183.56/100,000,age-standardized mortality rates by standard Chinese population and by standard world population were 99.89/100,000 and 99.78/100,000 with the cumulative mortality rate(0–74 years old)of 10.95%.The mortality rate of malignant tumors in urban areas was 194.69/100,000,and that in rural areas was 153.73/100,000.The mortality rate of the male malignant tumor was 222.55/100,000,higher than that of a female malignant tumor(145.51/100,000).Lung cancer had the highest mortality followed by liver cancer,colorectal cancer,gastric cancer and breast cancer.Conclusion:Lung cancer,liver cancer,breast cancer and colorectal cancer were the most common cancers in Heilongjiang Province,which should be taken as the key cancer species for prevention and treatment.The incidence of thyroid cancer is higher in Heilongjiang Province,but the mortality rate is lower,which also needs attention.展开更多
To the Editor:Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disorder characterized by recurrent cough,sputum production,and respiratory infections.Management of bronchiectasis has got an increased emphasis in recent years.[...To the Editor:Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disorder characterized by recurrent cough,sputum production,and respiratory infections.Management of bronchiectasis has got an increased emphasis in recent years.[1]Patients with bronchiectasis should undergo routine monitoring in order to identify disease progression and modify treatment when necessary.In recent years,three composite disease-specific systems have been developed,which are verified for evaluating bronchiectasis severity and predicting prognosis:bronchiectasis severity index(BSI),FACED(F:forced expiratory volume in 1 s%predicted[FEV1%pred],A:age,C:presence of chronic colonisation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa,E:radiological extension[number of pulmonary lobes affected],D:dyspnoea)and FACED plus exacerbations in the previous year(E-FACED).[2,3,4]All three scoring systems classify patients into low,moderate,and high risk groups by different thresholds,respectively.展开更多
文摘Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a common autoimmune condition with an elusive etiology.Conventional and biological disease-modifying drugs sometimes fail or produce only partial responses.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has long been used in China as a treatment for RA and is achieving everincreasing acceptance worldwide.TCM treatments are traditionally guided by the theory of treatment based on TCM syndrome differentiation;however,they remain a matter of empirical practice relying on TCM theories and doctors’own experience,which places severe restrictions on worldwide TCM application.Nevertheless,TCM is a treasure trove for drug discovery,particularly as a treatment for complicated human conditions.The discoveries of artemisinin as a treatment for malaria and of TCM–arsenic trioxide(As2O3)combination therapy as a treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia(APL)are excellent examples of the great value of TCM.Regarding RA treatments,many Chinese medicinal herbs and their formulas,extracts,ingredients,and even single compounds have been used in clinical applications.Several Chinese proprietary medicines(CPMs)derived from TCM formulas or herbal bioactive components,such as the controlled-release ZhengQingFengTongNing(ZQFTN)Tablets,Tripterygium Glycoside Tablets,and Total Glucosides of Peony(TGP)Capsules,have been included in the National Health Insurance Directory of China,and show comparable therapeutic efficacies to those of western chemical drugs with fewer side effects.As TCM research has advanced,particularly in the use of multidisciplinary technologies,the scientific foundations and characteristics of the use of TCM to treat RA have been revealed,and the quality of TCM treatments have been increasingly enhanced.However,TCM generally lacks sufficient clinical and laboratory data to be consistent with international standards for quality,safety,and efficacy in order to support its application worldwide.Therefore,intensive basic and clinical studies on TCM are required.In particular,investigations that use cutting-edge technologies in analytical chemistry,biology,and biomedical sciences,and the development of randomized clinical trials(RCTs)and personalized pragmatic randomized controlled trials(PPRCTs)are necessary.Researchers should also collaborate to advance TCM from empirical practice to evidence-based therapy,thus consistently promoting TCM development and globalization in a vital,beneficial,and contributable manner.
文摘Background:Cancer incidence rate has been increasing in recent years,and it has improved people’s living and financial burden.The incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in the Heilongjiang cancer registry area in 2016 were analyzed,which provided a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of malignant tumors in Heilongjiang.Methods:The incidence and death data of tumors were collected from 10 tumor registration areas in Heilongjiang Province in 2016.According to the stratification of urban and rural areas and gender,the crude rate,standard rate,accumulative rates(0–74 years old)were calculated.The China 2000 population census data and Segi’s standard population were used for calculating age-standardized rates.Results:The incidence rate of malignant tumors in the Heilongjiang cancer registry area was 286.05/100,000 in 2016,age-standardized incidence rates by standard Chinese population and by standard world population were 168.11/100,000 and 164.69/100,000 with the cumulative incidence rate(0–74 years old)of 18.55%.The incidence of malignant tumors in urban areas was 313.60/100,000,and that in rural areas was 212.26/100,000.The frequency of malignant tumors in males was 295.94/100,000,higher than that in females(276.40/100,000).Lung cancer had the highest incidence followed by breast cancer,colorectal cancer,liver cancer and thyroid cancer.The mortality rate of malignant tumors in Heilongjiang cancer registration areas was 183.56/100,000,age-standardized mortality rates by standard Chinese population and by standard world population were 99.89/100,000 and 99.78/100,000 with the cumulative mortality rate(0–74 years old)of 10.95%.The mortality rate of malignant tumors in urban areas was 194.69/100,000,and that in rural areas was 153.73/100,000.The mortality rate of the male malignant tumor was 222.55/100,000,higher than that of a female malignant tumor(145.51/100,000).Lung cancer had the highest mortality followed by liver cancer,colorectal cancer,gastric cancer and breast cancer.Conclusion:Lung cancer,liver cancer,breast cancer and colorectal cancer were the most common cancers in Heilongjiang Province,which should be taken as the key cancer species for prevention and treatment.The incidence of thyroid cancer is higher in Heilongjiang Province,but the mortality rate is lower,which also needs attention.
基金This work was supported by a grant from the Beijing Municipal Administration of High Level Health Technical Personnel Ttraining Plan,China(No.2015-3-027)。
文摘To the Editor:Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disorder characterized by recurrent cough,sputum production,and respiratory infections.Management of bronchiectasis has got an increased emphasis in recent years.[1]Patients with bronchiectasis should undergo routine monitoring in order to identify disease progression and modify treatment when necessary.In recent years,three composite disease-specific systems have been developed,which are verified for evaluating bronchiectasis severity and predicting prognosis:bronchiectasis severity index(BSI),FACED(F:forced expiratory volume in 1 s%predicted[FEV1%pred],A:age,C:presence of chronic colonisation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa,E:radiological extension[number of pulmonary lobes affected],D:dyspnoea)and FACED plus exacerbations in the previous year(E-FACED).[2,3,4]All three scoring systems classify patients into low,moderate,and high risk groups by different thresholds,respectively.
