Dry eye rate and its relationship with disease stage in patients with primary hypertension:a cross-sectional study in Vietnam

AIM:To determine the dry eye(DE)rate and its relationship with disease stage in patients with primary hypertension.METHODS:A cross-sectional study included 432 patients with primary hypertension(with an equal number of patients in each group:144 in stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ hypertension)and 144 healthy subjects as a control group.The Ocular Surface Disease Index(OSDI)and Schirmer Ⅰ test without anesthetics were conducted on all 576 subjects.Subjects with OSDI scores<13 and Schirmer Ⅰ values equal to or under 10 mm were diagnosed with DE.RESULTS:The ratio of DE in hypertension patients was higher than in the control group(41.7%versus 18.8%;P<0.001).The proportion of patients with DE increased gradually according to the hypertension stage:27.1% in stage Ⅰ,40.3% in stage Ⅱ,and 57.6% in stage Ⅲ,P<0.001.Age,duration of hypertension,plasma urea,creatinine,and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(CRP-hs)levels in hypertension patients with DE were higher than those without DE,P<0.001.Advanced age,a long duration of hypertension,diabetes mellitus,elevated plasma creatinine,and CRP-hs levels were independent factors associated with DE in primary hypertension patients,P<0.001.CONCLUSION:DE is a common disorder associated with advanced age,a long duration of hypertension,diabetes mellitus,elevated plasma CRP-hs,and creatinine levels in patients with primary hypertension.

Risk Stratification and Prognosis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated with Congenital Heart Disease

Background:Current guidelines for managing pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH)recommend a risk strati-fication approach.However,the applicability and accuracy of these strategies for PAH associated with congenital heart disease(PAH-CHD)require further validation.This study aims to validate the reliability and predictive accuracy of a simplified stratification strategy for PAH-CHD patients over a three-year follow-up.Additionally,new prognostic variables are identified and novel risk stratification methods are developed for assessing and managing PAH-CHD patients.Methods:This retrospective study included 126 PAH-CHD patients.Clinical and biochemical variables across risk groups were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and Fisher’s exact tests.Indepen-dent risk factors were identified using ordered logistic regression,while Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses evaluated their impact on all-cause mortality.A new stratification model for the PAH-CHD population was constructed based on these analyses.Results:Significant survival differences across stratified risk groups were observed(p<0.001),validating the effectiveness of the simplified risk stratification method in PAH-CHD patients.Prothrombin activity was a strong independent predictor of adverse outcomes of PAH-CHD patients(Hazard ratio 0.95,p<0.001,C-index 0.70).A model combining N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide,prothrombin activity,albumin,and right atrial area achieved an area under the curve of 0.89 and a C-index of 0.85.Conclusions:The simplified risk stratification method is applicable to PAH-CHD patients.Prothrombin activity is a strong independent predictor of adverse outcomes.A comprehensive risk stratification approach,incorporating both established and novel biomarkers,enhances accessibility and offers predictive efficacy during follow-up for PAH-CHD patients,comparable to established models.

The Burden of Undiagnosed Hypertension and Associated Risk Factors among Adults in a Rural Community in Imo Sate, South-East Nigeria

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally and hypertension is a major contributor to this burden. Many people with hypertension have poorly controlled blood pressure and up to half of the adults with hypertension are unaware of their hypertensive status due to factors that bother on poor management and poor screening approaches. The implication is that people who have poor access to healthcare especially those in the rural communities are at increased risk of cardiovascular complications and all-cause mortality. Unfortunately, not much has been done to ascertain the burden of undiagnosed hypertension and associated risk factors in rural communities in Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study in a rural community in Imo State, Nigeria, on burden of undiagnosed hypertension with participants recruited via a multi-stage sampling method. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used, and standardized instruments were applied to obtain, process and analyze the data. Tests of association between the independent variables and outcome were conducted using logistic regression. P-value of Results: A total of 380 adults participated in the study. The mean age was 44.2 years. The prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension was 35.8%. Logistic regression revealed that age, with the respondents in the age groups 26 - 35 years (OR = 10.647, 1.910 - 59.345, p-value = 0.007), 36 - 45 (OR = 3.680, 1.263 - 10.723, p-value = 0.017), 46 - 55 years (OR = 2.737, 1.114 - 6.727, p-value = 0.039), 56 - 65 years old (OR = 3.384, 1.610 - 7.115, p-value = 0.001);and being married (OR = 3.846, 1.118 - 13.233, p-value = 0.033), were independent risk factors for undiagnosed hypertension. Conclusion: The prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension in the rural population of South-East Nigeria is high. Younger age (26 - 35 years) had the highest odds of risk for occurrence of hypertension. Also being married was identified as a risk factor for undiagnosed hypertension.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hypertension among People Living with HIV Receiving Care in Three Large HIV Clinics in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

In the last decade, the long-term survival among people living with HIV (PLHIV) has significantly improved. This is accompanied by an increased burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension due to the combined effect of the aging population and the metabolic effect of the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) virion and antiretroviral therapy. This study aims to assess the prevalence and factors associated with hypertension among people living with HIV in three large health facilities in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study employed a multistage sampling technique to select 309 adults with HIV, 18 years and above, receiving HIV care in three large health facilities in Nasarawa State. The outcome variable was the participants’ self-reported history of hypertension, confirmed through a positive history of hypertension treatment. Exposure variables included the participant’s socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and HIV care and treatment history. Data were presented using frequency tables. Factors associated with hypertension were assessed using binary logistic regression at a 0.05 level of statistical significance. A total of 309 adults living with HIV were sampled. A larger percentage of the participants were married 228 (73.8%), female, 191 (61.8%), within the age group 41 - 50 years, 141 (45.6%). Most of the participants had no family history of hypertension, 188 (60.8%). The prevalence of self-reported hypertension was 11.0% (34/309). Factors associated with hypertension at the bivariate level were age group 21 - 30 years, 41 - 50 years, being widow/widower, divorced, retired from employment or with family history of hypertension. Only participants age group 31 - 40 years [Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR): 0.18, 95%CI: 0.04 - 0.91, p = 0.04] and family history of hypertension [(AOR): 83.44, 95%CI: 15.75 - 442.11, p < 0.01] were found to predict hypertension among the study participants after adjusting for confounders. In conclusion, Hypertension remains a public health issue among PLHIV. Factors associated with hypertension among PLHIV include age and family history of hypertension. Regular screening for hypertension, its appropriate treatment and optimal control are essential in PLHIV.

Cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease induced by hypertension

Hypertension is a primary risk factor for the progression of cognitive impairment caused by cerebral small vessel disease,the most common cerebrovascular disease.Howeve r,the causal relationship between hypertension and cerebral small vessel disease remains unclear.Hypertension has substantial negative impacts on brain health and is recognized as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease.Chronic hypertension and lifestyle factors are associated with risks for stro ke and dementia,and cerebral small vessel disease can cause dementia and stroke.Hypertension is the main driver of cerebral small vessel disease,which changes the structure and function of cerebral vessels via various mechanisms and leads to lacunar infarction,leukoaraiosis,white matter lesions,and intracerebral hemorrhage,ultimately res ulting in cognitive decline and demonstrating that the brain is the to rget organ of hypertension.This review updates our understanding of the pathogenesis of hypertensioninduced cerebral small vessel disease and the res ulting changes in brain structure and function and declines in cognitive ability.We also discuss drugs to treat cerebral small vessel disease and cognitive impairment.

Causal associations between gastroesophageal reflux disease and essential hypertension: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND Clinical studies have reported that patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)have a higher prevalence of hypertension.AIM To performed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization(MR)analysis to investi-gate the causal link between GERD and essential hypertension.METHODS Eligible single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)were selected,and weighted median,inverse variance weighted(IVW)as well as MR egger(MR-Egger)re-gression were used to examine the potential causal association between GERD and hypertension.The MR-Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier analysis was used to detect and attempt to reduce horizontal pleiotropy by removing outliers SNPs.The MR-Egger intercept test,Cochran’s Q test and“leave-one-out”sen-sitivity analysis were performed to evaluate the horizontal pleiotropy,heterogen-eities,and stability of single instrumental variable.RESULTS IVW analysis exhibited an increased risk of hypertension(OR=1.46,95%CI:1.33-1.59,P=2.14E-16)in GERD patients.And the same result was obtained in replication practice(OR=1.002,95%CI:1.0008-1.003,P=0.000498).Meanwhile,the IVW analysis showed an increased risk of systolic blood pressure(β=0.78,95%CI:0.11-1.44,P=0.021)and hypertensive heart disease(OR=1.68,95%CI:1.36-2.08,P=0.0000016)in GERD patients.Moreover,we found an decreased risk of Barrett's esophagus(OR=0.91,95%CI:0.83-0.99,P=0.043)in essential hypertension patients.CONCLUSION We found that GERD would increase the risk of essential hypertension,which provided a novel prevent and therapeutic perspectives of essential hypertension.

Effect of a comprehensive geriatric assessment nursing intervention model on older patients with diabetes and hypertension

BACKGROUND The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment(CGA)was introduced late in China and is primarily used for investigating and evaluating health problems in older adults in outpatient and community settings.However,there are few reports on its application in hospitalized patients,especially older patients with diabetes and hypertension.AIM To explore the nursing effect of CGA in hospitalized older patients with diabetes and hypertension.METHODS We performed a retrospective single-center analysis of patients with comorbid diabetes mellitus and hypertension who were hospitalized and treated in the Jiangyin Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between September 2020 and June 2022.Among the 80 patients included,40 received CGA nursing interventions(study group),while the remaining 40 received routine nursing care(control group).The study group's comprehensive approach included creating personalized CGA profiles,multidisciplinary assessments,and targeted inter-ventions in areas,such as nutrition,medication adherence,exercise,and mental health.However,the control group received standard nursing care,including general and medical history collection,fall prevention measures,and regular patient monitoring.After 6 months of nursing care implementation,we evaluated the effectiveness of the interventions,including assessments of blood glucose levels fasting blood glucose,2-h postprandial blood glucose,and glycated hemoglobin,type A1c(HbA1c);blood pressure indicators such as diastolic blood pressure(DBP)and systolic blood pressure(SBP);quality of life as measured by the 36-item Short Form Survey(SF-36)questionnaire;and treatment adherence.RESULTS After 6 months,the nursing outcomes indicated that patients who underwent CGA nursing interventions experienced a significant decrease in blood glucose indicators,such as fasting blood glucose,2-h postprandial blood glucose,and HbA1c,as well as blood pressure indicators,including DBP and SBP,compared with the control group(P<0.05).Quality of life assessments,including physical health,emotion,physical function,overall health,and mental health,showed marked improvements compared to the control group(P<0.05).In the study group,38 patients adhered to the clinical treatment requirements,whereas only 32 in the control group adhered to the clinical treatment requirements.The probability of treatment adherence among patients receiving CGA nursing interventions was higher than that among patients receiving standard care(95%vs 80%,P<0.05).CONCLUSION The CGA nursing intervention significantly improved glycemic control,blood pressure management,and quality of life in hospitalized older patients with diabetes and hypertension,compared to routine care.

Periodontitis exacerbates pulmonary hypertension by promoting IFNγ^(+)T cell infiltration in mice

Uncovering the risk factors of pulmonary hypertension and its mechanisms is crucial for the prevention and treatment of the disease.In the current study,we showed that experimental periodontitis,which was established by ligation of molars followed by orally smearing subgingival plaques from patients with periodontitis,exacerbated hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice.Mechanistically,periodontitis dysregulated the pulmonary microbiota by promoting ectopic colonization and enrichment of oral bacteria in the lungs,contributing to pulmonary infiltration of interferon gamma positive(IFNγ^(+))T cells and aggravating the progression of pulmonary hypertension.In addition,we identified Prevotella zoogleoformans as the critical periodontitis-associated bacterium driving the exacerbation of pulmonary hypertension by periodontitis,and the exacerbation was potently ameliorated by both cervical lymph node excision and IFNγneutralizing antibodies.Our study suggests a proof of concept that the combined prevention and treatment of periodontitis and pulmonary hypertension are necessary.

Efficacy of radiofrequency ablation combined with sorafenib for treating liver cancer complicated with portal hypertension and prognostic factors

BACKGROUND Patients with liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension present complex challenges in treatment.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation in combination with sorafenib for improving liver function and its impact on the prognosis of patients with this condition.METHODS Data from 100 patients with liver cancer complicated with portal hypertension from May 2014 to March 2019 were analyzed and divided into a study group(n=50)and a control group(n=50)according to the treatment regimen.The research group received radiofrequency ablation(RFA)in combination with sorafenib,and the control group only received RFA.The short-term efficacy of both the research and control groups was observed.Liver function and portal hypertension were compared before and after treatment.Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),glypican-3(GPC-3),and AFP-L3 levels were compared between the two groups prior to and after treatment.The occurrence of adverse reactions in both groups was observed.The 3-year survival rate was compared between the two groups.Basic data were compared between the survival and non-surviving groups.To identify the independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension,multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed.RESULTS When comparing the two groups,the research group's total effective rate(82.00%)was significantly greater than that of the control group(56.00%;P<0.05).Following treatment,alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels increased,and portal vein pressure decreased in both groups.The degree of improvement for every index was substantially greater in the research group than in the control group(P<0.05).Following treatment,the AFP,GPC-3,and AFP-L3 levels in both groups decreased,with the research group having significantly lower levels than the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of diarrhea,rash,nausea and vomiting,and fatigue in the research group was significantly greater than that in the control group(P<0.05).The 1-,2-,and 3-year survival rates of the research group(94.00%,84.00%,and 72.00%,respectively)were significantly greater than those of the control group(80.00%,64.00%,and 40.00%,respectively;P<0.05).Significant differences were observed between the survival group and the non-surviving group in terms of Child-Pugh grade,history of hepatitis,number of tumors,tumor size,use of sorafenib,stage of liver cancer,histological differentiation,history of splenectomy and other basic data(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that high Child-Pugh grade,tumor size(6–10 cm),history of hepatitis,no use of sorafenib,liver cancer stage IIIC,and previous splenectomy were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with liver cancer complicated with portal hypertension(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Patients suffering from liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension benefit from the combination of RFA and sorafenib therapy because it effectively restores liver function and increases survival rates.The prognosis of patients suffering from liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension is strongly associated with factors such as high Child-Pugh grade,tumor size(6-10 cm),history of hepatitis,lack of sorafenib use,liver cancer at stage IIIC,and prior splenectomy.

Recent advances in promising drugs for primary prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding with cirrhotic portal hypertension

Background:Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is one of the most severe complications of patients with cirrhosis.Although primary prevention drugs,including non-selectiveβ-blockers,have effectively reduced the incidence of bleeding,their efficacy is limited due to side effects and related contraindications.With recent advances in precision medicine,precise drug treatment provides better treatment efficacy.Data sources:Literature search was conducted in PubMed,MEDLINE and Web of Science for relevant articles published up to May 2022.Information on clinical trials was obtained from https://clinicaltrials.gov/and http://www.chictr.org.cn/.Results:The in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis and advances of portal hypertension has enabled the discovery of multiple molecular targets for promising drugs.According to the site of action,these drugs could be classified into four classes:intrahepatic,extrahepatic,both intrahepatic and extrahepatic targets and others.All these classes of drugs offer advantages over traditional treatments in prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.Conclusions:This review classified and summarized the promising drugs,which prevent gastroesophageal variceal bleeding by targeting specific markers of pathogenesis of portal hypertension,demonstrating the significance of using the precision medicine strategy to discover and develop promising drugs for the primary prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridging therapy for patients with thiamine deficiency-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension

Thiamine deficiency is characterized by a deficiency of thiamine(vitamin B1),lactic acidosis,pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH),right-sided heart failure,and peripheral nerve damage.Thiamine deficiency is easily misdiagnosed and missed during clinical practice and is associated with death in severe cases.[1,2]Here we reported a patient who was admitted to the hospital with severe metabolic acidosis and pulmonary hypertension and finally diagnosed with thiamine deficiency by detecting plasma vitamin B1 levels.Since clinically obvious thiamine deficiency is rare,and cases of thiamine deficiency requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)treatment are rarer,we believe that our case will be helpful for emergency clinicians.

Bayesian network-based survival prediction model for patients having undergone post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for portal hypertension

BACKGROUND Portal hypertension(PHT),primarily induced by cirrhosis,manifests severe symptoms impacting patient survival.Although transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is a critical intervention for managing PHT,it carries risks like hepatic encephalopathy,thus affecting patient survival prognosis.To our knowledge,existing prognostic models for post-TIPS survival in patients with PHT fail to account for the interplay among and collective impact of various prognostic factors on outcomes.Consequently,the development of an innovative modeling approach is essential to address this limitation.AIM To develop and validate a Bayesian network(BN)-based survival prediction model for patients with cirrhosis-induced PHT having undergone TIPS.METHODS The clinical data of 393 patients with cirrhosis-induced PHT who underwent TIPS surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2015 and May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Variables were selected using Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression methods,and a BN-based model was established and evaluated to predict survival in patients having undergone TIPS surgery for PHT.RESULTS Variable selection revealed the following as key factors impacting survival:age,ascites,hypertension,indications for TIPS,postoperative portal vein pressure(post-PVP),aspartate aminotransferase,alkaline phosphatase,total bilirubin,prealbumin,the Child-Pugh grade,and the model for end-stage liver disease(MELD)score.Based on the above-mentioned variables,a BN-based 2-year survival prognostic prediction model was constructed,which identified the following factors to be directly linked to the survival time:age,ascites,indications for TIPS,concurrent hypertension,post-PVP,the Child-Pugh grade,and the MELD score.The Bayesian information criterion was 3589.04,and 10-fold cross-validation indicated an average log-likelihood loss of 5.55 with a standard deviation of 0.16.The model’s accuracy,precision,recall,and F1 score were 0.90,0.92,0.97,and 0.95 respectively,with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve being 0.72.CONCLUSION This study successfully developed a BN-based survival prediction model with good predictive capabilities.It offers valuable insights for treatment strategies and prognostic evaluations in patients having undergone TIPS surgery for PHT.

2023 Guideline for the management of hypertension in the elderly population in China

Preamble Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases and the primary risk factor for stroke,myocardial infarction and even cardiovascular death.More than half of the elderly population has high blood pressure.Elderly people are a unique group,and strategies for the prevention,diagnosis,evaluation,and treatment of hypertension in elderly individuals differ significantly from those in the general population.

Portal hypertension in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease:Current knowledge and challenges

Portal hypertension(PH)has traditionally been observed as a consequence of significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in advanced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).However,recent studies have provided evidence that PH may develop in earlier stages of NAFLD,suggesting that there are additional pathogenetic mechanisms at work in addition to liver fibrosis.The early development of PH in NAFLD is associated with hepatocellular lipid accumulation and ballooning,leading to the compression of liver sinusoids.External compression and intraluminal obstacles cause mechanical forces such as strain,shear stress and elevated hydrostatic pressure that in turn activate mechanotransduction pathways,resulting in endothelial dysfunction and the development of fibrosis.The spatial distribution of histological and functional changes in the periportal and perisinusoidal areas of the liver lobule are considered responsible for the pre-sinusoidal component of PH in patients with NAFLD.Thus,current diagnostic methods such as hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)measurement tend to underestimate portal pressure(PP)in NAFLD patients,who might decompensate below the HVPG threshold of 10 mmHg,which is traditionally considered the most relevant indicator of clinically significant portal hypertension(CSPH).This creates further challenges in finding a reliable diagnostic method to stratify the prognostic risk in this population of patients.In theory,the measurement of the portal pressure gradient guided by endoscopic ultrasound might overcome the limitations of HVPG measurement by avoiding the influence of the pre-sinusoidal component,but more investigations are needed to test its clinical utility for this indication.Liver and spleen stiffness measurement in combination with platelet count is currently the best-validated non-invasive approach for diagnosing CSPH and varices needing treatment.Lifestyle change remains the cornerstone of the treatment of PH in NAFLD,together with correcting the components of metabolic syndrome,using nonselective beta blockers,whereas emerging candidate drugs require more robust confirmation from clinical trials.

Variations, effectiveness and its associated factors of a nationwide web-based hypertension management training project in China: insights from a government-led campaign for 1.2 million lay health workers

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of a large-scale,web-based,in-service hypertension management training project among lay health workers(LHWs) at primary care health(PHC) settings in China,and to examine the factors contributing to the variations of effectiveness.METHODS We used data from a web-based national hypertension management training project implemented in 2018,it was designed to facilitate LHWs to learn,understand,and apply the relevant knowledge and skills in hypertension management through providing training courses by use of the web-based platform with unified standards.All LHWs were required to participate in the exams before and after training to acquire scores for the use of evaluating their performance of hypertension management knowledge.We first used descriptive analysis to present the variations of effectiveness in hypertension management knowledge among LHWs by important subgroups.Afterwards,we used multilevel logistic regression to examine the individual and regional factors contributing to the variations and quantify the magnitude of how these factors affected training effectiveness.RESULTS There were 1,208,610 LHWs who completed training and were certificated.Nationally,the scores of LHWs increased significantly from 62.87 ± 21.14 out of 100 in the pre-test to 88.30 ± 11.31 in the post-test by 25.43(95% confidence interval[CI]:25.40-25.47).Training contents involved in antihypertensive medication showed the lowest score(54.36) in the pre-test and soared the most after training,up to 84.22 by 54.94%.Individual factors associated with disparities in the knowledge of hypertension management decreased substantially after training,which included sex,age,education,practice type,professional level,and hierarchy of working institutions.Geographical variations were shown at the provincial level,with the majority of them being explained by factors at the regional level.CONCLUSIONS Accessible web-based training modality,government efforts,accompanied with experiences derived from the training,could be generalized to other low-and middle-income countries in facilitating the hypertension management capacity of LHWs.Localization and evaluation is warranted on the way to its further application.

Alterations in the gut microbiome after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in patients with hepatitis B virus-related portal hypertension

BACKGROUND Gut microbiota(GM)affects the progression and response to treatment in liver diseases.The GM composition is diverse and associated with different etiologies of liver diseases.Notably,alterations in GM alterations are observed in patients with portal hypertension(PH)secondary to cirrhosis,with hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection being a major cause of cirrhosis in China.Thus,understanding the role of GM alterations in patients with HBV infection-related PH is essential.AIM To evaluate GM alterations in patients with HBV-related PH after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)placement.METHODS This was a prospective,observational clinical study.There were 30 patients(with a 100%technical success rate)recruited in the present study.Patients with esophagogastric variceal bleeding due to HBV infection-associated PH who underwent TIPS were enrolled.Stool samples were obtained before and one month after TIPS treatment,and GM was analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing.RESULTS One month after TIPS placement,8 patients developed hepatic encephalopathy(HE)and were assigned to the HE group;the other 22 patients were assigned to the non-HE group.There was no substantial disparity in the abundance of GM at the phylum level between the two groups,regardless of TIPS treatment(all,P>0.05).However,following TIPS placement,the following results were observed:(1)The abundance of Haemophilus and Eggerthella increased,whereas that of Anaerostipes,Dialister,Butyricicoccus,and Oscillospira declined in the HE group;(2)The richness of Eggerthella,Streptococcus,and Bilophila increased,whereas that of Roseburia and Ruminococcus decreased in the non-HE group;and(3)Members from the pathogenic genus Morganella appeared in the HE group but not in the non-HE group.CONCLUSION Intestinal microbiota-related synergism may predict the risk of HE following TIPS placement in patients with HBVrelated PH.Prophylactic microbiome therapies may be useful for preventing and treating HE after TIPS placement.

Mufangji tang ameliorates pulmonary arterial hypertension through improving vascular remodeling,inhibiting inflammatory response and oxidative stress,and inducing apoptosis

Background:Mufangji tang(MFJT)is composed of Ramulus Cinnamomi,Radix Ginseng,Cocculus orbiculatus(Linn.)DC.,and Gypsum.In clinical settings,MFJT has been effectively employed in addressing a range of respiratory disorders,notably including pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH).However,the mechanism of action of MFJT on PAH remains unknown.Methods:In this study,a monocrotaline-induced PAH rat model was established and treated with MFJT.The therapeutic effects of MFJT on PAH rat model were evaluated.Network pharmacology was conducted to screen the possible targets for MFJT on PAH,and the molecular docking between the main active components and the core targets was carried out.The key targets identified from network pharmacology were tested.Results:Results showed significant therapeutic effects of MFJT on PAH rat model.Analysis of network pharmacology revealed several potential targets related to apoptosis,inflammation,oxidative stress,and vascular remodeling.Molecular docking showed that the key components were well docked with the core targets.Further experimental validation results that MFJT treatment induced apoptosis(downregulated Bcl-2 levels and upregulated Bax levels in lung tissue),inhibited inflammatory response and oxdative stress(decreased the levels of IL-1β,TNF-α,inducible NOS,and malondialdehyde,and increased the levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase,nitric oxide,glutathione and superoxide dismutase),reduced the proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells(downregulated ET-1 andβ-catenin levels and ERK1/2 phosphorylation,increased GSK3βlevels).Conclusion:Our study revealed MFJT treatment could alleviate PAH in rats via induction of apoptosis,inhibition of inflammation and oxidative stress,and the prevention of vascular remodeling.

Intracranial hypertension as the primary symptom of malignant melanoma:A case report

BACKGROUND The etiological diagnosis of intracranial hypertension is quite complicated but important in clinical practice.Some common causes are craniocerebral injury,intracranial space-occupying lesion,subarachnoid hemorrhage,and hydrocephalus.When a patient presents with intracranial hypertension,the common causes are to be considered first so that other causes would be dismissed.With the morbidity lower than 9%,neuromelanin is very rare.Common symp-toms include nerve damage symptoms,epilepsy,psychiatric symptoms,and cognitive disorders.CASE SUMMARY We present a patient with melanoma which manifested with isolated intracranial hypertension without any other neurological signs.A 22-year-old male had repeated nausea and vomiting for 2 mo with Babinski sign(+)on both sides,nuchal rigidity,and subarachnoid hemorrhage.He had been diagnosed with melanoma and was given surgery and whole-brain radiation.Ultimately,the patient died 2 mo later.CONCLUSION Malignant melanoma should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of intracranial hypertension.

Development of pulmonary hypertension remains a major hurdle to corrective surgery in Down syndrome

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality encountered in clinical practice with 50%of them having associated congenital heart disease(CHD).Shunt lesions account for around 75%of all CHDs in Down syndrome.Down syndrome patients,especially with large shunts are particularly predisposed to early development of severe pulmonary hypertension(PH)compared with shunt lesions in general population.This necessitates timely surgical correction which remains the only viable option to prevent long term morbidity and mortality.However,despite clear recommendations,there is wide gap between actual practice and fear of underlying PH which often leads to surgical refusals in Down syndrome even when the shunt is reversible.Another peculiarity is that Down syndrome patients can develop PH even after successful correction of shunt.It is not uncommon to come across Down syndrome patients with uncorrected shunts in adulthood with irreversible PH at which stage intracardiac repair is contraindicated and the only option available is a combined heartlung transplant.However,despite the guidelines laid by authorities,the rates of cardiac transplant in adult Down syndrome remain dismal largely attributable to the high prevalence of intellectual disability in them.The index case presents a real-world scenario highlighting the impact of severe PH on treatment strategies and discrimination driven by the fear of worse outcomes in these patients.

Glucocorticoid therapy in pancreatic portal hypertension associated with autoimmune pancreatitis:A case report

BACKGROUND Autoimmune pancreatitis(AIP)is a chronic form of pancreatitis characterized by diffused enlargement of the pancreas and irregular stenosis of the main pancreatic duct.Some studies have reported that AIP can cause hemorrhage of gastric varices(GV)related to portal hypertension(PH).However,such cases are rare.In addition,the association of PH with AIP is unclear.At the same time,the efficacy and duration of glucocorticoid therapy is also controversial.CASE SUMMARY In this case,we reported a case of GV in pancreatic PH associated with AIP.Enhanced abdominal computed tomography(CT)suggested splenic vein(SV)and superior mesenteric vein(SMV)thromboses.The patient received a long-term glucocorticoid therapy,that the initial dose of 40 mg is reduced weekly by 5 mg,and then reduced to 5 mg for long-term maintenance.CT and gastroscopic examination after 8 mo of treatment indicated that SV and SMV were recanalized,pancreatic stiffness and swelling were ameliorated,and the GV almost completely disappeared.CONCLUSION Long-term glucocorticoid therapy can alleviate the development of GV in patients with AIP and has potential reversibility.