BACKGROUND Tooth defects can cause elongation of occlusal teeth,leading to insufficient repair space.The combination of dental implant restoration and orthodontic treatment of oblique adjacent teeth has a significant ...BACKGROUND Tooth defects can cause elongation of occlusal teeth,leading to insufficient repair space.The combination of dental implant restoration and orthodontic treatment of oblique adjacent teeth has a significant therapeutic effect.AIM To explore clinical efficacy,bone density,and follow-up of implant and orthodontic treatment for patients with inclined adjacent teeth.METHODS In total,98 patients with oblique adjacent teeth were randomly assigned to implant restoration combined with orthodontic treatment(group A,n=49)or to receive implant restoration alone(group B,n=49).Changes in alveolar ridge bone density and apical bone density were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.Changes in chewing function and language function were compared between the two groups of patients.Follow-up lasted for 12 mo after repair to observe any adverse reactions in the oral cavity.RESULTS The clinical effective rates of group A and group B were 97.96%and 85.71%,respectively,with group A having a higher clinical effective rate than group B.After treatment,the bone density of the alveolar ridge and apical bone in both groups decreased compared to before treatment,while the chewing and language functions improved.The changes in various indicators in group A were more significant.After treatment,the satisfaction rate of group A(97.96%)was higher than that of group B(79.59%).The incidence of adverse reactions in group A(2.04%)was lower than that in group B(24.49%).CONCLUSION The amalgamation of implant restoration and orthodontic treatment for adjacent tilted teeth demonstrates notable clinical efficacy,diminishes alveolar bone resorption,and fosters patient functional rehabilitation while exhibiting negligible adverse reactions.展开更多
AIM:To assess glaucoma patient satisfaction and follow-up adherence in case management and identify associated predictors to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.METHODS:In this cross-sectional study,a tota...AIM:To assess glaucoma patient satisfaction and follow-up adherence in case management and identify associated predictors to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.METHODS:In this cross-sectional study,a total of 119 patients completed a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 and a sociodemographic questionnaire.Clinical data was obtained from the case management system.Follow-up adherence was defined as completing each follow-up within±30d of the scheduled time set by ophthalmologists during the study period.RESULTS:Average satisfaction scored 78.65±7,with an average of 4.39±0.58 across the seven dimensions.Age negatively correlated with satisfaction(P=0.008),whilst patients with follow-up duration of 2 or more years reported higher satisfaction(P=0.045).Multivariate logistics regression analysis revealed that longer follow-up durations were associated with lower follow-up adherence(OR=0.97,95%CI,0.95-1.00,P=0.044).Additionally,patients with suspected glaucoma(OR=2.72,95%CI,1.03-7.20,P=0.044)and those with an annual income over 100000 Chinese yuan demonstrated higher adherence(OR=5.57,95%CI,1.00-30.89,P=0.049).CONCLUSION:The case management model proves effective for glaucoma patients,with positive adherence rates.The implementation of this model can be optimized in the future based on the identified factors and extended to glaucoma patients in more hospitals.展开更多
Traumatic spinal cord injury is potentially catastrophic and can lead to permanent disability or even death.China has the largest population of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.Previous studies of traumatic ...Traumatic spinal cord injury is potentially catastrophic and can lead to permanent disability or even death.China has the largest population of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.Previous studies of traumatic spinal cord injury in China have mostly been regional in scope;national-level studies have been rare.To the best of our knowledge,no national-level study of treatment status and economic burden has been performed.This retrospective study aimed to examine the epidemiological and clinical features,treatment status,and economic burden of traumatic spinal cord injury in China at the national level.We included 13,465 traumatic spinal cord injury patients who were injured between January 2013 and December 2018 and treated in 30 hospitals in 11 provinces/municipalities representing all geographical divisions of China.Patient epidemiological and clinical features,treatment status,and total and daily costs were recorded.Trends in the percentage of traumatic spinal cord injuries among all hospitalized patients and among patients hospitalized in the orthopedic department and cost of care were assessed by annual percentage change using the Joinpoint Regression Program.The percentage of traumatic spinal cord injuries among all hospitalized patients and among patients hospitalized in the orthopedic department did not significantly change overall(annual percentage change,-0.5%and 2.1%,respectively).A total of 10,053(74.7%)patients underwent surgery.Only 2.8%of patients who underwent surgery did so within 24 hours of injury.A total of 2005(14.9%)patients were treated with high-dose(≥500 mg)methylprednisolone sodium succinate/methylprednisolone(MPSS/MP);615(4.6%)received it within 8 hours.The total cost for acute traumatic spinal cord injury decreased over the study period(-4.7%),while daily cost did not significantly change(1.0%increase).Our findings indicate that public health initiatives should aim at improving hospitals’ability to complete early surgery within 24 hours,which is associated with improved sensorimotor recovery,increasing the awareness rate of clinical guidelines related to high-dose MPSS/MP to reduce the use of the treatment with insufficient evidence.展开更多
BACKGROUND Autoimmune enteropathy(AIE)is a rare disease whose diagnosis and long-term prognosis remain challenging,especially for adult AIE patients.AIM To improve overall understanding of this disease’s diagnosis an...BACKGROUND Autoimmune enteropathy(AIE)is a rare disease whose diagnosis and long-term prognosis remain challenging,especially for adult AIE patients.AIM To improve overall understanding of this disease’s diagnosis and prognosis.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics and prognoses of 16 adult AIE patients in our tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2023,whose diagnosis was based on the 2007 diagnostic criteria.RESULTS Diarrhea in AIE patients was characterized by secretory diarrhea.The common endoscopic manifestations were edema,villous blunting and mucosal hyperemia in the duodenum and ileum.Villous blunting(100%),deep crypt lymphocytic infiltration(67%),apoptotic bodies(50%),and mild intraepithelial lymphocytosis(69%)were observed in the duodenal biopsies.Moreover,there were other remarkable abnormalities,including reduced or absent goblet cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 62%),reduced or absent Paneth cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 69%)and neutrophil infiltration(duodenum 100%,ileum 69%).Our patients also fulfilled the 2018 diagnostic criteria but did not match the 2022 diagnostic criteria due to undetectable anti-enterocyte antibodies.All patients received glucocorticoid therapy as the initial medication,of which 14/16 patients achieved a clinical response in 5(IQR:3-20)days.Immunosuppressants were administered to 9 patients with indications of steroid dependence(6/9),steroid refractory status(2/9),or intensified maintenance medication(1/9).During the median of 20.5 months of followup,2 patients died from multiple organ failure,and 1 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.The cumulative relapse-free survival rates were 62.5%,55.6%and 37.0%at 6 months,12 months and 48 months,respectively.CONCLUSION Certain histopathological findings,including a decrease or disappearance of goblet and Paneth cells in intestinal biopsies,might be potential diagnostic criteria for adult AIE.The long-term prognosis is still unsatisfactory despite corticosteroid and immunosuppressant medications,which highlights the need for early diagnosis and novel medications.展开更多
BACKGROUND Acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(ANVUGIB)constitutes a prevalent emergency within Gastroenterology,encompassing 80%-90%of all gastrointestinal hemorrhage incidents.This condition is distin...BACKGROUND Acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(ANVUGIB)constitutes a prevalent emergency within Gastroenterology,encompassing 80%-90%of all gastrointestinal hemorrhage incidents.This condition is distinguished by its abrupt onset,swift progression,and notably elevated mortality rate.AIM To gather clinical data from patients with ANVUGIB at our hospital in order to elucidate the clinical characteristics specific to our institution and analyze the therapeutic effectiveness of endoscopic hemostasis.METHODS We retrospectively retrieved the records of 532 patients diagnosed with ANVUGIB by endoscopy at our hospital between March 2021 and March 2023,utilizing our medical record system.Data pertaining to general patient information,etiological factors,disease outcomes,and other relevant variables were meticulously collected and analyzed.RESULTS Among the 532 patients diagnosed with ANVUGIB,the male-to-female ratio was 2.91:1,with a higher prevalence among males.Notably,43.6%of patients presented with black stool as their primary complaint,while 27.4%had hematemesis as their initial symptom.Upon admission,17%of patients exhibited both hematemesis and black stool,while most ANVUGIB patients primarily complained of overt gastrointestinal bleeding.Urgent routine blood examinations at admission revealed that 75.8%of patients had anemia,with 63.4%experiencing moderate to severe anemia,and 1.5%having extremely severe anemia(hemoglobin<30 g/L).With regard to etiology,53.2%of patients experienced bleeding without a definitive trigger,24.2%had a history of using gastric mucosa-irritating medications,24.2%developed bleeding after alcohol consumption,2.8%attributed it to improper diet,1.7%to emotional excitement,and 2.3%to fatigue preceding the bleeding episode.Drug-induced ANVUGIB was more prevalent in the elderly than middle-aged and young individuals,while bleeding due to alcohol consumption showed the opposite trend.Additionally,diet-related bleeding was more common among the young age group compared to the middle-aged group.Gastrointestinal endoscopy identified peptic ulcers as the most frequent cause of ANVUGIB(73.3%),followed by gastrointestinal malignancies(10.9%),acute gastric mucous lesions(9.8%),and androgenic upper gastrointestinal bleeding(1.5%)among inpatients with ANVUGIB.Of the 532 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding,68 underwent endoscopic hemostasis,resulting in an endoscopic treatment rate of 12.8%,with a high immediate hemostasis success rate of 94.1%.展开更多
Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a complex disease with diverse etiologies and clinical outcomes.Despite considerable progress in development of CRC therapeutics,challenges remain regarding the diagnosis and management of adv...Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a complex disease with diverse etiologies and clinical outcomes.Despite considerable progress in development of CRC therapeutics,challenges remain regarding the diagnosis and management of advanced stage metastatic CRC(mCRC).In particular,the five-year survival rate is very low since mCRC is currently rarely curable.Over the past decade,cancer treatment has significantly improved with the introduction of cancer immunotherapies,specifically immune checkpoint inhibitors.Therapies aimed at blocking immune checkpoints such as PD-1,PD-L1,and CTLA-4 target inhibitory pathways of the immune system,and thereby enhance anti-tumor immunity.These therapies thus have shown promising results in many clinical trials alone or in combination.The efficacy and safety of immunotherapy,either alone or in combination with CRC,have been investigated in several clinical trials.Clinical trials,including KEYNOTE-164 and CheckMate 142,have led to Food and Drug Administration approval of the PD-1 inhibitors pembrolizumab and nivolumab,respectively,for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high or deficient mismatch repair CRC.Unfortunately,these drugs benefit only a small percentage of patients,with the benefits of immunotherapy remaining elusive for the vast majority of CRC patients.To this end,primary and secondary resistance to immunotherapy remains a significant issue,and further research is necessary to optimize the use of immunotherapy in CRC and identify biomarkers to predict the response.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical trials involving immune checkpoint inhibitors in CRC.The underlying rationale,challenges faced,and potential future steps to improve the prognosis and enhance the likelihood of successful trials in this field are discussed.展开更多
Background: Appropriate sample requesting, collecting and timely dispatch to the appropriate laboratory is essential in establishing diagnosis of pathologies with lesions. Much time and effort may be wasted if this is...Background: Appropriate sample requesting, collecting and timely dispatch to the appropriate laboratory is essential in establishing diagnosis of pathologies with lesions. Much time and effort may be wasted if this is not done according to certain standards. We conducted this study to assess the route of lymph node samples from requests to reaching the laboratories. Methods: We conducted an audit over a period from 4th June until 10th Aug 2023. Data for all the procedures performed over this period on lymph node samples (was entered into and analysed using Excel. Results: A total of eighteen samples for sixteen patients were obtained during this period. Median age of the patients was 34 years (19 - 73) with a M:F ratio of 5:11. Among the IR samples, nine samples were from the neck, three from inguinal area and one from axilla. Seven samples (53.8%) were tru-cut biopsies, six samples (46.15%) were FNA. All samples were sent to the pathology laboratory fixed in formalin. Samples for TB were sent only for five cases (31.25%) and for only two cases (12.5%) were samples sent for bacterial culture. For the OR samples, none were sent for either bacterial culture or TB. Overall, eight patients (50%) were not investigated for any infectious etiologies like brucella, toxoplasmosis, CMV, EBV plus other possible causes. Repeat sampling was required for 25% of patients (within and out of the audit period). Conclusions: to avoid delays in making diagnoses, it is paramount to consider infectious etiologies as possible diagnosis for lymphadenopathy and request appropriate investigations. This requires liaising with infectious diseases/clinical microbiology experts to guide regarding types of samples, types of media and timely dispatch to the correct laboratory.展开更多
Historically,the rapid degradation and massive gas release from magnesium(Mg)implants resulted in severe emphysema and mechanical failure.With the advent of new alloys and surface treatment methods,optimized Mg implan...Historically,the rapid degradation and massive gas release from magnesium(Mg)implants resulted in severe emphysema and mechanical failure.With the advent of new alloys and surface treatment methods,optimized Mg implants have re-entered clinics since last decade with reliable performance.However,the optimization aims at slowing down the degradation process,rather than exemption of the gas release.This study involved a systematic evaluation of current preclinical and clinical evidence,regarding the physical signs,symptoms,radiological features,pathological findings and complications potentially associated with peri±implant gas accumulation(PIGA)after musculoskeletal Mg implantation.The literature search identified 196 potentially relevant publications,and 51 papers were enrolled for further analysis,including 22 preclinical tests and 29 clinical studies published from 2005 to 2023.Various Mg-based materials have been evaluated in animal research,and the application of pure Mg and Mg alloys have been reported in clinical follow-ups involving multiple anatomical sites and musculoskeletal disorders.Soft tissue and intraosseous PIGA are common in both animal tests and clinical follow-ups,and potentially associated with certain adverse events.Radiological examinations especially micro-CT and clinical CT scans provide valuable information for quantitative and longitudinal analysis.While according to simulation tests involving Mg implantation and chemical processing,tissue fixation could lead to an increase in the volume of gas cavity,thus the results obtained from ex vivo imaging or histopathological evaluations should be interpreted with caution.There still lacks standardized procedures or consensus for both preclinical and clinical evaluation of PIGA.However,by providing focused insights into the topic,this evidence-based study will facilitate future animal tests and clinical evaluations,and support developing biocompatible Mg implants for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.展开更多
The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients have been well summarized by Xie et al.However,we should pay attention to another special manifestation of COVID-19,COVID-19-related immune reconstitution inflammatory...The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients have been well summarized by Xie et al.However,we should pay attention to another special manifestation of COVID-19,COVID-19-related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome(IRIS).SARS-CoV-2,an infectious agent,can alscoause IRIS,similar to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic,increasing cases of COVID-19-related IRIS have been reported.However,the definition and detailed criteria of COVID-19-related IRIS have not been thoroughly clarified.Clinicians should pay attention to 3 essential components in a classical model of IRIS,including a primary disease that causes immunosuppression,a trigger that induces immune reconstitution.展开更多
Takotsubo syndrome(TTS)is a clinical syndr-ome that frequently occurs in postmenopausal women,mostly induced by stress factors.It is characterized by chest pain,ST-segment elevation,and/or T-wave changes in electrocar...Takotsubo syndrome(TTS)is a clinical syndr-ome that frequently occurs in postmenopausal women,mostly induced by stress factors.It is characterized by chest pain,ST-segment elevation,and/or T-wave changes in electrocardiogram,along with my-ocardial troponin elevation.[1]TTS can be easily misdia-gnosed as myocardial infarction,and improper treatme-nt may lead to serious consequences.There are few re-ports and research on this disease.[2]展开更多
Introduction: Migraine is the most common primary headache, and can cause significant disability. There are two types, migraine without aura and migraine with aura. The diagnosis of migraine is essentially clinical. W...Introduction: Migraine is the most common primary headache, and can cause significant disability. There are two types, migraine without aura and migraine with aura. The diagnosis of migraine is essentially clinical. Worldwide prevalence was estimated at 11.6% in 2009. In Africa, it is estimated at 10.4%. Objective: To describe the clinical and therapeutic aspects of migraine in Brazzaville. Patients and Methods: This was a door-to-door cross-sectional study conducted from 1<sup>st</sup> May to 1<sup> st</sup> July 2018 in the city of Brazzaville. Subjects over 18 with clearly expressed consent were included. The questionnaire covered demographic characteristics, diagnostic criteria for migraine according to the IHS, treatments taken. The degree of disability was determined using the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 for MAC. Results: Of the 1017 subjects interviewed in this study, 115 (39.9%) had migraine, including 73 women (63.47%) and 42 men (36.52%). In the group of migraine sufferers, the number of cases of definite migraine was 61 (53.04%) and that of probable migraine 54 (46.95%). For 81 migraine sufferers (70.43%), stress was the triggering factor. The frequency of attacks was weekly and monthly for 30 (26.1%) and 19 (16.5%) sufferers respectively. The location of the migraine was unilateral in 38% of cases and tilted in 24.3%. The intensity of the attack was described as moderate and severe in 41.7% and 57.4% of subjects respectively. Phonophobia/photophobia accompanied the migraine in 65.2% of cases. One hundred and eight subjects were treated. Of these, 106 (98.1%) were on medication. Eleven (10.37%) had received a medical prescription, and ninety-seven (89.8%) were self-medicating. Five and three subjects were under the care of a general practitioner and a neurologist respectively. Conclusion: Migraine is a frequent pathology in Brazzaville. Its preponderance among young people and women calls for the implementation of effective prevention strategies for these already vulnerable social groups. The form without aura was the most common type. Visual aura was the most common type. Headache-related symptoms were dominated by phonophotophobia, followed by nausea and vomiting. Almost all migraine sufferers were self-medicating, and very few were under the care of a doctor. First-line analgesics and NSAIDs were the mainstay of treatment.展开更多
Observation is a fundamental part of the practice of clinical medicine.Observation of movement is particularly important for the neurologist.Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease,multiple sclerosis,stroke,epilepsy,a...Observation is a fundamental part of the practice of clinical medicine.Observation of movement is particularly important for the neurologist.Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease,multiple sclerosis,stroke,epilepsy,and many others affect a person’s movement in characteristic ways.In some conditions,changes in the patient’s voice can be included in this-changes in sound caused by changes in the movements of speech.The clinician’s detection of a characteristic abnormality,and their judgment of its severity,plays a central role in both diagnosis and the assessment of prognosis or response to treatment.However,that practice depends upon a limited resource of experienced experts.In addition,these experts are limited by human visual judgment,which cannot reliably or precisely detect and measure small or subtle changes in movement(Williams et al.,2023).展开更多
The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer(CSCO BC)guidelines have been widely implemented in China since the first release in 2017.The Guideline Working Committee has also published multiple versions in E...The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer(CSCO BC)guidelines have been widely implemented in China since the first release in 2017.The Guideline Working Committee has also published multiple versions in English,Arabic,and other languages to facilitate communications with international experts.展开更多
Precision medicine is a growing field worldwide.Despite its potential benefit to many patients,several major obstacles must be overcome before precision medicine can be more widely used in clinical practice.The main o...Precision medicine is a growing field worldwide.Despite its potential benefit to many patients,several major obstacles must be overcome before precision medicine can be more widely used in clinical practice.The main obstacles are associated with the quality of samples used for genomic analysis。展开更多
Background: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) remains an important public health problem in China. Many studies on the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD have been reported, but studies in North Sichuan region ...Background: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) remains an important public health problem in China. Many studies on the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD have been reported, but studies in North Sichuan region have been neglected. Methods: HFMD-related enterovirus infected cases were clinically confirmed and underwent real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) from May 2018 to October 2023 in Guangyuan Central Hospital. Results: During 2018-2023, other EV (437 cases, 81.08%) was the most predominant serotype followed by CV-A16 (94 cases, 17.44%), EV-A71 (8 cases, 1.48%) was the least predominant serotype. Peak infections occurred in July and October. There were no significant differences in gender, age and serotypes. HFMD was concentrated in children under 47 months of age, with the highest incidence in children aged 12 - 23 months and the highest proportion of other EV infections in the whole age group. COVID-19 did not cause significant changes in gender, age and serotype. Overall, there was a significant increase in the proportion of children aged 12 - 23 months infected with CV-A16, and an increase in the proportion of children aged over 36 months infected with other EVs. Conclusions: The incidence of HFMD caused by EV-A71 has decreased significantly, and other EVs have become the main pathogens of HFMD in North Sichuan region in recent years. In the prevention and control of CV-A16, more attention should be paid to children aged 12 - 23 months and the dominant serotype should be closely monitored. Our study highlights the importance of developing of new diagnostic reagents and vaccines for the prevention and control of enterovirus infection. This study for the first time provides insights into district interventions to local conditions.展开更多
In the context of the People's Republic of China,coronary artery disease(CAD)presents a sig-nificant clinical challenge,with over 11.3 mil-lion patients diagnosed.Traditionally,the diagnos-is of CAD has predominan...In the context of the People's Republic of China,coronary artery disease(CAD)presents a sig-nificant clinical challenge,with over 11.3 mil-lion patients diagnosed.Traditionally,the diagnos-is of CAD has predominantly relied on invasive coronary angiography.[1]However,recent advances in clinical research have revealed a notable trend:a substantial 82% of patients subjected to such invas-ive diagnostics do not necessitate interventional therapy.展开更多
Background The alexithymia trait is of high clinical interest.The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire(PAQ)was recently developed to enable detailed facet-level and valence-specific assessments of alexithymia.Aims In this ...Background The alexithymia trait is of high clinical interest.The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire(PAQ)was recently developed to enable detailed facet-level and valence-specific assessments of alexithymia.Aims In this paper,we introduce the first Chinese version of the PAQ and examine its psychometric properties and clinical applications.Methods In Study 1,the PAQ was administered to 990 Chinese participants.We examined its factor structure,internal consistency,test-retest reliability,as well as convergent,concurrent and discriminant validity.In Study 2,four groups,including a major depressive disorder(MDD)group(n=50),a matched healthy control group for MDD(n=50),a subclinical depression group(n=50)and a matched healthy control group for subclinical depression(n=50),were recruited.Group comparisons were conducted to assess the clinical relevance of the PAQ.Results In Study 1,the intended five-factor structure of the PAQ was found to fit the data well.The PAQ showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability,as well as good convergent,concurrent and discriminant validity.In Study 2,the PAQ was able to successfully distinguish the MDD group and the subclinical depression group from their matched healthy controls.Conclusions The Chinese version of the PAQ is a valid and reliable instrument for comprehensively assessing alexithymia in the general population and adults with clinical/subclinical depression.展开更多
After perusing the paper by Kim et al,I discovered that this is an interesting manuscript and a successful study.Virtual reality(VR)is an emerging and promising technology employed in the domain of medical practice an...After perusing the paper by Kim et al,I discovered that this is an interesting manuscript and a successful study.Virtual reality(VR)is an emerging and promising technology employed in the domain of medical practice and medical education over the past decade.In the era of big data,VR is constantly progressing in the fields of medical education and clinical diagnosis and treatment.As a novel scientific and technological tool,VR not only overcomes multiple limitations of the traditional medical teaching mode but also reduces the reliance on personnel and equipment.VR can simulate the real clinical situation,stimulate the enthusiasm of young doctors and nurses for clinical study,and simultaneously safeguard and promote medical safety and doctor-patient harmony.Favorable outcomes have been attained in clinical teaching and diagnosis and treatment activities.While enhancing the training conditions of medical cosmetics and elevating the level of clinical practice and teaching,the risks resulting from improper clinical diagnosis and treatment have been circumvented.All of this is evident and comprehensible.展开更多
INTRODUCTION Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)is a neuroplasticity-enhancing technique that modifies brain responsiveness to various therapeutic modalities in clinical psychiatric and neurological app...INTRODUCTION Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)is a neuroplasticity-enhancing technique that modifies brain responsiveness to various therapeutic modalities in clinical psychiatric and neurological applications. Furthermore,its effect can be attributed to long-term potentiation(LTP)or longterm depression(LTD)-like neuroplasticity.However,responsiveness to rTMS is largely variable in healthy and pathological brains and is mediated by complex biological mechanisms.Metaplasticity refers to a higher-order plasticity mechanism in which the direction and magnitude of synaptic plasticity are modified by prior neuronal activity and is believed to be a significant factor leading to the response variability of rTMs.展开更多
基金the Review Committee of General Hospital of Central Theater Command(Approval No.05901).
文摘BACKGROUND Tooth defects can cause elongation of occlusal teeth,leading to insufficient repair space.The combination of dental implant restoration and orthodontic treatment of oblique adjacent teeth has a significant therapeutic effect.AIM To explore clinical efficacy,bone density,and follow-up of implant and orthodontic treatment for patients with inclined adjacent teeth.METHODS In total,98 patients with oblique adjacent teeth were randomly assigned to implant restoration combined with orthodontic treatment(group A,n=49)or to receive implant restoration alone(group B,n=49).Changes in alveolar ridge bone density and apical bone density were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.Changes in chewing function and language function were compared between the two groups of patients.Follow-up lasted for 12 mo after repair to observe any adverse reactions in the oral cavity.RESULTS The clinical effective rates of group A and group B were 97.96%and 85.71%,respectively,with group A having a higher clinical effective rate than group B.After treatment,the bone density of the alveolar ridge and apical bone in both groups decreased compared to before treatment,while the chewing and language functions improved.The changes in various indicators in group A were more significant.After treatment,the satisfaction rate of group A(97.96%)was higher than that of group B(79.59%).The incidence of adverse reactions in group A(2.04%)was lower than that in group B(24.49%).CONCLUSION The amalgamation of implant restoration and orthodontic treatment for adjacent tilted teeth demonstrates notable clinical efficacy,diminishes alveolar bone resorption,and fosters patient functional rehabilitation while exhibiting negligible adverse reactions.
基金Supported by the Key Innovation and Guidance Program of the Eye Hospital,School of Ophthalmology&Optometry,Wenzhou Medical University(No.YNZD2201903)the Scientific Research Foundation of the Eye Hospital,School of Ophthalmology&Optometry,Wenzhou Medical University(No.KYQD20180306)the Nursing Project of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University(No.YNHL2201908).
文摘AIM:To assess glaucoma patient satisfaction and follow-up adherence in case management and identify associated predictors to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.METHODS:In this cross-sectional study,a total of 119 patients completed a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 and a sociodemographic questionnaire.Clinical data was obtained from the case management system.Follow-up adherence was defined as completing each follow-up within±30d of the scheduled time set by ophthalmologists during the study period.RESULTS:Average satisfaction scored 78.65±7,with an average of 4.39±0.58 across the seven dimensions.Age negatively correlated with satisfaction(P=0.008),whilst patients with follow-up duration of 2 or more years reported higher satisfaction(P=0.045).Multivariate logistics regression analysis revealed that longer follow-up durations were associated with lower follow-up adherence(OR=0.97,95%CI,0.95-1.00,P=0.044).Additionally,patients with suspected glaucoma(OR=2.72,95%CI,1.03-7.20,P=0.044)and those with an annual income over 100000 Chinese yuan demonstrated higher adherence(OR=5.57,95%CI,1.00-30.89,P=0.049).CONCLUSION:The case management model proves effective for glaucoma patients,with positive adherence rates.The implementation of this model can be optimized in the future based on the identified factors and extended to glaucoma patients in more hospitals.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Project,No.2019YFA0112100(to SF).
文摘Traumatic spinal cord injury is potentially catastrophic and can lead to permanent disability or even death.China has the largest population of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.Previous studies of traumatic spinal cord injury in China have mostly been regional in scope;national-level studies have been rare.To the best of our knowledge,no national-level study of treatment status and economic burden has been performed.This retrospective study aimed to examine the epidemiological and clinical features,treatment status,and economic burden of traumatic spinal cord injury in China at the national level.We included 13,465 traumatic spinal cord injury patients who were injured between January 2013 and December 2018 and treated in 30 hospitals in 11 provinces/municipalities representing all geographical divisions of China.Patient epidemiological and clinical features,treatment status,and total and daily costs were recorded.Trends in the percentage of traumatic spinal cord injuries among all hospitalized patients and among patients hospitalized in the orthopedic department and cost of care were assessed by annual percentage change using the Joinpoint Regression Program.The percentage of traumatic spinal cord injuries among all hospitalized patients and among patients hospitalized in the orthopedic department did not significantly change overall(annual percentage change,-0.5%and 2.1%,respectively).A total of 10,053(74.7%)patients underwent surgery.Only 2.8%of patients who underwent surgery did so within 24 hours of injury.A total of 2005(14.9%)patients were treated with high-dose(≥500 mg)methylprednisolone sodium succinate/methylprednisolone(MPSS/MP);615(4.6%)received it within 8 hours.The total cost for acute traumatic spinal cord injury decreased over the study period(-4.7%),while daily cost did not significantly change(1.0%increase).Our findings indicate that public health initiatives should aim at improving hospitals’ability to complete early surgery within 24 hours,which is associated with improved sensorimotor recovery,increasing the awareness rate of clinical guidelines related to high-dose MPSS/MP to reduce the use of the treatment with insufficient evidence.
基金Supported by National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding,No.2022-PUMCH-B-022 and No.2022-PUMCH-D-002CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences,No.2021-1-I2M-003+1 种基金Undergraduate Innovation Program,No.2023-zglc-06034National Key Clinical Specialty Construction Project,No.ZK108000。
文摘BACKGROUND Autoimmune enteropathy(AIE)is a rare disease whose diagnosis and long-term prognosis remain challenging,especially for adult AIE patients.AIM To improve overall understanding of this disease’s diagnosis and prognosis.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics and prognoses of 16 adult AIE patients in our tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2023,whose diagnosis was based on the 2007 diagnostic criteria.RESULTS Diarrhea in AIE patients was characterized by secretory diarrhea.The common endoscopic manifestations were edema,villous blunting and mucosal hyperemia in the duodenum and ileum.Villous blunting(100%),deep crypt lymphocytic infiltration(67%),apoptotic bodies(50%),and mild intraepithelial lymphocytosis(69%)were observed in the duodenal biopsies.Moreover,there were other remarkable abnormalities,including reduced or absent goblet cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 62%),reduced or absent Paneth cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 69%)and neutrophil infiltration(duodenum 100%,ileum 69%).Our patients also fulfilled the 2018 diagnostic criteria but did not match the 2022 diagnostic criteria due to undetectable anti-enterocyte antibodies.All patients received glucocorticoid therapy as the initial medication,of which 14/16 patients achieved a clinical response in 5(IQR:3-20)days.Immunosuppressants were administered to 9 patients with indications of steroid dependence(6/9),steroid refractory status(2/9),or intensified maintenance medication(1/9).During the median of 20.5 months of followup,2 patients died from multiple organ failure,and 1 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.The cumulative relapse-free survival rates were 62.5%,55.6%and 37.0%at 6 months,12 months and 48 months,respectively.CONCLUSION Certain histopathological findings,including a decrease or disappearance of goblet and Paneth cells in intestinal biopsies,might be potential diagnostic criteria for adult AIE.The long-term prognosis is still unsatisfactory despite corticosteroid and immunosuppressant medications,which highlights the need for early diagnosis and novel medications.
基金Supported by Xi’an Health Commission Residential Training Base Construction Project,No.2023zp09.
文摘BACKGROUND Acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(ANVUGIB)constitutes a prevalent emergency within Gastroenterology,encompassing 80%-90%of all gastrointestinal hemorrhage incidents.This condition is distinguished by its abrupt onset,swift progression,and notably elevated mortality rate.AIM To gather clinical data from patients with ANVUGIB at our hospital in order to elucidate the clinical characteristics specific to our institution and analyze the therapeutic effectiveness of endoscopic hemostasis.METHODS We retrospectively retrieved the records of 532 patients diagnosed with ANVUGIB by endoscopy at our hospital between March 2021 and March 2023,utilizing our medical record system.Data pertaining to general patient information,etiological factors,disease outcomes,and other relevant variables were meticulously collected and analyzed.RESULTS Among the 532 patients diagnosed with ANVUGIB,the male-to-female ratio was 2.91:1,with a higher prevalence among males.Notably,43.6%of patients presented with black stool as their primary complaint,while 27.4%had hematemesis as their initial symptom.Upon admission,17%of patients exhibited both hematemesis and black stool,while most ANVUGIB patients primarily complained of overt gastrointestinal bleeding.Urgent routine blood examinations at admission revealed that 75.8%of patients had anemia,with 63.4%experiencing moderate to severe anemia,and 1.5%having extremely severe anemia(hemoglobin<30 g/L).With regard to etiology,53.2%of patients experienced bleeding without a definitive trigger,24.2%had a history of using gastric mucosa-irritating medications,24.2%developed bleeding after alcohol consumption,2.8%attributed it to improper diet,1.7%to emotional excitement,and 2.3%to fatigue preceding the bleeding episode.Drug-induced ANVUGIB was more prevalent in the elderly than middle-aged and young individuals,while bleeding due to alcohol consumption showed the opposite trend.Additionally,diet-related bleeding was more common among the young age group compared to the middle-aged group.Gastrointestinal endoscopy identified peptic ulcers as the most frequent cause of ANVUGIB(73.3%),followed by gastrointestinal malignancies(10.9%),acute gastric mucous lesions(9.8%),and androgenic upper gastrointestinal bleeding(1.5%)among inpatients with ANVUGIB.Of the 532 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding,68 underwent endoscopic hemostasis,resulting in an endoscopic treatment rate of 12.8%,with a high immediate hemostasis success rate of 94.1%.
基金Supported by IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center grant,No.5P30CA082709-24.
文摘Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a complex disease with diverse etiologies and clinical outcomes.Despite considerable progress in development of CRC therapeutics,challenges remain regarding the diagnosis and management of advanced stage metastatic CRC(mCRC).In particular,the five-year survival rate is very low since mCRC is currently rarely curable.Over the past decade,cancer treatment has significantly improved with the introduction of cancer immunotherapies,specifically immune checkpoint inhibitors.Therapies aimed at blocking immune checkpoints such as PD-1,PD-L1,and CTLA-4 target inhibitory pathways of the immune system,and thereby enhance anti-tumor immunity.These therapies thus have shown promising results in many clinical trials alone or in combination.The efficacy and safety of immunotherapy,either alone or in combination with CRC,have been investigated in several clinical trials.Clinical trials,including KEYNOTE-164 and CheckMate 142,have led to Food and Drug Administration approval of the PD-1 inhibitors pembrolizumab and nivolumab,respectively,for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high or deficient mismatch repair CRC.Unfortunately,these drugs benefit only a small percentage of patients,with the benefits of immunotherapy remaining elusive for the vast majority of CRC patients.To this end,primary and secondary resistance to immunotherapy remains a significant issue,and further research is necessary to optimize the use of immunotherapy in CRC and identify biomarkers to predict the response.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical trials involving immune checkpoint inhibitors in CRC.The underlying rationale,challenges faced,and potential future steps to improve the prognosis and enhance the likelihood of successful trials in this field are discussed.
文摘Background: Appropriate sample requesting, collecting and timely dispatch to the appropriate laboratory is essential in establishing diagnosis of pathologies with lesions. Much time and effort may be wasted if this is not done according to certain standards. We conducted this study to assess the route of lymph node samples from requests to reaching the laboratories. Methods: We conducted an audit over a period from 4th June until 10th Aug 2023. Data for all the procedures performed over this period on lymph node samples (was entered into and analysed using Excel. Results: A total of eighteen samples for sixteen patients were obtained during this period. Median age of the patients was 34 years (19 - 73) with a M:F ratio of 5:11. Among the IR samples, nine samples were from the neck, three from inguinal area and one from axilla. Seven samples (53.8%) were tru-cut biopsies, six samples (46.15%) were FNA. All samples were sent to the pathology laboratory fixed in formalin. Samples for TB were sent only for five cases (31.25%) and for only two cases (12.5%) were samples sent for bacterial culture. For the OR samples, none were sent for either bacterial culture or TB. Overall, eight patients (50%) were not investigated for any infectious etiologies like brucella, toxoplasmosis, CMV, EBV plus other possible causes. Repeat sampling was required for 25% of patients (within and out of the audit period). Conclusions: to avoid delays in making diagnoses, it is paramount to consider infectious etiologies as possible diagnosis for lymphadenopathy and request appropriate investigations. This requires liaising with infectious diseases/clinical microbiology experts to guide regarding types of samples, types of media and timely dispatch to the correct laboratory.
基金a grant from the state of Schleswig-Holstein and the European Union ERDF-European Regional Development Fund(Zukunftsprogramm Wirtschaft)。
文摘Historically,the rapid degradation and massive gas release from magnesium(Mg)implants resulted in severe emphysema and mechanical failure.With the advent of new alloys and surface treatment methods,optimized Mg implants have re-entered clinics since last decade with reliable performance.However,the optimization aims at slowing down the degradation process,rather than exemption of the gas release.This study involved a systematic evaluation of current preclinical and clinical evidence,regarding the physical signs,symptoms,radiological features,pathological findings and complications potentially associated with peri±implant gas accumulation(PIGA)after musculoskeletal Mg implantation.The literature search identified 196 potentially relevant publications,and 51 papers were enrolled for further analysis,including 22 preclinical tests and 29 clinical studies published from 2005 to 2023.Various Mg-based materials have been evaluated in animal research,and the application of pure Mg and Mg alloys have been reported in clinical follow-ups involving multiple anatomical sites and musculoskeletal disorders.Soft tissue and intraosseous PIGA are common in both animal tests and clinical follow-ups,and potentially associated with certain adverse events.Radiological examinations especially micro-CT and clinical CT scans provide valuable information for quantitative and longitudinal analysis.While according to simulation tests involving Mg implantation and chemical processing,tissue fixation could lead to an increase in the volume of gas cavity,thus the results obtained from ex vivo imaging or histopathological evaluations should be interpreted with caution.There still lacks standardized procedures or consensus for both preclinical and clinical evaluation of PIGA.However,by providing focused insights into the topic,this evidence-based study will facilitate future animal tests and clinical evaluations,and support developing biocompatible Mg implants for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.
文摘The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients have been well summarized by Xie et al.However,we should pay attention to another special manifestation of COVID-19,COVID-19-related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome(IRIS).SARS-CoV-2,an infectious agent,can alscoause IRIS,similar to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic,increasing cases of COVID-19-related IRIS have been reported.However,the definition and detailed criteria of COVID-19-related IRIS have not been thoroughly clarified.Clinicians should pay attention to 3 essential components in a classical model of IRIS,including a primary disease that causes immunosuppression,a trigger that induces immune reconstitution.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81800250)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022M711417)+1 种基金the Jiangsu Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Project(MS-2023137)the Yangzhou Science and Technology Plan Social Development Project(YZ2023096).
文摘Takotsubo syndrome(TTS)is a clinical syndr-ome that frequently occurs in postmenopausal women,mostly induced by stress factors.It is characterized by chest pain,ST-segment elevation,and/or T-wave changes in electrocardiogram,along with my-ocardial troponin elevation.[1]TTS can be easily misdia-gnosed as myocardial infarction,and improper treatme-nt may lead to serious consequences.There are few re-ports and research on this disease.[2]
文摘Introduction: Migraine is the most common primary headache, and can cause significant disability. There are two types, migraine without aura and migraine with aura. The diagnosis of migraine is essentially clinical. Worldwide prevalence was estimated at 11.6% in 2009. In Africa, it is estimated at 10.4%. Objective: To describe the clinical and therapeutic aspects of migraine in Brazzaville. Patients and Methods: This was a door-to-door cross-sectional study conducted from 1<sup>st</sup> May to 1<sup> st</sup> July 2018 in the city of Brazzaville. Subjects over 18 with clearly expressed consent were included. The questionnaire covered demographic characteristics, diagnostic criteria for migraine according to the IHS, treatments taken. The degree of disability was determined using the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 for MAC. Results: Of the 1017 subjects interviewed in this study, 115 (39.9%) had migraine, including 73 women (63.47%) and 42 men (36.52%). In the group of migraine sufferers, the number of cases of definite migraine was 61 (53.04%) and that of probable migraine 54 (46.95%). For 81 migraine sufferers (70.43%), stress was the triggering factor. The frequency of attacks was weekly and monthly for 30 (26.1%) and 19 (16.5%) sufferers respectively. The location of the migraine was unilateral in 38% of cases and tilted in 24.3%. The intensity of the attack was described as moderate and severe in 41.7% and 57.4% of subjects respectively. Phonophobia/photophobia accompanied the migraine in 65.2% of cases. One hundred and eight subjects were treated. Of these, 106 (98.1%) were on medication. Eleven (10.37%) had received a medical prescription, and ninety-seven (89.8%) were self-medicating. Five and three subjects were under the care of a general practitioner and a neurologist respectively. Conclusion: Migraine is a frequent pathology in Brazzaville. Its preponderance among young people and women calls for the implementation of effective prevention strategies for these already vulnerable social groups. The form without aura was the most common type. Visual aura was the most common type. Headache-related symptoms were dominated by phonophotophobia, followed by nausea and vomiting. Almost all migraine sufferers were self-medicating, and very few were under the care of a doctor. First-line analgesics and NSAIDs were the mainstay of treatment.
基金supported by the NIHR I4I Program(NIHR203399)(to DCW and SW).
文摘Observation is a fundamental part of the practice of clinical medicine.Observation of movement is particularly important for the neurologist.Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease,multiple sclerosis,stroke,epilepsy,and many others affect a person’s movement in characteristic ways.In some conditions,changes in the patient’s voice can be included in this-changes in sound caused by changes in the movements of speech.The clinician’s detection of a characteristic abnormality,and their judgment of its severity,plays a central role in both diagnosis and the assessment of prognosis or response to treatment.However,that practice depends upon a limited resource of experienced experts.In addition,these experts are limited by human visual judgment,which cannot reliably or precisely detect and measure small or subtle changes in movement(Williams et al.,2023).
基金supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2023T160788)the Beijing Science and Technology Plan(Grant No.Z181100001718215).
文摘The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer(CSCO BC)guidelines have been widely implemented in China since the first release in 2017.The Guideline Working Committee has also published multiple versions in English,Arabic,and other languages to facilitate communications with international experts.
基金the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development(Grant Nos.20lk0201002j0001,21lk0201005j0001,and 22lk0201007j0001)。
文摘Precision medicine is a growing field worldwide.Despite its potential benefit to many patients,several major obstacles must be overcome before precision medicine can be more widely used in clinical practice.The main obstacles are associated with the quality of samples used for genomic analysis。
文摘Background: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) remains an important public health problem in China. Many studies on the epidemiological characteristics of HFMD have been reported, but studies in North Sichuan region have been neglected. Methods: HFMD-related enterovirus infected cases were clinically confirmed and underwent real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) from May 2018 to October 2023 in Guangyuan Central Hospital. Results: During 2018-2023, other EV (437 cases, 81.08%) was the most predominant serotype followed by CV-A16 (94 cases, 17.44%), EV-A71 (8 cases, 1.48%) was the least predominant serotype. Peak infections occurred in July and October. There were no significant differences in gender, age and serotypes. HFMD was concentrated in children under 47 months of age, with the highest incidence in children aged 12 - 23 months and the highest proportion of other EV infections in the whole age group. COVID-19 did not cause significant changes in gender, age and serotype. Overall, there was a significant increase in the proportion of children aged 12 - 23 months infected with CV-A16, and an increase in the proportion of children aged over 36 months infected with other EVs. Conclusions: The incidence of HFMD caused by EV-A71 has decreased significantly, and other EVs have become the main pathogens of HFMD in North Sichuan region in recent years. In the prevention and control of CV-A16, more attention should be paid to children aged 12 - 23 months and the dominant serotype should be closely monitored. Our study highlights the importance of developing of new diagnostic reagents and vaccines for the prevention and control of enterovirus infection. This study for the first time provides insights into district interventions to local conditions.
基金National Key Research and Development Program(2022YFC3602400,2023YFC2506502)Shandong Provincial Key Research and Development Program(2021SFGC0503).
文摘In the context of the People's Republic of China,coronary artery disease(CAD)presents a sig-nificant clinical challenge,with over 11.3 mil-lion patients diagnosed.Traditionally,the diagnos-is of CAD has predominantly relied on invasive coronary angiography.[1]However,recent advances in clinical research have revealed a notable trend:a substantial 82% of patients subjected to such invas-ive diagnostics do not necessitate interventional therapy.
基金This work was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32200906)STI 2030-Major Projects(2021ZD0201705)+2 种基金Major Project of Philosophy and Social Science Research of the Ministry of Education of China(22JZD044)Research Project of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission(20dz2260300)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and Starting Research Fund from Hangzhou Normal University.
文摘Background The alexithymia trait is of high clinical interest.The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire(PAQ)was recently developed to enable detailed facet-level and valence-specific assessments of alexithymia.Aims In this paper,we introduce the first Chinese version of the PAQ and examine its psychometric properties and clinical applications.Methods In Study 1,the PAQ was administered to 990 Chinese participants.We examined its factor structure,internal consistency,test-retest reliability,as well as convergent,concurrent and discriminant validity.In Study 2,four groups,including a major depressive disorder(MDD)group(n=50),a matched healthy control group for MDD(n=50),a subclinical depression group(n=50)and a matched healthy control group for subclinical depression(n=50),were recruited.Group comparisons were conducted to assess the clinical relevance of the PAQ.Results In Study 1,the intended five-factor structure of the PAQ was found to fit the data well.The PAQ showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability,as well as good convergent,concurrent and discriminant validity.In Study 2,the PAQ was able to successfully distinguish the MDD group and the subclinical depression group from their matched healthy controls.Conclusions The Chinese version of the PAQ is a valid and reliable instrument for comprehensively assessing alexithymia in the general population and adults with clinical/subclinical depression.
文摘After perusing the paper by Kim et al,I discovered that this is an interesting manuscript and a successful study.Virtual reality(VR)is an emerging and promising technology employed in the domain of medical practice and medical education over the past decade.In the era of big data,VR is constantly progressing in the fields of medical education and clinical diagnosis and treatment.As a novel scientific and technological tool,VR not only overcomes multiple limitations of the traditional medical teaching mode but also reduces the reliance on personnel and equipment.VR can simulate the real clinical situation,stimulate the enthusiasm of young doctors and nurses for clinical study,and simultaneously safeguard and promote medical safety and doctor-patient harmony.Favorable outcomes have been attained in clinical teaching and diagnosis and treatment activities.While enhancing the training conditions of medical cosmetics and elevating the level of clinical practice and teaching,the risks resulting from improper clinical diagnosis and treatment have been circumvented.All of this is evident and comprehensible.
基金the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission Clinical ResearchProgram(20224Y0220)to ZBStart-up Fundfor RAPs under the Strategic Hiring Scheme(P0048866)and JJZ.
文摘INTRODUCTION Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)is a neuroplasticity-enhancing technique that modifies brain responsiveness to various therapeutic modalities in clinical psychiatric and neurological applications. Furthermore,its effect can be attributed to long-term potentiation(LTP)or longterm depression(LTD)-like neuroplasticity.However,responsiveness to rTMS is largely variable in healthy and pathological brains and is mediated by complex biological mechanisms.Metaplasticity refers to a higher-order plasticity mechanism in which the direction and magnitude of synaptic plasticity are modified by prior neuronal activity and is believed to be a significant factor leading to the response variability of rTMs.