Multicenter Clinical Randomized Controlled Trial and Network Pharmacology Analysis of Zhenzhu Qingyuan Granules for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Zhenzhu Qingyuan Granules through a clinical randomized controlled trial and to analyze the potential action targets and pathways of this formula using network pharmacology.Methods Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)of liver–stomach stagnant heat pattern who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group.The control group received oral rabeprazole,whereas the observation group were given Zhenzhu Qingyuan Granules in addition to the rabeprazole.The treatment duration was 8 weeks.Clinical efficacy was observed in both groups after 8 weeks.Network pharmacology was used to analyze the action targets of ZhenzhuQingyuanGranules and the genes related to GERD,and core targets were inferred.Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were conducted to explore the potential mechanisms of this formula.Results The clinical research results showed that the total effective rate in the treatment group was 92.68%,compared with 70.00%in the control group,with a statistically significant difference(p<0.05).After treatment,both Chinese medicine syndrome score and endoscopic score improved in both groups compared with before treatment(p<0.05),and the treatment group showed greater improvement than the control group(p<0.05).Network pharmacology identified effective components of Zhenzhu Qingyuan Granules for treating GERD,including quercetin,luteolin,andβ-sitosterol,with potential action targets such as tumor protein 53(TP53),protein kinase B(AKT1),and tumor necrosis factor.Conclusion Zhenzhu Qingyuan Granules can significantly improve clinical symptoms in patients with GERD of liver–stomach stagnated heat pattern,enhance clinical efficacy,and have high safety.This formula may exert therapeutic effects through multiple targets and pathways.

Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease from the Perspective of Liver Controlling Dispersion

The liver is in charge of distributing and regulating the movement of qi throughout the whole body,coordinating the transportation and transformation of the internal organs in the middle part of the body,promoting the biochemical circulation of qi,blood,and body fluids,and regulating emotions.Liver dysfunction can disrupt the transportation and transformation of qi,blood,and body fluids,causing phlegm turbidity,blood stasis,and other unwanted symptoms.Poor regulation of emotion further aggravates the accumulation of pathological substances,resulting in the obstruction of heart vessels,and ultimately coronary heart disease(CHD).Through regulating lipid metabolism,inflammatory reaction,vasoactive substances,platelet function,neuroendocrine,and other factors,liver controlling dispersing qi plays a comprehensive role in the prognosis of atherosclerosis,the primary cause of CHD.Therefore,it is recommended to treat CHD from the perspective of liver-controlling dispersion.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists:Exploring the mechanisms from glycemic control to treatment of multisystemic diseases

This editorial takes a deeper look at the insights provided by Soresi and Giannitrapani,which examined the therapeutic potential of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RAs)for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.We provide supplementary insights to their research,highlighting the broader systemic implications of GLP-1RAs,synthesizing the current understanding of their mechanisms and the trajectory of research in this field.GLP-1RAs are revolutionizing the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and beyond.Beyond glycemic control,GLP-1RAs demonstrate cardiovascular and renal protective effects,offering potential in managing diabetic kidney disease alongside renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors.Their role in bone metabolism hints at benefits for diabetic osteoporosis,while the neuroprotective properties of GLP-1RAs show promise in Alzheimer's disease treatment by modulating neuronal insulin signaling.Additionally,they improve hormonal and metabolic profiles in polycystic ovary syndrome.This editorial highlights the multifaceted mechanisms of GLP-1RAs,emphasizing the need for ongoing research to fully realize their therapeutic potential across a range of multisystemic diseases.

Respiratory Mechanics, Respiratory Muscle Strength, Control of Ventilation and Gas Exchange in Patients with Autoimmune Liver Disease

Objectives: To assess respiratory elastance and resistive properties in patients with autoimmune liver disorders using the passive relaxation expiration technique and compare findings to a group of patients with non-autoimmune liver disease and control subjects. These findings were then related to control of ventilation and gas exchange. A secondary objective was to assess respiratory muscle strength and gas exchange and their relation to respiratory mechanics. Methods: Measurements included respiratory elastance and resistance using the passive relaxation method. Pulmonary function, gas exchange and control of ventilation were assessed using standard methods. Results: a) Compared to control subjects, Ers in patients with liver disease was on average 50% greater than in controls;b) mean respiratory resistance, expressed as the respiratory constants, K1 and K2 in the Rohrer relationship, Pao/V’ = K1 + K2V’, was not different from control resistance;c) mean maximal inspiratory and maximal expiratory pressures averaged 36% and 55% of their respective control values;d) inspiratory occlusion pressure in 0.1 sec (P0.1) was increased and negatively associated with FVC;and e) increases in P0.1, mean inspiratory flow (Vt/Ti) and presence of respiratory alkalosis confirmed the increase in ventilatory drive. Despite inspiratory muscle weakness in patients, P0.1/Pimax averaged 5-fold higher than in control subjects. Conclusions: Despite inspiratory muscle weakness and a V’E similar to that in normal subjects, central drive is increased in patients with chronic liver disease. The increase in ventilatory drive is related to smaller lung volumes and weakly associated with increase in respiratory elastance. Findings confirm that P0.1 is a reliable measure of central drive and is an approach that can be used in the evaluation of control of ventilation in patients with chronic liver disease.

Fecal microbiota transplantation for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease:Mechanism,clinical evidence,and prospect

The population of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)patients along with relevant advanced liver disease is projected to continue growing,because currently no medications are approved for treatment.Fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)is believed a novel and promising therapeutic approach based on the concept of the gut-liver axis in liver disease.There has been an increase in the number of pre-clinical and clinical studies evaluating FMT in NAFLD treatment,however,existing findings diverge on its effects.Herein,we briefly summarized the mechanism of FMT for NAFLD treatment,reviewed randomized controlled trials for evaluating its efficacy in NAFLD,and proposed the prospect of future trials on FMT.

Radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for recurrent liver cancer

BACKGROUND The recurrence rate of liver cancer after surgery is high.Radiofrequency ablation(RFA)combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)is an effective treatment for liver cancer;however,its efficacy in recurrent liver cancer remains unclear.AIM To investigate the clinical effect of TACE combined with RFA in the treatment of recurrent liver cancer.METHODS Ninety patients with recurrent liver cancer were divided into 2 groups according to treatment plan:Control(RFA alone);and experimental[TACE combined with RFA(TACE+RFA)].The incidence of increased alanine aminotransferase levels,complications,and other indices were compared between the two groups before and after the procedures.RESULTS One month after the procedures,the short-term efficacy rate and Karnofsky Performance Status scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)and total bilirubin levels were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05);The overall response rate was 82.22%and 66.67%in the experimental and control groups,respectively;The disease control rate was 93.33%and 82.22%in the experimental and control groups,respectively,the differences are statistically significant(P<0.05).And there were no statistical differences in complications between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION TACE+RFA was effective for the treatment of recurrent liver cancer and significantly reduced AFP levels and improved various indices of liver function.

Research on the Progress of Treating Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease with Modified Classic Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a high-incidence digestive system disease. Western medicine mainly uses drugs such as proton pump inhibitors to inhibit gastric acid secretion, but some patients are accompanied by symptoms such as non-acid reflux and gas reflux, which cannot effectively treat the disease. It is necessary to actively explore other treatment schemes. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history of research on gastroesophageal reflux disease, which emphasizes the treatment based on syndrome differentiation as a whole. Through the treatment of various and multi-component TCM prescriptions, the patient’s body condition can be adjusted, and the treatment effect on gastroesophageal reflux disease is reliable, which has obvious therapeutic advantages. To further clarify the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, this study reviewed and analyzed the research progress of the treatment of liver disease with modified prescriptions, and the report is as follows.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy of Gexia Zhuyu Decoction in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of Gexia Zhuyu Decoction in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Methods:Four Chinese databases(CNKI,CMB,Wanfang,VIP)and four English databases(PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,Medline)were searched to screen randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of Gexia Zhuyu Decoction in the treatment of NAFLD.The enrollment of RCTs is from the starting date of database establishment till November 2,2022.and clinical registration tests and grey literatures were also searched.RCTs screening and relevant data exreacting were based on preset criteria.RevMan5.4.1 software was used for risk of bias assessment and Meta analysis of the included studies.Results:Eleven RCTs were included finally having 963 patients with NAFLD,including 499 in experimental group and 494 in control group.Meta-analysis results showed that GexiaZhuyu Decoction alone or combining with other medications for the treatment of NFALD was superior to that in control group in terms of total effective rate[RR=1.23,95%CI[1.16,1.31],Z=6.58(P<0.05)].Improve liver function index significantly:ALT[subgroup①WMD=-14.93,95%CI[-18.66,-9.42],Z=7.84(P<0.01);subgroup②WMD=-3.97,95%CI[-8.01,0.07],AST[subgroup①WMD=-13.25,95%CI[-18.10,-8.41],Z=5.36(P<0.05);subgroup②WMD=-2.70,95%CI[-6.94,1.54],Z=1.25(P>0.05)];GGT[WMD=-9.30,95%CI[-15.78,-2.81],Z=2.81(P<0.05)].Moreover,patients with therapy obviously decreased hepatic fibrosis index:桇-C[SMD=-1.15,95CI%[-1.48,-0.81],Z=6.77(P<0.05)],LN[SMD=-1.49,95CI%[-2.23,-0.75],Z=3.97(P<0.05)].Effectively reduce the level of LDL-C[WMD=-0.30,95CI%[-0.54,-0.06],Z=2.48(P<0.05)]and improve the rate of ultrasound renormalization[RR=1.94,95%CI[1.45,2.60],Z=4.48(P<0.05)].However,existing data cannot prove that the effect of reducing TC,TG and BMI in the treatment group is better than that in the control group:TC[WMD=-0.88,95CI%[-1.88,0.11],Z=1.74(P>0.05)],TG[WMD=-0.50,95CI%[-1.05,0.06],Z=1.76(P>0.05)],BMI[WMD=-1.61,95CI%[-4.77,1.54],Z=1.00(P>0.05)].Descriptive analysis results showed that the levels of LDL,HA and PCIII were significantly reduced in the treatment group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).In addition,no adverse drug reactions related to Gexia Zhuyu Decoction have been reported.Conclusion:Gexia Zhuyu Decoction can significantly improve the liver function,liver fibrosis,and hepatic steatosis in NAFLD patients,thereby improving the clinical efficacy.

Effect of Zangfu ointment and massage therapy on functional constipation:a protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Introduction:Functional Constipation(FC)is a type of functional bowel disease that is in Clinically characterized by dysportia,decreased frequency of bowel movements,or incomplete bowel movements in the absence of irritable bowel syndrome syndrome,at least 6 months before diagnosis,and symptoms within the last 3 months.At present,commonly used drugs include enema and suppositories,laxatives,microecological preparations,gastrointestinal motility drugs and other treatments.However,the effect is limited.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)treatment of FC has advantages.Methods:In this randomized controlled study,244 eligible patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to a treatment group(Zangfu ointment and massage therapy+Lactulose Oral Liquid)and a control group(Lactulose Oral Liquid)for 14 days.Number of spontaneous defecation per week and First defecation time will be used as primary outcomes,and Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)syndrome scores and syndrome scores,PAC-QOL form will be used as secondary outcomes.Blood routine,liver function,and renal function will be used as safety outcomes.The primary and secondary outcomes will be performed at 0th,7th,and 14th day,and the safety outcomes will be performed at 0th and 14th day.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval has been obtained from the Committee on Health Research Ethics of the Fangshan Hospital,Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Beijing,People's Republic of China(FZY LK-2020-010)on September 18,2020.All patients will be provided oral and written information about the trial before screening.The study results will be disseminated by peer-review publications and conference presentations.Trial registration number:ChiCTR2000038754(registered on April 14,2021).This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial license,which permits others to distribute,remix,adapt,build upon this work non-commercially,and license their derivative works on different terms,provided the original work is properly cited,appropriate credit is given,any changes made indicated,and the use is non-commercial.STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY(1)The efficacy of the Zangfu ointment and massage therapy is evaluated in a randomised,double-blind 2-week clinical trial in FC patients.(2)Form a complete and generalizable regimen for the treatment of FC(Qi stagnation)with the Zangfu ointment and massage therapy.

Transient elastography(Fibro Scan~?) with controlled attenuation parameter in the assessment of liver steatosis and fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease- Where do we stand?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Currently, the routinely used modalities are unable to adequately determine the levels of steatosis and fibrosis(laboratory tests and ultrasonography) or cannot be applied as a screening procedure(liver biopsy). Among the non-invasive tests, transient elastography(Fibro Scan?, TE) with controlled attenuation parameter(CAP) has demonstrated good accuracy in quantifying the levels of liver steatosis and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD, the factors associated with the diagnosis and NAFLD progression. The method is fast, reliable and reproducible, with good intra- and interobserver levels of agreement, thus allowing for population-wide screening and disease follow-up. The initial inability of the procedure to accurately determine fibrosis and steatosis in obese patients has been addressed with the development of the obese-specific XL probe. TE with CAP is a viable alternative to ultrasonography, both as an initial assessment and during follow-up of patients with NAFLD. Its ability to exclude patients with advanced fibrosis may be used to identify low-risk NAFLD patients in whom liver biopsy is not needed, therefore reducing the risk of complications and the financial costs.

Value of the controlling nutritional status score and psoas muscle thickness per height in predicting prognosis in liver transplantation

BACKGROUND Patients with end-stage liver disease usually have varying degrees of malnutrition,and severe malnutrition may affect the prognosis of patients after liver transplantation(LT).However,there is no recommended standard for the nutrition assessment of patients waiting for LT,and it is unknown whether malnutrition has an impact on the occurrence of postoperative complications.AIM The study aim was to investigate the value of the controlling nutritional status(CONUT)score and psoas muscle thickness per height(PMTH)in predicting prognosis in LT.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 313 patients who underwent classic orthotopic LT from January 2016 to December 2018 in Tianjin First Central Hospital affiliated with Tianjin Medical University.The CONUT score is derived from the preoperative serum albumin and total cholesterol levels,and total lymphocyte count.Patients were divided into low(≤4),medium(5–8),and high(9–12)CONUT score groups perioperative characteristics,Clavien-Dindo grade III/IV/V postoperative complications,graft loss and infection,and cumulative postoperative survival in the three groups were compared 3 mo after LT.PMTH was calculated as the ratio of the transverse thickness of the psoas muscle in the umbilical plane to the height of the patient.The cutoff values of receiver operating characteristic curves were determined separately for men and women.The values were 14.1 cm/m2 for women and 17.9 cm/m2 for men.The patients were then divided into low and high PMTH groups by the cutoff values.The comparison of data between the two groups was the same as above.RESULTS Patients with medium and high CONUT scores had lower preoperative serum hemoglobin,more intraoperative red blood cell(RBC)transfusions,longer postoperative intensive care unit stay and hospital stays,higher 7 and 14 preoperative-day serum bilirubin levels,and a higher incidence of postoperative grade III/IV complications and infections than patients with low CONUT scores.Differences in the 3-mo cumulative survival among the three groups were not significant.Patients with a low PMTH had higher preoperative serum urea nitrogen,more intraoperative packed RBC and frozen plasma transfusions,longer times to postoperative ventilator extubation,higher incidence of total postoperative complications,and a lower 3-mo cumulative survival than those with a high PMTH.CONCLUSION A CONUT score≥5 and a low PMTH were both associated with poor prognosis in LT.The CONUT score had no predictive value for short-term patient survival after LT,but the PMTH was predictive of short-term patient survival after LT.

Ultrasound-based techniques for the diagnosis of liver steatosis

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is the leading cause of diffuse liver disease.An accurate estimate of the fat in the liver is important in the diagnostic work-up of patients with NAFLD because the degree of liver steatosis is linked to the metabolic syndrome and the cardiovascular risk.Ultrasound(US)B-mode imaging allows to subjectively estimate the fatty infiltration in the liver;however,it has a low performance for the detection of mild steatosis.Quantitative US is based on the analysis of the radiofrequency echoes detected by an US system,and it allows to calculate a backscatter coefficient or an attenuation coefficient or the sound speed.The estimation of the backscatter coefficient is rather cumbersome and requires the use of a phantom for addressing all sources of variability.Controlled attenuation parameter(CAP)available on the FibroScan system(Echosens,France)measures the attenuation of the US beam.CAP is accurate in grading fatty infiltration-even though there is an overlap between consecutive grade of liver steatosis-and the values are not influenced by liver fibrosis.Several US manufacturers are developing or have already developed software for quantifying the attenuation of the US beam.Preliminary results show that proprietary technologies implemented in US systems seem more accurate than CAP for grading liver steatosis.Another available method for quantifying liver steatosis is based on the computation of the sound speed and the initial results appear promising.

Methods of vascular control technique during liver resection:a comprehensive review

BACKGROUND: Significant hemorrhage together with blood transfusion increases postoperative morbidity and mortality of hepatic resection. Hepatic vascular occlusion is effective in minimizing bleeding during hepatic parenchymal transection. This article aimed to review the current role and status of various techniques of hepatic vascular occlusion during hepatic resection. DATA SOURCES: The relevant manuscripts were identified by searching MEDLINE, and PubMed for articles published between January 1980 and April 2010 using the keywords 'vascular control', 'vascular clamping', 'vascular exclusion' and 'hepatectomy'. Additional papers were identified by a manual search of the references from the key articles. RESULTS: One randomized controlled trial (RCT) and 5 RCTs showed intermittent Pringle maneuver and ischemic preconditioning followed by continuous Pringle maneuver were superior to continuous Pringle maneuver alone, respectively. Two RCTs compared the outcomes of hepatectomy with and without intermittent Pringle maneuver. One showed Pringle maneuver to be beneficial, while the other failed to show any benefit. One RCT showed that ischemic preconditioning had significantly less blood loss than using intermittent Pringle maneuver. Four RCTs evaluated the use of hemihepatic vascular occlusion. One RCT showed it had significantly less blood loss than Pringle maneuver, while the other 3 showed no significant difference. Only 1 RCT showed it had significantly less liver ischemic injury. No RCT had been carried out to assess segmental vascular occlusion. Two RCTs compared the outcomes of total hepatic vascular exclusion (THVE) and Pringle maneuver. One RCT showed THVE resulted in similar blood loss, but a higher postoperative complication. The other RCT showed less blood loss using THVE but the postoperative complication rate was similar. Both studies showed similar degree of liver ischemic injury. Only one RCT showed that selective hepatic vascular exclusion (SHVE) had less blood loss and liver ischemic injury than Pringle maneuver. CONCLUSION: Due to the great variations in these studies, it is difficult to draw a definitive conclusion on the best technique of hepatic vascular control.

Laparoscopic liver resection under hemihepatic vascular inflow occlusion using the lowering of hilar plate approach

BACKGROUND： With advances in technology, laparoscopic liver resection is widely accepted. Laparoscopic liver resection under hemihepatic vascular inflow occlusion has advantages over the conventional total hepatic inflow occlusion using the Pringle＇s maneuver, especially in patients with cirrhosis.METHOD： From November 2011 to August 2012, eight consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic liver resection under hemihepatic vascular inflow occlusion using the lowering of hilar plate approach with biliary bougie assistance.RESULTS： The types of liver resection included right hepatectomy（n1）, right posterior sectionectomy（n1）, left hepatectomy and common bile duct exploration（n1）, segment 4b resection（n1）, left lateral sectionectomy（n2）, and wedge resection（n2）. Four patients underwent right and 4 left hemihepatic vascular inflow occlusion. Four patients had cirrhosis. The mean operation time was 176.3 minutes. The mean time taken to achieve hemihepatic vascular inflow occlusion was 24.3minutes. The mean duration of vascular inflow occlusion was54.5 minutes. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 361 mL.No patient required blood transfusion. Postoperatively, one patient developed bile leak which healed with conservative treatment. No postoperative liver failure and mortality occurred. The mean hospital stay of the patients was 7 days.CONCLUSION： Our technique of hemihepatic vascular inflow vascular occlusion using the lowering of hilar plate approachwas safe, and it improved laparoscopic liver resection by minimizing blood loss during liver parenchymal transection.

Plasma L-ENK, AVP, ANP and serum gastrin in patients with syndrome of Liver-Qi-stagnation

AIM To investigate the pathophysiologic basis of syndrome of Liver Qi stagnation and parameters for clinical differentiation. METHODS Plasma L ENK, AVP, ANP and serum gastrin were determined by RIA in 84 patients with neurasthenia, mastodynia, chronic gastritis, and chronic cholecystitis presenting the same syndrome of Liver Qi stagnation in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Healthy subjects served as controls in comparison with patients having the same syndrome but with different diseases. RESULTS Among the patients with Liver Qi stagnation, the plasma L ENK, ANP and gastrin levels were 38 83ng/L ± 6 32ng/L , 104 11ng/L ± 29 01ng/L and 32 20ng/L ± 6 68ng/L , being significantly lower than those in the healthy controls ( t =3 34, 6 17, 4 48; P <0 01). The plasma AVP of the patient group ( 52 82ng/L ± 19 09ng/L ) was significantly higher than that of the healthy controls ( t =5 79, P <0 01). The above changes in patients having the same symptom complex but different diseases entities showed no significant differences, P >0 05. CONCLUSION The syndrome of Liver Qi stagnation is closely related to the emotional modulatory abnormality of the brain, with decrease of plasma L ENK, ANP and gastrin, and increase of plasma AVP as the important pathophysiologic basis.

Reverse time-dependent effect of alphafetoprotein and disease control on survival of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM To characterize the survival of cirrhotic patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer(BCLC) stage C hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and to ascertain the factors predicting the achievement of disease control(DC).METHODS The cirrhotic patients with BCLC stage C HCC evaluated by the Hepatocatt multidisciplinary group were subjected to the investigation. Demographic, clinical and tumor features, along with the best tumor response and overall survival were recorded. RESULTS One hundred and ten BCLC stage C patients were included in the analysis; the median overall survival was 13.4 mo(95%CI: 10.6-17.0). Only alphafetoprotein(AFP) serum level > 200 ng/m L and DC could independently predict survival but in a time dependent manner, the former was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality within the first 6 mo of follow-up(HR = 5.073, 95%CI: 2.159-11.916, P = 0.0002), whereas the latter showed a protective effect against death after one year(HR = 0.110, 95%CI: 0.038-0.314, P < 0.0001). Only patients showing microvascular invasion and/or extrahepatic spread recorded lower chances of achieving DC(OR = 0.263, 95%CI: 0.111-0.622, P = 0.002).CONCLUSION The BCLC stage C HCC includes a wide heterogeneous group of cirrhotic patients suitable for potentially curative treatments. The reverse and time dependent effect of AFP serum level and DC on patients' survival confers them as useful predictive tools for treatment management and clinical decisions.

Evaluation of controlled attenuation parameter in assessing hepatic steatosis in patients with autoimmune liver diseases

BACKGROUND Hepatic steatosis commonly occurs in some chronic liver diseases and may affect disease progression.AIM To investigate the performance of controlled attenuation parameter(CAP)for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in patients with autoimmune liver diseases(AILDs).METHODS Patients who were suspected of having AILDs and underwent liver biopsy were consistently enrolled.Liver stiffness measurement(LSM)and CAP were performed by transient elastography.The area under the receiver operating characteristic(AUROC)curve was used to evaluate the performance of CAP for diagnosing hepatic steatosis compared with biopsy.RESULTS Among 190 patients with biopsy-proven hepatic steatosis,69 were diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis(AIH),18 with primary biliary cholangitis(PBC),and 27 with AIH-PBC overlap syndrome.The AUROCs of CAP for the diagnosis of steatosis in AILDS were 0.878(0.791-0.965)for S1,0.764(0.676-0.853)for S2,and 0.821(0.716-0.926)for S3.The CAP value was significantly related to hepatic steatosis grade(P<0.001).Among 69 patients with AIH,the median CAP score was 205.63±47.36 dB/m for S0,258.41±42.83 dB/m for S1,293.00±37.18 dB/m for S2,and 313.60±27.89 dB/m for S3.Compared with patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)presenting with autoimmune markers,patients with AIH concomitant with NAFLD were much older and had higher serum IgG levels and LSM values.CONCLUSION CAP can be used as a noninvasive diagnostic method to evaluate hepatic steatosis in patients with AILDs.Determination of LSM combined with CAP may help to identify patients with AIH concomitant with NAFLD from those with NAFLD with autoimmune phenomena.

A Meta-analysis of Dachaihu Decoction combined with western medicine in the treatment of acute pancreatitis with the TCM syndrome of liver qi depression and liver-gallbladder dampness-heat

Backgroud:To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Dachaihu Decoction in the treatment of acute pancreatitis(AP)with the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome of liver qi depression and liver-gallbladder dampness-heat.Methods:We searched randomized controlled trials of Dachaihu Decoction in the treatment of AP with the TCM syndrome of liver qi depression and liver-gallbladder dampness-heat from databases in CNKI,WanFang,VIP,Embase,PubMed,and Cochrane Library(from established to August 2019).All the retrieved documents were imported into the Noteexpress software for screening and management,and the included documents were evaluated for quality and data extracted.Statistical analysis was performed with RevMan(version 5.3).Results:A total of 132 articles were retrieved and 8 studies were included to analysis,including 679 patients.Quality evaluation of included studies suggested that the quality of the literatures is generally not high.Meta-analysis showed that the total clinical effective rate of AP was higher in the treatment group than in the control group[OR=5.00,95%CI(2.86,8.73)],and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.00001).The patient's abdominal pain relief time[MD=-0.57,95%CI(-0.86,-0.27),P=0.0002],bloating relief time[MD=-0.71,95%CI(-1.05,-0.37),P=0.04],time of serum amylase returning to normal[MD=-1.00,95%CI(-1.60,-0.40),P=0.001]and time of urinary amylase returning to normal[MD=-1.62,95%CI(-2.88,-0.37),P=0.01]all lower than the control group.But there was no statistically significant difference between the treatment group and the control group at the first defecation time[MD=-0.86,95%CI(-1.75,-0.03),P=0.06].The patient's serum TNF-a levels on the 3rd[MD=-28.53,95%CI(-49.57,-7.49),P=0.008]and 7th day[MD=-26.13,95%CI(-49.76,-2.50),P=0.03]in the treatment group were statistically lower in the treatment group than in the control group.Similarly,the patient's serum IL-6 levels on the 3rd[MD=-6.62,95%CI(-12.49,-0.75),P=0.03]and 7th day[MD=-11.98,95%CI(-22.25,-1.71),P=0.02]were also statistically lower in the treatment group than in the control group.No serious complications or adverse reactions were observed.Conclusion:Dachaihu Decoction combined with western medicine in the treatment of AP with the TCM syndrome of liver qi depression and liver-gallbladder dampness-heat can improve clinical efficacy compared with western medicine alone.In addition,the combination therapy method is safe and can be used for syndrome differentiation of AP patients in the clinic.

Does the traditional Chinese medicine theory of five circuits and six qi improve treatment effectiveness?A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Objective:To evaluate whether the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)theory of five circuits and six qi(FCSQ)is beneficial in terms of improving clinical effectiveness.Methods:Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)evaluating the clinical value of FCSQ theory were reviewed.Multiple databases(China Network Knowledge Infrastructure,Chinese Scienti fic Journals Database,Wanfang Data,SinoMed,Cochrane Library,PubMed,and Embase)weresystematically searched from inception to June 12,2018.Two authors independently extracted the data and performed a methodological quality assessment of the RCTs.RevMan 5.3 software was used for the data analysis.The effect sizes for the primary outcome measures were expressed as relative risks or mean differences with 95%confidence intervals.Results:A total of 13 RCTs were selected,involving 12 types of diseases and 4695 patients.The methodological quality of the RCTs was generally low.Five studies compared the effectiveness of TCM treatments guided by FCSQ theory with conventional TCM therapies,and the remaining eight studies compared the effectiveness of TCM treatments guided by FCSQ theory with biomedical treatments.All of the RCTs reported that the effectiveness of the treatment intervention was better than that of the intervention in the control group.Conclusion:Because of many methodological problems in existing clinical studies,it remains impossible to definitively conclude that FCSQ theory can improve clinical effectiveness.It is difficult to unify the clinical application of FCSQ theory.The feasibility and repeatability of FCSQas an intervention should be given more attention in future clinical research.Future work should also follow international norms for clinical research implementation and reporting to provide high-quality evidence for evaluating the clinical value of FCSQ theory.

Pharmacological effects of Paeoniflorin and Albiflorin on IL-3, GM-CSF, IL-6 and TNF-α in the rats of syndrome of stagnation of liver qi and blood deficiency

Objective： To observe the effect of paeoniflorin （PF）, albiflorin （AF） on the hemogram, visceral index and hematopoiesis cytokine in the rats of syndrome of stagnation of liver qi and blood deficiency, and to discuss the material base and mechanism of effect of nourishing blood and smoothing the liver of Baishao （Radix Paeoniae Alba）. Methods： Male SD rats were randomly divided into groups according to the sucrose preference test and body weight （n = 12）. Except the normal control, the other groups were treated with the chronic stress stimulation combined with radiation respectively to establish the model of syndrome of stagnation of liver qi and blood deficiency. The body weight, visceral index and the quantity of Leucocyte, Red Blood Cells, Hemoglobin in peripheral hemogram were monitored, then plasma and serum were separated. Radioimmunoassay was used to analyze the levels of Lnterleukin-3, Granulocyte-macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor, Lnterleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in plasma. Results： Compared with that of model group, 30 mg·kg^-1 PF and 30 mg·kg^-1 AF of the weight, spleen index, quantity of Leucocyte were increased significantly （P 〈 0.05, P 〈 0.01）. The results of Radioimmunoassay showed that the levels of Interleukin-3 increased （P 〈 0.05, P 〈 0.05） and the levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α decreased in both 30 mg·kg^-1 PF and 30 mg·kg^-1 AF groups （P 〈 0.05, P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： The effect of PF and AF on the regulation of bone marrow hematopoietic system and immune system play a role in the blood of rats with syndrome of stagnation of liver qi and blood deficiency, which suggests that both of them are the main active ingredients of nourishing blood and smoothing the liver of Baishao.