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BackgroundThe incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is higher in Northern than that in Southern China, however differences in traditional CHD risk factors do not fully explain this. No study has examined the differences in subclinical atherosclerosis that may help explain the differences in incidence. This study examined these differences in subclinical atherosclerosis using coronary computed tomography (CT) for calcification between the Northern and Southern China.MethodsWe selected a random sample of participants in a large multi-center ongoing epidemiologic study for coronary calcium scanning in one northern city (North) (Beijing, n = 49) and in two southern cities (South) (Shanghai, n = 50, and Guangzhou, n = 50). Participants from the three field centers (mean age 67 years) underwent coronary risk factor evaluation and cardiac CT scanning for coronary calcium measurement using the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis scanning protocol.ResultsAdjusted log-transformed coronary artery calcium score in North China (Beijing) was 3.1 ± 0.4 and in South China (Shanghai and Guangzhou) was 2.2 ± 0.3 (P = 0.04). Mean calcium score for the northern city of Beijing was three times higher than that of the southern city of Guangzhou (P = 0.01) and 2.5 times higher than for the southern city of Shanghai (P = 0.03).ConclusionsThe extent of subclinical atherosclerosis is significantly higher in the northern city of Beijing than that in the two southern cities of Guangzhou and Shanghai, even after adjusting for standard cardiac risk factors. This finding suggests that standard risk factors do not fully explain north south differences in clinical CHD incidence.

Background-Coronary atherosclerosis and cognitive impairment are both age-related diseases, with similar risk factors. Coronary artery calcium (CAC), a marker of coronary atherosclerosis, may play a role in early detection of individuals prone to cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between CAC and cognitive function, and the capability of CAC to identify participants with a high risk of dementia in a Chinese community-based population. Methods-A total of 1 332 participants, aged 40-80 years and free of dementia from a community located in Beijing were included. All participants completed neurocognitive questionnaires and noncontrast CT examinations. Cognitive performance tests (including verbal memory, semantic fluency, executive function, and global cognitive function tests), the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CIDE) risk score, and the CAC score (CACS) were evaluated by questionnaires and CT. A CAIDE score ≥ 10 was considered to indicate a high risk of dementia in late-life. Participants were divided into three groups according to CACS (0, 1-399, ≥ 400). Results-After adjusting for risk factors, CACS was significantly associated with verbal memory ( r = -0.083, P = 0.003) and global cognitive function ( r = -0.070, P = 0.012). The prevalence of a high risk of dementia in the subgroups of CACS = 0, 1-399, and ≥ 400 was 4.67%, 13.66%, and 24.79%, respectively ( P < 0.001). Individuals with CACS ≥ 400 had a higher risk of CAIDE score ≥ 10 [OR = 2.30 (1.56, 4.56), P = 0.014] than those with CACS = 0. The receiver-operating characteristic curves showed that the capability of CACS to identify participants with a high risk of dementia was moderate (AUC = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.67-0.72, P < 0.001). Conclusions-CAC, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, was significantly associated with cognitive performance in verbal memory and global cognitive function. CAC had a moderate capability to identify participants with a high risk of dementia, independent of age, education, and other risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Class III radical hysterectomy (RH III)_plus pelvic lymphadenectomy is the standard surgery for early stage cervical cancer (CC) patients, the 5 year survival rate is about 90%, but pelvic floor disorders especially bladder dysfunction are common due to damaged vessels and nerve fibers following surgery. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) treatment has been used to treat bladder disorders for many years, but its effect on cervical cancer patients, the best treatment time point and stimulated protocol, had never been assessed. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of TENS treatment on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after RH III in CC patients.Methods/design: The study will be conducted as a clinical, multicentre, randomised controlled trial with balanced randomisation (1:1). The planned sample size is 208 participants (at 1:1 ratio, 104 subjects in each group). At 5-7 days after RH III, patients are screened according to operative and pathological findings. Enrolled participants are randomised into an intervention group (TENS plus conventional clinical care) or control group (conventional clinical care), with stratification by menopausal status (menopause vs. non-menopause) and surgical modality (laparoscopic RH or abdominal RH). Participants in both groups will be followed up at 14 days, 21 days, 28 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months after surgery. The primary endpoint is improvement rate of urination function which is defined as recovery (residual urine ≤50 ml) or improvement (residual urine 50-100 ml). Secondary endpoints include urodynamic parameter, urinary incontinence, anorectal function, pelvic function, quality of life (QOL), disease-free survival and adverse events. Primary endpoint analyses will be carried out by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests taking into center effect.Discussion: To our knowledge this is the first trial to investigate the effect of TENS treatment on bladder function recovery after RH III among CC patients. This study will provide new information on TENS efficacy for bladder function recovery. Once confirmed, it may help to provide a new, non-invisive treatment for those postoperative CC patients with poor pelvic function, which would help improve their quality of life.Trial Registration: The study is registered to Clinical Trials.gov ( NCT02492542 ) on June 25, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with cervical spondylosis myelopathy (CSM) and complicated with hypertension are often experiencing a blood pressure decrease after taking cervical decompressive surgery in clinical observations, but how this blood pressure reduction is associated with the surgery, which cut cervical sympathetic nervous, has never been rigorously assessed. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of cervical decompressive surgery on blood pressure among CSM patients with hypertension.Methods/design: The study will be a time series cohort study. Fifty eligible patients will be selected consecutively from the Peking University First Hospital. Two 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) will be taken before the surgery, apart by at least 3 days. The patients will be followed up for another two ABPMs at 1 and 3 months after the surgery. We will recruit subjects with cervical spondylosis myelopathy meeting operation indications and scheduled for receiving cervical decompressive surgery, aged 18-84 years, have a history of hypertension or office systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg on initial screening, and willing to participate in the study and provide informed consent. Exclusion criteria includes a history of known secondary hypertension, visual analogue scale (VAS) score ≥4, and unable to comply with study due to severe psychosis. The change in systolic ABPs over the four times will be analyzed to observe the overall pattern of the blood pressure change in relation to the surgery, but the primary analysis will be the comparison of systolic ABP between the 2(nd) and 3(rd), 4(th) measurements (before and after the surgery). We will also calculate the regression-to-the-mean adjusted changes in systolic ABP as sensitivity analysis. Secondary endpoints are the changes in 24 h ABPM diastolic blood pressure, blood pressure control status, the use and dose adjustment of antihypertensive medication, and the incidence of operative complications. Primary outcome analyses will be carried out using analysis of covariance, as well as the first secondary endpoint.Discussion: This study will inform us the important knowledge about cervical sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and blood pressure. Once confirmed, it may help to produce new method for control of hypertension, which is the leading cause of death in the world.Trial Registration: The study is registered to Clinical Trials.gov (NCT02016768). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To study the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and the relation with its risk factors in China. Methods: A total of 19 363 participants (8635 males and 10 728 females) aged ≥35 years in geographically dispersed urban and rural regions of China were included in this cross-sectional survey. All participants received questionnaire, physical and blood examination. Echocardiography were performed for AF patients found in the survey. Results: Of the 19 363 participants, 199 were diagnosed with AF. The estimated age-standardized prevalence of AF was 0.78% in men and 0.76% in women. The prevalence of AF in participants aged <60 years was 0.41% in men and 0.43% in women, and was 1.83% in both men and women aged ≥60 years. About 19.0% of males and 30.9% of females with AF were diagnosed with valve disease. Age- and sex-adjusted multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), obesity, and alcohol consumption were associated with a increased risk of AF(P<0.05). Conclusion: The age standardized prevalence of AF is 0.77% in the participants enrolled in the present study. The number of AF cases aged ≥35 years is 5.26 million according to 2010 Chinese Census. Most risk factors for AF, identified mainly in Western countries, are also detected in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. The lowering of cholesterol concentrations in individuals at high risk for cardiovascular disease improves clinical outcome. Xuezhikang has a marked impact on lipids. Methods. In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial, a total of 2704 hypertensive patients with previous myocardial infarction (MI) were assigned either to placebo ( n = 1341) or to Xuezhikang (0.6 g twice daily, n = 1363) for an average of 4.5 years. The primary end-point was recurrent coronary events; the secondary end-point was all-cause mortality and other clinical events, including adverse effects. Results. There were no differences between the Xuezhikang and placebo group in base-line characteristics. However, Xuezhikang treatment reduced the incidence of coronary events by 43.0% ( P = 0.02), deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) by 30.0% ( P < 0.01), and all-cause mortality by 35.8% ( P = 0.001). Conclusions. This study, for the first time, demonstrated that long-term Xuezhikang therapy resulted in significant reduction in cardiovascular events and death in Chinese hypertensive patients with previous MI in a safe manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Experimental and observational research suggests that combined epidural-general anesthesia may improve long-term survival after cancer surgery by reducing anesthetic and opioid consumption and by blunting surgery-related inflammation. This study therefore tested the primary hypothesis that combined epidural-general anesthesia improves long-term survival in elderly patients., Methods: This article presents a long-term follow-up of patients enrolled in a previous trial conducted at five hospitals. Patients aged 60 to 90 yr and scheduled for major noncardiac thoracic and abdominal surgeries were randomly assigned to either combined epidural-general anesthesia with postoperative epidural analgesia or general anesthesia alone with postoperative intravenous analgesia. The primary outcome was overall postoperative survival. Secondary outcomes included cancer-specific, recurrence-free, and event-free survival., Results: Among 1,802 patients who were enrolled and randomized in the underlying trial, 1,712 were included in the long-term analysis; 92% had surgery for cancer. The median follow-up duration was 66 months (interquartile range, 61 to 80). Among patients assigned to combined epidural-general anesthesia, 355 of 853 (42%) died compared with 326 of 859 (38%) deaths in patients assigned to general anesthesia alone: adjusted hazard ratio, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.24; P = 0.408. Cancer-specific survival was similar with combined epidural-general anesthesia (327 of 853 [38%]) and general anesthesia alone (292 of 859 [34%]): adjusted hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.28; P = 0.290. Recurrence-free survival was 401 of 853 [47%] for patients who had combined epidural-general anesthesia versus 389 of 859 [45%] with general anesthesia alone: adjusted hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.12; P = 0.692. Event-free survival was 466 of 853 [55%] in patients who had combined epidural-general anesthesia versus 450 of 859 [52%] for general anesthesia alone: adjusted hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.12; P = 0.815., Conclusions: In elderly patients having major thoracic and abdominal surgery, combined epidural-general anesthesia with epidural analgesia did not improve overall or cancer-specific long-term mortality. Nor did epidural analgesia improve recurrence-free survival. Either approach can therefore reasonably be selected based on patient and clinician preference., (Copyright © 2021, the American Society of Anesthesiologists. All Rights Reserved.)

Background: Delirium is a common and serious postoperative complication, especially in the elderly. Epidural anesthesia may reduce delirium by improving analgesia, reducing opioid consumption, and blunting stress response to surgery. This trial therefore tested the hypothesis that combined epidural-general anesthesia reduces the incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly patients recovering from major noncardiac surgery., Methods: Patients aged 60 to 90 yr scheduled for major noncardiac thoracic or abdominal surgeries expected to last 2 h or more were enrolled. Participants were randomized 1:1 to either combined epidural-general anesthesia with postoperative epidural analgesia or general anesthesia with postoperative intravenous analgesia. The primary outcome was the incidence of delirium, which was assessed with the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit twice daily during the initial 7 postoperative days., Results: Between November 2011 and May 2015, 1,802 patients were randomized to combined epidural-general anesthesia (n = 901) or general anesthesia alone (n = 901). Among these, 1,720 patients (mean age, 70 yr; 35% women) completed the study and were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Delirium was significantly less common in the combined epidural-general anesthesia group (15 [1.8%] of 857 patients) than in the general anesthesia group (43 [5.0%] of 863 patients; relative risk, 0.351; 95% CI, 0.197 to 0.627; P < 0.001; number needed to treat 31). Intraoperative hypotension (systolic blood pressure less than 80 mmHg) was more common in patients assigned to epidural anesthesia (421 [49%] vs. 288 [33%]; relative risk, 1.47, 95% CI, 1.31 to 1.65; P < 0.001), and more epidural patients were given vasopressors (495 [58%] vs. 387 [45%]; relative risk, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.41; P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Older patients randomized to combined epidural-general anesthesia for major thoracic and abdominal surgeries had one third as much delirium but 50% more hypotension. Clinicians should consider combining epidural and general anesthesia in patients at risk of postoperative delirium, and avoiding the combination in patients at risk of hypotension., (Copyright © 2021, the American Society of Anesthesiologists. All Rights Reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between fasting glucose levels and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Chinese population., Methods: The role of fasting blood glucose levels as a predictor of all-cause and cause-specific mortality was estimated in 9930 participants from four Chinese general populations with a 20-year follow-up. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify the relationship between fasting glucose and mortality., Results: There were 1471 deaths after a median follow-up of 20.2 years (a total of 187,374 person-years), including 310 cardiovascular deaths, 581 cancer deaths, and 580 other-cause deaths. After adjustment for age, sex, urban or rural, northern or southern of China, types of work, education level, physical exercise, smoking status, drinking status, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and serum total cholesterol at baseline, the hazard ratios ( HR s) and 95% confidence intervals ( CI s) for all-cause mortality in the fasting blood glucose categories of <60, 60-69, 70-79, 90-99, 100-109, 110-125, and ≥126 mg/dl were 1.38 (1.04-1.84), 1.20 (1.01-1.43), 1.18 (1.03-1.36), 1.18 (0.99-1.41), 1.48 (1.16-1.88), 1.17 (0.84-1.62), and 2.23 (1.72-2.90), respectively, in contrast to the reference group (80-89 mg/dl). The HR s and 95% CI s for cardiovascular disease mortality in these groups were 2.58 (1.44-4.61), 1.41 (0.95-2.10), 1.56 (1.15-2.11), 1.29 (0.88-1.89), 1.36 (0.78-2.37), 1.05 (0.52-2.11), and 2.73 (1.64-4.56), respectively., Conclusions: Both low and high fasting glucose were significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Chinese general population.

Objective: To explore the optimal cut-off values of waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) for detecting the severe central obesity and low body weight in adult Chinese population., Methods: A total of 30 630 participants aged 35-59 years from different areas in mainland China were surveyed for cardiovascular diseases risk factors in two independent cross-sectional studies that carried out in 1992-1994 and 1998, respectively. Indices, such as sensitivity, specificity for hypertension, abnormal glucose, high serum total cholesterol, low serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol and clustering of risk factors (number ≥ 2) were calculated to evaluate the efficacy individual cut-off point of WHtR. The cut-off point value for obvious central obesity was fixed on the point whose specificity of the point was gathered more than 90%. And the cut-off point value to indicate low weight was determined by the percentile distribution of WHtR, at which the 5th percentile of point, both in male and female population. Based on the principle of convenient and practical for use, the optimal cut-off point values of WHtR for low weight and obvious central obesity were determined., Results: The cut-off values of WHtR to detect severe central obesity were 0.54 and 0.57 for men and women, respectively. Additionally, the cut-off points of WHtR for each of the 4 cardiovascular risk factors to evaluate the severity separately ranged from 0.54 to 0.55 in male, and ranged from 0.57 to 0.58 in female. The 5th percentile of WHtR, which was the point value of WHtR to indicate low body weight, was 0.40 in both male and female population., Conclusion: Our data suggest that the optimal cut-off value of WHtR for defining severe central obesity and low body weight should be 0.57 and 0.40, respectively.

Objective: To study the efficacy of waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in predicting central obesity among the Chinese adult population., Methods: A total of 30 630 participants aged 35 - 59 from different areas in mainland China were surveyed for the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in two independent cross-sectional studies that were carried out in 1992 - 1994 and 1998, respectively. In subgroups with different heights, consistency analysis for central obesity diagnosed by WHtR (≥ 0.50) and WC (≥ 85 cm for men, ≥ 80 cm for women) were conducted. Sensitivity and specificity for predicting the clustering of risk factors (number ≥ 2) would include hypertension, abnormal glucose, high serum total cholesterol and low serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol and they were also calculated to evaluate the efficacy of prediction, with the two indices in the different height subgroups as well., Results: The consistency of diagnosis on central obesity by WC and WHtR was good in the whole population (the Kappa value was 0.805 in men and 0.816 in women), but poor (all Kappa values ≤ 0.6) for those with tall (men's height ≥ 180 cm and women's height ≥ 170 cm) or with short statures (men's height < 160 cm, and women's height < 150 cm). Sensitivity in the shorty subgroups and specificity in the tall subgroups appeared poor in both genders, by using WC criteria to predict the clustering of risk factors. However, the sensitivity (ranged from 56.1% to 64.1% for men and 64.7% to 73.2% for women) and specificity (from 70.0% to 74.5% for men, 59.2% to 75.9% for women) seemed good and stable in all the subgroups as well as in both genders by using the WHtR criteria., Conclusion: WC and WHtR could both be applied in predicting the clustering of risk factors of CVD and in evaluating the central obesity in the whole population. With satisfactory efficacy, WHtR seemed to be better than WC in the prediction of central obesity, both in men or women with tall or short statures.

Objective: To compare the physicians' lipid lowering drug prescribing behavior and knowledge on dyslipidemia before and at 8 months after new-issued blood-lipid reports in our hospital., Method: Blood-lipid reports in our hospital is newly modified in that the classification of dyslipidemia and lipid-lowering guideline and target lipid level are listed on the back of lipid report besides the normal lipid value listed immediately after the measured lipid levels. Physicians' lipid lowering drug prescribing behavior and knowledge on dyslipidemia before and at 8 months after new-issued blood-lipid reports were examined in 143 doctors from various departments before and at 8 months after new-issued lipid reports., Results: At 8 months after the new issued lipid reports, doctors' cognition rate about the guideline was significantly increased [83.9% (120/143) vs. 67.1% (96/143), P < 0.001] and the guideline was considered more helpful on daily practice [75.3% (58/77) vs. 55.8% (43/77), P = 0.005] compared to baseline. However, the prescription rate of dyslipidemia therapy did not change significantly (69.2% vs. 63.2%, P = 0.117) at 8 months after the new issued lipid reports., Conclusions: The modification of the blood-lipid reports improved doctors' knowledge on dyslipidemia and on the "Chinese guidelines on prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia in adults". However, the lipid lowering drug prescribing behavior remained unchanged at 8 months after the modification of the lipid reports. Further investigation is warranted to see if the lipid lowering drug prescribing behavior could be changed in the long-term.