双水平气道正压对OSAHS患者预后及血管内皮功能的影响

目的 分析双水平气道正压双水平气道正压通气(bi-level positive airway pressure,BiPAP)对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome,OSAHS)患者血管内皮功能及预后的影响。 方法 将100例OSAHS患者纳入研究，随机分为观察及对照组，各50例。观察组行BiPAP ，对照组行常规治疗，比较两组多导睡眠监测(polysomnography，PSG)检查指标（低通气指数、呼吸暂停指数、呼吸暂停及低通气时间、90%以下血氧饱和度次数、90%以下血氧饱和度时间）、心肺功能［脑钠肽(brainnatriureticpeptide,BNP)、右心室Tei指数、左心室Tei指数、一秒用力呼气容积占用力肺活量的百分比(forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity，FEV1/FVC)、一秒用力呼气容积占预计值的百分比(FEV1占预计值%)］、血管内皮功能［内皮素1(endothelin-1,ET-1)、一氧化氮(nitric oxide,NO)、凝血酶Ⅲ(antithrombin Ⅲ,AT-Ⅲ)］及生活质量。 结果 观察组低通气指数、呼吸暂停指数、呼吸暂停及低通气时间、90%以下血氧饱和度次数及时间指标均显著低于对照组（P＜0.05）。观察组治疗后BNP以及Tei指数显著低于治疗前及对照组治疗后，FEV1/FVC、FEV1占预计值%显著高于治疗前及对照组治疗后(P＜0.05)。观察组治疗后ET-1、AT-Ⅲ低于治疗前及对照组治疗后，NO高于治疗前及对照组治疗后（P＜0.05）。观察组治疗后生活质量各项目评分高于对照组（P＜0.05）。 结论 BiPAP治疗能够改善OSAHS患者的预后情况及血管内皮功能，效果确切。     

Young age,female sex,and presence of systemic adverse reactions are associated with high post-vaccination antibody titer after two doses of BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: An observational study of 646 Japanese healthcare workers and university staff

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 vaccination has started worldwide, including Japan. Although high rates of vaccine response and adverse reactions of BNT162b2 vaccine have been reported, knowledge about the relationship between sex differences and antibody response is limited. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether adverse reactions are associated with the vaccine response.MethodsThis prospective observational study included 673 Japanese participants working in a medical school and its affiliated hospital in Tokyo, Japan (UMIN000043340). Serum samples were collected before the first dose and three weeks after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine, and antibody titers against the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 were measured. Answers to questionnaires about background characteristics and adverse reactions were obtained at the time of sample collection, and the relationship between antibody titers was analyzed.ResultsAfter excluding participants who did not complete receiving two doses of vaccination or two series of serum sample collection, 646 participants were analyzed. Although all participants became sero-positive after vaccination, antibody titers were highly variable among individuals (260.9–57,399.7A U/mL), with a median titer of 13478.0AU/mL. Mean titer was higher in females than in males and higher in young (≤45 years old) participants than in aged (>45 years old) participants. Participants who experienced adverse reactions demonstrated a higher antibody titer after vaccination than those without adverse reactions. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that young age, female sex, and adverse reactions after the second dose were independently related to higher antibody titers after the second dose.DiscussionA favorable antibody response was observed after two doses of BNT162b2 vaccination among mostly healthy Japanese participants, especially among female and young participants. Although further investigation is essential, our results imply that the systemic adverse reactions (i.e., fever and general fatigue) are associated with a higher antibody response that indicates the acquisition of humoral immunity.     

Imaging Features of Pulmonary Immune-related Adverse Events

Pulmonary immune-related adverse events represent rare but potentially severe side effects of immunotherapies. Diagnosis is often challenging, as symptoms and imaging features are not specific and may mimic other lung diseases, thus potentially delaying appropriate patient management. In this setting, an accurate imaging evaluation is essential for a prompt detection and correct management of these drug-induced lung diseases. The purpose of this article is to review the different types of pulmonary immune-related adverse events, describe their imaging characteristics on both high-resolution computed tomography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography and stress their underlying diagnostic challenge by presenting the mimickers.     

左卡尼汀治疗心肌炎的临床效果与安全性观察

目的对心肌炎患者采用左卡尼汀治疗的效果和安全性进行探究。方法研究对象以2018年7月-2019年9月收治的心肌炎患者82例为对象,以随机数字表划分为常规组和研究组,两组患者每组41例。采用常规治疗方式对常规组进行治疗,在此基础上,采用左卡尼汀对研究组进行治疗。在治疗结束后,观察并比较临床疗效和用药过程的安全问题。结果研究组的治疗总有效率为97.6%,但常规组的治疗总有效率只有80.5%,从结果来看研究组的治疗有效率更高,效果更佳突出,组间结果差异对比(P <0.05)。在不良反应方面,研究组的不良反应(4.9%)虽然比常规组(2.4%)更高,然而从统计学结果来看差异无统计学意义(P> 0.05)。结论针对心肌炎患者采用左卡尼汀进行治疗具有很好的效果,而且具有很高的安全性。     

Influence of coronary stenosis location on diagnostic performance of machine learning-based fractional flow reserve from CT angiography

BackgroundCompared with invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR), coronary CT angiography (cCTA) is limited in detecting hemodynamically relevant lesions. cCTA-based FFR (CT-FFR) is an approach to overcome this insufficiency by use of computational fluid dynamics. Applying recent innovations in computer science, a machine learning (ML) method for CT-FFR derivation was introduced and showed improved diagnostic performance compared to cCTA alone. We sought to investigate the influence of stenosis location in the coronary artery system on the performance of ML-CT-FFR in a large, multicenter cohort.MethodsThree hundred and thirty patients (75.2% male, median age 63 years) with 502 coronary artery stenoses were included in this substudy of the MACHINE (Machine Learning Based CT Angiography Derived FFR: A Multi-Center Registry) registry. Correlation of ML-CT-FFR with the invasive reference standard FFR was assessed and pooled diagnostic performance of ML-CT-FFR and cCTA was determined separately for the following stenosis locations: RCA, LAD, LCX, proximal, middle, and distal vessel segments.ResultsML-CT-FFR correlated well with invasive FFR across the different stenosis locations. Per-lesion analysis revealed improved diagnostic accuracy of ML-CT-FFR compared with conventional cCTA for stenoses in the RCA (71.8% [95% confidence interval, 63.0%–79.5%] vs. 54.8% [45.7%–63.8%]), LAD (79.3 [73.9–84.0] vs. 59.6 [53.5–65.6]), LCX (84.1 [76.0–90.3] vs. 63.7 [54.1–72.6]), proximal (81.5 [74.6–87.1] vs. 63.8 [55.9–71.2]), middle (81.2 [75.7–85.9] vs. 59.4 [53.0–65.6]) and distal stenosis location (67.4 [57.0–76.6] vs. 51.6 [41.1–62.0]).ConclusionIn a multicenter cohort with high disease prevalence, ML-CT-FFR offered improved diagnostic performance over cCTA for detecting hemodynamically relevant stenoses regardless of their location.     

Could non-HDL-cholesterol be a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia in obstructive sleep apnea?

Background/objectiveObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is independently associated with dyslipidemia, a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol is accepted as a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol is a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia and recommended as a target of lipid lowering therapy. We aimed to assess the prevalence of atherogenic dyslipidemia, and relationship between OSA severity and serum LDL-cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol levels in OSA patients.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated treatment naïve 2361 subjects admitted to the sleep laboratory of a university hospital for polysomnography. All subjects’ lipid profile including total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-HDL-cholesterol were measured.ResultsOut of 2361 patients (mean age 49.6 ± 11.9 years; 68.9% male, apnea-hypopnea index 36.6 ± 28.4/h), 185 (7.8%) had no OSA and 2176 (92.2%) had OSA. Atherogenic dyslipidemia prevalence was high (57–66%) in OSA patients, and especially increased in severe OSA compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Though total and LDL-cholesterol did not differ between those with and without OSA, non-HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.020), and triglycerides (p = 0.001) were higher and HDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.018) were lower in OSA patients than non-OSA. Non-HDL-cholesterol was significantly correlated with OSA severity (p < 0.001) and hypoxia parameters (p < 0.01), whereas LDL-cholesterol showed no correlation.ConclusionsAtherogenic dyslipidemia is highly prevalent and non-HDL-cholesterol levels are significantly increased, predominantly in severe OSA patients. Non-HDL-cholesterol but not LDL-cholesterol, is significantly correlated with OSA severity and hypoxia parameters. Therefore, it could be better to use non-HDL-cholesterol, which is a guideline recommended target of lipid therapy, as a marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in OSA patients.     

Vasovagal reactions after COVID-19 vaccination in Japan

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine administration started in February 2021 in Japan. As of December 2021, approximately 75% of the population aged ≥12 years had received two doses of vaccine. We conducted a study to investigate vasovagal reactions (VVR) after COVID-19 vaccination using data on adverse events following immunization. The crude reporting rate of VVR (cases/1,000,000 doses) after vaccination was 9.6 in all age groups combined, and was more frequent in the younger age groups: 28.6 and 37.2 in individuals aged 10–19 years and 20–29 years, respectively. In individuals aged 10–29 years, the rate was similar in males and females (33.0 and 34.2, respectively, p = 0.53); but was higher after dose 1 than after dose 2 (57.4 and 8.8, respectively, p < 0.001). Based on these results, caution needs to be exercised when vaccinating adolescents and young adults, especially with dose 1 of COVID-19 vaccines.