Effectiveness of a National Transitional Care Program in Reducing Acute Care Use

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a national transitional care program for elderly adults with complex care needs and limited social support. The Aged Care Transition (ACTION) Program was designed to improve coordination and continuity of care and reduce rehospitalizations and visits to emergency departments (EDs). Dedicated care coordinators provided coaching to help individuals and families understand the individuals' conditions, effectively articulate their preferences, and enable self‐management and care planning. Participants were individuals aged 65 and older hospitalized and enrolled from five public general hospitals in Singapore between February 2009 and July 2010 (N = 4,132). The coordinators worked with participants during hospitalization and followed up with telephone calls and home visits for 1 to 2 months after discharge and coordinated placements with appropriate community service providers. Unplanned rehospitalization and ED visit (up to 6 months after discharge) rates were compared with those of a comparator group of individuals who did not receive care coordination using propensity score‐based weighting. Participant and caregiver surveys on quality of life and self‐rated health were also administered. Recipients of the ACTION program had fewer unplanned rehospitalizations and ED visits after discharge. Propensity score–adjusted odds ratios of participants versus control for number of unplanned rehospitalization and ED visits were 0.5 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.5–0.6) and 0.81 (95% CI = 0.72–0.90) 30 days after discharge and 0.6 (95% CI = 0.6–0.7) and 0.90 (95% CI = 0.82–0.99) 180 days after discharge. Quality of life and self‐rated health were better 4 to 6 weeks after discharge than 1 week after discharge. These findings confirm the effectiveness of the ACTION program in improving the transition of vulnerable older adults from hospital to community. Such transitional care should be considered as an integral part of care integration.     

前胡类药材的化学成分及质量控制方法研究

目的：概述前胡类药材化学成分及其相关成方制剂的质量控制标准的研究现状,为前胡类药材及成药的标准研究提供参考。方法：检索并查阅前胡类药材相关研究文献及标准记载情况,归纳其主要化学成分及制剂的质量控制方法。结果：以“前胡”为药材名的药用植物较多,其所含化学成分主要有香豆素类、黄酮类、萜类及挥发油类;质量标准除《中华人民共和国药典》收载前胡及紫花前胡外,尚有多省份地方药材标准收载以前胡的近缘种作为地方习用品使用。质量控制方法主要涉及性状鉴别、显微鉴别、薄层鉴别、指纹图谱、含量测定等方法。结论：前胡为常用传统中药,应用广泛,前胡及其中成药的质量标准参差不齐,有待进一步提升。     

Social determinants status and hypertension: A Nationwide Cross‐sectional Study in China

To explore the association between unbalanced social determinants status and hypertension (HTN) in China, we conducted a cross‐sectional survey in a sample of 299 220 Chinese in 2012 to 2015. Social determinants status were measured with: (a) district‐level:Per capita GDP (Per_GDP), the number of hospital beds per 1000 residents (Per 1000_bed) and tertiary industry added value (TIAV); (b) individual‐level: education and employment conditions. Compared with the poorest level of Per_GDP, the middle and richest group had higher risk of HTN [OR, 95%CI: 1.12 (1.09‐1.14) and 0.99 (0.96‐1.02)] and higher possibility of HTN awareness, treatment, and control. Higher risk of HTN and lower possibility of awareness, treatment, and control were associated with elevated Per 1000_bed in rural area. Higher possibility of HTN control was associated with the higher TIAV (P _trend < .001). Those with middle (OR, 95%CI: 0.86, 0.84‐0.88) and senior (OR, 95%CI: 0.72, 0.69‐0.76) education had a decreased risk of HTN and higher HTN control possibility compared to primary. And participants in retirement/unemployment conditions had a higher risk of HTN and higher possibility of HTN awareness, treatment, and control compared with the job‐holders. This study provides evidence from China that social determinants status has a detectable association with HTN. People with a higher economic area living, lower level of education, or retirement/ unemployment conditions has a higher risk of HTN, especially for male or rural residents. And lower possibility of HTN awareness, treatment, and control were associated with worse economic development and social circumstances environment, lower education level, and employment/student conditions.     

Prevalence and prognosis of the 2018 vs 2008 AHA definitions of apparent treatment‐resistant hypertension in high‐risk hypertension patients

Resistant hypertension was defined according to the 2008 scientific statement as office blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg and the 2018 scientific statement as office blood pressure ≥ 130/80 mm Hg. We investigated the prognostic significance of lowered blood pressure threshold for defining resistant hypertension in the 2018 American Heart Association scientific statement compared with that in the 2008 scientific statement. The participants of this prospective cohort were enrolled from December 2013 to November 2018. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction, non‐fatal stroke, and heart failure hospitalization. Renal event was defined as a ≥ 50% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate or progression to end‐stage renal disease. A total of 206 patients among 2018 (10.2%) were diagnosed with resistant hypertension by the previous definition (≥140/90 mm Hg), and 276 patients among 2011 (13.7%) were diagnosed with resistant hypertension by the updated definition (≥130/80 mm Hg). During a median follow‐up of 4.5 years, 33 MACEs (3.7 per 1000 patient‐years) and 164 renal events (19.9 per 1000 patient‐years) occurred in the study population. Treatment‐resistant hypertension groups had a higher incidence rate of MACEs and renal events than the control groups. In multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, resistant hypertension by both definitions was significantly associated with increased risk of MACE and renal event. Both the previous and updated definitions of resistant hypertension were significant predictors of MACEs and renal events. This finding supports the adoption of the updated criteria for resistant hypertension in clinical practice.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病中MMP-9/TIMP-1与Th17/Treg作用与联系

目的 检测慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）外周血中Th17、Treg细胞占CD4^＋T细胞的比例、Th 17/Treg比值和血浆中MMP-9、TIMP-1含量、MMP-9/TIMP-1比值,探讨其在发病中的作用和机制.方法 COPD急性加重组患者30例,COPD缓解组25例患者健康吸烟组20例患者,健康非吸烟组20例患者;采用流式细胞分析技术检测Th17、Treg细胞占CD4^＋T细胞的比例,ELISA法检测血浆中MMP-9、TIMP-1含量.结果 外周血Th17占CD4^＋T细胞的比例在：COPD急性期组高于缓解组、健康非吸烟组、健康吸烟组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,COPD缓解期组与健康吸烟组相比差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）,与健康非吸烟组相比差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.外周血Treg占CD4＋T细胞比例在：各组间比较,差异无统计学意义（F=1.971,P＞0.05）;Th17/Treg比值的：COPD急性期组分别与COPD缓解期组、健康吸烟组、健康非吸烟组比较,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,COPD缓解期组与健康吸烟和健康非吸烟组比较,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;血浆中MMP-9含量的在：COPD急性期组与COPD缓解期组、健康吸烟组、健康非吸烟组比较,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,COPD缓解期组与健康吸烟组、健康非吸烟组比较,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,血浆中MMP-9/TIMP-1比值：COPD急性加重期组与其他三组相比均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,COPD缓解期组与健康组相比,均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.结论 Th17、Treg细胞、MMP-9、TIMP-1可能均参与了COPD的发生和发展.Th17、MMP-9增高可能促发COPD的发生和急性加重,并且两者存在一定相关性,并相互影响,加重COPD的自体免疫反应.