Quality changes of clinical practice guidelines for respiratory diseases in China: A systematic review.

Background: After the low quality of Chinese clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for respiratory diseases published from 1979 to 2013 was reported, some handbooks were published to standardize guidelines' development recently. There was a great increase in the production and dissemination of CPGs annually in China, whose quality and potential impact were unknown.

Methods: A systematic search of four literature databases was performed for the period January 2013 to December 2018 to identify Chinese CPGs for respiratory diseases.

A comparative study of the five-repetition sit-to-stand test and the 30-second sit-to-stand test to assess exercise tolerance in COPD patients.

Purpose: The sit-to-stand test (STST) has been used to evaluate the exercise tolerance of patients with COPD. However, mutual comparisons to predict poor exercise tolerance have been hindered by the variety of STST modes used in previous studies, which also did not consider patients' subjective perceptions of different STST modes. Our aim was to compare the five-repetition sit-to-stand test (5STS) with the 30-second sit-to-stand test (30STS) for predicting poor performance in the six-minute walking test and to evaluate patients' subjective perceptions to determine the optimal mode for clinical practice.

Rapid on-site evaluation of routine biochemical parameters to predict right ventricular dysfunction in and the prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary embolism upon admission to the emergency room.

Introduction: Patients with acute pulmonary embolism(APE)who present with right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) have a worse prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the value of routine biochemical parameters in predicting RVD and 30-day mortality in patients with APE.

Methods: We retrospectively collected the clinical data for 154 enrolled patients, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), D-dimer, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP).

Cycle ergometer and inspiratory muscle training offer modest benefit compared with cycle ergometer alone: a comprehensive assessment in stable COPD patients.

Background: Cycle ergometer training (CET) has been shown to improve exercise performance of the quadriceps muscles in patients with COPD, and inspiratory muscle training (IMT) may improve the pressure-generating capacity of the inspiratory muscles. However, the effects of combined CET and IMT remain unclear and there is a lack of comprehensive assessment.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-one patients with COPD were randomly allocated to three groups: 28 received 8 weeks of CET + IMT (combined training group), 27 received 8 weeks of CET alone (CET group), and 26 only received 8 weeks of free walking (control group).

Food allergy and related risk factors in 2540 preschool children: an epidemiological survey in Guangdong Province, southern China.

Background: Although the number of studies on allergic diseases in the general population of southern China is increasing, only a few have addressed food allergy (FA) in children in this region. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence, clinical manifestations, spectrum of allergens, and related risk factors of FA in preschool children in Guangdong Province, southern China.

Methods: A random cluster-sampling method was used to select 24 kindergartens from 12 cities in Guangdong Province.

Allergy-related evidences in relation to serum IgE: data from the China state key laboratory of respiratory disease, 2008-2013.

Objective: To investigate the serum total IgE (tIgE) and specific IgE (sIgE) to common allergens among allergic patients in Guangzhou, China.

Methods: 7 085 patients were examined for tIgE and sIgE to 15 allergens, based on the protocols of reversed enzyme allergosorbent test and the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: 3 758 (53.

Prevalence of allergen sensitization among patients with allergic diseases in Guangzhou, Southern China: a four-year observational study.

Background: The distribution of allergens may vary with different geographic areas, suggesting the importance of local epidemiological data to support evidence-based prevention and management of allergic diseases. We investigated the distribution of common allergens in allergic patients in Guangzhou, southern China.

Methods: 7,047 patients with allergic symptoms were examined for serum sIgE to 15 common allergens in this region, based on the protocol of reversed enzyme allergosorbent test.

Single intraperitoneal injection of monocrotaline as a novel large animal model of chronic pulmonary hypertension in Tibet minipigs.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to establish an animal model of chronic pulmonary hypertension with a single-dose intraperitoneal injection of monocrotaline (MCT) in young Tibet minipigs, so as to enable both invasive and noninvasive measurements and hence facilitate future studies.

Methods: Twenty-four minipigs (8-week-old) were randomized to receive single-dose injection of 12.0 mg/kg MCT (MCT group, n = 12) or placebo (control group, n = 12 each).

Effects of nebulized high-dose budesonide on moderate-to-severe acute exacerbation of asthma in children: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background And Objective: The efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in asthma exacerbation are yet to be clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of nebulized ICS in children with moderate-to-severe acute exacerbation of asthma in an emergency room setting in order to elucidate the potential use of ICS as the first-line therapy in the management of acute exacerbation of asthma.

Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Visualization of peripheral pulmonary artery red thrombi utilizing optical coherence tomography.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a new imaging technique capable of obtaining high-resolution intravascular images and has been used in interventional cardiology. However, an application of OCT in pulmonary arteries had seldom been documented. In this case, OCT imaging is performed in peripheral pulmonary arteries and shows mural red thrombi.

Reference values of induced sputum cytology in healthy children in guangzhou, southern china.

Objective: To establish normal reference values of induced sputum cytology in healthy children in southern China.

Methods: During a period from January 2010 to December 2011, a total of 580 healthy children (5-16 years of age) were approached. A total of 266 children (137 boys and 129 girls) participated in the study.

Using optical coherence tomography to detect peripheral pulmonary thrombi.

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a new imaging technique capable of obtaining high-resolution intravascular images of small vessels and has been widely used in interventional cardiology. However, application of OCT in peripheral pulmonary arteries in patients has been seldom documented.

Methods: Three patients who were highly suspected peripheral pulmonary arteries thrombi and had undergone CT pulmonary angiography but tested negative for thrombi in peripheral pulmonary arteries were enrolled.

Pandemic planning in China: applying lessons from severe acute respiratory syndrome.

There were three events of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China from 2003 to 2004. Starting from 2002, we are also aware of the increasing alert of an avian flu pandemic. Epidemics of SARS and avian flu have posed huge threats to social stability, economic prosperity and human health in this country.

Evaluation by indirect immunofluorescent assay and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of the dynamic changes of serum antibody responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is a newly emerging virus that gives rise to SARS patients with high rates of infectivity and fatality. To study the humoral immune responses to SARS-CoV, the authors evaluated IgG and IgM specific antibodies in patients' sera.

Methods: Two methods, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA), were used to detect specific serum IgG and IgM against SARS-CoV in 98 SARS patients and 250 controls consisting of patients with pneumonia, health-care professionals and healthy subjects.

Chemokine-like factor 1, a novel cytokine, contributes to airway damage, remodeling and pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) was recently identified as a novel cytokine. The full-length CKLF1 cDNA contains 530 bp encoding 99 amino acid residues with a CC motif similar to that of other CC family chemokines. Recombinant CKLF1 exhibits chemotactic activity on leucocytes and stimulates proliferation of murine skeletal muscle cells.

[Protective effect of specific antibody in serum of convalescent patient with SARS].

Objective: To investigate inhibitory effect of serum severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) -specific antibodies from convalescent patients after half an year of onset on SARS-CoV-mediated cytopathic response.

Methods: SARS-CoV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody was determined by enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA). Twelve serum samples from convalescent patients, diluted by 1:8 with maintenance medium, were mixed with the three dilution supernatants of SARS-CoV.

Protective effect of a bacterial extract against acute exacerbation in patients with chronic bronchitis accompanied by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Immunostimulating agents made from bacterial extracts represent a class of medications that contains antigens derived from several bacterial strains and their potential ability to prevent bacterial infections results from the stimulation of the nonspecific component of the immune system. The present study investigated the effect of the oral immunostimulant Broncho-Vaxom, which includes material from eight different species of bacteria that are frequently present in the lower respiratory tract, on the frequency and severity of acute exacerbation in patients with chronic bronchitis accompanied by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: Ninety patients with chronic bronchitis complicated with COPD were randomly divided into groups A and B.

[Stimulation of neuropeptide Y on heat shock protein expression in renal vascular smooth muscle and the inhibition thereon by losartan].

Objective: To study the effect of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of renal arteries.

Methods: The renal veins of SD rats were isolated and broken into pieces. The VSMCs were cultured and then divided into 3 groups, neuropeptide Y (NPY), NPY + losartan, and serum-free DMEM were added into the culture respectively.

Extracorporeal shock-wave versus pneumatic ureteroscopic lithotripsy in treatment of lower ureteral calculi.

Aim: To compare the efficacy and complications of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL) and pneumatic ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) in the treatment of lower ureteral calculi.

Methods: From August 1997 to June 1999, 210 patients with calculi in the distal third of the ureter were treated with SWL and the other 180 with URS. The stones were fragmented with either HB-ESWL-V lithotripter or JML-93 pneumatic lithotripter through Wolf 7.