Chinese Medical Association Research Articles

Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis of cirrhotic portal hypertension by ultrasound elastography (2023 version)

The population with cirrhosis in China is about 7 million, and portal hypertension is an important factor affecting the prognosis of these patients. The severity of portal hypertension determines the occurrence and development of liver related complications, such as ascites, variceal bleeding, and hepatic encephalopathy. In recent years, ultrasound elastography technology has been rapidly developed and widely applied in the field of liver diseases. Transient elastography, point shear wave elastography, and two-dimensional shear-wave elastography are all of great value for non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension. However, there is currently no unified operating standard and reference threshold for evaluating cirrhotic portal hypertension using ultrasound elastography. Therefore, Ultrasonic Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and Chinese Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS) initialed and convened domestic experts from multiple disciplines, including ultrasound medicine, hepatology, gastroenterology, to form a consensus based on the latest domestic and international guidelines, medical evidence, and Chinese clinical practice. The aim is to standardize the examination process of different ultrasound elastography techniques, and standardize the application of liver stiffness and spleen stiffness in compensated advanced chronic liver disease, clinically significant portal hypertension, avoidance of endoscopic screening, risk stratification of portal hypertension, and personalized clinical management.

Free lateral tarsal artery perforator flap for repair of volar skin defect of thumb.

To investigate the effect of free lateral tarsal artery perforator flap in the repair of the volar skin defect of the thumb. From January 2020 to December 2022, the free lateral tarsal artery perforator flap was used to repair the skin defect of the palmar side of the thumb in 11 cases. There were 9 males and 2 females with an average age of 45 years (range, 35-62 years). The causes of injury were mechanical injury in 8 cases, traffic accident in 3 cases, combined with different degrees of tendon and bone exposure and injury. The time from injury to operation was 1 to 4 hours, with an average of 2.5 hours. The size of the flap ranged from 3.0 cm × 3.0 cm to 5.5 cm × 5.0 cm, and the donor site was repaired with the skin graft. All the flaps and skin grafts survived successfully, and the wounds healed in the first stage. All patients were followed up for 6 to 24 months, with an average of 15 months. The appearance of the flap was good, with normal color, no pigmentation, and a soft texture. The 2-point discrimination of the flap was 6 to 11 mm, with an average of 8.5 mm at 6 months after operation. At the last follow-up, 8 cases were excellent and 3 cases were good according to the trial standard of upper limb function evaluation of the Chinese Society of Hand Surgery of the Chinese Medical Association, and the excellent and good rate was 100%. There was no significant effect on the sensation and function of the feet in the donor site, and the patient satisfaction was high. Free lateral tarsal artery perforator flap is a good choice to repair the skin defect of the palmar side of the thumb because of its simple operation, high survival rate and good sensory recovery of the recipient area.

Use a leaflet flap of foot to severed multi-finger with segmental injury

To explore asurgical methods for replantation of severed finger. From January 2018 to November 2022, 8 amputated-finger patients were performed surgical reconstructions by using polyfoliate free flaps with the first dorsal metatarsal artery, including 7 males and 1 female, aged from 20 to 55 years old, and defect areas ranged from (1.0 to 2.0) cm×(3.0 to 4.5) cm. Finger pulp sensation, shape and other relevant parameters were assessed following the upper extremity functional evaluation standard, which was put forward by Hand Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association. And maryland foot functional score was used to evaluate foot function. Amputated fingers and flaps of all the 8 patients were survived. All patients were followed up for 4 to 20 months, their finger color and temperature tured to normal, with good wear-resistance and cold-resistance. According to Hand Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association, functional score ranged 61 to 92;4 patients got excellent result and 4 good. Maryland foot functional score ranged from 93 to 100;and 8 patients got excellent result. It is feasible to repair severed fingers with soft tissue defects using polyfoliate free flaps that driven by the flippers of the first and second toes of the foot. This method ccould bridge blood vessels, increase soft tissue volume of the injured finger, and avoid finger shortening, with high patient satisfaction.

One-stage repair of full-thickness skin defect at dorsal skin of middle phalanx fingers using artificial dermis combing with digital artery perforator fascial flaps

To explore clinical effects of the stageⅠrepair of full-thickness skin defect at dorsal skin of middle phalanx fingers using artificial dermis combing with digital artery perforator fascial flaps. From January 2019 to May 2020, 21 patients(27 middle phalanx fingers)with full-thickness skin defect were repaired at stageⅠusing artificial dermis combing with digital artery perforator fascial flaps. All patients were emergency cases, and were accompanied by the exposure of bone tendon and the defects of periosteum and tendon membrane. Among patients, including 11 males and 10 females aged from 18 to 66 years old with an average age of (39.00±8.01) years old;9 index fingers, 10 middle fingers and 8 ring fingers;range of skin defect area ranged from (2.5 to 3.5) cm×(1.5 to 3.0) cm;range of exposed bone tendon area was (1.5 to 2.0) cm×(1.0 to 2.0) cm. The time from admission to hospital ranged from 1 to 6 h, operation time started from 3 to 8 h after injury. All patients were followed up from 6 to12 months with an average of (9.66±1.05) months. The wounds in 26 cases were completely healed at 4 to 6 weeks after operation. One finger has changed into wound infection with incompletely epithelialized dermis, and achieved wound healing at 8 weeks after dressing change. All fingers were plump with less scars. The healed wound surface was similar to the color and texture of the surrounding skin. These fingers have excellent wearability and flexibility. According to the upper limb function trial evaluation standard of Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association, the total score ranged from 72 to 100. 26 fingers got excellent result and 1 good. StageⅠrepair of full-thickness skin defect at dorsal skin of middle phalanx fingers using artificial dermis combing with digital artery perforator fascial flaps is easy to operate with less trauma. It has made satisfactory recovery of appearance and function of fingers. It could provide an effective surgical method for clinical treatment of full-thickness skin loss of fingers with tendon and bone exposure.

Guideline for clinical practice of ultrasound examination in liver transplantation (2023 edition)

Liver transplantation is currently the only effective treatment for end-stage liver disease. Ultrasound examination has the advantages of non-invasive, convenient, and real-time display the intrahepatic vascular hemodynamic changes, and has become one of the preferred evaluation methods in the entire management process of liver transplantation. To further standardize the ultrasound examinations before and after liver transplantation, multiple-disciplinary experts in the field of liver transplantation, including specialists in ultrasound, liver surgery, and intervention medicine, were organized by the Chinese Medical Association Ultrasound Medicine Branch, the Chinese Medical Doctor Association Surgery Physician Branch, the Chinese Medical Doctor Association Interventional Physician Branch, and the Shanghai Medical Association Ultrasound Medicine Branch. Combined with the latest research practice in ultrasound diagnosis and treatment of liver transplantation, the ultrasound clinical practice guidelines for liver transplantation (2023 edition) was formulated. The contents of this guideline include ultrasound evaluation of liver transplantation donors and recipients, intraoperative and postoperative ultrasound examination of transplant livers, ultrasound applications in pediatric liver transplantation, and ultrasound-guided liver puncture biopsy and treatment, aiming to promote the standardized and high-quality development of liver transplantation ultrasound examination in China.

Guidelines on the management of ascites in cirrhosis (2023 version)

Chinese Society of Hepatology of Chinese Medical Association organized relevant experts to update the Guidelines on the management of ascites and complications in cirrhosis in 2017 and renamed it as Guidelines on the management of ascites in cirrhosis. It provides guiding recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of cirrhotic ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and hepatorenal syndrome (HRS).

Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B (version 2022).

To facilitate the achieving of the goal of "eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030" set by the World Health Organization, the Chinese Society of Hepatology together with the Chinese Society of Infectious Diseases (both are branches of the Chinese Medical Association) organized a panel of experts and updated the guidelines for prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis B in China (version 2022). With the support of available evidence, this revision of the guidelines focuses on active prevention, large scale testing, and expansion of therapeutic indication of chronic hepatitis B with the aim of reducing the hepatitis B related disease burden.

Chinese expert consensus on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of Behcet's uveitis (2023)

Behcet's disease is a chronic and recurrent multisystemic inflammatory disease, and its etiology and pathogenesis are not completely clarified. Behcet's uveitis is one of the common types of uveitis with the highest rate of untreatable blindness among various uveitis entities in China. The blindness in patients with Behcet's uveitis is commonly caused by retinal vascular occlusion, retinal atrophy and optic nerve atrophy. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to preserve and improve visual function in these patients. To provide general guidance and reference in the diagnosis and treatment of Behcet's uveitis, consensus opinions have been developed through an extensive investigation on this disease by the experts in the Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Group of Chinese Ophthalmologist Association and the Ocular Immunology Group of Ophthalmology Society of Chinese Medical Association.

Consensus of clinical diagnosis and treatment for non-functional pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms with diameter <2 cm

In clinical practice, pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) with a diameter smaller than 2 cm are commonly referred to as small pNENs. Due to their generally favorable biological characteristics, the diagnosis and treatment of small pNENs differ from other pNENs and are somewhat controversial. In response to this, the Chinese Pancreatic Surgery Association, Chinese Society of Surgery, Chinese Medical Association have developed a consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of small pNENs, which is based on evidence-based medicine and expert opinions. This consensus covers various topics, including concepts, disease assessment, treatment selection, follow-up, and other relevant aspects.

Meta-analysis of the effect of whole-body vibration training on the improvement of limb function in patients with Parkinson's disease.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of whole-body vibration (WBV) training on the improvement of limb function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). An electronic search was performed on the databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SCI-hub, ScienceDirect, Embase, IEEE, Medline, Wiley, ClinicaIKey, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP database, Chinese Medical Association, and CBM Database from inception to May 2022 to collect randomized controlled studies on whole-body vibration training for patients with Parkinson's disease. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality of the literature, then used ReviewManager 5.4 software for quantitative statistical analysis, including heterogeneity test, sensitivity analysis, risk of bias assessment, combined outcome index effect size and effect size inspection. A total of 9 studies were included in the meta-analysis, including 346 patients, 174 patients in the control group and 172 patients in the observation group. Meta-analysis results showed that, compared with conventional physical therapy or drug therapy alone, whole-body vibration reduced the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRSIII) score and significantly improved the motor function of patients with Parkinson's disease [MD=-2.39, 95% CI (-4.41, -0.37), Z=2.14 (p=0.23)]. Moreover, whole-body vibration significantly improved the walking stability of Parkinson's patients [MD=-1.96, 95% CI (-2.71-1.21), Z=1.17 (p=0.03)]. However, its improvement in balance ability [MD=-0.06, 95% CI (-0.77, 0.65), Z=1.07 (p=0.19)] and daily living ability [MD=0.03, 95% CI (-1.68, 0.74), Z=0.24 (p=0.87)] of patients, it was not t statistically significant. Compared with conventional therapy, WBV has certain advantages in improving the balance function and gait performance of PD patients, but the effect on balance ability and daily living ability is not significant. Thus, more high-quality research is required for further verification.

Survey on surgical treatment of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in China 2022

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the state of surgical treatment of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in China.MethodsA total of 246 delegates (88.0% senior surgeons) completed a survey...

Chinese Protocol of Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer (2023 edition)

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in China. In recent years, the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer in China has been on the rise. According to the China Cancer Statistics Report in 2020, the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer in China ranked second and fifth among all malignant tumors, with 555, 000 new cases and 286, 000 deaths. China has become the country with the highest number of new cases and deaths of colorectal cancer every year in the world, which seriously threatens the health of Chinese residents. In 2010, the National Ministry of Health organized the colorectal cancer expertise of the Chinese Medical Association to write the Chinese Protocol of Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer (2010 edition) and publish it publicly. Since 2010, the National Health and Family Planning Commission has organized experts to revise the protocol in 2015 and 2017, while the National Health Commission revised it in 2020 and 2023. The revised part of the Chinese Protocol of Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer (2023 edition) involves new progress in the field of imaging examination, pathological evaluation, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The 2023 edition of the protocol not only referred to the contents of the international guidelines, but also combined with specific national conditions and clinical practice in China, and also included many evidence-based clinical data recently in China. The 2023 edition of the protocol would further promote the standardization of the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer in China, improve the survival and prognosis of patients, and benefit millions of patients with colorectal cancer and their families.

RETRACTION: Top 100 cited articles on anosmia and COVID‐19: a bibliometric analysis

Retraction: Tan, DJY, Ko, TK. Top 100 cited articles on anosmia and COVID‐19: a bibliometric analysis. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023; 1–8. doi:10.1002/wjo2.125.The above article, published online on 28 July 2023 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal's Editor‐in‐Chief Da‐Qing Li, the Chinese Medical Association, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following publication, concerns were raised about the article by a third party. Whilst investigating the concerns raised, the authors found that there were significant flaws in the study's methodology. As a result, the journal therefore no longer has confidence in the reported results and conclusions and is issuing this retraction.

Chinese Medical Association guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer (2023 edition)

To standardize the prevention and clinical management of lung cancer, improve patients' survival outcomes, and offer professional insight for clinicians, the Oncology Society of Chinese Medical Association has summoned experts from departments of pulmonary medicine, oncology, thoracic surgery, radiotherapy, imaging, and pathology to formulate the Oncology Society of Chinese Medical Association guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in China (2023 edition) through consensus meetings. Updates in this edition include 1) cancer screening: deletion of high-risk traits of lung cancer based on epidemiological investigations in the Caucasian population, while preserving features confirmed by research on the Chinese population. Advice on screening institutions is also added to raise awareness of the merits and demerits of lung cancer screening through detailed illustrations. 2) Principles of histopathologic evaluation: characteristics of four types of neuroendocrine tumors (typical carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, large cell carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma) are reviewed. 3) Surgical intervention: more options of resection are available for certain peripheral lesions based on several clinical studies (CALGB140503, JCOG0802, JCOG1211). 4) neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy: marked improvement in the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy are reviewed; more options for consolidation immunotherapy after radiochemotherapy have also emerged. 5) Targeted and immune therapy: tyrosine kinase inhibitors of sensitive driver mutations such as EGFR and ALK as well as rare targets such as MET exon 14 skipping, RET fusion, ROS1 fusion, and NTRK fusion have been approved, offering more treatment options for clinicians and patients. Furthermore, multiple immune checkpoint inhibitors have been granted for the treatment of NSCLC and SCLC, resulting in prolonged survival of late-stage lung cancer patients. This guideline is established based on the current availability of domestically approved medications, recommendations of international guidelines, and present clinical practice in China as well as integration of the latest medical evidence of pathology, genetic testing, immune molecular biomarker detection, and treatment methods of lung cancer in recent years, to provide recommendations for professionals in clinical oncology, radiology, laboratory, and rehabilitation.

Consensus on targeted drug therapy for spondyloarthritis.

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases that predominantly involve the spine and/or peripheral joints. The clinical manifestations of SpA are highly heterogenous and complicated with various comorbidities. SpA is a disabling disease and adversely affects the quality of life of patients. Many new medications that target cytokines or pathways specific for the pathogenesis of SpA have been developed and they are becoming increasingly important in the treatment of SpA. However, identifying the target patient population and standardizing the usage of these drugs are critical issues in the clinical application of these "targeted therapeutic drugs". Under the leadership of National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), managed by Peking Union Medical College Hospital, the "Consensus on targeted drug therapy for spondyloarthritis" has been developed in collaboration with the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Committee, Chinese Medical Doctors Association, Rheumatology and Immunology Professional Committee, Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Chinese Research Hospital Association Rheumatology and Immunology Professional Committee. This consensus has been developed with evidence-based methodology and has followed the international standard for consensus development.

Interpretation of the important update of the Guideline for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C (2022 edition)

In the past 20 years, Chinese Medical Association had issued several versions of hepatitis C prevention and treatment guidelines. In the latest guidelines published in 2022, the Chinese Society of Hepatology and the Society of Infectious Diseases for the Chinese Medical Association organized experts to update their recommendations for hepatitis C screening and treatment. The updated key points on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment proposed in the guidelines are now interpreted, aiming to provide reference for more effective clinical application of the guidelines.

Chinese Medical Association guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer (2023 edition)

To standardize the prevention and clinical management of lung cancer, improve patients' survival outcomes, and offer professional insight for clinicians, the Oncology Society of Chinese Medical Association has summoned experts from departments of pulmonary medicine, oncology, thoracic surgery, radiotherapy, imaging, and pathology to formulate the Chinese Medical Association Guideline for Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer in China (2023 edition) through consensus meetings. Updates in this edition include 1) cancer screening: deletion of high-risk traits of lung cancer based on epidemiological investigations in the Caucasian population, while preserving features confirmed by research on the Chinese population. Advice on screening institutions is also added to raise awareness of the merits and demerits of lung cancer screening through detailed illustrations. 2) Principles of histopathologic evaluation: characteristics of four types of neuroendocrine tumors (typical carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, large cell carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma) are reviewed. 3) Surgical intervention: more options of resection are available for certain peripheral lesions based on several clinical studies (CALGB140503, JCOG0802, JCOG1211). 4) neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy: marked improvement in the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy are reviewed; more options for consolidation immunotherapy after radiochemotherapy have also emerged. 5) Targeted and immune therapy: tyrosine kinase inhibitors of sensitive driver mutations such as EGFR and ALK as well as rare targets such as MET exon 14 skipping, RET fusion, ROS1 fusion, and NTRK fusion have been approved, offering more treatment options for clinicians and patients. Furthermore, multiple immune checkpoint inhibitors have been granted for the treatment of NSCLC and SCLC, resulting in prolonged survival of late-stage lung cancer patients. This guideline is established based on the current availability of domestically approved medications, recommendations of international guidelines, and present clinical practice in China as well as integration of the latest medical evidence of pathology, genetic testing, immune molecular biomarker detection, and treatment methods of lung cancer in recent years, to provide recommendations for professionals in clinical oncology, radiology, laboratory, and rehabilitation.

Expert consensus on the implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery in spinal fusion surgery for advanced age patients

Chinese society is progressively aging, and more and more patients suffer from spinal diseases in advanced age patients (>75 years). Surgery is still the most effective solution for patients who have failed conservative treatment or who present with progressively worsening symptoms. Excluding surgical and anesthetic technical failures, the key factors affecting the incidence of postoperative complications are the stress response to surgery and the increased demands on organ function after surgery. Late old patients generally have a poor ability to withstand surgical shock, the implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) to reduce surgical stress response is more important for late old patients undergoing spinal surgery. Specific measures to familiarize more spinal surgeons with older spinal ERAS. On the basis of evidence-based medicine, experts from the Geriatric Group of Orthopaedic Branch of Beijing Medical Association, Geriatric Anesthesiology Group of Anesthesiology Branch of Chinese Medical Association reached the following expert consensus through multiple discussions and votes based on the existing clinical experience and published relevant data, for the reference of academic colleagues.

Chinese expert consensus on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (2023)

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome is an autoimmune disorder characterized by bilateral granulomatous uveitis, and it is one of the common uveitis entities causing blindness in China. The clinical manifestations of VKH disease vary significantly at different stages. Most patients can achieve a complete control of the uveitis and good visual prognosis if appropriate treatment is initiated. Therefore, an extensive investigation and literature review on this disease have been performed by the experts in the Uveitis and Ocular Immunology Group of Chinese Ophthalmologist Association and the Ocular Immunology Group of Ophthalmology Society of Chinese Medical Association. Consensus opinions on VKH syndrome have been developed in an attempt to provide general guidance and reference in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Consensus on laboratory diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21 hydroxylase deficiency

21 hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD), the most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, is caused by defects in CYP21A2 gene, which encodes the cytochrome P450 oxidase (P450C21) involved in glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid synthesis. The diagnosis of 21-OHD is based on the comprehensive evaluation of clinical manifestation, biochemical alteration and molecular genetics results. Due to the complex structure of CYP21A2, special techniques are required to perform delicate analysis to avoid the interference of its pseudogene. Recently, the state-of-the-art diagnostic methods were applied to the clinic gradually, including the steroid hormone profiling and third generation sequencing. To standardize the laboratory diagnosis of 21-OHD, this consensus was drafted on the basis of the extensive knowledge, the updated progress and the published consensuses and guidelines worldwide by expert discussion organized by Rare Diseases Group of Pediatric Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Medical Genetics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Birth Defect Prevention and Molecular Genetics Branch of China Maternal and Child Health Association. and Molecular Diagnosis Branch of Shanghai Medical Association.