Special Issue:guidebook/guide Interpretation
When insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) coexist, it is referred to as comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (COMISA). The prevalence of COMISA in the general population ranges from 0.6% to 19.3%. It is primarily characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent nighttime awakenings, early morning awakening, poor sleep quality, snoring or apnea during sleep, unrefreshing or nonrestorative sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, attention impairment, memory impairment, emotional disorders, and impaired quality of life. COMISA can lead to adverse outcomes in multiple systems and increase all-cause mortality. Therefore, it is significant to establish a guidline for the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and standardized treatment of COMISA. The guideline was organized by the Chinese Academy Society of Sleep Medicine, Chinese Medical Doctor Association and Sleep Medicine Group, China Neurologist Association. It was formed by reviewing domestic and international COMISA diagnosis and treatment practices, through literature evidence review, and after extensive discussion. The guideline summarized the epidemiology, etiology and risk factors, pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical manifestations, assessment methods, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment studies of COMISA, providing a basis for decision-making in the diagnosis and treatment of COMISA for clinician.
To enhance the overall health management for patients with gynecologic malignant tumors, and to fully leverage the role of primary healthcare institutions in screening and rehabilitation, the Gynecological Oncology Group of the Oncology Department of Capital Medical University, in collaboration with experts in general medicine, nutrition, psychology, rehabilitation medicine, nursing, and health statistics, has formulated the Expert Consensus on Management of Common Gynecological Malignancies Combining General Practice and Specialist. This consensus, based on evidence from evidence-based medicine, the current status of primary medical institutions, and relevant guidelines for the management of gynecological malignancies, emphasizes the early identification of gynecological malignancies and proactive intervention in related health issues. Community management of patients with common gynecological malignancies should be centered around gynecologists or general practitioners, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary oncology rehabilitation team. The management covers aspects such as prevention, screening, follow-up and referral, psychological counseling, exercise rehabilitation, nutrition management, continuity of care, systematic health education, and social function recovery, aiming to prolong survival and enhance the quality of life for patients.
Ethnic medicine holds numerous advantages in the treatment of premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). However, there is a concerning trend of abuse of ethnic medicine, particularly in the absence of tailored clinical drug recommendations specifically designed for this purpose. Consequently, it is of crucial importance to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of PVCs within the context of ethnic medicine.
To establish the clinical problems and outcome indicators of the Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Ethnic Medicine in the Treatment of Palpitation (Arrhythmia-Premature Ventricular Complexes) .
The inquiring experts were members of the consensus expert group, encompassing experts in the fields of cardiology, evidence-based medicine, and pharmacology. Specifically, within cardiology, they comprised multi-ethnic medical experts in traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, Mongolian medicine, Uyghur medicine, Dai medicine, Korean medicine, and Zhuang medicine. Drawing from the available literature and expert interview reports, the research team conducted a comprehensive search of relevant literature on the treatment of PVCs using various ethnic medical practices. In April 2023, a series of one-on-one online interviews were conducted with 14 multi-ethnic medical experts. Following the integration of the interview results and expert experiences, the consensus steering committee and working group jointly drafted the initial proposals for clinical questions and outcome indicators, subsequently designing a survey questionnaire. Between May and July 2023, two rounds of questionnaire surveys were conducted, rigorously evaluating the positivity, concentration, coordination, and reliability of the questionnaire responses.
The expert panel was characterized by its multidisciplinary collaboration, authority, and geographical representation. The two rounds of the Delphi method yielded a positive coefficient of 99.1%. For the five background questions, the mean score was greater than 4, with the full scale exceeding 40%. For the ten prospective questions, the mean score was greater than 3.9, with the full scale surpassing 35%. Additionally, the nine outcome indicators achieved a mean score greater than 7, with the full scale exceeding 30%. The mean coefficient of variation for these metrics was 14.9%, 16.3%, and 17.6%. The Kendall harmony coefficients for clinical questions and outcome indicators were 0.267 and 0.316. The chi-square test showed a P-value of less than 0.05. The Cronbach's α coefficients were 0.913 and 0.905, both exceeding 0.7, suggesting high reliability. Overall, the quality control results were satisfactory, indicating a high degree of credibility in the questionnaire design.
Utilizing the Delphi method, we have identified the clinical problems and outcome indicators that need to be addressed in the development of the Expert Consensus on Clinical Application of Ethnic Medicine in the Treatment of Palpitation (Arrhythmia-Premature Ventricular Complexes), laying a solid foundation for the subsequent formulation of the consensus.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide. In 2023, the Society of Obstetricians of Australia and New Zealand released the A Summary of the 2023 Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand Hypertension in Pregnancy Guideline. This article interprets its key contents and proposes suggestions on non-drug intervention measures and refined management processes for HDP in China, in order to provide a new basis for the management of HDP in China.
Primary health governance is a crucial part of the national health governance system and plays a key role in achieving universal health. However, primary health governance currently faces many challenges. The Expert Consensus on Primary Health Governance is led by the Public Health Security and Health Professional Committee of the Public Safety Science and Technology Society, in collaboration with experts from multiple disciplines. The aim of this consensus is to integrate evidence-based scientific evidence, practical wisdom, and experience from multidisciplinary experts in primary health-related fields. This consensus addresses the connotations, significance, objectives, basic principles, system construction elements, capacity building elements, institutional elements, and technical means of primary health governance. It provides scientific, systematic, and operable consensus opinions and suggestions to enhance the level of primary health governance, standardize primary health governance practices, promote the equalization of primary health services, strengthen the cultivation of primary health governance talents, and drive innovation in health governance. This will provide scientific basis and recommendations to support the realization of the "Healthy China 2030".
Doctor-patient communication is one of the core abilities of general practitioners. Dophisticated doctor-patient communication skills are the basis for building a harmonious doctor-patient relationship, and help to improve patients' sense of gain and satisfaction in seeking medical treatment. However, the communication ability of general practitioners in China is generally low, it is necessary to explore a training mode of doctor-patient communication that adapts to China's national conditions and meets the communication needs of general practitioners in China to improve the communication ability between doctors and patients.
To explore the application effect of salon training based on the Calgary-Cambridge Guide in the training of doctor-patient communication ability of resident doctors in standardized training of general practitioners, and to provide reference for the construction of doctor-patient communication training system.
Forty cases of general practitioners in Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital Standardized general practice training from 2019 to 2020 were selected as the research object, and randomly divided into salon group and control group, with 20 cases in each group. Salon group used salon training mode based on Calgary-Cambridge guidelines for doctor-patient communication training, while the control group was set as blank control. Before the training and one week after the training, the standardized patient (SP) model was adopted to clinical reception in the two groups, and the doctor-patient communication evaluation scale (SEGUE) was used to evaluate the level of doctor-patient communication, and the training effects of the two groups were compared.
Finally, 28 cases were included, including 15 cases in the salon group and 13 cases in the control group. After the training, the score of the SEGUE scale of the training doctors in the salon group increased from (11.80±4.36) to (18.07±4.11), and that of the training doctors in the control group increased from (12.15±4.63) to (14.46±3.71). The score of SEGUE scale in Sharon group after training was significantly different from that before training (t=3.250, P< 0.001). There was no significant difference in the score of SEGUE scale between the control group after training and before training (t=2.582, P=0.624). After training, 25 items in the SEGUE scale were analyzed, and the difference between the salon group and the control group was statistically significant (P<0.05). The results of the following five items in the salon group were better than those in the control group: "Establishing personal trust relationship" (93.3% vs. 7.7%) and "Protecting patients' privacy/respecting patients' right to choose" (53.3% vs. 15.4%) in the preparation stage; Understand the patient's stage of "recognizing the patient's efforts, changes and difficulties" (33.3% vs. 23.1%) and "expressing concern and making the patient feel warm/confident" (100.0% vs. 69.2%) ; At the end of the consultation stage, "Ask the patient if there are any other questions to discuss" (66.7% vs. 23.1%) .
Salon training mode based on Calgary-Cambridge guidelines can enhance students' interest and enthusiasm in participating in the training, which has a good training effect on improving the communication ability between doctors and patients, and is worth learning and popularizing.
The rapid development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and large language models has brought new transformations to clinical medical practice. Both domestically and internationally, research and practical exploration of intelligent general practitioners have begun, but a consensus has yet to be formed. Against this backdrop, experts and scholars from Tsinghua University Vanke School of Public Health, Peking University School of Public Health, Chinese Association of General Practitioners of Chinese Medical Doctor Association and several other domestic institutions collaboratively developed a consensus. The background of these experts spans multiple disciplines, including general medicine, public health, artificial intelligence, and evidence-based medicine. Based on extensive literature review both domestically and internationally and through multiple rounds of expert discussions, the Chinese Expert Consensus on Artificial Intelligent General Practitioner (AIGP) was finally formulated. It includes 17 core consensus concerning the definition, characteristics, applications, challenges and recommendations of AIGP. This consensus aims to provide scientific references to promote the empowerment of general practitioners with intelligent technology and enhance the smart service level of primary healthcare.
Test anxiety disorder is a group of symptoms related to stress caused by tests, exams, evaluations, and others. It is among the severe psychological problems in exams. Long-term test anxiety is likely to cause tension, fear, irritability, depression, and other negative emotions, and it disturbs working memory, attention, and other cognitive abilities and even leads to suicidal ideation. In order to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of test anxiety disorder, under the organization of the Test Anxiety Disorder Collaboration of the Chinese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine, this expert consensus was formulated by 13 experts in the field of psychiatry and psychology. We collaborate and announce the expert consensus based on current research and clinical experience. We hope the consensus can provide clinicians with scientific and comprehensive guidance on test anxiety disorder, including epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestations, evaluation, and treatment.
Lumbar disc herniation is one of the most common causes of low back pain, and the number of cases has been increasing year by year in recent years. High-quality guidelines can standardize clinical diagnosis and treatment behaviors and improve medical quality, and screening and formulating high-quality guidelines are of great significance for standardizing the clinical practice of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.
To systematically evaluate the methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines and expert consensus for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, and to analyze the high-quality guidelines and consensus recommendations, in order to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.
Clinical practice guidelines and expert consensus on lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were searched from the establishment of each database to October 31, 2023. At the same time, Dangdang.com and others were manually searched to obtain the guidelines for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation published in the form of monographs. After the consistency evaluation was passed by two researchers, the methodological quality of the included guidelines and consensus was evaluated using the AGREE Ⅱ tool, and the high-quality guidelines and consensus recommendations were analyzed.
A total of 15 guidelines and consensus were included, and the final recommendation level of 9 guidelines was B (can be recommended after modification), and 6 guidelines and consensus were C (not recommended for the time being). Recommendations mainly include bed rest, medication, surgical treatment, etc.
The methodological quality of the clinical practice guidelines and expert consensus for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation needs to be further improved, and some treatment methods are controversial, and the recommendations of the guidelines need to be further improved and unified to optimize clinical practice.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent in the elderly population due to the weakened neuromuscular function of the upper airway and unstable respiratory regulation in the elderly. OSA is a risk factor for a variety of common chronic diseases, and affects cognitive function and multi-system organ function in the elderly. Therefore, it is essential to provide effective therapeutic interventions for OSA in the elderly. The Sleep Medicine Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society, as the initiator, organized domestic experts in related fields to repeatedly discuss the operation process, requirements, specific ways and methods of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) treatment for elderly OSA patients with reference to domestic and international clinical studies, and finally made this expert consensus, which is aimed at standardizing the treatment of NPPV in elderly OSA patients in China to provide a reference.
Clinical practice guidelines can standardize medical behaviors, improve the quality of medical services, rationalize resource allocation, and safeguard the rights of patients. However, all of these are achieved based on the rigorous design, scientific formulation, and standardized reporting of guidelines. With the nation's high attention to the standardization of traditional Chinese medicine, many clinical practice guidelines for traditional Chinese medicine or integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine have been published. Traditional Chinese medicine orthopedics, as a discipline with obvious advantages in specialization in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, is witnessing a rapid increase in the number of clinical practice guidelines, prompting the discipline to gradually move towards standardization, modernization, and internationalization. However, many issues are increasingly emerging in this context, attracting widespread attention from researchers. This article systematically reviews and summarizes the current status and challenges of the development of clinical practice guidelines in orthopedics of traditional Chinese medicine, and proposes targeted strategies. Currently, the development of clinical practice guidelines in orthopedics of traditional Chinese medicine faces many challenges, including inaccurate positioning of clinical problems, a lack of high-quality clinical evidence, insufficient standardization in guideline formulation, a shortage of multidisciplinary talent development, and various issues regarding guideline updating and implementation. In future research, professional societies/associations should strengthen guidance on guideline formulation. Researchers should focus on improving the quality of original research, enhance learning and research in guideline methodology, prioritize guideline updating and adaptation, and promote the dissemination and implementation of guidelines, aiming to develop high-quality guidelines and promote the standardization of orthopedics of traditional Chinese medicine.
Diabetic microvascular disease (DMiVD) is the most common chronic complication of diabetes mellitus, and early identification and effective intervention can significantly improve patients' quality of life and prognosis. The Diabetes and Microcirculation Professional Committee of Chinese Society of Microcirculation and the Primary Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Group of the Chinese Society of Endocrinology have convened experts in the field to revise the Expert Consensus on Screening and Prevention of Diabetic Microvascular Diseases for Primary Care (2024), based on the 2021 edition, considering the latest research advances and the specific needs of primary care. This consensus elaborates the screening methods, comprehensive management and prevention strategies for DMiVD (diabetic retinopathy, diabetic kidney disease, distal symmetric polyneuropathy and diabetic cardiomyopathy), clarifies the graded diagnosis and treatment and referral processes, emphasizes the importance of preventing and treating DMiVD, and offers guidance and recommendations for physicians, particularly primary care physicians and general practitioners. The aim is to reduce the incidence, progression, and disability associated with DMiVD, ultimately lowering morbidity and mortality rates.
The global prevalence of low back pain is gradually increasing, and it is the main cause of disability, sick leave, and unemployment, posing a heavy burden on individuals and society. Assessing the degree of disability in patients with chronic low back pain is crucial for evaluating the efficacy of clinical interventions and clinical epidemiology. The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) is currently the main tool for evaluating disability in patients with low back pain, but the applicability of its measurement performance in the Chinese population remains unclear.
To evaluate the applicability of RMDQ in the Chinese population with low back pain and provide evidence for clinical practice and research application.
CNKI, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, SinoMed, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from inception to 2023-10-01, to establish a literature base for the performance of the low back pain scale, and then select research on the measurement performance of RMDQ from it. The measurement performance of the RMDQ scale was evaluated according to the COSMIN system evaluation guidelines, and the evidence evaluation level was used to grade the evidence.
A total of six RMDQ documents were included, with insufficient methodological quality for RMDQ content validity and adequate measurement performance. The quality of internal consistency methodology was very good with uncertainty and measurement performance was adequate; the methodological quality of retesting was uncertain, and the measurement performance was sufficient; the methodological quality of measurement error was uncertain, and the measurement performance was sufficient; the methodological quality of criterion validity was uncertain, and the measurement performance was insufficient; hypothesis testing methodological quality was very good with uncertain, and the measurement performance was sufficient and uncertain; the quality of reactivity methodology was very good, with sufficient and insufficient, while the measurement performance was sufficient with insufficient. According to the GRADE evidence quality rating results, there is low quality evidence to prove uncertainty in content validity, and moderate quality evidence to prove sufficient retesting reliability and internal consistency; there is sufficient evidence of low quality to prove the measurement error and reactivity. There is very low quality evidence of insufficient calibration validity when using the Oswestry Dysfunction Index (ODI) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) as calibrators; hypothesis testing had moderate quality evidence of uncertainty.
The methodological quality of the RMDQ scale is not high, with acceptable measurement performanceand low quality of evidence, and needs to be used cautiously in clinical practice or trials of low back pain in China. Although there is sufficient evidence of moderate quality to prove the reliability and internal consistency of retesting, the research content and methods are not standardized. In future research, attention should be paid to standardization to more accurately assess its applicability in the Chinese population.
The assessment of psychological resilience can facilitate an understanding of how patients utilize internal and external resources to adapt to adversities, traumas, significant life stressors, and disease treatment. At present, the unity of self-reported scales for assessing the psychological resilience of cancer patients remains controversial. Furthermore, it lacks the integration and standardized evaluation of scale measurement properties, and the selection of evaluation tools lacks evidence-based evidence.
To systematically assess the measurement properties of a psychological resilience evaluation tool for cancer patients and critically examine the study's methodological quality, therefore to provide a reference for healthcare professionals in selecting a high-quality assessment tool.
A systematic search of databases like PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CNKI, VIP, CBM, and Wanfang Data was conducted for literature related to the evaluation of the measurement properties of the Cancer Psychological Resilience Scale. The search was done within the time frame of the database's creation to 2023-02-14. All identified articles were rated by two independent assessors following the COSMIN guidelines.
Thirteen studies were included, and among the nine cancer psychological resilience tools were the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the Resilience Scale Specific to Cancer (RS-SC), the 10-item Resilience Scale Specific to Cancer (RS-SC-10), the 14-item Resilience Scale (RS-14), the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), the SV-RES Resilience Scale (SV-RES), the Ego-Resiliency Scale (ER89-R12), the Pain Resilience Scale (PRS), and the Shift and Persist Questionnaire. All scales—aside from the RS-SC-10, which suggested a "C" because of its poor cross-cultural validity—were rated "B" because of their ambiguous content validity and differing levels of evidence.
This systematic review provides an overview of psychological resilience assessment tools used in cancer patients. The RS-SC stands out as being one of the most robust instruments for measuring psychological resilience in patients. Evidence needs to be generated and used in the clinical setting.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide, with increasing incidence and mortality year by year. In 2023, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated the recommendation statement on screening for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by evaluating the latest research evidence and analyzing the benefits and harms of screening for HDP. The recommendation, compared with the 2017 version, further affirms the importance of blood pressure measurement in screening for HDP, affirms substantial net benefit, and recommends blood pressure measurement throughout pregnancy to screen for HDP. This article explores and analyzes the key points of this recommendation based on the RIGHT statement for introductions and interpretations of guidelines in Chinese (RIGHT for INT) and its implications for guiding general practitioners in China.
Hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and dyslipidemia are collectively referred to as the "three highs", which often coexist in the same individual. It significantly increases the risk of hospitalization, death, and relevant burdens for affected people. It is necessary to jointly control the risk and standardize the treatment of hypertension, T2DM and dyslipidemia. Primary healthcare institutions have become the main battlefield for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Existing clinical evidence provides important insights into the prevention, treatment, and management of the "three highs", although norms, consensus, and guidelines for the co-management of the "three highs" in primary healthcare institutions at domestic and foreign are current not available. Four academic organizations led by Beijing Hypertension Association organized primary healthcare workers and invited experts and scholars from medical fields of cardiovascular diseases, endocrine, pharmacy, and public health services to participate in the consensus. Through widely soliciting clinical practice needs of primary healthcare workers, integrating and evaluating the evidence related to the prevention and treatment of the "three highs" in primary healthcare institutions, the consensus for primary healthcare in the prevention and treatment of the "three highs" including 21 opinions was developed after multiple rounds of discussions, revisions, and voting. The recommended opinions of this consensus aim to improve the awareness and ability of primary healthcare workers in the prevention and treatment of the "three highs", provide scientific strategic support, implement management with primary healthcare characteristics, and lay a solid foundation for comorbidity co-management.
在2型糖尿病(T2DM)患者的综合管理中,运动是生活方式干预的主要形式之一。我国目前仍然缺乏符合中国国情且纳入最新研究证据的T2DM运动治疗指南。为此,国家老年医学中心、中华医学会糖尿病学分会和中国体育科学学会联合组织国内内分泌及代谢病学、运动医学、康复医学、医学营养、老年医学等相关领域专家团队,系统整理了近年来国内外高质量文献,编写了《中国2型糖尿病运动治疗指南(2024版)》,旨在为临床医师、糖尿病教育护士等糖尿病防控人员提供安全、有效的T2DM运动指导。该指南包括T2DM运动治疗的基本原则、急慢性并发症、共患疾病、常用药物、运动时机、运动中血糖监测、运动营养、运动损伤、运动依从性及数字医疗等,共76条推荐意见。该指南具有较强实用性和可操作性,期望能为中国T2DM患者提供科学、规范的运动治疗方案。
Lumbar spinal stenosis is one of the most common causes of low back and leg pain. However, there is a lack of evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. To standardize the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine, this guideline strictly followed the relevant guiding principles for the development of guidelines both domestically and internationally. A multidisciplinary working group was established. We adopted the GRADE approach to grade the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendation. Finally recommendations on the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with integrated traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine were formed, aiming to standardize clinical practice. This guideline is for patients with all degrees of lumbar spinal stenosis.
The innovative integration of treatment and prevention is pivotal for enhancing the healthcare system and advancing Healthy China. Guided by a focus on preventive health policies, it fosters collaboration between treatment and preventive services, ensuring seamless linkage across health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and end-of-life care. Conceptually, this shift involves transitioning from unidirectional intervention to comprehensive health management, from provider-driven to participatory decision-making, and from transient doctor-patient relationships to sustained accountability relationships. Structurally, it emphasizes coordination between medical and public health systems, collaboration among healthcare institutions, and multi-stakeholder governance. Institutionally, it optimizes evaluation, financing, remuneration, and talent development systems while leveraging intelligent means for integration and promoting interoperability across personnel, resources, and information.
Binge-eating disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating. Patients with BED have recurrent impulsive and out-of-controlled binge eating behavior, which can lead to gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, and the resulting metabolic and functional disorders of various systems and other physical problems; and it is also often co-morbid with affective disorder, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and other mental disorders, which need to be taken seriously. However, the recognition of BED in China was late, and it is difficult to achieve early identification and diagnosis, resulting in a prolonged course of disease. Therefore, under the organization of the Eating Disorders Coordination Group of the Psychosomatic Medicine Society of the Chinese Medical Association, together with the Eating Disorders Research Collaboration Group of the Psychiatric Medicine Society of the Chinese Medical Association, an expert group composed of 15 psychiatrists and evidence-based medicine experts, and 2 internal medicine experts, formulated this expert consensus based on evidence-based medical evidence, domestic and foreign guidelines and expert consensus, and expert experiences. The aim of this study is to improve the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of BED by psychiatrists, internists and general practitioners in China.
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a pathogenic risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). In recent decades, the prevalence of dyslipidemia in the Chinese population increases continuously, it is urgent to improve blood lipid management in China. It is particularly important to carry out standardized blood lipid management at primary healthcare institutions. The Chinese Guideline for Lipid Management (Primary Care Version 2024) concisely recommends that LDL-C should be the preferred intervention target in lipid management, and the target values of LDL-C should be determined based on ASCVD risk stratification. The present guideline recommends to use moderate-intensity statins at the beginning of treatment on the basis of lifestyle intervention. If the LDL-C target level can not be reached, other lipid-lowering drugs like cholesterol absorption inhibitors or (and) proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors should be jointly used for the purpose of reaching the target value. The present guideline also provides blood lipid management strategies for special populations. We aim to provide guidance for primary healthcare professionals to carry out blood lipid management, and comprehensively improve their ability on blood lipid management, and thereby improve the primary and secondary prevention of ASCVD in China.
The elderly are at high risk for COVID-19 and incontinence, as well as a vulnerable population for incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). There has been a continuous exploration of how to provide good incontinence care to improve the effectiveness of preventing and treating IAD.
To investigate the effectiveness of two incontinence care plans based on guidelines for elderly COVID-19 patients with incontinence, in order to provide a reference basis for good incontinence care and prevention of IAD in such patients.
Using an exploratory intervention study design, 60 eligible patients with COVID-19 were selected as the study subjects from the surgical and internal medicine departments of Eastern Theater General Hospital, PLA, Daping Hospital, Amy Medical University, PLA, and Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University from December 26, 2022 to March 30, 2023. The study subjects were nonrandomly divided into the intervention group and control group, with 30 patients from the Eastern Theater Command General Hospital of PLA included in the intervention group and 30 patients from the other two hospitals included in the control group. Patients with IAD in both groups were also included in the intervention and control subgroups. The characteristics and types of incontinence in elderly COVID-19 patients were analyzed, the "AIMS Four Step Improved Incontinence" care plan (AIMS care plan) for the assessing incontinence and skin (A), identifying and managing risk (I), managing incontinence (M), and skin care (S) was modified based on the recommendations of the guidelines. The intervention group adopted the modified AIMS care plan, while the control group adopted a structured skin care plan, with continuous intervention for at least 14 days. The skin was inspected every shift and international standards were used to determine the occurrence of IAD and changes. The primary outcome indicator was the incidence of IAD in both groups of patients, and the secondary outcome indicators were the healing rate and healing time of IAD. The relevant clinical data of the two groups before and after intervention was collected and compared.
The general data of the both groups of patients showed no statistically significant differences, which included gender, age, types of incontinence, frequency of incontinence, chronic comorbidities, serum albumin, hemoglobin, blood glucose, pulse oxygen concentration, and Braden scores (P>0.05). The incidence of IAD in 60 elderly COVID-19 patients with incontinence was 33.3% (20/60), of which the incidence of IAD was 43.3% (13/30) in the control group and 23.3% (7/30) in the intervention group; There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of IAD between the two groups of patients (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the grading, and healing rate of IAD between the two subgroups of patients (P>0.05). Patients in the intervention subgroup had a delayed time to IAD occurrence (t=3.225, P=0.005), shorter time to IAD healing (t=2.644, P=0.020), and shorter hospitalization time (t=4.364, P<0.001) than those in the control subgroup.
Both incontinence care plans based on guidelines can effectively prevent IAD and promote healing in elderly incontinent patients. However, the modified AIMS care plan is more effective and can be referred to and used in clinical care.
Chronic coronary disease (CCD) refers to chronic heart or vascular disease caused by insufficient blood flow into or out of the heart. The incidence and mortality rates of CCD are high, resulting in significant personal, economic, and societal burdens. In July 2023, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC), along with other academic organizations, jointly released the 2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the Management of Patients with Chronic Coronary Disease. This guideline provides a on the evidence-based and patient-centered approach to comprehensive management of patients with CCD. It covers the epidemiology of CCD, patient assessment, diagnosis, risk stratification, treatment, management of special populations, patient follow-up, and related considerations. The guideline emphasizes the importance of a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, and tobacco avoidance for cardiovascular health. It also updates the recommendations for the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) and provides the latest evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice. This article provides a key interpretation of the management strategies outlined in the guideline, aiming to provide a basis for the development and update of relevant guidelines in China. The goal is to standardize and improve the specialized diagnosis and care for patients with CCD, with the ultimate aim of providing evidence-based guidance for clinical practice and improving the prognosis of patients with CCD.
Post-COVID-19 condition is defined as the presence of symptoms that cannot be explained by other diagnoses, lasting for at least 2 months, occurring three months after a possible or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is the result of a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, characterized by a high number of affected individuals, complex pathogenesis, diverse symptoms, and a significant need for long-term care. The diagnosis is considered exclusionary and can be classified into six subtypes, including non-severe COVID-19 multiorgan sequelae, pulmonary fibrosis sequelae, myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, post-intensive care syndrome, and medical or clinical sequelae. Based on comprehensive evaluation, treatment and care can be provided through a multidisciplinary approach involving medication, diet, exercise, psychological interventions, patient education, and other methods.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses and are often overlooked in primary care settings, with delays in initial treatment and significant impairment on patients' social function and quality of life. In 2023, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a recommendation statement on adult anxiety disorder screening in JAMA, along with the latest evidence report and systematic review results. The USPSTF suggests screening for anxiety in adults, including pregnant and postpartum women. However, current evidence on the risks and benefits of screening for anxiety in older adults is insufficient to determine the pros and cons of screening. This article combines the USPSTF statement with domestic and international research to provide an overview of several aspects: the current state of adult anxiety disorders domestically and internationally, a summary of the USPSTF recommendation statement, risk factors, early screening tools and their pros and cons, treatment, and the value of the statement for general practice guidance.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease that seriously harms human health, and it is also a leading cause of death, with a large number of cases being underdiagnosed. Can COPD screening enable early diagnosis of the disease and improve patient outcomes? In 2022, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Screening Recommendation Statement" (hereinafter referred to as the "Recommendation") for asymptomatic adults by evaluating the latest research evidence regarding the benefits and harms of COPD screening. Based on limited evidence, the USPSTF issused a 'D' statement (there is moderate certainty that the screening has no net benefit) and recommends against COPD screening for asymptomatic adults, which is consistent with the 2016 version. The current article interprets the principles of this Recommendation in the context of Chinese general practice.
In 2022, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its recommendations, reviewing the evidence of the benefits and harms of behavioral counseling interventions aimed at promoting healthy behaviors in adults without cardiovascular disease risk factors. The conclusions of this review align with the 2017 guidelines. Behavioral counseling interventions in adults without cardiovascular disease risk factors result in minimal net benefits. Therefore, it is recommended that clinicians make individualized decisions on whether to provide or recommend behavioral counseling interventions to adults without cardiovascular disease risk factors to promote a healthy diet and physical activity (Grade C). This article provides a comprehensive interpretation of the guidelines in the context of the current status of cardiovascular disease prevention in China, offering valuable insights into cardiovascular disease prevention practices among Chinese adults.
Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) 2024 report was released on November 13th, 2023. In general, the definition, diagnosis, assessment, and therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the same as GOLD 2023, with corresponding content added in ten aspects, including the expansion of the information about PRISm, a new section on hyperinflation, further clarification about pre-bronchodilator spirometry, a new section on screening for COPD in targeted populations, the update of blood eosinophil count, the update of interstitial lung abnormalities, the revision of the section on smoking cessation, the update of vaccination recommendations for people with COPD, the expansion of managing inhaled therapy, and the addition of pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation. The article introduces and interprets the new contents.
Depression and suicide in adults have become significant public health issues in China and globally, imposing a heavy burden on patients and society. In 2023, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a recommendation statement on Screening for Depression and Suicide Risk in Adults in JAMA. The statement suggested screening for depression in adults, including pregnant and postpartum individuals, as well as the elderly. However, the evidence regarding the risks and benefits of suicide screening is insufficient, making it challenging to determine its overall impact. This article provides an overview of adult depression and suicide, including epidemiology, risk factors, early screening tools, pros and cons, treatments and interventions, and the guidance value of the USPSTF statement for general practitioners, combining insights from the USPSTF statement and current research both domestically and internationally.
Dyslipidemia due to genetic and multifactorial dyslipidemia has a predisposition to early-onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and consensus and guidelines regarding lipid lowering in adults are well established, but the benefits of lipid screening and treatment in childhood and adolescence for this population are not well established. The United States Preventive Medicine Task Force (USPSTF) issued the Recommendation Statement: Screening for Dyslipidemia in Children and Adolescents based on a systematic review of evidence with meta-analysis conducted in a large number of randomized controlled trials, large cohort studies in European and American countries, with the aim of assessing evidences whether initiation of lipid screening and early initiation of treatment in childhood and adolescence has long-term benefits for this population. This article provides a detailed interpretation of the guideline, which aims to provide reference to clinical healthcare workers to improve the understanding of dyslipidaemia in children and to decide whether to screen them with a view to reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In April 2022, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated and published recommendations on aspirin use to prevent CVD based on the latest evidence-based research results. The USPSTF recommends against initiating low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD in adults aged 60 years and above. The decision to initiate low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD in adults aged 40 to 59 years who have a 10% or greater 10-year CVD risk should be an individual one based on shared decision-making between clinicians and patients about the potential benefits and harms. This paper aims to interpret the latest recommendations in the context of China's actual situation, providing a reference on aspirin use to prevent CVD in China.
Lung cancer is the most leading cause of global cancer mortality, underscores the critical importance of early screening and intervention to improve the prognosis and survival time and the overall survival rates of patients. For decades, lung cancer screening guidelines have been continuously updated based on the developed evidence. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has comprehensively updated the recommendations for lung cancer screening in the 2021 version of guideline, assessed the balance of benefits and harms of lung cancer screening through a systematic review and collaborative modeling studies, and scrutinized the performance of tests using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) for lung cancer screening. The guideline provides latest information on the start and finish time of lung cancer screening, optimal screening intervals, the relative benefits and risks of different screening strategies and updated recommendations. This article aims to interpret the updated guideline and provide recommendations for lung cancer screening in China, taking into account the epidemiology of lung cancer at home and abroad, reports on risk factors, summaries of updates to current guidelines or expert consensus, and the current status of screening.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death. It is well known that statins can reduce the risk of CVD and CVD-related death through lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and plaque-stabilizing effects. In August 2022, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) conducted an updated recommendations statement on statins for primary prevention of CVD based on new evidence on the benefits and potential harms of statins in reducing CVD morbidity/mortality and all-cause mortality. The USPSTF recommends statins for the primary prevention of CVD for adults aged 40 to 75 years with 1 or more CVD risk factors and an estimated 10-year CVD risk of 10% or greater (B recommendation). The USPSTF recommends that clinicians selectively offer statins for the primary prevention of CVD in adults aged 40 to 75 years who have 1 or more of CVD risk factors and an estimated 10-year CVD risk of 7.5% to less than 10% (C recommendation). The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of using statins for primary prevention of CVD events and mortality in adults aged 76 years and above (I statement). This article interprets the latest recommendations in the context of China to provide reference for the use of statins for the primary prevention of CVD in China.
Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in adults is a common sleep-breathing disorder closely associated with hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other health concerns. Despite its widespread impact on global health, the screening and diagnosis of OSAHS is still not widely available in clinical practice. In this context, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recently released updated recommendations for adult OSAHS screening to help more people identify and treat potential sleep-breathing disorders. This article interprets the latest recommendations and consider the practical situation in China, providing reference for OSAHS screening of adults in China.
At a time when healthcare reforms are being implemented in the new era, the scientific research output in the field of general practice and primary care in China has grown rapidly in recent years. However, the methodological quality of the literature is unclear.
To evaluate the methodological quality of representative quantitative studies and systematic reviews/guidelines in the field of general practice and primary care in China in 2021, to reveal the overall methodological quality characteristics of scientific papers in this field.
A sample of 449 papers was selected from a total of 3 122 papers collected in the Primary Care and General Practice Research Paper Productivity Report in China in 2021. A methodological quality assessment group consisting of 22 researchers in the field of public health and general practice from different institutions was organized to evaluate the quality of 320 of these papers (71.3%) using six different quality assessment tools for different study designs (cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, pre- and post-intervention studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, guidelines and consensus) by working in pairs and under the training and guidance of an expert in evidence-based medical methodology. Descriptive statistics method was used to report the overall quality assessment results of the various types of research papers.
Of the 114 cross-sectional research papers, quality issues were prevalent in the areas of "whether the source population was representative of the study's target population" (41.2%) , "whether the reliability and validity of the survey instrument could be conclusively demonstrated" (32.5%) , "whether the survey is clinically meaningful" (26.3%) ; of the 25 cohort study papers, quality issues were more concentrated in the areas of "whether the cohort was adequately followed up" (44.0%) and "whether the co-intervention was similar among groups" (56.0%) ; of the 34 pre- and post-intervention studies, quality issues were mostly found in the areas of "whether the target outcome was measured multiple times before and after the intervention" (97.1%) , "whether the sample size was large enough to generate confidence in the study results" (82.4%) , and "whether the study participants were representative of the eligible population" (61.8%) ; of the 122 randomized controlled trials, quality concerns were mostly in the areas of "blinding of different stakeholders" (25.4%-61.5%) , "adequate concealment of random allocation" (41.8%) , and "other risks of bias" (72.1%) ; of the 19 systematic reviews, quality issues were mostly found in the areas "is the source of funding for the included studies reported" (100.0%) , "were the methods of the review developed before the start of the review" (94.7%) , "was heterogeneity reasonably discussed and explained" (84.2%) , and "was the risk of bias of individual studies considered" (84.2%) . Finally, the quality of all six clinical guidelines/consensus was rated low.
The scientific research output of recent years in the field of primary care and general practice in China is still of limited quality in general, which is particularly evident in the categories of cross-sectional studies, pre- and post-intervention studies, randomized controlled trials, guidelines and consensus. This highlights the urgency and importance of strengthening systematic training in basic research in this area of research in China, increasing the importance of research and evidence-based reporting standards, and developing pragmatic methodological specifications for the development of guidelines.
Pituitary prolactinoma is a neuroendocrine disease caused by excessive pituitary prolactin-cell adenoma synthesis and prolactin secretion. The standardized diagnosis and treatment of pituitary prolactinoma in of great significance for recovering and maintaining pituitary function and improving life quality of the patients. In January 2022, the International Chapter of Clinical Endocrinology (ICCE) and the Italian Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AME) published a position statement on pituitary prolactinoma in the European Journal of Endocrinology: 2022 ICCE/AME Position Statement for Clinical Practice in Pituitary Prolactinoma (abbreviated as 2022 ICCE/AME position statement) . Based on the latest medical evidence, 2022 ICCE/AME position statement conducts a systematic review, analysis and recommendations on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pituitary prolactinoma. This article provides an update on the diagnosis and treatment of pituitary prolactinoma, special populations, dopamine agonist resistance, and invasive prolactinoma in the 2022 ICCE/AME position statement, which is hoped to be helpful to the awareness of pituitary prolactinoma among general practitioners and endocrinologists, and provide a reference for the clinical practice of standardized diagnosis and treatment.
Primary care physicians (PCPs), who play a crucial role in providing primary healthcare services, utilize clinical practice guidelines as valuable tools for guiding their practice. By investigating these physicians' awareness and usage of guidelines, we can offer innovative strategies for promoting guideline adherence and enhancing physicians' training. This, in turn, can ultimately improve the quality of primary healthcare.
To explore the level of awareness and the current status of reference use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) guidelines for diabetes among PCPs, and to identify the influencing factors.
From September 22 to October 29, 2021, an online questionnaire survey was conducted among physicians affiliated with the Specialist Committee for Primary Diabetes Care of China Association of Chinese Medicine, using the snowball sampling method to ensure a broader representation of physicians. The questionnaire consists of three parts: basic information, current status and needs of physicians in using TCM for diabetes prevention and treatment, and a survey on physicians' current awareness and needs regarding diabetes guidelines. Ordered multiclass Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influencing factors of PCPs' awareness and usage of TCM guidelines for diabetes.
A total of 382 questionnaires were collected from PCPs, 35.34% (135/382) of the physicians were very familiar or fairly familiar with TCM guidelines for diabetes, while 28.80% (110/382) of the physicians referred to these guidelines regularly for diabetes management. The results of the univariate analysis showed that, PCPs with differences in gender, specialty, department, number of diabetic patients treated per week, evaluation of TCM treatment efficacy, availability of TCM herbs and Chinese patent drugs in physicians' institutions, and physicians' awareness of guidelines, showed statistically significant differences in their reference status of TCM guidelines for diabetes (P<0.05). The results of the ordered multinomial Logistic regression analysis showed that, the factors influencing PCPs' awareness of TCM guidelines for diabetes included PCPs' evaluation of TCM treatment efficacy (OR=5.783, 95%CI=1.283-26.102), availability of TCM herbs and Chinese patent drugs in physicians' institutions (OR=2.399, 95%CI=1.548-3.717), and their previous participation in specialized training on diabetes prevention and control guidelines (OR=1.751, 95%CI=1.149-2.667). The factors influencing PCPs' reference to TCM guidelines for diabetes included the physicians' level of familiarity with the guidelines [very or fairly familiar (OR=15.721, 95%CI=7.584-32.557), somewhat familiar (OR=5.392, 95%CI=2.841-10.237) ], work experience less than 5 years (OR=14.083, 95%CI=1.390-142.594), different specialties [TCM (OR=6.869, 95%CI=1.483-31.849), integrated Chinese and western medicine (OR=6.613, 95%CI=1.551-28.219) ], and geographical regions [northeast (OR=2.962, 95%CI=1.064-8.240), southeast (OR=2.686, 95%CI=1.004-7.178) ].
The awareness and reference usage of TCM guidelines for diabetes among PCPs need to be improved. Factors such as guideline awareness, work experience, professional orientation, and geographical region play a significant role in influencing physicians' utilization of the guidelines. In the future, training for PCPs should be strengthened, particularly focusing on the northwest and southwest regions, and PCPs with a background in TCM should receive more training on TCM-related guidelines for diabetes prevention and treatment.