The 2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients with Valvular Heart Disease not only updates aortic valve stenosis, mitral regurgitation, prosthetic valves, infective endocarditis and antithrombotic treatment on the basis of the 2017 guidelines update for valvular heart disease, but also involves aortic valve regurgitation, bicuspid aortic valve, mitral stenosis, tricuspid regurgitation, combined valve disease, pregnancy with valvular disease, valve disease complicated with coronary heart disease, valve disease complicated with non-cardiac surgery and the prospect of comprehensive management of valve disease. It covers a wide range of contents, which are introduced in detail and comprehensively. This paper interprets some highlights and core issues, including the top 10 take-home messages, the severity of valvular heart disease, and the updates in the management of aortic valve stenosis, aortic valve regurgitation, bicuspid aortic valve, mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation.
China Association of Chinese Medicine officially issued the clinical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of frozen shoulder in traditional Chinese medicine (T/CACM 1416-2022) on November 14th, 2022. The guideline covers clinical diagnosis, treatment, prevention and care of frozen shoulder. This paper introduces the background of this guideline and interprets its contents of clinical diagnosis, treatment and prevention. It helps the applicable population deepen their understanding and standardization of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of frozen shoulder, and provides references for the development of relevant guidelines in traditional Chinese medicine orthopedics in the future.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is the main type of heart failure (HF), accounting for more than half of the incidence of HF. However, the etiology, pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis of HFpEF are still not fully understood. Recommendations for HFpEF are in different chapters in the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for the management of heart failure. This paper interpreted the definition, stage, diagnosis, epidemiology, clinical evaluation, stage treatment, acute attack stage, comorbidity management, vulnerable population and research prospect of HFpEF, which aimed to provide the latest thinking in terms of the management of HFpEF for clinicians.
Anemia and coagulopathy are frequently presented in critically ill patients on the intensive care unit. Scientific use of blood products assist the treatment of critically ill patients. However, life-threatening adverse effects are also a risk. In 2020, the European Society of Critical Care Medicine (ESICM) published a clinical practice guideline on transfusion strategies for non-bleeding critically ill adults in an attempt to resolve the transfusion strategy problems of relevant critically ill patients. This paper interprets the key contents in order to assist Chinese clinicians for better understanding and using of the guideline.
Respiratory oscillometry is a lung function test that measures the mechanical properties of respiratory system by the forced oscillation technique. Oscillometry can be used in those who cannot perform traditional lung function tests, including young children. It is also an important tool to assess small airways function in clinical and research fields. In 2020, the European Respiratory Society published a new technical standard for respiratory oscillometry, which offered updated technical recommendations on the hardware, software, testing protocols and quality control of oscillometry measurements. This paper interpreted the new technical standard, for providing technical suggestions regarding oscillometry measurements in clinical and research settings, and as a reference for developing technical statements and recommendations for oscillometry in China.
In order to help Chinese guideline developers, clinicians, health policy makers and other relevant researchers fully understand and make appropriate use of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, Chinese GRADE Center and Guidelines Review Committee of World Health Organization (WHO-GRC) have written a series of papers about development methods, review principles and the structure and content of WHO guidelines. This is the third (also last) paper which interpreted Consolidated Guidelines on the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and Preventing HIV Infection and Guidelines for the Screening, Care and Treatment of Persons with Hepatitis C Infection as examples with the process and steps of WHO guideline development.
Due to the special structure and material of the flexible gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopes, it is difficult to reprocess endoscopes. Infections caused by endoscope reprocessing failure often occur. Strict implementation of the guidelines/relevant national standards and manufacturer's instructions is essential to prevent the occurrence of endoscopy-related infections and ensure patient safety. In 2020, ASGE (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) released the "multisociety guideline on reprocessing flexible GI endoscopes and accessories". This paper aimed to promote the understanding of the reprocessing process of flexible GI endoscopes by the endoscope decontamination staff, and to provide references for clinical practice.
Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis, which is characterized by elevated urate and monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition in tissues, leading to arthritis, soft-tissue masses (tophi), nephrolithiasis, and urate nephropathy. It has a major impact on health-related quality of life. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) published ACR guidelines for the management of gout in June 2020, in which 42 recommendations (including 16 strong recommendations) were generated. The guideline described indications for urate-lowering therapy (ULT), approaches to initiating, ongoing management, gout flares, and lifestyle and other medication strategies in patients with gout and in individuals with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. This paper interprets it to provide references for clinical practice.