Objective To explore the clinical features, treatment measures, disease outcomes, and differences in patients with asthma admitted to hospitals in Qinghai and Tibetan Plateau, and further analyze the risk factors. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 297 patients with asthma admitted to Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital and Tibet Autonomous Region People’s Hospital from 2015 to 2021. A standardized case report form (CRF) was designed and used to collect patients’ general information, International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), clinical symptoms, treatment, laboratory examination, and pulmonary function test data. The clinical features of the patients were described, and the risk factors of the clinical features of asthma patients admitted to hospitals in Qinghai and Tibetan Plateau were analyzed by using a stepwise Logistic regression model. Results A total of 297 patients with asthma admitted to hospitals in Qinghai and Tibetan Plateau were included in this study. The overall pulmonary function of asthma patients admitted to hospitals in Qinghai was worse than that in Tibetan Plateau (FEV1/FVC%: 73.22±13.59 vs. 80.70±18.36, P<0.001; TLC: 101.50 vs. 163.00, P=0.001). The incidence of related clinical symptoms in asthma patients admitted to hospitals in Qinghai were higher than those in Tibetan Plateau (dyspnea: 98.0% vs. 66.0%, P<0.001; cyanosis: 82.0% vs. 34.0%, P<0.001; pulmonary rales: 80.7% vs. 70.7%, P=0.046). There was no significant difference in treatment measures between patients in Qinghai and Tibetan Plateau (P>0.05). The main factors contributing to the differences in clinical characteristics between the two regions were the altitude of residence (OR=0.94, 95%CI: 0.91-0.98, P=0.004) and the co-existence of allergic diseases (OR=9.47, 95%CI: 2.68-3347.07, P=0.012).ConclusionsCompared with Tibet, the incidence of asthma symptoms and poorer lung function were higher among inpatients with asthma in Qinghai; there was no significant difference in treatment measures between the two regions, but there was a significant difference in prognosis; the main factors contributing to the differences in clinical characteristics between the two regions were the altitude of residence and the co-existence of allergic diseases.
ObjectiveTo analyze the incidence and risk factors of tuberculosis in the city of Mianyang based on data from active cases.MethodsFrom March 2018 to April 2019, 199 182 residents were selected for the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire, digital radiography (DR), physical examination and laboratory tests. The incidence of tuberculosis was estimated, and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the disease.ResultsThroughout the process, 103 residents were diagnosed with active tuberculosis, corresponding to an incidence of 51.71 per 100 000. Risk of tuberculosis was significantly higher among individuals who were over age 60 (OR=1.74, 95%CI 1.11 to 2.73, P=0.02), males (OR=4.39, 95%CI 2.74 to 7.04, P<0.001), medical workers (OR=11.18, 95%CI 2.99 to 41.84, P<0.001), and those with a history of tuberculosis (OR=16.43, 95%CI 8.10 to 33.33, P<0.001). Conversely, individuals with higher levels of education were associated with lower risk of tuberculosis: compared to those with primary school or less, those with a junior high school education had an OR of 0.53 (95%CI 0.30 to 0.88, P=0.02); high school/technical school had an OR of 0.36 (95%CI 0.15 to 0.92, P=0.03); junior college or above had an OR of 0.23 (95%CI 0.06 to 0.88, P=0.04).ConclusionsAnalyzing tuberculosis epidemiology based on active cases can help detect the disease as well as control or even prevent epidemics. Individuals who are more senior, males, medical workers, with a history of tuberculosis, and those with lower levels of education may be at higher risk of the disease. These results may improve screening efforts and allow timely intervention.
Objective we want to construct a rating scale for the key technique using the inhaler device for patients with chronic airway disorder and to provide a reference tool for the scientific evaluation of patients’ techniques in the use of inhaler devices. MethodsThrough literature review and Delphi expert consultation, the items of the rating scale were determined, and the weights and assignments of the items were determined through the analytic hierarchy process. The resulting evaluation form was used for clinical assessment of patients, and the differentiation of each item was tested by the critical ratio method.ResultsAfter the two rounds of consultation, the positive coefficients of experts were 95.24% and 100%, the expert authority coefficients were 0.988 and 0.990, and the Kendall-W coefficients were 0.371 (P<0.001) and 0.654 (P<0.001), respectively. The final form, consisting of 10 operational items for evaluating key inhaler techniques for patients with chronic airway disorder, was finalized. The results of the hierarchical analysis showed that the consistency ratio CR was 0.088<0.10, which satisfied the consistency test. The top 5 key operational steps were medication preparation, exhalation, holding the mouthpiece, inhalation, and breathholding. Used for clinical patient assessment showed better discrimination of items (t ≥ 3, P<0.05).ConclusionThe rating scale for the technique using the inhaler device for chronic airway disorder constructed in this study is scientifically reliable, convenient, and practical, which can be used as an objective evaluation tool to assess patients’ skill in inhaler device use.