Nesfatin-1 plays a role in the regulation of emotional states like depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma nesfatin-1levels in Chinese patients with depression and healthy subjects, and to determine the possible association between the plasma nesfatin-1 level and the severity of depression. A total of 103 depressive patients and 32 healthy subjects were assessed. According to HAMD-17scores, 51, 18, and 34 patients were enrolled in the mild depression, moderate depression, and severe depression groups, respectively. Plasma nesfatin-1 levels were determined by the ELISA method. Differences between groups were compared and associations between plasma nesfatin-1 and other variables were analyzed. The plasma nesfatin-1 was significantly positively correlated with HAMD-17 score (r = 0.651). Compared with healthy controls (8.11 ± 3.31 ng/mL), the plasma nesfatin-1 level significantly increased in patients with mild depression (11.17 ± 3.58 ng/mL), with moderate depression (16.33 ± 8.78 ng/mL), and with severe depression (27.65 ± 8.26 ng/mL) respectively. Plasma nesfatin-1 level (Odds ratio [OR] = 1.269) was an independent indicator for severe depression by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The plasma nesfatin-1 level is positively correlated with the severity of depression. Plasma nesfatin-1 level may be a potential indicator for depression severity.

Background: More and more variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 continued to emerge in different regions worldwide. Objectives: Studies on COVID-19 outbreaks caused by different VOCs are critical for understanding their infections in humans in different regions. Methods: In this descriptive study, the individual information of 64 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported between March 3 and April 26, 2022, was collected, and the epidemiological features were analyzed. Results: We found COVID-19 epidemic caused by Omicron subvariant BA.2 in 2022 had unique characteristics compared to the earliest COVID-19 outbreaks in 2020 in Wuhu city. First, the geographic distribution of COVID-19 cases was highly concentrated, and most infections (58/64, 90.62%) were identified in one district in this study. Second, the mean age of COVID-19 cases in this study was 39.57 ± 16.39 years old, which was younger than the COVID-19 cases identified in Wuhan and Wuhu cities in 2020. Third, the spanned period of the COVID-19 outbreak in this study was shorter than the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 in Wuhu city (13 days vs. 34 days). Conclusions: This study illustrates the epidemic of COVID-19 in Wuhu city from March to April 2022, and our result provides valuable information about COVID-19 outbreak caused by omicron subvariant BA.2. It also provides insights into developing effective strategies, such as high coverage of COVID-19 vaccination, lockdown policies, Ankang code, and population-bases COVID-19 screening, for successfully controlling the potential outbreaks caused by Omicron or future novel variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the medium-sized city like Wuhu.

Influenza A (H1N1) is a highly contagious and pathogenic respiratory disease. This retrospective study aims to provide a scientific basis for the early diagnosis of the malignant progression of the disease and the prediction of the prognosis of elderly patients with influenza A through a retrospective research analysis. This study was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 97 elderly patients with influenza A (H1N1) admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Wuhu City from November 2023 to February 2024 were included. By analyzing the patients' clinical data, laboratory test indicators (including routine serum biochemical and blood routine indicators), and pulmonary imaging examination results, the correlations between these indicators and disease progression, hospital stay duration, and pulmonary pathological changes were explored. The D-dimer level was significantly correlated with the hospital stay duration (P= 0.0413). The D-dimer level was significantly correlated with the pathological changes of pulmonary inflammation, fibrosis, calcification, and nodules (F=2.623, P=0.0437). Especially in patients with pulmonary inflammation, the D-dimer level was significantly elevated. A decrease in lymphocyte count was closely related to the occurrence of severe influenza A (P=0.0355). The study also found that changes in the D-dimer level, together with increases in monocyte and white blood cell counts, indicated an increased risk of disease progression. This study provides a new perspective for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis assessment of elderly patients with influenza A (H1N1) through a comprehensive analysis of indicators such as D-dimer, lymphocytes, monocytes, and white blood cell counts.

This study aimed to assess macrolide resistance and the genotype distribution of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in children and identify the risk factors for refractory MP pneumonia (RMPP) during the initial post-COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhu. This retrospective study enrolled children with MPP in Wuhu (November 2023–May 2024). Using preserved nasopharyngeal swabs, macrolide resistance mutations were identified by sequencing the 23S rRNA domain V, and genotyping was performed by PCR. Clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed to identify the risk factors associated with RMPP. An analysis of 296 pediatric MPP patients revealed universal cough (100%), with high rates of fever (94.93%) and sputum (71.62%). Common findings included moist rales (53.04%) and lobar pneumonia (37.5%). Genotype I (87.84%) predominated and showed a higher A2063G resistance mutation rate than genotype II (74.23% vs 55.56%, P = .019). This mutation was associated with longer hospitalization, more vomiting, and higher C-reactive protein (CRP). RMPP (69.26%) was notable for producing more severe symptoms, higher inflammatory markers (CRP, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], procalcitonin [PCT], D-D dimer), and a greater need for bronchoscopy and steroid use. Multivariate logistic regression identified prolonged hospitalization, the presence of pulmonary infiltrates, CRP > 10 mg/L, LDH > 246 U/L, and D-D dimer > 0.50 μg/mL as independent risk factors for RMPP. Subsequent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated the predictive utility of D-D dimer and LDH levels. The present study established genotype I MP with A2063G-mediated macrolide resistance as the predominant epidemic variant in Wuhu. Independent risk factors for RMPP included a prolonged hospital stay and elevated CRP, LDH and D-D dimer. LDH combined with D-D dimer served as a valuable co-marker for early risk stratification and prediction of refractory disease.