In order to understand current blood lead levels (BLLs), we investigated the BLLs of children in Sichuan Province from 2011 to 2020. We then monitored the treatment effects of calcium in children with high BLLs to assess their treatment status. Finally, we explored the effects of lead on Ca²⁺ through in-situ experiments. Whole blood samples were used for BLL tests. The BLLs of 76,362 children aged 0–7 years were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry. The median BLL was 35 μg/L (interquartile range: 28–47). The BLLs were significantly higher in boys than in girls (p < 0.001). The BLLs generally decreased annually and increased with age. The overall prevalence of BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L was 1.20%. The children with high BLLs received subsequent check-ups, and the median time required for effective treatment was 18 months. We observed that lead exposure led to a gradual and persistent loss of Ca²⁺ levels in neurons of mice brain slices, and the effect did not subside immediately even after the lead was removed. China has made rapid progress in pediatric healthcare, but the treatment status remains unsatisfactory. Because lead causes an irreversible loss of Ca²⁺, there is an urgent need to develop new standardized treatments to reduce the treatment duration.

This study aimed to evaluate an auto-verification system for serological markers of infectious diseases in a clinical laboratory, with the goal of ensuring reliable results while shortening the turnaround time for reports, reducing the need for human resources, and improving work efficiency. Based on the guidelines and clinical requirements, personalized auto-verification rules were established. Then, the serological marker results of 144,927 samples (including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Treponema pallidum, and human immunodeficiency virus) were used for verification, and the performance of the auto-verification system was evaluated. The auto-verification system enabled our laboratory to shorten the turnaround time by 21.13% (from 369.54 minutes to 291.47 minutes) while increasing the sample volume. The pass rate, sensitivity, specificity, false positive rate, and false negative rate of the auto-verification system were 54.81%, 100%, 54.99%, 45.01% and 0%, respectively. Further analysis of the reasons for the failure of auto-verification revealed that a portion of the samples were blocked due to technical issues with the laboratory information system. Further improvements are needed in the future. Establishing an appropriate auto-verification system based on the actual situation of the laboratory is an important means to ensure medical safety, while improving the efficiency of the clinical laboratory and reducing labor costs.

Background/Objectives: As an escalating global health challenge, food allergies impose substantial burdens on the physical and psychological well-being of pediatric populations, profoundly compromising their quality of life. Given the marked geographical heterogeneity in allergen distribution patterns, this epidemiological investigation systematically characterizes prevalent pediatric food allergens sensitization patterns in Southwest China, yielding critical region-specific data to inform targeted prevention strategies and clinical management protocols. Methods: A cohort of 36,399 pediatric participants (age <18 years) underwent hospital-based testing for allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) reactivity against 10 regionally prevalent food allergens, utilizing a semi-quantitative, immunocapture-based, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Of the 36,399 children whose food allergen sensitization profiles were analyzed, 48.12% (n = 17,514) demonstrated elevated sIgE reactivity in response to at least one tested allergen, with milk and eggs emerging as the predominant allergenic triggers. Age-stratified analyses identified preschool age (≤6 years) as the critical window for food sensitization, demonstrating peak IgE reactivity to major allergens, including milk, peanuts, soybeans, shrimp, eggs, wheat, and beef. Male subjects exhibited significantly higher sensitization rates to peanuts, soybeans, crustaceans and wheat compared to females (p < 0.05), underscoring the importance of sex-based considerations in allergy prevention strategies. Conclusions: Milk and eggs emerge as the dominant food allergens that cause sensitization in Chengdu’s pediatric population. Age- and sex-dependent vulnerabilities were identified, with younger children and male participants demonstrating higher sensitization rates than their counterparts. These age-stratified and male-predominant sensitization patterns provide a scientific foundation for public health initiatives.

Background/Objectives: There is an abundance of evidence to support the associations of allergic sensitization with asthma. Reducing exposure to allergens can help prevent the progression of asthma. Given the significant regional variations in allergen distribution patterns, our objective was to characterize the sensitization patterns of common childhood aeroallergens in a large, hospital-based pediatric cohort from West China through epidemiological surveys, thereby providing region-specific key data to guide the development of targeted prevention strategies and clinical management protocols. Methods: We analyzed data from 30,565 multiple allergosorbent tests collected by our hospital from 2024 to 2025. We additionally collected sex and age. If the level of an aeroallergen was 0.35 IU/mL or more, the test result for that aeroallergen was defined as positive, and positive cases were defined as those where one aeroallergen was positive. The positive rates for aeroallergens were calculated using the total number of tested children in each category (such as season, gender or age group). Results: A total of 30,565 children in West China were surveyed, with an overall allergen sIgE positive rate of 37.7%. Autumn had the highest positive rate (41.2%), which was significantly higher than those of the other seasons (p < 0.01). Indoor allergens had higher positive rates than outdoor ones. The top indoor allergens were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (30.18%), Dermatophagoides farinae (27.13%), and house dust (22.99%); the top outdoor allergens were Cupressus (10.22%), Betula platyphylla (5.01%), and Sycamore (4.24%). The positive rate increased with age: 18.49% in infants and toddlers, 38.58% in preschool children, and 45.96% in school-aged children (all p < 0.01). Males (39.76%) had a higher total positive rate than females (34.90%) (p < 0.01), with significant gender differences in five allergens, including Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, house dust, Alternaria, and Sycamore. Conclusions: This study provides detailed epidemiological data on aeroallergen sensitization patterns among children, including seasonal, age-related, and sex-related differences. These findings may help inform region-specific preventive strategies and guide future research on allergen avoidance.

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is an important pathogen responsible for community-acquired respiratory infections in children. Global surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a marked decline in MP activity. However, beginning in early summer 2023, multiple regions across China reported an unexpected resurgence of MP infections, highlighting the need for detailed epidemiological analysis. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the epidemiological features of MP seropositivity among children in Chengdu, southwest China, and to compare its patterns between the COVID-19 pandemic and post pandemic periods. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on MP testing data from 39,552 children with acute respiratory infections who were treated at West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, between January 2022 and December 2023. Results: Both the number of MP tests conducted and the seropositivity rate were significantly lower during the pandemic period than during the post pandemic phase. Compared with male children, female children were more susceptible to MP seropositivity. In terms of age distribution, seropositivity rates were highest among toddlers (1–3 years) and school-aged children (6–14 years). During the pandemic period (2022), MP antibody-positive cases were observed mainly between January and July, whereas in the post pandemic phase (2023), the epidemic peak shifted from June to December. Conclusions: In this single-centre study in Chengdu, nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a marked reduction in MP transmission. After these restrictions were lifted, a rebound in MP antibody positivity was observed among children in Chengdu, compared to the NPI period (2022), the post-NPI period (2023) showed a later seasonal peak, which may represent a delayed return to pre-pandemic patterns. Continuous strengthening of MP surveillance is necessary to provide early warning of potential resurgences and outbreak risks.

Background: Warfarin and superwarfarins, which belong to anticoagulants, are also widely used as rodenticides worldwide. Cases of accidental ingestion of these kinds of rodenticides often occur, and the patients usually have clinical symptoms of various systemic bleeding which are, in serious cases, life threatening. Methods: We reported a 12-year-old boy poisoned by superwarfarins. He was initially diagnosed with coagulation disorder induced by rodenticides and was treated with vitamin K. A month after the onset of the disease, the patient was further treated in our hospital. We improved his relevant laboratory tests and found that his antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-SSA antibodies were positive. After the patient was cured and discharged, the result of ANA turned negative four months later. Results: The ANA fluorescence pattern of the patient presented a rare cytoplasmic granular type with low titer, which appeared when the patient was poisoned and disappeared after cured. In the previously reported cases of rodenticides poisoning, ANA-positive individuals are rare, and this kind of fluorescence pattern has not been reported before. Conclusions: During the diagnosis and treatment of anticoagulant rodenticides poisoning patients, the monitoring of coagulation function is important, but other laboratory tests should also be considered to avoid missing some suggestive positive results.