Fangming Zhong

Introduction: Accessing samples from mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes is considerably more difficult, rendering the diagnosis of tuberculous mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy particularly challenging. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive interventional technique used for sampling mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. Nanopore sequencing technology (NST) permits the rapid identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis genes directly from clinical samples. NST has significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy for both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis; its accuracy in diagnosing tuberculous mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy using EBUS-TBNA specimens has not yet been systematically evaluated. Methods and analysis: Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) and PRISMA-Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies (DTA) guidelines, this protocol (PROSPERO: CRD420251274529) will synthesise evidence from five international databases (PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Cochrane Library) and two Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Database). The literature search is planned to be conducted between 1 December 2026 and 31 December 2026 (start and end dates of the search). The publication dates of the included literature ranged from the inception of the relevant databases to 31 December 2026. Data extraction from the included studies is anticipated to be completed by 31 May 2027, and the final reporting of findings is expected by 31 December 2027. Study selection followed the PICT framework: participants (P): patients with suspected tuberculous mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy; index test (I): the index test was defined as NST; comparator (C): the reference standard for tuberculous lymphadenopathy; target condition (T): the target condition was confirmed tuberculous mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy. Two independent investigators will perform a three-step screening process, extract data and assess methodological quality using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies. Bivariate random-effects models implemented in STATA V.15.0 will be used to pool sensitivity, specificity and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves when four or more studies are available; for fewer studies, Meta-DiSc V.1.4 will be employed. If substantial heterogeneity is detected (I² statistic >50%), meta-regression and subgroup analysis will be performed across prespecified covariates. Ethics and dissemination: This study is based on publicly available data and therefore does not require ethics committee approval. Upon completion, the findings will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal. The review is conducted in accordance with established guidelines for systematic review and meta-analysis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251274529.

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Capital Bio Mycobacterium real-time polymerase chain reaction assay Capital Bio assay for lymph node (LN) tuberculosis (LNTB), and to further compare the effect of different types of LN specimens on the detection capability of the test. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of LNTB patients who met the inclusion criteria. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the curve of Capital Bio assay were calculated to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy compared with the final clinical diagnosis as reference standard. Three hundred sixty-four patients were included in the study. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the curve of the Capital Bio assay for LNTB were 74.4%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 34.9%, and 0.87, respectively. For the pus specimens, these values for Capital Bio assay were 93.2%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 27.3%, 0.97, respectively. For the core needle biopsy specimens, these values were 65.9%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 33.3%, and 0.83, respectively. For the fine-needle aspiration specimens, these values were 60.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 53.9%, and 0.80, respectively. For the tissue, these values were 59.3%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 33.3%, 0.80, respectively. The Capital Bio assay had good effective for the diagnosis of LNTB. Compared to LN fine-needle aspiration and core needle biopsy specimens and tissue specimens, pus specimens were more suitable for molecular testing and had the best diagnostic efficacy.

Purpose: We evaluated CapitalBio Mycobacterium RT-PCR assay diagnosing tuberculous pericarditis (TBP), performed a head-to-head comparison with Xpert MTB/RIF, and assessed the impact of a parallel test (positive result for either of these two tests). Methods: We reviewed suspected TBP patients with Xpert MTB/RIF, CapitalBio Mycobacterium RT-PCR assay, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) culture. We analyzed sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC). Results: Seventy-four patients were included. Overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and AUC of CapitalBio Mycobacterium RT-PCR assay compared with culture were 50%, 91.1%, 64.3%, 85%, and 0.71, respectively. Overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and AUC of Xpert MTB/RIF for TBP were 61.1%, 91.1%, 68.8%, 87.9%, and 0.76. Parallel test values were 72.2%, 91.1%, 72.2%, 91.1%, and 0.82. The diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF was higher than CapitalBio Mycobacterium RT-PCR assay but was not significant (P > 0.05). The parallel test could improve diagnostic accuracy, but it was not significant compared to single tests (P > 0.05). Conclusion: CapitalBio Mycobacterium RT-PCR assay had a moderate diagnostic accuracy, similar to Xpert MTB/RIF. The parallel test maximized diagnostic efficacy, but differences were not significant. CapitalBio Mycobacterium RT-PCR assay and Xpert MTB/RIF for TBP could be an initial option for early diagnosis.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and toxicity of anlotinib for the treatment of refractory advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We systematically searched databases for randomized controlled trials on anlotinib treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC published until November 6, 2020. Articles were assessed and data were extracted independently by two investigators. Further, we analyzed hazard ratios (HRs) for progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS, respectively). In addition, we analyzed risk ratio (RR) for overall response and disease control rates (ORR and DCR, respectively) and the odds ratio (OR) for the main adverse events (AEs) using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: This analysis included 594 patients from three clinical studies. The pooled HRs for PFS and OS were 0.27 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.22–0.33, P < 0.001) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.56–0.83, P < 0.001), respectively, indicating that anlotinib administration significantly improved PFS and OS in patients with advanced NSCLC. The pooled RRs for ORR and DCR were 11.62 (95% CI: 2.75–49.14, P < 0.001) and 2.30 (95% CI: 1.91–2.77, P < 0.001), respectively, indicating that anlotinib administration in patients with advanced NSCLC improved ORR and DCR. The pooled OR for AEs of grade 3 or higher was 2.94 (95% CI: 1.99–4.35, P < 0.001), indicating that AEs of grade 3 or higher were more prevalent in the anlotinib group than in the placebo group. Conclusion: Anlotinib, an effective choice of third- or later line therapy for patients with refractory advanced NSCLC, provides clinical benefits in terms of PFS, OS, ORR, and DCR. AEs associated with anlotinib were tolerable.

To compare the diagnostic efficacy of CapitalBio Mycobacterium real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection test and the first-generation Xpert MTB/RIF in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). In this retrospective study of smear-negative PTB, we reviewed patient medical records to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC) of Xpert MTB/RIF, CapitalBio Mycobacterium detection test, and the parallel test (positive result for either of the Xpert MTB/RIF and CapitalBio Mycobacterium detection tests) to evaluate their diagnostic accuracy against a composite reference standard. In total, 1553 patients were evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and AUC of Xpert MTB/RIF, CapitalBio Mycobacterium detection test, and the parallel test were 57.1%, 92.9%, 81.1%, 95.9%, and 0.75; 53.4%, 97.7%, 98.6%, 41.5%, and 0.76; and 66.2%, 90.8%, 95.5%, 47.7%, and 0.79, respectively. For the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens, these values for Xpert MTB/RIF, CapitalBio Mycobacterium detection test, and the parallel test were 68.8%, 97.7%, 99.2%, 43.9%, and 0.83; 61.7%, 97.7%, 99.1%, 38.9%, and 0.80; and 77.0%, 95.5%, 98.6%, 50.9%, and 0.86, respectively. CapitalBio Mycobacterium detection test had moderate accuracy for smear-negative PTB, similar to Xpert MTB/RIF. The parallel test improved the sensitivity. BALF significantly improved the sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy of the test. The maximum diagnostic accuracy for smear-negative PTB was obtained with the parallel test and BALF specimens. BALF was the most effective specimen for diagnosing smear-negative PTB.

OBJECTIVES: The efficacy of pulse index contour continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) monitoring in patients with constrictive pericarditis undergoing pericardiectomy remains unclear. The goal of this study was to explore whether PiCCO monitoring could improve clinical outcomes in these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 74 patients with constrictive pericarditis undergoing pericardiectomy and assigned them to a PiCCO group and a control group. Postoperative and survival outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There were 33 (44.6%) cases in the PiCCO group and 41 (55.4%) cases in the control group. The baseline characteristics were comparable between the 2 groups. In comparison to the control group, the PiCCO group showed more intraoperative fluid infusion (P = 0.003), higher postoperative central venous pressure (P = 0.007) and lower levels of postoperative brain natriuretic peptide (P = 0.021). The incidence of postoperative complications (P = 0.004) including cardiac complications (P = 0.033) was also lower in the PiCCO group. Despite no difference in survival outcomes, duration of chest drainage (P = 0.032), length of stay in the intensive care unit (P < 0.001) and the postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.044) were significantly shorter in the PiCCO group. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the clinical significance of PiCCO monitoring in the enhanced recovery of patients with constrictive pericarditis undergoing pericardiectomy and provided new evidence for applying PiCCO monitoring in these patients.

Objectives. To evaluate the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF for lymph node tuberculosis (LNTB). Methods. We searched databases for published reports. We reviewed the studies and identified the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF with respect to a composite reference standard (CRS) and culture. We used a bivariate random-effects model to perform meta-analyses and used metaregression to analyze sources of heterogeneity. Results. 15 independent studies compared Xpert MTB/RIF with CRS while 21 comparing it with culture were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF were 79% and 98% compared to that of CRS, respectively, and 84% and 91% compared to that of culture, respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity using fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples versus CRS were 80% and 96%, whereas those against culture were 90% and 89%, respectively. The percentages while working with tissue samples versus CRS were 76% and 100%, respectively, whereas those against culture were 76% and 92%, respectively. There was no significant difference in diagnostic efficiency among the types of specimen. Conclusions. Xpert MTB/RIF demonstrates good diagnostic efficiency for LNTB and is not related to the type of specimen, obtained via different routes.