ABSTRACTIntroductionLow body weight in patients with COPD is associated with a poor prognosis and more comorbidities. However, the impact of increased body weight in patients with COPD remains controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical features of overweight patients with AECOPD.MethodsIn this multicenter cross‐sectional study, a total of 647 AECOPD patients were recruited. Finally, 269 normal weight and 162 overweight patients were included. Baseline characteristics and clinical and laboratory data were collected. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to determine potential features, which were substituted into binary logistic regression to reveal overweight‐associated clinical features. The nomogram and its associated curves were established to visualize and verify the logistic regression model.ResultsSix potential overweight‐associated variables were selected by LASSO regression. Subsequently, a binary logistic regression model identified that the rates of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and hypertension and levels of lymphocytes (LYM)%, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were independent variables of overweight in AECOPD patients. The C‐index and AUC of the ROC curve of the nomogram were 0.671 and 0.666, respectively. The DCA curve revealed that the nomogram had more clinical benefits if the threshold was at a range of 0.22~0.78.ConclusionsCollectively, we revealed that T2DM and hypertension were more common, and LYM% and ALT were higher in AECOPD patients with overweight than those with normal weight. The result suggests that AECOPD patients with overweight are at risk for additional comorbidities, potentially leading to worse outcomes.
Ginseng for the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies
Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex and often disabling chronic condition emerging worldwide, with no curative or definitive therapy yet identified. Ginseng has been widely used to treat fatigue in other patient groups and conditions; however, a systematic review focusing solely on the impact of ginseng on fatigue in patients with CFS has not been performed. Objective This study aimed to assess the current state of evidence regarding ginseng for CFS. Methods Multiple databases were searched from inception to October 2020. All data was extracted independently and in duplicates. Outcomes of interest included the effectiveness and safety of ginseng in patients with CFS. Results 2 studies enrolling 68 patients were deemed eligible, including one randomized clinical trial and one prospective observational study. The certainty of evidence in the effectiveness outcome was low and moderate from both studies, while the safety evidence was very low as reported from one study. Conclusion Study findings highlight a potential benefit of ginseng therapy in the treatment of CFS. However, we are not able to draw firm conclusions due to limited clinical studies. The paucity of data warrants limited confidence. There is a need for future rigorous studies to provide further evidence.