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Background: Inflammatory indices derived from complete blood tests have been reported to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The data about the relationship between inflammatory indices and left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) or dense spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) are limited., Aim: To explore the value of inflammatory indices for predicting the presence of LAAT or dense SEC in nonvalvular AF patients., Methods: A total of 406 patients with nonvalvular AF who underwent transesophageal echocardiography were included and divided into two groups based on the presence (study group) or absence (control group) of LAAT or dense SEC. Inflammatory indices, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), were calculated from complete blood analysis. The associations of inflammatory indices with LAAT/dense SEC were analyzed using logistic regression., Results: LAAT and dense SEC were detected in 11 (2.7%) and 42 (10.3%) patients, respectively. The PLR only showed an association with LAAT/dense SEC in the univariate model. Elevated NLR (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-1.98, P = 0.007) and reduced LMR (OR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.41-0.83, P = 0.003) were found to be independent risk factors for the presence of LAAT/dense SEC. The areas under the NLR and LMR curves for predicting LAAT/dense SEC were 0.73 (95%CI: 0.66-0.80, P < 0.001) and 0.73 (95%CI: 0.65-0.81, P < 0.001), respectively, while the cutoff values were 2.8 (sensitivity: 69.8%; specificity: 64.0%) and 2.4 (sensitivity: 71.7%; specificity: 60.6%), respectively., Conclusion: Increased NLR and decreased LMR may predict LAAT/dense SEC in patients with nonvalvular AF., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: We have no financial relationships to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To study the change of paeonol and paeoniflorin, the two major active ingredients contained in Cortex Moutan cultivated in Dianjiang county of Chongqing, due to the change of some influence factors, and explore suitable plant conditions and quality cotrol methods of Cortex Moutan., Method: Paeonol and paeoniflorin were determined by HPLC in samples from Dianjiang., Result and Conclusion: The ratio of paeonol and paeoniflorin in Cortex Moutan was regularly influenced by altitude, the growth years and harvest time. Cortex could be cultivated at altitude of 400 m to 800 m but 600 m is the best aria because of the peak of the percentage composition of paeonol and paeoniflorin at 600 m. The first and middle third of October in the fifth year is the best picking time of Cortex Moutan because of the maximum of the percentage composition of paeonol and paeoniflorin.