To advance the development of rehabilitation medicine and enhance the capacity of rehabilitation healthcare services in Jiangsu Province, the Yangtze River Delta, and throughout China, the 12th Jinling High-Level Forum on Rehabilitation Medicine, hosted by the Jiangsu Provincial Society of Rehabilitation Medicine, was grandly held at the Nanjing International Conference Hotel from April 12 to 14, 2024. The forum brought together leading rehabilitation experts and scholars from across the province, who engaged in lively discussions and exchanges under the theme “Cross-Disciplinary Integration and Smart Rehabilitation,” exploring new theories, technologies, approaches, and recent advances in critical care rehabilitation.

On the afternoon of April 13, Director Gao Hongliang, head of our hospital’s Rehabilitation Therapy Center, delivered a meticulous and incisive presentation at the “Neuroelectrophysiology Forum” on “The Effects of Magnetic Stimulation of the Right Median Nerve on Brain Functional Connectivity in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness, as Assessed by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy,” earning enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The Critical Care Rehabilitation Forum, hosted by our institute, was held at 8:30 a.m. on April 14 in Hall A, Peace Hall, 2nd Floor, Zijin Building. Zhou Suming, Deputy Director of the Department of Critical Care Medicine and Director of the Geriatric ICU at Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital, served as the forum chair and delivered the opening address.

Next, under the chairmanship of Associate Dean Wang Yifang of Nanjing Zijin Hospital, Director Zhang Cui of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at Nanjing First Hospital, Director Sun Liqun of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, and Director Wang Xin of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Subei People’s Hospital, a series of expert presentations packed with substantive insights commenced.

Zhou Suming, deputy director of the Department of Critical Care Medicine and director of the Geriatric ICU at Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital, delivered a lecture on “Timing and Strategies for Rehabilitation Interventions in Critically Ill Patients,” emphasizing that earlier rehabilitation is more conducive to patient recovery. However, early rehabilitation for critically ill patients remains underutilized, with several barriers still impeding its widespread implementation.

In his presentation on “Critical Care Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation,” Director Lu Xiao of the Rehabilitation Medicine Center at Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital discussed numerous precautions to observe during the rehabilitation process for critically ill patients with cardiopulmonary conditions, and outlined key considerations in clinical practice for techniques such as neurophysiological facilitation and airway clearance.

Xiong Xiaolu, attending physician in the Department of Rehabilitation at Nanjing Gulou Hospital, presented research on “The role and underlying mechanisms of skeletal muscle–derived MALAT1 in the amelioration of oxidative stress in NASH induced by high-intensity interval training.”

Dr. Wang Zhicheng from our hospital’s Rehabilitation Therapy Center presented a clinical study on the use of the “Canggui Exploration‑Acupuncture Method” to administer the “Wind‑Three Needles” acupuncture, combined with swallowing rehabilitation training, in patients with post‑stroke dysphagia. Forum experts highly commended this paper and expressed their appreciation for our hospital’s efforts to both preserve and innovate traditional Chinese medicine and culture.

Following the tea break, under the moderation of Director Feng Hui from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Jiangning Hospital in Nanjing, Director Wang Beibei from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Mingji Hospital affiliated with Nanjing Medical University, and Director Ye Ying from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, participants embarked on a new round of presentations.

Dr. Zheng Yu from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University shared key insights on “Rehabilitation Therapy for ECMO Patients.”

Director Zhang Wenbin of the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University presented an overview of the topic “Electrophysiological and Metabolic Assessment in Neuromodulation Therapy for Chronic Disorders of Consciousness,” drawing on numerous real-world clinical cases.

Jin Yujuan from the First People’s Hospital of Changzhou presented “Risk Factors for Aspiration in Stroke Patients and the Predictive Value of V‑VST, WST, and EAT‑10.” Fu Run from the First Hospital of Nanjing delivered a talk on “The Impact of Early Mobilization on Postoperative Outcomes in Patients with Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection.” Teng Meiling from the Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Nanjing Medical University shared a meta-analysis examining “The Efficacy and Safety of High-Intensity Interval Training on Cardiopulmonary Function in Patients with Heart Failure.”

This critical care forum featured a total of 10 presentations, each lasting approximately 15 to 25 minutes. Although the durations varied, all sessions were of the highest caliber. Through the forum, participants shared cutting-edge technologies and innovative projects in the field of critical care rehabilitation, discussed future directions for development, and gained invaluable insights.