Chronic neuroangiostrongyliasis: case study of chronic presentations in Hawaii

Parasitology ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Bernard C. Meyer

Abstract This paper describes chronic features of neuroangiostrongyliasis (NAS), a long-term outcome of the disease that has not been adequately described. Current and past literature is predominantly limited to acute manifestations of NAS, and mention of chronic, ongoing clinical symptoms is usually limited to brief notes in a discussion of severe cases. This study investigated the long-term outcomes in ten individuals who were diagnosed with acute neuroangiostrongyliasis in Hawaii between 2009 and 2017. The study demonstrates a significant number of persons in Hawaii sustain residual symptoms for many years, including troublesome sensory paresthesia (abnormal spontaneous sensations of skin experienced as ‘burning, pricking, pins and needles’; also described as allodynia or hyperesthesia) and extremity muscle pains. As a consequence, employment and economic hardships, domestic relocations, and psychological impairments affecting personal relationships occurred. The study summarizes common features of chronic disease, sensory paresthesia and hyperesthesia, diffuse muscular pain, insomnia, and accompanying emotional distress; highlights the frequently unsuccessful endeavours of individuals struggling to find effective treatment; proposes pathogenic mechanisms responsible for prolonged illness including possible reasons for differences in disease presentation in Hawaii compared to Southeast Asia.

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 994
Author(s):  
Hanne Lademann ◽  
Karl Abshagen ◽  
Anna Janning ◽  
Jan Däbritz ◽  
Dirk Olbertz

Therapeutic hypothermia (THT) is the recommended treatment for neuroprotection in (near) term newborns that experience perinatal asphyxia with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The benefit of THT in preterm newborns is unknown. This pilot study aims to investigate long-term outcomes of late preterm asphyctic infants with and without THT compared to term infants. The single-center, retrospective analysis examined medical charts of infants with perinatal asphyxia born between 2008 and 2015. Long-term outcome was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development 2 at the age of (corrected) 24 months. Term (n = 31) and preterm (n = 8) infants with THT showed no differences regarding their long-term outcomes of psychomotor development (Psychomotor Developmental Index 101 ± 16 vs. 105 ± 11, p = 0.570), whereas preterm infants had a better mental outcome (Mental Developmental Index 105 ± 13 vs. 93 ± 18, p = 0.048). Preterm infants with and without (n = 69) THT showed a similar mental and psychomotor development (Mental Developmental Index 105 ± 13 vs. 96 ± 20, p = 0.527; Psychomotor Developmental Index 105 ± 11 vs. 105 ± 15, p = 0.927). The study highlights the importance of studying THT in asphyctic preterm infants. However, this study shows limitations and should not be used as a basis for decision-making in the clinical context. Results of a multicenter trial of THT for preterm infants (ID No.: CN-01540535) have to be awaited.


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Sun Song ◽  
Ji Hoon Phi ◽  
Byung-Kyu Cho ◽  
Kyu-Chang Wang ◽  
Ji Yeoun Lee ◽  
...  

Object Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor; however, glioblastoma in children is less common than in adults, and little is known about its clinical outcome in children. The authors evaluated the long-term outcome of glioblastoma in children. Methods Twenty-seven children were confirmed to have harbored a glioblastoma between 1985 and 2007. The clinical features and treatment outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent resection; complete resection was performed in 12 patients (44%), subtotal resection in 12 patients (44%), and biopsy in 3 patients (11%). Twenty-four patients (89%) had radiation therapy, and 14 (52%) patients received chemotherapy plus radiation therapy. Among the latter, 5 patients had radiation therapy concurrent with temozolomide chemotherapy. Four patients with small-size recurrent glioblastoma received stereotactic radiosurgery. Results The median overall survival (OS) was 43 months, and the median progression-free survival was 12 months. The OS rate was 67% at 1 year, 52% at 2 years, and 40% at 5 years. The median OS was significantly associated with tumor location (52 months for superficially located tumors vs 7 months for deeply located tumors; p = 0.017) and extent of removal (106 months for completely resected tumors vs 11 months for incompletely resected tumors; p < 0.0001). Conclusions The prognosis of glioblastoma is better in children than in adults. Radical resection followed by concurrent chemoradiation therapy may be the initial treatment of choice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Xia Yu ◽  
Yuan Yang ◽  
Yan-Bing Wu ◽  
Xiao-Juan Wang ◽  
Li-Li Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Medical thoracoscopy (MT) is recommended in patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion and offers a degree of diagnostic sensitivity for pleural malignancy. However, not all patients who undergo MT receive an exact diagnosis. Our previous investigation from 2014 summarized the long-term outcomes of these patients with nonspecific pleurisy (NSP); now, we offer updated data with the goal of refining our conclusions. Methods Between July 2005 and August 2018, MT with pleural biopsies were performed in a total of 1,254 patients with undiagnosed pleural effusions. One hundred fifty-four patients diagnosed with NSP with available follow-up data were included in the present study, and their medical records were reviewed. Results A total of 154 patients were included in this study with a mean follow-up duration of 61.5 ± 43.7 months (range: 1–180 months). No specific diagnosis was established in 67 (43.5%) of the patients. Nineteen patients (12.3%) were subsequently diagnosed with pleural malignancies. Sixty-eight patients (44.2%) were diagnosed with benign diseases. Findings of pleural nodules or plaques during MT and the recurrence of pleural effusion were associated with malignant disease. Conclusions Although most NSP patients received a diagnosis of a benign disease, malignant disease was still a possibility, especially in those patients with nodules or plaques as noted on the MT and a recurrence of pleural effusion. One year of clinical follow-up for NSP patients is likely sufficient. These updated results further confirm our previous study’s conclusions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 1314-1319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suruchi Gupta ◽  
Teresa Pollack ◽  
Candice Fulkerson ◽  
Kathleen Schmidt ◽  
Diana Johnson Oakes ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To characterize the types of hyperglycemia that occur up to 1 year following liver transplant and to clarify the nomenclature for posttransplant hyperglycemia. Design We analyzed 1-year glycemic follow-up data in 164 patients who underwent liver transplant and who had been enrolled in a randomized controlled trial comparing moderate to intensive insulin therapy to determine if patients had preexisting known diabetes, transient hyperglycemia, persistent hyperglycemia, or new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT). Results Of 119 patients with posttransplant hyperglycemia following hospital discharge, 49 had preexisting diabetes, 5 had insufficient data for analysis, 48 had transient hyperglycemia (16 resolved within 30 days and 32 resolved between 30 days and 1 year), 13 remained persistently hyperglycemic out to 1 year and most likely had preexisting diabetes that had not been diagnosed or insulin resistance/insulinopenia prior to transplant, and 4 had NODAT (i.e., patients with transient hyperglycemia after transplant that resolved but then later truly developed sustained hyperglycemia, meeting criteria for diabetes). Conclusions Distinct categories of patients with hyperglycemia following organ transplant include known preexisting diabetes, persistent hyperglycemia (most likely unknown preexisting diabetes or insulin resistance/insulinopenia), transient hyperglycemia, and NODAT. Those with preexisting diabetes for many years prior to transplant may well have very different long-term outcomes compared with those with true NODAT. Therefore, it would be prudent to classify patients more carefully. Long-term outcome studies are needed to determine if patients with true NODAT have the same poor prognosis as patients with preexisting diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed) undergoing transplant.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 670-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalie Boitet ◽  
Solène de Gaalon ◽  
Claire Duflos ◽  
Grégory Marin ◽  
Jérôme Mawet ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose— We aimed to further investigate the long-term outcomes after reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). Methods— A longitudinal follow-up study was conducted in 173 RCVS patients. Results— Of the 172 patients who completed a mean follow-up of 9.2±3.3 years, 10 had a recurrent RCVS that was benign in all. Independent predictors of relapse were having a history of migraine and having exercise as a trigger for thunderclap headache during initial RCVS. After new delivery, the rate of postpartum RCVS was 9%. Conclusions— Overall, long-term outcome after RCVS is excellent.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2402
Author(s):  
Maura M. Zylla ◽  
Matthias Hochadel ◽  
Dietrich Andresen ◽  
Johannes Brachmann ◽  
Lars Eckardt ◽  
...  

Background: Hypertension (HTN) constitutes a risk factor for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), as well as for thromboembolic and bleeding events. We analysed the outcome after catheter ablation of AF in HTN in a cohort from the prospective multicenter German Ablation Registry. Methods: Between 03/2008 and 01/2010, 626 patients undergoing AF-ablation were analysed. Patients diagnosed with HTN (n = 386) were compared with patients without HTN (n = 240) with respect to baseline, procedural and long-term outcome parameters. Results: Patients with HTN were older and more often presented with persistent forms of AF and cardiac comorbidities. Major and moderate in-hospital complications were low. At long-term follow-up, major cardiovascular events were rare in both groups. Rates of AF-recurrence, freedom from antiarrhythmic medication and repeat ablation were not statistically different between groups. Most patients reported improvement of symptoms and satisfaction with the treatment. However, patients with HTN more frequently complained of dyspnea of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class ≥ II and angina. They were more often rehospitalized, particularly when persistent AF had been diagnosed. Conclusion: Catheter ablation of AF is associated with low complication rates and favorable arrhythmia-related results in patients with HTN. Residual clinical symptoms may be due to cardiac comorbidities and require additional attention in this important subgroup of AF-patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. e2020062
Author(s):  
Matteo Molica ◽  
Elisabetta Abruzzese ◽  
Massimo Breccia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by the presence of the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene. In more than 95% of CML patients, the typical BCR-ABL1 transcript subtypes are e13a2 (b2a2), e14a2 (b3a2), or the simultaneous expression of both. Other less frequent transcript subtypes, such as e1a2, e2a2, e6a2, e19a2, e1a3, e13a3, and e14a3, have been sporadically reported. The main purpose of this review is to assess the possible impact of different transcripts on the response rate to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the achievement of stable deep molecular responses (s-DMR), the potential maintenance of treatment-free remission (TFR), and long-term outcome of CML patients treated with TKIs. According to the majority of published studies, patients with e13a2 transcript treated with imatinib have lower and slower cytogenetic and molecular responses than those with e14a2 transcript and should be considered a high-risk group who would mostly benefit from frontline treatment with second-generation TKIs (2GTIKIs). Although few studies have been published, similar significant differences in response rates to 2GTKIs have been not reported. The e14a2 transcript seems to be a favorable prognostic factor for obtaining s-DMR, irrespective of the TKI received, and is also associated with a very high rate of TFR maintenance. Indeed, patients with e13a2 transcript achieve a lower rate of s-DMR and experience a higher probability of TFR failure. According to most reported data in the literature, the type of transcript does not seem to affect long-term outcomes of CML patients treated with TKIs. In TFR, the e14a2 transcript appears to be related to favorable responses. 2GTKIs as frontline therapy might be a convenient approach in patients with e13a2 transcript to achieve optimal long-term outcomes.  


2018 ◽  
Vol 157 (03) ◽  
pp. 246-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinz Lohrer

Abstract Background Reattachment of the distal Achilles tendon to the posterior calcaneus following distal Achilles tendon tears/avulsions or after excision of large posterior heel spurs is a challenging task for the orthopaedic surgeon. Patients/Material and Methods Between 2005 and the end of 2015, 22 patients who underwent repair/reconstruction of a lesion of the distal Achilles tendon were identified from our electronic records. Calcaneal reinsertions were performed following distal Achilles tendon tears/avulsions (n = 15) or following excision of a large symptomatic posterior heel spur (n = 7). The respective outcome was evaluated comparatively using the VISA-A – G (Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles tendon, German version) questionnaire (100 = maximum). Data were collected preoperatively (n = 11/22), and prospectively at three, six, and 12 months postoperatively (n = 5 – 11/22). Two further retrospective follow-ups were performed 12 – 114 and 21 – 149 months postoperatively (n = 17/22 and 22/22, respectively). All data were analysed retrospectively. Complications were searched from the electronic files. Results Transosseous sutures and different anchor techniques (Panalok®, Corkscrew®, SpeedBridge®) were generally performed. Preoperatively, the VISA-A – G score was 27.3 ± 13.5 (6 – 45) following distal Achilles tendon reinsertions for avulsions and 45.3 ± 49.0 (0 – 100) when reattachment was performed after resection of a large posterior heel spur (p = 0.831). At the final follow-up, VISA-A – G values were 89.4 ± 13.9 (54 – 100) following distal Achilles tendon tear/avulsion and 82.5 ± 24.5 (51 – 100), when Achilles tendons were reattached after posterior heel spur excisions (p = 0.969). There were no complications in the “heel spur group”. In the Achilles tendon tear/avulsion group, four out of seven patients with Panalok® repairs developed a fistula. One patient suffered a thromboembolism. None of these complications affected the long-term outcome. Conclusions This study demonstrates good long-term outcomes after distal Achilles tendon reinsertion. Knotless double row anchor repair provides a greater area of compression, simplifies and standardises the repair/reconstruction, and provides safety against fistula. These implants are therefore recommended for safe and effective reattachment of the distal Achilles tendon.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 2210
Author(s):  
Yeon-Jee Yoo ◽  
Dong-Won Kim ◽  
Hiran Perinpanayagam ◽  
Seung-Ho Baek ◽  
Qiang Zhu ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term outcomes of endodontic microsurgeries in a cohort and identify their association with prognostic factors. A cohort of endodontic microsurgeries followed up periodically with complete clinical and radiographic records for at least 5 years were reviewed retrospectively. Their survival and healing status and profile characteristics were analyzed by Pearson chi-square test and logistic regression (α = 0.05) to identify prognostic factors that influenced outcomes. Of 652 cases in the cohort, 225 (34.5%) were included. The mean follow-up period was 90.4 months (range, 60–168 months). The long-term success rate was 80.5%, and the 5-year survival rate was 83.5%. Logistic regression showed higher success in anteriors compared to molars (OR = 5.405, (95% CI, 1.663–17.571; p = 0.005)) and in teeth with crown restorations (OR = 10.232, (95% CI, 3.374–31.024; p < 0.001)). Conversely, lower success was found in teeth with periodontal disease (OR = 0.170, (95% CI, 0.032–0.900; p = 0.037)) and maxillary sinus involvement (OR = 0.187, (95% CI, 0.035–0.994; p = 0.049)). Endodontic microsurgery has a highly favorable long-term outcome. Tooth position, crown restoration, periodontal disease, and maxillary sinus involvement were identified as main prognostic factors.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document