The Not-So-Happy Wheezer

2020 ◽  
pp. 169-178
Author(s):  
Hannah Carter ◽  
Isabel Barata
Keyword(s):  
Lower Respiratory Tract ◽  
Unit Length ◽  
Work Of Breathing ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Oral Intake ◽  
Pressure Therapy ◽  
Young Infants ◽  
High Flow Oxygen

Bronchiolitis is a common viral infection of the lower respiratory tract that usually affects young infants. Bronchiolitis commonly presents with rhinorrhea, increased work of breathing, and wheezing, caused by inflammation in the bronchioles of the lung. Bronchiolitis remains a clinical diagnosis. Laboratory studies, viral panels, and radiographs are not helpful. Once the diagnosis of bronchiolitis is made, the next important step is to assess the severity of the illness since this will drive the treatment options as well as the disposition. Many therapeutic options such as albuterol, steroids, and hypertonic saline have been shown to not be effective. High flow oxygen as compared to continuous positive airway pressure therapy has been shown to be the only modality that decreases intensive care unit length of stay and intubation rates. Patients with mild/moderate cases of bronchiolitis can be discharged home, if they are able to maintain oxygen saturation of 90% with appropriate work of breathing, adequate oral intake, and reliable follow-up. In moderate to severe cases of bronchiolitis, care should be taken to monitor the vital signs and the respiratory status and escalate supportive care as necessary.

scholarly journals Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension Using Ultrasonography in the Management of Critical Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 522-529
Author(s):  
Eka Adhiany ◽  
Muhammad Iqbal
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Work Of Breathing ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Diagnostic Algorithm ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial ◽  
Critical Patients ◽  
Liver Enlargement

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is most often diagnosed in its advanced stages because of the nonspecific nature of early symptoms and signs. Although clinical assessment is essential when evaluating patients with suspected pulmonary arterial hypertension, echocardiography is a key screening tool in the diagnostic algorithm. Echocardiography is valuable in assessing prognosis and treatment options, monitoring the efficacy of specific therapeutic interventions, and detecting the preclinical stages of disease. In this report, we reported A 35 years old woman admitted to the emergency unit with breathing difficulty which has felt since 2 days before. she transferred from rural hospital after hospitalized for a week. The patient has history of spinal surgery due to spondylitis tuberculosis 8 months ago and has an anti-tuberculosis drug for 2 months. The vital signs show respiratory failure with blood pressure 114/70 mmHg, heart rate 118 bpm, respiratory rate 35-40 bpm and pulse saturation 80-85% with non-rebreathing mask. Physical examination shows increasing work of breathing, without rales and wheezing, liver enlargement palpated 3 fingers below right ribs the chest x ray shows cardiomegaly and right pleural effusion

Antiretroviral Treatment-Associated Labia Majora Lipohypertrophy: A Rare Case and Plastic Surgical Treatment Options

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Akmal Hisham ◽  
Devananthan Ilenghoven ◽  
Wan Syazli Wan Ahmad Kamal ◽  
Salina Ibrahim ◽  
Shah Jumaat Mohd Yussof
Keyword(s):  
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Highly Active ◽  
Labia Majora ◽  
The Face ◽  
Central Fat

The emergence of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has revolutionized the prognosis of HIV-infected patients. However, the extended use of HAART is associated with a disfiguring complication termed lipodystrophy, a disorder of body fat maldistribution causing peripheral fat loss (lipoatrophy) and central fat accumulation (lipohypertrophy). Lipoatrophy commonly affects the face, legs, buttocks and arm, whilst lipohypertrophy frequently favours the abdomen, breast and dorsocervical region. To our knowledge, we present only the second documented case in the literature of a labia majora lipohypertrophy in a HIV-positive patient receiving long-term HAART. The severity of labial abnormality caused significant physical and functional morbidities. Labiaplasty with dermolipectomy of the labia majora and excisional lipectomy of the mons pubis was successfully performed. At a 6-month follow-up, patient had no recurrence with resolution of symptoms and resumption of normal activities of daily living (ADL).

Efficacy and safety of oral dapsone in acne vulgaris – experience of a tertiary care teaching hospital in central Lahore

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
Sadaf Amin Chaudhry ◽  
Nadia Ali Zafar ◽  
Rabia Hayat ◽  
Ayesha Noreen ◽  
Gulnaz Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Acne Vulgaris ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Poor Response ◽  
Global Assessment Scale ◽  
Severe Acne ◽  
Hematologic Profile

Background: Acne is the eighth most prevalent disease affecting 9.4% of the population worldwide and its prevalence in our country is estimated to be around 5%. Severe inflammatory acne is most likely to leave scars and in order to prevent facial disfigurement due to acne scarring, early treatment is desirable. Various treatment options have been formulated for acne, and are tailored according to the severity of the disease. Numerous clinical trials have been conducted till now, to determine the usefulness and side effect profile of such therapies, making acne treatment a highly studied area in dermatology. Objective of this study is to highlight the fact that oral Dapsone could be used as a cheaper alternate to isotretinoin in recalcitrant severe acne, especially in females where retinoids are sometimes contraindicated. Patients and methods: 51 patients, suffering from severe nodulocystic acne, fulfilling the criteria, were enrolled from the Department of Dermatology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. All the study patients were given oral Dapsone 50mg for initial two weeks and then 100mg daily for the next 10 weeks along with oral cimetidine and topical clindamycin application twice daily. Investigator Global Assessment Scale (IGAS) was employed to measure effectiveness. The treatment was considered ʽeffectiveʹ if the patient achieves 2 or more than 2-grade improvement or almost clear or clear skin at the end of 12 weeks according to IGAS scale. The lesion counts were also done before the start of therapy (day 1) and at every two weeks follow up for 12 weeks. The change in lesion count observed between the baseline number and that seen at follow up visits was also used to evaluate the effectiveness of oral Dapsone. Safety was analyzed by fortnightly visits of the patients to look for any undesirable side effects and monitoring of the hematologic profile of the patients. Final follow up was done at the end of 16 weeks. Results: The study was conducted on 51 patients, with a ratio of 1:3 for males and females and a mean age of 25.2 years (SD ±5.81). At 12th week, patients had significant reduction in their acne lesions; with 7 patients (13.7%) showing completely clear skin, 17 patients (33.3%) had almost clear skin, 5 patients (9.8%) had 3-grade improvement. Twelve patients (23.5%) had 2-grade improvement from baseline score and only 2 patients (3.9%) had 1-grade improvement from baseline. Based on percentage reduction of lesions, excellent response was seen in 32 patients (62.7%), good response in 9 patients (17.6%), moderate response in 2 patients (3.9%), while no patient showed poor response. Dapsone was discontinued in 8 patients due to derangement of hematologic profile. Conclusion: Oral Dapsone, when given carefully, is a very effective therapeutic option in severe recalcitrant acne, with limited side effects.

scholarly journals Data Driven Mathematical Model of FOLFIRI Treatment for Colon Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2632
Author(s):  
Aparajita Budithi ◽  
Sumeyye Su ◽  
Arkadz Kirshtein ◽  
Leili Shahriyari
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Colon Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
T Helper ◽  
Primary Tumors ◽  
Cell Fractions

Many colon cancer patients show resistance to their treatments. Therefore, it is important to consider unique characteristic of each tumor to find the best treatment options for each patient. In this study, we develop a data driven mathematical model for interaction between the tumor microenvironment and FOLFIRI drug agents in colon cancer. Patients are divided into five distinct clusters based on their estimated immune cell fractions obtained from their primary tumors’ gene expression data. We then analyze the effects of drugs on cancer cells and immune cells in each group, and we observe different responses to the FOLFIRI drugs between patients in different immune groups. For instance, patients in cluster 3 with the highest T-reg/T-helper ratio respond better to the FOLFIRI treatment, while patients in cluster 2 with the lowest T-reg/T-helper ratio resist the treatment. Moreover, we use ROC curve to validate the model using the tumor status of the patients at their follow up, and the model predicts well for the earlier follow up days.

scholarly journals Robotic Radiosurgery for Persistent Postoperative Acromegaly in Patients with Cavernous Sinus-Invading Pituitary Adenomas—A Multicenter Experience

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 537
Author(s):  
Felix Ehret ◽  
Markus Kufeld ◽  
Christoph Fürweger ◽  
Alfred Haidenberger ◽  
Paul Windisch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Control ◽  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Cavernous Sinus ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Cavernous Sinus Invasion ◽  
Robotic Radiosurgery ◽  
Patient Morbidity ◽  
Biochemical Remission ◽  
Patients Experience

Background: The rates of incomplete surgical resection for pituitary macroadenomas with cavernous sinus invasion are high. In growth hormone-producing adenomas, there is a considerable risk for persistent acromegaly. Thus, effective treatment options are needed to limit patient morbidity and mortality. This multicenter study assesses the efficacy and safety of robotic radiosurgery (RRS) for patients with cavernous sinus-invading adenomas with persistent acromegaly. Methods: Patients who underwent RRS with CyberKnife for postoperative acromegaly were eligible. Results: Fifty patients were included. At a median follow-up of 57 months, the local control was 100%. The pretreatment insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels and indexes were 381 ng/mL and 1.49, respectively. The median dose and prescription isodose were 18 Gy and 70%, respectively. Six months after RRS, and at the last follow-up, the IGF-1 levels and indexes were 277 ng/mL and 1.14, as well as 196 ng/mL and 0.83, respectively (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0002). The IGF-1 index was a predictor for biochemical remission (p = 0.04). Nine patients achieved biochemical remission and 24 patients showed biochemical disease control. Three patients developed a new hypopituitarism. Conclusions: RRS is an effective treatment for this challenging patient population. IGF-1 levels are decreasing after treatment and most patients experience biochemical disease control or remission.

scholarly journals Squamous cell carcinoma of the scrotum in HIV: two case reports

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff John ◽  
Ken Kesner ◽  
John Lazarus
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Punch Biopsy ◽  
Delayed Treatment ◽  
Clinical Presentations ◽  
T1 N0 M0

Abstract Background Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the scrotum was the first malignancy known to be associated with exposure to an occupational carcinogen—in this case, soot trapped in the breeches of chimney sweeps. Better civil rules and regulations and the replacement of hearths with other forms of heating have rendered SCC of the scrotum a rarity. We report two cases of scrotal SCC with vastly differing clinical presentations and management. Case presentation Case 1 had T1 N0 M0 disease and presented with a small (< 2 cm), innocuous-looking, non-healing ulcer of eight years duration. A punch biopsy revealed a superficially invasive SCC confirmed on immunohistochemical profiling. A wide local excision of the lesion was subsequently performed. Follow-up at three years showed no signs of recurrence. Case 2 presented with T4 N1 M1 disease and rapidly progressing locally destructive mass. A punch biopsy of the scrotal lesion confirmed invasive moderately differentiated focally keratinising SCC. The metastatic evaluation confirmed the presence of metastatic, extensive para-aortic lymphadenopathy. He was managed with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy. Conclusion Early detection and management of patients with SCC of the scrotum are essential. If the diagnosis is delayed, treatment options become limited, and the prognosis is poor. Notwithstanding the rarity of this disease, multicentre trials are needed to provide more precise guidelines as to the optimal management of these patients.

scholarly journals Extracorporeal shockwave therapy versus musculoskeletal mesotherapy for Achilles tendinopathy in athlete

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem EL-Mallah ◽  
Enas A. Elattar
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Options ◽  
Visual Analogue Score ◽  
Achilles Tendinopathy ◽  
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy ◽  
Extracorporeal Shockwave ◽  
Shockwave Therapy ◽  
Tendon Thickness ◽  
Vas Scores ◽  
Tendon Pathology

Abstract Background Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is considered the commonest tendon pathology, occurring mainly in athletes. Different conservative treatment options have been introduced but with short-term effects; however, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and mesotherapy (MT) injections were claimed to provide longer effects and could be used in cases failure of response to conservative treatments. The objective of our prospective 12-week study was to compare the effect of ESWT and MT on chronic Achilles tendinopathy in athletes by both clinical and ultrasonographical assessment. Results Forty patients with chronic AT diagnosed clinically and with high-resolution ultrasound (US) randomly allocated in two groups first received weekly ESWT session, and the other group underwent weekly MT sessions for 4 consecutive weeks. Both groups improved during the treatment and follow-up period. The mean visual analogue score (VAS) decreased in both the ESWT group and the MT group. Mean American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score and VAS scores were not significantly different between ESWT and MT groups at the 4th and the 12th week of follow-up. However, US assessment significantly improved after 12 weeks in the ESWT group (as regards tendon thickness, calcifications, and Doppler signal), and for the mesotherapy group, there was the only improvement of tendon thickness. Conclusion ESWT showed improvement of pain and inflammation and calcifications of AT than MT injections, which was documented by US improved findings at week 12 follow up.

scholarly journals Side effects of the metacognitive training for depression compared to a cognitive remediation training in patients with depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Dietrichkeit ◽  
Marion Hagemann-Goebel ◽  
Yvonne Nestoriuc ◽  
Steffen Moritz ◽  
Lena Jelinek
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Side Effect ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Cognitive Remediation ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Metacognitive Training ◽  
To Receive

AbstractAlthough awareness of side effects over the course of psychotherapy is growing, side effects are still not always reported. The purpose of the present study was to examine side effects in a randomized controlled trial comparing Metacognitive Training for Depression (D-MCT) and a cognitive remediation training in patients with depression. 84 patients were randomized to receive either D-MCT or cognitive remediation training (MyBrainTraining) for 8 weeks. Side effects were assessed after the completion of each intervention (post) using the Short Inventory of the Assessment of Negative Effects (SIAN) and again 6 months later (follow-up) using the Negative Effects Questionnaire (NEQ). D-MCT and MyBrainTraining did not differ significantly in the number of side effects. At post assessment, 50% of the D-MCT group and 59% of the MyBrainTraining group reported at least one side effect in the SIAN. The most frequently reported side effect was disappointment in subjective benefit of study treatment. At follow-up, 52% reported at least one side effect related to MyBrainTraining, while 34% reported at least one side effect related to the D-MCT in the NEQ. The most frequently reported side effects fell into the categories of “symptoms” and “quality”. Our NEQ version was missing one item due to a technical error. Also, allegiance effects should be considered. The sample size resulted in low statistical power. The relatively tolerable number of side effects suggests D-MCT and MyBrainTraining are safe and well-received treatment options for people with depression. Future studies should also measure negative effects to corroborate our results.

scholarly journals Predictors of mortality in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. Thompson ◽  
◽  
J. Nelson ◽  
H. Kim ◽  
L. Pawlikowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Vascular Malformations ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Gi Bleeding ◽  
Cox Regression Analysis ◽  
Predictors Of Mortality

Abstract Background Retrospective questionnaire and healthcare administrative data suggest reduced life expectancy in untreated hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Prospective data suggests similar mortality, to the general population, in Denmark’s centre-treated HHT patients. However, clinical phenotypes vary widely in HHT, likely affecting mortality. We aimed to measure predictors of mortality among centre-treated HHT patients. HHT patients were recruited at 14 HHT centres of the Brain Vascular Malformation Consortium (BVMC) since 2010 and followed annually. Vital status, organ vascular malformations (VMs) and clinical symptoms data were collected at baseline and during follow-up (N = 1286). We tested whether organ VMs, HHT symptoms and HHT genes were associated with increased mortality using Cox regression analysis, adjusting for patient age, sex, and smoking status. Results 59 deaths occurred over average follow-up time of 3.4 years (max 8.6 years). A history of anemia was associated with increased mortality (HR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.37–6.26, p = 0.006), as were gastro-intestinal (GI) bleeding (HR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.46–4.74, p = 0.001), and symptomatic liver VMs (HR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.15–3.84, p = 0.015). Brain VMs and pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) were not associated with mortality (p > 0.05). Patients with SMAD4 mutation had significantly higher mortality (HR = 18.36, 95% CI 5.60–60.20, p < 0.001) compared to patients with ACVRL1 or ENG mutation, but this estimate is imprecise given the rarity of SMAD4 patients (n = 33, 4 deaths). Conclusions Chronic GI bleeding, anemia and symptomatic liver VMs are associated with increased mortality in HHT patients, independent of age, and in keeping with the limited treatment options for these aspects of HHT. Conversely, mortality does not appear to be associated with pulmonary AVMs or brain VMs, for which patients are routinely screened and treated preventatively at HHT Centres. This demonstrates the need for development of new therapies to treat chronic anemia, GI bleeding, and symptomatic liver VMs in order to reduce mortality among HHT patients.

scholarly journals Circulating Cell-Free DNA in Breast Cancer: Searching for Hidden Information towards Precision Medicine

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 728
Author(s):  
Maria Panagopoulou ◽  
Manel Esteller ◽  
Ekaterini Chatzaki
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Treatment Monitoring ◽  
Circulating Biomarkers ◽  
Hidden Information ◽  
Cell Free Dna ◽  
Free Dna ◽  
Current Review ◽  
Circulating Cell Free Dna

Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of death between women. Mortality is significantly raised due to drug resistance and metastasis, while personalized treatment options are obstructed by the limitations of conventional biopsy follow-up. Lately, research is focusing on circulating biomarkers as minimally invasive choices for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring. Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is a promising liquid biopsy biomaterial of great potential as it is thought to mirror the tumor’s lifespan; however, its clinical exploitation is burdened mainly by gaps in knowledge of its biology and specific characteristics. The current review aims to gather latest findings about the nature of ccfDNA and its multiple molecular and biological characteristics in breast cancer, covering basic and translational research and giving insights about its validity in a clinical setting.

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