Autoimmune diseases in HIV-negative cryptococcal meningitis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Liu ◽  
Min Li ◽  
Jia-yin Liang ◽  
Xiao-feng Xu ◽  
Wen-Gao Zeng ◽  
...  

Aim: The purpose of our study was to assess the differences between HIV-negative cryptococcal meningitis (CM) patients with and without autoimmune diseases. Methods: A total of 43 CM patients with autoimmune diseases and 67 without autoimmune diseases were enrolled for analysis. Results: CM patients with autoimmune diseases had higher fever, modified Rankin Scale scores, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, but had lower rates of visual and hearing symptoms, ventriculoperitoneal shunts, MRI meningeal enhancement and amphotericin B treatment, as well as lower cerebrospinal fluid pressure and fungal counts. When divided according to gender, each group had lower intracranial pressure and higher inflammation indicators. No differences in outcomes, sequelae and mortality hazard were found. Fluconazole treatment was a prognostic factor for CM without autoimmune diseases. Conclusions: Both antifungal and anti-inflammatory therapy should be considered in CM patients with autoimmune diseases.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haotian Hua ◽  
Xinwei Wang ◽  
Jiangang Guo ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Zairan Guo ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation and fenestration decompression in the treatment of sclerosing osteomyelitis. Method A retrospective analysis for 46 cases of sclerosing osteomyelitis were admitted to our department between June 2010 to June 2020. Twenty-one patients were treated with fenestration decompression, twenty-five patients were treated with vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation. The postoperative hospital stay, days of drainage tube placement, visual analogue scale scores, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were compared between the two groups. Results The visual analogue scale scores of both groups were significantly lower than before treatment (p < 0.05), but the difference between them was not statistically significant. Patients treated by vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation had shorter postoperative hospital stay and days of drainage tube placement compared to those treated by fenestration decompression (p < 0.05). C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in both groups were significantly lower than before treatment, but the improvement effect of vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation was better (p < 0.05). Conclusion Both treatment methods can relieve pain effectively. Compared with fenestration decompression, vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation can shorten the treatment time effectively, control the infection better.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Zahra Soleimani ◽  
Fatemeh Amighi ◽  
Zarichehr Vakili ◽  
Mansooreh Momen-Heravi ◽  
Seyyed Alireza Moravveji

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of osteomyelitis is a key step of diabetic foot management. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a novel infection marker. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of procalcitonin and other conventional infection markers and clinical findings in diagnosis of osteomyelitis in diabetic foot patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This diagnostic value study was carried out on ninety patients with diabetic infected foot ulcers admitted in Kashan Beheshti Hospital, 2016. After obtaining consent, 10 cc blood sample was taken for measuring serum PCT, CBC, ESR, CRP and FBS. Clinical characteristics of the wounds were noted. Magnetic resonance imaging of the foot was performed in all patients to diagnose osteomyelitis. All statistical analyses were done with the use of SPSS-16. RESULTS: PCT levels were 0.13 ± 0.02 ng/mili patients with osteomyelitis (n= 45) and 0.04 ± 0.02 ng/ml in patients without osteomyelitis (n= 45). PCT, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein was found significantly higher in patients with osteomyelitis (p< 0.001). The ROC curve was calculated for PCT. The area under the ROC curve for infection identification was 1 (p< 0.001). The best cut-off value for PCT was 0.085 ng/ml. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 100%, 97.8%,97.8% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this group of patients, PCT was useful to discriminate patients with bone infection. Also, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein can be used as a marker of osteomyelitis in diabetic patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 100-B (12) ◽  
pp. 1542-1550 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. van den Kieboom ◽  
P. Bosch ◽  
J. D. J. Plate ◽  
F. F. A. IJpma ◽  
R. Kuehl ◽  
...  

Aims To assess the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP), leucocyte count (LC), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in late fracture-related infection (FRI). Materials and Methods PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched focusing on the diagnostic value of CRP, LC, and ESR in late FRI. Sensitivity and specificity combinations were extracted for each marker. Average estimates were obtained using bivariate mixed effects models. Results A total of 8284 articles were identified but only six were suitable for inclusion. Sensitivity of CRP ranged from 60.0% to 100.0% and specificity from 34.3% to 85.7% in all publications considered. Five articles were pooled for meta-analysis, showing a sensitivity and specificity of 77.0% and 67.9%, respectively. For LC, this was 22.9% to 72.6%, and 73.5% to 85.7%, respectively, in five articles. Four articles were pooled for meta-analysis, resulting in a 51.7% sensitivity and 67.1% specificity. For ESR, sensitivity and specificity ranged from 37.1% to 100.0% and 59.0% to 85.0%, respectively, in five articles. Three articles were pooled in meta-analysis, showing a 45.1% sensitivity and 79.3% specificity. Four articles analyzed the value of combined inflammatory markers, reporting an increased diagnostic accuracy. These results could not be pooled due to heterogeneity. Conclusion The serum inflammatory markers CRP, LC, and ESR are insufficiently accurate to diagnose late FRI, but they may be used as a suggestive sign in its diagnosis.


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