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Cureus Mar 2024Raynaud's syndrome is characterized by paroxysmal vasospasm in the digital arterioles, following exposure to cold or stress. Pain, swelling, stiffness, and hypoesthesia...
Raynaud's syndrome is characterized by paroxysmal vasospasm in the digital arterioles, following exposure to cold or stress. Pain, swelling, stiffness, and hypoesthesia are observed as manifestations. The presence of a trophic ulcer is accompanied by a range of severe manifestations. The assaults occur in three distinct phases, namely vasospastic, plethoric, and erythema. Various approaches improve the overall well-being of a patient. It is possible to differentiate between primary and secondary Raynaud's syndrome, the latter being linked to systemic diseases. The application of botulin toxin is commonly indicated in several medical conditions including focal dystonia, spasticity with or without contractures, paraparesis in children with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, brain injuries, involuntary muscle hyperactivity of a non-dystonic nature, pain management, strabismus, nystagmus, sialorrhea, and esthetic medicine. When treating Raynaud's a technique is used with injection at the base of each finger, from the palmar side, which helps with cooling and minimizing discomfort for patients. We present a clinical case of a 70-year-old female patient with Raynaud's syndrome in which we have placed 70E distributed to both hands botulin toxin type A. Improvement in the patient's symptomatology was noticed on day 3, with warming of the hands, lack of swelling, and pain with duration of the effect little over three months. The patient underwent a six-month follow-up following the therapy with botulinum toxin type A, and no indications of recurrence or advancement of Raynaud's syndrome (RS) were seen.
PubMed: 38690447
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57327 -
International Journal of Surgery Case... Sep 2023Paediatric foreign body (FB) ingestion remains to be a common encounter in otorhinolaryngology and may manifest with pulmonary manifestations. Pulmonary manifestations...
INTRODUCTION
Paediatric foreign body (FB) ingestion remains to be a common encounter in otorhinolaryngology and may manifest with pulmonary manifestations. Pulmonary manifestations masquerading chronic esophageal FBs in children is rare in clinical practice. This is perhaps the first documented case in Tanzania.
CASE PRESENTATION
The patient was a 6-year old boy with a 6-month history of ingesting a metallic object. The child was reported to have presented with sudden onset of drooling of saliva and difficulty in swallowing that lasted for several hours. While preparing to visit a hospital, no more drooling of saliva was noted thus the visit was cancelled. A month later the patient presented with recurrent episodes of dry cough associated with wheezing and unresponsive to medical treatment. Upon attending other health facilities no chest X-ray was ordered but rather prescribed antibiotics, mucolytics, antihistamines and antileukotrienes without relief. Chest x-ray was indicated and revealed an esophageal metallic object. Rigid esophagoscopy under general anaesthesia yielded the rusted metallic object in piece meals. Postoperative antibiotic, analgesic and an oral corticosteroid were prescribed. Postoperative visits were uneventful.
CLINICAL DISCUSSION
The patient underwent esophagoscopy and the rusted` metallic object was extracted in piece meals. Postoperative antibiotic, analgesic and oral corticosteroid were prescribed. Postoperative visits were uneventful.
CONCLUSION
It is always important to suspect FB ingestion in a child with a history of sudden onset of drooling of saliva and difficulty in swallowing. Imaging should be advocated to avoid delayed diagnosis otherwise pulmonary manifestations can masquerade the diagnosis of chronic esophageal FBs.
PubMed: 37634433
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2023.108683 -
Veterinary Journal (London, England :... Feb 2024In this prospective, randomised, blinded clinical study, we compared the sedative, antinociceptive and cardiorespiratory effects of intranasal (IN) dexmedetomidine at...
In this prospective, randomised, blinded clinical study, we compared the sedative, antinociceptive and cardiorespiratory effects of intranasal (IN) dexmedetomidine at 5 μg/kg (diluted with 0.03 mL/kg NaCl 0.9%, DEX) with or without methadone (0.3 mg/kg; DEXMET), through a mucosal atomization device to one nostril in twenty healthy client-owned dogs. At 5-min intervals over 45 min, sedation score, onset, cardiopulmonary variables, mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) were assessed, also ease of administration, adverse effects, and response to IV catheterization. Statistical analysis employed t-test, the Mann-Whitney U, repeated measures ANOVA and Chi-square tests as appropriate (P < 0.05). Higher sedation ocurred in DEXMET (7 [5-10]) compared to DEX (5 [2-7]) from 15 to 30 min (P < 0.01, median [interquartile range]). Heart rate was lower in DEXMET (P < 0.01; 65% reduction vs. 41% in DEX, P = 0.001). The MNTs were higher in DEXMET than DEX from 15 to 45 min (P < 0.01), peaking at T30 (17.1 ± 3.8, DEXMET and 8.5 ± 5.4 N, DEX). No differences were observed in mean arterial blood pressure and respiratory rate. Intranasal administration was considered easy for 8 dogs per group. Reverse sneezing (8 dogs; P < 0.001), sialorrhea and retching (4 and 2 dogs, respectively) occurred in DEXMET. Response to catheterisation was lower in DEXMET than DEX (P = 0.039; 2 and 7 dogs, respectively). In conclusion, intranasal methadone (0.3 mg/kg) increased the sedative and antinociceptive effects produced by dexmedetomidine (5 μg/kg) in healthy dogs and resulted in lower heart rate.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Administration, Intranasal; Analgesics; Dexmedetomidine; Drug Combinations; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Methadone; Prospective Studies; Drug Synergism
PubMed: 38228282
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106065 -
Cureus Aug 2023Progressive mitochondrial encephalopathy manifesting as developmental delay, regression, epilepsy, myoclonus, dystonia, and spasticity due to a novel compound...
Progressive mitochondrial encephalopathy manifesting as developmental delay, regression, epilepsy, myoclonus, dystonia, and spasticity due to a novel compound heterozygous variant in NARS2 has not been reported. The patient is a 3.5-year-old female with normal psychomotor development until she experienced her first generalized status epilepticus at 4.5 months of age. After seizure control, generalized myoclonus and psychomotor regression became evident. She suffered from two other epileptic states and seizure control remained inadequate despite the use of multiple anti-seizure drugs. Neurologic examination revealed generalized hypotonia, discoordination, unstable eye contact, drooling, open mouth, myoclonus, periodic torticollis, and ankle contractions. Cerebral MRI revealed hydrocephalus ex vacuo due to diffuse cortical and subcortical atrophy bilaterally and incomplete myelination. Genetic testing at 12 months of age revealed the compound heterozygous variants chr11: 78204182C>T and chr11: 78282446A>AG in NARS2. Despite anti-seizure drugs, mitochondrial cocktail, and cannabidiol, the disease progressed to intractable seizures and severe tetraspasticity. In summary, this case demonstrates that compound heterozygous variants in NARS2 can phenotypically manifest exclusively in the brain with intractable epilepsy, myoclonus, developmental delay, regression, hypotonia, cerebral atrophy, and hypomyelination, followed by tetraspasticity and dystonia.
PubMed: 37746452
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.43969 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2024Wilson's disease (WD) is not an uncommon genetic disease in clinical practice. However, the current WD therapies have limitations. The effectiveness of stem cell therapy...
BACKGROUND
Wilson's disease (WD) is not an uncommon genetic disease in clinical practice. However, the current WD therapies have limitations. The effectiveness of stem cell therapy in treating WD has yet to be verified, although a few animal studies have shown that stem cell transplantation could partially correct the abnormal metabolic phenotype of WD. In this case report, we present the therapeutic effect of human amniotic fluid containing stem cells in one WD patient.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 22-year-old Chinese woman was diagnosed with WD 1 year ago in 2019. The available drugs were not effective in managing the progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms. We treated the patient with pre-cultured human amniotic fluid containing stem cells. Amniotic fluid was collected from pregnant women who underwent induced labor at a gestational age of 19-26 weeks, and then, the fluid was cultured for 2 h to allow stem cell expansion. Cultured amniotic fluid that contained amniotic fluid derived stem cells (AFSC) in the range of approximately 2.8-5.5 × 10/ml was administrated by IV infusion at a rate of 50-70 drops per minute after filtration with a 300-mu nylon mesh. Before the infusion of amniotic fluid, low-molecular-weight heparin and dexamethasone were successively administrated. The patient received a total of 12 applications of amniotic fluid from different pregnant women, and the treatment interval depended on the availability of amniotic fluid. The neuropsychiatric symptoms gradually improved after the stem cell treatment. Dystonia, which included tremor, chorea, dysphagia, dysarthria, and drooling, almost disappeared after 1.5 years of follow-up. The Unified Wilson's Disease Rating Scale score of the patient decreased from 72 to 10. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a reduction in the lesion area and alleviation of damage in the central nervous system, along with a partial recovery of the lesion to the normal condition. The serum ceruloplasmin level was elevated from undetectable to 30.8 mg/L, and the 24-h urinary copper excretion decreased from 171 to 37 μg. In addition, amniotic fluid transplantation also alleviates hematopoietic disorders. There were no adverse reactions during or after amniotic fluid administration.
CONCLUSION
Amniotic fluid administration, through which stem cells were infused, significantly improves the clinical outcomes in the WD patient, and the finding may provide a novel approach for managing WD effectively.
PubMed: 38420355
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1297457 -
Genes Sep 2023syndrome is an autosomal-dominant neurodevelopmental disorder featuring developmental delay; intellectual disability; behavioral disturbances; movement disorders;...
syndrome is an autosomal-dominant neurodevelopmental disorder featuring developmental delay; intellectual disability; behavioral disturbances; movement disorders; visual defects; and subtle facial features caused by de novo loss-of-function variants in the gene. Due to paucity of data, this study intends to describe feeding issues and oral-motor dyspraxia in an unselected cohort of 10 patients with a confirmed molecular diagnosis. Pathogenic variants along with key information regarding oral-motor features were collected. Sialorrhea was quantified using the Drooling Quotient 5. Feeding abilities were screened using the Italian version of the Montreal Children's Hospital Feeding Scale (I-MCH-FS). Mild-to-severe coordination difficulties in single or in a sequence of movements involving the endo-oral and peri-oral muscles were noticed across the entire cohort. Mild-to-profuse drooling was a commonly complained-about issue by 30% of parents. The mean total I-MCH-FS t-score equivalent was 43.1 ± 7.5. These findings contribute to the understanding of the syndrome highlighting the oral motor phenotype, and correlating specific gene variants with clinical characteristics.
Topics: Child; Humans; Sialorrhea; Syndrome; Intellectual Disability; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Apraxias; beta Catenin
PubMed: 37895192
DOI: 10.3390/genes14101843 -
BMJ Paediatrics Open May 2024Background: Childhood poisoning, characterised by exposure to toxic substances, poses a global health concern with variations across regions. Despite the importance of...
INTRODUCTION
Background: Childhood poisoning, characterised by exposure to toxic substances, poses a global health concern with variations across regions. Despite the importance of having current information about childhood acute poisoning in our region, there is a noticeable gap in such research in our local context. Regularly reviewing the agents responsible for poisoning in our locale is essential for devising prevention strategies and treatment approaches. This study aimed to examine the patterns and outcomes of childhood poisoning at the Children's Emergency Department of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
METHODS
A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted, analysing cases of childhood poisoning in the Children's Emergency Ward, presenting from January 2013 to December 2022. Sociodemographic data, types of poisoning agents, home interventions, clinical features and outcomes were extracted from medical records.
RESULTS
Of 9389 admissions, 81 (0.8%) cases were admitted for childhood poisoning, but only 69 cases were analysed (total n=69). Children aged under 5 years (52.2%) and who were males (59.4%) were mostly involved. Organophosphates (21.7%) and kerosene (20.3%) were common poisoning agents, often accidental (72.5%) and occurring at home (94.2%). Delayed hospital presentation (>2 hours) was common (68.1%). Vomiting (72.5%) and drooling saliva (56.5%) were prevalent symptoms. Hydration (60.9%) was the main hospital intervention, while antidotes were infrequently used (15.9%). Mortality was 8.7%, predominantly due to kerosene ingestion in young children.
CONCLUSION
Organophosphate and kerosene poisoning are the most common in this facility. Enforcement challenges persist, emphasising the importance of safe storage practices and improved poison control measures. Addressing resource constraints for antidote availability and increasing awareness are vital for effective management and prevention.
Topics: Humans; Nigeria; Retrospective Studies; Female; Male; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Poisoning; Emergency Service, Hospital; Child; Infant; Kerosene; Organophosphate Poisoning
PubMed: 38754895
DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2023-002433 -
Journal of Oral Biology and... 2024The present case report describes the prosthetic management following partial loss of free-fibular osteocutaneous flap in an irradiated patient diagnosed with recurrent...
The present case report describes the prosthetic management following partial loss of free-fibular osteocutaneous flap in an irradiated patient diagnosed with recurrent head and neck cancer. The patient presented with constant drooling of oral fluids due to an anatomically deficient lower lip. Salvage reconstructive surgery was not considered feasible due to past history of recurrence, multiple surgeries and radiotherapy, and financial constraints. An adhesive-retained interim silicone prosthesis was fabricated to alleviate the functional and psychosocial morbidity. The prosthesis served to restore the oro-facial seal to prevent constant drooling of oral fluids. It also aided in providing an excellent aesthetic solution to palliate the psychological suffering experienced by the patient due to lost facial contours.
PubMed: 38645706
DOI: 10.1016/j.jobcr.2024.04.001 -
Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation... 2024Infants can have muscle hypertonia due to cerebral palsy, muscle strength imbalances due to brachial plexus palsy, refractory clubfoot, and torticollis. These muscle...
PURPOSE
Infants can have muscle hypertonia due to cerebral palsy, muscle strength imbalances due to brachial plexus palsy, refractory clubfoot, and torticollis. These muscle problems can cause significant development impairments. A child with severe sialorrhea and dysphagia from leukodystrophy can aspirate, causing respiratory problems. Botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections can improve these conditions but may lead to adverse effects from the toxin spreading to non-targeted muscles, potentially impacting breathing, swallowing, and overall strength. This is particularly concerning in infants. This study assessed the safety of BoNT injections in children less than one year of age.
METHODS
This was a retrospective cohort study.
RESULTS
Forty-seven patients (22 male, 25 female) received BoNT injections before one year of age (three to 12 months). Thirty-seven received one round of injections and 10 were injected on multiple occasions. Forty-five received onabotulinumtoxinA (15-100 units [U], 1.9-15.2 U/kg), one received abobotulinumtoxinA (70 U, 9.0 U/kg), and one received incobotulinumtoxinA (25 U, 3.5 U/kg). Lower extremities were treated in 15 patients, upper extremities in 38, the sternocleidomastoid in two, and the salivary glands in one. Forty-five patients had no reported complications. One experienced transient fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. The parent of another reported subjective weakness in one muscle.
CONCLUSION
BoNT injections in children less than one year of age appear to be safe.
Topics: Child; Infant; Humans; Male; Female; Neuromuscular Agents; Retrospective Studies; Muscle Spasticity; Treatment Outcome; Botulinum Toxins, Type A; Upper Extremity; Cerebral Palsy
PubMed: 37574745
DOI: 10.3233/PRM-220003 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2024Recent literature suggests that service dogs may be a valuable complementary intervention option for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military veterans due to... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
Recent literature suggests that service dogs may be a valuable complementary intervention option for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military veterans due to the potential influence on stress response dysregulation. The aim of this short-term longitudinal study was to quantify the impact of service dogs in US military veterans with PTSD with particular attention to the cortisol awakening response. A sub aim of the study was to empirically evaluate the physiological effects of PTSD service dogs on veteran partners. We conducted a clinical trial (ID: NCT03245814) that assessed the cortisol awakening response for 245 participants at baseline and 3 months follow-up across an intervention group (service dog: veterans n = 88, partners n = 46) and control group (usual care: n = 73, partners n = 38). A total of N = 161 veterans and N = 84 partners collected whole saliva samples via a passive drool collection immediately upon waking, 30 min after waking, and 45 min after waking on three consecutive weekdays at baseline and again at follow-up. Mixed model repeated measures (MMRM) with a fixed effect of the intervention group (service dog or control) were utilized. Covariates considered for the model included time of awakening, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, prior day experiences (measured via ecological momentary assessment), traumatic brain injury, age, gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, smoking status, alcohol use, physical health, and body mass index. A total of 3951 salivary samples were collected (veterans: 2613, partners: 1338). MMRM results demonstrated that veterans with a service dog had a statistically significant higher cortisol awakening response, including the area under the curve with respect to both increase (AUCi, β = 1.46, p = 0.046) and absolute increase (AINC, β = 0.05, p = 0.035). Results were not statistically significant for partners. Findings suggest that veterans with service dogs have a higher, less blunted CAR in comparison to veterans receiving usual care alone. In veterans with a blunted morning cortisol response, service dog placement could help boost their morning cortisol response.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Longitudinal Studies; Saliva; Service Animals; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Veterans
PubMed: 38238350
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50626-y