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Preventive Medicine Reports Jul 2024Noma is a neglected tropical disease and a global health concern. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Noma is a neglected tropical disease and a global health concern.
OBJECTIVES
To elucidate the epidemiology, management, prevention, and public health implications of Noma.
METHODS
PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, supplemented by Google Scholar and World Health Organization databases, were searched using keywords to gather both published and grey literature from 1970 to 2023 in English.
RESULTS
Approximately 30,000-40,000 cases occur annually, with varying incidences across various African countries, such as Nigeria, Niger, and Chad. Incidence in Nigerian and Ethiopian states range from 0.6 to 3300 and 1.64 to 13.4 per 100,000 population, respectively. Mortality is approximately 8.5% in Niger. Risk factors include malnutrition, immunocompromised status, poor dental hygiene, inadequate sanitation, gingival lesions, low socioeconomic status, chronic and infectious diseases, low birth weight, high parity, diarrhoea, and fever. Diagnosis is primarily made based on clinical signs/symptoms and accordingly staging of disease is done. Stage I, II and II presents with acute necrotizing gingivitis, facial edema with halitosis, and necrotizing stomatitis, respectively. If the patient survives acute stages, the progress to Stage IV and Stage V manifests as trismus, difficulty in deglutition and phonation, and facial disfigurement, with increased severity in last stage. Treatment encompasses antibiotic therapy (amoxicillin, metronidazole, chlorhexidine, ampicillin, gentamicin), surgical interventions, wound management (honey dressing, ketamine), and nutritional support. Prevention strategies include oral hygiene, vaccination, health education, and community-based interventions.
CONCLUSION
Noma's recent inclusion in WHO list of neglected tropical diseases is a milestone in recognizing the importance of prevention and early intervention to globally enhance health outcomes.
PubMed: 38826589
DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102764 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a disfiguring autoimmune disease characterized by changes in the orbital tissues and is caused by abnormal thyroid function or... (Review)
Review
Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a disfiguring autoimmune disease characterized by changes in the orbital tissues and is caused by abnormal thyroid function or thyroid-related antibodies. It is the ocular manifestation of Graves' disease. The expression of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) and the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1 R) on the cell membrane of orbital fibroblasts (OFs) is responsible for TED pathology. Excessive inflammation is caused when these receptors in the orbit are stimulated by autoantibodies. CD34 fibrocytes, found in the peripheral blood and orbital tissues of patients with TED, express immune checkpoints (ICs) like MHC II, B7, and PD-L1, indicating their potential role in presenting antigens and regulating the immune response in TED pathogenesis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly transformed cancer treatment. However, it can also lead to the occurrence of TED in some instances, suggesting the abnormality of ICs in TED. This review will examine the overall pathogenic mechanism linked to the immune cells of TED and then discuss the latest research findings on the immunomodulatory role of ICs in the development and pathogenesis of TED. This will offer fresh perspectives on the study of pathogenesis and the identification of potential therapeutic targets.
Topics: Humans; Graves Ophthalmopathy; Animals; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Immune Checkpoint Proteins; Autoantibodies; Receptor, IGF Type 1; Receptors, Thyrotropin
PubMed: 38817600
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1392956 -
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons... May 2024Combined vascular malformation affecting the facial region is an extremely rare clinical entity that is debilitating both functionally and emotionally. Treatment...
Combined vascular malformation affecting the facial region is an extremely rare clinical entity that is debilitating both functionally and emotionally. Treatment warrants a multidisciplinary approach with the aim of removing the vascular anomalies and ameliorating any functional facial disfigurement. Here, we present a case of a 40-year-old female with combined vascular malformation of the face who was treated successfully with surgical intervention accompanying significant resolution of facial disfigurement.
PubMed: 38813653
DOI: 10.1308/rcsann.2022.0073 -
Journal of Surgical Case Reports May 2024Gingival enlargement is a side effect of several different medication, including immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants, and calcium channel blockers. It is an inflammatory...
Gingival enlargement is a side effect of several different medication, including immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants, and calcium channel blockers. It is an inflammatory response that starts when plaque and calculus build up on the tooth surface. The most prevalent long-term neurological condition affecting people is epilepsy. In affluent nations, the prevalence of epilepsy is ~ 1%, whereas in less developed countries, it may >2%. The preferred medication for the condition, phenytoin, has major side effects include gingival enlargement. In addition to being visually disfiguring, this enlargement frequently affects speech, chewing and eating. Furthermore, those with poor dental hygiene, causes disabilities with motor coordination and muscular limitations leading to mental disability and physical impairments are more prone to periodontal disease. This article enlightened the mechanism of drug induced gingival enlargement clinically, microbiologically, and surgically.
PubMed: 38812578
DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjae304 -
Immunity, Inflammation and Disease May 2024Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is the most common orbital disease in adults, potentially leading to disfigurement and visual impairment. However, the causes of...
BACKGROUND
Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is the most common orbital disease in adults, potentially leading to disfigurement and visual impairment. However, the causes of TAO are not fully understood. IL-35B cells are a newly identified regulatory B cells (Bregs) in maintaining immune balance in various autoimmune diseases. Yet, the influence of IL-35Bregs in TAO remains unexplored.
METHODS
This study enrolled 36 healthy individuals and 14 TAO patients. We isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and stimulated them with IL-35 and CpG for 48 h. Flow cytometry was used to measure the percentages of IL-35Bregs.
RESULTS
The percentage of circulating IL-35Bregs was higher in TAO patients, and this increase correlated positively with disease activity. IL-35 significantly increased the generation of IL-35Bregs in healthy individuals. However, B cells from TAO patients exhibited potential impairment in transitioning into IL-35Breg phenotype under IL-35 stimulation.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest a potential role of IL-35Bregs in the development of TAO, opening new avenues for understanding disease mechanisms and developing therapeutic approaches.
Topics: Humans; B-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Interleukins; Female; Male; Adult; Middle Aged; Graves Ophthalmopathy; Aged
PubMed: 38804861
DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1304 -
Nutrients May 2024Acne vulgaris is a widespread a chronic inflammatory dermatosis that affects millions of people around the world, which has a significant influence on patients' standard... (Review)
Review
Acne vulgaris is a widespread a chronic inflammatory dermatosis that affects millions of people around the world, which has a significant influence on patients' standard of living. The progression of this dermatosis results in the appearance of inflammatory and non-inflammatory changes, and, in severe cases, disfiguring scars and hyperpigmentation. The aetiopathogenesis of acne is complex. It involves a complex interaction of many different factors, both endo- and exogenous in their effect on the hair and sebaceous unit. Genetic predisposition, hormones, the skin and gut microbiome, psychological stress, air pollutants, aggressive facial products, and certain medications are cited as factors influencing acne formation. The link between nutrition and acne is extensively debated for many years and is still relatively controversial. Diet is commonly recognised to have a direct relationship with certain biochemical markers and the transcription of genes related to sebaceous gland function, and the proliferation of bacteria and inflammation that encourage the progression of the disease. In this review, the authors take a closer look at the existing scientific reports on the involvement of nutrition in the development of acne vulgaris.
Topics: Acne Vulgaris; Humans; Nutritional Status; Diet; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Skin
PubMed: 38794714
DOI: 10.3390/nu16101476 -
Historia, Ciencias, Saude--Manguinhos 2024To study about and reflect on the disease is to highlight the ways of seeing and saying what can a body and its power to be affected before fingerprints or traces that...
To study about and reflect on the disease is to highlight the ways of seeing and saying what can a body and its power to be affected before fingerprints or traces that degrade it. This article exposes epistemological research on social representations brackets (where register know doctor) disease from the registry of Clinical Dermatology in the second half of the 19th century. This is resorted to an analysis of medical photographs preserved in archives of Colombia and Spain taking as discursive forms of seeing and saying the disease who have disfiguring effects in the body.
Topics: Photography; Humans; History, 19th Century; Spain; Colombia; Dermatology; Skin Diseases; History, 20th Century
PubMed: 38775521
DOI: 10.1590/S0104-59702024000100020 -
World Journal of Oncology Jun 2024Desmoid fibromatosis of the breast (also known as desmoid tumor of the breast) is a rare entity infrequently encountered by oncologists and surgeons caring for patients... (Review)
Review
Desmoid fibromatosis of the breast (also known as desmoid tumor of the breast) is a rare entity infrequently encountered by oncologists and surgeons caring for patients with breast disease. The current body of literature is highly reliant on case series and extrapolations from other sites of desmoid tumor-related disease. Much remains unclear regarding the pathological origins, natural history, and response to treatment of this condition. Traditional treatment strategies have centered on surgical resection, which may result in significantly disfiguring cosmetic and functional outcomes, frequent need for re-operation, and associated morbidity. There are limited data to support the superiority of upfront surgical resection when compared to medical therapy or watchful waiting strategies. Current treatment guidelines for desmoid tumors do not focus on the breast as a site of disease and are purposefully ambiguous due to the paucity of evidence available. We aim to review the literature concerning desmoid fibromatosis of the breast and propose an algorithm for current evidence-based management of this rare disease in the context of our experience with this pathology at a high-volume quaternary referral center.
PubMed: 38751692
DOI: 10.14740/wjon1844 -
Cell Reports Methods May 2024Localized cutaneous neurofibromas (cNFs) are benign tumors that arise in the dermis of patients affected by neurofibromatosis type 1 syndrome. cNFs are benign lesions:...
Localized cutaneous neurofibromas (cNFs) are benign tumors that arise in the dermis of patients affected by neurofibromatosis type 1 syndrome. cNFs are benign lesions: they do not undergo malignant transformation or metastasize. Nevertheless, they can cover a significant proportion of the body, with some individuals developing hundreds to thousands of lesions. cNFs can cause pain, itching, and disfigurement resulting in substantial socio-emotional repercussions. Currently, surgery and laser desiccation are the sole treatment options but may result in scarring and potential regrowth from incomplete removal. To identify effective systemic therapies, we introduce an approach to establish and screen cNF organoids. We optimized conditions to support the ex vivo growth of genomically diverse cNFs. Patient-derived cNF organoids closely recapitulate cellular and molecular features of parental tumors as measured by immunohistopathology, methylation, RNA sequencing, and flow cytometry. Our cNF organoid platform enables rapid screening of hundreds of compounds in a patient- and tumor-specific manner.
Topics: Humans; Organoids; Skin Neoplasms; Neurofibroma; Neurofibromatosis 1
PubMed: 38744290
DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100772 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024In light of falling global autopsy rates, one of the causes of which is the resulting body disfigurement, it has become crucial to search for new, minimally invasive...
In light of falling global autopsy rates, one of the causes of which is the resulting body disfigurement, it has become crucial to search for new, minimally invasive post-mortem diagnostic tools. One of these methods is videoautopsy, a minimally invasive autopsy technique using endoscopic methods. In the years 2020-2023, 15 videoautopsies were conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences in order to determine the usefulness of the method in forensic approaches. Each post-mortem examination included laparoscopy and thoracoscopy, followed by a classic autopsy to assess the effectiveness of the method. In total, the endoscopic examination allowed for determining the cause of death in 53.3% of cases, and when the cause of death was located in the abdominal cavity or chest, the percentage increased to 80%. Traumatic lesions had good recognition efficiency. In addition, it was also possible to collect material for histopathological and toxicological tests. Retroperitoneal organs were difficult to assess. The main limitation of the method is the inability to assess the inside of the skull and the structures of the central nervous system. Videoautopsy may become an important tool in post-mortem diagnostics and in forensic cases, especially when the alternative is to not perform an autopsy. Further research is necessary to standardise the examination protocol, optimise the instrumentation, and assess the potential synergistic effect with other methods of minimally and non-invasive post-mortem examination.
PubMed: 38732299
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14090884