-
Cureus May 2024Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome (HUVS) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic urticaria, systemic vasculitis, and hypocomplementemia,...
Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome (HUVS) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic urticaria, systemic vasculitis, and hypocomplementemia, posing significant diagnostic challenges due to its overlap with common conditions and varied systemic manifestations. We report the case of a 36-year-old female with a history of post-birth cerebral hemorrhage and seizure disorder, who presented with abdominal pain, diarrhea, and subtle urticarial lesions. Initial investigations by gastroenterology suggested inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but persistent symptoms and evolving cutaneous signs prompted further evaluation. A skin biopsy demonstrated leukocytoclastic vasculitis, while serological tests showed hypocomplementemia and positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), confirming HUVS. The patient's management included high-dose corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil, with partial symptom relief. Subsequent introduction of rituximab markedly improved her gastrointestinal and dermatological symptoms, highlighting its effectiveness in treating refractory HUVS. This case emphasizes the necessity for vigilance, interdisciplinary collaboration, and personalized treatment adaptations in managing HUVS.
PubMed: 38910754
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60986 -
Cureus May 2024Introduction Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is an enormous reservoir for tuberculosis (TB), and healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk for TB infection....
Introduction Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is an enormous reservoir for tuberculosis (TB), and healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk for TB infection. QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) is an alternative to the tuberculin skin test for LTBI detection, but data on its application and LTBI detected by QFT-Plus in high TB burden countries are limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of LTBI and its risk factors, and to investigate the QFT-Plus results in Thai HCWs. Methods A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among HCWs at a secondary care hospital in Health Region 5, Thailand. Eligible HCWs were enrolled and underwent QFT-Plus testing. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) values in tubes were analysed. The prevalence and associated risk factors for LTBI were assessed based on laboratory and sociodemographic data. Logistic regression analyses were applied to calculate odds ratios (OR, aOR) reported with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Of the 269 participants enrolled, their median age was 42 years and 93.31% (n = 251/269) were female. The majority (n = 178/269, 66.17%) were nurses or nurse assistants and 42.75% (n = 115/269) worked in the inpatient medical wards. Overall, the QFT-Plus results showed 110 (40.89%) positive with good agreement (93.68%; κ 0.87) and high correlation (Spearman's ρ 0.91) of IFN-γ concentrations in the two antigen tubes. A true difference in IFN-γ values for predicting a recent infection was found about 7.81% (n = 21/269). By univariate and multivariate analyses, the participants' age > 40 years (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 1.84-5.64%; aOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.07-3.96%), and employment duration > 10 years (OR = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.66-6.37%; aOR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.05-5.21%) were significantly associated with the increased risk of LTBI (pvalue < 0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of LTBI among these HCWs was high, and the increased risk factors for LTBI according to QFT-Plus positivity were age over 40 years and working time in the hospital for more than 10 years. It is important to screen HCWs in this setting for LTBI, particularly those with long employment durations and older ages. The high prevalence of LTBI suggests that LTBI management, such as regular screening and treatment, should be considered together with strengthening preventive measures, especially in high-risk groups.
PubMed: 38910753
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60960 -
Cureus May 2024Background Gender dysphoria is treated with gender affirmation surgery (GAS) for assigned male at birth (AMAB) individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the...
Background Gender dysphoria is treated with gender affirmation surgery (GAS) for assigned male at birth (AMAB) individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative anatomical changes in AMAB individuals who underwent GAS using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to compare it with cis-females, thereby assessing the efficacy of the surgical technique in achieving pelvic anatomy similar to cis-females. Methodology This was a prospective observational study done in a tertiary care hospital. AMAB individuals who underwent gender affirmation genital surgery using single-stage solely penile skin inversion vaginoplasty were included after informed consent and approval by the Institutional Human Ethics Committee. Patients with complications such as deep space surgical site infection (SSI) and neo-vaginal prolapse were excluded. All the study participants were advised a vaginal self-dilatation regimen, reviewed three months after the surgery, and subjected to an MRI of the pelvis with a vaginal tutor. Parameters such as neo-vaginal depth, alpha (α) angle, rectovaginal thickness, and remnant of corpora cavernosa were measured and compared with cis-female parameters measured from images in the archives from the Department of Radiology. Result A total of 21 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 27±4.7. Between the study group and cis-females, no significant difference was seen in vaginal depth, and cis-females had significantly higher values in other parameters. There was a significant difference between the subgroups, i.e., defaulters and non-defaulters in soft tissue parameters such as vaginal depth (p=0.001), α angle (p=0.002), and rectovaginal thickness (p=0.002) with the non-defaulter patients having higher values. Conclusion Single-stage penile skin inversion vaginoplasty is capable of producing anatomical parameters, importantly neo-vaginal depth, which is fairly comparable with cis-female, as evident in the non-defaulter subgroup patients. Proper compliance with the vaginal dilatation regimen plays a significant role in the maintenance of soft tissue pelvic anatomical parameters.
PubMed: 38910612
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60823 -
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research May 2024The diagnosis of anaphylaxis is based on the clinical history. The utility of tryptase measurements in clinical setting is limited. Mas-related G protein-coupled...
The diagnosis of anaphylaxis is based on the clinical history. The utility of tryptase measurements in clinical setting is limited. Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2) is expressed in mast cells and is involved in the degranulation of these cells. We evaluated the potential of MRGPRX2 as a diagnostic biomarker in patients with iodinated contrast media (ICM)-induced immediate hypersensitivity reactions (IHRs). A total of 173 patients with documented ICM-induced IHR within 4 months from registration were enrolled and skin tests for the culprit ICM were performed. The time interval was evaluated as the duration between the onset of ICM-induced IHR and the measurement of serum MRGPRX2 levels. Serum MRGPRX2 concentration was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Of the 173 patients, 33 and 140 were included in the anaphylaxis and non-anaphylaxis groups, respectively. Serum MRGPRX2 levels were significantly higher in the anaphylaxis than in the non-anaphylaxis group (29.9 ± 24.1 vs. 20.7±17.5, = 0.044). Serum MRGPRX2 showed a moderate predictive ability for anaphylaxis, with an area under the curve of 0.61 ( = 0.058). When groups were classified based on the time interval, T1(0-2months) and T2 (2-4months), patients with anaphylaxis had higher MRGPRX2 levels compared to the non-anaphylaxis group in the T2 group (36.5±19.2 vs. 20.5±19.0, = 0.035). This pilot study shows that serum MRGPRX2 is a potential long-term biomarker for predicting anaphylaxis, particularly ICM-induced anaphylaxis. Further studies are needed to determine the role of MRGPRX2 in anaphylaxis in a larger population of patients with various drug-induced IHRs.
PubMed: 38910288
DOI: 10.4168/aair.2024.16.3.308 -
Journal of Global Antimicrobial... Jun 2024We report the use of IV dalbavancin in Canadian patients using data captured by the national CLEAR registry.
OBJECTIVES
We report the use of IV dalbavancin in Canadian patients using data captured by the national CLEAR registry.
METHODS
The CLEAR registry uses the web-based data management program, REDCap (online survey https://rcsurvey.radyfhs.umanitoba.ca/surveys/?s=TPMWJX98HL) to facilitate clinicians entering details associated with their clinical experiences using IV dalbavancin.
RESULTS
Data were available for 40 patients. The most common infections treated were acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection (ABSSSI) (62.5% of patients), bone/joint infection (22.5%), bloodstream/vascular infection (7.5%) and endocarditis (5.0%). Dalbavancin was used as directed (75.0%) and empiric therapy (25.0%). MRSA was the most common identified pathogen (70.0%). Dalbavancin was used both in outpatient (e.g., emergency department) (65.0%), and inpatient treatment settings (e.g., hospital ward) (35.0%). Dalbavancin was used due to the convenience of a single dose treatment (77.5%) as well as to facilitate hospital discharge (7.5%). Dalbavancin was primarily used alone (90.0%), and most commonly using a single 1500 mg dose (77.5%). Microbiological success (pathogen eradicated or presumed eradicated) occurred in 88.2% of known cases, while clinical success (cure and/or improvement) occurred in 93.3% of known cases. No adverse events were reported.
CONCLUSIONS
In Canada, IV dalbavancin is used as both directed and empiric therapy to treat ABSSSI as well as off-label (bone/joint, bacteremia/vascular, endocarditis, device-related) infections. It is used in both outpatient and inpatient settings due primarily to its convenience as a single-dose treatment regimen and to facilitate early hospital discharge. Dalbavancin use is associated with high microbiological and clinical cure rates along with an excellent safety profile.
PubMed: 38908823
DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.06.002 -
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and... Jun 2024The aim of this study was to investigate dermal delivery of the new active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) TOP-N53 into diabetic foot ulcer using an in vitro wound model...
The aim of this study was to investigate dermal delivery of the new active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) TOP-N53 into diabetic foot ulcer using an in vitro wound model consisting of pig ear dermis and elucidate the impact of drug formulation and wound dressing taking into consideration clinical relevance and possible bacterial infection. Different formulation approaches for the poorly water-soluble API including colloidal solubilization, drug micro-suspension and cosolvent addition were investigated; moreover, the effect of (micro-)viscosity of hydrogels on delivery was assessed. Addition of Transcutol® P as cosolvent to water improved solubility and was significantly superior to all other approaches providing a sustained three-day delivery that reached therapeutic drug levels in the tissue. Solubilization in micelles or liposomes, on the contrary, did not boost delivery while micro-suspensions exhibited sedimentation on the tissue surface. Microbial contamination was responsible for considerable metabolism of the drug leading to tissue penetration of metabolites which may be relevant for therapeutic effect. Use of hydrogels as primary wound dressing under semi-occlusive conditions significantly reduced drug delivery in a viscosity-dependent fashion. Micro-rheologic analysis of the gels using diffusive wave spectroscopy confirmed the restricted diffusion of drug particles in the gel lattice which correlated with the obtained tissue delivery results. Hence, the advantages of hydrogel dressings from the applicatory characteristic point of view must be weighed against their adverse effect on drug delivery. The employed in vitro wound model was useful for the assessment of drug delivery and the development of a drug therapy concept for chronic diabetic foot ulcer in the home care setting. Mechanistic insights about formulation and dressing performance may be applied to drug delivery in other skin conditions such as digital ulcer.
PubMed: 38906230
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114373 -
JMIR Medical Informatics Jun 2024Dermoscopy is a growing field that uses microscopy to allow dermatologists and primary care physicians to identify skin lesions. For a given skin lesion, a wide variety...
BACKGROUND
Dermoscopy is a growing field that uses microscopy to allow dermatologists and primary care physicians to identify skin lesions. For a given skin lesion, a wide variety of differential diagnoses exist, which may be challenging for inexperienced users to name and understand.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we describe the creation of the dermoscopy differential diagnosis explorer (D3X), an ontology linking dermoscopic patterns to differential diagnoses.
METHODS
Existing ontologies that were incorporated into D3X include the elements of visuals ontology and dermoscopy elements of visuals ontology, which connect visual features to dermoscopic patterns. A list of differential diagnoses for each pattern was generated from the literature and in consultation with domain experts. Open-source images were incorporated from DermNet, Dermoscopedia, and open-access research papers.
RESULTS
D3X was encoded in the OWL 2 web ontology language and includes 3041 logical axioms, 1519 classes, 103 object properties, and 20 data properties. We compared D3X with publicly available ontologies in the dermatology domain using a semiotic theory-driven metric to measure the innate qualities of D3X with others. The results indicate that D3X is adequately comparable with other ontologies of the dermatology domain.
CONCLUSIONS
The D3X ontology is a resource that can link and integrate dermoscopic differential diagnoses and supplementary information with existing ontology-based resources. Future directions include developing a web application based on D3X for dermoscopy education and clinical practice.
PubMed: 38904996
DOI: 10.2196/49613 -
Indian Journal of Pathology &... Jun 2024Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a tumor mass comprising myeloid blasts with or without maturation occurring in any site other than bone marrow. It is a rare and distinct...
BACKGROUND
Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a tumor mass comprising myeloid blasts with or without maturation occurring in any site other than bone marrow. It is a rare and distinct clinical presentation of myeloid neoplasm.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This is a retrospective study over 7 years (2015-2022) comprising a series of eight cases, which includes clinical details, morphology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers, cytogenetics, and molecular details.
RESULTS
These cases showed up as an isolated MS (3/8), as an initial clinical presentation in acute myeloid leukemia (1/8), as acute myeloid leukemia (1/8), as a disease progression in primary myelofibrosis (1/8), as chronic myeloid leukemia (1/8), and as BCR-ABL-negative myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm (1/8). One of the three isolated MS was incorrectly identified as having Ewing's sarcoma. One case each presented at the cervical lymph node, mediastinum, skin, sacral soft tissue, maxillary sinus, and perinephric fat, and two cases presented at the hard palate.
CONCLUSION
Four of the cases in our study were clinically thought of as lymphoma/sarcoma, which was a major diagnostic challenge. All but one case succumbed to their disease. Without adequate clinical history and appropriate use of ancillary techniques such as IHC in tissue biopsies, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, and molecular studies, these cases have a high chance of being misdiagnosed as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, small round blue cell tumor, or undifferentiated carcinomas, which can complicate patient management and prognosis.
PubMed: 38904435
DOI: 10.4103/ijpm.ijpm_474_23 -
Journal of Hand Surgery Global Online Mar 2024The aim of this study was to establish the consensus recommendations among hand surgeons who were experts in the use of collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH) on the...
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to establish the consensus recommendations among hand surgeons who were experts in the use of collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH) on the appropriate treatment of Dupuytren disease in well-defined patient populations with varying degrees of disease severity and functional impairment.
METHODS
A three-round, blinded, modified Delphi process examined panelists' approaches to CCH treatment of metacarpophalangeal (MP) or proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint contractures involving one or two fingers with varying degrees of severity. Clinical scenarios related to poor-quality skin, postfasciectomy scarring, boutonnière deformity, closed capsulotomy, and blood thinner use were also presented for panelist consideration. Panelists provided responses to clinical scenarios using a 5-point Likert scale or a yes/no response. Consensus was defined as ≥66.7% panelist agreement or disagreement.
RESULTS
Twenty panelists completed round 1; 19 of the 20 panelists completed rounds 2 and 3. Panelists achieved a high level of consensus for using CCH for the treatment of patients with palpable cords and varying severity contractures representing one- or two-finger MP joint contractures, most one- or two-finger PIP joint contractures, and most combined MP and PIP joint contractures. Consensus for the treatment of PIP joint contractures was mostly achieved, but clinical scenarios related to recurrent PIP contracture with poor-quality skin and/or significant postfasciectomy scarring, boutonnière deformity, PIP contractures >70°, closed capsulotomy, and blood thinner use were modified, and then most (95.3%) statements reached consensus for agreement in round 2. In round 3, open-ended responses indicated that panelists considered CCH appropriate for most patients with Dupuytren disease.
CONCLUSIONS
Consensus-based findings among expert hand surgeons with substantial CCH experience indicated that CCH has a wide-ranging application for the treatment of Dupuytren disease in patients with varying degrees of disease severity and functional impairment.
TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Therapeutic V.
PubMed: 38903838
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2023.10.011 -
JBJS Essential Surgical Techniques 2024Dual plating of the distal femur is indicated for the treatment of complex intra-articular fractures, supracondylar femoral fractures, low periprosthetic fractures, and...
BACKGROUND
Dual plating of the distal femur is indicated for the treatment of complex intra-articular fractures, supracondylar femoral fractures, low periprosthetic fractures, and nonunions. The aim of this procedure is anatomical alignment of the articular surface, restoration of the articular block, and prevention of varus collapse.
DESCRIPTION
Following preoperative planning, the patient is positioned supine with the knee flexed at 30°. The lateral incision is made first, with a mid-lateral incision that is in line with the femoral shaft. If intra-articular work is needed this incision can be extended by curving anteriorly over the lateral femoral condyle. Next, the iliotibial band is transected in line with its fibers. The vastus lateralis fascia is incised and elevated off the septum, working distal to proximal. Care should be taken to maintain hemostasis when encountering femoral artery perforating vessels. Once there is adequate exposure, several reduction aids can be utilized, including a bump under the knee, Schanz pins, Kirschner wires, and reduction clamps. A lateral precontoured plate is placed submuscularly, and the most proximal holes are filled percutaneously. The medial incision begins distally at the adductor tubercle and is a straight incision made proximally in line with the femoral shaft. The underlying fascia is transected in line with the skin incision, and the vastus medialis is elevated. Care should be taken to avoid the descending geniculate artery, as well as its articular branch and the muscular branch to the vastus medialis. A lateral tibial plateau plate is contoured and placed.
ALTERNATIVES
Nonoperative treatment of distal femoral fractures is rare, but relative indications for nonoperative treatment include frailty of the patient, lack of ambulatory status, a non-reconstructible fracture, or a stable fracture. These patients are placed in a long-leg cast followed by a hinged knee brace. There are several other surgical fixation options, including lateral plating, retrograde intramedullary nailing, distal femoral replacement, and augmentation of a retrograde nail with a plate.
RATIONALE
Dual plating has several benefits, depending on the clinical scenario. Biomechanical studies have found that dual plating results in increased stiffness and construct strength. Additional construct stability can be offered through the use of locking plates, particularly in osteoporotic bone. Taken together, this increased stability and construct strength can allow for earlier weight-bearing, which is particularly important for fractures in the geriatric population. Furthermore, the increased stiffness and construct strength make this procedure a favorable treatment option for nonunion, and it has been shown to result in lower rates of postoperative nonunion compared with lateral plating alone. Adjunctive use of a medial plate also has been suggested to prevent varus collapse, particularly with metaphyseal comminution and poor bone quality. Finally, in the periprosthetic fracture population, dual plating also removes the concern of incompatibility with a retrograde nail.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The outcomes of dual plating are promising, given the severity of the injury. When comparing operative to nonoperative treatment outcomes, nonoperatively managed patients had worse functional outcomes and higher rates of complications related to immobility. Dual plating of supracondylar fractures and intra-articular distal femoral fractures yields nonunion rates ranging from 0% to 12.5%, lower than the 18% to 20% reported with lateral locking plates. This reduction in nonunions has been shown to lead to fewer revisions when compared with single-plating techniques. In prior studies, 95% of nonunions treated with the dual-plating technique achieved union postoperatively. One concern when utilizing the medial approach is critical damage to medial vascularity; however, this result has not been reported in the literature, and there is a safe operating window. Despite the benefits of dual plating, there are relatively high rates of infection following dual plating (0% to 16.7%) compared with lateral plating alone (3.6% to 8.5%). However, many of these studies are small case series, highlighting that a surgeon's comfort and skill with these procedures is paramount to patient outcomes.
IMPORTANT TIPS
Meticulous placement and contouring of lateral and medial plates are required to prevent malreduction of the articular block that creates a "golf-club deformity."During the medial approach, be aware of descending geniculate artery-particularly its muscular branch, which is ∼5 cm from the adductor tubercle/medial epicondyle, and its root, which enters the compartment at the adductor hiatus at ∼16 cm.
PubMed: 38903606
DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.ST.23.00018