Reiter's disease treated with Nux vomica

We report the case of a 35 year-old man suffering from Reiter's disease. He did not respond to Lycopodium or Nux vomica in medium dilutions, but did respond to Nux vomica in very high potency.     

Isolated gastrointestinal histoplasmosis: case report and review of the literature

The usual manifestation of histoplasmosis is in the form of respiratory illness. We report the case of a 67-year-old man who presented with chronic diarrhea and did not respond to the conventional treatment, including that for Clostridium difficile. He was found to have isolated colonic histoplasmosis infection, which was treated with itraconazole. There was no evidence of any disseminated disease. His only immunocompromised state was end-stage renal disease, for which he was on chronic hemodialysis. Although it is well documented as a part of disseminated histoplasmosis, our extensive review of the literature did not reveal any reported case of isolated colonic histoplasmosis in a patient on hemodialysis.     

Preoperative second-line chemotherapy induces objective responses in primary breast cancer

Summary PURPOSE: Preoperative chemotherapy in patients with primary breast cancer results in high response rates, allowing breast-conserving surgery in patients primarily not suitable for this procedure. Tumors of patients with histologically proven breast cancer that fail to respond to preoperative chemotherapy are thought to be chemotherapy resistant. We questioned this hypothesis and treated 13 patients who did not respond to preoperative anthracycline-containing first-line treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight patients received a combination therapy consisting of epidoxorubicin and docetaxel as neoadjuvant first-line treatment and were treated with CMF as preoperative second-line chemotherapy. The other five patients did not respond to first-line FEC and were given paclitaxel or docetaxel as second-line treatment. RESULTS: A major response to treatment was observed in 10 of 13 patients (77%) during preoperative second-line therapy: one patient (8%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR) and nine patients (69%) partial response (PR). Three patients (23%) had stable disease (SD), and no patient had progressive disease (PD). Eight patients (62%) could undergo breast-conserving surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that it is possible to achieve objective responses including pCR with potentially non-cross-resistant neoadjuvant second-line therapy, leading to breast-conserving surgery in a high proportion of patients. Thus, preoperative second-line chemotherapy appears to be justified when breast conservation is an important treatment goal and may have potential in improved tailoring of neoadjuvant treatments.     

Platypnea-orthodeoxia: report of two cases and review of the literature

We describe two unusual cases of platypnea. The first patient had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but platypnea did not respond to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapy. He was found to have multiple pulmonary emboli, and symptoms rapidly improved on anticoagulation therapy. The second patient had Parkinson disease and developed severe platypnea, an association that has not been previously described. She had significant postural hypotension and responded to therapy with fludrocortisone.     

Idiotypic sensitization in utero of children born to mothers with schistosomiasis or Chagas'' disease.

Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) of neonates born of mothers with Chagas' disease or schistosomiasis exhibited strong proliferative responses against idiotypes expressed on antibodies with specificity for Trypanosoma cruzi or Schistosoma mansoni antigens, respectively. These immunoaffinity-purified preparations were stimulatory if they were prepared from pools of patients' sera or from the mother's own serum, taken early during her pregnancy. These CBMC did not respond to normal immunoglobulin, and CBMC of neonates born of uninfected mothers did not respond to antibodies against either T. cruzi or S. mansoni, or normal immunoglobulin preparations. We propose that in utero exposure of a fetus to some idiotypes expressed on placentally transferred antibodies induces anti-Id T lymphocyte sensitization, which we detect as a proliferative response by CBMC exposed to immunoaffinity-purified antibodies expressing the relevant idiotypes. This is the first experimental evidence that children born of mothers with chronic infections undergo natural in utero idiotypic manipulations and are born possessing cellular anti-Id reactivity.     

Recalcitrant pyoderma gangrenosum treated with thalidomide

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a painful, noninfectious, ulcerating skin disorder often associated with systemic disease. Thalidomide has been used to treat many inflammatory dermatologic conditions and has been reintroduced in the United States to treat immune-modulated diseases such as pyoderma gangrenosum. The patient described, a 47-year-old man, had histologically confirmed pyoderma gangrenosum that did not respond to treatment with several courses of methylprednisolone. The ulcer healed with 10 weeks of oral thalidomide administration.     

Improvement of complex regional pain syndrome after plasmapheresis

Complex regional pain syndrome is a severe complication following trauma that is associated with vasomotor, sudomotor and sensory disturbances in an affected limb or region of the body. The exact physiopathology is not fully understood yet. Recently, autoantibody findings suggested an immune‐mediated physiopathology of the disease. We here describe two otherwise treatment‐resistant patients with complex regional pain syndrome and high‐titre beta2 adrenergic receptor autoantibodies, who did respond to plasmapheresis. Both patients showed strong improvement of pain and autonomic symptoms measured by impairment level sum score.     

Cardiogenic shock in hypothyroidism

A patient with minimal coronary artery disease presented in cardiogenic shock when her previously undiagnosed hypothyroid state was complicated by an episode of AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia. She did not respond to multiple pressors, and recovered dramatically after starting thyroid supplementation. Hypothyroidism caused her lack of responsiveness to pressors and perpetuated her hypotension and increased filling pressures long after she reverted to a sinus rhythm. Our case dramatically demonstrates the severe lack of physiologic reserve that can be associated with hypothyroidism.     

Treatment of parapsoriasis and mycosis fungoides: the role of psoralen and long-wave ultraviolet light A (PUVA)

Psoralen and long-wave ultraviolet light A (PUVA) was used to treat 12 patients with parapsoriasis and 19 patients with mycosis fungoides. Excellent results were obtained in all 12 patients with parapsoriasis: 8 patients had complete clearing, 3 had more than 80% improvement, and 1 had considerable improvement. The response to PUVA in patients with mycosis fungoides varied according to the stage of the disease. Of 10 patients with early disease (stage I or II), 7 had complete clearing and the 3 others had more than 80% improvement. The nine patients with more advanced disease generally did not respond well to PUVA, with the exception of one patient with stage IV disease and one with stage V disease. PUVA may be the treatment of choice for parapsoriasis and is highly effective in the early stages of mycosis fungoides.     

Hemicrania continua: who responds to indomethacin?

Hemicrania continua (HC) is a primary headache disorder characterized by a continuous, moderate to severe, unilateral headache and defined by its absolute responsiveness to indomethacin. However, some patients with the clinical phenotype of HC do not respond to indomethacin. We reviewed the records of 192 patients with the putative diagnosis of HC and divided them into groups based on their headaches' response to indomethacin. They were compared for age, gender, presence or absence of specific autonomic symptoms, medication overuse, rapidity of headache onset, and whether or not the headaches met criteria for migraine when severe. Forty-three patients had an absolute response and 122 patients did not respond to adequate doses of indomethacin. The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of age, sex, presence of rapid-onset headache, or medication overuse. Autonomic symptoms, based on a questionnaire, did not predict response. Eighteen patients could not complete a trial of indomethacin due to adverse events. Nine patients could not be included in the HC group despite improvement with indomethacin: one patient probably had primary cough headache, another paroxysmal hemicrania; three patients improved but it was uncertain if they were absolutely pain free, and four patients dramatically improved but still had a baseline headache. We found no statistically significant differences between patients who did and did not respond to indomethacin. All patients with continuous, unilateral headache should receive an adequate trial of indomethacin. Most patients with unilateral headache suggestive of HC did not respond to indomethacin.     

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, pseudomembranous colitis, and spinal cord injury

Antibiotic-associated colitis (pseudomembranous colitis) developed in four patients with spinal cord injury and taking oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. One hundred forty-eight (59%) of 251 patients with spinal cord injury who were evaluated had received this drug. Two of the four patients with pseudomembranous colitis did not promptly respond to therapy, and all four suffered significant further immobilization because of the disease. Pseudomembranous colitis readily occurs in at least certain population groups receiving trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.     

A single-treatment method to stop smoking using ancillary selfhypnosis: Discussion

The implications of Dr. Spiegel's findings with a standardized singlesession technique are discussed. Despite the inevitable tentativeness of conclusions-since somewhat less than half of the patients answered a follow-up questionnaire-the results are encouraging. The question is raised whether those patients who did not respond to treatment initially might respond to an analogous, although superficially dissimilar, approach with another effective therapist.     

Sincalide in patients with parenteral nutrition-associated gallbladder disease

OBJECTIVE: To review the role of sincalide in treating and preventing parenteral nutrition (PN)-associated gallbladder disease. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE (1996-March 2004) search was performed using the key terms cholecystokinin, sincalide, parenteral nutrition, cholelithiasis, cholestasis, and sludge. DATA SYNTHESIS: Five human studies investigated the safety and efficacy of sincalide in patients with PN-associated gallbladder disease. Sincalide at intravenous doses of 0.04 microg/kg 3 times daily increased bile flow and improved serum bilirubin levels. However, patients with advanced liver disease did not respond to sincalide therapy. Long-term follow-up data on sincalide effects on liver disease progression are not yet available. CONCLUSIONS: Sincalide improved the signs of cholestasis. However, its long-term effects in preventing and treating PN-associated gallbladder disease remain unknown and its routine use for this indication cannot be recommended at this time.     

Self-study: an effective method for bioterrorism training in the OR

DURING A BIOTERRORIST ATTACK, health care professionals must be prepared to respond appropriately, but many perioperative nurses do not receive adequate education about bioterrorism.ONE PERIOPERATIVE NURSE led a survey project to determine how prepared perioperative nurses were to respond during a bioterrorist attack and whether a self-study module would help increase participants' self-rated levels of preparedness.THE RESULTS SHOWED that perioperative nurses generally felt unprepared to respond to a bioterrorist event. After reading the self-study module, nurses from facilities that both did and did not provide education on bioterrorism reported increases in self-rated levels of preparedness. AORN J 87 (May 2008) 915-924. © AORN, Inc, 2008.     

传染性非典型肺炎--附首例报告

目的：报道广州呼吸疾病研究所处理首例传染性非典型肺炎的临床诊断和治疗经验。方法：回顾性分析该例的临床资料及治疗经过。结果：该病人有2个多月呼吸道疾病失，病情突然加剧，表现为间质性肺炎及急性呼吸窘迫综合征，白细胞计数基本正常，但淋巴细胞比例偏低，经多种抗生素治疗无明显疗效。使用肾上腺皮质激素及机械通气等对症治疗78日痊愈出院。8位医护人员被感染。结论：该例为传染性非典型肺炎，起病突然及病情发展凶险，可能为一种新病原体感染，值得引起重视。     

Cytochrome b deficiency in an autosomal form of chronic granulomatous disease. A third form of chronic granulomatous disease recognized by monocyte hybridization

Three patients (two sisters and a brother) in one family are described with chronic granulomatous disease. The granulocytes of these patients did not respond with a metabolic burst to various stimuli and failed to kill catalase-positive microorganisms. The magnitude of the cytochrome b signal in the optical spectrum of the patients' granulocytes was less than 4% of the normal value, whereas the amount of noncovalently bound flavin in these cells was normal. The mode of inheritance of the genetic defect in this family is autosomal because the granulocytes of both parents (first cousins) and a nonaffected sister of the patients expressed 70-80% of the normal cytochrome b signal, showed low-normal or subnormal oxidative reactions during stimulation, and did not display mosaicism in the stimulated nitroblue-tetrazolium slide test. Somatic cell hybridization was performed between the monocytes from the affected boy in this family with monocytes from either a cytochrome b-negative male patient with X-linked chronic granulomatous disease or a cytochrome b-positive male patient with the classic autosomal form of this disease. In both combinations, monocyte hybrids were observed with nitroblue tetrazolium reductase activity after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate. This complementation of the oxidase activity required protein synthesis. Our results prove that the defect in this family is genetically distinct from that in the other two forms of chronic granulomatous disease. Moreover, our results also indicate that the expression of cytochrome b in human phagocytes is coded by at least two loci, one on the X chromosome and one on an autosome.     

Naratriptan efficacy in migraineurs who respond poorly to oral sumatriptan

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether 347 patients would respond to a 50-mg oral dose of sumatriptan, even though they considered themselves poor responders to this acute therapy for migraine, and to investigate whether oral naratriptan can be an effective acute therapy for migraine in the subset of patients who did not respond to sumatriptan under double-blind, well-controlled conditions. BACKGROUND: Although most migraineurs respond to sumatriptan, there remains a need for an effective alternative for those who do not respond. Naratriptan is a more potent and more lipophilic member of this class of agent and could prove beneficial in such patients. This is the first well-controlled study to assess the value of another 5-HT1B/1D agonist in this difficult patient subset. METHODS: This study comprised two migraine attacks. The first (attack 1) was a single-blind assessment of the efficacy of sumatriptan (50 mg orally) in patients with a history of poor response to the drug. The second (attack 2) was a randomized, parallel group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of naratriptan (2.5 mg orally) in nonresponders to oral sumatriptan. RESULTS: Attack 1: About two thirds of this selected migraine population did not respond to sumatriptan. Attack 2: Naratriptan was statistically superior to placebo for headache relief at 2 hours and 4 hours, as well as for most other features of migraine attacks. These data suggest an intrinsic efficacy of naratriptan in this patient subset and not a coincidental response. No unexpected tolerability issues arose. CONCLUSIONS: Naratriptan is an alternative therapy for migraineurs who respond poorly to oral sumatriptan. No response to one "triptan" does not necessarily predict no response to them all.     

Diverticular disease: diagnosis and treatment

Diverticular disease refers to symptomatic and asymptomatic disease with an underlying pathology of colonic diverticula. Predisposing factors for the formation of diverticula include a low-fiber diet and physical inactivity. Approximately 85 percent of patients with diverticula are believed to remain asymptomatic. Symptomatic disease without inflammation is a diagnosis of exclusion requiring colonoscopy because imaging studies cannot discern the significance of diverticula. Fiber supplementation may prevent progression to symptomatic disease or improve symptoms in patients without inflammation. Computed tomography is recommended for diagnosis when inflammation is present. Antibiotic therapy aimed at anaerobes and gram-negative rods is first-line treatment for diverticulitis. Whether treatment is administered on an inpatient or outpatient basis is determined by the clinical status of the patient and his or her ability to tolerate oral intake. Surgical consultation is indicated for disease that does not respond to medical management or for repeated attacks that may be less likely to respond to medical therapy and have a higher mortality rate. Prompt surgical consultation also should be obtained when there is evidence of abscess formation, fistula formation, obstruction, or free perforation.     

Erythema nodosum following a jellyfish sting

At least 100 of the approximately 9,000 species of coelenterates are dangerous to humans. The most common syndrome following an envenomation is an immediate intense dermatitis, with characteristic skin discoloration, local pain, and systemic symptoms. In this case report, we describe a case of erythema nodosum with articular manifestations following envenomation with an unknown jellyfish. Serological testing of the victim revealed marked elevation of immunoglobulins G and M directed against Physalia physalis, the Portuguese man-of-war. The patient's condition did not respond to conventional topical therapy for coelenterate envenomation, but was successfully managed with systemic corticosteroid therapy. This case demonstrates that the emergency physician should consider a delayed reaction to a marine envenomation in any victim who presents with an acute dermatological disease following immersion in marine coastal waters.