Increased serum sialic acid levels in primary osteoarthritis and inactive rheumatoid arthritis

Accumulation of oxidized proteins and impaired antioxidant system have been shown to be associated with arthritis. Serum sialic acid (SA) is known as a parameter of inflammation. In the present study, to explore the potential role of SA in arthritis, we measured serum SA levels, plasma protein oxidation, and antioxidant status in patients with primary osteoarthritis (POA) and inactive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Inactive RA (iRA) was defined upon the American College of Rheumatology criteria for clinical remission of RA. A total of 40 patients (20 POA patients, including 4 male subjects, and 20 iRA female patients) and 20 healthy female subjects were included in this study. SA, antioxidants, and protein oxidation levels were determined spectrophotometrically in serum or plasma samples. Serum SA levels were significantly increased in POA (3.34 +/- 0.37 mM, p < 0.0001) and iRA (3.11 +/- 0.47 mM, p < 0.05), compared with healthy controls (2.41 +/- 0.16 mM). Plasma total antioxidant activity, plasma superoxide dismutase activity and serum reduced glutathione levels were significantly decreased in patients with POA and those with iRA, whereas plasma carbonyl content and serum total protein were increased in those patients. Moreover, plasma total thiol levels were significantly increased in iRA and decreased in POA. Thus, increased SA and protein oxidation levels are associated with the decreased antioxidant levels in POA and iRA patients. These results suggest that SA may be considered as a potent defense molecule against oxidative damage in arthritis. Antioxidant therapy may halt or ameliorate the progression of arthritis.     

Analgesic efficacy of laparoscopic-guided transverse abdominis plane block using liposomal bupivacaine in bariatric surgery

Background

Postoperative pain management is a major contributor to recovery and discharge in bariatric surgery. Local anesthetic agents are of particular interest: they're non-sedating and may reduce postoperative pain and hospital length of stay (LOS).

Importancia de la laparoscopia en la practica hospitalaria

Acta Endoscopica - Pues, creemos que estamos en un periodo de rehabilitacion de la laparoscopia en el que todavia no hemos llegado sino a la fase diagnostica, esperando que la mejora de nuestra...     

Comparative evaluation of the effects of Withania somnifera with pentoxifylline on the sperm parameters in idiopathic male infertility: A triple‐blind randomised clinical trial

In this triple‐blind randomised clinical trial, we compared the effects of Withania somnifera and pentoxifylline on the sperm parameters in idiopathic male infertility. One hundred infertile male patients were randomly allocated into either W. somnifera or pentoxifylline groups. Patients in the herbal group received six capsules containing 5 g/daily of W. somnifera root, and subjects in the pentoxifylline group received six capsules containing 800 mg/daily of pentoxifylline and placebo for 90 days. Sperm parameters were analysed at the beginning and end of the study. W. somnifera increased mean sperm count (12.5%) and progressive motility (21.42%) and improved sperm morphology (25.56%) compared to the baseline (p = .04, p = .001 and p = .000 respectively). Moreover, pentoxifylline increased mean semen volume (16.46%), progressive motility (25.97%) and improved sperm morphology (13.28%) versus the baseline (p = .02, p = .003 and p = .01 respectively). Intergroup comparison showed no significant differences between the two groups regarding semen volume (p = .11), sperm count (p = .09), morphology (p = .12) and progressive motility (p = .77) after treatment. No major complication was reported in either of the two groups. W. somnifera, a traditional medicine remedy, improves sperms parameters in idiopathic male infertility without causing adverse effects. Therefore, this medication can be considered to be an alternative to pentoxifylline in this regard.     

Management of knee rheumatoid arthritis and tibia nonunion with one-stage total knee arthroplasty and intramedullary nailing: A report of two cases

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a surgical procedure which is widely used in the treatment of gonarthrosis secondary to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The incidence of stress fractures in tibia in the patients with RA is higher compared to normal patients. In this study, we report two cases of TKA and intramedullary nailing in RA patients with severe knee arthritis and tibial nonunion. Both patients had a satisfactory clinical outcome with radiological healing of the tibial fracture.     

Inherited IFNAR1 Deficiency in a Child with Both Critical COVID-19 Pneumonia and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome

Journal of Clinical Immunology - Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) and autoantibodies to type I interferons (IFNs) underlie critical COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 15% of the patients, while the...     

Epidemiology of autism spectrum disorder in Portugal: prevalence, clinical characterization, and medical conditions

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and identify its clinical characterization, and medical conditions in a paediatric population in Portugal. A school survey was conducted in elementary schools, targeting 332 808 school-aged children in the mainland and 10 910 in the Azores islands. Referred children were directly assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn), the Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised, and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Clinical history and a laboratory investigation was performed. In parallel, a systematic multi-source search of children known to have autism was carried out in a restricted region. The global prevalence of ASD per 10 000 was 9.2 in mainland, and 15.6 in the Azores, with intriguing regional differences. A diversity of associated medical conditions was documented in 20%, with an unexpectedly high rate of mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders.