Osteitis condensans ilii: prevalence and characteristics of a neglected mimic of sacroiliitis

Clinical Rheumatology - Osteitis condensans ilii (OCI) is a benign condition characterised by triangular sclerosis of the iliac bone which may mimic radiographic sacroiliitis. Prevalence is...     

First description of cervical intradural thymoma metastasis

Thymoma and thymic carcinoma are rare epithelial tumors, which originate from the thymus gland. According to the World Health Organization there are "organotypic"(types A, AB, B1, B2, and B3) and "non-organotypic"(thymic carcinomas) thymomas. Type B3 thymomas are aggressive tumors, which can metastasize. Due to the rarity of these lesions, only 7 cases of extradural metastasis are described in the literature. We report the first and unique case of a man with cervical intradural B3 thymoma metastasis. A 46-year-old man underwent thymoma surgical removal. The year after the procedure he was treated for a parietal pleura metastasis. In 2006 he underwent cervical-dorsal extradural metastasis removal and C5-Th1 stabilization. Seven years after he came to our observation complaining left cervicobrachialgia and a reduction of strength of the left arm. He underwent a cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging, which showed a new lesion at the C5-C7 level. The patient underwent a surgery for the intradural B3 thymoma metastasis. Neurological symptoms improved although the removal was subtotal. He went through postoperative radiation therapy with further mass reduction. Spinal metastases are extremely rare. To date, only 7 cases of spinal extradural metastasis have been described in the literature. This is the first case of spinal intradural metastasis. Early individuation of these tumors and surgical treatment improve neurological outcome in patients with spinal cord compression. A multimodal treatment including neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and postoperative radiation therapy seems to improve survival in patients with metastatic thymoma.     

Atrophied cardiomyocytes and their potential for rescue and recovery of ventricular function

Cardiomyocytes must be responsive to demands placed on the heart’s contractile work as a muscular pump. In turn, myocyte size is largely dependent on the workload they perform. Both hypertrophied and atrophic myocytes are found in the normal and diseased ventricle. Individual myocytes become atrophic when encumbered by fibrillar collagen, such as occurs at sites of fibrosis. The mechanisms include: (a) being immobilized and subject to disuse with ensuing protein degradation mediated by redox-sensitive, proteolytic ligases of the ubiquitin–proteasome system and (b) dedifferentiated re-expressing fetal genes induced by low intracellular triiodothyronine (T₃) via thyroid hormone receptor β₁. This myocyte-selective, low T₃ state is a consequence of heterocellular signaling emanating from juxtaposed scar tissue myofibroblasts and their secretome with its de novo generation of angiotensin II. In a paracrine manner, angiotensin II promotes myocyte Ca²⁺ entry and subsequent Ca²⁺ overload with ensuing oxidative stress that overwhelms antioxidant defenses to activate deiodinase-3 and its enzymatic degradation of T₃. In the failing heart, atrophic myocytes represent an endogenous population of viable myocytes which could be rescued to augment contractile mass, reduce systolic wall stress (afterload) and recover ventricular function. Experimental studies have shown the potential for the rescue and recovery of atrophic myocytes in rebuilding the myocardium—a method complementary to today’s quest in regenerating myocardium using progenitor cells.     

360° fusion for realignment of high grade cervical kyphosis by one step surgery: Case report

Surgical treatment for cervical kyphotic deformity is still controversial. Circumferential approach has been well described in the literature but long terms outcomes are not well reported. Important to decide the correct treatment option is the preoperative radiological exams to value the type of deformity (flexible or fixed). We report the case of a 67-year-old woman affected by a severe cervical kyphotic deformity who underwent combined anterior/posterior surgical approach, getting a good reduction of the deformity and an optimal stability in a long term follow up.     

Radiographic involvement of metacarpophalangeal and radiocarpal joints in hand osteoarthritis

To evaluate, by means of a longitudinal study, radiographic involvement of metacarpophalangeal and radio-carpal joints in hand osteoarthritis, its relationship with erosive disease and its progression, 368 patients with hand osteoarthritis were enrolled. All patients underwent hand X-rays. On the basis of the presence of central erosions in interphalangeal joints, patients were divided into three groups: 0—no central erosions, 1—one joint with central erosion, and 2—two or more joints with central erosions. A longitudinal study on 44 patients and nine normal controls, whose X-rays were available after 3.9 years, was performed. The radiological involvement of metacarpophalangeal and radio-carpal joints was evaluated using Kellgren-Lawrence and OARSI scores. Low number of joints showed Kellgren-Lawrence values ≥2 group 0, 42/1290 (3.3%); group 1, 10/410 (2.4%); and group 2, 36/1980 (1.8%). Low score values were obtained for all radiographic items. Only metacarpophalangeal joint space narrowing score showed significant increase from groups 0 to 2. Subsequent adjustment for age, gender, and BMI did not confirm the statistical significance. Marginal erosions were rarely found (6.7% of joints). Metacarpophalangeal and radio-carpal radiographic per patient scores significantly worsened at follow-up, but no significant increase in joints with Kellgren-Lawrence score ≥2 was found. In normal controls, no significant radiographic worsening was found. Only a minority of metacarpophalangeal joints shows a Kellgren-Lawrence value ≥2. Metacarpophalangeal and to lesser extent radiocarpal joints had significant worsening at follow-up. Metacarpophalangeal joint involvement in hand osteoarthritis is mild but progressive. Radiocarpal involvement is negligible.     

Crystallization,morphology, and thermal behaviour of ethylene/propylene copolymers

The morphology and the texture of thin films of ethylene/propylene copolymers with crystallizable polypropylene blocks was investigated by optical and electron microscopy as a function of both molecular composition and crystallization conditions. The thermal and melting behaviour was also studied. It was found that variables such as the observed melting point as well as the enthalpy and the entropy of fusion are composition dependent. Contrary, the equilibrium melting temperature seems to be invariant with composition in agreement with the block type of the investigated copolymers.     

Mitoxantrone, L-leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil: an effective and well tolerated first-line treatment for advanced breast cancer

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: The combination of mitoxantrone plus leucovorin/fluorouracil in heavily pretreated patients with advanced breast cancer has shown significant activity and extremely good tolerability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of this combination in patients not previously submitted to chemotherapy. METHODS: From May 1993 to December 1995 we treated 80 patients with advanced breast cancer with a combination of mitoxantrone, l-leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil. All patients had histologically or cytologically proven breast cancer, WHO performance status 0-3, normal hematological parameters and normal serum bilirubin. Prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease was not allowed, whereas adjuvant CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil) or adjuvant anthracycline (doxorubicin or epirubicin) therapy was allowed; a single prior hormone treatment was permitted. Chemotherapy consisted of mitoxantrone 12 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, l-leucovorin 150 mg/m2 i.v. days 1, 2 and 3 and 5-fluorouracil 350 mg/m2 i.v. days 1, 2 and 3. The courses were repeated every 3 weeks. RESULTS: Objective response (CR + PR) was observed in 46/80 (57%) patients (95% CI, 46%-68%). Complete response (CR) was observed in 21/80 cases (26%). Response was observed in 14/24 (58%) patients with soft tissues as the dominant site of disease, in 22/34 (65%) patients with visceral involvement and in 10/22 (45%) of those with bone as the dominant site of disease. The median duration of response and survival was 9 months (range, 3-16) and 22 months (range, 2-48+), respectively. Toxicity was very manageable, with grade 4 leukopenia and thrombocytopenia in 6/80 (7.5%) and 1/80 (1.25%) patients, respectively, and negligible non-hematological toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of mitoxantrone, 5-fluorouracil and high-dose l-leucovorin is a safe and effective regimen for first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer.     

Microsurgical versus endoscopic trans-sphenoidal approaches for clivus chordoma: a pooled and meta-analysis

Neurosurgical Review - Chordoma is a rare slow-growing neoplastic bone lesion. However, they show an invasive local growth and high recurrence rate, leading to an overall survival rate of 65% at 5...