Investigation of Helicobacter pylori infection in beta-thalassaemia major patients with recurrent abdominal pain

BACKGROUND: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) affects many children, especially those affected by beta-thalassaemia major. The role of Helicobacter pylori is still unclear in children with RAP. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was the comparison of beta-thalassaemia major patients and normal controls with RAP in H. pylori infection. The factors influencing H. pylori prevalence were also investigated. METHODS: A series of 50 beta-thalassaemia major cases (30 female, 20 male; aged 6-25 years) and 50 age-matched and sex-matched controls, both presenting with RAP, were recruited during a period of 18 months. The study participants were obtained through a multistage random sampling method among those that met Apley's criteria. All the patients and controls had undergone diagnostic oesophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy. H. pylori infection was confirmed by two histopathological examinations on an endoscopy sample and a rapid urease test. RESULTS: H. pylori infection in thalassaemic patients was more common than in controls [34/50 (68%) versus 30/50 (60%)], but this higher frequency was not statistically significant. A clear relationship was found between the prevalence of H. pylori and age, duration of transfusion/chelation programmes, pain duration and splenectomy. In contrast, H. pylori did not correlate with abdominal pain characteristics, blood group, serum ferritin level and pathology of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The most frequent endoscopy abnormality was gastritis (72%). Nausea and heartburn were the leading associated symptoms. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of H. pylori infection suggests that H. pylori should be remembered as a probable cause of RAP in beta-thalassaemia major patients.     

Cerebral thrombosis in patients with β-thalassemia: a systematic review

A hypercoagulable state has been documented in patients with β-thalassemia. It could result in thromboembolic events in several organs including brain involvement, which deserves particular attention. We summarized the prevalence of cerebral involvement in patients with β-thalassemia worldwide. We conducted an electronic search on PUBMED (MEDLINE), SCOPUS, and Google Scholar databases up to January 2011. Overall 152 thalassemic patients with cerebral thromboembolic events and a proportion of 1.13% (134 of 11770) were recorded. From all patients with cerebral thromboembolic events, 74 (48%) were splenectomized. Cerebral thromboembolic events were reported after transfusion in six β-thalassemia major, and two β-thalassemia intermedia patients. Three β-thalassemia major patients had irregular transfusion and 22 β-thalassemia intermedia patients were not transfused. Thrombocytosis were determined in 11 β-thalassemia major, and 15 β-thalassemia intermedia patients. Cardiomyopathy was present in 13 β-thalassemia major and four β-thalassemia intermedia patients. Also, nine β-thalassemia major patients had diabetes. Activated protein C resistant, decreased protein C or protein S or plasminogen level was detected in eight β-thalassemia major patients. Cerebral involvement appears to be associated with increasing age, transfusion naivety, splenectomy, thrombocytosis, intensive transfusion, decreased protein C level, and having risk factors for cerebrovascular accident such as cardiomyopathy, and diabetes. In light of these findings, diagnostic MRI is recommended in high-risk groups to screen for early asymptomatic brain damage. If brain ischemia is found, the administration of antiplatelet aggregants or blood transfusion is likely to be beneficial. In addition, in thalassemic patients who complicated with a thromboembolic event, secondary prophylaxis could be helpful to prevent cerebral thromboembolic events.     

The effects of corticosteroid injection versus local anesthetic injection in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a randomized single-blinded clinical trial

Introduction

This study seeks to compare two treatment methods of lateral epicondylitis: corticosteroid injection (CSI) and a local anesthetic injection (LAI).

Materials and methods

In this single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 138 patients with the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis were assigned either into CSI group receiving methylprednisolone 1 ml (49 patients) or LAI group (51 patients) receiving procaine 1 ml 2 % in a single dose at the maximal point tenderness site. The primary outcome measure was elbow disability using Quick DASH, and secondary outcome measures were pain intensity using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and recurrence rate at pretreatment visit and at 3-, 6- and 12-week post-treatment visits.

Results

There were no significant differences between the patients in both groups for demographic factors including age, gender, dominant hand, involved hand, and work pressure. Before treatment, the patients in both groups were suffering from the same rates of elbow disability and pain as measured by Quick DASH and VAS, respectively, (p > 0.05). In general, the recovery rate (comparison between pretreatment visit and last post-treatment visit) was significantly more effective and higher in CSI than LAI. CSI was dramatically more effective at 3-week visit, but less and less effective at 6- and 12-week visits. At 12-week visit the recurrence rate was 34.7 % (17 patients) in CSI group.

Conclusion

For lateral epicondylitis, CSI has the best short-term treatment results yet the highest recurrent rates. The combination of CSI with other treatment option or with a change in injection technique from single injection to peppering injection may be promising.