Subcutaneous Granuloma Annulare of the Penis Associated with a Urethral Anomaly: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Granuloma annulare (GA) is an uncommon benign inflammatory skin condition, most often found on the extremities of young females. The subcutaneous variant of GA involving the penis is very rare. We report a case of subcutaneous GA associated with a urethral anomaly in a 15‐year‐old boy that persisted for a year. Treatment options are discussed with a review of the current literature.     

Acquired erythroderma in adults: a clinical and prognostic study

Background Erythroderma is a severe syndrome and prognostic studies are rare in the literature. Objectives Through a retrospective study of erythroderma in adults, we have analysed epidemiological and clinical data and precised the relevant aetiologies and survival in our patients. Methods This study was performed at the Department of Dermatology of Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis (1995–2007) including 82 cases of acquired erythroderma (>16 years). We have recorded epidemio‐clinical, biological and histological data, treatment and outcome. Clinical–histological correlation was analysed [kappa coefficient (κ)]. Follow‐up time and disease‐free survival time were calculated as were Kaplan–Meier estimates of overall survival and relapse‐free survival for some aetiologies. Results Erythroderma represented 0.44‰ of all dermatoses with an age of 55.13 ± 18.16 and no sex predilection. Psoriasis was the predominant aetiology (32.9%) with a median duration of 6.75 years and previous one or more episodes of erythroderma. Psoriasis was significantly associated with pruritus (P = 0.0001), pachyonychia (P = 0.00001), palmoplantar keratoderma (P = 0.0001) and hypereosinophilia (P = 0.008). The latter is then not specific for drug induced erythroderma (P = 0.004). Carbamazepine (27.8%) and penicillin (22.2%) were the most implicated drugs. Positive Clinical–histological correlation was found in 77% of cases (κ = 0.753). Relapse was seen in all aetiologies, but drug reactions and had occurred in the first 3 years in 90% of them. Mortality rate was 11.3 per 1000 patients‐years. Conclusions Our study illustrates the severity of erythroderma. It alters heavily the quality of life of patients which is initially altered by the pre‐existent dermatosis. It may be life threatening as mortality rate is high.     

Linear growth in relation to the circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I, parathyroid hormone, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D in children with nutritional rickets before and after treatment: endocrine adaptation to vitamin D deficiency

The objective of the study was to determine the degree of linear growth retardation of patients with vitamin D deficiency rickets at presentation and the magnitude of catch-up growth in relation to their calcium (Ca) homeostasis and hormones affecting it before and after treatment. This prospective study recorded the anthropometric data and measured the circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH-D), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), parathyroid hormone, Ca, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase concentrations in 46 infants and children with nutritional (vitamin D deficiency) rickets before and 6 months or more after treatment with one intramuscular injection of vitamin D3 megadose (300000 IU). Forty normal age- and sex-matched children were included as controls for the auxological data. At presentation, patients' mean age = 13.1 +/- 1.1 months, length standard deviation scores (LSDS) = -1.5 +/- 0.2, and body mass index = 16.3 +/- 0.85. They were significantly shorter and had markedly lower growth velocity standard deviation scores (GVSDS) compared with normal controls (LSDS = 0.25 +/- 0.18 and 0.31 +/- 0.22, respectively). Six months after treatment, the LSDS increased significantly in patients to -0.45 +/- 0.13, with a significantly increased GVSDS (2.76 +/- 0.45) and body mass index (16.9 +/- 0.65). They were still shorter but with significantly higher GVSDS compared with normal controls. Serum Ca and phosphate concentrations increased from 2.07 +/- 0.25 and 1.23 +/- 0.24 mmol/L, respectively, before treatment to 2.44 +/- 0.2 and 1.94 +/- 0.2 mmol/L, respectively, after treatment. Serum alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone concentrations decreased from 1183 +/- 219 U/L and 294 +/- 87 pg/mL, respectively, before treatment to 334 +/- 75 U/L and 35.2 +/- 15.2 pg/mL, respectively, after treatment. The 25-OH-D level increased from 4.5 +/- 0.56 ng/mL before treatment to 44.5 +/- 3.7 ng/mL after treatment. Circulating concentrations of IGF-I increased significantly after treatment (52.2 +/- 18.9 ng/mL) vs before treatment (26.6 +/- 12.8 ng/mL). The 25-OH-D concentrations were correlated significantly with the IGF-I levels before and after treatment (r = 0.603 and r = 0.59, respectively; P < .001). The GVSDS after treatment was correlated with the increase of IGF-I and 25-OH-D levels (r = 0.325 and r= 0.314, respectively; P < .01). These data denote that the accelerated linear growth after treatment of nutritional vitamin D deficiency is mediated through activation of the growth hormone/IGF-I system and suggests an important role of vitamin D as a link between the proliferating cartilage cells of the growth plate and growth hormone/IGF-I secretion. Three different sequential stages of vitamin D deficiency can be recognized according to the clinical/radiological, biochemical, and hormonal data of patients at presentation.     

Road towards promoting patient safety practices among hospital pharmacists: Hospital-based baseline patient safety culture assessment cross-sectional survey

Patient safety is a fundamental aspect of a healthcare system. The aim of this study was to assess the perception and determinants of the patient safety culture of pharmacists in hospitals, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.A survey was conducted with pharmacists in the pharmacies of governmental, /military and private hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The pharmacy survey on patient safety culture questionnaire developed by Agency for Healthcare Research and Qualtity, a hard copy was distriuted to the pharmacists. The positive response rate (RR) was calculated and compared across hospitals using a chi-square test. The predictors of patient safety grades were identified using the generalized estimating equation. The data was analyzed using SAS.A total of 538 questionnaires were distributed, of which 411 responded (RR 76.4%). Of the participants, 229 (56%) were females. The majority 255 (62%) were in the 18 to 34 years age range, and 361 (88%) had a bachelor''s degree. The majority of the sample 376 (92%) was a pharmacist. The Positive RR (PRR) ranged between (25.6%–74%). The highest PRR was observed in teamwork (74.4%), followed by ‘staff, training and skills’ (68%), and ‘organizational learning continuous improvement’ (66%). The lowest PRR was observed in ‘staffing, work pressure, and pace’ (25.5%). Comparing the PPR of the various healthcare sectors, the governmental hospitals scored the highest in all patient safety domains. Generalized Estimating Equation analysis showed that with increase in scores of all patient safety culture domains increased the likelihood of reporting a better patient safety grade, whereas respondents’ demographic characteristics had no effect except the working experience years 6 years and above had odds of poor reporting of the patient safety grade (odds ratio = 2.54, 95% confience interval (1.543, 4.194), (P = .0003).The grades achieved in the various domains of patient safety culture by pharmacists in Riyadh are below the expected standard. The highest scores were achieved in teamwork, with the lowest scores in staffing, work pressure and pace. Overall, pharmacists in government hospital settings have a better perception of patient safety than their peers in other settings. These results provide the baseline evidence for developing future interventional studies aiming at improving patient safety culture in hospital pharmacy settings.     

Systemic lupus erythematosus with acute pancreatitis and vasculitic rash following COVID-19 vaccine: a case report and literature review

Clinical Rheumatology - Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that is caused by COVID-19 virus, which was initially identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Vaccination is one...     

Effect of different fixative solutions on eyes with experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of different fixatives on the reliability of histopathological changes in a rabbit model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Twenty eyes from 10 rabbits were divided into four groups. The right eyes were used in two experimental groups (each n = 5), and the left, in two control groups (each n = 5). Using a newly developed scleral incision marker, an oblique scleral incision was standardized in the experimental groups, followed by intravitreal injection of 0.4 ml autologous blood and the left for wound repair for four weeks. Eyes were enucleated at four weeks. The groups differed in the type of used fixative solution (formaldehyde 4% vs. 1% buffered formaldehyde and 1.25% glutaraldehyde). The eyes were evaluated for the development of fibrosis, retinal detachment (RD), and processed for histopathology. Fibrous ingrowth of a variable degree was present in the experimental groups originating from the trauma site. Experimental eyes fixed with formaldehyde 4% had RD extension that was greater than that fixed in formaldehyde/glutaraldehyde mixture; however, the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.15). This difference was not fully explained by the fibrosis which developed. In addition, in control groups, formaldehyde 4% induced a fixative-dependent retinal separation that was absent in eyes fixed with formaldehyde/glutaraldehyde mixture (P = 0.03). In conclusion, a mixture of buffered formaldehyde 1% and glutaraldehyde 1.25% combined with standardized scleral incision resulted in consistent pathological changes. A reliable PVR model is a condition sine qua non to evaluate antifibrotic treatment strategies.     

Targeting of heat shock protein 32 (Hsp32)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in leukemic cells in chronic myeloid leukemia: a novel approach to overcome resistance against imatinib

Resistance toward imatinib and other BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors remains an increasing clinical problem in the treatment of advanced stages of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We recently have identified the heat shock protein 32 (Hsp32)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) as a BCR/ABL-dependent survival molecule in CML cells. We here show that silencing Hsp32/HO-1 in CML cells by an siRNA approach results in induction of apoptosis. Moreover, targeting Hsp32/HO-1 by either pegylated zinc protoporphyrine (PEG-ZnPP) or styrene maleic acid-micelle-encapsulated ZnPP (SMA-ZnPP) resulted in growth inhibition of BCR/ABL-transformed cells. The effects of PEG-ZnPP and SMA-ZnPP were demonstrable in Ba/F3 cells carrying various imatinib-resistant mutants of BCR/ABL, including the T315I mutant, which exhibits resistance against all clinically available BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Growth-inhibitory effects of PEG-ZnPP and SMA-ZnPP also were observed in the CML-derived human cell lines K562 and KU812 as well as in primary leukemic cells obtained from patients with freshly diagnosed CML or imatinib-resistant CML. Finally, Hsp32/HO-1-targeting compounds were found to synergize with either imatinib or nilotinib in producing growth inhibition in imatinib-resistant K562 cells and in Ba/F3 cells harboring the T315I mutant of BCR/ABL. In summary, these data show that HO-1 is a promising novel target in imatinib-resistant CML.     

Development of a synthetic tissue engineered three‐dimensional printed bioceramic‐based bone graft with homogenously distributed osteoblasts and mineralizing bone matrix in vitro

Over the last decade there have been increasing efforts to develop three‐dimensional (3D) scaffolds for bone tissue engineering from bioactive ceramics with 3D printing emerging as a promising technology. The overall objective of the present study was to generate a tissue engineered synthetic bone graft with homogenously distributed osteoblasts and mineralizing bone matrix in vitro, thereby mimicking the advantageous properties of autogenous bone grafts and facilitating usage for reconstructing segmental discontinuity defects in vivo. To this end, 3D scaffolds were developed from a silica‐containing calcium alkali orthophosphate, using, first, a replica technique – the Schwartzwalder–Somers method – and, second, 3D printing, (i.e. rapid prototyping). The mechanical and physical scaffold properties and their potential to facilitate homogenous colonization by osteogenic cells and extracellular bone matrix formation throughout the porous scaffold architecture were examined. Osteoblastic cells were dynamically cultured for 7 days on both scaffold types with two different concentrations of 1.5 and 3 × 10⁹ cells/l. The amount of cells and bone matrix formed and osteogenic marker expression were evaluated using hard tissue histology, immunohistochemical and histomorphometric analysis. 3D‐printed scaffolds (RPS) exhibited more micropores, greater compressive strength and silica release. RPS seeded with 3 × 10⁹ cells/l displayed greatest cell and extracellular matrix formation, mineralization and osteocalcin expression. In conclusion, RPS displayed superior mechanical and biological properties and facilitated generating a tissue engineered synthetic bone graft in vitro, which mimics the advantageous properties of autogenous bone grafts, by containing homogenously distributed terminally differentiated osteoblasts and mineralizing bone matrix and therefore is suitable for subsequent in vivo implantation for regenerating segmental discontinuity bone defects. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.