Domiciliary therapy in an ultraoctogenarian population of inner Sicily--Troina

Drug assumption was studied in a rural population of octogenarians and over, in inner Sicily. The study was performed by means of interviews applying a questionnaire on 326 subjects, 162 males and 164 females, representing 91% of the entire age-matched population. Sixty subjects (18.4%) did not take any kind of medications, while 266 (81.6%) did take drugs, ranging from 1 to 10 different kinds of medicines daily, altogether 1001 different drugs were mentioned. Distribution of drugs related to organs and apparatuses as well as pharmacological features revealed a wide use of cardiovascular medications (about 50%), followed by drugs acting on gastrointestinal (18.9%), nervous (9.4%), respiratory (8.3%), locomotor (6.8%) and urogenital (1.5%) systems, and the rest included hormones, vitamins, antibiotics, etc. The study of patients' abilities in recognizing and properly assuming medications revealed that 20.7% of patients could not act autonomously, they were requiring a continuous aid. However, the overall consumption of drugs was relatively moderate and well addressed to the existing pathologies.     

Epilepsy and hormones

The paper contains a review of reports concerned with how for hormones, epileptic seizures and antiepileptic drugs can be influenced by one another. Hormones influence brain excitability but, on the other hand, both epileptic seizures and antiepileptic drugs may alter hormone secretion and metabolism. Effect of hormones on seizures--Experimental studies revealed the properties which inhibit or stimulate convulsive reactivity of different hormones. Progesterone, testosterone, adrenocorticotropin and desoxycorticosterone are responsible for an increase in seizure threshold, while estradiol, cortisol and thyroid hormones cause a reduction. Effect of seizures on hormones--Epileptic seizures, chiefly tonic-clonic, also complex partial and sometimes simple partial seizures, result in "the hormonal storm". Immediately after an epileptic seizure, an increase is found in serum concentrations of prolactin, cortisol, adrenocorticotropin, triidothyronine, thyroxin, thyrotropin, luteotropin, follicular stimulating hormone and growth hormone. These changes may persist for two hours, while prolactin concentration even for 24 hours after a seizure. Effect of antiepileptic drugs on hormones--Antiepileptic drugs may affect hypothalamus-pituitary function directly or indirectly through neurotransmitter system. By induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes, some antiepileptic drugs cause acceleration of hormone metabolism, reducing hormone serum concentrations. Moreover, antiepileptic drugs enhance sex hormone binding globulin SHBG/synthesis, increase binding of these hormones and reduce their active fraction concentration in serum. Recognition of the relationship between epilepsy and hormonal system is necessary to obtain better understanding of this disease.     

Association of Pre-S/S and Polymerase Mutations with Acute and Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infections in Patients from Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Several hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related factors, including the viral load, genotype, and genomic mutations, have been linked to the development of liver diseases. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate the influence of HBV genetic variability during acute and chronic infection phases. A real-time nested PCR was used to detect HBV DNA in all samples (acute, n = 22; chronic, n = 49). All samples were sequenced for phylogenetic and mutation analyses. Genotype A, sub-genotype A1, was the most common genotype in the study population. A total of 190 mutations were found in the pre-S/S gene area and the acute profile revealed a greater number of nucleotide mutations (p < 0.05). However, both profiles contained nucleotide mutations linked to immune escape and an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinomas (acute, A7T; chronic, A7Q). Furthermore, 17 amino acid substitutions were identified in the viral polymerase region, including the drug resistance mutations lamivudine and entecavir (rtL180M), with statistically significant differences between the mutant and wild type strains. Owing to the natural occurrence of these mutations, it is important to screen for resistance mutations before beginning therapy.     

Effectiveness of nursing interventions in heart failure patients in home care using NANDA-I,NIC, and NOC

ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of nursing interventions (NIC) using nursing outcomes (NOC) and based on NANDA-I nursing diagnoses in patients with heart failure in home care.MethodIn this longitudinal study, 23 patients with heart failure were followed for 6 months, in four home visits. During the visits, nursing diagnoses were established, outcomes assessed, and interventions implemented.ResultsOf the 11 NIC interventions implemented, eight proved effective, that is, showed significant improvement between the first and the fourth visit, according to scores obtained for six outcomes: knowledge: treatment regimen, knowledge: medication, compliance behavior, symptom control, activity tolerance, and energy conservation.ConclusionNIC interventions health education, self-modification assistance, behavior modification, teaching: prescribed medication, teaching: disease process, nutritional counseling, telephone consultation, and energy conservation showed effective outcomes based on NOC scores, suggesting that the NANDA-I, NIC, and NOC linkage is useful in patients with heart failure in home care.     

Spatial learning and neurogenesis: Effects of cessation of wheel running and survival of novel neurons by engagement in cognitive tasks

Physical exercise stimulates cell proliferation in the adult dentate gyrus and facilitates acquisition and/or retention of hippocampal‐dependent tasks. It is established that regular physical exercise improves cognitive performance. However, it is unclear for how long these benefits last after its interruption. Independent groups of rats received both free access to either unlocked (EXE Treatment) or locked (No‐EXE Treatment) running wheels for 7 days, and daily injections of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in the last 3 days. After a time delay period of either 1, 3, or 6 weeks without training, the animals were tested in the Morris water maze (MWM) either in a working memory task dependent on hippocampal function (MWM‐HD) or in a visible platform searching task, independent on hippocampal function (MWM‐NH). Data confirmed that exposure of rats to 7 days of spontaneous wheel running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis. In contrast, neurogenesis was not accompanied by significant improvements of performance in the working memory version of the MWM. Longer time delays between the end of exercise and the beginning of cognitive training in the MWM resulted in lower cell survival; that is, the number of novel surviving mature neurons was decreased when this delay was 6 weeks as compared with when it was 1 week. In addition, data showed that while exposure to the MWM‐HD working memory task substantially increased survival of novel neurons, exposure to the MWM‐NH task did not, thus indicating that survival of novel dentate gyrus neurons depends on the engagement of this brain region in performance of cognitive tasks. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Centenarians and supercentenarians: a black swan. Emerging social,medical and surgical problems

Background

Five percent of all patients with breast cancer have distant metastatic disease at initial presentation. Because metastatic breast cancer is considered to be an incurable disease, it is generally treated with a palliative intent. Recent non-randomized studies have demonstrated that (complete) resection of the primary tumor is associated with a significant improvement of the survival of patients with primary metastatic breast cancer. However, other studies have suggested that the claimed survival benefit by surgery may be caused by selection bias. Therefore, a randomized controlled trial will be performed to assess whether breast surgery in patients with primary distant metastatic breast cancer will improve the prognosis.

Design

Randomization will take place after the diagnosis of primary distant metastatic breast cancer. Patients will either be randomized to up front surgery of the breast tumor followed by systemic therapy or to systemic therapy, followed by delayed local treatment of the breast tumor if clinically indicated. Patients with primary distant metastatic breast cancer, with no prior treatment of the breast cancer, who are 18 years or older and fit enough to undergo surgery and systemic therapy are eligible. Important exclusion criteria are: prior invasive breast cancer, surgical treatment or radiotherapy of this breast tumor before randomization, irresectable T4 tumor and synchronous bilateral breast cancer. The primary endpoint is 2-year survival. Quality of life and local tumor control are among the secondary endpoints. Based on the results of prior research it was calculated that 258 patients are needed in each treatment arm, assuming a power of 80%. Total accrual time is expected to take 60 months. An interim analysis will be performed to assess any clinically significant safety concerns and to determine whether there is evidence that up front surgery is clinically or statistically inferior to systemic therapy with respect to the primary endpoint.

Discussion

The SUBMIT study is a randomized controlled trial that will provide evidence on whether or not surgery of the primary tumor in breast cancer patients with metastatic disease at initial presentation results in an improved survival.

Trial registration

NCT01392586.     

Crystal deposition in a case of cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman disease

Rosai-Dorfman Disease (RDD) is an idiopathic reactive proliferation of distinctive histiocytes that have abundant cytoplasm and commonly exhibit intracytoplasmic ingestion of inflammatory cells (emperipolesis). The histiocytes are immunopositive for S100 protein and are typically associated with an infiltrate of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and neutrophils. The classic clinical presentation is massive enlargement of (usually) cervical lymph nodes with a histologic appearance that mimics exaggerated sinus histiocytosis. RDD can also involve extra-nodal sites and skin involvement is common either as part of disseminated disease or as a result of primary disease. We report an exceptional case of cutaneous RDD with crystal deposition in a young male presenting with skin nodules. Skin biopsy showed classic features of cutaneous RDD with the additional feature of conspicuous rhomboidal and needle-shaped crystals within the cytoplasm of many lesional plasma cells, histiocytes, and also in an extra-cellular location. The plasma cells were polyclonal by light chain immunostaining. Crystal deposition has not been reported to date in RDD and is likely a result of the reactive plasma cell proliferation.     

Necrotic erythema nodosum reaction associated with histological alterations of Lucio’s phenomenon

Patients with lepromatous or borderline leprosy may present two types of vasculonecrotic reactions: Lucio’s phenomenon (LP) and necrotic erythema nodosum leprosum (nENL). These are serious conditions, which mostly lead to life-threatening infectious and thrombotic complications. The authors report the case of a patient with leprosy recurrence associated with an atypical type II reaction with LP characteristics on histopathology.     

Development of a Novel Human Cell-Derived Tissue-Engineered Heart Valve for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: an In Vitro and In Vivo Feasibility Study

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is being extended to younger patients. However, TAVR-compatible bioprostheses are based on xenogeneic materials with limited durability. Off-the-shelf tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs) with remodeling capacity may overcome the shortcomings of current TAVR devices. Here, we develop for the first time a TEHV for TAVR, based on human cell-derived extracellular matrix and integrated into a state-of-the-art stent for TAVR. The TEHVs, characterized by a dense acellular collagenous matrix, demonstrated in vitro functionality under aortic pressure conditions (n?=?4). Next, transapical TAVR feasibility and in vivo TEHV functionality were assessed in acute studies (n?=?5) in sheep. The valves successfully coped with the aortic environment, showing normal leaflet motion, free coronary flow, and absence of stenosis or paravalvular leak. At explantation, TEHVs presented full structural integrity and initial cell infiltration. Its long-term performance proven, such TEHV could fulfill the need for next-generation lifelong TAVR prostheses.