Assessment of the differences in the short-term clinical outcomes of superotemporal and inferonasal Baerveldt glaucoma implantation surgeries performed via the pars plana route

AIM: To investigate and discover whether different insertion areas for Baerveldt glaucoma implant (BGI) surgery produce different outcomes in terms of the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP). METHODS: This retrospective study involved the review of cases of patients admitted at Toho University Sakura Medical Center, who underwent BGI surgery via the pars plana route for the treatment of neovascular glaucoma. The patients were divided into two groups: the superotemporal insertion group [18 eyes in 16 subjects (13 males, 3 females; mean age 62.9±14.4y)] and the inferonasal insertion group [17 eyes in 15 subjects (11 males, 4 females; mean age 56.9±10.7y)]. The patients were followed up and re-evaluated at 12mo. The IOP reduction rate 12mo after surgery relative to preoperative IOP was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean preoperative IOP was 31.1±10.0 mm Hg and postoperative IOP was 14.4±4.5 mm Hg in the superotemporal group, whereas for the inferonasal group, the mean preoperative IOP was 34.9±9.7 mm Hg and postoperative IOP was 15.9±3.7 mm Hg. The IOP reduction rate of the superotemporal group was 50.0%±19.0% and that of the inferonasal group was 51.2%±16.3%. There was no significant correlation between the two groups (Student’s t-test, P=0.590). CONCLUSION: There was no difference in the short-term clinical outcomes between superotemporal and inferonasal BGI performed via the pars plana route.     

SCAPHOLUNATE DISSOCIATION CAUSED BY GOUTY ARTHRITIS OF THE WRIST: Case report

Gouty arthritis of the wrist is rare, and may be associated with scapholunate dissociation. To our knowledge, only two cases have been reported so far. In this report, we describe a 40-year-old patient with scapholunate dissociation caused by acute gouty arthritis of the wrist. His clinical findings and radiographs mimicked infectious arthritis or osteomyelitis of the carpal bones.     

Sex differences in clinical outcomes in Japanese incident dialysis patients: a prospective observational multicenter study

Clinical and Experimental Nephrology - A Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) has shown a one-to-one male-to-female mortality ratio, notwithstanding the statistically longer life...     

Evaluation of dot-ELISA for serological diagnosis of amebiasis

 We improved the dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) reported by Itoh and Sato, and assessed the usefulness of this test for the diagnosis of amebiasis. The sensitivity of dot-ELISA was compared with that of plate ELISA, the indirect hemagglutination test (IHA), and the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) for the diagnosis of amebiasis. Of 37 serum samples from patients with documented amebiasis, 36 (97.3%) were positive by dot-ELISA. There was consistency among the results of dot-ELISA, plate ELISA, and IFA, although the positive rate of IHA was lower than that of the others (78.4%; 29 of 37 cases were positive). The specificities of dot-ELISA and plate ELISA were assessed using a total of 68 sera, collected from 38 patients infected with seven different parasites other than Entamoeba histolytica, 10 patients showing diarrhea or liver abscess without parasitic infection, and 20 healthy individuals. The two assays showed no false-positive results. There were no differences in sensitivity and specificity between dot-ELISA and plate ELISA. However, the dot-ELISA technique seems to be more feasible for clinical application than plate ELISA techniques, because the assay does not require any specific equipment. Received: July 8, 2002 / Accepted: December 7, 2002 RID="*" ID="*" A summary of this paper was presented at the 74th General Meeting of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases (Fukuoka, April 2000). Acknowledgments The authors are indebted to Professor Tsutomu Takeuchi and Dr. Seiki Kobayashi, Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Keio University School of Medicine, for supplying E. histolytica antigen, and to Dr. Hiroshi Yamasaki, Department of Parasitology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, for supplying recombinant Toxocara canis antigen for this study.     

An intra-abdominal desmoid tumor difficult to distinguish from a gastrointestinal stromal tumor: report of two cases

Desmoid tumors are benign fibroblastic neoplasms with no metastatic potential, but a propensity for local recurrence even after complete surgical resection. These lesions can develop at any site in the body, and commonly occur in the intra-abdominal area. Intra-abdominal desmoid tumors usually occur at the mesentery or retroperitoneum, and may morphologically mimic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Distinguishing between these tumors is important, because the therapies differ substantially, but is often difficult even with the use of CD117 staining. We herein report the cases of two patients with sporadic intra-abdominal desmoid tumors that were differentiated from GIST by immunohistological examination using beta-catenin and CD34. Desmoid tumors specifically express nuclear beta-catenin, and show no expression of CD34. We recommend staining for beta-catenin and CD34 when an intra-abdominal desmoid tumor is suspected.