Pulmonary edema in preeclampsia: an Indonesian case–control study

Objective: To analyze risk factors, obstetric outcome and the need for mechanical ventilation in preeclampsia complicated by pulmonary edema.

Materials and methods: Case–control study using medical record on preeclampsia complicated by pulmonary edema patients in East Java tertiary referral hospital over 2?years. A simple scoring system was developed to predict the need for mechanical ventilation, using logistic regression.

Results: 1106 cases of preeclampsia were admitted, with 62 cases (5.6%) had pulmonary edema. Postpartum (p?p?=?.001) proportions were higher in the preeclampsia with pulmonary edema group. Of the 62 cases with pulmonary edema, 81% required intensive care admission and 60% needed mechanical ventilation support. Mechanical ventilation used was associated with eclampsia (p?=?.04), hypertensive crisis (p?=?.02), lower serum albumin (p?=?.05) and higher creatinine (p?=?.01). A simple scoring model developed could predict a 46%–99% probability of need for mechanical ventilation (AUC (ROC): 0.856, 95%CI 0.763–0.95).

Conclusions: Pulmonary edema is a common complication of preeclampsia in Indonesian referral hospitals. This severe complication increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The developed scoring model in this study can be used as a triage tool to predict the probability of mechanical ventilation use due to this complication.     

Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell as curative treatment in myelofibrosis

Myelofibrosis (MF) is one of the Philadelphia chromosome-negative clonal myeloproliferative disorders or chronic myeloid disorders, and it is caused by much deposit of collagen substances in bone marrow, definitely is classified as hematopoietic stem cells clonal abnormality, and related to chronic myeloproliferative disorders characterized by striking figure of extra-medullary hematopoiesis. Symptoms and signs of MF are included the variable degree of cachexia and marked extra-medullary hematopoiesis. The results of laboratory studies at presentation include anemia, leukocytosis or leucopenia, a left-ward shift in the granulocyte count, increased or decreased platelet count. Many conventional treatment modalities have been used in the MF treatment as supportive treatments. There is only one curative treatment in MF patients using allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSTC). The umbilical cord blood (UCB) as the source of stem cell has increased recently and gives promising results on MF.     

Chronic autoimmune urticaria

Chronic urticaria is common and patients may present with transient eruption of itchy, eruthematous, edematous swellings of the dermis, which lasts more than six weeks. One type of chronic idiopathic urticaria, and part of it, is the chronic autoimmune urticaria. The chronic autoimmune urticaria is caused by high affinity of IgE receptors (anti-FcRI) and less frequently by anti-IgE autoantibodies, also the role of complement activation, that leads to mast and basophil activation. Despite many recent advances in the understanding of chronic autoimmune urticaria, this condition remains a major challenge in the terms of its etiology, investigations, and management.     

Correlation of Plasma Level of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) with Bacterial Index on Leprosy Patients in Bali

BackgroundLeprosy is an infection by Mycobacterium leprae, which influenced by cellular immunity. Leprosy tends to occur in low socio-economic and nutrition groups. Researchers try to prove the role of nutrition in the pathogenesis of leprosy. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) as a marker of nutritional status shown to play a role in cellular immunity.ObjectiveTo evaluate the correlation between IGF-1 with bacterial index (BI) on leprosy patients in Bali.MethodsCross-sectional study in Sanglah Public General Hospital, Denpasar of patients with paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) leprosy were assessed for BI using slit-skin smear. All patients were tested for plasma IGF-1 using chemiluminescent immunometric assay Immulite. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS ver. 24.0. The study has been approved by local Institutional Review Board with ethical clearance number 2017.02.1.0356.ResultsOur study involved 44 MB and 2 PB leprosy. The common age group affected was between 31~40 years old (23.9%), male (60.9%), and normal body mass index (BMI) (65.2%). Mean plasma IGF-1 level in PB leprosy was higher (91.07±0.74 ng/ml) than MB (82.74±6.44 ng/ml). The mean IGF-1 level decreases as BI increases in both groups (CI 95%=81.16~85.04; p<0.001). Pearson correlation test shows strong negative correlation (Pearson r=−0.976; p<0.001) with determinant coefficient (R₂) showing 95.2% (p<0.001).ConclusionIn Balinese leprosy patients, severity of disease status measured by BI were found to be strongly correlated with the plasma IGF-1 level which may help preventing transmission in household contacts by improving nutritional status.     

Efficacy and safety of a systematic switch from latanoprost to travoprost in patients with glaucoma

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy and safety of systematically switching a large number of hospital-based glaucoma patients from latanoprost to travoprost therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective observational study, patients on latanoprost were systematically switched to travoprost without washout and followed-up for 12 weeks. The main outcome measures were control of intraocular pressure (IOP), rate of switching back, and tolerability. IOP was measured at baseline (while on latanoprost), and at weeks 6 and 12 after switching to travoprost. Adverse effects were assessed and conjunctival hyperemia was graded using a standardized scale. RESULTS: Ninety-three consecutive patients (mean age 63.3 +/- 12.1 y) were enrolled. Nine patients were lost to follow-up. Four patients (4.3%) were switched back to latanoprost after 6 weeks due to travoprost intolerance. There was no significant difference between mean IOP at baseline [16.4 +/- 3.4 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval (CI) 15.6-17.2] and that at week 6 (15.9 +/- 4.2 mm Hg, 95% CI 14.9-16.8) (P=0.2) and week 12 (16.4 +/- 5.7 mm Hg, 95% CI 15.1-17.7) (P=0.99). There was no significant difference in the mean hyperemia score at week 12 compared with baseline (P=0.09). The majority of patients (86.9%) felt that both medications were comparable in terms of degree of comfort; 5 felt that travoprost caused more redness. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, when glaucoma patients were systematically switched from latanoprost to travoprost, the efficacy and safety of the 2 medications were found to be comparable. A high switch rate (95.2%) was achieved with average hyperemia scores being comparable.     

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis caused by food allergy

Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is one of the most common oral lesions which occur either in single or multiple forms in oral mucosa. The mouth is subjected to a wide spectrum of antigenic agents, including foodstuff, and allergic reactions to such antigens may manifest in a number of diverse ways. Food allergy, however, has not been widely investigated as the cause of RAS. The main complaint of RAS typically is pain, and the main therapy is still corticosteroids, besides avoiding allergenic foodstuff. In RAS, there is often a genetic basis. More than 42 percent of patients with RAS have first-degree relatives with RAS. The likelihood of RAS is 90 percent when both parents are affected, but only 20 percent when neither parent has RAS, and it is also likely to be more severe and to start at an earlier age in patients with a positive family history. The primary goals of therapy of RAS are relief of pain, reduction of ulcer duration, and restoration of normal oral function. The secondary goals include reduction in frequency and severity of recurrences and maintenance of remission. Diagnostic elimination diets are frequently utilized both in diagnosis and management of RAS caused by food allergy. Patients with RAS may have increased levels of CD8+ T-lymphocytes and/or decreased CD4+ T-lymphocytes. There may be a reduced percentage of "virgin" T-cells and an increased of "memory" T-lymphocytes. Patients with active RAS have an increased proportion of gd T-cells compared with healthy control subjects and RAS patients with inactive disease. The gd T-cells may play a role in ADCC and it is believed that gd T-cells play a role in immunological damages. Preventive treatment is a consideration for patients with RAS caused by food allergy who report regular exacerbations of their condition. It focuses on dietary modifications, the earliest stage, the prodromal stage, and attempts to intercept ulcer development again by the use of topical immunosuppressant and particularly corticosteroids.