Urinary tract infections in neonates with unexplained pathological indirect hyperbilirubinemia: Prevalence and significance

Background

It is controversial to test for urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with unexplained indirect hyperbilirubinemia in the first 2 weeks of life. We aimed to study the prevalence and significance of UTIs in such neonates who were requiring phototherapy.

The effect of neck pain on cervical kinematics, as assessed in a virtual environment

Sarig Bahat H, Weiss PL, Laufer Y. The effect of neck pain on cervical kinematics, as assessed in a virtual environment.ObjectiveTo compare cervical kinematics during functional motion in patients with neck pain and in asymptomatic participants using a novel virtual reality assessment.DesignClinical comparative trial.SettingParticipants were recruited from university staff and students, and from a local physical therapy clinic.ParticipantsPatients with chronic neck pain (n=25) and asymptomatic participants (n=42).InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresKinematic measures (response time, peak and mean velocity, number of velocity peaks, time to peak velocity percentage) were sampled while participants were engaged in the virtual game. Group and motion direction differences were assessed with a 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, Tukey-Kramer testing, and contrast analysis when relevant.ResultsParticipants with neck pain had lower peak and mean velocities than the asymptomatic participants (P<.0001). They also demonstrated a greater number of velocity peaks, indicating impaired motion smoothness (P=.0036). No significant group differences were found for response time or for time to peak velocity percentage. Cervical rotations were significantly faster and smoother than flexion and extension movements (P<.05). The overall impairment percentage in velocity and smoothness of cervical motion in patients with neck pain ranged from 22% to 44% compared with asymptomatic participants.ConclusionsVelocity and smoothness of cervical motion were more restricted in patients with chronic neck pain than found previously. Unlike range of motion and other static measurements, these dynamic variables reflect functional cervical motion and therefore contribute to a better understanding of the impairment associated with neck pain. Because the ability to move quickly in response to external stimuli is a commonly occurring phenomenon, this deficit is highly relevant to clinical assessment and management.     

Melanoma metastasis to the breast: A diagnostic pitfall

Background: Breast metastasis is an extremely rare phenomenon. While nearly every malignancy has been described to metastasize to the breast; melanoma, lymphoma and leukemia tend to be the most common. Among these primary tumors, melanoma metastasis represents a diagnostic pitfall for both the clinicians and histopathologists. Methods: We report a case of widely metastatic malignant melanoma with diagnostic difficulties in both clinical and histopathological evaluation. Thorax CT, Abdominal MRI, tumor marker screening and two biopsies were performed to conclude the primary. Results: In clinical evaluation, there were rapidly proliferating multiple nodular lesions at the skin, breasts, lungs, ovaries and peritoneum accompanied by only increased CA 125 in tumor marker panel. The initial biopsy performed from a skin nodule was concordant with a metastatic carcinoma suggesting breast as the primary. The diagnosis was made by immunohistochemical staining of the second biopsy performed from a breast nodule. Conclusion: Although no strict clinical criteria exist to differentiate a melanoma metastasis to the breast from a primary breast carcinoma atypically rapid growth, normal Ca 15-3 level, and a history of prior melanoma may be helpful. However, it may be still misdiagnosed in some cases even histopathologically if the immunohistochemical staining is not performed.     

Update of the follow-up of mortality and cancer incidence among European workers employed in the vinyl chloride industry.

Although vinyl chloride is an established cause of liver angiosarcoma, the evidence is inconclusive on whether it also causes other neoplastic and nonneoplastic chronic liver diseases as well as neoplasms in other organs. Furthermore, the shape of the dose-response relation for angiosarcoma is uncertain. We have extended for approximately 8 years the mortality and cancer incidence follow-up of 12,700 male workers in the vinyl chloride industry in four European countries. All-cause mortality was lower than expected, whereas cancer mortality was close to expected. A total of 53 deaths from primary liver cancer (standardized mortality ratio 2.40, 95% confidence interval = 1.80-3.14) and 18 incident cases of liver cancer were identified, including 37 angiosarcomas, 10 hepatocellular carcinomas, and 24 liver cancers of other and unknown histology. In Poisson regression analyses we observed a marked exposure response for all liver cancers, angiosarcoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The exposure-response trend estimated for liver cancer in analyses restricted to cohort members with cumulative exposures of <1,500 parts per million-years was close to that estimated for the full cohort (relative risk of 2.0 per logarithmic unit of cumulative dose). No strong relation was observed between cumulative vinyl chloride exposure and other cancers. Although cirrhosis mortality was decreased overall, there was a trend with cumulative exposure.     

Cancer of the nose and paranasal sinuses in the metal industry: a case-control study.

The association between nasal cancer and work in the metal industry was investigated in a case-control study located in the province of Brescia, north eastern Italy. Thirty five cases of malignant epithelial neoplasms of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses who were resident in the province of Brescia and diagnosed or treated by the ear, nose, and throat department and the radiotherapy unit (Centro Alte Energie) of the Brescia Hospital in the years 1980-9 were included in the study. Controls (102) were patients affected by benign and malignant neoplasms of the head and neck who were resident in the Brescia Province and matched the cases by age and sex. All the subjects were interviewed by telephone. Metal workers showed an increased risk of nasal cancer (odds ratio (OR) 3.1; 90% confidence interval (90% CI) 0.48-20); a higher risk was associated with work in foundries (OR 5.9; 90 CI 0.77-46). Work in wood, leather, and textile industries was also associated with increased risk of nasal cancer.     

A case-control study of cancer of the nose and paranasal sinuses and occupational exposures.

The association between nasal cancer and various occupations was investigated in a case-control study in the provinces of Verona and Vicenza (northeastern Italy) and Siena (central Italy). Cases of malignant epithelial neoplasm of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses diagnosed in the years 1982-1987 in the hospitals of Verona, Legnago, Bussolengo, Vicenza, and Siena comprised the study. Controls were patients admitted to the same hospitals as the cases, with any diagnosis except chronic rhino-sinusal disease and nasal bleeding. Age, gender, residency, and date of admission were taken into account by matching. Cases and controls, or their next of kin, were interviewed or required to fill in a mailed questionnaire; the overall response rate was 70%. Altogether, 78 cases and 254 controls provided information on occupational history. Significantly increased risks were associated (in males) with work in the wood industry (odds ratio [O.R.]: 5.8; 90% confidence interval [C.I.]: (2.2-16) and in the leather industry (6.8; 1.9-25). Textile workers, furnacemen, construction workers, and workers with possible exposure to organic dusts showed increased risks even if statistical significance was not reached.     

Mortality studies of dockyard workers (longshoremen) in Italy

A polycentric mortality study was performed in five Italian harbours: Savona, Marina di Carrara, Livorno, Civitavecchia, and Ravenna. The cohort included active and retired workers (longshoremen), who had been employed between 1960 and 1981. Causes of death were ascertained from death certificates; expected numbers of deaths were generated from age, sex, calendar year, and cause-specific national mortality rates. A low overall mortality was found, which is in agreement with procedures of health selection, typical of physically demanding jobs; an excess of lung cancer was, however, found in four out of five harbours.     

Cancer of the nose and paranasal sinuses in the metal industry: a case-control study.

The association between nasal cancer and work in the metal industry was investigated in a case-control study located in the province of Brescia, north eastern Italy. Thirty five cases of malignant epithelial neoplasms of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses who were resident in the province of Brescia and diagnosed or treated by the ear, nose, and throat department and the radiotherapy unit (Centro Alte Energie) of the Brescia Hospital in the years 1980-9 were included in the study. Controls (102) were patients affected by benign and malignant neoplasms of the head and neck who were resident in the Brescia Province and matched the cases by age and sex. All the subjects were interviewed by telephone. Metal workers showed an increased risk of nasal cancer (odds ratio (OR) 3.1; 90% confidence interval (90% CI) 0.48-20); a higher risk was associated with work in foundries (OR 5.9; 90 CI 0.77-46). Work in wood, leather, and textile industries was also associated with increased risk of nasal cancer.     

Cohort mortality study of rubber and plastics product makers in Italy

A retrospective cohort mortality study was carried Out in 20industrial factories in the Local Health Unit Bologna Sud (EmiliaRomagna, Italy), where different rubber and plastics productswere manufactured. The cohort consisted of 925 subjects (578males and 347 females) employed for at least six months continuously;follow-up was between the beginning of operation of each factory,ranging between mid fifties and mid seventies, and 31 December1989. For those exposed more than one year cause specific StandardizedMortality Ratios (SMRs) were computed using regional rates forcomparison, 90% confidence intervals (Cl) were calculated assumingthe Poisson distribution. Among the 748 subjects employed formore than one year (457 males and 291 females) there were nolost to follow-up, 54 individuals were dead (41 males and 13females) and for three subjects the cause of death was unknown.The results showed that all causes mortality was above expectancyin the total cohort (SMR=123; 54 Obs; 90% Cl=97–154),among males (SMR=117; 41 Obs; 90% Cl=89–152) and females(SMR=143; 13 Obs; 90% Cl=85–228). Increased mortalityfor all malignant tumours was observed in the total cohort (SMR=150;25 Obs; 90% Cl=104–209) and for both genders. All ninelung cancer cases were observed among males, the SMR was equalto 218 and was statistically significant; seven cases occurredat duration of exposure less than 10 years and six at latencyup to 20 years. The interpretation in terms of causality ofthe present investigation is limited by the small number ofobservations and by exposure definition solely in terms of employmentin the study factories; nonetheless the results are indicatingthe existence, in this group of rubber and plastics productmakers, of an adverse health effect which deserve further investigation.