Usefulness of frequent skin examination for the early detection of second primary cutaneous melanoma

This report describes the efficacy of skin examination for the early detection of second primary cutaneous melanomas among patients with nonfamilial melanoma. A series of 121 patients with newly diagnosed first primary cutaneous melanomas participated in a study of melanoma and dysplastic nevi. Of the 121 study participants, six patients were subsequently diagnosed with a second primary melanoma. For five of these patients, frequent skin examinations resulted in the detection of second primaries that were shallower in depth than was the first primary melanoma. In four cases, the second primaries were identified in low-risk growth phases (less than 0.76 mm); three of these low-risk tumors were melanoma in situ.     

Infantile myofibromatosis. Evidence for an autosomal-dominant disorder

Infantile myofibromatosis is a distinct clinicalpathologic entity occurring primarily in neonates and infants either as a single nodular lesion or as a multicentric form. We have recently studied two cases of this disorder in neonates, and a third involving the father of one of these infants, all documented by biopsy. Evidence in support of an autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance for infantile myofibromatosis and of its potential to recur after a long period of quiescence is presented.     

Dysplastic nevi in association with multiple primary melanoma

Risk factors for multiple primary cutaneous melanoma were evaluated in a case-control study. Eight cases of multiple primary melanoma were matched on sex, age, and education to 24 first primary melanoma controls. Risk factors examined in the analysis included pigmentary characteristics, history of sun exposure, and nevi. The importance of histologically dysplastic nevi (DN) and clinically atypical nevi was of particular interest. Single-factor conditional logistic regression analysis showed that first primary melanoma patients with histological DN are at increased risk for a second primary (odds ratio, 6.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-33.4). Patients with two or more clinically atypical nevi also have elevated risk for a second primary (odds ratio, 8.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-80.7). Two-factor logistic models were used to evaluate the effect of histological DN while controlling singly for all other variables as potential confounders. Odds ratios for the association of histological DN varied from 6.1 to 10.4 when adjusting singly for pigmentary and sun exposure variables. In the two-factor model that included histological and clinical DN, both variables retained marginally significant statistical association with multiple primary melanoma. These results suggest that DN is a marker of increased risk for multiple primary melanoma and suggest that melanoma patients with evidence of DN should be followed closely for the development of additional primaries.     

Effect of pregnancy on intraobserver and intertechnique agreement in intraocular pressure measurements

AIM: To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on intraobserver and intertechnique agreement for intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Right eyes of 88 healthy women who were likely to become pregnant and of 94 healthy age-matched females were included in the study. Complete ocular examinations were performed on each eye. IOP measurements were obtained by Goldmann, Schiotz and non-contact tonometers (NCT) during 3-week exam periods before (within 6 weeks of conception) and during pregnancy (first, second and third trimesters) for pregnant cases, and in similar time intervals for control subjects. In each exam period, three readings with each of three separate tonometers were obtained, at least 1 day apart. Intraobserver and intertechnique agreements for IOP measurements were assessed. RESULTS: The mean visual acuity, keratometry and refractive error of both control and pregnant subjects did not change significantly during the study (all p values >0.01). In late pregnancy, pregnant cases demonstrated significant decreases in IOP measurements obtained with each of the three tonometers, and in intraobserver agreement with Goldmann and Schiotz tonometers (all p values <0.01). Intertechnique agreement of both Goldmann and Schiotz tonometers with NCT decreased significantly in the third trimester. Both intraobserver and intertechnique agreement in IOP measurements of control subjects were not found to change significantly during the study (all p values >0.01). CONCLUSION: IOP significantly decreased in the third trimester of pregnancy. Perfect intraobserver agreement in IOP readings of pregnant subjects was obtained with NCT. This may suggest that NCT is a viable option for IOP measurements during the follow-up of pregnant patients at risk for glaucoma.     

Pharmakotherapie der ventrikulären Rhythmusstörungen

Zusammenfassung Der vorliegende Artikel beschreibt den derzeitigen Stellenwert der pharmakologischen Antiarrhythmikatherapie ventrikulärer Rhythmusstörungen aus symptomatischer Indikation und bewertet ihre prognostische Bedeutung zur Primär- sowie Sekundärprophylaxe des plötzlichen Herztods anhand aktueller kontrollierter Studien. Zudem wird die wachsende Bedeutung einer adjuvanten medikamentösen Therapie bei Patienten mit implantiertem Defibrillator (sogenannte Hybridtherapie) zur Reduktion von gerechtfertigten (zur Behandlung von Kammertachykardien oder -flimmern abgegebenen) und inadäquaten (z. B. infolge von Vorhofflimmern mit schneller AV-Überleitung abgegebenen) ICD-Schocktherapien, Verminderung des Leidendruckes der Patienten, Morbiditäts- und Mortalitätsreduktion sowie der enormen Kosten durch häufige Rehospitalisationen aufgezeigt. Letzteres stellt heute vielleicht den wichtigsten Aspekt der Pharmakotherapie bei Patienten mit prognostisch bedeutsamen Kammerarrhythmien dar.     

Morphological characterization of the breast in Proteus syndrome complicated by ductal carcinoma in situ

Proteus syndrome (PS) is a severe, variable, and rare disorder with asymmetric and disproportionate overgrowth of body parts, cerebriform connective tissue nevi, epidermal nevi, dysregulated adipose tissue, and vascular malformations. It is associated with benign and occasionally malignant tumors. We report the first case of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in a 28-yr-old woman with PS who underwent a mastectomy for asymmetric overgrowth. The cut surface of the tissue showed a discrete, white, lobulated, solid mass with multiple cysts with occasional small polypoid nodules. Microscopically, the tissue was characterized by neoplastic and non-neoplastic changes. The former consisted of multiple intraductal papillomas and low-grade intraductal papillary, solid, and cribriform carcinoma. The non-neoplastic changes were characterized by cysts of various sizes, lined by cuboidal or apocrine cells, focally with epithelial papillary proliferation; the lumens contained eosinophilic, mucicarmine-positive, and PAS-positive material. Variable ductal proliferation and periductal, peri- and intra-lobular fibrosis with loose fibrous connective tissue was present. The carcinoma was positive for ER, PR, CK7, and MIB-1 (40%), and negative for p53 and CK20 staining. We conclude that DCIS may be one of the tumors associated with PS and that the proliferative phenotype serves as an initiator for carcinogenesis. This case highlights the difficulty of recognizing small foci of carcinoma in an asymmetrical overgrowth of the breast in a young woman with PS.     

Ex Vivo Gene Delivery to Hepatocytes: Techniques, Challenges, and Underlying Mechanisms

Gene delivery to primary hepatocytes is an important tool for a number of applications including the study of liver cell biology and pathology, drug screening, and gene therapy. Robust transfection of primary hepatocytes, however, is significantly more difficult to achieve than in cell lines or readily dividing primary cells. In this report, we investigated in vitro gene delivery to both primary rat hepatocytes and Huh7.5.1 cells (a hepatoma cell line) using a number of viral and non-viral methods, including Lipofectamine 2000, FuGene HD, Nucleofection, Magnetofection, and lentiviruses. Our results showed that Lipofectamine 2000 is the most efficient reagent for green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene delivery to primary rat hepatocytes (33.3 ± 1.8% transfection efficiency) with minimal adverse effect on several hepatic functions, such as urea and albumin secretion. The lentiviral vectors used in this study exhibited undetectable gene delivery to primary rat hepatocytes but significant delivery to Huh7.5.1 cells (>80% transfection efficiency). In addition, we demonstrated lentiviral-based and spatially defined delivery of the GFP gene to Huh7.5.1 cells for use in biological microelectromechanical systems.     

Granulomatous meningitis due to rheumatoid arthritis

Meningoencephalitis is a rare but aggressive complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The most common complications of RA occur in the severe and chronic stages of the disease. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. The symptoms are usually nonspecific, and arthralgia may be missing. Brain MRI and CSF analysis are useful to guide the diagnosis. However, a biopsy is required to demonstrate the existence of granulomatous lesions and the lack of mycobacterium infection. Early detection is essential to prevent neurological complications. Treatment consists of intravenous high doses of corticoid followed by oral tapered doses associated with immunosuppressive therapy. The present case is remarkable by the presence of granulomatous lesions in the lung and meninges and the dramatic improvement after immunosuppressive therapy.