Infectious diseases investment decision evaluation algorithm: a quantitative algorithm for prioritization of naturally occurring infectious disease threats to the U.S. military

Identification of the most significant infectious disease threats to deployed U.S. military forces is important for developing and maintaining an appropriate countermeasure research and development portfolio. We describe a quantitative algorithmic method (the Infectious Diseases Investment Decision Evaluation Algorithm) that uses Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center information to determine which naturally occurring pathogens pose the most substantial threat to U.S. deployed forces in the absence of specific mitigating countermeasures. The Infectious Diseases Investment Decision Evaluation Algorithm scores the relative importance of various diseases by taking into account both their severity and the likelihood of infection on a country-by-country basis. In such an analysis, the top three endemic disease threats to U.S. deployed forces are malaria, bacteria-caused diarrhea, and dengue fever.     

Cervical Spinal Cord Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis: T1-weighted Inversion-Recovery MR Imaging with Phase-Sensitive Reconstruction

This magnetic resonance (MR) imaging study was approved by the institutional review board and was HIPAA compliant. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The purpose of the study was to prospectively compare T1-weighted inversion recovery with short inversion time inversion recovery (STIR) and dual fast spin echo (FSE) for imaging cervical spinal cord lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Twelve patients (eight men, four women; median age, 44 years) were imaged by using T1-weighted inversion recovery, STIR, and FSE. Contrast between lesions and normal cervical cord was measured for each sequence, and generalized estimating equation analysis was used to test statistical significance of the results. Normalized contrast between lesion and normal-appearing spinal cord was significantly higher for T1-weighted inversion recovery than for the other sequences (P < .0001). Use of phase-sensitive reconstruction improved lesion localization and boundary definition. These advantages of T1-weighted inversion recovery over STIR and dual-echo FSE suggest that it has potential in cervical spinal cord imaging of MS. (c) RSNA, 2007.     

Post-traumatic female urethral reconstruction

Post-traumatic urethral damage resulting in urethrovaginal fistulas or strictures, though rare, should be suspected in patients who have unexpected urinary incontinence or lower urinary tract symptoms after pelvic surgery, pelvic fracture, a long-term indwelling urethral catheter, or pelvic radiation. Careful physical examination and cystourethroscopy are critical to diagnose and assess the extent of the fistula. A concomitant vesicovaginal or ureterovaginal fistula should also be ruled out. The two main indications for reconstruction are sphincteric incontinence and urethral obstruction. Surgical correction intends to create a continent urethra that permits volitional, painless, and unobstructed passage of urine. An autologous pubovaginal sling, with or without a Martius flap at time of reconstruction, should be considered. The three approaches to urethral reconstruction are anterior bladder flaps, posterior bladder flaps, and vaginal wall flaps. We believe vaginal flaps are usually the best option. Options for vaginal repair of fistula include primary closure, peninsula flaps, bilateral labial pedicle flaps, and labial island flaps. Outcomes are optimized by using exacting surgical principles during repair and careful postoperative management by an experienced reconstructive surgeon.     

Fractionated proton beam radiotherapy for acoustic neuroma

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated proton beam irradiation in patients with acoustic neuroma. The aim was to provide maximal local tumor control while minimizing complications such as cranial nerve injuries. METHODS: Thirty-one acoustic neuromas in 30 patients were treated with proton beam therapy from March 1991 to June 1999. The mean tumor volume was 4.3 cm(3). All patients underwent pretreatment neurological evaluation, contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and audiometric evaluation. Standard fractionated proton radiotherapy was used at daily doses of 1.8 to 2.0 cobalt Gray equivalent: patients with useful hearing before treatment (Gardner-Robertson Grade I or II) received 54.0 cobalt Gray equivalent in 30 fractions; patients without useful hearing received 60.0 cobalt Gray equivalent in 30 to 33 fractions. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of 30 patients were assessable for tumor control and cranial nerve injury. Follow-up ranged from 7 to 98 months (mean, 34 mo), during which no patients demonstrated disease progression on magnetic resonance imaging scans. Eleven patients demonstrated radiographic regression. Of the 13 patients with pretreatment Gardner-Robertson Grade I or II hearing, 4 (31%) maintained useful hearing. No transient or permanent treatment-related trigeminal or facial nerve dysfunction was observed. CONCLUSION: Fractionated proton beam therapy provided excellent local control of acoustic neuromas when treatment was administered in moderate doses. No injuries to the Vth or VIIth cranial nerves were observed. A reduction in the tumor dose is being evaluated to increase the hearing preservation rate.     

Genetic effects on age-dependent onset and islet cell autoantibody markers in type 1 diabetes

Age-dependent associations between type 1 diabetes risk genes HLA, INS VNTR, and CTLA-4 and autoantibodies to GAD65 (GADAs), ICA512/IA-2, insulin, and islet cells were determined by logistic regression analysis in 971 incident patients with type 1 diabetes and 702 control subjects aged 0-34 years. GADAs were associated with HLA-DQ2 in young but not in older patients (P = 0.009). Autoantibodies to insulin were negatively associated with age (P < 0.0001) but positively associated with DQ8 (P = 0.03) and with INS VNTR (P = 0.04), supporting possible immune tolerance induction. ICA512/IA-2 were negatively associated with age (P < 0.0001) and with DQ2 (P < 0.0001) but positively associated with DQ8 (P = 0.04). Males were more likely than females to be negative for GADA (P < 0.0001), autoantibodies to islet cells (P = 0.04), and all four autoantibody markers (P = 0.004). The CTLA-4 3' end microsatellite marker was not associated with any of the autoantibodies. We conclude that age and genetic factors such as HLA-DQ and INS VNTR need to be combined with islet autoantibody markers when evaluating the risk for type 1 diabetes development.     

Repair of Ebstein's anomaly in the symptomatic neonate: an evolution of technique with 7-year follow-up

BACKGROUND: Ebstein's anomaly in the severely symptomatic neonate is usually fatal. Until recently, successful repair has not been reported and various palliative operations have been associated with prohibitive mortality. Recently, we published our initial results with biventricular repair in 3 severely symptomatic neonates. We now update our experience with emphasis on the evolution of our surgical technique and the medium-term follow-up of these patients. METHODS: Since 1994, 8 severely symptomatic neonates and young infants underwent biventricular repair by one surgeon. Six had Ebstein's anomaly and 2 had physiologically similar pathology with severe tricuspid valve dysplasia, cyanosis, and gross cardiomegaly. One Ebstein patient (2 months old) had undergone a Starnes operation elsewhere. Weight of the patients at operation ranged from 2.1 to 6.4 kg (mean 2.7 kg). Five patients had either anatomical (n = 3) or functional (n = 2) pulmonary atresia. Severe (4/4) tricuspid regurgitation was present in all except 1 (Starnes operation), and cardiothoracic ratio exceeded 0.85 in all patients. Echocardiography severity scores were >1.5 in 6 (grade 4/4) and 1.3 in 1 (grade 3/4). Repair consisted of tricuspid valve repair, reduction atrioplasty, relief of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, partial closure of atrial septal defect, and correction of all associated cardiac defects. Technique of tricuspid valve repair evolved over time: 3 had Danielson-type repairs, 3 had DeVega-type repairs, and 2 had complex repairs. RESULTS: One patient died in hospital: a 2.1 kg patient with tricuspid dysplasia, anatomical pulmonary atresia, and hypoplastic pulmonary arteries. The other 7 patients are all in functional class I and in sinus rhythm. Although 3 patients had symptomatic tachyarrhythmias before surgery, no child has experienced SVT after discharge. At recent echocardiography 4 patients had mild tricuspid regurgitation, and 2 had mild-moderate (2/4) tricuspid regurgitation. Three patients are now 7 years old, 2 are almost 2 years old, and the remaining 2 patients are 1 year old. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical repair of the severely symptomatic neonate with Ebstein's anomaly is feasible and safe. The repair appears durable and with good medium-term outcome.     

Neurointensive care; impaired cerebral autoregulation in infants and young children early after inflicted traumatic brain injury: a preliminary report

The objective of this report is to describe cerebral autoregulation after severe inflicted pediatric traumatic brain injury (iTBI). We examined cerebral autoregulation of both cerebral hemispheres (mean autoregulatory index; ARI) in children <5 years with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of <9 and no evidence of brain death within the first 48 h of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Discharge and 6-month Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores were collected. GOS of <4 reflected poor outcome. All three iTBI and all seven noninflicted TBI (nTBI) patients had admission GCS score of <9. Eight of 10 patients had Autoregulatory Index (ARI) of <0.4 (impaired cerebral autoregulation) of at least one hemisphere. All children with iTBI had poor outcome, and none had intact cerebral autoregulation in both hemispheres. Children with nTBI had better overall outcome than those with iTBI. Two of the children with nTBI had intact autoregulation in both hemispheres and good outcome. Two of the three children with iTBI had differential effects on autoregulation between hemispheres despite bilateral injury. These are, to our knowledge, the first data on cerebral blood flow autoregulation in the unique setting of iTBI and provide a rationale for further study of their relationship to outcome and effects of therapy.     

A comparison of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty versus amputation for critical limb ischemia in patients unsuitable for open surgery

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), although not the traditional therapy, seems to be a safe alternative for patients with critical limb ischemia who are believed to be unsuitable candidates for open surgery. However, the efficacy of PTA in this setting has not been analyzed. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of PTA for limb salvage with outcomes of major limb amputation in physiologically impaired patients believed to be unsuitable for open surgery. METHODS: From a prospective vascular registry, 314 patients (183 underwent amputation, and 131 underwent complex PTA for limb salvage) were identified as physiologically impaired or unsuitable for open surgery. This was defined as having at least one of the following: functional impairment (homebound ambulatory or transfer only), mental impairment (dementia), or medical impairment (two of the following: end-stage renal disease, coronary artery disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Patients undergoing PTA were compared with patients undergoing amputation by examining the outcome parameters of survival, maintenance of ambulation, and maintenance of independent living status. Parameters were assessed by using Kaplan-Meier life-table curves (log-rank test and 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) and hazard ratios (HRs) from the Cox model. RESULTS: PTA resulted in a 12-month limb salvage rate of 63%. Thirty-day mortality was 4.4% for the amputation group and 3.8% for the PTA group. After adjustment for age, race, diabetes, prior vascular procedure, dementia, and baseline functional status, PTA patients had significantly lower rates of ambulation failure (HR, 0.44; P = .0002) and loss of independence (HR, 0.53; P = .025) but had significantly higher mortality (HR, 1.62; P = .006) than amputees. However, when life tables were examined, the maintenance of ambulation advantage lasted only 12 months (PTA, 68.6%; 95% CI, 59.6%-77.7%; amputation, 48%; 95% CI, 40.4%-55.5%) and was not statistically significant at 2 years (62.2% [95% CI, 48.8%-71.5%] and 44% [95% CI, 35.8%-52.2%], respectively). Maintenance of independent living status advantage lasted only 3 months, with no statistically significant difference at 2 years (PTA, 60.5%; 95% CI, 45.4%-75.6%; amputation, 52.6%; 95% CI, 40.4%-64.9%). Although mortality was high in both cohorts, patients who underwent amputation had a survival advantage for all time intervals examined (at 2 years: PTA, 29%; 95% CI, 19.9%-38.1%; amputation, 48.1%; 95% CI, 39.2%-56.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who present with critical limb ischemia and physiologic impairments that preclude open surgery seem to have comorbidities that blunt any functional advantage achieved after PTA for limb salvage. PTA in this setting affords very little benefit compared with amputation alone.     

Surgical treatment of thymoma

PURPOSE: A case report is presented of a 66-year-old white woman with a 3-month history of atypical chest pain and shortness of breath. METHODS: A lateral chest radiograph demonstrated an anterior mediastinal density. A subsequent computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a mass in the right anterolateral mediastinum. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) revealed tumor cells positive for cytokeratin and negative for leukocyte common antigen. RESULTS: The differential diagnosis at that time included thymoma versus thymic carcinoid. She underwent a median sternotomy with complete thymectomy. The pathology revealed a large thymoma with microinvasion into the surrounding adipose tissue. She had an uneventful postoperative course and later underwent adjuvant radiation therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of thymoma is discussed, with emphasis on diagnosis and treatment. Although some patients may present with symptoms caused by involvement of surrounding structures, most thymomas are discovered incidentally on chest radiograph. Various diagnostic procedures can aid the surgeon in ruling out other neoplasms, such as lymphoma or germ cell tumors. Prognosis is not based on histology, but on the tumor's gross characteristics at operation. Benign tumors are noninvasive and encapsulated. All patients with potentially resectable lesions should undergo en-bloc excision. Radiation or chemotherapy should be instituted in more advanced tumors.