Transjugular liver biopsy: a comparison of aspiration and trucut techniques

Abstract: The results of 67 transjugular liver biopsies are described. Two failures were encountered due to inability to pass the needle into acutely angulated hepatic veins. Thirty-four patients underwent a liver aspiration biopsy using a Colapinto needle, while the remainder were biopsied using a trucut needle. The success rate with the Colapinto needle was 68% and with the trucut model, 97%. Capsular perforation occurred in three cases, but without significant morbidity or mortality. It is concluded that the trucut needle biopsy is more reliable than aspiration biopsy, when the transjugular approach is mandated, in obtaining optimal liver tissue for histopathological diagnosis.     

Acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21)(q22;q22) manifesting as granulocytic sarcomas in the rhinopharynx and external acoustic meatus at relapse after high-dose cytarabine: case report and review of the literature

We report a 31-year-old female with t(8;21)(q22;q22) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), M2 in the FAB classification. Complete remission was achieved with daunorubicin and cytarabine induction therapy followed by three courses of high-dose cytarabine consolidation. Only 3 months later, the patient relapsed with granulocytic sarcomas (GSs) in her rhinopharynx, external acoustic meatus, and bone marrow. She received focal radiation for the GSs and successfully underwent reinduction chemotherapy. Subsequently, she received a matched related donor peripheral blood stem cell transplantation followed by high-dose chemotherapy and is now in a second remission. We summarized 79 reported cases of t(8;21) AML with GS and reviewed the literature to identify differences in the characteristics of t(8;21) AML with GS between adults and children. To our knowledge, this is the first report of pharyngeal GS in t(8;21) AML, and focal irradiation plus more intensive postinduction therapy during first remission, such as allogeneic-SCT, may be effective in adult t(8;21) AML patients with GS.     

R353Q polymorphism, activated factor VII, and risk of premature myocardial infarction in Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: The association between myocardial infarction (MI) and the R353Q polymorphism of the Factor VII (FVII) gene, which reportedly influences FVII concentrations, activated Factor VII (FVIIa), or FVII antigen (FVIIag), remains controversial. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present case - control study in 127 Japanese men with their first MI at or before 45 years of age and 150 matched healthy controls was designed to clarify this association in premature MI. R353Q polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction, and plasma concentrations of FVIIa and FVIIag were assayed. The distribution of the RR, RQ, and QQ genotypes with respect to R353Q polymorphism was 117, 10, and 0 in the patients, and 131, 17, and 2 in the controls. The Q allele was negatively associated with premature MI (odds ratio =0.41, p=0.038). The plasma concentration of FVIIa was slightly higher in patients (55.1+/-40.9 U/L) than in controls (44.8+/-20.2 U/L), but not significantly (p=0.078); the plasma concentration of FVIIag did not differ between patients (88.7+/-15.7%) and controls (87.0+/-9.0%) (p=0.557). Plasma FVIIa concentrations were influenced by R353Q polymorphism (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Q allele may be protective against premature MI.     

predictors for failure of stent treatment for benign esophageal perforations- a single center 10-year experience

AIM:To investigate possible predictors for failed selfexpandable metallic stent(SEMS)therapy in consecutive patients with benign esophageal perforationrupture(EPR).METHODS:All patients between 2003-2013 treated for EPR at the Karolinska University Hospital,a tertiary referral center,were studied with regard to initial management with SEMS.Patients with malignancy as an underlying cause and those with anastomotic leakages were excluded.Sealing of the perforation with a covered SEMS was the primary strategy whenever feasible.Stent therapy failure was defined as a radical change of treatment strategy due to uncontrolled mediastinitis,which in this setting consisted of emergency esophagectomy with end-esophagostomy or death as a consequence of the perforation and subsequent uncontrolled sepsis.Patient and lesion characteristics were analyzed and are presented as median and interquartile range.Possible predictors for failed stent therapy were analyzed with uni-variate logistic regression,while variables with P<0.2 were further analyzed with multi-variate logistic regression.RESULTS:Of the total number of 48 patients presenting with EPR,40 patients(83.3%)were treated with SEMS at the time of admission,with an intention to heal the perforation.Twenty-three patients had Boerhaave’s syndrome(58%),16 had an iatrogenic perforation(40%)and 1 had external trauma to the esophagus(3%).The total in-hospital mortality,including the cases that had other initial treatments(n=8),was10.4%and 7.5%among those who were subjected to the SEMS-based strategy.In 33 of the 40 patients(82.5%)who were treated with stent,the EPR healed without further change in treatment strategy.Patients classified as treatment success received a SEMS at a median time of 1(1-1)d after the actual EPR,compared to 3(1-10)d among those where the initial treatment failed,P=0.039 in uni-variate analysis and P=0.052 in multi-variate analysis.No other significant factors emerged,indicating an increased risk for failure.Six of 7 patients,where stent treatment of the defect failed,underwent an emergency esophagectomy with end esophagostomy and one patient died.CONCLUSION:SEMS as an upfront therapeutic strategy seems to be a successful concept,when applied to an unselected group of patients with EPR.     

Expression of GLUT-1 and GLUT-3 in Xanthogranulomatous Cholecystitis Induced a Positive Result on 18F-FDG PET: Report of a Case

Although several reports have revealed that fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET) is useful for differentiating between benign and malignant lesions in the gallbladder, the positive results of ¹⁸F-FDG PET are not specific for malignancy because ¹⁸F-FDG is also accumulated in inflammatory lesions. It is known that the most important pathway for ¹⁸F-FDG to enter the cell body is mediated by the facilitative glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) through GLUT-3. We herein present a case of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) with a positive result on ¹⁸F-FDG PET. In this case, GLUT-1 and GLUT-3 were both positively expressed in inflammatory cells at the gallbladder wall of XGC and this is the first report to reveal GLUT expression in XGC. This report reveals that surgeons should carefully consider the appropriate treatment of gallbladder tumor, even with a positive result on ¹⁸F-FDG PET.     

Effect of switching from salmeterol/fluticasone to formoterol/ budesonide combinations in patients with uncontrolled asthma

BackgroundCombination therapy with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) in a single inhaler is the mainstay of asthma management and salmeterol/fluticasone combination (SFC) and fixed-dose formoterol/budesonide combination (FBC) are currently available in Japan; however, there is nothing to choose between the two. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of switching from SFC to FBC in patients with asthma not adequately controlled under the former treatment regimen.MethodsThis was a prospective, multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled longitudinal study in 87 adult patients with an Asthma Control Questionnaire, 5-item version (ACQ5) score of greater than 0.75 under treatment with SFC 50/250 μg one inhalation twice daily (bid). SFC was switched to FBC 4.5/160 μg two inhalations bid. Study outcomes included ACQ5 score, peak expiratory flow (PEF), FEV₁, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) at the end of treatment period.ResultsEighty-three patients completed the study. ACQ5 scores improved and exceeded the clinically meaningful difference after 12 weeks of treatment and well-controlled asthma (ACQ5 score ≤ 0.75) was attained in 37 (44.6%) patients. Minimum and maximum PEF and FEV₁ values improved significantly, but not FeNO values, after switching from SFC to FBC.ConclusionsSwitching ICS/LABA combination therapy is a useful option in the management of asthma that is not optimally controlled.