First Polish mobile application for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most frequent orthopedic procedures worldwide and its surgical volume is constantly growing. To address the patients’ restricted access to healthcare resources and limited one-on-one contact with the surgeon during the COVID-19 pandemic, we created a reliable source of information for patients undergoing THA. The use of mHealth is increasing with access to modern technology in Poland. Information related to health issues is the second most common web search performed by older adults. Our project aimed to create the first Polish mobile application for THA patients: Endopedia.Endopedia was developed for the Android platform based on a survey performed among patients and a collection of frequently asked questions on patients’ internet forums. The content was adapted to the elderly and visually impaired requirements. mHealth solutions should not replace one-on-one conversation, but they can provide substantial support for patients in conditions of limited information.     

Acute myeloid leukemias, multiple myelomas, and chronic leukemias in the setting of HIV infection

B-cell lineage-derived high-grade malignant lymphomas are a well-recognized complication of HIV infection. However, isolated cases of unusual hematologic malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemias (AML), multiple myeloma (MM) or plasmacytomas, and chronic leukemias have been reported. This review focuses on these uncommon malignancies supervening in the setting of HIV infection. Eighteen cases of AML have been reported. Extramedullary localizations are frequently noticed. Nontreated patients have a survival of 2.7 weeks, compared with 9.8 months for patients treated with chemotherapy; being HIV-positive is not a contraindication to the treatment of AML. Based on the observed 72% incidence of AML M4 and M5 in an HIV-infected population versus 19% to 36% expected in a non-HIV-infected population, we postulate that the association of AML and HIV is not coincidental. The monocytotropism of HIV, the chronic cytokine-mediated activation of monocytes/macrophages, and the immunodeficiency may explain this association. Twenty-two cases of MM or plasmacytomas have been described, most of them in young patients. Again, extramedullary plasma cell tumors are recorded in many patients. Physiopathologic studies suggest that MM may develop because of an antigen-driven response to the circulating viral antigens. A role for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis, as previously described in high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, is suggested by the presence of EBV genomes in plasma cell tumors. Finally, a broad spectrum of chronic leukemias derived from B- or T-cell lymphocyte lineage has been reported. These associations seem coincidental.