Aminopenicillin allergy

Eight two children with histories of maculopapular or urticarial rashes during aminopenicillin treatment underwent skin tests, patch tests, radioallergosorbent assays and, in some cases, oral challenges. Hypersensitivity was diagnosed in eight (9.8%): immediate in four with urticarial reactions and delayed (that is cell mediated) in four with maculopapular rashes. In 49 children (38 with maculopapular eruptions, 11 with urticarial/angiooedematous reactions), negative allergologic findings were confirmed using oral challenges with the suspected drug. Maculopapular rashes may reflect delayed hypersensitivity to aminopenicillins, which can be diagnosed on the basis of late intradermal reactions and/or patch test positivity. The allergen panel must include the suspected aminopenicillin itself, as many cases are side chain specific. Most patients with urticarial reactions (more typical of immediate hypersensitivity) will also react to penicilloyl polylysine and minor determinant mixture. The time elapsed between the reaction and testing must be considered if negative results emerge, because IgE mediated sensitivity (unlike cell mediated forms) declines in the absence of antigen exposure.     

Hypospadias trends in two US surveillance systems

OBJECTIVE: Hypospadias is a common congenital anomaly, the cause of which is unknown. Unexplained increases in the rates of hypospadias occurred in five European countries in the 1970s and 1980s. We examined data from two birth defects surveillance systems in the United States for evidence of similar trends. METHODOLOGY: The Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP) provided birth prevalence rates from 1968 to 1993. The nationwide Birth Defects Monitoring Program (BDMP) provided rates from 1970 to 1993. MACDP data are population-based and could be categorized by the severity of the hypospadias. BDMP data allowed analysis of rate trends for the four census regions of the United States. RESULTS: Data from both surveillance systems showed an approximate doubling of hypospadias rates in the 1970s and 1980s. MACDP data showed that the rate of severe cases increased while the ratio of mild to severe cases decreased. BDMP data showed that hypospadias rates increased markedly in all four regions of the United States. CONCLUSIONS: The observed increases are unlikely to be attributable to increased sensitivity of the surveillance systems or the identification of more mild cases by physicians over time, because either trend would have increased rather than decreased the ratio of mild to severe cases. If real, these trends represent the largest number of cases and the first report of an increase in hypospadias rates outside of Europe. Additional investigation of a possible increase in hypospadias rates is warranted.     

Black tea and mammary gland carcinogenesis by 7,12- dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in rats fed control or high fat diets

Epidemiological studies suggest that tea may reduce cancer risk, and in laboratory rodents, chemopreventive effects of tea or purified extracts of tea have been demonstrated in lung, gastrointestinal tract and skin. There is some evidence of chemoprevention by tea in the mammary gland, but the data are not conclusive. In order to evaluate more fully the possible influence of black tea on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary gland tumors in the female S-D (Sprague-Dawley) rat, three large studies were performed: experiment 1, tumorigenesis in rats fed AIN-76A diet and given 25 mg/kg DMBA and 1.25 or 2.5% whole tea extract or water to drink; experiment 2, tumorigenesis in rats given 15 mg/kg DMBA and the same diet and fluids as in experiment 1; experiment 3, tumorigenesis in rats fed control or HF (high fat, corn oil) diet and given 15 mg/kg DMBA and 2% tea or water to drink. Tea was given throughout the experiment; DMBA was given by gastric gavage at 8 weeks of age. There was no consistent effect of tea on tumorigenesis in rats fed AIN-76A diet; there was, however, evidence in experiment 3 of a reduction of tumorigenesis by tea in rats fed the HF diet. In experiment 3, rats fed the HF diet and given water showed the expected increase in tumor burden (number and weight) compared with rats fed control diet. However, rats fed the HF diet and given 2% tea showed no increase in tumor burden; their tumor burden was significantly lower than in rats fed the HF diet and given water (P < 0.01) and was not different from rats fed control diet and given water or tea. In addition, in experiment 3, the number of malignant tumors per tumor- bearing rat was increased by the HF diet in water-drinking rats (P < 0.01) but not in tea-drinking rats. Therefore, it appears that tea partially blocked the promotion of DMBA-induced mammary tumorigenesis by the HF diet.      

Spontaneous Splenic Rupture in a Patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia of Burkitt Type

We describe a case of spontaneous splenic rupture occurred in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia of Burkitt type before starting cytotoxic chemotherapy. Left hypochondrial pain radiating to the homolateral shoulder was the only clinical symptom. Emergency computed tomography showed splenic laceration and hemoperitoneum. The patient underwent immediate laparotomy with splenectomy and experienced an uneventful postoperative recovery. Eight days after surgery, chemotherapy could be administered and complete remission was achieved. Although spontaneous rupture of the spleen is rare in leukemia and related disorders, this diagnosis should be taken in account also when clinical symptoms are mild. Following immediate operative management, patients may completely recover and receive cytotoxic chemotherapy with substantial possibilities of achieving complete remission.     

Immune responses against SARS-coronavirus nucleocapsid protein induced by DNA vaccine

The nucleocapsid （N） protein of SARS-coronavirus （SARS-CoV） is the key protein for the formation of the helical nucleocapsid during virion assembly. This protein is believed to be more conserved than other proteins of the virus, such as spike and membrane glycoprotein. In this study, the N protein of SARS-CoV was expressed in Escherichia coli DHSalpha and identified with pooled sera from patients in the convalescence phase of SARS. A plasmid pCI-N, encoding the full-length N gene of SARS-CoV, was constructed. Expression of the N protein was observed in COS1 cells following transfection with pCI-N. The immune responses induced by intramuscular immunization with pCI-N were evaluated in a murine model. Serum anti-N immunoglobutins and splenocytes proliferative responses against N protein were observed in immunized BALB/c mice. The major immunoglobulin G subclass recognizing N protein was immunoglobulin G2a, and stimulated splenocytes secreted high levels of gamma interferon and IL-2 in response to N protein. More importantly, the immunized mice produced strong delayed-type hypersensitivity （DTH） and CD^8＋ CTL responses to N protein.     

Contrast column interruption artefact in computed tomography pulmonary angiography

Interruption of the contrast column during inspiration can lead to non‐diagnostic CT pulmonary angiograms. The importance of this artefact will increase with more CT studies being performed for pulmonary embolism on multidetector row CT. We describe here an instance of such an artefact and discuss its aetiology.     

Incidental heterotopic pregnancy demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging

We report a case of an assisted pregnancy in an asymptomatic woman who was found to have an extrauterine mass on ultrasound and MRI. This complex mass had equivocal imaging features and was found to be a ruptured ovarian ectopic pregnancy at surgery. This case illustrates that vigilance is required regarding the possibility of coexisting ectopic and intrauterine pregnancy following assisted conception, even in entirely asymptomatic cases.     

The use of the biofragmentable ring (BAR-Valtrac) in colon surgery

BACKGROUND: Clinical results of colic anastomosis using biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR-Valtrac) are presented. Such a method showed to be a real alternative technique to the usual ones. METHODS: Eighty-six colic anastomosis using BAR are collected, 76 of which performed as elective surgery and 10 in emergency. The patients were 47 males and 39 females, with a mean age of 64 years. In 63 cases the patients were affected by colic neoplastic disease, in 16 by complicated diverticular disease (stenosis or perforation) and 7 patients had neoplastic disease of other organs involving the colon BAR device was used in 48 colic reconstructions after segmentary resection and in 38 colic reconstructions after left hemicolectomy. In each case 31-34 mm BAR were used. RESULTS: No perioperative death occurred in our series. Only one case (2%) of anastomotic leak was observed, while in 3 cases (4%) intestinal canalization disorders occurred. No problems for ring expulsion occurred in any patient. Three late complications were observed, as three cases of asymptomatic substenosis discovered during instrumental follow-up and spontaneously cleared up. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of clinical results, and according to those reported in literature BAR anastomosis is considered a safe, feasible and easy technique to perform colic anastomosis, even in emergency, limited to the intraperitoneal tract of the colon.     

Sequential endo-laparoscopic treatment in patients with common bile calculi

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic treatment of common bile duct (CBD) stones is gaining great acceptance worldwide, but actually it requires skills and technologies too expensive for a great part of general surgeons. So endoscopic removal of CBD stones before cholecystectomy is usually performed. Since 1991 in our department we started a policy of selective preoperative cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients suspected for choledocholithiasis and waiting for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: A retrospective study has been made on a population of 1100 patients who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the period between January 1991 and December 1997. They were 391 male and 719 female with a mean age of 52 years, 126 of whom (11.5%) were selected to have ERCP preoperatively because they had clinical, biochemical and ultrasound signs of the presence of common bile duct stones (CBDS). RESULTS: Successful cannulation of the CBD was achieved in 124 cases (98.4%), with failures due to ampullary diverticula. In 7 cases (5.5%) a precut was necessary to obtain cannulation. Sphincterotomy was performed in 113 patients (89.7%). In 93 patients (73.8%) stones were found (87 macrolithiasis and 6 microlithiasis); in 91 (97.8%) stones were removed in one (87) or two (4) endoscopic session. There were 2 major complications (one bleeding and one severe pancreatitis) due to ERCP or a sphincterotomy. Two patients developed symptoms from unsuspected common bile duct stones after LC and were removed endoscopically. No complications during LC were due to ERCP or ES. CONCLUSIONS: Selective preoperative ERCP is an effective way of clearing the CBD stones before laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with low rate of complications related to endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures, and short mean hospital stay (5.5 days), according to the concept of minimally invasive treatment.