Prognostic factors for surgical resection in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Although surgical lung resection could improve prognosis in some patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), there are no reports on the optimal candidates for this surgery. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the prognostic factors for surgery in patients with MDR-TB. Patients who underwent lung resection for the treatment of MDR-TB between March 1993 and December 2004 were included in the present study. Treatment failure was defined as greater than or equal to two of the five cultures recorded in the final 12 months of treatment being positive, any one of the final three cultures being positive, or the patient having died during treatment. The variables that affected treatment outcomes were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. In total, 79 patients with MDR-TB were included in the present study. The treatment outcomes of 22 (27.8%) patients were classified as failure. A body mass index <18.5 kg x m(-2), primary resistance, resistance to ofloxacin and the presence of a cavitary lesion beyond the range of the surgical resection were associated with treatment failure. Low body mass index, primary resistance, resistance to ofloxacin and cavitary lesions beyond the range of resection are possible poor prognostic factors for surgical lung resection in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients.     

Implant wear induces inflammation, but not osteoclastic bone resorption, in RANK(-/-) mice.

Signaling of RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B) through its ligand RANKL appears critical in osteolysis associated with aseptic loosening (AL). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of RANK in a murine osteolysis model developed in RANK knockout (RANK(-/-)) mice. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) debris was introduced into established air pouches on RANK(-/-) mice, followed by implantation of calvaria bone from syngeneic littermates. Wild type C57BL/6 (RANK(+/+)) mice injected with either UHMWPE or saline alone were included in this study. Pouch tissues were collected 14 days after UHMWPE inoculation for molecular and histology analysis. Results showed that UHMWPE stimulation induced strong pouch tissue inflammation in RANK(-/-) mice, as manifested by inflammatory cellular infiltration, pouch tissue proliferation, and increased gene expression of IL-1beta, TNFalpha, and RANKL. However, the UHMWPE-induced inflammation in RANK(-/-) mice was not associated with the osteoclastic bone resorption observed in RANK(+/+) mice. In RANK(+/+) mice subjected to UHMWPE stimulation, a large number of TRAP(+) cells were found on the implanted bone surface, where active osteoclastic bone resorption was observed. No TRAP(+) cells were found in UHMWPE-containing pouch tissues of RANK(-/-) mice. Consistent with the lack of osteoclastic activity shown by TRAP staining, no significant UHMWPE particle-induced bone resorption was found in RANK(-/-) mice. A well preserved bone collagen content (Van Gieson staining) and normal plateau surface contour [microcomputed tomography (microCT)] of implanted bone was observed in RANK(-/-) mice subjected to UHMWPE stimulation. In conclusion, this study provides the evidence that UHMWPE particles induce strong inflammatory responses, but not associated with osteoclastic bone resorption in RANK(-/-) mice. This indicates that RANK signaling is essential for UHMWPE particle-induced osteoclastic bone resorption, but does not participate in UHMWPE particle-induced inflammatory response.     

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: a population-based cancer registry descriptive study of 66 consecutive cases diagnosed between 1982 and 2002

BACKGROUND: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare malignant tumour of the skin, with an estimated incidence of 0.8 to five cases per 1 million people per year. OBJECTIVE: To study epidemiological, immunohistochemical and clinical features, delay in diagnosis, type of treatment and outcome of DFSP from 1982 to 2002. METHODS: Using data from the population-based cancer registry, 66 patients with pathologically proved DFSP were included (fibrosarcomatous DFSP were excluded). Each patient lived in one of the four departments of Franche-Comté (overall population of 1 million people) at the time of diagnosis. The main data sources came from public and private pathology laboratories and medical records. The rules of the International Agency for Research on Cancer were applied. RESULTS: The estimated incidence of DFSP in Franche-Comté was about three new cases per 1 million people per year. Male patients were affected 1.2 times as often as female patients were. The trunk (45%) followed by the proximal extremities (38%) were the most frequent locations. DFSP occurred mainly in young adults between 20 and 39 years of age. Mean age at diagnosis was 43 years, and the mean delay in diagnosis was 10.08 years. Our 66 patients initially underwent a radical local excision. Among them, 27% experienced one or more local recurrences during 9.6 years of follow-up. There was one regional lymph node recurrence without visceral metastases. These recurrences were significantly related to the initial peripheral resection margins. We observed a local recurrence rate of 47% for margins less than 3 cm, vs. only 7% for margins ranging from 3 to 5 cm [P=0.004; OR=0.229 (95%, CI=0.103-0.510)]. The mean time to a first local recurrence was 2.65 years. Nevertheless, there was no death due to the DFSP course at the end of the follow-up, and the final outcome was favourable. CONCLUSION: Our study emphasizes the importance of wide local excision with margins of at least 3 cm in order to prevent local recurrence. However, the recent development of inhibitors of signal transduction by the PDGFB pathway should soon modify the surgical strategy, which is often too mutilating.     

Perspectives on Health Among Adult Users of Illicit Stimulant Drugs in Rural Ohio

CONTEXT: Although the nonmedical use of stimulant drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine is increasingly common in many rural areas of the United States, little is known about the health beliefs of people who use these drugs. PURPOSE: This research describes illicit stimulant drug users' views on health and health-related concepts that may affect their utilization of health care services. METHODS: A respondent-driven sampling plan was used to recruit 249 not-in-treatment, nonmedical stimulant drug users who were residing in 3 rural counties in west central Ohio. A structured questionnaire administered by trained interviewers was used to collect information on a range of topics, including current drug use, self-reported health status, perceived need for substance abuse treatment, and beliefs about health and health services. FINDINGS: Participants reported using a wide variety of drugs nonmedically, some by injection. Alcohol and marijuana were the most commonly used drugs in the 30 days prior to the interview. Powder cocaine was used by 72.3% of the sample, crack by 68.3%, and methamphetamine by 29.7%. Fair or poor health status was reported by 41.3% of the participants. Only 20.9% of the sample felt they needed drug abuse treatment. Less than one third of the sample reported that they would feel comfortable talking to a physician about their drug use, and 65.1% said they preferred taking care of their problems without getting professional help. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulant drug users in rural Ohio are involved with a range of substances and hold health beliefs that may impede health services utilization.     

Cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with lung and anal carcinomas

Cutaneous plasmacytosis is a rare disorder characterized by a benign proliferation of mature plasma cells that appears as multiple dark-brown to purplish skin lesions, often associated with polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia. We present the case of a 55-year-old Caucasian man who suffered from a cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with two different carcinomas. Cutaneous plasmacytosis seems to be a reactive process because most cases reported are not associated with any apparent underlying disease. Nevertheless, because few reported cases were associated with malignancies, screening of additional neoplasms would be justified.     

The principle of regulation in biology--from bone to eating behavior.

Cell physiology and molecular biology typically follow a reductionistic approach in science. In the last decade, molecular principles and pathogenetic factors involved in the development of many diseases have been successfully discovered. Therefore, early biological concepts based on systemic and cybernetic thoughts have been largely overshadowed by these more recent molecular and pathogenetic factors. This review highlights discoveries on bone development and hypothalamic controlled feeding and eating behavior with a cybernetic and systemic perspective. Interestingly, ancient ideas on bone development and hypothalamic function are still reasonable considerations to embed new molecular discoveries into a systemic concept of principles organizing nature.     

Obstructive and restrictive spirometric patterns: fixed cut-offs for FEV1/FEV6 and FEV6.

The purpose of this study was to determine fixed cut-off points for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1))/FEV(6) and FEV(6) as an alternative for FEV(1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) and FVC in the detection of obstructive and restrictive spirometric patterns, respectively. For the study, a total of 11,676 spirometric examinations, which took place on Caucasian subjects aged between 20-80 yrs, were analysed. Receiver-operator characteristic curves were used to determine the FEV(1)/FEV(6) ratio and FEV(6) value that corresponded to the optimal combination of sensitivity and specificity, compared with the commonly used fixed cut-off term for FEV(1)/FVC and FVC. The data from the current study indicate that FEV(1)/ FEV(6) <73% and FEV(6) <82% predicted can be used as a valid alternative for the FEV(1)/FVC <70% and FVC <80% pred cut-off points for the detection of obstruction and restriction, respectively. The statistical analysis demonstrated very good, overall, agreement between the two categorisation schemes. For the spirometric diagnosis of airway obstruction (prevalence of 45.9%), FEV(1)/FEV(6) sensitivity and specificity were 94.4 and 93.3%, respectively; the positive and negative predictive values were 92.2 and 95.2%, respectively. For the spirometric detection of a restrictive pattern (prevalence of 14.9%), FEV(6) sensitivity and specificity were 95.9 and 98.6%, respectively; the positive and negative predictive values were 92.2 and 99.3%, respectively. This study demonstrates that forced expiratory volume in one second/forced expiratory volume in six seconds <73% and forced expiratory volume in six seconds <82% predicted, can be used as valid alternatives to forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity <70% and forced vital capacity <80% predicted, as fixed cut-off terms for the detection of an obstructive or restrictive spirometric pattern in adults.