Nonadherence to treatment causing acute hospitalizations in people with epilepsy: An observational,prospective study

The aim was to assess the clinical relevance of antiepileptic drug (AED) nonadherence by means of therapeutic drug concentration monitoring (TDM). Two hundred eighty‐two consecutive patients with epilepsy acutely admitted to hospital for seizures were included. Nonadherence was defined as having a serum concentration/dose ratio at admission of <75% of the patient's own control value (probable nonadherence: 50–75%; definite: <50%). Nonadherence was identified in 39% of patients (definite 24%; probable 15%). It was significantly more common in patients with generalized seizures compared to those with focal onset seizures, and in patients <30 years compared to older patients. When specifically asked, 44% of nonadherent patients claimed regular intake. Nonadherence is a major cause of seizure breakthrough in patients with epilepsy, particularly in young adults. Many patients seem to be unaware of missed drug intake. Prompt measurements of AED serum concentrations should be available as part of the emergency care for patients acutely hospitalized for seizures to permit this issue to be thoroughly addressed prior to discharge.     

Postprandial coagulation activation in overweight individuals after weight loss: Acute and long-term effects of a high-monounsaturated fat diet and a low-fat diet

Diet is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and it has been suggested that a high-MUFA diet is more cardioprotective than a low-fat diet. We hypothesised that the postprandial thrombotic risk profile is improved most favourably by a high-MUFA diet compared with a low-fat diet. This was tested in a parallel intervention trial on overweight individuals (aged 28.4 (SD 4.7) years) randomly assigned to a MUFA-diet (35-45% of energy as fat; > 20% as MUFA, n = 21) or a low-fat (LF) diet (20-30% of energy as fat, n = 22) for 6 months after a weight loss of ~ 10%. All foods were provided free of charge from a purpose-built supermarket. Meal tests designed after the same principles were performed before and after the dietary intervention, and blood samples were collected at 8.00 h (fasting), 12.00 h, and 18.00 h and analysed for factor VII coagulant activity (FVII:C), activated FVII, fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), D-dimer, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI:Ag), and thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor. There were significant postprandial increases in F1 + 2 and D-dimer before and after dietary intervention, with significantly lower values after 6 months. No significant differences were observed between the postprandial changes induced by the two diets. The postprandial decrease in FVII:C and PAI:Ag did not differ before and after intervention, irrespective of the diets. Our findings suggest postprandial coagulation activation in overweight subjects with more pronounced acute than long-term effects. We observed similar effects of the MUFA diet and the LF diet on the postprandial prothrombotic risk profile.     

Pre-vaccination incidence of genital warts in 15-23-year-old women and men attending youth clinics in Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines were introduced to the market in 2006 and 2007. The present pilot study was designed to examine the incidence of genital warts in the population up to 23 y of age in the county of Stockholm before the start of mass HPV vaccination. Methods: Data from the electronic health records of 9 youth clinics in the county of Stockholm were collected retrospectively for the y 2006-2008. Results: In total, 49,985 patients visited the study youth clinics during 2006-2008. Of these, 1817 were denoted genital warts patients. An extrapolation of the study data was done in an attempt to estimate the annual number of genital warts cases in the full Stockholm County population aged 15-23 y. Results showed that there were approximately 1792 genital warts patients in the age group 15-23 y each year in Stockholm County. Female cases represented approximately 62% of all cases in the age group 15-23 y. The peak incidence was at around 20 y of age for females, while males had a more flattened peak incidence around 19-23 y of age. Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrates that, compared to other reported data, genital warts are at least as common in Sweden as in other countries among 15-23 y old females and males.     

Early release of interalveolar synechiae under general anesthesia through fiberscopic nasal intubation

This article presents a treatment strategy for early release of interalveolar synechiae, aiming to facilitate early oral feeding and prevent temporomandibular joint ankylosis.The treatment results of 2 patients with van der Woude syndrome were retrospectively studied. Both patients underwent early surgical release of interalveolar synechiae under general anesthesia through fiberscopic nasal intubation. The 2 patients were treated at the ages of 6 and 14 days, respectively. The interincisival distances increased from 5 and 6 mm preoperatively to 11 and 10 mm immediately after surgery. This was increased further to 25 and 20 mm at long-term follow-up (6 and 24 months).In conclusion, synechiae between the upper and lower jaws can be safely treated at a very early age under general anesthesia with fiberscopic nasotracheal intubation. The purpose of early intervention in these cases is to facilitate oral feeding and prevent temporomandibular joint ankylosis.     

Increased afterload induces pathological cardiac hypertrophy: a new in vitro model

Increased afterload results in ‘pathological’ cardiac hypertrophy, the most important risk factor for the development of heart failure. Current in vitro models fall short in deciphering the mechanisms of hypertrophy induced by afterload enhancement. The aim of this study was to develop an experimental model that allows investigating the impact of afterload enhancement (AE) on work-performing heart muscles in vitro. Fibrin-based engineered heart tissue (EHT) was cast between two hollow elastic silicone posts in a 24-well cell culture format. After 2?weeks, the posts were reinforced with metal braces, which markedly increased afterload of the spontaneously beating EHTs. Serum-free, triiodothyronine-, and hydrocortisone-supplemented medium conditions were established to prevent undefined serum effects. Control EHTs were handled identically without reinforcement. Endothelin-1 (ET-1)- or phenylephrine (PE)-stimulated EHTs served as positive control for hypertrophy. Cardiomyocytes in EHTs enlarged by 28.4?% under AE and to a similar extent by ET-1- or PE-stimulation (40.6 or 23.6?%), as determined by dystrophin staining. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was accompanied by activation of the fetal gene program, increased glucose consumption, and increased mRNA levels and extracellular deposition of collagen-1. Importantly, afterload-enhanced EHTs exhibited reduced contractile force and impaired diastolic relaxation directly after release of the metal braces. These deleterious effects of afterload enhancement were preventable by endothelin-A, but not endothelin-B receptor blockade. Sustained afterload enhancement of EHTs alone is sufficient to induce pathological cardiac remodeling with reduced contractile function and increased glucose consumption. The model will be useful to investigate novel therapeutic approaches in a simple and fast manner.