Mechanisms of recovery from type 2 diabetes after malabsorptive bariatric surgery

Currently, there are no data in the literature regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the rapid resolution of type 2 diabetes after bariatric surgery, which was reported as an additional benefit of the surgical treatment for morbid obesity. With this question in mind, insulin sensitivity, using euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, and insulin secretion, by the C-peptide deconvolution method after an oral glucose load, together with the circulating levels of intestinal incretins and adipocytokines, have been studied in 10 diabetic morbidly obese subjects before and shortly after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) to avoid the weight loss interference. Diabetes disappeared 1 week after BPD, while insulin sensitivity (32.96 +/- 4.3 to 65.73 +/- 3.22 mumol . kg fat-free mass(-1) . min(-1) at 1 week and to 64.73 +/- 3.42 mumol . kg fat-free mass(-1) . min(-1) at 4 weeks; P < 0.0001) was fully normalized. Fasting insulin secretion rate (148.16 +/- 20.07 to 70.0.2 +/- 8.14 and 83.24 +/- 8.28 pmol/min per m(2); P < 0.01) and total insulin output (43.76 +/- 4.07 to 25.48 +/- 1.69 and 30.50 +/- 4.71 nmol/m(2); P < 0.05) dramatically decreased, while a significant improvement in beta-cell glucose sensitivity was observed. Both fasting and glucose-stimulated gastrointestinal polypeptide (13.40 +/- 1.99 to 6.58 +/- 1.72 pmol/l at 1 week and 5.83 +/- 0.80 pmol/l at 4 weeks) significantly (P < 0.001) decreased, while glucagon-like peptide 1 significantly increased (1.75 +/- 0.16 to 3.42 +/- 0.41 pmol/l at 1 week and 3.62 +/- 0.21 pmol/l at 4 weeks; P < 0.001). BPD determines a prompt reversibility of type 2 diabetes by normalizing peripheral insulin sensitivity and enhancing beta-cell sensitivity to glucose, these changes occurring very early after the operation. This operation may affect the enteroinsular axis function by diverting nutrients away from the proximal gastrointestinal tract and by delivering incompletely digested nutrients to the ileum.     

Is total colectomy the right choice in intractable slow-transit constipation?

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the functional results of surgical treatment for intractable slow-transit constipation and to establish that the importance of correct diagnosis and type of colon resection (total or segmental) is essential to achieve optimal outcome while minimizing side effects. METHODS: Between 1995 and 2004, of the 450 patients presenting with chronic constipation, we further investigated 33 patients with a diagnosis of slow-transit constipation that had not improved with medical or rehabilitative treatment. Preoperative evaluation included a daily evacuation diary compiled using Wexner score, psychologic assessment, Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), radiologic investigation of colonic transit time, enema radiograph, colpo-cysto-defecography, anal manometry, and, in selected patients, colonoscopy and pudendal nerve terminal motor latency. In 15 cases, the cause of constipation was colonic slow-transit (with a mean Wexner score of 22), which was always associated with dolichocolon. The other 18 patients presented outlet obstruction, and, therefore, these results are not included in the present report. The 15 patients with slow-transit constipation were submitted to total laparoscopic colectomy (2), total open colectomy (6), and left laparoscopic hemicolectomy for left colonic slow-transit (7). RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 38 months. All patients except 1 presented improvement in symptoms with daily evacuations (P < .01; mean Wexner score, 6). Furthermore, results of the SF-36 test showed an improvement in the perception of physical pain, and the emotional, psychologic, and general health spheres after surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Meticulous preoperative evaluation of intractable slow-transit constipation may discriminate between the different causes of chronic constipation and thus avoid the well-known "Iceberg syndrome," which is responsible for many treatment failures.     

Corticosteroid resistance thrombocytopenia in connective tissue disorders and vasculitis

In rheumatic diseases there can appear deteriorations of the thrombocytes number in the sense of increase or decrease of this number.Thrombocytosis has 3 major causes: (1) reactive or secondary thrombocytosis; (2) family thrombocytosis and (3) clonal thrombocytosis. Thrombocytopenia, that is, decrease of the thrombocytes number below 150000/mmc is unusually in rheumatic diseases. Their mechanism of production can be central and peripheral. In the connective tissue disorders and vasculitis thrombocytopenia can has different causes: (1) decrease thrombocytes production; (2) splenic platelets sequestration; (3) peripheral platelets consumption; (4) peripheral immune mediated destruction of platelets. Thrombocytopenia is present in the following rheumatic diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Felty syndrome, vasculitis. Steroids are the conventional first line therapy for immune thrombocytopenia. Corticosteroid resistance can develop as a result of deteriorations that appear to the any level of pathway action of corticosteroids.     

Impact of donor extracellular vesicle release on recipient cell “cross-dressing” following clinical liver and kidney transplantation

In several murine models of transplantation, the “cross-dressing” of recipient antigen presenting cells (APCs) with intact donor major histocompatibility complex (MHC) derived from allograft-released small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) has been recently described as a key mechanism in eliciting and sustaining alloimmune responses. Investigation of these processes in clinical organ transplantation has, however, been hampered by the lack of sensitivity of conventional instruments and assays. We have employed advanced imaging flow cytometry (iFCM) to explore the kinetics of allograft sEV release and the extent to which donor sEVs might induce cross-dressing following liver and kidney transplantation. We report for the first time that recipient APC cross-dressing can be transiently detected in the circulation shortly after liver, but not kidney, transplantation in association with the release of HLA-bearing allograft-derived sEVs. In liver transplant recipients the majority of circulating cells exhibiting donor HLA are indeed cross-dressed cells and not passenger leukocytes. In keeping with experimental animal data, the downstream functional consequences of the transfer of circulating sEVs harvested from human transplant recipients varies depending on the type of transplant and time posttransplant. sEVs released shortly after liver, but not kidney, transplantation exhibit immunoinhibitory effects that could influence liver allograft immunogenicity.     

Liver transplantation for acute liver failure in a SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive patient

Current guidelines recommend deferring liver transplantation (LT) in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection until clinical improvement occurs and two PCR tests collected at least 24 hours apart are negative. We report a case of an 18-year-old, previously healthy African-American woman diagnosed with COVID-19, who presents with acute liver failure (ALF) requiring urgent LT in the context of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity. The patient was thought to have acute Wilsonian crisis on the basis of hemolytic anemia, alkaline phosphatase:bilirubin ratio <4, AST:ALT ratio >2.2, elevated serum copper, and low uric acid, although an unusual presentation of COVID-19 causing ALF could not be excluded. After meeting criteria for status 1a listing, the patient underwent successful LT, despite ongoing SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity. Remdesivir was given immediately posttransplant, and mycophenolate mofetil was withheld initially and the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test eventually became negative. Three months following transplantation, the patient has made a near-complete recovery. This case highlights that COVID-19 with SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity may not be an absolute contraindication for transplantation in ALF. Criteria for patient selection and timing of LT amid the COVID-19 pandemic need to be validated in future studies.     

Safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine,Qiaoshao formula,combined with dapoxetine in the treatment of premature ejaculation: An open-label,real-life,retrospective multicentre study in Chinese men

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Chinese medicine, Qiaoshao formula combined with dapoxetine was used for the treatment of premature ejaculation in a real-life setting. Nine hundred and five males diagnosed with premature ejaculation were reviewed in this retrospective cohort study. We divided the patients into two groups: dapoxetine alone and Qiaoshao formula combined with dapoxetine according to actual interventions provided to patients in clinics. The perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time and the premature ejaculation profile measures markedly improved in both groups. However, in men with severe premature ejaculation (baseline perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time <1 min) and those with baseline age ≤30 years, the perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time was slightly but significantly longer with combined therapy than with dapoxetine alone (p < .05). Therefore, combined therapy involving the Qiaoshao formula and dapoxetine proved to safe as well as effective for treating premature ejaculation while prolonging the perceived intravaginal ejaculation latency time, which significantly improved the overall satisfaction of the patient and likely that of the couple.     

Clinical features and outcome of maintenance hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 from a tertiary nephrology care center in Romania

Background There is limited information about the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of maintenance hemodialysis patients with COVID-19. Moreover, regional differences are also conceivable since the extend and severity of outbreaks varied among countries.Methods In this retrospective, observational, single-center study, we analyzed the clinical course and outcomes of 37 maintenance hemodialysis patients (median age 64 years, 51% men) hospitalized with COVID-19 from 24 March to 22 May 2020 as confirmed by real-time PCR.Results The most common symptoms at admission were fatigue (51%), fever (43%), dyspnea (38%) and cough (35%). There were 59% mild/moderate patients and 41% severe/critical patients. Patients in the severe/critical group had a significantly higher atherosclerotic burden since diabetic kidney disease and vascular nephropathies were the most common primary kidney diseases and eighty percent of them had coronary heart disease. Also, Charlson comorbidity score was higher in this group. At admission chest X-ray, 46% had ground-glass abnormalities. Overall, 60% patients received hydroxychloroquine, 22% lopinavir–ritonavir, 11% tocilizumab, 24% systemic glucocorticoids, and 54% received prophylactic anticoagulation. Seven (19%) patients died during hospitalization and 30 were discharged. The main causes of death were cardiovascular (5 patients) and respiratory distress syndrome (2 patients). In Cox regression analysis, lower oxygen saturation, anemia and hypoalbuminemia at admission were associated with increased mortality.Conclusions In conclusion, we observed a high mortality rate among maintenance hemodialysis patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Anemia, lower serum albumin and lower basal oxygen saturation at admission were factors associated with poor prognosis.     

Patient Satisfaction with AbobotulinumtoxinA for Aesthetic Use in the Upper Face: A Systematic Literature Review and Post-hoc Analysis of the APPEAL Study

BACKGROUND: AbobotulinumtoxinA (AboBoNT-A; Dysport^®; Ipsen, Boulogne-Billancourt, France/Azzalure^®; Galderma, Lausanne, Switzerland) is a botulinum neurotoxin type A approved for aesthetic use in the treatment of glabellar lines in adult patients under 65 years in Europe, the United States, and other countries. OBJECTIVE: We sought to analyze current literature on patient satisfaction with aboBoNT-A for upper facial aesthetic indications. METHODS: A systematic review of literature databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) was performed to identify English-language publications reporting on patients with aesthetic indications (including glabellar lines and wrinkles) receiving aboBoNT-A, that assessed patient and/or physician satisfaction with treatment, with no restrictions on comparator studies. Structured data extraction was used to enable inter-study analysis. A post-hoc analysis was also performed to assess patient satisfaction by sex and age, using results from the noninterventional APPEAL study of patients’ satisfaction with aboBoNT-A for treating glabellar lines. RESULTS: Overall, 22 original research papers were identified. Patient satisfaction rates for aboBoNT-A treatment were significantly higher versus placebo from two weeks to between three and five months postinjection. At two to three weeks postinjection, patient satisfaction rates were 52% and 99% across studies. In studies with later time points, patient satisfaction rates were 85 to 87 percent at 5 months and between 25 and 100 percent at 6 months post-injection. Physician satisfaction was also high (97%–100%, across three treatments). No notable differences in patient satisfaction by sex or age were observed in the APPEAL study. CONCLUSION: High rates of patient satisfaction have been achieved with aboBoNT-A treatment for upper facial aesthetic indications. Despite the current recommended interval of ≥12 weeks, satisfaction with the aesthetic results of aboBoNT-A therapy is still evident up to 6 months post-injection in some patients.     

Osteoporosis Treatment: When to Discontinue and When to Re-start

A number of effective therapies for the treatment of osteoporosis have become available in recent years. However, uncertainty exists regarding their long-term use and effectiveness. Bisphosphonate treatment, unlike hormone replacement, denosumab or teriparatide, is associated with benefits extended even after treatment discontinuation. The extended benefits are most apparent for alendronate (ALN) and zoledronate (ZOL). A drug holiday might be considered in patients at low-moderate risk and who have been fully compliant with treatment, and who have had a response to treatment. In patients at low-moderate risk of fractures the decision to consider a drug holiday should be balanced also with the safety profile of each treatment.     

The role of head and neck cancer advocacy organizations during the COVID‐19 pandemic

The COVID‐19 pandemic has had a significant impact on many aspects of head and neck cancer (HNC) care. The uncertainty and stress resulting from these changes has led many patients and caregivers to turn to HNC advocacy groups for guidance and support. Here we outline some of the issues being faced by patients with HNC during the current crisis and provide examples of programs being developed by advocacy groups to address them. We also highlight the increased utilization of these organizations that has been observed as well as some of the challenges being faced by these not‐for‐profit groups as they work to serve the head and neck community.