High hepatitis B virus load in a patient with severe polyarthritis nodosa

One of the extra-hepatic manifestations of hepatitis B virus is polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). It may involve medium- and small-sized arteries in any organ. Concurrency of these two diseases may be life threatening and both should be treated. Herein, we report on a patient with severe PAN and high hepatitis B virus load. The patient was an 18-year-old boy with multiple progressive wounds in the skin, referred to our center. The preliminary evaluation showed vasculitis in the skin biopsy compatible with PAN. He was treated with low dose prednisolone and lamivudine for three years. However, his condition got worse and ulcers on his leg became life threatening. The viral load was 17,000,000 copy/mL. The wound developed superimposed resistant bacterial infection. The patient was then treated with two antiviral drugs-lamivudin 100 mg/day plus adefovir 10 mg/day-and high dose cyclophosphamide (750 mg, once a month) and prednisolone (60 mg/day for one month). After six months of treatment, viral load decreased to 100,000 copy/mL and wounds healed. We concluded that high viral load of hepatitis B virus may play an important role in the severity of PAN. We recommend combination therapy with two antiviral agents with high dose of immunosuppressive drugs until both the diseases resolve significantly.     

The effect of prophylactic mesh implantation on the development of incisional hernias in patients with elevated BMI: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Incisional hernia is a common complication after midline laparotomy. In certain risk profiles incidences can reach up to 70%. Large RCTs showed a positive effect of prophylactic mesh reinforcement (PMR) in high-risk populations.

Objectives

The aim was to evaluate the effect of prophylactic mesh reinforcement on incisional hernia reduction in obese patients after midline laparotomies.

Methods

Following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search in Medline, Web of Science and CENTRAL was conducted. RCTs investigating PMR in patients with a BMI ≥ 27 reporting incisional hernia as primary outcome were included. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and certainty of evidence was rated according to the GRADE Working Group grading of evidence. A random-effects model was used for the meta-analysis. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications.

Results

Out of 2298 articles found by a systematic literature search, five RCTs with 1136 patients were included. There was no significant difference in the incidence of incisional hernia when comparing PMR with primary suture (odds ratio (OR) 0.59, 95% CI 0.34–1.01, p = 0.06, GRADE: low). Meta-analyses of seroma formation (OR 1.62, 95% CI 0.72–3.65; p = 0.24, GRADE: low) and surgical site infections (OR 1.52, 95% CI 0.72–3.22, p = 0.28, GRADE: moderate) showed no significant differences as well as subgroup analyses for BMI ≥ 40 and length of stay.

Conclusions

We did not observe a significant reduction of the incidence of incisional hernia with prophylactic mesh reinforcement used in patients with elevated BMI. These results stand in contrast to the current recommendation for hernia prevention in obese patients.