An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for female pelvic floor dysfunction

Introduction and hypothesis

Next to existing terminology of the lower urinary tract, due to its increasing complexity, the terminology for pelvic floor dysfunction in women may be better updated by a female-specific approach and clinically based consensus report.

Methods

This report combines the input of members of the Standardization and Terminology Committees of two International Organizations, the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) and the International Continence Society (ICS), assisted at intervals by many external referees. Appropriate core clinical categories and a subclassification were developed to give an alphanumeric coding to each definition. An extensive process of 15 rounds of internal and external review was developed to exhaustively examine each definition, with decision-making by collective opinion (consensus).

Results

A terminology report for female pelvic floor dysfunction, encompassing over 250 separate definitions, has been developed. It is clinically based with the six most common diagnoses defined. Clarity and user-friendliness have been key aims to make it interpretable by practitioners and trainees in all the different specialty groups involved in female pelvic floor dysfunction. Female-specific imaging (ultrasound, radiology, and MRI) has been a major addition while appropriate figures have been included to supplement and help clarify the text. Ongoing review is not only anticipated but will be required to keep the document updated and as widely acceptable as possible.

Conclusions

A consensus-based terminology report for female pelvic floor dysfunction has been produced aimed at being a significant aid to clinical practice and a stimulus for research.     

Validation of pharmacogenetic algorithms and warfarin dosing table in Egyptian patients

Background Warfarin remains a difficult drug to use due to the large variability in dose response. Clear understanding of the accuracy of warfarin pharmacogenetic dosing methods might lead to appropriate control of anticoagulation. Objective This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of warfarin dosing table and two pharmacogenetic algorithms, namely the algorithms of Gage et al. (Clin Pharmacol Ther 84:326?C331, 2008), and the International Warfarin Pharmacogenetics Consortium algorithm (IWPC) in a real Egyptian clinical setting. Additionally, three non-pharmacogenetic dosing methods (the Gage, IWPC clinical algorithms and the empiric 5?mg/day dosing) were evaluated. Setting Sixty-three Egyptian patients on a stable therapeutic warfarin dose were included. Patients were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the critical care medicine department. Methods CYP2C9 and VKORC1 polymorphisms were genotyped by real time PCR system. Predicted doses by all dosing methods were calculated and compared with the actual therapeutic warfarin doses. Results The Gage algorithm (adjusted R²?=?0.421, and mean absolute error (MAE)?=?3.3), and IWPC algorithm (adjusted R²?=?0.419, MAE?=?3.2) produced better accuracy than did the warfarin dosing table (adjusted R²?=?0.246, MAE?=?3.5), the two clinical algorithms (R²?=?0.24, MAE?=?3.7) and the fixed dose approach (MAE?=?3.9). However, all dosing models produced comparable clinical accuracy with respect to proportion of patients within 1?mg/day of actual dose (ideal dose). Non-pharmacogenetic methods severely over-predicted dose (defined as ??2?mg/day more than actual dose) compared to the three pharmacogenetic models. In comparison to non-pharmacogenetic methods, the three pharmacogenetic models performed better regarding the low dose group in terms of percentage of patients within ideal dose. In the high dose group, none of the dosing models predicted warfarin doses within ideal dose. Conclusion Our study showed that genotype-based dosing improved prediction of warfarin therapeutic dose beyond that available with the fixed-dose approach or the clinical algorithms, especially in the low-dose group. However, the two pharmacogenetic algorithms were the most accurate.     

Look-alike and sound-alike medicines: risks and 'solutions'

??Look-alike, sound-alike?? medicines are associated with dispensing errors. This commentary aims to fuel discussion surrounding how drug name nomenclature and similar packaging between medicines can lead to selection errors, the need for enhanced approval systems for medicine names and packaging, and best practice ??solutions??. The literature reveals a number of environmental risks and human factors that can contribute to such errors. To contextualise these risks, we interviewed 13 quality and safety experts, psycholinguists, and hospital and community pharmacy practitioners in Australia, and commissioned a medical software industry expert to conceptualise electronic initiatives. Environmental factors contributing to such errors, identified through both the literature and interviews, include distractions during dispensing; workflow controls should minimise the ??human factors?? element of errors. Technological solutions with some support, and yet recognised limitations, include font variations, automated alerts, barcode scanning and real-time reporting programmed into dispensing software; further development of these initiatives is recommended.     

Utility of endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatitis： A review

The close proximity of the endoscopic ultrasound probe to the pancreas results in superior spatial resolution compared to CT scan and MRI. In addition, endoscopic ultrasound （EUS） is a minimally invasive procedure that does not share the relatively high complication rate of ERCP. Due to these advantages, EUS has evolved into an important technique to assess pancreatobiliary disease. This review will discuss the role of EUS in patients with pancreatitis. The indications can be divided into acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis. In acute pancreatitis, EUS is used to determine the etiology; in suspected chronic pancreatitis it is helpful to establish the diagnosis. Lastly, this review will discuss biliary pancreatitis with suspicion for persistent choledocholithiasis.     

Evaluation of clinical activity and safety of Daflon 500 mg in type 2 diabetic female patients

Background

The incidence of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is approximately twice as high as in the non-diabetic population.

Aim

To investigate the hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic effects of Daflon^® 500 mg (DF) administration together with its tolerability and efficacy in reducing the cardiovascular metabolic risk factors in female patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

In a well-adequate controlled single-blinded randomized parallel design the tolerability and the efficacy of Daflon^® (500 mg) either alone or with oral hypoglycemic, twice daily for 45 days, was studied in 36 female patients with type 2 diabetes.

Results

None of the patients in the studied groups were reported to have any adverse events throughout the treatment period (45 days), liver and kidney function tests were within normal limits and there was no significant difference between the pre-treatment (day 0) and post-treatment (day 45) values. Female patients receiving Daflon^® either alone or with oral hypoglycemic showed significant decrease in serum glucose; fructosamine; total cholesterol; LDL–cholesterol; triglycerides; malondialdehydes (as index of lipid peroxidation) and C-reactive protein (CRB) levels along with increase in the levels of nitric oxide and blood glutathione.

Conclusion

This study has shown that Daflon^® (500 mg, twice daily for 45 days) is helpful in reducing glucose level and the risk of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients.

Recommendation

Further clinical trials are essential for strengthening the evidence base on the role of this drug in the cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients.     

Endoscopic argon plasma coagulation of Marlex mesh erosion after vertical-banded gastroplasty

BACKGROUND: Marlex mesh erosions may occur as late complications after vertical-banded gastroplasty. Experience with the endoscopic treatment is limited. OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of argon plasma coagulation in the endoscopic treatment of eroded Marlex mesh. DESIGN: Case report. SETTINGS: Endoscopy Unit, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. PATIENTS: We describe the endoscopic treatment of eroded Marlex mesh in 2 patients who presented with symptoms of gastric-outlet obstruction. INTERVENTIONS: In both cases, argon plasma coagulation was used to break down the eroded Marlex mesh. Fragments were subsequently removed with forceps and electrocautery snares. We did not encounter any complications with this method. RESULTS: The endoscopic treatment resulted in lasting symptomatic improvement in both patients. LIMITATIONS: Our experience is limited to 2 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Argon plasma coagulation appears to be a promising option for the endoscopic treatment of eroded Marlex mesh. It allows the fragmentation of large mesh portions and enables subsequent removal with a snare and a forceps. This method can result in symptomatic improvement and may obviate the need for surgery. Further data are necessary to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of this approach.     

Use of desmopressin as an alternative to corticotropin-releasing hormone during inferior petrosal sinus sampling in a child with Cushing's disease

Cushing's syndrome (CS) is rare in children. Information on bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS) in children with CS is limited. In the procedure CRH is always used to stimulate ACTH values. In addition, growth failure is the main complication of pediatric CS, mainly due to a profound GH suppression that persists for a few months after cure of the disease. Early treatment with recombinant GH after CS cure may partly reverse this phenomenon. We report herein a case of Cushing's disease (CD) in a 7-yr-old child, presenting with severe growth failure. No pituitary adenoma was shown on magnetic resonance imaging and a BIPSS using desmopressin allowed the identification of a central to peripheral (C/P) gradient; however transphenoidal surgery (TSS) did not cure the disease thus requiring the performance of bilateral adrenalectomy. After cure of the disease, a partial catch up of the growth delay occurred without any GH treatment. Our case reinforces the fact that BIPSS can be performed safely in very young children with CD. It also suggests for the first time that the use of desmopressin during the procedure gives the same information as CRH, as well as confirming the fact that the success of TSS is poor in very young children. Finally, it suggests that growth failure in children with CS can be partially reversed after surgical cure of the disease without any GH treatment and that the high IGF-I observed during corticosteroid replacement therapy is due to a state of IGF-I resistance.     

Acute Korsakoff-like amnestic syndrome resulting from left thalamic infarction following a right hippocampal hemorrhage

Korsakoff-like amnestic syndromes have been rarely described following structural lesions of the central nervous system. In this report, we describe a case of acute Korsakoff-like syndrome resulting from the combination of a left anteromedian thalamic infarct and a right hippocampal hemorrhage. We also review the literature relevant to the neuropathology and pathophysiology of Korsakoff syndrome and anterograde amnesia.