Health Beliefs and Preventive Behaviors Among Adults During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: a Latent Class Analysis

Prevention Science - The objectives of this study are to (1) characterize patterns of preventive behaviors 3 months after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in the USA...     

Familial cytomegalic adrenocortical hypoplasia: an X-linked syndrome of pubertal failure

Five boys with familial cytomegalic adrenocortical hypoplasia have been followed up for an average of 19 years. Despite treatment with replacement corticosteroids, all 5 failed to show a spontaneous onset of puberty and, when assessed at ages 13 to 19 years, all had both sexual infantilism and skeletal immaturity. Hypogonadism was confirmed by low levels of plasma testosterone, and pituitary reserve of gonadotrophin was shown to be inadequate by testing with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. Two boys, both with adequate testosterone output on human chorionic gonadotrophin stimulation, were given gonadotrophin therapy, whereas the other 3 were treated with parenterally administered testosterone. With treatment, all 5 patients showed advances in pubertal staging. Although the mechanism of the hypogonadotropism remains unclear, the association of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism with familial cytomegalic adrenocortical hypoplasia appears to be a constant one and may be considered as a treatable inherited syndrome of pubertal failure.     

Adult to adult living-related liver transplantation. The Paul-Brousse Hospital preliminary experience

AIM: Liver-graft shortages justify the development of adult living-related liver transplantation. The preliminary experience with this technique at Paul-Brousse Hospital is reported. PATIENTS ET METHODES: From January to July 2000, 7 adult to adult living-related liver transplantations were performed. Donors were 5 females and 2 males aged 20 to 53 years old (median: 41). A right liver graft was harvested in all cases. Recipients were 5 males and 2 females aged from 17 to 58 years old (median: 50) transplanted for viral cirrhosis (4 cases including 2 with hepatocellular carcinoma), subfulminant hepatitis (1 case), hepatocellular carcinoma on a healthy liver (1 case), and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (1 case). Follow-up ranged from 41 to 157 days (median: 117 days). RESULTS: One donor had a biliary fistula that healed spontaneously. One donor had asterixis for 24 hours. The 7 donors are alive at home without any late complications. One recipient was retransplanted for hepatic artery thrombosis and 2 recipients had a biliary fistula that healed spontaneously. The 7 recipients are alive at home with normal liver function. CONCLUSION: Our experience and other reports suggest that adult to adult living-related liver transplantation is feasible with rare mortality and low morbidity in donors. Results in recipients are comparable to those obtained with cadaveric grafts. For a given patient the possibility of living related donation might extend the indications for transplantation without penalizing patients waiting for a cadaveric graft.     

Analysis of risk factors for complications and adverse obstetrical outcomes in women with Takayasu arteritis: a French retrospective study and literature review

Clinical Rheumatology - Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is a large vessel vasculitis affecting young women of childbearing age. The outcome of pregnancies in TAK patients, factors associated with maternal...     

Comparison of radiation doses from multislice computed tomography coronary angiography and conventional diagnostic angiography.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to quantify and compare effective doses from conventional angiography and multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary angiography using a 16-slice scanner. BACKGROUND: Multislice computed tomography is now a viable modality for cardiac imaging. However, for any diagnostic use of ionizing radiation, the risk to the patient must be considered and justified. METHODS: Multislice computed tomography angiography and conventional angiography were used to assess 180 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. Estimates of effective dose were derived from exposure data recorded for each patient examination. For each modality, a comparable calculation technique was used, based on Monte Carlo modeling of the standard Cristy phantom. RESULTS: In a subset of 91 directly comparable patients the mean effective dose for MSCT coronary angiography was 14.7 mSv (SD 2.2) and that for conventional angiography was 5.6 mSv (SD 3.6). A significant difference in effective dose was seen between the two protocols. CONCLUSIONS: The mean effective dose for MSCT coronary angiography was significantly higher than that for conventional angiography. As MSCT cardiac scanners become increasingly available, operators must be aware of the radiation dose and the factors that affect it.     

Paecilomyces variotii fungemia in a patient with multiple myeloma: case report and literature review

Infectious complications are common in patient with multiple myeloma. However, Paecilomyces variotii, a common saprophytic fungus, rarely causes human infection. We report the first case of P. variotii fungemia in this illness with good response with adapted anti-mycotic treatment.     

Is there a shortening of the urethral plate in complete penile disassembly used in epispadias repair,and what is its impact on the final outcomes?

Purpose

To assess the importance of shortening of the urethral plate that occurred with complete penile disassembly technique in epispadias repair and its impact on cosmetic and functional results (on urinary incontinence).

Liver transplantation with cavoportal or renoportal anastomosis: a solution in cases of diffuse portal thrombosis

OBJECTIVE: Liver transplantation was contraindicated in patients with diffuse thrombosis of the portal vein until the recent use of graft portal vein reperfusion with the caval flow or one of its tributaries. Long term results of these procedures are reported here.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight patients with diffuse portal vein thrombosis were transplanted by portal reperfusion via latero-terminal anastomosis between the native caval vein and the graft portal vein (2 patients) or termino-terminal between the native left renal vein and the graft portal vein (6 patients).RESULTS: Three patients died 3, 3 and 6 months following transplantation from intracerebral hemorrhage, cardiac arrest, and chronic rejection respectively. Three patients had complicated portal hypertension. Five patients were alive at home with a median follow-up of 9 months (2 to 37 months) with normal liver and kinase functions.CONCLUSION: Portal reperfusion with the caval vein flow allows transplantation of patients with diffuse poral vein thrombosis. According to our experience and to the analysis of the literature, reno-portal anastomosis is preferable to cavo-portal reconstruction.