Bilateral Lower Limb Edema Caused by Compression of the Retrohepatic Inferior Vena Cava by a Giant Hepatic Hemangioma

Hemangiomas are the most common benign primary tumors of the liver and their prevalence ranges from 0.4% to 20%. Approximately 85% of hemangiomas are clinically asymptomatic and are incidentally detected in imaging studies performed for other causes. In a very small minority of patients, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, distension, palpable mass, obstructive jaundice, bleeding, and signs and symptoms of Budd-Chiari syndrome may develop due to compression of bile duct, hepatic vein, portal vein, and adjacent organs. Occasionally, external compression of inferior vena cava may lead to edema and/or indirect symptoms such as deep vein thrombosis of the lower limbs. In this report, we present a case of giant hepatic hemangioma that completely filled the right lobe of the liver. The patient presented with bilateral lower limb edema and pain. A computed tomography scan detected a 9 × 11 × 12 cm mass indicative of a hemangioma in the right lobe of the liver that compressed the inferior vena cava. The patient refused treatment initially but returned 6 months later presenting with the same symptoms. At that time, the mass had increased in size and a hepatectomy was performed, preserving the middle hepatic vein. By postoperative month 13, the swelling in the lower extremities had decreased significantly and the inferior vena cava appeared normal.     

Possible Role of GLP-1 and Its Agonists in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Unfortunately, the only approved medical treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is insulin, despite the fact that tight control cannot be reached without some serious side effects such as hypoglycemia and weight gain. More and more importance is now shifted towards developing new drugs that can reach a better glycemic control with lesser side effects. Some of these promising drugs are the glucagon-like peptides 1 (GLP-1) and their agonists, which have been FDA approved for the treatment of type 2 DM. The purpose of this article is to review all of the relevant literature on the potential role of GLP-1 in the treatment of type 1 DM. The major source of data acquisition included Medline search strategies, using the words "type 1 diabetes mellitus" and "GLP-1." Articles published in the last 20?years were screened. GLP-1 increases insulin secretion in humans with existing beta cells; it also decreases glucagon secretion, and blunts appetite. Of note, new animal studies demonstrate a role in beta cell-proliferation and decreased apoptosis. Because of all the effects mentioned above, GLP-1 seems to be a promising drug for type 1 DM treatment, but more studies are still needed before solid conclusions can be drawn.     

Thrombotic microangiopathy and acute kidney injury following vivax malaria

Background

Infection with Plasmodium vivax, a common human parasite, is occasionally recognized to cause severe organ dysfunction similar to P. falciparum infection. Acute kidney injury (AKI) in malaria is attributed to acute tubular necrosis; thrombotic microangiopathy is not described.

Methods

This observational study includes patients referred to a tertiary care center in North India during June to September 2011 with severe AKI, anemia, and thrombocytopenia following vivax malaria. Renal biopsies were processed by light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy.

Results

Nine patients (including 5 children) had persistent AKI with thrombocytopenia and variable anemia following the diagnosis of malaria. Based on peripheral smear, eight patients were diagnosed with vivax malaria and had received antimalarial therapy prior to referral; a laboratory diagnosis of P. vivax infection was made for one patient at this center. Renal histology in all cases showed features of thrombotic microangiopathy, including fibrin thrombi, subendothelial widening, and mesangiolysis, along with variable tubulointerstitial nephritis and acute tubular or cortical necrosis. Ultrastructural examination confirmed endothelial injury and subendothelial widening. All patients required hemodialysis, and six were dialysis dependent at four weeks. Delayed presentation to the hospital (P = 0.019), hemolysis on peripheral smear (P = 0.083), and prolonged oligoanuria (P = 0.036) were associated with dialysis dependence.

Conclusion

The association of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal histological evidence of thrombotic microangiopathy with vivax malaria is novel, and suggests the presence of severe endothelial injury. Further studies are necessary to confirm the association and examine the factors associated with its occurrence.     

Clinical predictors of the psychosocial long term outcome after brain injury

Abstract

The correlation of clinical with psychological and social data is an attempt to find predictors of the definite long term outcome after brain injury. 34 patients were reexamined 3 to 8 years after the accident using a number of psychological tests. Additionally, life quality was defined and evaluated. Only patients with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale-Score of 3–12, an intracranial traumatic lesion on computertomography and age 16–65 years at the time of accident were included in this study. Patients exhibited a uniform pattern of disturbances in psychosocial long term outcome. These disturbances were compared with initial clinical data: memory, attention and learning were significantly correlated with the duration of coma and the presence of additional extracerebraI injuries. From the initial computerized tomography, the findings 'compression of basal cisterns' and lintracerebral contusion' showed to be predictors of the cerebral function. Late social status and behavior, defined as quality of life, were clearly related with initial clinical findings. In conclusionl there are early clinical predictors of the long term social and psychological outcome after brain injury. [Neural Res 1997; 19: 305–310]