Comparison of fecal microflora in children with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome according to IgE sensitization to food

Atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) commonly often arises during early infancy. In several intervention studies a beneficial influence on AEDS course of certain intestinal bacteria, administered as 'probiotics', has been described. To evaluate the possible role of the natural intestinal microflora in children with allergic eczema/dermatitis syndrome regarding immediate type hypersensitivity to food allergens, children with food allergy (AAEDS, n = 68) have been compared with children without detectable food allergy (NAEDS, n = 25). All children (n = 93) in preschool age, mean age of 2.6 (+/-1.8) years, diagnosed with AEDS who were treated as inpatients in 2003 in a dermatological hospital were included. The correlation between fecal microflora, parasites and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies against common food allergens was analyzed. A similar composition of intestinal microflora in children with AAEDS and NAAEDS was found. The food allergens that were most frequently detected were egg white, cow milk, casein, peanut and hazelnut. Furthermore, a significant association between IgE sensitization against important food allergens and components of the fecal microflora could not be demonstrated. With aging changes occur in the intestinal microbiota [Proteus/Klebsiella and age (rho = -0.607) and Enterococcus and age (rho = -0.428)]. In two subjects of the AAEDS group Blastocystis hominis was found. The composition of natural intestinal microflora in children with AAEDS and NAAEDS was similar. Hence, there is no evidence of a role of the intestinal microflora with regard to the development of infant (food) allergy in children with AEDS. The possible consequences for allergic diseases later in life require further investigation.     

良性前列腺增生中医证型与尿动力学参数相关性研究

目的:探讨良性前列腺增生(BPH)中医证型与尿动力学参数的相关性。方法:152例BPH患者,中医辨证分为肾阴不足、肾阳虚弱、瘀阻水道、脾气虚弱、肺热气郁、湿热下注、痰浊郁结七型,均进行尿动力学检查。结果:152例BPH患者中,肾阳虚弱型71例(46.71%),瘀阻水道型40例(26.31%),肾阴不足型14例(9.21%)。膀胱出口梗阻为III～VI度肾阳虚弱型有58例,瘀阻水道型有38例,其中严重梗阻(V～VI)26例。膀胱逼尿肌收缩功能极弱中(n=12),肾阳虚弱型4例,占33.33%(4/12),瘀阻水道型7例,占58.33%(7/12);膀胱逼尿肌收缩功能弱者中(n=48),肾阳虚弱型为27例,占56.25%(27/48),瘀阻水道型17例,占35.42%(17/48)。结论:BPH中医各辨证分型与膀胱出口梗阻和膀胱逼尿肌收缩力有一定的相关性,从而为中医证型的量化和客观化提供相应的证据。     

Five‐Year Follow‐up After Sacral Neuromodulation: Single Center Experience

Objective. We studied long‐term clinical efficacy of sacral neuromodulation (SNM) therapy in patients with refractory urgency incontinence (UI), urgency/frequency (UF) and voiding difficulty (VD), together with urodynamic data at baseline and six   months postimplant. Materials and Methods. Twenty‐two patients were implanted with a neurostimulator after a positive response to a percutaneous nerve evaluation test defined as a greater than 50% improvement in symptoms. Results. At five‐year follow‐up, the number of incontinent episodes and pad usage per day decreased significantly in 10 out of 15 UI patients. Two of five UF patients were successfully treated with SNM; the number of daily voids for all UF patients decreased from 25 to 19 and average voided volume increased from 98 to 212 mL. One of the two VD patients was able to void to completion. Mean first sensation of filling at the six‐month urodynamic investigation for the UI and UF patients increased from 78 to 241 mL and 141 to 232 mL, respectively, and the maximum bladder capacity increased from 292 to 352 mL and 223 to 318 mL, respectively. Five of 22 patients underwent device explant and one patient still has an inactive stimulator implanted. Conclusion. SNM is an effective treatment modality that offers sustained clinical benefit in the majority of patients with refractory UI, UF, and VD that do not respond to other, more conservative therapies.     

Severe hypoglycaemia in a person with insulin autoimmune syndrome accompanied by insulin receptor anomaly type B.

AIMS: A rare case of the insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) accompanied by insulin receptor anomaly is reported. METHODS: Antibodies to insulin and insulin receptor were determined in the patient with severe hypoglycaemia before and after the treatment with prednisolone. RESULTS: Titers of antibody to insulin and insulin receptors were 73.0% and 41.5%, respectively. Drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation tests were all negative for the suspicious drugs. Her HLA-DR was DRB1*0403/04051. Following steroid therapy, the formation of antibodies was suppressed and alleviated her symptoms. Scatchard analysis yielded findings specific to polyclonal antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in autoantibodies resulted in alleviation of the hypoglycemic symptoms as a result of steroid therapy.     

Toxic epidermal necrolysis; 15 years'' experience in a Dutch burns centre

BACKGROUND: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe and potentially fatal drug reaction characterized by an extensive skin rash with blisters and exfoliation, frequently accompanied by mucositis. The wounds caused by TEN are similar to second-degree burns and severe cases may involve large areas of skin loss. OBJECTIVES: Analysis of our results in patients with TEN and evaluation of the variety of therapeutic interventions that has been studied and suggested in TEN. PATIENTS/METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 19 consecutive patients with TEN treated in our burns centre between 1989 and 2004. RESULTS: Immediate withdrawal of any potentially fatal drug, maximum supportive care, and a restricted and tailored antibiotic, medical and surgical treatment regimen confined mortality to 21%, whereas prognosis scores like APACHE II and SCORTEN predicted mortality of 22 and 30%, respectively. A positive contribution of selective digestive decontamination is suggested but has yet to be established. CONCLUSIONS: Because of a potentially fatal outcome, fast referral of a patient suspected of TEN to a specialized centre (mostly a burns unit or specialized dermatology centre) for expert wound management and tailored comprehensive care is strongly advised and contributes to survival.     

Neuroimaging and Neurologic Complications after Organ Transplantation

Neurologic complications are common after transplantation and affect 30-60% of transplant recipients. The etiology of most of the posttransplant neurologic disorders is related to the opportunistic infections, both systemic and involving central nervous system (CNS), toxicity of immunosuppressive medications, and the metabolic insult created by the underlying primary disease and the transplant procedure. Neuroimaging studies are one of the key tools in the evaluation and enable early diagnosis of neurologic complications in transplant patients, especially posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome, central pontine myelinolysis, intracerebral hemorrhage, and fungal and bacterial abscesses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred technique, but each of the available neuroimaging techniques offers a unique insight into the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying neurologic complications of transplantation. The role of neuroimaging in this population includes early detection of calcineurin inhibitor neurotoxicity, opportunistic infections, neoplasia, metabolic disorders, or cerebrovascular diseases. In addition, we can monitor longitudinal progression of disease and treatment response.     

风疹易感人群婚前风疹疫苗接种预防先天性风疹综合征

目的探讨婚前风疹易感人群风疹疫苗接种在提高孕妇对风疹的免疫力,预防先天性风疹综合征中的作用.方法对10 913例婚前风疹病毒抗体IgG阴性者给予国产风疹减毒活疫苗注射.3个月随防671例,比较风疹疫苗接种前后该地区孕妇近期风疹感染的发病率.结果818例风疹病毒抗体IgG阴性者接种后抗体转阳率为99.8%.风疹疫苗接种前后3年孕妇近期风疹感染率分别为0.37%及0.08%,有明显下降,有非常显著差异(P＜0.001).结论应用国产风疹减毒活疫苗对婚前易感人群作预防接种可提高育龄妇女对风疹的免疫力,降低孕期风疹感染的发生率,是预防先天性风疹综合征及风疹致畸的有效、安全措施.