Subacute Progressive Myelopathy: Transverse Myelitis or Subacute Combined Degeneration? A Case Report

Evolving subacute myelopathies have many possible etiologies. This is a report of a patient who presented with progressive paresthesias, proprioceptive loss, and gait disturbance with acute myelitis seen on magnetic resonance imaging initially concerning for transverse myelitis. However, she also had vitamin B12 deficiency, and her clinical course ultimately suggested a diagnosis more compatible with subacute combined degeneration. The clinical features, laboratory, and imaging findings and prognosis of the 2 disorders are compared.

Significant association between RGS14 rs12654812 and nephrolithiasis risk among Guangxi population in China

Background

Nephrolithiasis is a worldwide health problem that affects almost all populations. This study aimed to evaluate the association between rs12654812 of regulator of G protein signaling 14 (RGS14) gene and nephrolithiasis in the Chinese population.

Methods

A total of 1541 participators including 830 cases and 711 controls were included from Guangxi area in China. Age, sex, BMI, smoking status, drinking status, creatinine, uric acid, and urea nitrogen were analyzed between the case group and control group.

Results

We found that the G/A+A/A genotypes of rs12654812 had a significantly increased nephrolithiasis risk after adjusting age, sex, BMI, smoking, drinking, and hypertension, compared with G/G genotype (OR = 1.361, 95% CI = 1.033‐1.794, P = .029). This hazardous effect was more pronounced in subgroup of age < 50, ever smoking, ever drinking, creatinine normal, and high uric acid. The G/A genotype of rs12654812 also had a significantly increased nephrolithiasis risk compared with G/G genotype. The A allele of rs12654812 significantly increased the risk of nephrolithiasis compared with the G allele after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, smoking, drinking and hypertension (OR = 1.277, 95% CI = 1.013‐1.609, P = .038).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the RGS14 polymorphism is involved in the etiology of nephrolithiasis and thus may be a genetic marker for nephrolithiasis.

     

熟肉制品中红2G的超高效液相色谱检测法

目的:建立熟肉制品中红2G的超高效液相色谱二极管阵列检测法。方法:样品经除蛋白,用乙醇—氨水提取色素,聚酰胺吸附法净化,以乙腈和0.02 mol/L乙酸铵为流动相梯度洗脱分离,二极管阵列检测器检测。结果:红2G浓度在0.50~20.0μg/ml范围内呈良好的线性关系,相关系数为0.9995,检出限0.10 mg/kg,对标准溶液连续测定的相对标准偏差为0.72%~1.5%(n=8)。方法的平均回收率为78.0%~88.3%,相对标准偏差为2.8%~7.6%。结论:方法的灵敏度高,精密度好,适于熟肉制品中红2G的检测,结果准确可靠。     

Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome. Report of 22 cases and brief review

In a series of 22 patients with the hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome managed during a five-year period in a community hospital setting, 21 patients were known to be diabetic and only six patients were in coma. The overall mortality was 36.3 percent, and seven of the eight deaths were explained by associated nonmetabolic causes. In this study, hyperosmolarity was not related to coma or to final outcome of treatment. Patients were managed with relatively small amounts of fluid, and the type of fluid used did not influence the final outcome.     

Chronic airflow obstruction in Fabry's disease

Seven patients with Fabry's disease, an x-linked sphingolipid storage disorder, were evaluated for the presence and extent of airway obstruction. All were found to have significant obstruction to airflow. In addition, evaluation of their airway epithelial cells obtained by bronchoscopy demonstrated that these cells contained inclusion bodies consistent with deposits of ceramide trihexoside, suggesting that part of their functional obstruction to airflow may be secondary to intrinsic airway disease. Although all of the study population had evidence of airflow obstruction, the impairment was much worse in those who smoked, implying that even mild cigarette smoking is particularly hazardous to patients with Fabry's disease.     

A convenient approximation of life expectancy (the “DEALE”): II. Use in medical decision-making

We show how to use a bedside approximation of life expectancy in quantitative decision-making. This method, the declining exponential approximation of life expectancy (DEALE), enables the physician to collate various survival data with information on morbidity to determine a quality-adjusted expected survival for a potential management plan. The keystone in the DEALE approach is the approximation of survival by a simple exponential function. This approximation makes it possible to translate data from various literature sources (life expectancy tables, five-year survival rates, survival curves, median survival) into a single, unified mortality scale. In this paper, we use the DEALE method to obtain approximations of quality-adjusted life expectancy and illustrate the application of the method in a quantitative analysis of a clinical decision.     

Superior vena cava syndrome: Case report: A complication of permanent transvenous endocardial cardiac pacing requiring surgical correction

Superior vena cava syndrome developed in a patient in whom an endocardial transvenous pacemaker had been inserted five years previously. Venography demonstrated an obstructing lesion at the junction of the superior vena cava and right atrium. Balloon catheter dilatation failed to afford any relief from her progressive symptoms. Exploration of the area revealed a benign fibrotic lesion encircling the pacemaker lead within the right atrium. Excision of the lesion, removal of the lead, and patching the right atrium with pericardium resulted in rapid cure.     

Dicarbonyl Electrophiles Mediate Inflammation-Induced Gastrointestinal Carcinogenesis

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Ventricular fibrillation during coronary angiography in dogs: the role of calcium-binding additives

Coronary angiography with Renografin 76 (RG76) occasionally results in ventricular fibrillation (VF). Angiovist 370 (AV370) is a contrast medium similar to RG76 except the calcium-sequestering agents, sodium citrate and EDTA in RG76 have been replaced by calcium EDTA. To determine whether these sequestering agents contribute to contrast medium-induced VF, a comparison was made of the effects of intracoronary injections of RG76, AV370, and saline solutions containing sodium citrate and EDTA (CIT/EDTA) and calcium EDTA (CA EDTA) on myocardial conduction, local QT intervals, and incidence of spontaneous and induced VF in 32 dogs. Four milliliters of RG76 produced a 111 +/- 12-ms increase in local QT intervals, compared with a 73 +/- 8-ms increase with AV370 (p less than 0.001). Spontaneous VF occurred in 12 of 16 six-milliliter injections of RG76, compared with 4 of 16 injections of AV370 (p less than 0.02) An early-cycle premature impulse applied after every fourth beat induced VF in 15 of 16 four-milliliter injections of RG76 compared with 5 of 16 injections of AV370 (p less than 0.01). As the premature beat conducted through the left anterior descending region, conduction slowing and fractionation occurred, which was less with AV370 than with RG76. The CIT/EDTA solution produced a greater increase in QT intervals (77 +/- 5 ms) than the CA EDTA solution (29 +/- 3 ms) or 0.9% saline solution alone (28 +/- 2 ms) (p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)