Detection of Leishmania infantum kinetoplast DNA in laryngeal tissue from an immunocompetent patient

Mucosal leishmaniasis of the upper respiratory tract is usually associated with the visceral form or is found in immunosuppressed individuals. This report presents a case of isolated mucosal leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent patient, whose diagnosis mainly rested on histology and positive polymerase chain reaction result for Leishmania donovani in the laryngeal tissue. A 59-year-old man, who never lived outside Italy, showed a subglottic mucosal polypoid-like lesion. The typical morphological picture and positive polymerase chain reaction result for L donovani by DNA extracted from laryngeal biopsy specimens allowed the diagnosis of mucosal leishmaniasis. Specific amphotericin B therapy was started, resulting in clinical and endoscopic improvement. Increased knowledge about the histological and molecular tissue analysis of Leishmania enhances the diagnostic testing for mucosal leishmaniasis, as primary mucosal leishmaniasis may occur in both immunosuppresed and immunocompetent patients who travel to or reside in areas endemic for Leishmania.     

Use of the Silvermann-Franklin biopsy needle for the diagnosis of intra-sinusal lesions, especially of the maxillary sinus

This report proposes the use of a new technique in the diagnosis of pathology of the maxillary sinus, including neoplasm, using the Silvermann-Franklin" needle. The procedure consists of approaching the diseased sinus through the canine, as in conventional biopsies, with the removal of fragments using forceps. Ten patients with an X-ray suggesting a mass in the maxillary sinus were studied. An 80% correlation was found between the anatomical and pathological findings of the biopsy and the subsequent surgical findings. The advantages of this method include the low risk, performance under local anaesthetic in an out-patient mode, the possibility of obtaining the diagnosis prior to surgery, and the possibility of obtaining deep-seated tissue fragments.     

Stair climbing test predicts cardiopulmonary complications after lung resection

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the capability of the stair climbing test to predict cardiopulmonary complications after lung resection for lung cancer. DESIGN: A prospective cohort of candidates for lung resection. Spirometric assessment and the stair climbing test were performed the day before operation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of postoperative complications. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: A consecutive series of 160 candidates for lung resection with lung carcinoma from January 2000 through March 2001. RESULTS: At univariate analysis, the patients with complications were significantly older (p = 0.02), had a significantly lower FEV(1) percentage (p = 0.007) and predicted postoperative FEV(1) percentage (p = 0.01), had a greater incidence of a concomitant cardiac disease (p = 0.02), climbed a lower altitude at the stair climbing test (p < 0.0001), and had a lower calculated maximum oxygen consumption (O(2)max) [p = 0.03] and predicted postoperative O(2)max (p = 0.006) compared to the patients without complications. At multivariate analysis, the altitude reached at the stair climbing test remained the only significant independent predictor of complications. CONCLUSIONS: The stair climbing test is a safe and economical exercise test, and it was the best predictor of cardiopulmonary complications after lung resection.     

Stair climbing test as a predictor of cardiopulmonary complications after pulmonary lobectomy in the elderly

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the role of a symptom-limited stair climbing test in predicting postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in elderly candidates for lung resection. METHODS: A consecutive series of 109 patients more than 70 years of age who underwent pulmonary lobectomy for lung carcinoma from January 2000 through May 2003 formed the prospective database of this study. All patients in the analysis performed a preoperative symptom-limited stair climbing test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications. RESULTS: At univariate analysis, the patients with complications had a lower forced expiratory capacity percentage of predicted (p = 0.048), predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second percentage of predicted (p = 0.049), climbed a lower height at preoperative stair climbing test (p = 0.0004), and presented a greater proportion of cardiac comorbiditiy with respect to the patients without complications (p = 0.02). After logistic regression analysis, significant predictors of postoperative complications resulted in the presence of a concomitant cardiac disease (p = 0.04) and a low height climbed preoperatively (p = 0.0015). CONCLUSIONS: A symptom-limited stair climbing test was a safe and simple instrument capable of predicting cardiopulmonary complications in the elderly after lung resection.     

Guillain-Barré syndrome in the course of dengue: case report

This case report describes the findings of a 45-year-old white woman from Brazil, who developed myalgia, fever and macular rash. She was diagnosed as having dengue, based on clinical manifestations and specific IgM titers. One week after the first symptoms of dengue, the patient developed muscle weakness, followed by tetraplegia with areflexia, and respiratory insufficiency. The electromyography had evidence of demyelinating neuropathy and the cerebrospinal fluid showed albuminocytologic dissociation. These neurologic findings were consistent with the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome. The patient was treated with immunoglobulin and metylprednisolone. Mechanical ventilation was started one week after hospital admission and maintained for four weeks. After six weeks of hospitalization the patient was discharged from the hospital on wheel chair, presenting mild muscle weakness and loss of patellar and ankle reflexes. When the patient was seen at the outpatient service three weeks after hospital discharge she was able to walk with help. This case report suggests a possible association between dengue and Guillain-Barré syndrome.     

Efficacy of lincomycin versus penicillin and clarithromycin in patients with acute pharyngitis/tonsillitis caused by group a beta-hemolytic streptococci and a clinical history of recurrence

This open-label, prospective, randomized, comparative, single-masked study was performed at eight centers in the Philippines and Latin America (Chile, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Venezuela). The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of three different antibiotic regimens for the treatment of acute pharyngitis/tonsillitis as a result of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS), and to assess the rate of recurrences. Children (aged 3 to 15 years) and adults with a recent history of tonsillitis associated with a positive rapid diagnostic test for group A streptococcus, later confirmed by positive cultures for GABHS, were randomized to one of the following antibiotic regimens (according to patient age) for 10 days: (1) lincomycin hydrochloride capsules or suspension: adults—two 500-mg capsules two times a day (BID) for 10 days; children—60 mg/kg per day divided BID for 10 days (maximum dose, 1000 mg/d); (2) phenoxymethylpenicillin capsules or suspension: adults—one 500-mg capsule three times a day (TID) for 10 days; children—50 mg/kg per day divided TID for 10 days (maximum dose, 1500 mg/d); (3) clarithromycin capsules or suspension: adults—one 250-mg capsule BID for 10 days; children—7.5 mg/kg per day divided BID for 10 days (maximum dose, 500 mg/d). After the initiation of treatment (12 to 14 days) and 3 months after completion, patients were evaluated to assess clinical and microbiologic recurrences. Our results indicate that all drugs had statistically similar clinical and bacteriologic efficacy as well as tolerability for the treatment of acute GABHS pharyngitis/tonsillitis with a clinical history of recurrence.     

Non-operative management of right side thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries—The value of testing chest tube effluent for bile

Introduction

While mandatory surgery for all thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries is advocated by some, the high rate of unnecessary operations challenges this approach. However, the consequences of intrathoracic bile remains poorly investigated. We sought to evaluate the outcome of patients who underwent non-operative management of right side thoracoabdominal (RST) penetrating trauma, and the levels of bilirubin obtained from those patients’ chest tube effluent.

Patients and methods

We managed non-operatively all stable patients with a single RST penetrating injury. Chest tube effluent samples were obtained six times within (4-8 h; 12-16 h; 20-24 h; 28-32 h; 36-40 h; 48 h and 72 h) of admission for bilirubin measurement and blood for complete blood count, bilirubin, alanine (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferases (AST) assays. For comparison we studied patients with single left thoracic penetrating injury.

Results

Forty-two patients with RST injuries were included. All had liver and lung injuries confirmed by CT scans. Only one patient failed non-operative management. Chest tube bilirubin peaked at 48 h post-trauma (mean 3.3 ± 4.1 mg/dL) and was always higher than both serum bilirubin (p < 0.05) and chest tube effluent from control group (27 patients with left side thoracic trauma). Serum ALT and AST were higher in RST injury patients (p < 0.05). One RST injury patient died of line sepsis.

Conclusion

Non-operative management of RST penetrating trauma appears to be safe. Bile originating from the liver injury reaches the right thoracic cavity but does not reflect the severity of that injury. The highest concentration was found in the patient failing non-operative management. The presence of intrathoracic bile in selected patients who sustain RST penetrating trauma, with liver injury, does not preclude non-operative management. Our study suggests that monitoring chest tube effluent bilirubin may provide helpful information when managing a patient non-operatively.