BACKGROUND: Widespread Al toxicity is unusual today. In 2005, Canadian peritoneal dialysis (PD) centers reported widespread hyperaluminemia in patients using dialysates from one specific manufacturer. Our objectives were to evaluate risk factors related to Al accumulation and to assess its clinical consequences in patients from 2 centers. ♢ METHODS: A ...

OBJECTIVE:Screening plasma samples from patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) to discover diagnostic biomarkers. METHODS:Plasma samples were collected from 17 patients with sporadic CJD, 17 patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), and 20 healthy subjects. A 2-phase screening was carried out using quantitative protein mass spectrometry. The putative sporadic CJD biomarkers ...

: There has been no systematic review of natural history studies of pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We conducted a systematic review focused on understanding the long-term risks of growth failure, disease reclassification and extension, hospitalizations, cancer and death among patients with childhood IBD. : PubMed searches and subsequent data ...

Schizophrenia shows gender differences in patients' clinical presentation, neurocognitive impairment, course, and treatment outcome. The aims of this study were to compare gender differences in clinical features and cognitive functioning in first-episode and chronic schizophrenia among Han Chinese inpatients. We compared gender differences in 262 unmedicated first-episode schizophrenia and 960 ...

Since cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) leads to substantial morbidity and sudden death, early diagnosis and appropriate management are crucial for patients with CS. Echocardiography used to be considered a useful diagnostic tool for patients with CS, but CS may clinically present as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Our objective was to investigate whether ...

BACKGROUND: Impulsivity is a characteristic of bipolar disorder (BD) that can contribute to the risk for suicidal behavior. Evidence suggests that gray and white matter abnormalities are linked with impulsivity, but little is known about the association between corpus callosum (CC) and impulsivity in BD. We examined the CC area ...

Background  The most common types of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) are mycosis fungoides (MF) and its leukemic variant, Sézary syndrome (SS). One of the hallmarks of MF and SS is pruritus that rarely responds to treatment. Little is known about the prevalence and severity of pruritus in MF and ...

: Hypoxic hepatitis (HH) occurring after gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotic patients has been scarcely studied and is reported as a rare occurrence carrying a severe prognosis. The management of bleeding from esophageal varices (BEV) and similarly the prognosis has improved in the last decades. : To evaluate retrospectively the incidence, ...

Although hyponatremia during hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) has been reported to correlate with poor prognosis, few studies have examined the effect of progression of hyponatremia on cardiac prognosis in ADHF patients who were normonatremic at admission. Consecutive ADHF patients (n = 662) categorized as New York Heart Association Class ...

The long-term risk of patients with Kawasaki disease is not well defined. A great proportion of patients with Kawasaki disease have important variation of their coronary artery (CA) diameters, but the significance of this variation is not known. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that patients ...

The presence of occlusive portal vein thrombosis (PVT) greatly changes the natural history of liver cirrhosis, because it not only significantly increases the incidence of variceal rebleeding but also negatively influences the survival. However, due to the absence of strong evidence, no standard treatment algorithm for the secondary prophylaxis of ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate epidemiologic differences between patients with unilateral and bilateral Ménière's disease (MD). To evaluate these differences for insights into the possible causes of bilateral MD. BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of MD is based on clinical criteria, and its cause is unknown. Differences in characteristics of patients with unilateral and ...

Apixaban is superior to aspirin for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Apixaban is partially renally excreted and may accumulate in patients with renal impairment. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of apixaban 5 mg twice daily (2.5 mg twice daily in selected patients) compared with aspirin ...

Gastrointestinal manifestations and villous atrophy can be seen in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). In some patients, infectious agents may be responsible, whereas in others, celiac disease (CD) may be the cause. In this study, we investigate the causes and the histopathologic features seen in patients with CVID. Eleven ...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze longterm progression to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the predictive value of anticitrullinated peptide/protein antibodies (ACPA) in palindromic rheumatism (PR). METHODS: We selected all patients in our clinic with PR who had at least 1 ACPA measurement. We included only patients with pure PR, defined as no evidence ...

Introduction: Few ultrastructural studies have been reported in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The authors report a series of synovial biopsies with emphasis on patients with early disease to look for distinctive light (LM) and electron microscopic (EM) features of possible importance. Methods: The authors examined synovial biopsies obtained primarily by needle ...

Hoarding disorder (HD), previously considered a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), has been proposed as a unique diagnostic entity in DSM-5. Current models of HD emphasize problems of decision-making, attachment to possessions, and poor insight, whereas previous neuroimaging studies have suggested abnormalities in frontal brain regions. To examine the neural ...

BACKGROUND: Signal peptide-CUB (complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, and Bmp1)-EGF (epidermal growth factor)-domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE1) is a cell surface protein belonging to the SCUBE gene family. SCUBE1 has been shown to rise in parallel with platelet activation in acute ischemic events. However, there are no studies showing levels in the hemodialysis ...

BACKGROUND: Although most patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) benefit from proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, some experience only partial symptom relief. AIM: To determine the prevalence of partial heartburn response to PPIs and its impact on health-related quality of life. METHODS: Four randomised, double-blind studies in adults with reflux ...

BACKGROUND: The leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio has been suggested to be an atherosclerotic index for diabetic patients and a useful marker of insulin resistance in patients with and without diabetes. Even though end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) are well characterized by abnormal adipocytokine metabolism, the significance of ...

OBJECTIVE: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased morbidity and death after open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (OAR). This study highlights the effect of CKD on outcomes after endovascular AAA (EVAR) and OAR in contemporary practice. METHODS: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Participant Use File (2005-2008) ...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of unknown origin associated with oxidative stress. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of oxidative stress in patients with newly diagnosed SLE. SLE patients (n = 36) and control subjects (n = 28) were enrolled in this study. Blood samples ...

: Patients with chronic ulcerative colitis are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Limited data exists in ulcerative colitis patients with rectal cancer regarding clinical and oncologic outcomes, and the ideal operative approach. : To describe our experience in the management of patients with rectal cancer in the setting ...

Background: Although an association between the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ∈4 allele and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is established, the utility of APOE genotyping in the clinical diagnosis of AD is still under investigation. Methods: Medical records of 89 patients with cognitive impairment and APOE genotype data underwent a ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of calcinosis in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis, and the possible risk factors for that manifestation. METHODS: Medical record review of 34 patients, with an emphasis on the following characteristics: demographic, clinical and laboratory data; type of treatment; adherence to treatment; disease course (monocyclic, chronic and ...

The purpose of this research was to quantify the visual display (presence) or lack of display (absence) of interdental papillae during maximum smiling in a patient population aged 10 to 89 years. Four hundred twenty digital single-lens reflex photographs of patients were taken and examined for the visual display of ...

The role of small airway abnormalities in asthma pathogenesis has been extensively studied and debated for several decades. However, whether or not small airway abnormalities play a relevant role in specific phenotypes of asthmatic patients and contribute to clinical presentation is largely unknown. In the present review, we evaluated available ...

BACKGROUND: The clinical characteristics of Japanese patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) have not been fully clarified. For understanding the pathogenesis as well as providing support for accurate diagnosis, precise information regarding clinical characteristics of these diseases is important. METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey of EoE and EGE ...

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the prevalence of stimulus-induced rhythmic, periodic or ictal discharges (SIRPIDs) in patients with coma after cardiac arrest (CA) and therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and to examine their potential association with outcome. METHODS: We studied our prospective cohort of adult survivors of CA treated with TH, assessing SIRPIDs occurrence ...

The European LeukemiaNet classification combines a heterogeneous group of aberrations as high risk (HR) abnormalities. Our goal was to investigate the outcomes associated with distinct high-risk chromosomal abnormalities in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). We performed a retrospective cohort analysis in patients with HR AML ...

Background and Aim:  Although peripancreatic vascular lesions are occasionally encountered in autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), there are few reports focusing on these involvements. We aimed to investigate the peripancreatic vascular involvements associated with AIP. Methods:  We retrospectively analyzed 54 AIP patients who met the International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for AIP between ...

Background:  The cardiac changes in acute pancreatitis have been earlier studied but the data on their prognostic significance is limited. This study was done to determine electrocardiographic (ECG) & echocardiographic changes in acute pancreatitis & determine their prognostic significance. Patients & Methods:  Fifty-two consecutive patients (mean age 36.5 ± 11 ...

BackgroudInformation regarding the epidemiological background of Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is limited.MethodsWe conducted a nationwide survey of BBE in the Japanese population in two steps: the first aimed to identify patients with brainstem encephalitis for the specified 3 year period and the second to evaluate whether the clinical picture met ...

Objective. To evaluate the role of IL-32 in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) patients and the relationship between IL-32 and disease activity, as PR3 has the ability to bind and activate IL-32, which has been described as a novel cytokine that induces inflammatory cytokines.Methods. We investigated the level of IL-32, PR3, ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate the temporal lobe injury (TLI) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients who had received intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and to assess the dosimetric parameters associated with TLI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty of 870 patients were diagnosed with TLI after IMRT, the clinical and dosimetric characteristics of ...

BACKGROUND:: There is limited information regarding the contribution of diabetes mellitus (DM) to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) failure in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients. AIM:: To determine whether type 2 DM is a risk factor for PPI failure and the potential predictive factors for PPI failure among type 2 DM ...

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) can be prevented by the early detection and removal of advanced adenomas (AAs) by colonoscopy. Our aim was to evaluate peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) telomere length as a potential biomarker for the presence of AAs.
Methods: PBL telomere length was measured in patients with AAs (n=35), in ...

OBJECTIVE: To describe the factors associated to mortality of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: A retrospective observational study was made of patients with severe TBI covering the period between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010. SETTING: Virgen de la Vega Hospital, Salamanca (Spain). PATIENTS: All patients ...

OBJECTIVES: The strong relationship between high level of serum uric acid (UA) and cardiovascular disease has been shown in many studies. In this study, we investigated whether serum UA levels affect coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: The study population included 175 patients ...

OBJECTIVE: The enhancement of blink reflex (BR) excitability was shown in patients with postparalytic facial syndrome (PFS) and essential blepharospasm (EB). We prospectively investigated patients with PFS and EB whether BR alterations demonstrated by trigeminal stimulation will similarly be observed upon auditory stimulation. METHODS: Fifteen patients with PFS, 15 patients ...

Denosumab is a human monoclonal antibody directed against RANKL (receptor activator of NF-κB ligand) and is a novel treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis, although its safety and efficacy in end-stage renal disease is unclear. We report the case of a 61-year-old female hemodialysis patient who developed severe hypocalcemia (total serum calcium, ...

Chronic inflammation in hemodialysis (HD) patients is associated with cardiovascular complications and mortality. Circulating immune active proteins in the molecular range 15-45 kD that cannot be efficiently cleared by high-flux (HF) dialysis may be causally involved. We intended to test the feasibility of using a high cutoff (HCO) dialyzer in chronic ...

AIMS: To investigate the prognostic value of autonomic variables in patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure (HF) treated according to current recommendations. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed 24 h time-domain [standard deviation of all normal-to-normal RR intervals (SDNN)], frequency-domain [very low frequency and low frequency power (VFLP and LFP)], and ...

PURPOSE: A prospective cohort study was conducted to analyze whether self-reported fatigue predicts overall survival in patients with esophageal cancer. METHODS: Patients enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Barrett's Esophagus Registry between September 2001 and January 2009 who completed a baseline quality of life instrument were eligible for ...

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder characterized by an abnormal increase in red blood cells. The involvement of the heart during the course of the illness represents a common cause of morbidity and it is linked to an increased thrombogenic risk subsequent to higher blood viscosity. In our ...

BACKGROUND: Immunohistochemical studies of the rheumatoid nodule (RN) suggest it is a Th1 granuloma, with focal vasculitis, yet the pathogenesis remains unclear and little is known about circulating cytokines in these patients. OBJECTIVE: We studied circulating cytokines in DMARD-naïve RA patients to investigate associations with subcutaneous RN. METHODS: 149 DMARD-naïve ...

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the dyspeptic symptoms, endoscopic findings, and frequency of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage V, and to compare findings in peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: Sixty-five patients on PD (n = 36) or HD (n = 29) were included. ...

A 75-year old man had been diagnosed at 42 years of age as having polycythemia vera and had been monitored at another hospital. Progression of anemia had been recognized at about age 70, and the patient was thus referred to our center in 2008 where secondary myelofibrosis was diagnosed based ...

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a preclinical feature of synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease (PD).This study aimed to investigate the presence of potential early manifestations of parkinsonism, such as olfactory dysfunction and substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity, in idiopathic RBD (iRBD) patients, PD patients and normal controls. ...

Objectives: The increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is partly attributable to chronic inflammation, but traditional CV risk factors such as physical inactivity are also likely to be important. This study assessed the cross-sectional relationship between physical activity (PA) and arterial dysfunction in patients with ...