Abstract Objective: To assess treatment adherence in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients initiated on Lisdexamfetamine (LDX) versus other FDA-approved stimulants and non-stimulant medications. Methods: ADHD patients initiated on an ADHD medication (index medication) were selected from a large US administrative claims database. Based on age and previous treatment status, patients ...

Abstract The purpose of this project is to report a case of severe Pythium insidiosum keratitis confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and its long-term cure after therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty. A 24-year-old woman with a history of contact lens wear and exposure to swimming pool water presented with a severe ...

PURPOSE: Assessing functional outcome from patient-based outcomes questionnaires are essential to the evaluation of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgical treatment METHODS: At the minimum follow-up of 2 years, 45 operated on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients were mailed the French version of the Scoliosis Research Society Outcome Instrument (SRS-22) questionnaires containing items ...

PurposeTo evaluate the short-term effect of lamivudine (LMV) treatment for severe chronic hepatitis B. METHOD: Patient data related to the safety and efficacy of using lamivudine (LMV) to treat hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced liver failure or severe hepatitis were acquired from previous literature. These studies were retrieved from PubMed, Ovid, ...

Lichen planus (LP) is infrequently seen in children and the clinical presentation is often atypical. We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical features and treatment response in childhood LP to date. The clinical profile and treatment response data of patients younger than 14 years old with LP (entered in a predesigned ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of bovine pericardium (BP) graft in the treatment of deep melting corneal ulcers in three dogs and corneal sequestra in three cats. PROCEDURE: Three dogs with keratomalacia affecting the deep third of the stroma and three cats with corneal sequestrum were evaluated and underwent surgery. ...

Abstract Background. Previous studies showed the efficacy of a formulation containing calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate for the treatment of psoriasis. Objective. To investigate maintenance strategies of a formulation containing calcipotriol (50 μg/g) and betamethasone dipropionate (0.5 mg/g) for the treatment of scalp psoriasis. Materials and methods. Nine-hundred-four patients were screened ...

Abstract Background: Non-ablative fractional photothermolysis has been reported to show early promise in the treatment of hypertrophic scars, but there are few reports on ablative fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of hypertrophic scars. Aim: To evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of Er:YAG fractional laser(EYFL) and CO2 fractional laser(CO2FL) ...

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been recognized as a significant clinical problem. While hip reshaping surgery for treating FAI has had positive clinical outcomes, there remains a need for objective functional outcomes of FAI treatment. We tested the hypothesis that during walking and stair climbing significant changes in hip kinematics would ...

BACKGROUND: Transfer of the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon aims to restore function and relieve pain in chronic Achilles tendon (AT) disease. The goal of the present study was to investigate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of FHL transfer to the AT and to compare the transtendinous technique to the ...

Purpose:  To evaluate the effect of aminoacid enriched artificial tears on the ocular surface of patients with dysfunctional tear syndrome (DTS). Methods:  Forty patients were divided into two groups: group 1 treated for 90 days with sodium hyaluronate (SH) 0.15% 1 drop × 5 times/day; group 2 treated for 90 days with SH 0.15% + aminoacids ...

BACKGROUND: Osteonecrosis (ON) is a disabling complication of chemotherapy, especially steroids in children and adolescents. There are few reports in the literature of non-surgical management of ON. Patients with chemotherapy related ON, treated with zoledronic acid (ZA) were analyzed for clinical and radiological outcome. METHODS: Retrospective chart review. Serial joint ...

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of posttraumatic direct carotid-cavernous fistulas (TCCFs) with detachable balloons (DBs) is associated with relatively high recanalization rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using covered stents in patients with posttraumatic carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) and pseudoaneurysms. METHODS: Twelve patients with posttraumatic CCFs and ...

BACKGROUND: Residual forefoot supination is commonly encountered during a flatfoot reconstruction, and a new technique for its treatment is described. Contrary to the standard Cotton osteotomy, a plantar closing wedge osteotomy of the medial cuneiform (PCWOMC) was performed, which has a number of advantages. METHODS: We followed 10 feet in ...

Although balloon dilatation is the primary treatment for benign dysphagia, information about the optimal inflation time is lacking. The aim of the current pilot study was to compare 10 seconds inflation time with 2 minutes inflation time, regarding the efficacy. Twenty patients with symptomatic strictures were prospectively studied in a ...

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional design. INTRODUCTION: Wrist and hand sensori-motor impairment have been observed after distal radius fracture (DRF) treatment. This impairment and its relationship to function lack research. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The primary aim of this exploratory study was to determine the magnitude of wrist and hand sensori-motor ...

Object The authors report the 3-year results of the Barrow Ruptured Aneurysm Trial (BRAT). The objective of this ongoing randomized trial is to compare the safety and efficacy of microsurgical clip occlusion and endovascular coil embolization for the treatment of acutely ruptured cerebral aneurysms and to compare functional outcomes based ...

BACKGROUND: The Food and Drug Administration has approved bimatoprost ophthalmic solution (0.03%) for the treatment of eyelash hypotrichosis. Previous reports of its efficacy in eyebrow hypotrichosis are anecdotal. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of bimatoprost 0.03% ophthalmic solution applied to the eyebrows in a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study. ...

BACKGROUND: Complement activation after binding of an IgG autoantibody to aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is thought to be a major determinant of CNS inflammation and astrocytic injury in neuromyelitis optica. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of eculizumab-a therapeutic monoclonal IgG that neutralises the complement protein C5-in ...

AIM: To determine whether tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) blockers are more effective than methotrexate in inhibiting the progression of radiographic joint damage in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: A cohort analysis of patients followed prospectively in a large PsA clinic was conducted. Patients who received a TNFα blocker ...

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is characterized by chronic, uncontrolled complement activation resulting in elevated intravascular haemolysis and morbidities, including fatigue, dyspnoea, abdominal pain, pulmonary hypertension, thrombotic events (TEs) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The long-term safety and efficacy of eculizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits terminal complement activation, was ...

Flexible flatfoot is the most prevalent condition seen in pediatric orthopedic clinics. It is characterized by an absence of the medial arch and a valgus position of the calcaneus. The purpose of the present study was to report on the results obtained in children treated using the calcaneo-stop procedure. A ...

An immunocompetent 84-year-old woman was admitted for severe neck pain with a fever. Magnetic resonance imaging showed osteitis of the dens. She had methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia related to a dental extraction. She then developed an infection of a hip prosthesis due to the same organism. Her treatment consisted in ...

Background: The aim of this study is to report the efficacy of routine follow-up after head and neck cancer treatment. Method: Data of 520 head and neck cancer patients registered with between 2002 and 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Results: The mean ± SD follow-up period taken into account was 34.7 ...

This article reviews updated evidence-based knowledge on long-term treatment of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Eleven trials were identified comparing the two treatments in a broad spectrum of patients with DVT and with >100 study participants. Four comparative trials were identified in patients ...

Abstract Background: Treatment of ocular toxoplasmosis is aimed at stabilizing visual function and reducing recurrence rates. Methods: Small controlled studies indicate that available treatments do not affect visual outcome and recurrence rates, and no antibiotic in current use will kill bradyzoites. Results: Antiparasitic treatment is justified in center-involving lesions and ...

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes and usefulness of OK-432 (Picibanil) sclerotherapy as a new option in the conservative treatment of patients with malleolar bursitis of the ankle. METHODS: Retrospectively, we reviewed a total of 20 consecutive patients (20 feet) in whom OK-432 sclerotherapy ...

BACKGROUND: We examined the influence of multiple valve-related parameters on the onset and incidence of valve degeneration in aortic bioprostheses through detailed echocardiographic follow-up. METHODS: In 648 patients (mean age, 73.8 ± 4.9 years) receiving an aortic valve bioprosthesis, long-term clinical (mean, 7.5 ± 3.2 years) and echocardiographic (mean, 6.5 ...

BACKGROUND: Liquid nitrogen endoscopic spray cryotherapy can safely and effectively eradicate high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus (BE-HGD). Long-term data on treatment success and safety are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term safety and efficacy of spray cryotherapy in patients with BE-HGD. DESIGN: Single-center, retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary-care referral center. PATIENTS: ...

We retrospectively analyzed metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients treated with 3 targeted agents. Patients started the sequence with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), sunitinib or sorafenib, and were divided into 2 groups based on the order in which they received the other reciprocal TKI and everolimus (EVE): TKI-TKI-EVE group ...

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is increasingly employed in glioblastoma (GBM) treatment. The present work aimed to assess which clinical-dosimetric scenario could benefit the most from IMRT application, with respect to three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). The number of organs at risk (OARs) overlapping the planning target volume (PTV) was ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of minimally invasive percutaneous short-segment pedicle instrumentation (SSPI) with that of trans-spatium intermuscular SSPI on thoracolumbar mono-segmental vertebral fracture without neurological compromise. METHODS: A total of 39 patients with thoracolumbar mono-segmental vertebral fracture without neurological deficit receiving treatment between January 2009 and July 2011 were ...

Objective. The most cost-effective dosing regimen for rituximab treatment in RA is currently unknown. The objective of this study is to determine whether low rituximab serum levels are associated with progression of structural damage in RA patients.Methods. Sixty-two RA patients were treated with rituximab in three different centres. Structural damage ...

Introduction: Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a chronic disease that exerts a significant burden on both individuals and the community. Hence, there is a requirement for long-term treatment to be associated with a positive benefit-risk balance. Areas covered: In this descriptive review, the long-term safety of calcitonin, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), ...

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes of endovascular repair for iliac artery (IA) in-stent restenosis (ISR). Background: An increasing percentage of patients with complex IA occlusive disease are treated with an endovascular approach, but the outcomes of IA-ISR have not been well described. Methods: We ...

Purpose:To compare volume reduction of single-session ethanol ablation (EA) and radiofrequency (RF) ablation for cystic thyroid nodule treatment.Materials and Methods:All patients gave written informed consent to participate in this prospective institutional review board-approved study. From May 6, 2010, to August 8, 2011, in this single-institutional, noninferiority trial, 50 patients, each ...

The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of aspiration thrombectomy (AT) in the endovascular treatment for iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) through the comparison of catheter directed thrombolysis (CDT) alone group and CDT with AT group. From November 2001 to April 2011, 100 patients received endovascular treatment ...

Improvements in imaging technology have resulted in an increase in detection of small renal masses (SRMs). Minimally invasive ablation modalities, including cryoablation, radiofrequencey ablation, microwave ablation and irreversible electroporation, are currently being used to treat SRMs in select groups of patients. Cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation have been extensively studied. Presently, ...

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the clinical and immunological effects of anti-B cell treatment in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and mixed connective-tissue disease (MCTD) with autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) refractory to conventional immunosuppressive treatment.MethodsRituximab (RTX) was added to the ongoing treatment of 16 patients (median ...

BACKGROUND:: Demographics, hemorrhage risk, and results of surgical and endovascular treatment of spinal pial (Type IV) arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) across a large patient group have not been previously reported. Objective: To report demographics, hemorrhage rates, and treatment results for these AVF. METHODS:: We performed a pooled analysis via the PubMed ...

BACKGROUND: Trabeculectomy remains the most efficient method of lowering he IOP applied for the treatment of glaucoma refractory to pharmacological treatment. Cataract is concerned as the most frequent late complication of trabeculectomy. The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of phacoemulsification with posterior chamber lens implantation on ...

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) suggest that patient characteristics modify the effect of treatment on mortality. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether clinical characteristics modify the comparative effectiveness of CABG versus PCI in an unselected, general patient population. DESIGN: Observational treatment comparison ...

A 69-year-old woman presented with a nonhealing ulcer on her right cheek. On histological examination of a biopsy, no evidence of granuloma formation or malignancy was found, and the overall picture was felt to be consistent with dermatitis artefacta (DA). The patient was referred to a joint psychodermatology clinic, where ...

Reflectance spectroscopy can be used to quantitate subtle differences in color. We applied a portable reflectance spectrometer to determine its utility in the evaluation of pulsed dye laser treatment of port wine stains (PWS) and in prediction of clinical outcome, in a prospective study. Forty-eight patients with PWS underwent one ...

The discovery of thrombolytic agents goes back to the 1930s, when it was shown that substances derived from bacteria (streptokinase, staphylokinase), tissue (fibrinokinase), urine (urokinase) or bat saliva could activate the fibrinolytic system. The potential to treat arterial thrombosis with plasmin was recognized, but it was not until 1958 that ...

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is one of the key treatments after cardiac arrest (CA). Selection of post-CA patients for TH remains problematic, as there are no clinically validated tools to determine who might benefit from the therapy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate retrospectively whether laboratory findings ...

Objective: Steroids and immunosuppressants can delay progression of renal function in IgAN, but their possible effect in local cytokines has not been studied. Material and methods: Histology in 53 IgAN patients (M/F 35/18 age 40.5 years (17 - 65)) was evaluated using the Oxford classification system. IL-1β, -2, -4, -5, ...

BACKGROUND: Lymphangioma circumscriptum (LC) is a rare, superficial, cutaneous lymphatic malformation. Management is difficult because of high recurrence rates, regardless of the treatment modality chosen. The carbon dioxide (CO2 ) laser may offer a less-invasive option than surgery that provides satisfactory functional and cosmetic results. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the ...

Background: Melasma is a common pigmentary disorder which poses substantial therapeutic challenge. Combined therapy may be beneficial in Asians, where mixed type melasma is dominant. Objective: We sought to assess the efficacy and safety of a 1064 nm Q-switched Nd: YAG (1064 QSNY) and a nonablative 1550 nm erbium-doped fractional ...

Objective: Dentin desensitizing agents are used in the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity, which is defined as a painful response in the exposed dentin to stimuli that are thermal, evaporative, tactile, osmotic, or chemical. A systematic review was conducted to analyze the clinical effectiveness of current desensitizer with at least 3 ...