An atypical case of hepatic cavernous hemangioma

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Ultrasonographic Study of Gallbladder Wall Thickness and Emptying in Cirrhotic Patients without Gallstones

Background and Aim. Gallbladder wall thickening and impaired contractility are currently reported in cirrhotic patients and often related to portal hypertension and hepatic failure. The purpose of this work was to evaluate, by ultrasonographic method, gallbladder wall thickness and gallbladder emptying after a standard meal in normal subjects and in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis without gallstones. Methods. Twenty-three patients with Child-Pugh class A liver cirrhosis and twenty healthy controls were studied. Gallbladder wall thickness (GWT), gallbladder fasting volume (FV), residual volume (RV), and maximum percentage of emptying (%E) were calculated. Measurements of mean portal velocity, portal vein flow, and serum albumin were performed too. Statistical analysis was assessed by Student's “t test” for unpaired data. Results. GWT was 0.60 ± 0.22 cm in cirrhotic patients and 0.21 ± 0.06 cm in controls (P < .0001). FV and RV were, respectively, 37.8 ± 3.7 cm3 and 21.8 ± 3 cm3 in cirrhotic patients, 21.9 ± 4.2 cm3 and 4.6 ± 2.2 cm3 in healthy volunteers (P < .0001). %E was smaller in cirrhotics (42.6 ± 7.8) as compared to controls (80.3 ± 7.2; P < .0001). Conclusions. In patients with compensated liver cirrhosis without gallstones gallbladder wall thickness is increased whereas its contractility is reduced. These early structural and functional alterations could play a role in gallstone formation in more advanced stages of the disease

Giant secreting adrenal myelolipoma in a man: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, benign neoplasm that is usually asymptomatic, unilateral and nonsecreting. It develops within the adrenal gland and is composed of mature adipose tissue with elements of the hematopoietic series. We describe the case of what is, to the best of our knowledge, one of the largest secreting adrenal myelolipomas reported in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 52-year-old Caucasian man of medium build who had had moderate hypertension for three years presented to our hospital. He had no other significant symptoms. His hypertension was pharmacologically treated. He came to our hospital to undergo abdominal ultrasonography during a clinical checkup. The ultrasound scan showed the presence of a voluminous hyperechoic mass interposed between the spleen and the left kidney. It was reported as a myelolipoma of the left kidney on the basis of its structural characteristics and position. Computed tomography confirmed our diagnosis. All preoperative biochemical tests were normal, with the exception of high serum cortisol, which was being overproduced by the lesion and was probably responsible for the patient's hypertension. He underwent successful surgery, and his postoperative course was uneventful. The pathologic examination of the lesion confirmed the diagnosis of adrenal myelolipoma. The patient's blood pressure returned to within the normal range.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The "incidental" discovery of an adrenal mass requires careful diagnostic study to plan adequate therapeutic management. Both of the primary investigations at our disposal, ultrasound and blood tests (adrenal hormones), helped in rendering the diagnosis and allowed us to move toward the most appropriate treatment, taking into account the size of the tumor and its probable hormonal production.</p

Is "option B+" also being adopted in pregnant women in high-income countries? Temporal trends from a national study in Italy

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Factors Influencing Gestational Age-Adjusted Birthweight in a National Series of 600 Newborns from Mothers with HIV

Background: Few studies have assessed the determinants of birthweight in newborns from HIV-positive mothers in analyses that adjusted for different gestational age at delivery. Method: We calculated gestational age-adjusted birthweightZ-score values in a national series of 600 newborns from women with HIV and in 600 newborns from HIV-negative women matched for gender and gestational age. The determinants of Z-score values in newborns from HIV-positive mothers were assessed in univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Results: Compared to newborns from HIV-negative women, newborns from HIV-positive women had significantly lower absolute birthweight (2799 vs. 2887 g;p=.007) and birthweightZscore (-0.430 vs. -0.222; p 10 cigarettes/day (ZSD 0.323, 95% CI 0.129-0.518, p=.001), absence of pregnancies in the past (ZSD 0.200, 95% CI 0.050-0.349, p=.009), no antiretroviral treatment in the past (ZSD 0.186, 95% CI 0.044-0.327, p=.010), and Caucasian ethnicity compared to Hispanic (ZSD 0.248, 95% CI 0.022-0.475, p=.032). Body mass index (BMI) at conception and maternal glycemia levels during pregnancy were also significantly related to birthweight Z scores. Glycemia, BMI, and recent substance use maintained a significant association with Z-score values in multivariate analyses. In the multivariate analysis, the only factors significantly associated with Z-score values below the 10th percentile were recent substance use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.17, 95% CI 1.15-8.74) and smoking (AOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.13-4.49). Discussion: We identified several factors associated with gestational age-adjusted birthweight in newborns from women with HIV Smoking and substance use have a significant negative impact on intrauterine growth, which adds to an independent HIV-related effect on birthweight. Prevention and information on this issue should be reinforced in women with HIV of childbearing age to reduce the risk of negative outcomes in their offspring

Glucose plasma levels and pregnancy outcomes in women with HIV

There is limited information on the relation between glucose levels in pregnancy and adverse perinatal outcomes in HIV-infected pregnant women

Antiretroviral therapy at conception in pregnant women with HIV in Italy: wide range of variability and frequent exposure to controindicated drugs

METHODS: Data from a large national surveillance study was used to describe antiretroviral regimens in pregnant women with HIV, with particular reference to the presence at conception of antiretroviral treatments contraindicated in pregnancy. Therapeutic changes during pregnancy were also analysed. RESULTS: Among 334 women on antiretroviral treatment at conception, less than half (42.4%) reported current pregnancy as planned. A large number of different regimens (80) was observed. All the regimens included at least one nuceloside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors were present in similar proportions (39.2% and 40.7%, respectively). The most commonly used drugs were lamivudine (83.2% of regimens), zodovudine (50.0%), stavudine (d4T; 38.0%), nevirapine (25.7%), didanosine (ddl; 17.7%) and nelfinavir (17.7%). Treatment with efavirenz (13.5% of regimens) and ddl+d4T (9.6%) was markedly frequent. Use of efavirenz at conception was associated with a subsequent treatment change during pregnancy (odds ratio (OR): 13.2; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.2-53.8, P< 0.001). A similar but less strong association was found for ddl (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.03-3.25, P = =.033), whereas being on nevirapine was associated with a lower risk (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: =.38-0.81, P = =.013). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that treatment at conception frequently represents the regimen previously selected for the treatment of the non-pregnant women. THe observed rates of exposure to contraindicated treatment shoud lead prescribing physicians to consider in HIV-positive women therapeutic choice that take into account the likelihood of an unplanned pregnancy. Such as approach is likely to reduce not only unintended exposures to contraindicated drugs, but also therapeutic changes during pregnancy

Lipodystrophy is an independent predictor of hypertriglyceridemia durino pregnancy in HIV- infected women

Lipid values were measured during pregnancy in HIV-infected, treatment-experienced women. A previous history of lipodystrophy was associated with significantly higher triglyceride values at all pregnancy trimesters. In multivariate analyses lipodystrophy independently increased the risk of hypertriglyceridemia by threefold at the first trimester, and by eightfold at the second and third trimesters. Protease inhibitor treatment was also independently associated with hypertriglyceridemi

Treatment change in pregnancy is a significant risk factor for detectable HIV-1 RNA in plasma at end of pregnancy

PURPOSE: To investigate the risk factors for an HIV-1 RNA plasma viral load above 400 copies/mL in the third trimester of pregnancy. METHODS: Data from a large national study were used. The possible determinants were assessed in univariate analyses and in a multivariate logistic regression model in order to adjust for possible confounders. RESULTS: Among 662 pregnancies followed between 2001 and 2008, 131 (19.8%) had an HIV-1 plasma copy number above 400/mL at the third trimester of pregnancy. In the multivariate analysis, the variable significancly associated with this occurrence were earlier calendar year (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) per additional calendar year, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.63-0.77; P<001), lower CD4 count at enrollment (AOR per 100 cells lower, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.09-1.27; P<0.01), HIV-1 RNA levels above 400 copies per mL at enrollment (AOR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.50-3.33; P<001), and treatment modification during pregnancy (AOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.07-2.57; P=.024). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment changes in pregnancy significantly increase the risk of an incomplete viral suppression at the end of pregnancy. In HIV-infected women of childbearing age, proper preconception care, which includes the preferential prescription of regimens with the best safety profile in pregnancy, is likely to prevent an incomplete viral suppression at the end of pregnancy