Transient hypercortisolism and symptomatic hyperthyroidism associated to primary hyperparathyroidism in an elderly patient: case report and literature review.

Abstract Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is often found on routine blood tests, at a relatively asymptomatic stage. However many studies suggest different systemic effects related to PHPT, which could be enhanced by an abnormal cortisol release due to chronic stress of hyperparathyroidism. Being PHPT frequently found in the 6th to 7th decade of life, a careful and multifaceted approach should be taken. Case presentation: We report the case of an elderly patient with symptomatic PHPT and incidental pulmonary embolism. He was treated with hydration, zoledronic acid, cinacalcet and high-dose unfractionated heparin. Parathyroid surgery was successfully performed, but patient's conditions suddenly worsened because of a transient thyrotoxicosis, probably induced by a previous exposure to iodine load and/or thyroid surgical manipulation. A short-term treatment with beta-blockers was introduced for symptomatic relief. The patient also presented a transient hypercortisolism with elevated ACTH, likely due to stress related not only to aging and hospitalization but also to PHPT, resolved only four months after parathyroid surgery. Conclusion: Chronic hyperparathyroidism has been linked with increased all-cause mortality. A functional chronic hypercortisolism could be established, enhancing PHPT related disorders. Only parathyroid surgery has been demonstrated to cure PHPT and complications related, showing similar outcome between older and younger patients. However, the management of post-operative period should be more careful in fragile patients. In particular, the early diagnosis and treatment of a transient post-operative thyrotoxicosis could improve recovery. Due to the increase in prevalence and the evidence of many related complications even in asymptomatic PHPT, expert opinion-based guidelines for surgical treatment of PHPT should be developed especially for elderly patients

Caracterização dos estádios de desenvolvimento do girassol e sua relação com alguns parâmetros climáticos.

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Otimização das técnicas de PCR e RFLP para o gene tbpA de Haemophilus parasuis.

Projeto/Plano de Ação: 03.07.05.017

Influenza vaccination and absenteeism among healthy working adults: a cost-benefit analysis

Seasonal influenza is a highly contagious infection that might lead to serious clinical complications and incurs a conspicuous socio-economic impact. Influenza vaccination is currently recommended only for specific groups of healthy adults (such as healthcare workers) even though it was demonstrated to be effective in reducing absenteeism and decreased workers' productivity during flu epidemic period. The main purpose of this study is to analyse the extent of absences due to illness following a voluntary flu immunization program among the Komatsu Italia Manufacturing company's personnel during the flu season 2017-2018. Secondly, we aimed at performing a cost-benefit analysis of the vaccination campaign from the company's perspective

Drug-associated gastropathy: diagnostic criteria

Drugs are widely used to treat different diseases in modern medicine, but they are often associated with adverse events. Those located in the gastrointestinal tract are common and often mild, but they can be serious or life-threatening and determine the continuation of treatment. The stomach is often affected not only by drugs taken orally but also by those administered parenterally. Here, we review the mechanisms of damage, risk factors and specific endoscopic, histopathological and clinical features of those drugs more often involved in gastric damage, namely NSAIDs, aspirin, anticoagulants, glucocorticosteroids, anticancer drugs, oral iron preparations and proton pump inhibitors. NSAID- and aspirin-associated forms of gastric damage are widely studied and have specific features, although they are often hidden by the coexistence of Helicobacter pylori infection. However, the damaging effect of anticoagulants and corticosteroids or oral iron therapy on the gastric mucosa is controversial. At the same time, the increased use of new antineoplastic drugs, such as checkpoint inhibitors, has opened up a new area of gastrointestinal damage that will be seen more frequently in the near future. We conclude that there is a need to expand and understand drug-induced gastrointestinal damage to prevent and recognize drug-associated gastropathy in a timely manner

Efficacy of esophagus protection in complex treatment of erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials

Aim. To review the data about the efficacy of esophagus protective agent based on the fixed combination of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate dissolved in the bioadhesive carrier (poloxamer 407) in the complex therapy of patients with erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Materials and methods. A search in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Russian Science Citation Index of Scientific Electronic Library electronic databases was performed. Relevant original controlled studies of a fixed combination of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate as an esophagus protective agent in a population of patients with erosive GERD were included. Results. The final analysis included three studies that enrolled 181 patients with erosive GERD. All the studies had a uniform design with the assessment of the primary endpoints (complete epithelialization of esophageal erosions and complete resolution of heartburn) 28 days after the start of therapy. Meta-analysis of the three controlled trials has demonstrated that combination therapy with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and esophagus protective agents is significantly more effective than PPI monotherapy for complete epithelialization of esophageal erosions at 28 days of treatment (relative risk 1.267, 95% confidence interval 1.0821.483, p=0.003; I2=21.19%), but did not differ for complete resolution of heartburn on the day 28 of treatment (relative risk 1.638, 95% confidence interval 0.6604.067, p=0.287; I2=92.59%). Conclusion. Combined therapy with PPI and Alfasoxx is significantly more effective than PPI monotherapy for the epithelialization of esophageal erosions in patients with erosive GERD

Advantages of alginate and PPI combination in relief of heartburn and regurgitation during the first days of treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Aim of investigation. To estimate advantages of combined intake of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and alginate in comparison to monotherapy by PPI in terms of symptom relief in the first days of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) treatment.Material and methods. Overall 96 patients with GERD were investigated. All patients complained of heartburn, 41 patients had regurgitation. Symptoms were estimated by Likert scale prior to onset of therapy and daily during treatment course. General well-being was evaluated by visual-analog scale (VAS) prior to therapy, at the 7th and 14th days of treatment. The first group (46 patients, 19 males, mean age — 50,2±12,7 years) received combined therapy by pantoprazole 40 mg/day and alginate (Gaviscon DD) 20 ml qid at the 1st and 2nd days of treatment followed by «on demand» mode. The second group (50 patients, 22 males, mean age 51,3±14,4 year) received pantoprazole 40 mg per day. All patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy.Results. At the 1st day of treatment heartburn has been completely relived in 61% of patients of the first group and in 14% — of the second (р<0,001), at the 2nd day — in 63% and 20% (р<0,001). At the 3rd day (alginate in «on demand» mode) the heartburn was absent in 48% of patients of the first group and in 44% — of the second (р=0,8). Regurgitation at the 1st day of treatment was relieved in 78% of patients of the first group and remained in all patients of the second group, who initially complained of it (р<0,001), at the 2nd day it stopped in 83% and 22% of patients respectively (р<0,001), at the 3rd day — in 67% and 22% (р=0,01). After the 4th day there were no intergroup differences. At the 7th day of treatment according to VAS wellbeing score in the first group increased from 57,3±9,7 to 78,1±11,2 mm (р <0,001), in the second — from 54,9±14,9 to 67,0±15,2 mm (р<0,001). The intergroup differences of the score at the 7th day was statistically significant (р<0,001). By the 14th day difference disappeared (78,8±9,7 mm vs 75,6±12,5 mm, р=0,1).Conclusions. This study has demonstrated advantages of the combined therapy in the first days of GERD treatment in decreased terms relief of symptoms and improvement of state of health

Book reviews

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45692/1/11336_2005_Article_BF02289006.pd

White matter hyperintensities classified according to intensity and spatial location reveal specific associations with cognitive performance.

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on T2-weighted images are radiological signs of cerebral small vessel disease. As their total volume is variably associated with cognition, a new approach that integrates multiple radiological criteria is warranted. Location may matter, as periventricular WMHs have been shown to be associated with cognitive impairments. WMHs that appear as hypointense in T1-weighted images (T1w) may also indicate the most severe component of WMHs. We developed an automatic method that sub-classifies WMHs into four categories (periventricular/deep and T1w-hypointense/nonT1w-hypointense) using MRI data from 684 community-dwelling older adults from the Whitehall II study. To test if location and intensity information can impact cognition, we derived two general linear models using either overall or subdivided volumes. Results showed that periventricular T1w-hypointense WMHs were significantly associated with poorer performance in the trail making A (p = 0.011), digit symbol (p = 0.028) and digit coding (p = 0.009) tests. We found no association between total WMH volume and cognition. These findings suggest that sub-classifying WMHs according to both location and intensity in T1w reveals specific associations with cognitive performance