Vegetating nodules following erosions on the oral cavity : a quiz

Acta Derm Venereol 95 © 2015 The Authors. doi: 10.2340/00015555-1936 Journal Compilation © 2015 Acta Dermato-Venereologica. ISSN 0001-5555 A 68-year-old Italian man presented with a 7-month history of multiple erosions on the trunk as well as lips and oral cavity. Before admission to our department, he was treated in another institution with systemic corticosteroids (oral prednisone at the initial dose of 1 mg/kg/day, with progressively tapering dosages for 2 months) and other immunosuppressants, such as azathioprine (1.25 mg/kg/ day for 2 months), intravenous immunoglobulins (one cycle consisting of one infusion of 400 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days), and rituximab (one cycle consisting of one infusion of 375 mg/m2/every week for 4 weeks), achieving resolution of the cutaneous manifestations but without control of the oral involvement. Upon admission, he had multiple lip and oral erosions (Fig. 1a). In the following days, he developed erythematous-violaceous vegetating nodules that coalesced into ulcerated plaques on the lips and tongue (Fig. 1b). The patient's general condition was compromised; he was asthenic and, due to dysphagia, had lost about 15 kg in the last 3 months. Staging fibroscopy revealed nodules that induced marked stenosis of the larynx and pharynx (Fig. 1c). Within a few days, an emergency tracheotomy was required because of acute dyspnea. Biopsy specimens from a nodule were submitted for histology (Fig. 1d)

Usefulness of glycated albumin as a biomarker for glucose control and prognostic factor in chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis (CKD-G5D)

In chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis (CKD-G5D) accurate assessment of glycemic control is vital to improve their outcome and survival. The best glycemic marker for glucose control in these patients is still debated because several clinical and pharmacological factors may affect the ability of the available biomarkers to reflect the patient's glycemic status properly. This review discusses the role of glycated albumin (GA) both as a biomarker for glucose control and as a prognostic factor in CKD-G5D; it also looks at the pros and cons of GA in comparison to the other markers and its usefulness in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis

Cirugía de restauración ventricular después del estudio STICH

La insuficiencia cardíaca es uno de los problemas de salud pública de mayor envergadura. Los cambios de la geometría ventricular, con su repercusión en el pronóstico y el número limitado de donantes, ha generado un interés creciente para la aplicación de cirugía de restauración ventricular (SVR). Las técnicas quirúrgicas son revisadas, su correlación con los fundamentos anatomicofisiopatológicos de la insuficiencia cardíaca y sus resultados son analizados. Los estudios clínicos de SVR aportan evidencia científica para mantener y potenciar su aplicación, a pesar de los resultados de la hipótesis 2 del estudio STICH (Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure). Presentamos un proyecto cuyo desarrollo hemos iniciado y que integra el Registro Latinoamericano de Cirugía de Restauración Ventricular (SVRIR) y los estudios de mecánica computacional. Sus objetivos son realizar aportaciones al conocimiento de la fisiopatología de la insuficiencia cardíaca, correlacionar las técnicas quirúrgicas con los fundamentos anatómicos y fisiopatológicos de la insuficiencia cardíaca, precisar los beneficios de la SVR y diseñar técnicas específicas para cada paciente.Cardiac insufficiency is one of the problems with great magnitude in public health. Changes of ventricular geometry with its repercussion in the prognosis and the limited number of donors have created a growing interest for the application of ventricular restoration techniques (SVR). The surgical techniques are reviewed, their correlation with the anatomic and pathophysiological fundamentals of cardiac insufficiency and their results are analysed. The SVR clinical studies give scientific evidence to keep and improve its application, despite the results of hypothesis 2 of the STICH (Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure). We are introducing a project whose development has been initiated and integrates the Registro Latinoamericano de Cirugía de Restauración Ventricular (SVRIR) and the studies in computational mechanics. Their aims are to contribute to knowledge in pathophysiology of cardiac insufficiency, to correlate the surgical techniques with the anatomical and pathophysiological fundamentals of cardiac insufficiency, to detail the benefits of SVR and to design specific techniques for each patient

Use of hydroxychloroquine in hospitalised COVID-19 patients is associated with reduced mortality: Findings from the observational multicentre Italian CORIST study

Background: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was proposed as potential treatment for COVID-19. Objective: We set-up a multicenter Italian collaboration to investigate the relationship between HCQ therapy and COVID-19 in-hospital mortality. Methods: In a retrospective observational study, 3,451 unselected patients hospitalized in 33 clinical centers in Italy, from February 19, 2020 to May 23, 2020, with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, were analyzed. The primary end-point in a time-to event analysis was in-hospital death, comparing patients who received HCQ with patients who did not. We used multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression models with inverse probability for treatment weighting by propensity scores, with the addition of subgroup analyses. Results: Out of 3,451 COVID-19 patients, 76.3% received HCQ. Death rates (per 1,000 person-days) for patients receiving or not HCQ were 8.9 and 15.7, respectively. After adjustment for propensity scores, we found 30% lower risk of death in patients receiving HCQ (HR=0.70; 95%CI: 0.59 to 0.84; E-value=1.67). Secondary analyses yielded similar results. The inverse association of HCQ with inpatient mortality was particularly evident in patients having elevated C-reactive protein at entry. Conclusions: HCQ use was associated with a 30% lower risk of death in COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Within the limits of an observational study and awaiting results from randomized controlled trials, these data do not discourage the use of HCQ in inpatients with COVID-19