EFFECT OF SIMVASTATIN TREATMENT ON BONE MINERAL DENSITY IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Statins are able to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality mainly through their hypocholesterolemic effect. Beyond the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, the identification of pleiotropic mechanisms has motivated many studies to evaluate the effects of statin use on bone mineral density (BMD) modification.The aim of our study was to evaluate whether simvastatin treatment (20 mg/d) could modify BMD in hypercholesterolemic women (n=28) after one-year treatment as compared with a control group treated only with a diet (n=11). The exclusion criteria was current or previous therapy with statins, bisphosphonates and/or estrogens. The following parameters were determined at the beginning and after one year, and those are: total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C and LDL-C (Friedewald equation). The BMD was measured at the lumbar spine by dual energy x-ray absorpiometry (DEXA).In the simvastatin treated group, BMD showed an insignificant 2,812% increase after 12 months, respectively (0,965+0,111 v 0,992+0,110, P>0,05). The group treated only with hypolipidic diet demonstrated a 3,45% decrease in BMD (respectively, 1,042+0,181 v 1.006+0,182; P>0,05) after 12 months. Nevertheless, the comparison of average BMD changes between the two examined groups during one year showed a significant value diference (-0,027+0,037 v 0,036+0,036; P<0,0006).As partly suggested by retrospective or observational data, this longitudinal study indicates that simvastatin treatment achieves a beneficial effect on BMD

Application of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Cutaneous Basosquamous Carcinoma

Basosquamous carcinoma of the skin is a relatively rare cutaneous neoplasm that has significant metastatic potential and a metastatic rate greater than that of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. We describe the use of lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in a 63-year-old man after identification of basosquamous carcinoma. Sentinel lymph node biopsy, which is a standard tool to detect regional lymphatic metastasis in cutaneous melanoma, has been rarely employed to detect lymphatic metastasis of basosquamous carcinoma. The approach was successful in detecting a regional lymphatic metastasis of two nodal basins with minor morbidity. Sentinel lymph node biopsy may be useful for certain high-risk lesions of basosquamous carcinoma

Does incomplete excision of basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid mean tumor recurrence?

INTRODUCTION: Basal cell carcinoma is the most common tumor of the eyelid. In this region, reconstruction is complex and damage to healthy tissue should be minimal. Objective: To define the relationship between margin clearance at excision and the recurrence rate of basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted with 111 patients submitted to surgery for basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid between 2001 and 2003 and followed up for a period of five years. The patients were evaluated according to age, tumor site, recurrence rate and margin clearance at excision. RESULTS: No significant association was found between incomplete tumor excision and recurrence except in patients under 56 years of age, female patients and in the case of tumors of the medial canthus. CONCLUSION: A risk of recurrence in incompletely excised basal cell carcinomas of the eyelid was only confirmed in younger patients, females and for tumors of the medial canthus

IRRIGOGRAPHY AFTER PREPARATIONS OF PATIENTS WITH FORTRANS

Fortrans® is a laxative in the form of the powder which is used for making solution for oral application. Laxative effects are achieved over long linear polymer (polyethylene-glikol - PEG 4000) which binds water molecules, increasing thus the volume of fluids in the intestinal tract.Material of study comprises 150 irrigographies made at the Institute of Radiology of the Clinical Center in Nis in the period from January 2004 to Jun 2005.The preparation in these cases was done by Fortrans®. The contrast medium used was barium sulfate.The results of study are presented in illustrations and irrigograms.In conclusion,we can say that Fortrans® provides reliable, effective and simple preparation of patients for irrigography as well as for fast, comfortable and efficient endographic examination (irrigography). The obtained irrigograms are of satisfactory quality, showing sharp contrasts

A unique case of hereditary bilateral segmental neurofibromatosis on the face

Segmental neurofibromatosis is a rare clinical finding generally with no family history and facial involvement. There are four subtypes of segmental neurofibromatosis: true segmental, localized cases with deep involvement, hereditary segmental and bilateral segmental neurofibromatosis. Here we report three patients from the same family (father, son and granddaughter) with segmental bilateral neurofibromatosis on the face. This form hasn't noticed in the literature

The Utility of Conventional CT, CT Perfusion and Quantitative Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Predicting the Risk Level of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors of the Stomach: A Prospective Comparison of Classical CT Features, CT Perfusion Values, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Intravoxel Incoherent Motion-Derived Parameters

Background: The role of advanced functional imaging techniques in prediction of pathological risk categories of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate classical CT features, CT-perfusion and magnetic-resonance-diffusion-weighted-imaging (MR-DWI)-related parameters in predicting the metastatic risk of gastric GIST. Patients and methods: Sixty-two patients with histologically proven GIST who underwent CT perfusion and MR-DWI using multiple b-values were prospectively included. Morphological CT characteristics and CT-perfusion parameters of tumor were comparatively analyzed in the high-risk (HR) and low-risk (LR) GIST groups. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and intravoxel-incoherent-motion (IVIM)-related parameters were also analyzed in 45 and 34 patients, respectively. Results: Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that greater tumor diameter (p &lt; 0.001), cystic structure (p &lt; 0.001), irregular margins (p = 0.007), irregular shape (p &lt; 0.001), disrupted mucosa (p &lt; 0.001) and visible EFDV (p &lt; 0.001), as well as less ADC value (p = 0.001) and shorter time-to-peak (p = 0.006), were significant predictors of HR GIST. Multivariate analysis extracted irregular shape (p = 0.006) and enlarged feeding or draining vessels (EFDV) (p = 0.017) as independent predictors of HR GIST (area under curve (AUC) of predicting model 0.869). Conclusion: Although certain classical CT imaging features remain most valuable, some functional imaging parameters may add the diagnostic value in preoperative prediction of HR gastric GIST