Gaseous air pollution and emergency hospital visits for hypertension in Beijing, China: a time-stratified case-crossover study

Background: A number of epidemiological studies have been conducted to research the adverse effects of air pollution on mortality and morbidity. Hypertension is the most important risk factor for cardiovascular mortality. However, few previous studies have examined the relationship between gaseous air pollution and morbidity for hypertension. ---------- Methods: Daily data on emergency hospital visits (EHVs) for hypertension were collected from the Peking University Third Hospital. Daily data on gaseous air pollutants (sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)) and particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) were collected from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center. A time-stratified case-crossover design was conducted to evaluate the relationship between urban gaseous air pollution and EHVs for hypertension. Temperature and relative humidity were controlled for. ---------- Results: In the single air pollutant models, a 10 μg/m3 increase in SO2 and NO2 were significantly associated with EHVs for hypertension. The odds ratios (ORs) were 1.037 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.004-1.071) for SO2 at lag 0 day, and 1.101 (95% CI: 1.038-1.168) for NO2 at lag 3 day. After controlling for PM10, the ORs associated with SO2 and NO2 were 1.025 (95% CI: 0.987-1.065) and 1.114 (95% CI: 1.037-1.195), respectively.---------- Conclusion: Elevated urban gaseous air pollution was associated with increased EHVs for hypertension in Beijing, China

Carotico-cavernous sinus fistula: Duplex Doppler findings

We report a case of an 8-year-old child with traumatic carotico-cavernous fistula. The diagnosis was obtained by magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography and Doppler imaging and the fistula treated by percutaneous embolisation. We emphasize the duplex Doppler findings of superior ophtalmic vein in this study

CASE REPORT - COINCIDENCE OF ECHINOCOCCUS ALVEOLARIS AND GRANULOSUS INFECTIONS IN THE SAME LIVER

We present an unusual case of involvement of the liver by both Echinococcus granulosus and alveolaris infection with typical radiological appearence. E. granulosus was located in th

ORIGINAL ARTICLE - ANTITHYROID ANTIBODY LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer is a hormone-dependent neoplasm. Conflicting results regarding the clinical correlation between breast cancer and thyroid diseases have been reported. The aim of this study was to determine the goiter prevalence, thyroid hormones and antithyroid antibody levels in patients with breast cancer. For this purpose, thyroid ultrasonography was performed and serum levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO ab) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (anti-TG ab) were determined in 50 operable breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and 30 healthy individuals as control group. Goiter prevalence was found to be significantly higher in the study group (50% vs 10%). FT3, FT4, and TSH levels of patients were not different compared to controls, whereas anti-TPO ab and anti-TG ab levels were significantly higher in patients than in the control group. In conclusion, goiter prevalence and thyroid antibody levels were found to be increased in breast cancer patients and thyroid functions should be monitored

SCREENING OF PROP-1, LHX2 AND POU1F1 MUTATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH ECTOPIC POSTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND

WOS: 000451246700003PubMed ID: 31149275Objective. Ectopic posterior pituitary gland (EPP) is usually characterized by an abnormal pituitary stalk and hypoplasia of the anterior hypophysis. The genetic mechanisms involved in the development of EPP remain uncertain. The aim of this study is to determine whether mutations in the three genes, PROP-1, LHX2, and POU1F1, are associated with the risk for and the characteristics of EPP. Methods. In the Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic of "Dr. Behcet Uz" Children's Hospital, 27 patients with EPP were submitted to sequencing analyses of the PROP-1, LHX2, and POU1F1 genes. Results. Growth hormone, thyrotropin, corticotropin, gonadotropin, and vasopressin deficiency were observed in 22 (81.5%), 23 (85.2%), 17 (63%), 14 (51.9%), and two (7.4%) patients. Thirteen patients (48.1%) presented with hyperprolactinemia. Fourteen patients (51%) had a history of birth dystocia, and 12 cases (42.1%) had a history of breech presentation. Central nervous system abnormalities included five cases with corpus callosum agenesis, one case with schizencephaly, and one case with Chiari type 1 malformation. We identified a homozygous p.S109* mutation in exon 2 in one male patient with EPP and two different PROP] gene polymorphisms (A142T or c.109+3 G>A polymorphism) in thirteen patients. Conclusions. Our results suggest that PROP1 gene abnormalities might explain the genetic mechanisms involved in the development of EPP