Autoimmune / inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) – variety of symptoms

Introduction The autoimmune / inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) has been described by Shoenfeld and Agon-Levin (in 2011). It is an autoimmune / auto-inflammatory disease caused by adjuvants. Adjuvants are substances able to induce autoimmunity via various mechanisms such as a change in the host immune system, polyclonal activation of B cells, effects on cellular immunity, immunoregulatory cells, antibodies induced by viruses or acceleration of molecular mimicry. The aim The purpose of the work was to congregate information about ASIA useful in medical practice. State of knowledge The ASIA syndrome can be diagnosed when two main or one main and two smaller criteria are fulfil. The main criteria: External stimulus exposure Muscle pains, muscle inflammation or muscle weakness Arthralgia and / or arthritis Chronic fatigue, sleep without rest or sleep disorder Neurological symptoms Impaired cognitive function, memory loss Fever, dry mouth Removal of the inducing factor induces an improvement Result of organ biopsy Smaller criteria: Other clinical signs (irritable bowel syndrome) Presence of HLA antigens (ie HLA DRB1, HLA DQB1) Development of autoimmune disease (multiple sclerosis, systemic sclerosis). Asia syndrome may occur after implantation of silicone breast implants and cause various complications of other pain, fever and skin changes. Conclusion Autoimmune / auto-inflammatory disorders can be caused by silicone implants and vaccine adjuvants: they include the presence of autoantibodies, muscle and joint pain, lupus-like symptoms and hardened-like symptoms

Kierowanie własnym rozwojem. Kontekst teoretyczny zjawiska

The aim of this article is to compare different conceptions of psychological development in which the development is managed by an individual itself. It is a collection of views on the development of the life of a human being from the point of view of different psychological trends. Terms such as self-realization, self-actualization and self-creation are considered. On the basis of the conception of self-creation by Zbigniew Pietrasiński, a model of selected but crucial personal conditions for self-creation process is discussed. It includes such dimensions as: autonomy as self-determination, self-consciousness, transgression, long-term goals and lifetime creativity

Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) - diagnosis and treatment

Background Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis is the most common pathology of the hip joint in preschool children and adolescents consisting of migration of the proximal femoral epiphysis, posteriorly and inferiorly, to the metaphysis (neck of the femur), which occurs through the epiphyseal (growth) cartilage. SCFE occurs with a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 to 24.58 per 100,000 children aged 8–15 years. Purpouse The aim of the article is to characterize the disease which is SCFE, draw attention to its etiology, diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities. Materials and methods The article was based on scientific publications in the Pubmed database. The database was searched on 12 February 2023 using the phrases 'SCFE', 'Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis'. After reading the titles of found articles, 23 publications were selected. After the pre-analysis of the abstracts, 15 full-text works were selected to prepare the article. Results Most SCFE is idiopathic. The relationship between the development of SCFE and endocrine disorders, renal dysfunction and Down syndrome has been noted. The displacement is presumed to be caused by the application of a large axial load to the relatively fragile growth plate. Symptoms of the disease may include atraumatic pain in the hip, thigh or knee, especially if accompanied by a limp or inability to support weight. The first imaging test performed is a radiograph. If radiographs do not show changes consistent with SCFE but clinical suspicion is high, the physician may consider magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for further evaluation. The goal of treating the lesions is to prevent further scaling of the head and to correct the deformity and to avoid osteonecrosis and chondrolysis, so various surgical procedures are used. Conclusions SCFE is an insidious disease that should always be ruled out in the diagnosis of hip pain in children. Its early treatment prevents later complications

Amanitine poisoning - cases, management, therapy results

Mushroom poisoning continues to be a serious clinical problem. The most serious are intoxications with mushrooms containing cytotropic toxins with predominant injury of liver, kidneys and heart. The toxic properties of the phalloides are mainly due to α-amanitin, which is an inhibitor of RNA polymerase II. The clinical course of poisoning can be divided for 4 periods. The asymptomatic period usually lasts 6-24 hours after mushroom consumption. Then the period of the gastrointestinal disorder lasting on average 12-24 hours. The second latency period with apparent improvement of the patient's general condition lasting 12-24 hours is subjected to the stage, during which biochemical markers of hepatocyte activity appear. After a few days (usually on the 4-5th day) from poisoning, kidney function may occur (oliguria or anuria), and circulatory system disorders may also occur. Death usually occurs between 4-16 days after poisoning. The treatment of poisoning with amanita phalloides includes a number of procedures, including rapid removal of toxins, blocking the penetration of amatoxins into the hepatic cell, compensation of systemic metabolic disorders, and extracorporeal support of liver function

Vitamin D - do we need suplementation?

The role of vitamin D in the human body is not only participation in the regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism, prevention of rickets in children or osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. Vitamin D deficiency can be caused by a variety of health conditions. Currently, epidemiological studies confirm the relationship between vitamin D deficiency in the body and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric disorders, autoimmune diseases and in cancer prevention. Vitamin D deficiency has been identified as a common metabolic abnormality. Despite known dietary sources of vitamin D and the role of sunlight in its production, a significant proportion of the population may have insufficient serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D

Managing one's own development : theoretical context of the phenomenon

The aim of this article is to compare different conceptions of psychological development in which the development is managed by an individual itself. It is a collection of views on the development of the life of a human being from the point of view of different psychological trends. Terms such as self-realization, self-actualization and self-creation are considered. On the basis of the conception of self-creation by Zbigniew Pietrasiński, a model of selected but crucial personal conditions for self-creation process is discussed. It includes such dimensions as: autonomy as self-determination, self-consciousness, transgression, long-term goals and lifetime creativity

Toxic substances in the household - cases of poisoning, therapy, complications

There are many toxic substances used in our houses. Rodent poisons are not the most common group of substances, but cases of poisoning still occur. Long-acting anticoagulant rodenticides, also called superwarfarins, are known for their greater potency, longer half-life and delayed onset of symptoms. Cases of superwarfarin poisoning can pose a diagnostic and clinical challenge due to a wide array of presentations and prolonged severe coagulopathy requiring months of high-dose oral vitamin K therapy. The most common presentation of long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning is mucocutaneous bleeding, with other common presentations including haematuria, gingival bleeding, epistaxis and gastrointestinal bleeding.We discuss a case of self-poisoning with long-acting anticoagulant rodenticides with a little presentation of sympthoms and disscus about another cases based on the found articles

Zakażenie Pneumocystis jiroveci po przeszczepieniu nerki

Pneumocystis jiroveci (PJ) pneumonia is a severe respiratory fungal infection occurring in patients with impaired immunity. The disease does not produce specific symptoms and is difficult to diagnose, and if unrecognized or treated too late may be the cause of patient’s death. The universal pro­phylaxis recommended in the early period after kid­ney transplantation (KTx) has significantly reduced the incidence of PJ infection, however it does not completely prevent its occurrence. In this review we focus on the new risk profiles, advances in di­agnosis, treatment and prophylaxis of PJ in kidney transplant recipients

Carbon monoxide poisoning - cases, pathophysiology, management

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a common clinical problem, especially in autumn and winter. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas and poisoning causes hypoxia, cell damage and consequently, can lead to death. Carbon monoxide exposure is measured directly from blood samples and expressed as a percentage of carboxyhemoglobin or indirectly using carbon monoxide in the breath. Carboxyhemoglobin percentage is the most commonly used biomarker of carbon monoxide exposure. Although the diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning can be confirmed by the detection of elevated levels of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood, the presence of clinical signs after known exposure to carbon monoxide should not be ignored. Carbon monoxide poisoning can have lasting effects. Physicians evaluating patients with acute poisoning should initiate treatment with normobaric oxygen and consider treatment with hyperbaric oxygen. Often, complete recovery after poisoning may not be possible and you should then refer for the treatment of complications to appropriate specialists

HCV RNA and HIV RNA detection by Procleix HIV-1/HCV Assay in blood donors with various results of anti-HCV and anti-HIV EIA

Wstęp: Celem pracy była ocena czułości wykrywania RNA HIV i RNA HCV metodą Procleix HIV1/HCV oraz analiza częstości wykrywania materiału genetycznego wirusów u dawców z różnymi wynikami testów przeglądowych anty-HCV i anty-HIV. Materiał i metody:Dziewięćdziesięciopięcioprocentowa czułość testu Procleix wynosiła 6,2 IU RNA HCV /ml i 44,5 IU RNA HIV /ml. RNA HCV wykryto w 71/392 (18,1%) dodatnich próbkach anty-HCV, zaś RNA HIV w 21/557 (3,8%) próbkach reaktywnych w badaniu EIA HIV. Częstość wykrywania RNA HCV korelowała z wartością S/C uzyskaną w badaniach immunoenzymatycznych. RNA HCV wykryto u 68/105 (64,8%) dawców z S/C > 4, u 1/85 (1,2%) z S/C od 2,00 do 3,99 i u 2/202 dawców (1%) z S/C od 1,00 do 1,99. RNA HIV wykryto u wszystkich 21 dawców z dodatnimi wynikami zarówno w badaniu EIA, jak i w Western Blot. Wyniki i wnioski: Procleix HIV1/HCV jest bardzo czułym testem i może być wykorzystywany w laboratorium referencyjnym do potwierdzania aktywnego zakażenia u dawców z dodatnim wynikiem immunoezymatycznych badań przeglądowych. Obserwowano małą częstość aktywnych zakażeń u dawców z powtarzalnie dodatnimi wynikami badań anty-HCV i anty-HIV. Wysoka wartość S/C (> 4) w EIA jest dobrym czynnikiem prognostycznym wykrycia RNA HCV, aczkolwiek RNA HCV może być sporadycznie wykrywane u dawców z niższą wartością S/C w EIA.Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the sensitivity of Procleix HIV1/HCV Assay for HIV RNA and HCV RNA detection, and to analyse the frequency of viral nucleic acid detection in blood donors with various EIA test results. Material and methods: The 95% sensitivity of the Procleix test was 6.2 IU HCV RNA /ml and 44.5 IU HIV RNA /ml. HCV RNA was detected in 71/392 (18.1%) anti-HCV positive and HIV RNA in 21/557 (3.8%) EIA HIV-reactive donors. The frequency of HCV RNA detection correlated with signal/cut-off ratios (S/C ratio) of EIA. HCV RNA was found in 68/105 (64.8%) of the donors if it was >4, in 1/85 (1.2%) if it was between 2.00 and 3.99, and in 2 out of 202 donors (1%) if it was between 1.00 and 1.99. HIV RNA was detected in all 21 blood donors positive in EIA and Western Blot. Results and conclusions: The study demonstrated that Procleix HIV1/HCV Assay is very sensitive and can be used in the reference laboratory to confirm active infection in donors with positive results. We observed a low frequency of active infection in Polish blood donors with repeated reactive results in HCV and HIV EIA. The high S/C ratio value (> 4) of EIA is a good predictor of HCV RNA detection, but HCV RNA can also be detected in single donors with low ratio values of the EIA test