Bilateral calf chronic compartment syndrome in an elderly male: a case report

Leg pain is a common presentation to the outpatient department. Bilateral calf chronic compartment syndrome is a rare cause of bilateral calf pain. Although this condition has been well documented in young athletes, it has rarely been reported in the elderly. We present the case of a 68-year-old male bodybuilder with bilateral calf chronic compartment syndrome, describe the presentation and evaluation of the condition, and provide a review of the literature herewith

Association between age at disease onset of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and clinical presentation and short-term outcomes

Objectives: ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) can affect all age groups. We aimed to show that differences in disease presentation and 6 month outcome between younger- A nd older-onset patients are still incompletely understood. Methods: We included patients enrolled in the Diagnostic and Classification Criteria for Primary Systemic Vasculitis (DCVAS) study between October 2010 and January 2017 with a diagnosis of AAV. We divided the population according to age at diagnosis: <65 years or ≥65 years. We adjusted associations for the type of AAV and the type of ANCA (anti-MPO, anti-PR3 or negative). Results: A total of 1338 patients with AAV were included: 66% had disease onset at <65 years of age [female 50%; mean age 48.4 years (s.d. 12.6)] and 34% had disease onset at ≥65 years [female 54%; mean age 73.6 years (s.d. 6)]. ANCA (MPO) positivity was more frequent in the older group (48% vs 27%; P = 0.001). Younger patients had higher rates of musculoskeletal, cutaneous and ENT manifestations compared with older patients. Systemic, neurologic,cardiovascular involvement and worsening renal function were more frequent in the older-onset group. Damage accrual, measured with the Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI), was significantly higher in older patients, 12% of whom had a 6 month VDI ≥5, compared with 7% of younger patients (P = 0.01). Older age was an independent risk factor for early death within 6 months from diagnosis [hazard ratio 2.06 (95% CI 1.07, 3.97); P = 0.03]. Conclusion: Within 6 months of diagnosis of AAV, patients >65 years of age display a different pattern of organ involvement and an increased risk of significant damage and mortality compared with younger patients

Short-term efficacy and safety of rituximab therapy in refractory systemic lupus erythematosus: results from the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group Biologics Register.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the baseline characteristics of SLE patients requiring biologic therapy in the UK and to explore short term efficacy and infection rates associated with rituximab (RTX) use. METHODS: Patients commencing biologic therapy for refractory SLE and who consented to join BILAG-BR were analysed. Baseline characteristics, disease activity (BILAG 2004/SLEDAI-2K) and rates of infection over follow-up were analysed. Response was defined as loss of all A and B BILAG scores to ⩽ 1 B score with no new A/B scores in other organ systems at 6 months. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy SLE patients commenced biologic therapy from September 2010 to September 2015, most commonly RTX (n = 261). Two hundred and fifty (93%) patients were taking glucocorticoids at baseline at a median [interquartile range (IQR)] oral dose of 10 mg (5-20 mg) daily. Response rates at 6 months were available for 68% of patients. The median (IQR) BILAG score was 15 (10-23) at baseline and 3 (2-12) at 6 months (P < 0.0001). The median (IQR) SLEDAI-2K reduced from 8 (5-12) to 4 (0-7) (P < 0.001). Response was achieved in 49% of patients. There was also a reduction in glucocorticoid use to a median (IQR) dose of 7.5 mg (5-12 mg) at 6 months (P < 0.001). Serious infections occurred in 26 (10%) patients, being more frequent in the first 3 months post-RTX therapy. A higher proportion of early infections were non-respiratory (odds ratio = 1.98, 95% CI: 0.99, 3.9; P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: RTX is safe and is associated with improvement in disease activity in refractory SLE patients with concomitant reductions in glucocorticoid use. Early vigilance for infection post-infusion is important to further improve treatment risks and benefits

Margarete and Sulamith under the Swastika: Girls' Names in Nazi Germany

Past research has well established that the personal name a woman carries can have a significant impact upon the way she is perceived by her surrounding environment. The power of this impact may be significantly increased during periods of sociopolitical unrest. Using the techniques of corpus linguistics, this paper traces diachronic variations in the twenty most popular girls' names chosen by German parents between 1934 and 1950. To supplement this empirical analysis, historical information is provided on onomastic legislation which not only affected societal preferences in female names, but also the individual lives of the women who carried them

May Change Name and Pretend to be Free: A Corpus Linguistic Investigation of Surnames Adopted by Fugitive Slaves As Advertised in Colonial American Newspapers Between 1729 and 1818

Traditionally, it has been assumed that the adoption of surnames among African Americans evolved from the simple emulation of onomastic norms common among European American slave owners. In recent years, however, careful analysis has revealed that this initial assumption may have been premature. The naming behaviour of early African American residents has shown itself to be an extremely complex phenomenon, one which goes far beyond mere imitation. While this emerging scholarship has been useful in pointing out directions, there has yet to be a systematic linguistic investigation of this population. The present investigation provides an empirical analysis of surnaming patterns among fugitive slaves as advertised in colonial American newspapers between 1729 and 1818