Surgical Excision of Madelung Disease Using Bilateral Cervical Lymphnode Dissection Technique—Its Effect and the Influence of Previous Injection Lipolysis

Summary: Madelung disease, also known as benign symmetrical lipomatosis, is a rare condition characterized by symmetrical diffuse adipose tissue in the neck, shoulders, and arms. The present report described the case of a 51-year-old man diagnosed with Madelung disease who presented with masses primarily in the neck. He had previously shown partial improvement after injection lipolysis and shoulder surgery. However, 4 years later, following corticosteroid administration for the treatment of acute deafness, cervical lipomatosis progressed to the extent that he was unable to fasten his shirt. The initial treatment plan involved bilateral surgical excision of the lipomatous masses of the neck and liposuction for those in the submental area. However, the lipomas were adherent to the surrounding tissue and were partially fibrosed, presumably due to the previous injection lipolysis; thus, liposuction was not possible, and all the masses around the neck were carefully excised using cervical lymph node dissection technique. Thirty-two months later, the patient showed good cosmetic results, with no recurrence of cervical lipomatosis. Radical resection of the lipomas using a cervical dissection technique is useful in the treatment of Madelung disease; however, clinicians must consider the potential for adhesions and plan a meticulous dissection in those who have undergone injection lipolysis before the surgery

CD90 (Thy1)-positive selection enhances osteogenic capacity of human adipose-derived stromal cells

Background: Stem cell-based bone tissue engineering with adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) has shown great promise for revolutionizing treatment of large bone deficits. However, there is still a lack of consensus on cell surface markers identifying osteoprogenitors. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting has identified a subpopulation of CD105 low cells with enhanced osteogenic differentiation. The purpose of the present study was to compare the ability of CD90 (Thy-1) to identify osteoprogenitors relative to CD 105 . Methods: Unsorted cells, CD90 + , CD90 -, CD105 high , and CD105 low cells were treated with an osteogenic differentiation medium. For evaluation of in vitro osteogenesis, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and alizarin red staining were performed at 7 days and 14 days, respectively. RNA was harvested after 7 and 14 days of differentiation, and osteogenic gene expression was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. For evaluation of in vivo osteogenesis, critical-sized (4-mm) calvarial defects in nude mice were treated with the hydroxyapatite-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold seeded with the above-mentioned subpopulations. Healing was followed using micro-CT scans for 8 weeks. Calvaria were harvested at 8 weeks postoperatively, and sections were stained with Movat's Pentachrome. Results: Transcriptional analysis revealed that the CD90 + subpopulation was enriched for a more osteogenic subtype relative to the CD105 low subpopulation. Staining at day 7 for ALP was greatest in the CD90 + cells, followed by the CD105 low cells. Staining at day 14 for alizarin red demonstrated the greatest amount of mineralized extracellular matrix in the CD90 + cells, again followed by the CD105 low cells. Quantification of in vivo healing at 2, 4, 6, and 8weeks postoperatively demonstrated increased bone formation in defects treated with CD90 + ASCs relative to all other groups. On Movat's Pentachrome-stained sections, defects treated with CD90 + cells are more capable of forming bone both in vitro and in vivo. These data therefore suggest that CD90 may be a more effective marker than CD105 to isolate a highly osteogenic subpopulation for bone tissue engineering

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to < 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of & GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P < 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo