Medicine
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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder, characterized by cyclic cessation of airflow for 10 seconds or more. There is growing awareness that OSA is related to the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. However, only a few studies have associated OSA directly to major cardiovascular events. ⋯ As such, early diagnosis and treatment of OSA may change the course of both diseases. We suggest that sleep disordered breathing should be routinely assessed in patients with cardiovascular problems. An ear-nose-throat evaluation may also be important to rule out anatomic disorders that cause upper airway obstruction.
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Review Case Reports
Crohn's disease successfully treated with infliximab in a patient receiving hemodialysis: case report and review of the literature.
There is limited information in the use of antitumor necrosis factor α, infliximab, in patients on hemodialysis. In Crohn's disease (CD), only 3 cases are reported. A 76-year-old man on hemodialysis for renal failure caused by immunoglobulin A nephropathy developed diarrhea and abdominal pains. ⋯ Adverse reactions were not observed. Infliximab was effective and safe in a patient with CD on hemodialysis. Our case has added additional literature in accordance with previous reports supporting infliximab as effective and safe in patients on hemodialysis.
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Review Case Reports
Neurological manifestation of recreational fatal and near-fatal diethylene glycol poisonings: case series and review of literature.
Diethylene glycol is a common industrial solvent which is responsible for accidental and epidemic poisoning as early as the 1930s. Due to the unavailability and unaffordability of ethanol, people in Qatar among the low income group are consuming household chemicals, some of which contain diethylene glycol, for recreational purposes. The history of ingestion is usually not volunteered and the initial clinical presentation is usually nonspecific, making it difficult to diagnose from the clinical presentation. ⋯ The typical clinical pattern of evolution of the poisoning in the absence of cost-effective ways to detect it in the serum can help clinicians in making the diagnosis. Neurological manifestations may include encephalopathy and multiple cranial and peripheral neuropathies with subsequent brain atrophy. Public awareness of the danger of such recreational use should be raised.
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The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of breastfeeding on childhood obesity in China. We used data collected from the China Family Panel Studies, an ongoing, prospective, and nationwide longitudinal study to explore the extensive and dynamic social changes in China. A total of 7967 children were included in the analysis. ⋯ Results were similar using various dichotomization of duration of breastfeeding. Quantile regression revealed that longer duration of breastfeeding is associated with higher BMI among children with small to medium quantile of BMI. Our findings echo recent research and caution against any population-wide strategy in attempting to reduce overweight and obesity through promotion of breastfeeding.
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The effect of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) on the risk for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has not been confirmed. The present population-based study used the claims data from the Taiwan National Health Institutes from 1998 to 2010 to compare the risk for ESRD in patients with and without RCC. The study cohort consisted of 2940 patients who had newly diagnosed with RCC but no history of ESRD; the control cohort consisted of 23,520 matched patients without RCC. ⋯ Finally, there were significant joint effects of chronic kidney disease and diabetes on increasing the risk of ESRD in patients with and without RCC (P < 0.01). The limitations of this study include the retrospective design and the inability to assess methods of treatment and measure the aggressiveness of RCC. Our data indicates that RCC is an independent risk factor for ESRD, especially in females.