Annals of medicine
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Indigo naturalis is effective against psoriasis. Indigo, indirubin and tryptanthrin, the main active components of indigo naturalis, have anti-inflammatory properties. ⋯ Indigo naturalis combined with conventional treatments is useful for treating psoriasis. Indigo naturalis display anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects by regulating the TAK1, JAK3/STAT3, Wnt/β-catenin, Akt/PKB, FAK and AP-1/c-Jun pathway.
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Review
Pathological mechanisms and related markers of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.
Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a refractory orthopedic disease with a high disability rate. Long-term administration of steroids is the most common pathogenic factor for non-traumatic ONFH. Early diagnosis of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) is difficult and mainly depends on imaging. ⋯ The pathological mechanisms of SONFH are complex. The related markers mentioned in the current review can predict the occurrence and progression of SONFH, which will help provide effective early clinical prevention and treatment strategies for SONFH.
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Review
Monitoring postures and motions of hospitalized patients using sensor technology: a scoping review.
Sensor technology could provide solutions to monitor postures and motions and to help hospital patients reach their rehabilitation goals with minimal supervision. Synthesized information on device applications and methodology is lacking. ⋯ Studies on monitoring postures and motions are heterogeneous in their population, applications and methodological approaches. More uniformity and transparency in methodology and study reporting would improve reproducibility, interpretation and generalization of results. Clear guidelines for reporting and the collection and sharing of raw data would benefit the field by enabling study comparison and reproduction.
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Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating chronic pain condition that, although exceedingly rare, carries a significant burden for the affected patient population. The complex and ambiguous pathophysiology of this condition further complicates clinical management and therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, being a diagnosis of exclusion requires a diligent workup to ensure an accurate diagnosis and subsequent targeted management. ⋯ Current management directed at this disease is broad and growing, ranging from non-invasive modalities such as physical and psychological therapy to more invasive techniques such as dorsal root ganglion stimulation and potentially amputation. Ideal therapeutic interventions are multimodal in nature to address the likely multifactorial pathological development of CRPS. Regardless, a significant need remains for continued studies to elucidate the pathways involved in developing CRPS as well as more robust clinical trials for various treatment modalities.
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Review
From suspicion to diagnosis: exploration strategy for suspected amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is based on evidence of upper and lower motor neuron degeneration in the bulbar, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions in a patient with progressive motor weakness, in the absence of differential diagnosis. Despite these well-defined criteria, ALS can be difficult to diagnose, given the wide variety of clinical phenotypes. ⋯ The main challenge is to establish a diagnosis based on robust clinical and paraclinical evidence without delaying treatment initiation by increasing the number of additional tests. This approach requires a thorough knowledge of the phenotypes of ALS and its main differential diagnoses.