Internal medicine
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Case Reports
A Case of a Lotus Root-like Appearance in the External Iliac Artery Detected by Intravascular Ultrasonography.
A lotus root-like appearance on blood vessels is a rare abnormality. The multiple channels within arteries may represent the recanalization or neovascularization of the thrombus. This abnormality is most frequently found in coronary arteries. ⋯ We subsequently performed an endovascular treatment six months later due to intermittent claudication. A lotus root-like appearance was found on intravascular ultrasound. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report a case of lotus root-like appearance in lower-extremity arteries.
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Objective Leg muscle strength (LMS) is decreased in early-stage Parkinson disease (PD) patients and is associated with slower walking and falls. However, LMS in advanced PD has not been well investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate LMS in advanced PD patients and its effects on gait performance, activities of daily living, and the cognitive function. ⋯ A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for discriminating between H&Y stage 3 and 4 was performed for LMS; the area under the curve was 0.774 (95% confidence interval=0.696-0.851). Conclusions LMS was strongly associated with multiple domains of clinical characteristics, especially gait velocity and the Barthel index. Our study also suggested that LMS can be a predictor of PD progression.
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The use of biologic agents has enabled control of severe asthma, but there is a risk that eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) may be masked in some cases. We herein report a 71-year-old man who was administered dupilumab for 2 years to stabilize his asthma symptoms. ⋯ Based on pathology, he was diagnosed with EGPA. EGPA in this case was considered to have become apparent due to the discontinuation of dupilumab administration.
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Dendriform pulmonary ossification is a rare condition characterized by branching bony spicules. A 33-year-old man was clinically considered to have sarcoidosis. At 53 years old, another attending physician performed a detailed evaluation. ⋯ A histological examination revealed dendriform pulmonary ossification. After surgery, CT showed progression of some lesions; the pulmonary function had also decreased slightly. Since dendriform pulmonary ossification might be a progressive disease, we should perform long-term follow-up.