The American journal of the medical sciences
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A 42-year-old woman underwent hemodialysis secondary to diabetic nephropathy. Total parathyroidectomy with forearm autograft was performed due to secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) complicated with calciphylaxis. Rapidly progressive enlargement of autograft with unusual "gourd-shape" developed, and then it was removed. ⋯ Rapidly recurrent HPT originating from both the residual parathyroid tissues and the enlarged autograft within such short time after parathyroidectomy is rare in the literature. The multinodular hyperplasia pattern of the parathyroid gland may be a major factor for such rapid recurrence. In addition to good control of calcium and phosphate, regular follow-up of parathyroid hormone level and imaging studies of not only autografted gland at the forearm but also possibly residual parathyroid tissues at the neck are important for monitoring recurrence in maintenance hemodialysis patients after parathyroidectomy with forearm autograft, especially in those with pathologic type of nodular hyperplasia and calciphylaxis.
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Obesity is epidemic in the modern world. It is becoming increasingly clear that obesity is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and renal disease, as well as a host of other comorbidities. ⋯ Surgical therapy for morbid obesity is not only effective in producing long-term weight loss but is also effective in ameliorating or resolving several of the most significant complications of obesity, including diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, degenerative joint disease, venous stasis, pseudotumor cerebri, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, urinary incontinence, fertility problems, and others. The degree of benefit and the rates of morbidity and mortality of the various surgical procedures vary according to the procedure.
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Obesity is pandemic in the modern world and continues to increase at an alarming rate, with great human and economic consequences. While bariatric surgery has been gaining popularity and acceptance as an effective way to achieve massive weight loss, it remains an option only for the extremely obese. ⋯ It is especially important for both primary care providers and subspecialists to be familiar with currently recommended approaches to the medical treatment of obesity, as it is critical that this extremely common, treatable chronic disease be recognized, intervention initiated, and therapy maintained at every appropriate clinical opportunity. Significant medical benefits can be gained even with a relatively small percentage of weight loss.
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Observational studies have shown an inverse relationship between vitamin B2 status and total homocysteine levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We hypothesize that intervention with riboflavin will lower total homocysteine levels. The total homocysteine lowering by the three genotypes (CC, CT, TT) of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism (677C-->T) was also studied. ⋯ Riboflavin supplementation did not lower total homocysteine levels in healthy subjects with CC type of C677T polymorphism. However, supplementation with folic acid or with both folic acid and riboflavin may be important for CT and TT subjects in optimizing their homocysteine metabolism. These findings are relevant in characterizing the factors controlling the high total homocysteine levels for subjects of CT and TT genotypes.
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Although in type 1 diabetes the close association between heart rate variability and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) is recognized even in patients with normoalbuminuria, this association has not yet been fully established in patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we investigated the association in patients with type 2 diabetes. ⋯ Our data suggest that in type 2 diabetes, the association between CVRR and UAE is significant only in patients with macroalbuminuria.