Medicina
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Background and Objectives: The role of affective temperament in the genesis and outcome of major mood disorders is well studied, but there are only a few reports on the relationship between panic disorder (PD) and affective temperaments. Accordingly, we aimed to study the distribution of affective temperaments (depressive (DE); cyclothymic (CT); irritable (IRR); hyperthymic (HT) and anxious (ANX)) among outpatients with PD. Materials and Methods: Affective temperaments of 118 PD outpatients (80 females and 38 males) with or without agoraphobia but without any other psychiatric disorder at the time of inclusion were evaluated using the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and compared with the affective temperament scores of control subjects. ⋯ During the follow-up, newly developed unipolar major depression and bipolar spectrum (bipolar I or II and cyclothymic) disorders appeared in 64% and 22% of subjects, respectively. Conclusions: Our preliminary findings suggest that a specific, ANX-DE-CT affective temperament profile is characteristic primarily for female patients, and an ANX-DE-HT affective temperament profile is characteristic for male patients with PD, respectively. These findings are in line with expectations because PD is an anxiety disorder par excellence on the one hand, whereas, on the other hand, it is quite frequently comorbid with mood (including bipolar) disorders.
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The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed medical care. Healthcare professionals are faced with new issues. Patients who survived COVID-19 have plenty of different continuing symptoms, of which the most common are fatigue and breathlessness. ⋯ In this article, we talk about a subgroup of patients with organizing pneumonia following COVID-19 pneumonia that could be effectively treated with systemic glucocorticoids. It is important that patients with COVID-19 pneumonia be followed-up at least three weeks after diagnosis, in order to recognize early lung damage. We are providing a management algorithm for early diagnosis of lung diseases after COVID-19 pneumonia.
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Background and objectives: The aim of our study was to analyze the concentrations of inflammatory markers in the nasal tissue of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNPs) and controls of different age groups, as well as to find associations between age, inflammation development, and NPs. Materials and methods: Patients were divided into two groups-patients with CRSwNPs and control subjects who had nasal surgery for another reason beside CRS. Our analysis was performed across three different age groups (18-30 years, 31-50 years, and 51 years and more). ⋯ Only the concentration of IL-21 was higher among patients with CRSwNP in the middle age group, as compared to the oldest group. IL-2, IL-4, and IL-22 levels correlated with the severity of CRSwNPs. Elevated concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, and IL-22 were determined in patients' groups with higher sinonasal outcome test (SNOT-22) scores, pointing to more severe clinical symptoms.
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The incidence of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) is low, at 7-8% of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases. The most common site of MALT lymphoma occurrence is the stomach. Primary hepatic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of MALT is classified as a type of non-gastric MALT lymphoma and is considered extremely rare, with no consensus on imaging study findings or treatment due to a limited number of reports. We herein describe a rare case of primary hepatic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of MALT with underlying hepatitis B infection (HBV) and present useful diagnostic findings of various imaging modalities, including contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with Sonazoid. ⋯ Primary hepatic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of MALT is a rare condition that can appear in HBV carriers. Characteristic CEUS findings may help in disease diagnosis. Clinicians should bear primary hepatic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of MALT in mind when encountering patients with focal liver lesions which exhibit image findings different from those of typical hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of Vitamin and Amino Acid-Enriched Hyaluronic Acid Gel on the Healing of Oral Mucosa: In Vivo and In Vitro Study.
Background and Objectives: Wound healing is a dynamic process that can be compromised in patients with chronic and metabolic conditions or unhealthy lifestyles. Numerous medical substances designed for topical use, charged with compounds that promote the healing process, have been developed to improve wound healing, especially in compromised subjects. The present study aimed to extend our understanding of the in vivo effects of a hyaluronic acid gel charged with amino acids (HAplus gel, Aminogam gel® Errekappa Euroterapici spa, Milan, Italy) and study the in vitro effects of the same gel charged with additional substances in an attempt to optimize its formulation. ⋯ After 24 h, the viability percentage in all experimental groups was below 100% of the HA-Control, demonstrating a mild toxicity. After 48 h from seeding, the TEST groups' viability grew significantly compared to HA-Control. Conclusions: These encouraging preliminary results suggest that the use of HAplus gel enriched with vitamins C and E may be beneficial in patients with conditions that impair soft tissue healing.