Minerva medica
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The availability of osteodensitometry has contributed significantly to increase the awareness of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-associated bone disease. Reported osteoporosis prevalence in patients with IBD range from 2% to 30%. The fractures risk varies between studies, influenced by demographic, clinical and genetic factors. ⋯ A screening should be considered for all patients with small bowel Crohn's disease and especially for those with extensive disease, multiple resections, and malnutrition. Supplementation with both calcium and vitamin D is frequently the first step taken, but is insufficient to inhibit bone loss in many patients requiring use of glucocorticoids. Among available therapies, only biphosphonates are effective for treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
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There is an increased risk of lymphoma subsequent to autoimmune conditions. Autoimmune disorders may occur in the course of lymphomas. In this study, the association of autoimmunity and related autoantibodies within non-Hodgkin's (NHL) and Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients has been investigated. ⋯ In conclusion, ANA and related autoantibodies can frequently be detected during lymphoma treatment. However, the majority of lymphoma patients with positive ANA did not display autoimmune diseases, demonstrating the lack of a strict correlation between the presence of ANA and autoimmune diseases.
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This retrospective study evaluated the epidemiology of burn injuries, due to paint thinner ignition, in patients treated at the burn units of a university hospital network. ⋯ Paint thinner ignition may cause excessive burns with high mortality rates. Its common misuse in starting stove fires by persons living in urban areas should be prevented immediately.
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The recent rediscovery of the natural traditional medical sciences has contributed to improve the treatment of the human diseases and, in particular, it has been shown that the pharmacological approach is not the only possible strategy in the treatment of nausea and vomiting, since bioenergetic approaches, such as acupressure and acupuncture, may also counteract the onset of vomiting due to different causes. Previous preliminary clinical studies had already suggested a possible efficacy of acupressure also in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced vomiting resistant to the classical antiemetic drugs. The aim of this study was to confirm these preliminary data. ⋯ This study confirms previous preliminary clinical results, which had already suggested the potential efficacy of acupressure in the treatment of vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy. Therefore, acupressure may be successfully included within the therapeutic strategies of cancer chemotherapy-induced vomiting.
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Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most prevalent, potentially lethal monogenic disorder. Over the past two decades, its study has yielded remarkable progress. ⋯ The large inter- and intra-familial variability, explained to a large extent by genetic heterogeneity and modifier genes, is now better appreciated. Increased understanding of the progression of the disease and of its underlying genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms have laid the foundations for the development of potentially effective therapies and clinical trials.