Initial Clinical Presentation (initial + clinical_presentation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


New potential treatments for protection of pancreatic B-cell function in Type 1 diabetes

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 11 2008
S. Cernea
Abstract Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from the progressive and specific autoimmune destruction of insulin-secreting pancreatic B-cells, which develops over a period of years and continues after the initial clinical presentation. The ultimate goal of therapeutic intervention is prevention or reversal of the disease by the arrest of autoimmunity and by preservation/restoration of B-cell mass and function. Recent clinical trials of antigen-specific or non-specific immune therapies have proved that modulation of islet specific autoimmunity in humans and prevention of insulin secretion loss in the short term after the onset of disease is achievable. The identification of suitable candidates for therapy, appropriate dosage and timing, specificity of intervention and the side-effect profile are crucial for the success of any approach. Considering the complexity of the disease, it is likely that a rationally designed approach of combined immune-based therapies that target suppression of B-cell specific autoreactivity and maintenance of immune tolerance, coupled with islet regeneration or replacement of the destroyed B-cell mass, will prove to be most effective in causing remission/reversal of disease in a durable fashion. [source]


Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is associated with increased initial clinical severity of acute viral hepatitis A

JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 11 2001
Israel Gotsman
Abstract Background and Aim: In glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, the enzyme is deficient in liver cells as well as in erythrocytes. It has been suggested that this may be associated with a more severe clinical presentation of acute viral hepatitis A. The aim of this study is to determine the severity of liver disease in patients with viral hepatitis and G6PD deficiency. Methods: Eighteen patients with diagnosed G6PD deficiency and acute hepatitis A were compared with 18 matched control patients with hepatitis A in a university hospital for liver disease severity and clinical outcome. Results: Two of 18 patients with G6PD deficiency had neurological deterioration. Patients with G6PD deficiency had a mean peak prothrombin time (PT) that was significantly prolonged as compared with the control group (15.5 ± 3.7 vs 12.9 ± 2.0 s, respectively, P < 0.02), and a significantly higher proportion had an abnormal PT (PT > 13.3 s): 61 versus 11% (P < 0.0001). Hemolysis occurred in 44% of the G6PD deficiency patients. Total and direct bilirubin were significantly higher in all patients with G6PD deficiency, including patients without hemolysis. There was no significant difference in liver enzyme levels between the two groups. Patients with G6PD deficiency had a longer average hospital stay (9.5 ± 4.8 vs 3.4 ± 0.8 days, respectively, P < 0.001). There was no difference in the final clinical outcome between the two groups, and recovery of liver function was seen in all patients. Conclusions: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in patients with hepatitis A causes a more severe initial clinical presentation, but does not alter the final clinical outcome. [source]


Frequent Hemorrhagic Lesions in Cerebral Toxoplasmosis in AIDS Patients

JOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 2 2009
Satyakam Bhagavati MD
ABSTRACT Cerebral toxoplasmosis is a frequent complication in immunosuppressed patients such as AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Frequently, lesions are located deep in the brain which are inaccessible for biopsy making rapid diagnosis dependent on accurate interpretation of neuroimaging findings. The commonest cranial CT findings reported in toxoplasmosis are ring enhancing hypodense lesions in basal ganglia or cortical gray matter. Hemorrhage has only rarely been described and is usually seen following antitoxoplasma treatment. We reviewed the records of 11 AIDS patients with cerebral toxoplasmosis and found multiple hemorrhagic cerebral, cerebellar, or brain stem lesions in 7 of 11 patients. Six patients had hemorrhage at the time of initial clinical presentation and one developed hemorrhage following 2 weeks of antitoxoplasma treatment. We conclude that hemorrhagic lesions are frequently found on cranial MRI scans in cerebral toxoplasmosis. AIDS patients presenting with hemorrhagic cerebral lesions should be considered for a trial of presumptive antitoxoplasma treatment. [source]


Bilateral Orbital Metastases as the Presenting Finding in a Male Patient with Breast Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

THE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 3 2000
Michael Stuntz MD
Abstract: Breast cancer in men has traditionally been thought to be substantially different from that in women. As more becomes known about this relatively rare entity, the similarities between genders become more striking than the differences. Carcinoma of the male breast is an uncommon disease occurring in less than 1% of all breast cancers. Male breast carcinoma is staged similarly to female breast cancer using the American Joint Committee Clinical Staging System. As in women, axillary nodal status is the strongest predictor of outcome. Distant metastasis to bones, soft tissue, lungs, and liver have been widely reported in men with breast cancer. This case report provides a rather rare presentation of a man with breast carcinoma with bilateral orbital metastasis as an initial clinical presentation. [source]


Changes in management techniques and patterns of disease recurrence over time in patients with breast carcinoma treated with breast-conserving therapy at a single institution

CANCER, Issue 4 2004
Helen Pass M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND The authors reviewed changes in the initial clinical presentation, management techniques, and patterns of disease recurrence over time (1981,1996) in patients with breast carcinoma treated with breast-conserving therapy (BCT) at a single institution. The goals of the current study were to determine the frequency and use of optimal local and systemic therapy techniques and to evaluate the impact of these changes on treatment efficacy. METHODS Six hundred seven patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage I or II invasive breast carcinomas treated with BCT at William Beaumont Hospital (Royal Oak, MI) constituted the study population. All patients received at least an excisional biopsy of the primary tumor, an axillary lymph node staging procedure, and postoperative radiotherapy (RT) (a median tumor bed dose of 61 Gray [Gy] was administered). All sides were reviewed by one pathologist. Numerous clinicopathologic and treatment-related factors were analyzed to monitor changes that occurred over time. Changes in patterns of disease recurrence and treatment efficacy over time also were analyzed. RESULTS Over the time period analyzed, changes at initial presentation included an increase in the mean age at diagnosis (age 56.1 years vs. 61.4 years; P < 0.001), a decrease in the number of patients with clinically palpable tumors (78% vs. 36%; P < 0.001), a decrease in the mean tumor size (2.2 cm vs. 1.6 cm; P < 0.001), but no change in the percentage of patients with negative lymph nodes (79% vs. 78%; P = 0.83). No differences over time were observed in mean tumor grade (2.0 vs. 1.9; P = 0.2) or the presence of angiolymphatic invasion (27% vs. 26%; P = 0.25). Changes in surgical management and pathologic assessment included the more frequent use of reexcision (46% vs. 81%; P < 0.001), larger mean total volumes of breast tissue specimens excised (115 cm3 vs. 189 cm3; P = 0.001), a larger percentage of patients with final negative surgical margins (74% vs. 97%; P < 0.001), and a small increase in the mean number of lymph nodes excised (13.8 lymph nodes vs. 14.1 lymph nodes; P = 0.01). The only other significant change in the pathologic management of patients over time included a doubling in the mean number of slides examined (10.6 slides vs. 21.1 slides; P < 0.001). Changes in adjuvant local and systemic therapy included an increase in the percentage of patients treated with > 60 Gy to the tumor bed (66% vs. 95%; P < 0.001), a doubling in the mean number of days from the last surgery to the start of RT (24 days vs. 50 days; P < 0.001), and a decrease in the use of regional lymph node RT (24% vs. 8%; P < 0.001). The use of adjuvant tamoxifen increased from 10% to 61% (P < 0.001). Finally, improvements were observed in the 5-year and 12-year actuarial rates of local disease recurrence (8% vs. 1% and 21% vs. 9%, respectively; P = 0.001) and distant metastases (12% vs. 4% and 22% vs. 9%, respectively; P = 0.006). No changes in the mean number of years to ipsilateral (6.5 years vs. 6.4 years; P = 0.59) or distant disease recurrence (4.6 years vs. 3.8 years; P = 0.73) were observed. CONCLUSIONS The impact of screening mammography and substantial changes in surgical, pathologic, RT, and systemic therapy recommendations were observed over time in the study population. These changes were associated with improvements in 5-year and 12-year local and distant control rates and suggested that improvements in outcome can be realized through adherence to best practice guidelines and continuous monitoring of treatment outcome data. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society [source]


Predictive factors of visual outcome in acute post-cataract endophthalmitis

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009
A COMBEY-DE LAMBERT
Purpose To study potential clinical and microbiological predictive factors of visual outcome in patients with acute endophthalmitis following cataract surgery. Methods A prospective study included 100 patients in 4 University hospital.Factors related to the cataract surgery, the initial clinical presentation and the microbiological identification were analyzed according to the final visual outcome using univariate and multivariate (logistic regression) analysis. Results 46% out of the patients had a final visual acuity less than or equal to 0.3 logMar (good visual outcome) at 6 months while 10% had only light perceptions. Patients with good visual outcome differed for the duration of cataract surgery, initial visual acuity, the visibility of fundus and the identification of a coagulase negative staphylococcus. In contrast, patients with a poor visual outcome were older, had more cornea oedema and a more important hypopion at the admission, more complications at the time of cataract surgery. Furthermore a bacterium was more frequently identified in this latter group. Multivariate analysis showed that age, complications at the time of cataract surgery, microbiological identification, pars plana vitrectomy were independent predictive factors. Conclusion Factors of visual outcome in acute postcataract endophthalmitis identified in this prospective study were similar to that reported during the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study 10 years ago. As part of the treatment, pars plana vitrectomy is associated with predictive factors of poor visual outcome. Identification of these predictive factors at presentation should allow a better management of patients needed an aggressive treatment. [source]