[Incidence of vein thromboembolic disease in lung cancer patients]

Lung cancer [LC] is an important risk factor for thromboembolic events [VTE], but only limited data on the incidence of VTE in different types of LC are available. To study the risk of VTE in LC patients, with an emphasis on the comparison of risk between different types of LC. Patients and Our prospective study was performed in pulmonology division of internal medicine department in Almouasat University hospital in Damascus throw 2 years [2006-2007]. Patient and tumor characteristics as well as VTE were evaluated and recorded. Statistical analysis of the results was performed A total of 230 patients with a histological confirmed LC were included in our study. 112 [48.7%] patients of them were with adenocarcinoma, 70 [32.4%] with squamous cell LC, 35 [15.2%] with small cell and 13 [5.7%] with large cell cancer. A 23 [10%] of total patients developed VTE. 6 patients were with VTE that established in one week to 16 months period before the LC diagnoses [median 6.8 months]. 17 patients developed VTE after the diagnose of LC. The median time, from the first admittance for LC, until development of the VTE, was 5.2 months [range one to 12 months].We found that the subgroup patients with adenocarcinoma had the highest risk of developing VTE between all types of LC. There were 17 VTE cases of 112 patients [15.2%], with adenocarcinoma whereas in the subgroup group with squamous cell cancer there were 4 cases of 70 [5.7%] and 2 cases of 35 patients with small cell LC [5.7%] were develop VTE. The risk was 3-fold increased for patients with adenocarcinoma than in patients with squamous cell or small cell LC. We did not see any VTE between the patients with large cells LC. 5 of 23 patients [21.7%] developed VTE during chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the presence of metastases LC increases the risk of VTE especially in patients with adenocarcinoma. They have a three-fold higher risk than LC patients with squamous cell or small cell. Sudden unexplained VTE in aged smokers older than 50 years may be a significant risk indicator of underlying malignancy and those patient must stay under observation for final diagnosis. It is not established yet if all of LC patients should receive prophylaxis with anticoagulants .More prospective studies may provide the necessary evidence for targeted use of prophylactic anticoagulants in LC patients to prevent development of VTE and improve related survival

Kikuchi's disease: a case report and review of the literature

Kikuchi's disease called also Kikuchi- Fujimoto's disease or Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is a rare entity. It is a self-limiting process of unknown etiology first reported in Japanese literature separately by Kikuchi and Fujimoto in 1972. Then similar cases have subsequently been reported throughout the world. We reported a case of Kikuchi's disease in a. 38-year-old man presenting with generalized lymphadenopathy and persistent fever throughout more than 2 months. It's the first case was diagnosed in Al muwasat University Hospital in Syria. We reviewed the literature to summarize and report the most common clinical, laboratory and histology characteristics of Kikuchi- Fujimoto's disease. It manifests clinically with cervical lymphadenopathy, and fever, often associated with other non-specific clinical signs. The etio-pathogenesis of this disease is still unknown, perhaps due to an immunologic phenomenon. It could be a hyper immune reaction induced by viruses or various antigenic agents. The diagnosis is established on the basis of histology of lymph node biopsy. Kikuchi's disease is likely to be misinterpreted as malignant lymphoma or systemic lupus erythematosus. The disease generally needs no treatment because it runs a spontaneously benign course with complete resolution of the symptoms within 6 months 1-Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease is a rare entity with unknown etiology it's an easily misdiagnosed clinical entity. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with lymphadenopathy as well as fever of an unknown origin. 2-To obviate unnecessary investigations and therapeutic trials, these patients should undergo early lymph node biopsy which must be interpreted by an experienced pathologist

Ultrasonic characteristics of orbital cysts and haemanogiomata

The caustic characteristics of the orbital cystsandorbital hemangioma were studied using combined A and B scans. Ten cases of orbital hemangioma and three cases of orbital cysts were operated upon using Kronlein procedures.The technique used in study was the immersion technique using Coleman ophthalmoscan, 10 MHz transducer

Headache as a presenting symptom in ophthalmic practice

105 patients out of 300 presenting to Kasr El Aini Opahthalmology Clinic and in private practice were complaining from headache as the chief symptoms. Cases were females and the majority of the patients were between 35 and 50 years of age. Headache was more common in students and proessionals than in other group. It was found that small refractive errors notably hypermetropia and astigmatism were the predominant etiological factor