Quality of life in renal transplant patients over 60 years of age.

Kidney transplantation not only drastically improves the life-expectancy of hemodialyzed patients, but it also affords psychological and social advantages with improvements in short- and long-term personal and working lives. Quality of life (QoL) is one of the parameters of psychological well-being. There is an improvement of QoL from pre- to posttransplant, but it is not to the level of healthy samples. The aim of this study was to examine QoL in older renal transplant recipients. All recipients older than age 60 were included, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. To measure QoL, the nationally standardized ShortForm-36 (SF-36) questionnaire was administered. The SF-36 responses by our patients were compared with national age- and gender-appropriate norms, and also between genders. The enrolled population included 19 women (36.5%) and 33 men (63.5%), with a mean age of 66.8 years (range, 60-73 years). Enrolled women reported significant limitations compared to gender- and age-matched norms in social activities (42.11 vs 70.58), perception of pain (22.11 vs 59.17), and general health perception (39.58 vs 48.69). Enrolled men reported significant limitations compared to gender- and age-matched norms in social activities (46.59 vs 78.35), perception of pain (18.18 vs 73.62), psycho-physical energy (50.15 vs 67.88), and general health perception (37.33 vs 61.66). No significant differences were noted between the genders. This study clearly showed how the psychological state was not as good as the clinico-physical recovery following renal transplantation in older recipients.

Telecare for teenagers with type 1 diabetes: a trial.

AIM: The aim of this paper was to test in teenagers with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) the Glucobeeb (Gb), a web based tool to support the diabetes care. METHODS: Gb transfers glucometer's data by phone and Internet to the PC of practitioner in files dedicated to each patient; the response returns to patient as 1-min vocal message. From outpatients paediatric clinic 28 teenagers (mean 14.8 years, range 10-20, male 14) with T1DM on multiple daily injections insulin therapy, with glicated haemoglobin (HbA1c) over 7% and >2 years' duration of the disease (9.1 years, range 2-15), were consequently randomized to telecare (glucometer transmission with feedback, group A) or control (standard communication by phone and face-to-face visits, group B). Glycaemia was tested four times per day and data transmitted every 2 weeks; clinician feedback returned within the following week. Two controls were excluded after randomization. Outcomes of 14 patients of A were compared with 12 of B. RESULTS: In intervention group average HbA1c% decreased from baseline at 3 and 6 months in comparison with controls (9.5, 9.0, 9.1, vs 9.1, 9.4, 9.4 respectively). Controls after 6 months were introduced to Gb, and similar trend of HbA1c was observed in the following examinations at 3 and 6 month (9.4, 8.9, 8.7). Then, in both groups HbA1c after 12 months of Gb increased, and after 18 reduced (A: 9.2, and 8.8, B 9.1 and 8.5 respectively). The enhancement of HbA1c from baseline to end was significant (P=0.01). CONCLUSION: The tool improves metabolic control in teenagers with T1DM.

[Polyomavirus infection in an immunocompetent patient and literature overview]. / Infezione da Polymavirus in paziente immunocompetente e revisione della letteratura.

BACKGROUND: Polyoma virus (PV) is a double-stranded DNA virus, member of the Papovaviridae family. BKV and JCV are the most studied in human pathology, whereas simian virus 40 (SV40) is pathogenic in the monkey and has been implicated in human carcinogenesis. PV is associated with renal and urinary tract pathology. The initial infection by PV occurs in childhood, probably by airways, and is usually asymptomatic. Subsequently, it remains latent in kidneys, tonsils and CNS and may reactivate in concomitance with significant T-cell dysfunction. Infection in immunocompromised patients can be clinically relevant. However, asymptomatic viruria may be detected in 0.3 % of individuals without a known history of immunodeficiency. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a male patient, aged 31, admitted to our Unit for arterial hypertension and urinary abnormalities. He had a history of hemorrhagic cystitis in 1996 and persistent microscopic hematuria thereafter. Renal function was normal, arterial pressure well controlled with an ACE-inhibitor; urine culture was negative and most of the immunologic and rheumatologic tests were normal, with the exception of slightly reduced levels of C3 and an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio. Serology for HCV, HBV, HIV and screening for tumor markers were negative. Renal ultrasonography displayed an increased reflectivity, as seen in medical nephropathies; no nephrolithiasis was found. Urinary cytology showed "decoy cells", as typically found in PV infection, whose presence was confirmed by n-PCR. Diagnosis at discharge from the hospital was primary arterial hypertension and urinary JCV infection. Currently, no treatment of proven efficacy against PV is available. CONCLUSIONS: We think that there is an increasing amount of evidence to include screening for PV in the diagnosis of urinary tract abnormalities of unknown origin, even in apparently immunocompetent patients. Urinary cytology, in experienced hands, may be a useful and relatively inexpensive first step diagnostic tool.

Flare and tumor lysis syndrome with atypical features after letrozole therapy in advanced breast cancer. A case report.

Tumor lysis syndrome, which develops after effective therapy of malignant conditions and leads to hyperuricemia, hyperkaliemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase, is uncommon in solid tumors. In breast carcinoma it can be associated with tamoxifen flare, i.e. a transient increase in symptoms, mainly bone pain, observed shortly after the start of tamoxifen therapy. We report the case of a patient with advanced breast carcinoma involving the pleural space, unresponsive to combined chemotherapy, who experienced rapid worsening after the initiation of letrozole. Her symptoms included shock, bilateral pleural effusion, cardiac tamponade and oliguria. Laboratory parameters disclosed elevated transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, uric acid and D-dimer blood levels. The patient was in critical condition for nearly 2 weeks. She improved progressively and has remained well and in complete remission for 20 months. This clinical picture suggests increased damage to the pleura (and probably the pericardium) and rapid leakage of tumor products, following the start of endocrine therapy. Letrozole is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor which is used in advanced breast cancer, resistant to first-line endocrine/chemotherapeutic treatment. Our review of the literature did not disclose any other descriptions of flare and tumor lysis syndrome after aromatase inhibitor therapy. Moreover, this case was characterized by atypical and complex clinical features. The aim of this presentation is to point out the practical significance, in neoplastic patients, of the differential diagnosis between symptoms due to tumor progression and those associated with anomalous reactions to therapy.