ABSTRACT
Previous studies have indicated an association between the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and aging plus height. In this study we investigated whether the arm span-height difference was related to GERD symptoms with a focus on aged subjects in the general population, since the arm span reflects the height in young adulthood before decreasing due to vertebral deformities from aging. A total of 285 elderly individuals (105 females) who visited nursing homes for the elderly in Japan were enrolled in this study. The GERD symptoms were evaluated by the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (FSSG). The body weight, height and arm span were measured, and information regarding medications and complications were reviewed in each nursing record. 50.5% of women had more than 3 cm of arm span-height difference. In contrast, only 37.3% of men had more than 3 cm of arm span-height difference. The FSSG scores indicated more than 70% of subjects complained of any GERD symptoms. There was a significant correlation between the FSSG score and the arm span-height difference in the subjects with more than 3 cm of arm span-height difference (r = 0.236; p = 0.012). The correlation between the arm span-height difference and the FSSG score was significant only in women in females in the present study. In conclusion, our findings indicate that vertebral deformity evaluated by the arm span-height difference might have some positive relationship to the pathogenesis of GERD symptoms in elderly Japanese individuals.
ABSTRACT
Fibroadenoma of the gallbladder is extremely rare tumor, with only two cases reported in the world. It is characterized by abundant loose edematous connective tissue, glandular structure, polypoid structure covered by epithelia, and a filamentous pedicle. We report a case of 78-year-old woman histopathologically diagnosed after surgery. Macroscopically, the tumor was a dark-greenish solid mass with a short stalk, filling the gallbladder cavity, and it measured 11.5 x 4.0 x 3.5 cm in diameter. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of abundant loose stroma and a glandular component. Some of the glandular cells had hyperchromatic nuclei with disturbed polarity and were positively stained by p53 (30%) and Ki-67 (30-40%). Part of the stromal component revealed hypercellularity with an irregular nucleus, mitosis (2-3 cells/10 high-power fields), and positivity for Ki-67 (20%) and p53 (50%). We diagnosed this peculiar tumor as "fibroadenoma of the gallbladder with borderline malignancy". We present the details of this extremely rare case and discuss the pathological findings, comparing them to those in the two previously reported cases and to carcinosarcoma of gallbladder.
Subject(s)
Fibroadenoma/pathology , Gallbladder Neoplasms/pathology , Aged , Female , Fibroadenoma/chemistry , Gallbladder Neoplasms/chemistry , HumansABSTRACT
A 67-year-old man was referred to our department because of a mass in the pancreas tail. Pancreatic tail cancer with lymph node metastasis was diagnosed, based on various radiological findings. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a slightly enhanced tumor mass around the celiac plexus, and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) showed complete obstruction of the main pancreatic duct at the tail, although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated no elevation of the mean pixel value of the tumor after gadolinium (Gd) injection, and tumor markers of pancreas cancer were within normal limits. At surgery, the mass around the celiac plexus was found to be blood coagulation, and the pancreas tail tumor was found to be a focal hematoma in the pancreas. Pathologically, the hematoma was not encapsulated, and it was diagnosed as hemorrhage in the pancreas parenchyma. Both hemorrhagic lesions were suspected to have developed respectively. It is difficult to distinguish pancreas hemorrhage from carcinoma in the pancreas with chronic pancreatitis, especially when the hemorrhage is small in size and there are other extrapancreatic hemorrhagic lesions. For such diagnosis, the superiority of MRI with Gd injection is indicated.
