ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe effects of non-ablative erbium-doped:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Er:YAG) laser on vaginal atrophy induced by iatrogenic menopause in the ewe. DESIGN: Animal experimental, randomised, sham and estrogen-treatment controlled study with blinding for primary outcome. SETTING: KU Leuven, Belgium. SAMPLE: Twenty-four ewes. METHODS: Menopause was surgically induced, after which the ewes were randomised to three groups receiving vaginal Er:YAG laser application three times, with a 1-month interval; three sham manipulations with a 1-month interval; or estrogen replacement and sham manipulations. At given intervals, ewes were clinically examined and vaginal wall biopsies were taken. Vaginal compliance was determined by passive biomechanical testing from explants taken at autopsy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Vaginal epithelial thickness (primary), composition of the lamina propria (collagen, elastin, glycogen and vessel content), vaginal compliance, clinical signs. RESULTS: Animals exposed to Er:YAG laser application and sham manipulation, but not to estrogens, displayed a significant and comparable increase in vaginal epithelial thickness between baseline and 7 days after the third application (69% and 67%, respectively, both P < 0.0008). In laser-treated ewes, temporary vaginal discharge and limited thermal injury were observed. Estrogen-substituted ewes displayed a more prominent increase in epithelial thickness (202%; P < 0.0001) and higher vaginal compliance (P < 0.05). None of the interventions induced changes in the lamina propria. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal Er:YAG laser has comparable effect to sham manipulation in menopausal ewes. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Vaginal Er:YAG laser has comparable effect to sham manipulation in menopausal ewes #LASER #GSM #RCT.
Subject(s)
Atrophy , Estrogen Replacement Therapy/methods , Estrogens/pharmacology , Lasers, Solid-State/therapeutic use , Low-Level Light Therapy , Menopause , Vagina/pathology , Vaginal Diseases , Animals , Atrophy/diagnosis , Atrophy/drug therapy , Atrophy/etiology , Atrophy/radiotherapy , Biopsy/methods , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Low-Level Light Therapy/adverse effects , Low-Level Light Therapy/methods , Sheep , Treatment Outcome , Vaginal Diseases/drug therapy , Vaginal Diseases/pathology , Vaginal Diseases/radiotherapyABSTRACT
Psittacosis, also known as parrot disease, parrot fever and ornithosis, can be transmitted to humans by inhaling dried excreta of infected birds like canaries, parakeets, parrots, pigeons and turkeys. Unless it is specifically thought of and investigated, the diagnosis of psittacosis can easily be missed and without identifying the exact etiology, the disease is usually treated as atypical pneumonia. We diagnosed psittacosis in a mother and her son with Friedreich ataxia, who took care of two parrots in their house. In addition to pneumonia, central nervous system and liver involvement were also identified in those patients. Since there was no any other case of psittacosis reported from Turkey, we thought to be important to report this mother and her son as first cases from Turkey.
Subject(s)
Chlamydophila psittaci/pathogenicity , Parrots , Psittacosis/epidemiology , Zoonoses , Adult , Animals , Diagnosis, Differential , Disease Outbreaks , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psittacosis/diagnosis , Psittacosis/transmission , Psittacosis/veterinary , Turkey/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Skeletal tuberculosis remains a potentially crippling disease in the developing world; particularly as it usually affects children and young adults. The spine is involved approximately 50% of bone and joint tuberculosis cases. The features of four spinal tuberculosis cases were looked over this article. Their ages were between 18 and 76 years. All of them were male and immunocompetent. Pain was the major complaint. There was no life-threatening neurological sign. Among them, a case who was admitted to the hospital with painful torticollis had upper cervical-lower thoracic spinal tuberculosis with psoas abscesses and peritoneal tuberculosis, but no pulmonary involvement. The other cases had thoracolumbal spinal tuberculosis with psoas abscesses and pulmonary tuberculosis of which miliary, chronic and new pulmonary tuberculosis. The whole diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis was made by radiographically-MRI and CT-. Specific antituberculous therapy with supportive care was begun and remarkable responses without surgical intervention were seen on them except miliary pulmonary tuberculosis case. The aim of this presentation was to emphasize the importance of early diagnosis so that adequate pharmacological treatment can be initiated to avoid serious complication.
Subject(s)
Cervical Vertebrae , Thoracic Vertebrae , Tuberculosis, Spinal/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Diagnosis, Differential , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Tuberculosis, Spinal/diagnostic imaging , Tuberculosis, Spinal/pathologyABSTRACT
Besides definition and treatment of index cases, prophylaxis plays an important role in battling tuberculosis that is still health problem in developing countries. But, in clinical practice, there are differences about prophylaxis between countries and even in our country. Approaches to prophylaxis of developed countries and current situation of our country were looked over for this purpose.
