ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the connective tissue disorder in which neuropsychiatric complications are most often seen. The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy varies from 5 to 27% depending on the series of cases described, with subclinical forms being most frequent. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of subclinical peripheral neuropathy in a group of patients with SLE, define their characteristics, and investigate any possible associations with clinico analytical parameters of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS. 32 patients with SLE were diagnosed in an Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic and followed up for at least a year. They were studied prospectively and consecutively by clinical examination, laboratory test and neurophysiological studies (electroneurogram). RESULTS: Neurophysiological study showed peripheral neuropathy to be present in 50% of the patients, who were mainly asymptomatic (75%) and found to be normal on neurological examination (81.2%). The most frequent type of neuropathy was polyneuropathy (37.5%) which was predominantly axonal symmetrical and sensomotor followed by isolated mono neuropathy (6.2%) and multiple mononeuritis (6.2%). No clinical or analytical parameter was significantly associated with the development of peripheral neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS: The considerable frequency of subclinical peripheral neuropathy in patients with SLE and the absence of associated clinical or analytical parameters makes it necessary to carry out neurophysiological studies in these patients to detect its presence and establish the precise extent of the disorder.
Subject(s)
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications , Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/etiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A case of chronic urticaria with macroglobulinemia (Schnitzler's syndrome) is described. To our knowledge, this is only the second case reported in the literature with osteolysis and the presence of cryoglobulins in sera. The characteristics of the previous 21 cases of this syndrome are reviewed. The pathogenesis of this peculiar entity is discussed.
Subject(s)
Osteolysis/complications , Urticaria/complications , Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia/complications , Aged , Cryoglobulinemia/complications , Cryoglobulinemia/immunology , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Osteolysis/diagnostic imaging , Radiography , Syndrome , Urticaria/pathology , Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia/immunologyABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of the study was to assess possible changes in fibronectin serum levels in patients with septic shock and to analyze its usefulness as prognosis marker in this kind of shock. METHOD: Fibronectin serum levels were determined in 20 patients with septic shock at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 72 hours after the diagnosis was made. RESULTS: Serum level of fibronectin drops between 6 and 24 hours after shock starts, reaching its lower value around hour 12. The level recovered after 24 hours in those cases with good clinical evolution, but not in patients with bad outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of fibronectin plasma level is a good prognostic marker for predicting survival in patients with septic shock.
Subject(s)
Fibronectins/blood , Shock, Septic/blood , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Prospective Studies , Shock, Septic/mortality , Survival AnalysisABSTRACT
A case of intestinal obstruction due to ingested "foreign body" (a patient's tooth) is described in an elderly man with cancer of the ascending colon, at that time, without clinical symptoms.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/complications , Colon , Colonic Neoplasms/complications , Foreign Bodies/complications , Intestinal Obstruction/etiology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Humans , MaleSubject(s)
Hospitals , Poisoning/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Inpatients , Male , Middle Aged , Poisoning/therapy , SpainABSTRACT
The interrelationship between factor XII deficiency (Hageman trait) and thrombosis is well known. A case of moderate factor XII deficiency (activity, 30%) associated to deep vein thrombosis, which occurred in the popliteal region of the left lower limb after abdominal surgery, is reported. The deficit was found in 4 family members of the three generations studied, and all of them showed a close interrelationship between factor XII activity and kallikrein levels. Prolonged APTT was found in 3 of the 4 affected subjects. A multiallelic model is suggested to explain the genetic transmission of this impairment.
