Quantitative analysis of movements in facial nerve palsy with surface electromyography and kinematic analysis.

Facial nerve paralysis (FNP) has a significant effect on a person's quality of life. In individuals with FNP undergoing facial rehabilitation, methods to analyze the loss of function are useful in diagnosis, treatment and follow up. To propose a protocol with kinematic analysis coupled with sEMG to evaluate the outcomes of FNP, quantifying the excursion degrees of the facial muscles and symmetry of voluntary movements. 10 patients (Group A) were followed by diagnosis until the end of the rehabilitation program. Kinematic analysis of 20 healthy adults (group B) was performed as a starting point to have a normality range and to test intra-subject and inter- intra rater reliability. An optoelectronic system and sEMG wireless electrodes were used. In Group A, a significant improvement in the movement of frontalis muscle (P = 0.0118) after 4-week treatment from the beginning (T0) 9.8 ± 4.5 mm to the end of rehabilitation (T1) 16.3 ± 5.8 mm and orbicularis oris (P = 0.0143) from T0 14.8 ± 5.5 mm to T1 20.3 ± 3.3 mm and, a reduction of % of maximum voluntary contractions (MVC) at T1 for frontalis and orbicularis compared to T0. This protocol provides meaningful data in a simple, reliable and objective way for the functional assessment of patients with PNF.

Rehabilitation of patients post-COVID-19 infection: a literature review.

Rehabilitation is important for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Given the lack of guidelines in English on the rehabilitation of these patients, we conducted a review of the most recent reports. We performed this literature review using the principal research databases and included randomized trials, recommendations, quasi-randomized or prospective controlled clinical trials, reports, guidelines, field updates, and letters to the editor. We identified 107 studies in the database search, among which 85 were excluded after screening the full text or abstract. In total, 22 studies were finally included. The complexity of the clinical setting and the speed of spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which leads to rapid occupation of beds in the intensive care unit, make it necessary to discharge patients with COVID-19 who have mild symptoms as soon as possible. For these reasons, it is necessary to formulate rehabilitation programs for these patients, to help them restore physical and respiratory function and to reduce anxiety and depression, particularly patients with comorbidities and those who live alone or in rural settings, to restore a good quality of life.

Neuropatía óptica isquémica anterior en hemodiálisis / No disponible

No disponible

Allergic contact dermatitis of the lip margins from para-tertiary-butylphenol in a lip liner.

We describe the use of gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the investigation of a case of allergic contact dermatitis of the lip margins caused by a lip liner. Patch testing identified sensitization to para-tertiary-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin (PTBP-FR), a resin glue frequently used in leather work but rarely found in cosmetics. Investigation specified the para-tertiary-butylphenol (PTBP) component of the resin as the hapten responsible for the allergic contact dermatitis, as well as for associated depigmentation.

[Lyell's syndrome and lymphoma]. / Sindrome di Lyell e linfoma.

The authors present the case of a patient affected by Lyell's Syndrome and Lymphoma that was revealed in the post-mortem examination. At onset the disease showed mucosal hyperaemia, oedema and erosions. In about ten days macular lesions with vesciculation and bullae appeared on the abdomen. General conditions did not seem to be affected. Three weeks later a fever was noted. No important illness, nor drug assumption were detectable in the history of the patient. At the beginning of the fourth week a dramatic worsening occurred with erythrodermic state and high fever. Death occurred at the sixth week in spite of therapy. Bacteriological and virological examinations were always negative. Post-mortem examination showed retroperitoneal and pelvic neoplastic tissue, involving lumboaortic lymph nodes. Histopathology demonstrated a low grade malignancy non Hodgkin Lymphoma, diffused type with small lymphocytes showing plasmocytic differentiation. The lack of drug intake or infectious disease in the history, underlines the peculiar association between the tumor and the syndrome. Rare cases of TEN associated with lymphoproliferative neoplasm are reported in the literature, and the pathogenetic problem of the syndrome is reviewed.

[Clinical variants of pachydermoperiostosis: complete, incomplete and atypical forms]. / La pachidermoperiostosi nelle sue varietà cliniche: forma completa, incompleta e frusta.

We describe two cases of pachydermoperiostosis, that, with the case that we have already published, allow us to present the complete clinical picture of the disease in the three forms: complete, incomplete and "forme fruste". It is interesting to note that the lack of an important symptom (digital clubbing or CVG) does not exclude the diagnosis but defines the clinical variant. The primitive hypertrophic osteoarthropathy is a common feature for the three patients, marked for I and III case, mild, but important from the diagnostic point of view, for the II case. The identification of a new marker of osteoblastic activity: osteocalcin blood level, is very important to determine the degree of activity of the disease. EM study, performed for the first time, shows an enhanced activity of the fibroblasts and a thickening of the basal membrane of the blood vessels. It is own opinion that the clinical picture observed, the vascular, the metabolic, the EM investigations give a further contribution to the understanding of this disease.