Efficacy and safety of oncoplastic surgery plus drug therapy for chronic tuberculous granulomatous mastitis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic tuberculous granulomatous mastitis (CTGM) is a rare form of tuberculosis (TB) treated primarily with anti-TB drugs. Oncoplastic surgery (OS) has been proposed as adjuvant therapy for CTGM.METHOD: We followed for 1 year every CTGM patients and assessed the efficacy (defined as non-recurrence and no need for corticosteroids) and safety attributable to the standard anti-TB drugs therapy with and without OS.RESULTS: We analysed 128 CTGM cases, including 78 (61%) treated with OS plus anti-TB drugs and 50 (39%) with anti-TB drugs only. We observed a significantly higher efficacy among those exposed vs. unexposed to OS (100% vs. 92%; prevalence ratio [PR] 1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.18), with no difference in the number of complications (21% vs. 8%; PR 2.56, 95% CI 0.91-7.26). We also observed that the incidence of post-operative complications decreased by 50% when OS was postponed from after Month 1 to after completing Month 2 of anti-TB drugs treatment (19% to 8%; PR 0.46, 95% CI 0.13-1.62).CONCLUSION: OS appears to represent an efficacious and safe adjuvant therapy when combined with anti-TB drugs in the treatment of CTGM patients, but clinical trials are needed to prove this observation.

Ictiosis congénita: manifestaciones oftalmológicas / Congenital ichthyosis: ophthalmological manifestations

Objetivos: Describir las manifestaciones oftalmológicas de la ictiosis congénita. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 8 pacientes con ictiosis lamelar congénita atendidos en el servicio de oftalmología del Hospital de Pediatría Prof. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan. Se analizaron: edad, sexo, posicionamiento de los párpados, la presencia de lagoftalmos, alteraciones de la superficie ocular y tratamientos tópicos y quirúrgicos instaurados para la patología ocular. Resultados: Se estudiaron 16 ojos de 8 pacientes, 7 de sexo masculino y 1 de sexo femenino. Cinco pacientes presentaron ictiosis lamelar clásica y 2 eritrodermia congénita ictiosiforme (EIC). La edad media de los pacientes fue de 30,6 meses (r= 15 días y 108 meses). Los hallazgos oftalmológicos observados fueron: queratitis y lagoftalmos en el 50% de los pacientes, ectropión en el 37,5% y absceso corneal en ambos ojos de 1 paciente. Todos los pacientes fueron tratados de primera instancia con lubricantes, 2 se trataron con eritromicina tópica ante la presencia de secreción y sólo 1 paciente requirió tratamiento con colirio fortificado y colocación de membrana amniótica. Conclusión: la ictiosis congénita produce alteraciones en los párpados y en la superficie corneal con alto riesgo de secuelas y pérdida visual. Los controles periódicos son indispensables para poder prevenir las lesiones y sus complicaciones (AU)

Aim: To describe the ophthalmological manifestations of congenital ichthyosis. Material and Methods: A retrospective study of eight patients with congenital lamellar ichthyosis was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology of the Pediatric Hospital Prof. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan. Age, sex, eyelid position, presence of lagophthalmos, ocular surface alterations, as well as topical and surgical eye treatment were analyzed. Results: 16 eyes of 8 patients, 7 male and 1 female, were studied. Five patients had classical lamellar ichthyosis and two had congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (CIE). Mean age of the patients was 30.6 months (r, 15 days to 108 months). Ophthalmological findings were: keratitis and lagophthalmos in 50% of patients, ectropion in 37.5%, and corneal abscess in both eyes in one patient. All patients were initialy treated with artificial tears, two were treated with topical erythromycin because of secretion, and only one patient needed treatment with fortified eye drops and placement of amniotic membrane. Conclusion: Congenital ichthyosis causes disorders of the eyelids and corneal damage with a high risk of sequelae and vision loss. Periodic controls are necessary to prevent the lesions and their complications (AU)

[Do the morning peak in blood pressure, age and gender affect the need to change hypertension treatment because of inefficacy?]. / Influyen el pico matutino de la presión arterial, la edad y el sexo en la necesidad de cambio de tratamiento antihipertensivo por ineficacia?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if the timing coincidence of morning rise of arterial blood pressure (BP) and morning turn of clinic BP measurement in our primary healthcare center implies an increased risk of switching antihypertensive drugs because of inefficacy with respect to afternoon staff turn. We also describe age and sex differences. DESIGNAND SETTING: A historical cohort study. We recorded all changes of antihypertensive drugs because of inefficacy of patients of 7 urban primary care clinics during the period from october 1997 to september 1999. MEASUREMENTS: We compared the incidence of changes per 1000 months of prescription of morning and afternoon turns, men and women, older and younger patients than 75 and 65 years old. RESULTS: The mean age of 1152 patients was 69.5 years old. The relation men:women in morning and afternoon turns was similar. Relative risk of switching in morning/afternoon turns was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.61-1.10). Sex and age did not affect the results. If the turn was not considered, younger patients and men had increased risk of being switched. Male adults (< 65 years old) relative risk against female was 1.62 (95% CI, 1.07-2.47). Older patients than 65 year had the RR inverted: RR men/women: 0.78 (95% CI, 0.51-1.21). CONCLUSION: Morning rise of BP did not provoque an increased risk of switching antihypertensive drugs in morning turn with respect to afternoon turn. Male adults had increased risk of switching with respect to women. Older women than 65 years old had more risk than men to be changed.

¿Influyen el pico matutino de la presión arterial, la edad y el sexo en la necesidad de cambio de tratamiento antihipertensivo por ineficacia? / Have morning rise of arterial blood pressure, age and gender any influence on antihypertensive drug switching of because of inefficacy?

Objetivo. Comprobar si la coincidencia del horario de toma de presión arterial (PA) del turno de mañana con el pico matutino de PA supone una necesidad mayor de cambio de fármacos hipotensores por ineficacia respecto al turno de tarde. Analizamos también la influencia de la edad y el género en los cambios de tratamiento globales por ineficacia. Diseño. Estudio de cohorte histórico. Emplazamiento. Siete consultas médicas urbanas de atención primaria. Participantes. Todos los pacientes registrados como hipertensos. Mediciones principales. Revisión de las historias clínicas, registrando los cambios de fármacos hipotensores por ineficacia entre octubre de 1997 y septiembre de 1999. Se comparó la incidencia de cambios por mil meses de prescripción entre el turno de mañana y tarde, entre varones y mujeres y entre mayores y menores de 75 y 65 años. Resultados. La edad media de los 1.152 pacientes fue de 69,5 años, con una distribución por sexo similar en los grupos de mañana y tarde. El riesgo relativo (RR) de cambio del turno de mañana respecto al de tarde fue de 0,82 (IC del 95 por ciento, 0,61-1,10) sin influir la edad y el sexo. Independientemente del turno, los pacientes más jóvenes y los varones tenían más probabilidad de cambiarles el tratamiento. El riesgo era mayor en adultos varones menores de 65 años respecto a mujeres: RR, 1,62 (IC del 95 por ciento, 1,07-2,47). En mayores de 65 años el riesgo se invertía con más cambios en mujeres: RR, 0,78 (IC del 95 por ciento, 0,51-1,21).Conclusiones. El pico matutino de PA no provoca más cambios de tratamiento por ineficacia en los pacientes atendidos en el turno de mañana. En nuestra población se cambia el tratamiento antihipertensivo por ineficacia con más frecuencia a los varones menores de 65 años que a las mujeres, y en mayores de 65 años esta proporción se invierte (AU)

CT density of the TMJ disk: correlation with histologic observations of hyalinization, metaplastic cartilage, and calcification in autopsy specimens.

The attenuation number of the TMJ disk was measured in direct sagittal computerized tomograms (CTs) of eight fresh TMJ autopsy specimens. The CT attenuation number was correlated to histologic observations of hyalinization, calcification, and cartilaginous metaplasia of the disk. Correlations were found between high CT attenuation numbers and the presence of hyalinization, calcification, and foci of cartilaginous metaplasia in the disks. The results suggest that the high CT attenuation number of a disk might be associated with hyalinization, calcification, and metaplastic cartilage formation.

An American Board of Orthodontics case report. A combined face mask-orthognathic surgical approach in the treatment of skeletal open bite and maxillary deficiency.

This case report is presented following the specifications of the American Board of Orthodontics. The patient had a true skeletal open bite with maxillary and mandibular asymmetry. She was treated with an orthognathic surgical approach and face mask therapy to stabilize the postsurgical result.

Computed tomographic evaluation of the density of the temporomandibular joint meniscus.

Pathologic alteration of the articular disk, including moderate calcification within the meniscus proper, has been reported to occur in many cases of TMJ dysfunction with chronic anterior meniscal displacement. The purpose of this investigation was to measure, by means of direct sagittal computed tomographic scanning technology, the density (x-ray attenuation) of the meniscus. Fifty-two joints, shown to have meniscus displacement with or without reduction (MD/MDR), and 24 symptomatic joints with normal tomograms were evaluated with the use of a GE 8800 CT scanner. Mean attenuation values were extrapolated with the use of a symmetrical (1 to 9 pixels) region-of-interest (ROI) cursor. Density gradients of the masseter muscle, lateral pterygoid fat pad, and lateral pterygoid muscle were also obtained. The results of this study showed that the mean meniscal density values were 116.7 +/- 4.2 Hounsfield units (HU) for MD subjects, 111.3 +/- 4.6 HU for MDR subjects, and 82.4 +/- 2.9 HU for subjects with symptoms. The MD and MDR density group means were significantly different (p less than 0.001) from the normal group means. A relative comparison of the meniscus density with that of the lateral pterygoid muscle, its fat pad, and the masseter muscle showed a consistent mean difference when the paired t test was used. Meniscal displacement was found to be associated with an increase in density gradient, which suggests histologic alteration.