Efficacy of thiamine supplementation in improving depressive symptoms-evidence-based review / Eficacia de la suplementación con tiamina para mejorar los síntomas depresivos-revisión basada en la evidencia

Objetivos: Revisar la evidencia existente con respecto a la efectividad de la suplementación con tiamina en pacientes consíntomas depresivos en cuanto a su mejoría, en comparación con la toma de fármacos psicotrópicos aislados o placebos. Diseño: Revisión sistemática; Emplazamiento: Atención primaria. Método: Pregunta de investigación: Población – Adultos con síntomas depresivos; Intervención – Suplementación contiamina aislada o asociada a psicofármacos; Comparación: uso de placebo o fármacos psicotrópicos; Resultado – Mejoría delos síntomas depresivos (según DSM-V). La búsqueda se realizó utilizando los términos MeSH (("Depression" OR"Depression Disorder") AND "Thiamine"”) en las fuentes seleccionadas. Se excluyeron todos los artículos de opinión,artículos de revisión clásicos y estudios ya incluidos en metanálisis o revisiones sistemáticas seleccionadas. Se utilizó laescala Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) para asignar niveles de evidencia y fuerzas de recomendación.Resultados: La investigación resultó en 3 artículos que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión y de los cuales se extrajeronlas conclusiones.Conclusiones: Se demostraron beneficios estadísticamente significativos de la suplementación con tiamina en algunos delos parámetros evaluados. Sin embargo, a la suplementación con tiamina se le asignó una Fuerza de Recomendación B porla Escala SORT, ya que los estudios existentes de calidad moderada son pocos, aunque orientados al paciente, y no handemostrado ser suficientes o consistentes para recomendar la generalización del uso de tiamina. Se necesitan más ensayosclínicos controlados de buena calidad científica para responder adecuadamente a esta pregunta de investigación.(AU)

Objective: to review the existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of thiamine supplementation in improving depressivesymptoms in adult patients, compared to taking psychoactive drugs alone or placebo. Design: Systematic ReviewSite: Primary Care. Methods: Research question: Population – Adults with depressive symptoms; Intervention – Thiamine supplementationalone or associated with psychotropic drugs; Comparison: use of placebo or psychotropic drugs; Outcome – Improvementof depressive symptoms (according to DSM-V). The search was performed using the MeSH terms (("Depression" OR"Depression Disorder") AND "Thiamine"") in the selected sources. All opinion articles, classic review articles, and studiesalready included in meta-analyses or previously selected reviews were excluded. The strength of recommendationtaxonomy scale (SORT) was used to assign levels of evidence and strength of recommendation.Results: The search resulted in 3 articles that met the inclusion criteria, from which conclusions were drawn. Conclusions: Statistically significant benefits of thiamine supplementation were demonstrated in some of the evaluatedparameters. However, thiamine supplementation was assigned a Strength of Recommendation B by the SORT Scale, asexisting studies of moderate quality are few, albeit patient oriented, not proving to be sufficient or consistent torecommend the generalization of the use of thiamine. More controlled clinical trials of good scientific quality are needed toadequately answer this research question.(AU)

Acquired haemophilia A associated to autoimmune thyroiditis and pangastritis.

Acquired haemophilia A is a rare condition defined by the presence of coagulation inhibitors, which are autoantibodies directed against factor VIII that interfere with its activity. We report a case of a 69-year-old woman that presented with knee haemarthrosis followed by spontaneous retroperitoneal haematoma. On coagulation studies, she presented normal prothrombin time with prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time non-correcting on mixture test, low titers of factor VIII and was detected factor VIII inhibitor that led to diagnosis of acquired haemophilia A. She was managed with supportive measures to control haemorrhage and immunosuppressive therapy to eradicate inhibitors, initially with corticosteroids, with partial transitory response, after which she developed new spontaneous haematomas. Rituximab was started at that time, with a good outcome. The additional aetiological study identified autoimmune thyroiditis and autoimmune pangastritis, an association rarely described in literature.

Eales' Disease: When the Rare Sounds Frequent.

Eales' disease is a peripheral occlusive retinal phlebitis, with an unclear pathogenesis. The classic association with hypersensitivity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein infers that immunologic disturbance may be involved. Here, we described three cases of Eales' disease. All patients are Caucasian men aged 27-58 years and presented with vitreous hemorrhage and/or peripheral venous vasculitis. Tuberculin skin sensitive test (Mantoux screening test) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) were positive in all patients. Therapeutic approach included antituberculosis therapy and systemic steroids, associated or not to immunosuppressive therapy, and retinal scatter photocoagulation in all cases. Antivascular endothelial grow factor (VEGF) intravitreal injections were also required in two cases. Since various retinal diseases can resemble this presentation, Eales' disease is considered a diagnosis of exclusion. Early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic approach are both essential to accomplish disease control and reduce ophthalmologic complications.

Following leads: connecting dysphagia to mixed connective tissue disease.

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCDT) is a rare condition characterised by the presence of high titres of anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein antibodies and selected clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. Early symptoms are non-specific, including easy fatigability, myalgia, arthralgia and Raynaud's phenomenon. Some reports emphasised the favourable outcome and excellent response to glucocorticoids, but there are contradictory studies reporting worse prognosis. Also, a subset of patients evolve into a clinical picture more consistent with a major diffuse connective tissue disease. We present the case of a 50-year-old black woman whose inaugural presentation of MCDT was oropharyngeal dysphagia, symmetrical proximal muscle weakness, tongue atrophy and skin sclerosis. High-dose corticosteroids and methotrexate were given with little improvement, maintaining disabling dysphagia leading to a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement. She was then started on intravenous immunoglobulin with progressive remission of symptoms.

Catatonia and Psychosis as Manifestations of Primary Sjögren's Syndrome.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease, most commonly presenting with sicca symptoms-xerostomia and xerophthalmia. Up to one-half of affected individuals also develop extra-glandular involvement. Early diagnosis is important to prevent further complications. This paper describes an atypical case of SS in a 21-year-old woman who presented first with neuropsychiatric symptoms and fever. She was diagnosed and treated for a presumed psychotic episode. However, because she remained febrile, a thorough investigation resulted in the challenging diagnosis of SS. LEARNING POINTS: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) may be an under-recognized cause of central nervous system and neuropsychiatric involvement.Neuropsychiatric manifestations of primary SS can be variable.Patients may be treated incorrectly if the diagnosis is not rapidly established, so a clinical history and thorough examination are very important.