External validation of the CHOKAI score for the prediction of ureteral stones: A multicenter prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: The CHOKAI and STONE scores are clinical prediction rules to predict ureteral stones in patients presenting with renal colic. Both systems contribute to reducing diagnostic radiation exposure; however, few studies have compared the two scoring systems. Therefore, we aimed to compare these systems and assess their diagnostic accuracy for ureteral stones. METHODS: This was a multicenter prospective observational study performed between 2017 and 2018, including patients aged >15 years with renal colic and suspected with ureteral stones. We calculated the CHOKAI and STONE scores of each patient based on their medical interviews and physical and laboratory findings. Primary outcome was differences in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in each model, and secondary outcome was diagnostic accuracy at the optimal cut-off point. RESULTS: Of the 124 patients included, 84 were diagnosed with ureteral stones. The area under the curve of the CHOKAI score was 0.95, showing a sensitivity of 0.93, specificity of 0.90, positive likelihood ratio of 9.3, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.079, at an optimal cut-off point of 6. The area under the curve of the STONE score was 0.88, showing a sensitivity of 0.68, specificity of 0.90, positive likelihood ratio of 6.8, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.36, at an optimal cut-off point of 9. Thus, the area under the curve was significantly higher for the CHOKAI score than for the STONE score (p = 0.0028). CONCLUSIONS: The CHOKAI score has a diagnostic performance superior to that of the STONE score in this population.

Development of a bronchospasm device model.

There is no strong evidence to support ventilatory management for critical limitation of expiratory flow, such as bronchospasm during anesthesia or an acute exacerbation of severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Animal models cannot be used to develop reproducible experimental models for conducting mechanical ventilation strategy research relating to these etiologies due to the resulting respiratory and hemodynamic instabilities. Therefore, we developed a device model by modifying a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) valve that can simulate the characteristics of airway bronchoconstriction (i.e., limited peak expiratory flow and a prolonged expiratory phase). These characteristics were found to improve upon narrowing the expiratory port. We believe that this device model will facilitate future mechanical ventilation experiments.

[Binocular diplopia and ptosis due to snakebite (Agkistrodon blomhoffi "mamushi")--a case report].

We treated a patient who developed binocular diplopia and ptosis after being bitten by an Agkistrodon blomhoffi (mamushi). The patient was a 49-year-old man who presented with binocular diplopia after the snakebite on the second finger of his right hand. He experienced local pain and swelling and a few hours later, he developed diplopia. In the primary position he had no tropia. On the basis the ocular angle of deviation measured by a Hess chart test, he was diagnosed with paresis of the medial rectus muscle paresis. Binocular diplopia persisted for 2 weeks. The venom of A. blomhoffi venom mainly consists of hemolytic toxins, but it also contains 2 types of neurotoxins--an alpha-toxin and a beta-toxin. Neurotoxins affects the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). The alpha-toxin acts postsynaptic inhibition as a competitive inhibitor of acetylcholine and causes postsynaptic inhibition; these effects are similar to those of the anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody identified in patients with myasthenia gravis. The beta-toxin inhibits acetylcholine release by disrupting the presynaptic membrane, and thus, its effects cannot be blocked by the anticholinesterase edrophonium chloride. Although both antiserum and cepharanthine are widely used for the treatment of snakebites, there is no evidence of a specific effective therapy for the eye manifestation after snakebite. However, it these manifestation improves in about 2 weeks without any specific treatment. Our case suggested that the occurrence of subjective binocular diplopia without objective tropia could be caused by snakebite.