Procalcitonin, brain natriuretic peptide and albumin as markers to predict prognosis in hospitalized older Japanese patients with a risk of infection.

AIM: Whether serum concentration of procalcitonin (PCT), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and albumin (Alb) have an association with the outcome of hospitalized older patients is unclear. We investigated clinical outcomes and any predictive factors in hospitalized Japanese older patients with a risk of infection. METHODS: In the retrospective study, 820 Japanese patients were followed up for 30 days or until death. During the observation period, 656 patients survived and 164 patients died. The predictive factors of death were analyzed according to demographic and clinical variables. RESULTS: The survival rate was decreased as the serum PCT increased from <0.5 to ≥10 ng/mL, as was also the case with BNP from <300 to ≥300 pg./mL, whereas low Alb (<2.5 g/dL) showed a lower survival rate than high Alb (≥2.5 g/dL; P < 0.01). Using the Cox regression model, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) were as follows: PCT 0.5-2 versus <0.5 ng/mL: 1.61(1.04-2.49), PCT 2-10 versus <0.5 ng/mL: 1.91(1.15-3.16), PCT ≥10 versus <0.5 ng/mL: 2.90(1.84-4.59), high BNP 1.26 (0.89-1.76) and low Alb 0.68 (0.52-0.87). The mortality rate increased as the number of scores (PCT + BNP + Alb) increased. CONCLUSIONS: Concentration-dependent high PCT, high BNP and low Alb were positive risk factors associated with poor prognosis in hospitalized older patients with a risk of infection. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 571-576.

A Case of Edwardsiella tarda Infection With Iliopsoas Abscess Following Acute Pyelonephritis.

Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda) is a gram-negative bacillus commonly isolated from aquatic environments and various aquatic animals. It rarely causes infections in humans, but rare human infections occur primarily through ingestion of infected seafood or aquatic animals. Symptoms include fever, gastroenteritis, and diarrhea, but severe extraintestinal infections have also been reported. This report describes a 76-year-old female developing E. tarda infection with iliopsoas abscess following acute pyelonephritis. Her chief complaint was fatigue and difficulty moving. Blood tests showed an increased inflammatory response, but the cause could not be identified from the patient's medical history, physical findings, and imaging findings. We diagnosed it as a urinary tract infection from the results of gram staining and started treatment, but the fever persisted thereafter, and a contrast-enhanced CT scan performed for re-evaluation revealed an iliopsoas abscess. After CT-guided abscess drainage, the patient made good progress and was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital on day 48 of the presentation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a case of E. tarda infection with iliopsoas abscess following acute pyelonephritis. Iliopsoas abscess is often difficult to diagnose. In this case report, we also present how we diagnosed and treated iliopsoas abscesses.

Current perspectives of viral hepatitis.

Viral hepatitis represents a major danger to public health, and is a globally leading cause of death. The five liver-specific viruses: Hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis D virus, and hepatitis E virus, each have their own unique epidemiology, structural biology, transmission, endemic patterns, risk of liver complications, and response to antiviral therapies. There remain few options for treatment, in spite of the increasing prevalence of viral-hepatitis-caused liver disease. Furthermore, chronic viral hepatitis is a leading worldwide cause of both liver-related morbidity and mortality, even though effective treatments are available that could reduce or prevent most patients' complications. In 2016, the World Health Organization released its plan to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by the year 2030, along with a discussion of current gaps and prospects for both regional and global eradication of viral hepatitis. Today, treatment is sufficiently able to prevent the disease from reaching advanced phases. However, future therapies must be extremely safe, and should ideally limit the period of treatment necessary. A better understanding of pathogenesis will prove beneficial in the development of potential treatment strategies targeting infections by viral hepatitis. This review aims to summarize the current state of knowledge on each type of viral hepatitis, together with major innovations.

Penile and scrotal strangulation by stainless steel rings in an human immunodeficiency virus positive man: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Penoscrotal constriction devices are either used as autoerotic stimuli or to increase sexual pleasure or performance by maintaining an erection for a longer period, and a variety of metallic and non-metallic objects are used. On the other hand, penile strangulation is a rare urologic emergency that requires prompt evaluation and intervention to prevent long-term complications. The goal of treating penile incarceration is to remove the foreign object as soon as possible. On the other hand, removal can be very challenging, and often requires resourcefulness and a multidisciplinary approach. CASE SUMMARY: A 47-year-old man who has sex with men was transferred to our hospital for persistent phallodynia and scrotal pain, accompanying swelling due to strangulation by stainless steel rings. His medical history included acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. One day prior, he had put three stainless steel rings on his penis and scrotum before sexual intercourse. After sexual intercourse, he was unable to remove them, due to swelling of his penis and scrotum. The swelling persisted, and he felt pain in the affected area the next day, then he was transferred to our hospital by ambulance. The emergency department found that his penis and scrotum were markedly engorged and swollen. We established a diagnosis of penile and scrotal strangulation by stainless steel rings. We unsuccessfully attempted to cut the rings using a cutter, then requested a rescue team via emergency medical service. They cut through each ring in two places, using an electric-powered angle grinder, and successfully removed all of the pieces. Finally, he was discharged and went home. CONCLUSION: We report the first case of penile and scrotal strangulation by stainless steel rings in an human immunodeficiency virus positive person.

Secondary pulmonary infection by Fusarium solani and Aspergillus niger during systemic steroid treatment for COVID-19: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis presents a diagnostic challenge due to its non-specific clinical/ imaging features, as well as the fact that the proposed clinically diagnostic algorithms do not necessarily apply to COVID-19 patients. In addition, Fusarium spp. is a rare cause of opportunistic life-threatening fungal infections. Disseminated Fusarium infection in an immunocompromised host is intractable, with a high likelihood of resulting mortality. To our knowledge, this is the first case of secondary pulmonary infection by Fusarium solani (F. solani) and Aspergillus niger (A. niger) during systemic steroid treatment for COVID-19. CASE SUMMARY: A 62-year-old male was transported to our hospital by ambulance with a complaint of fever and dyspnea. We established a diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia, complicated with COVID-19 and septic shock, together with acute renal failure. He was admitted to the intensive care unit, to be treated with piperacillin/tazobactam, vancomycin, and 6.6 mg per day of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, along with noradrenaline as a vasopressor, ventilator management, and continuous hemodiafiltration. His condition improved, and we finished the vasopressor on the fifth hospital day. We administered dexamethasone for ten days, and finished the course of treatment. On the eleventh day, patient respiratory deterioration was observed, and a computed tomography scan showed an exacerbation of bilateral ground-glass-opacity-like consolidation, together with newly appeared cavitary lesions in the lung. we changed antibiotics to meropenem plus vancomycin. In addition, a fungal infection was considered as a possibility based on microscopic findings of sputum, and we began coadministration of voriconazole. However, the pneumonia worsened, and the patient died on the seventeenth day of illness. Later, F. solani and A. niger were identified from sputum collected on the twelfth day. It was believed that he developed a cell-mediated immune deficiency during COVID-19 treatment, which led to the complication of pneumonia caused by the above-mentioned fungi, contributing to his death. CONCLUSION: Because early initiation of intense antifungal therapy offers the best chance for survival in pulmonary fusariosis, computed tomography scans and appropriate microbiologic investigations should be obtained for severely immunocompromised patients.

Crush syndrome: a review for prehospital providers and emergency clinicians.

INTRODUCTION: Disasters and accidents have occurred with increasing frequency in recent years. Primary disasters have the potential to result in mass casualty events involving crush syndrome (CS) and other serious injuries. Prehospital providers and emergency clinicians stand on the front lines of these patients' evaluation and treatment. However, the bulk of our current knowledge, derived from historical data, has remained unchanged for over ten years. In addition, no evidence-based treatment has been established to date. OBJECTIVE: This narrative review aims to provide a focused overview of, and update on, CS for both prehospital providers and emergency clinicians. DISCUSSION: CS is a severe systemic manifestation of trauma and ischemia involving soft tissue, principally skeletal muscle, due to prolonged crushing of tissues. Among earthquake survivors, the reported incidence of CS is 2-15%, and mortality is reported to be up to 48%. Patients with CS can develop cardiac failure, kidney dysfunction, shock, systemic inflammation, and sepsis. In addition, late presentations include life-threatening systemic effects such as hypovolemic shock, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Immediately beginning treatment is the single most important factor in reducing the mortality of disaster-situation CS. In order to reduce complications from CS, early, aggressive resuscitation is recommended in prehospital settings, ideally even before extrication. However, in large-scale natural disasters, it is difficult to diagnose CS, and to reach and start treatments such as continuous administration of massive amounts of fluid, diuresis, and hemodialysis, on time. This may lead to delayed diagnosis of, and high on-site mortality from, CS. To overcome these challenges, new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities in the CS animal model have recently been advanced. CONCLUSIONS: Patient outcomes can be optimized by ensuring that prehospital providers and emergency clinicians maintain a comprehensive understanding of CS. The field is poised to undergo significant advances in coming years, given recent developments in what is considered possible both technologically and surgically; this only serves to further emphasize the importance of the field, and the need for ongoing research.

High doses of dextromethorphan induced shock and convulsions in a 19-year-old female: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Dextromethorphan is a prevalent antitussive agent that can be easily obtained as an over-the-counter medication. There has been a growing number of reported cases of toxicity in recent years. Generally, there are numerous instances of mild symptoms, with only a limited number of reports of severe cases necessitating intensive care. We presented the case of a female who ingested 111 tablets of dextromethorphan, leading to shock and convulsions and requiring intensive care that ultimately saved her life. CASE SUMMARY: A 19-year-old female was admitted to our hospital via ambulance, having overdosed on 111 tablets of dextromethorphan (15 mg) obtained through an online importer in a suicide attempt. The patient had a history of drug abuse and multiple self-inflicted injuries. At the time of admission, she exhibited symptoms of shock and altered consciousness. However, upon arrival at the hospital, the patient experienced recurrent generalized clonic convulsions and status epilepticus, necessitating tracheal intubation. The convulsions were determined to have been caused by decreased cerebral perfusion pressure secondary to shock, and noradrenaline was administered as a vasopressor. Gastric lavage and activated charcoal were also administered after intubation. Through systemic management in the intensive care unit, the patient's condition stabilized, and the need for vasopressors ceased. The patient regained consciousness and was extubated. The patient was subsequently transferred to a psychiatric facility, as suicidal ideation persisted. CONCLUSION: We report the first case of shock caused by an overdose of dextromethorphan.

Prognostic value of B-type natriuretic peptide for nursing- and healthcare-associated pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia in comparison with procalcitonin and A-DROP score: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Pneumonia in elderly patients who require nursing care is becoming more and more common among the aging populations of developed countries, and treatment is an important topic worldwide. A simpler prognostic indicator would be expected to improve the treatment of pneumonia. This single-center, prospective cohort study aimed to compare the usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), procalcitonin (PCT), and the A-DROP score, which have been reported to correlate with pneumonia prognoses, such as aspiration pneumonia (AP). Methods: We included patients who were admitted to the Kanazawa Medical University Himi Municipal Hospital with a diagnosis of either nursing- and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP) or AP between January 1, 2012 and July 31, 2019. We collected demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics and outcome data from electronic medical records, and calculated A-DROP scores. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. We evaluated correlations with the primary outcome using the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, t-test, Cox-regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: Of the 1,215 patients with pneumonia, 297 were eligible for the study, of whom 37 (12%) died whin 30 days. After univariate analysis, we performed Cox proportional-hazards analysis for BNP, PCT, A-DROP score, albumin, C-reactive protein, and disseminated intravascular coagulation, which were significantly correlated with the primary outcome in univariate analysis. As a result, only BNP showed a significant correlation (P=0.008, 95% CI: 1.30-6.06). No significant correlation was obtained in PCT (P=0.529) and A-DROP score (P=0.107). Furthermore, we generated receiver operating characteristic curve to estimate the prognostic cut-off values of BNP for the primary outcome of NHCAP and AP. The optimal cut-off value of BNP for predicting death was 179.3 pg/mL (sensitivity 62.2%, specificity 76.2%, negative likelihood ratio 0.50%, positive likelihood ratio 2.61%). And, BNP yielded the highest area under the curve (0.72) in comparison with PCT (0.67) and A-DROP score (0.69). Conclusions: BNP may be a more clinically useful prognostic factor for NHCAP and AP than PCT or A-DROP score, and should be considered as a routine test at the beginning of these treatments.

The Impact of Tofogliflozin on Physiological and Hormonal Function, Serum Electrolytes, and Cardiac Diastolic Function in Elderly Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

The sodium glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor tofogliflozin is a glucose-lowering drug that causes the excretion of surplus glucose by inhibiting SGLT2. Because of tofogliflozin's osmotic diuresis mechanism, patients' serum electrolytes, body fluid levels, and cardiac function must be monitored. We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 64 elderly Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who received tofogliflozin for 3 months. Their HbA1c, serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride), hematocrit, brain natriuretic peptide (cardiac volume load marker) and renin and aldosterone (RAA; an index of regulatory hormones involved in body fluid retention) were continuously monitored during the investigation period. Renal function and cardiac function (by echocardiography) were assessed throughout the period. HbA1c significantly decreased (ß1=-0.341, p<0.0001, linear regression analysis [LRA]). Most of the hormonal, electrolyte, and physiological parameters were maintained throughout the study period. In these circumstances, E/e' tended to decrease (ß1=-0.382, p=0.13, LRA). Compared to the baseline, E/e' was significantly decreased at 1 and 3 months (p<0.01, p<0.05). In the higher E/e' group (E/e'≥10, n=34), E/e' decreased significantly (ß1=-0.63, p<0.05, LRA). ΔE/e' was correlated with body-weight change during treatment (r=0.64, p<0.01). The 3-month tofogliflozin treatment improved glycemic control and diastolic function represented by E/e' in T2DM patients, without affecting serum electrolytes, renal function, or RAA. No negative impacts on the patients were observed. Three-month tofogliflozin treatment lowered glucose and improved cardiac diastolic function.

A new predictive tool consolidating CURB-65 with procalcitonin and albumin to assess short-term mortality in hospitalized elderly patients with infectious disease: A retrospective study of a patient cohort.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalized elderly patients are often at risk of life-threatening infectious diseases such as pneumonia and urinary tract infection, thus diagnostic tools for bacterial infections are demanded. We developed a new predictive tool consolidating modified CURB-65, procalcitonin (PCT) and albumin (Alb). METHOD: This is a retrospective study. Modified CURB-65 (mCURB-65) score, PCT, Alb, and various cardiovascular/respiratory/renal functions were measured. Survival analyses were conducted to assess 30-days mortality of elderly patients using mCURB-65 score, PCT and Alb. The consolidated scores were compared with the number of patients died. RESULTS: There were 445 elderly patients included. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed significant differences between the high and low groups of mCURB-65, PCT and Alb (log-rank test, P < .001). Cox proportional regression showed that the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for high mCURB-65, high Alb, and high PCT were all significant, 1.95 (1.24-3.05), 0.50 (0.32-0.77), and 2.09 (1.32-3.31), respectively. The consolidated scores showed tendency of increase with proportion of the number of patients died. CONCLUSIONS: The consolidated score consisted of mCURB-65, PCT and Alb can be a useful tool to predict short-term mortality of the hospitalized elderly patients with infectious disease.

Orthogeriatric co-management at a regional core hospital as a new multidisciplinary approach in Japanese hip fracture operation.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of orthogeriatric co-management of hip fractures at a regional core hospital. METHODS: This study included patients with proximal hip fracture. Patients were divided into two groups, conventional multidisciplinary group I including patients attending the hospital between April 2015 and March 2016 and orthogeriatric group II including patients attending the hospital between April 2016 and March 2017, which were compared etrospectively. In the control group, the conventional multidisciplinary team treated patients as whole-body controls. In the intervention group, the newly recruited geriatricians performed physical examinations, laboratory tests, radioactive imaging, and physiological tests. Furthermore, they consulted ward pharmacists, rigorously conducted positive polypharmacy interventions , and evaluated the type and number of mediated drugs on admission. RESULTS: The number of medicated drugs significantly decreased from 6.03 ± 4.3 on admission to 5.50 ± 3.59 on discharge in group II, whereas group I did not show a significant decrease. Despite the more number of hospitalized patients in group II (166 patients) than in group I (126 patients), the recovery rate from postoperative urinary retention increased significantly from 57.8% (19/30) in group I to 84.3% (32/59) in group II (p = 0.049), while the incidence of aspiration pneumonia decreased from 7.1% (9/126) in group I to 2.49% (4/166) in group II (p = 0.08). The patients received six or more prescribed drugs on admission, and the number remained constant. However, the number of medicated drugs on discharge showed a marginally significant decrease from 6.03 ± 4.3 in group I to 5.50 ± 3.59 in group II (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the conventional multidisciplinary group, the orthogeriatric team contributed to reducing the number of multi-effect drugs and perioperative complications without negatively affecting mortality despite the increased number of patients. The in-hospital mortality rate did not change between the groups. The orthogeriatric program succeeded in preventing and treating perioperative complications.

Hemorrhagic shock due to submucosal esophageal hematoma along with mallory-weiss syndrome: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal submucosal hematoma is a rare condition. Although the exact etiology remains uncertain, vessel fragility with external factors is believed to have led to submucosal bleeding and hematoma formation; the vessel was ruptured by a sudden increase in pressure due to nausea, and the hematoma was enlarged by antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy. Serious conditions are rare, with a better prognosis. We present the first known case of submucosal esophageal hematoma-subsequent hemorrhagic shock due to Mallory-Weiss syndrome. CASE SUMMARY: A 73-year-old female underwent endovascular treatment for an unruptured cerebral aneurysm. The patient received aspirin and clopidogrel before surgery and heparin during surgery, and was well during the surgery. Several hours after returning to the ICU, she complained of chest discomfort, vomited 500 mL of fresh blood, and entered hemorrhagic shock. Esophageal submucosal hematoma with Mallory-Weiss syndrome was diagnosed through an endoscopic examination and computed tomography. In addition to a massive fluid and erythrocyte transfusion, we performed a temporary compression for hemostasis with a Sengstaken-Blakemore (S-B) tube. Afterwards, she became hemodynamically stable. On postoperative day 1, we performed an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and confirmed no expansion of the hematoma nor any recurring bleeding; therefore, we removed the S-B tube and clipped the gastric mucosal laceration at the esophagogastric junction. We started oral intake on postoperative day 10. The patient made steady progress, and was discharged on postoperative day 33. CONCLUSION: We present the first known case of submucosal esophageal hematoma subsequent hemorrhagic shock due to Mallory-Weiss syndrome.

Obligate aerobic, gram-positive, weak acid-fast, nonmotile bacilli, Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens: Minireview of a rare opportunistic pathogen.

Tsukamurella species are obligate aerobic, gram-positive, weak acid-fast, nonmotile bacilli. They are found in various environments, such as soil, water, sludge, and petroleum reservoir wastewater, and belong to the order Actinomycetales. In 2016, there was a reclassification of species within the genus Tsukamurella, merging the species Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens (T. tyrosinosolvens) and Tsukamurella carboxydivorans. Tsukamurella species are clinically considered to be a rare opportunistic pathogen, because most reported cases have been related to bacteremia and intravascular prosthetic devices and immunosuppression. To date, it has been isolated only from human specimens, and has always been associated with clinical disease; human infections are very rare. Reported infections have included pneumonia, brain abscesses, catheter-related bloodstream infections, ocular infections, bacteremia, and sepsis presenting with septic pulmonary emboli in patients who are immunocompromised. To date, there is no commercially available test for identification. On the other hand, sequence-based identification, including matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, is an alternative method for identifying clinical isolates that are either slow growers or difficult to identify through biochemical profiling. The golden standards for diagnosis and optimal management still remain to be determined. However, newer molecular biological techniques can provide accurate identification, and contribute to the appropriate selection of definitive therapy for infections caused by this organism. Combinations of several antimicrobial agents have been proposed for treatment, though the length of treatment for infections has yet to be determined, and should be individualized according to clinical response. Immunocompromised patients often experience severe cases due to infection, and life-threatening T. tyrosinosolvens events associated with dissemination and/or failure of source control have occurred. Favorable prognoses can be achieved through earlier identification of the cause of infection, as well as successful management, including appropriate antibiotic therapy together with source control. Further analyses of similar cases are required to establish the most adequate diagnostic methods and treatment regimens for infections.

Postoperative Urinary Retention in Japanese Elderly Males with a Femoral Neck or Trochanteric Fracture.

We assessed risk factors for postoperative urinary retention (UR) in elderly males with femoral bone fractures: 169 Japanese males (mean age 81.95 ± 1.19 years) who had undergone hip surgery at a municipal hospital (Toyama, Japan). A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to test possible risk factors for UR: age, body mass index, serum albumin, cognitive impairment, activities of daily living (ADL), and history of diabetes mellitus (DM). UR occurred in 24 (14.2%) of the 169 patients. A multivariate logistic regression analysis with age adjustment showed that ADL (odds ratio [OR] 3.88; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-12.5, p=0.023) was significantly associated with the development of UR, and a history of DM showed marginal significance for UR occurrence (OR 0.36, 95%CI: 0.11-10, p=0.064). These results suggests that ADL is a risk factor for UR development in elderly males who have undergone surgery for femoral neck or trochanter fractures.

ST-Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Young Man.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in young patients is very rare, but the incidence has increased over years past at younger ages, likely due to the presence of multiple risk factors. We present the first known case of ST-elevation AMI (STEMI) in a young man. A 22-year-old Japanese man was transferred to our hospital due to suddenly occurred anterior chest pain. An electrocardiogram revealed ST elevation in anteroseptal leads together with reciprocal ST depression in inferior leads. An emergency coronary angiogram was performed, revealing a 100% occlusion at segment 6 of the coronary artery and we established a diagnosis of STEMI. The lesion was expanded to 0% stenosis through plain old balloon angioplasty, after which a third-generation drug-eluting stent was installed there. Afterwards, the patient was discharged on day 17. In this case, a combination of mild six risk factors plus family history of hypertension might lead to this atypical event.

Amebic liver abscess by Entamoeba histolytica.

Amebic liver abscesses (ALAs) are the most commonly encountered extraintestinal manifestation of human invasive amebiasis, which results from Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) spreading extraintestinally. Amebiasis can be complicated by liver abscess in 9% of cases, and ALAs led to almost 50000 fatalities worldwide in 2010. Although there have been fewer and fewer cases in the past several years, ALAs remain an important public health problem in endemic areas. E. histolytica causes both amebic colitis and liver abscess by breaching the host's innate defenses and invading the intestinal mucosa. Trophozoites often enter the circulatory system, where they are filtered in the liver and produce abscesses, and develop into severe invasive diseases such as ALAs. The clinical presentation can appear to be colitis, including upper-right abdominal pain accompanied by a fever in ALA cases. Proper diagnosis requires nonspecific liver imaging as well as detecting anti-E. histolytica antibodies; however, these antibodies cannot be used to distinguish between a previous infection and an acute infection. Therefore, diagnostics primarily aim to use PCR or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect E. histolytica. ALAs can be treated medically, and percutaneous catheter drainage is only necessary in approximately 15% of cases. The indicated treatment is to administer an amebicidal drug (such as tinidazole or metronidazole) and paromomycin or other luminal cysticidal agent for clinical disease. Prognosis is good with almost universal recovery. Establishing which diagnostic methods are most efficacious will necessitate further analysis of similar clinical cases.

Effects of tofogliflozin on adrenocorticotropic hormone, renin and aldosterone, and cortisol levels in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus: A retrospective study of a patient cohort.

ABSTRACT: Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol reportedly play a role in glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, the underlying mechanism remains controversial. We retrospectively investigated the effect of tofogliflozin on serum ACTH and cortisol levels in elderly patients with T2DM.Patients received 20 mg tofogliflozin daily for 3 months. Serum ACTH and cortisol levels were measured at baseline, as well as after 1 month and 3 months of tofogliflozin therapy.Serum ACTH levels were significantly reduced 3 months after tofogliflozin treatment (P < .01). Additionally, serum cortisol levels were reduced 3 months after tofogliflozin treatment, demonstrating borderline significance (P = .05). The higher body mass index (BMI; ≥25 kg/m2) group showed higher ACTH and cortisol levels than the lower BMI (<25 kg/m2) group, with borderline significance (P = .05). Renin levels were significantly increased 1 month after treatment (P < .05), maintaining serum aldosterone levels in parallel with the extracellular fluid.Our findings suggested that tofogliflozin decreased both serum ACTH and cortisol levels, with higher levels observed in the high BMI group. Tofogliflozin increased serum renin levels while maintaining serum aldosterone and extracellular fluid levels. Collectively, tofogliflozin could affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal pathway in patients with T2DM, especially in the low BMI group.

Exophiala dermatitidis.

Exophiala is a genus comprising several species of opportunistic black yeasts, which belongs to Ascomycotina. It is a rare cause of fungal infections. However, infections are often chronic and recalcitrant, and while the number of cases is steadily increasing in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent people, detailed knowledge remains scarce regarding infection mechanisms, virulence factors, specific predisposing factors, risk factors, and host response. The most common manifestations of Exophiala infection are skin infections, and the most frequent type of deep infection is pulmonary infection due to inhalation. The invasive disease ranges from cutaneous or subcutaneous infection to systemic dissemination to internal organs. The final identification of the causative organism should be achieved through a combination of several methods, including the newly introduced diagnostic analysis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, together with sequencing of the ribosomal ribonucleic acid internal transcribed spacer region of the fungi, and histological and culture findings. Regarding treatment, because anti-infective agents and natural compounds exhibited poor antibiofilm activity, few treatments have ultimately been found to be effective for specific antifungal therapy, so the optimal antifungal therapy and duration of therapy for these infections remain unknown. Therefore, most forms of disease caused by Exophiala dermatitidis require aggressive combination therapies: Both surgical intervention and aggressive antifungal therapy with novel compounds and azoles are necessary for effective treatment.

Angiotensin receptor blocker neprilysin inhibitors.

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome that results from a structural or functional cardiac disorder that reduces the ability of the ventricle of the heart to fill with, or eject, blood. It is a multifaceted clinical condition that affects up to 2% of the population in the developed world, and is linked to significant morbidity and mortality; it is therefore considered a major concern for public health. Regarding the mechanism of HF, three neurohumoral factors - the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, the sympathetic nervous system, and natriuretic peptides - are related to the pathology of chronic HF (CHF), and the targets of treatment. Angiotensin receptor blocker and neprilysin inhibitor (angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitor), namely sacubitril/valsartan (SAC/VAL), has been introduced as a treatment for CHF. SAC/VAL is an efficacious, safe, and cost-effective therapy that improves quality of life and longevity in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and reduces hospital admissions. An in-hospital initiation strategy offers a potential new avenue to improve the clinical uptake of SAC/VAL. In the last five years, SAC/VAL has been established as a cornerstone component of comprehensive disease-modifying medical therapy in the management of chronic HFrEF. On the other hand, further work, with carefully designed and controlled preclinical studies, is necessary for understanding the molecular mechanisms, effects, and confirmation of issues such as long-term safety in both human and animal models.