Prevalences of Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and Cardiovascular Disease in a Cohort of Puerto Ricans with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have high prevalences of hypertension (HTN), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and vice versa. The mechanism of this development is unknown but appears to be related to an underlying metabolic derangement that affects multiple organs. This study aimed to determine the prevalences of these conditions in patients with diagnosed NAFLD. METHODS: Our cohort study aimed to determine the prevalences of HTN, T2DM, and CVD in NAFLD patients registered in the liver database of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine; this information is recorded in their medical records. Patients whose liver disease had a different etiology were excluded. The study was approved by the UPR Medical Sciences Campus Institutional Review Board. RESULTS: Our final sample consisted of 141 NAFLD patients; 64.5% (n = 91) of them were females. The average age was 69 (±10.2 years). The prevalences of HTN, T2DM, and CVD were 53.9%, 57.5%, and 7.8%, respectively. In patients with NAFLD, there was a significant association between T2DM and being 65 years old or older (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that HTN and T2DM are highly prevalent in NAFLD patients in PR; however, CVD prevalence was lower than expected. Additional, studies are required to further define the associations. We recommend metabolic condition screening for all NAFLD patients.

Scuba Diving-Induced Inner-Ear Pathology: Imaging Findings of Superior Semicircular Canal and Tegmen Tympani Dehiscence.

BACKGROUND Superior semicircular canal dehiscence is an inner-ear pathology which presents with vertigo, disequilibrium, and hearing loss. Although the exact etiology of superior semicircular canal dehiscence is unknown, it is thought that an increase in middle-ear pressure disrupts a thin overlying temporal bone. Superior semicircular canal dehiscence is frequently seen in association with dehiscence of the tegmen tympani, which overlies the middle ear. Here, we present a case report of a 52-year-old Puerto Rican man with vertigo, dizziness, vomiting, and mild hearing loss associated with superior semicircular canal and tegmen tympani dehiscence after performing improper scuba diving techniques. CASE REPORT A 52-year-old Puerto Rican man presented to the emergency department with vertigo, dizziness, vomiting, and mild hearing loss in the right ear. The symptoms began shortly after scuba diving with inadequate decompression techniques on ascent. He was treated with recompression therapy with mild but incomplete improvement in symptoms. Bilateral temporal magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of segmental dehiscence of the right superior semicircular canal and tegmen tympani. High-resolution computed tomography of the temporal bone confirmed right superior semicircular canal and tegmen tympani dehiscence with an intact left inner ear. CONCLUSIONS The increased inner-ear pressure that occurs during scuba diving can lead to dehiscence of the superior semicircular canal and tegmen tympani, causing vertigo and hearing loss. Performance of improper diving techniques can further increase the risk of dehiscence. Therefore, appropriate radiologic evaluation of the inner ear should be performed in such patients.

Reevaluation of Large Pelvic Masses after Inconclusive MRIs: A Case Report.

The lack of a classification system addressing the size of pelvic masses challenges their evaluation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends using an ultrasound (US) as the first-line modality, followed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, these do not guarantee optimal assessment. We present a case of a 36-year-old woman with a large pelvic mass of unknown etiology, after being evaluated with US, a computed tomography scan, and MRI. A reassessment by a US-specialized radiologist found a stalk (≥2.0 cm) with internal bridging vessels at the uterine fundus. The mass was identified as a pedunculated myoma and removed en bloc during a total abdominal hysterectomy with a bilateral salpingectomy and an oophoropexy. A reassessment by a US-specialized radiologist could be beneficial for cases of pelvic masses with unknown etiology after an evaluation with multiple imagining studies. These specialists possess extensive knowledge and vast expertise, potentially allowing US evaluations to be more effective than MRIs.