Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 80
Filter
1.
Ann Med Surg (Lond) ; 86(6): 3636-3640, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38846905

ABSTRACT

Background: Bartter syndrome is an autosomal recessive salt reabsorption disorder that results in decreased extracellular fluid volume with low/normal blood pressure. Case presentation: A 17-year-old boy with polydipsia, polyuria, weakness in the lower limbs, and ataxic gait. His Laboratory test shows hypokalemia; hypochloremia, hypomagnesemia and metabolic alkalosis. The authors' patient was managed by fluid and electrolyte replacement, which is essential in emergency management. Conclusion: Bartter syndrome is difficult to treat, and currently, there is no complete cure. The overall prognosis depends on the extent of receptor dysfunction, and despite these facts, most patients can live a normal life if they strictly follow their treatment plan.

2.
Cureus ; 16(5): e59485, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38826902

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death in the United States. Although it frequently metastasizes to adjacent structures such as the liver, orbital metastases are exceedingly uncommon. Additionally, the morbidity and mortality associated with colorectal cancer appear to be shifting to a younger population, a phenomenon that is exacerbated in minority populations. We present a case of orbital metastasis from colorectal carcinoma in a young Hispanic male. This uncommon presentation of disease emphasizes the link between healthcare disparity and differential outcomes of colorectal cancer.

3.
Cureus ; 15(10): e46665, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37942365

ABSTRACT

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) is a rare and complex neurodegenerative disorder. It occurs due to mutations in the sequencing of the PANK2 gene. Here, we describe the case of a 22-year-old male patient who presented with severe blepharospasm; he had abnormal facial distortions, shaky limbs, rigid muscles, and a slow pace of movement, making a diagnosis tricky. Accumulation of iron in excessive amounts in the basal ganglia, a part of the brain that governs movement, is linked to PKAN. In this case, the "eye of the tiger" indication, a distinctive pattern only seen by MRI, supported PKAN. The anticholinergic medications helped him alleviate his symptoms to some extent, but he still had some degree of impairment. This instance emphasizes the mysterious character of PKAN and the significance of keeping an eye out for unusual symptoms in neurodegenerative conditions. This case report emphasizes the significance of recognizing unexpected effects that brain disorders can have on people's lives and calls for increased clinician awareness and understanding.

4.
Cureus ; 15(8): e44358, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37779768

ABSTRACT

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is mostly present in patients aged ≥65 years. Here, we present an unusual case of a 37-year-old male with a pair of asymptomatic, fusiform abdominal aortic aneurysms above and below the origin of the renal arteries. The patient was diagnosed with AAA in 2016 and had undergone yearly follow-ups since then. He had no major risk factors for AAA other than hypertension, which was managed with medication, and had only a brief history of smoking. He was also negative for all genetic and connective tissue defects. His aneurysms progressed slowly, with proximal and distal aneurysms currently measuring 3.9 cm and 4.5 cm, respectively. The patient was asymptomatic and was closely examined for further management.

5.
Hum Vaccin Immunother ; 19(2): 2252239, 2023 08 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37655367

ABSTRACT

Cases of thromboembolic events in 2021 flared up the discussion about the safety of Astra Zeneca's AZD1222 vaccine. We hereby report three cases of pulmonary embolism (PE), one case of extended portal vein thrombosis, and one case of combined portal vein thrombosis and PE within 2 weeks after vaccination with the Astra Zeneca AZD1222 vaccine in a 60-year-old, a 50-year old, a 33-year-old, a 30-year old, and a 40-year-old male in that year. All patients were healthy before. In three patients, we observed thrombocytopenia and to some extent unusually low antibody levels for the Spike Protein (S-protein), while the other two had normal thrombocyte counts. Only one patient had anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4)-antibodies detectable as it has been described in the "heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)-like" disease of "vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia" (VIPIT) and we therefore assume that heterogeneous mechanisms led to PE. Therefore, we advise to collect and report more cases, in order to determine the age-related risks of vaccination balanced against the benefits of immunity to SARS-COV-2 for the AZD1222 vaccine in order to gain knowledge for the next pandemic.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Thromboembolism , Thrombosis , Male , Humans , Adult , Middle Aged , ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 , COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects , COVID-19/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2 , Antibodies , Immunologic Factors , Thromboembolism/etiology , Platelet Factor 4
6.
Int J Prison Health ; ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)2023 08 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37534473

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of four different sport programs on various social and subjective health outcomes among prisoners. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Four different sport programs (endurance, strength, dance-like martial arts, soccer) were provided in 2020 and 2021 in a German prison. Participants completed paper-pencil surveys before and after the sport programs (n = 134 observations), including questions about potential social health (enjoyment of physical activity, interpersonal exchange, interpersonal trust, self-efficacy) and subjective health outcomes (health status, health satisfaction, well-being). Further information such as prisoner characteristics were added to the data. FINDINGS: Results of regression analyses show that the endurance program had a significant positive effect on interpersonal trust, while the soccer program had a negative effect. Subjective well-being increased significantly after the strength and the soccer program. The weekly sport hours before imprisonment had a positive association with enjoyment of physical activity and interpersonal exchange while being negatively related to health status and health satisfaction. Furthermore, the number of months of imprisonment before the survey, being a young offender, the prisoners' body mass index, educational level and migration background were significantly associated with several social and subjective health outcomes. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study analyzed the effects of different sport programs for prisoners on various social and subjective health outcomes, revealing differences across programs and outcomes. The findings suggest that sport can be a way to enhance prisoners' social and subjective health, ultimately facilitating their rehabilitation process.


Subject(s)
Prisoners , Sports , Adult , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Health Status , Social Skills , Exercise
7.
Cureus ; 15(6): e41104, 2023 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37519533

ABSTRACT

Partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in venous sinuses of the brain leads to a clinical condition termed cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). In most diagnosed cases, CVST has at least one risk factor identified among many postulated, and it most commonly includes acquired or inherited prothrombotic conditions. Steroid intake for intentional weight gain is prevalent in the general population, especially among new-generation bodybuilders and athletes. Excess exogenous steroids have many adverse effects, and increasing the risk of venous thromboembolism is one of them. The role of these steroids in developing CVST among such individuals has not been reported frequently in the literature. We report a case of a young male with a history of chronic exogenous steroid intake to increase his body weight, who presented with clinical features of CVST.

8.
J Clin Med ; 12(11)2023 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37298000

ABSTRACT

(1) Background: While females start their gynecological examinations during puberty, only few men decide to be visited by urologists in their youth. Given the participation in the EcoFoodFertility research project, our department had the opportunity to screen young males that were supposedly healthy. (2) Results: from January 2019 to July 2020, we evaluated 157 patients with sperm, blood analysis, and uroandrological examinations. The inclusion criteria were age 18-40 and absence of previous urological disease (urology-naïve). The primary endpoint of the study was to record uroandrological diseases that are occasionally discovered during examination in asymptomatic young men. The average age was 26.9 years (range 18-40); average testicular volume was 15.7 mL (range 12-22 mL); and 45.2% reported abnormal semen analysis: 62 cases of teratozoospermia, 27 asthenozoospermia, 18 oligozoospermia, and 2 azoospermia were discovered respectively; 4/157 patients were diagnosed with hypogonadism; 2 cases with suspicious testicular mass resulted in testicular cancer; and 31 suspected varicoceles and 8 patients with mild sexual dysfunctions were managed. (3) Conclusions: an uroandrological evaluation of young asymptomatic males allowed for the prompt diagnosis of different urological conditions, including cancerous ones, in our series. Despite being debatable, combining urological counselling with physical examination, semen analysis, and a laboratory profile could be useful and cost-effective in order to ameliorate male health.

9.
Front Psychol ; 14: 1053173, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37213363

ABSTRACT

Male graduates are faced with many challenges when transitioning into work life after graduation. This transition from university to the workplace is one of the most important developmental stages in a young adult's life. It has an important impact on their careers and causes increased stress levels. Often, young men are suffering from mental health challenges and feel as though they cannot seek the appropriate help. Thus, it is necessary to determine how young male graduates cope with the changes experienced in this period, especially relating to their sense of coherence and salutogenesis. The aim of the study is to investigate the transition from university to the workplace and to understand their stress and well-being experiences in terms of activating the three sense of coherence components for coping. A qualitative approach is employed through the use of semi-structured interviews with 10 male South African university graduates. A content analysis technique was used to analyse the qualitative data. The findings indicate that most of the young male graduates understand the transition from university to the workplace and the challenges that come with it (comprehensibility). They also have the necessary personal resources to cope with the stress (manageability) while experiencing this life phase as meaningful (meaningfulness). To understand the transition into the workforce was the most important aspect to stay health during the transition. However, male graduates mainly coped by applying their personal coping strategies and mechanisms and thereby managed their transition mainly by themselves, not based on organizational structures or integrative processes. Meaning applied to the transitional process mainly derived from their personal concepts of creating a meaningful life, not as such from the meaning applied to the work or position they held. The findings provide insights which can be used by higher education institutions to prepare graduates for the transition into the workforce and for organizations to develop programmes for graduates to improve their transition into the organization.

10.
Front Microbiol ; 14: 989162, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36937259

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Evidence suggests that negative cognitive processing bias (NCPB) is a significant risk factor for depression. The microbiota-gut-brain axis has been proven to be a contributing factor to cognitive health and disease. However, the connection between microbiota and NCPB remains unknown. This study mainly sought to explore the key microbiota involved in NCPB and the possible pathways through which NCPB affects depressive symptoms. Methods: Data in our studies were collected from 735 Chinese young adults through a cross-sectional survey. Fecal samples were collected from 35 young adults with different levels of NCPB (18 individuals were recruited as the high-status NCPB group, and another 17 individuals were matched as the low-status NCPB group) and 60 with different degrees of depressive symptoms (27 individuals were recruited into the depressive symptom group, as D group, and 33 individuals were matched into the control group, as C group) and analyzed by the 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing technique. Results: As a result, the level of NCPB correlated with the degree of depressive symptoms as well as anxiety symptoms and sleep quality (p < 0.01). The ß-diversity of microbiota in young adults was proven to be significantly different between the high-status NCPB and the low-status NCPB groups. There were several significantly increased bacteria taxa, including Dorea, Christensenellaceae, Christe -senellaceae_R_7_group, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, Eggerthellaceae, Family-XIII, Family_XIII_AD3011_group, Faecalibaculum, and Oscillibacter. They were mainly involved in pathways including short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolism. Among these variable bacteria taxa, Faecalibaculum was found associated with both NCPB and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, five pathways turned out to be significantly altered in both the high-status NCPB group and the depressive symptom group, including butanoate metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, propanoate metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation. These pathways were related to SCFA metabolism. Discussion: Fecal microbiota is altered in Chinese young male adults with high status NCPB and may be involved in the biochemical progress that influences depressive symptoms.

11.
Article in Russian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36801879

ABSTRACT

In 2021, according to results of survey of citizens of military age, 71.5% of respondents considered their state of health as satisfactory or poor. The negative dynamics was noted by 41.6% and 64.4% stated about absence of chronic diseases. At that, according to Rosstat data, up to 72% of young males have chronic pathology of various organs and systems that indicates insufficient information about health status of respondents. The analysis was applied concerning ways of obtaining medical information by young males aged 17-20 years in the Moscow Oblast in 2012 (n=423), 2017 (n=568) and 2021 (n=814). The sampling of young males participating in survey was 1,805 respondents. It was established that in in the Moscow region main share of medical-oriented information is drawn by young males aged 17-20 years from the Internet and social networks (more than 72%). The medical and pedagogical personnel provide only 4.4% of this information. Over the past 10 years, the role of schools and polyclinics in the formation of healthy lifestyle has decreased by more than in 6 times.


Subject(s)
Military Personnel , Male , Humans , Adolescent , Aged , Moscow , Surveys and Questionnaires , Health Status , Schools
12.
Trends Cogn Sci ; 27(2): 111-113, 2023 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36470727

ABSTRACT

Involuntarily celibate men ('incels') commonly advocate for societal disruption, including violence toward women. Their anger can make them susceptible to radicalization, revolution, or reactionary hostility. Research efforts aimed at identifying the causes and consequences of incels' beliefs are needed to address this growing problem.


Subject(s)
Anger , Hostility , Male , Humans , Female , Violence
13.
Cureus ; 15(12): e50570, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38229806

ABSTRACT

The growth of several porto-portal collateral veins encircling an existing stenosed or obstructed entry vein is an uncommon condition known as portal cavernoma. It is traditionally shown as the entry vein thrombosis (portal vein thrombosis - PVT) outcome. A male of 25 years with stomach discomfort for three days that was acute, nonprogressive, and was not accompanied by fever, loose stools, or vomiting. After he had undergone abdominal ultrasonography, portal vein thrombosis was discovered, and based on no involvement of suprahepatic veins according to ultrasonography, Budd-Chiari syndrome was ruled out. It was accompanied by dilated periportal tortuous veins and visible mesenteric and peri-splenic collaterals. Moderate splenomegaly was also present. All these features on ultrasound were suggestive of the "portal cavernoma" formation. The patient is not an alcoholic and does not have any chronic, hereditary, or metabolic liver disease. Thrombophilia and cancer screening through tumor markers were also negative. We, with this, present a rare case of non-cirrhotic idiopathic portal cavernoma. This rare case contributes to advancing medical and scientific knowledge that will encourage further dialogue on the topic.

14.
Open Respir Med J ; 17: e187430642307140, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38660429

ABSTRACT

Background: Young Patients with lung cancer represent a distinct subset of patients with this neoplasm. Young International studies show increased lung cancer rates in females, while the incidence in males continues to decline. There is evidence to suggest that this trend recurs in younger patients. We studied the effects of gender differences on the incidence of surgical stages of lung cancer in young adults and its mortality rate. Methods: This study is a retrospective review (2010-2020) of young adults (aged under 45 years) with surgical-stage of lung cancer. We calculated female-to-male differences in incidence rate ratios, tumor characteristics, surgical management, and survival. Cumulative survival curves were generated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: We examined 46 men and 24 women, under 45 years. Female patients were diagnosed at earlier stages. The proportion of stage IA disease was significantly higher in women than in men (46% versus 13%, respectively) (p=0.03). Women were more likely never smokers (42% versus 83%, p=0.02). A histologic subtype, females were more likely to have typical carcinoid tumors (13.54% versus 10.21% for males) (p>0.05). The largest histological type in men was adenocarcinoma (25.53% versus 4.16%, p>0.05). All the patients were operated. Three men had neoadjuvant chemotherapy and one was operated on for cerebral oligometastatic before his chest surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 7 women and 21 men. Despite the small number of postoperative complications in our study (n= 8, 11.2%), the male sex was significant in predicting this complication (p<0.05). The mortality rate was 1.4%. The 5-year overall survival rates were 84% in men and 87% in women. Conclusion: Our study identified sex differences in the incidence and mortality rates for surgical lung cancers in young adults, but the biological and endocrine mechanisms implicated in these disparities have not yet been determined.

15.
Cureus ; 15(12): e49944, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38179385

ABSTRACT

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and invasive aspergillosis (IA) are two examples of the broad clinical spectrum of Aspergillus infection. It mainly affects severely immunocompromised hosts, while immunocompetent people can sometimes be affected, especially those receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) for emergency cases with few instances of chronic cases. The risk factors in ICU patients for aspergillosis include intubated patients receiving hot and humidified air, viral infections like covid, and influenza, and diseases like diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. A case of 35-year-old male reported to us with a complaint of stomach discomfort that was acute and non-progressive in the epigastric area, radiating to the back, not accompanied by fever, and not linked with loose stools/vomiting. In addition, the patient experienced a nonproductive cough for two days that was not associated with dyspnea or chest discomfort. He had a high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) thorax, which revealed a single pulmonary nodule in the left lung's middle zone; histology of the same nodule biopsy material revealed that it was caused by Aspergillus. He had an abdominal ultrasound, which revealed portal vein thrombosis, dilated periportal tortuous veins, evident peri splenic and mesenteric collaterals, and significant splenomegaly - suggestive of portal cavernoma formation with chronic liver parenchymal disease. Our patient has a past history of alcohol use disorder for the last 15 years due to which the patient has had recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis for the last three years which has now progressed to chronic pancreatitis, also the patient has been diabetic for the last 10 years on insulin for the same. A patient with multiple comorbidities, such as cirrhotic portal cavernoma, type 2 diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, and acute and chronic pancreatitis, is the subject of our case study on chronic IPA.

16.
Journal of Modern Urology ; (12): 32-36, 2023.
Article in Chinese | WPRIM (Western Pacific) | ID: wpr-1005461

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To analyze the results, characteristics and clinical value of video urodynamic study (VUD) of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in young male. 【Methods】 A total of 106 young male LUTS patients (18-45 years old) who received VUD in our hospital during Jan.2016 and Sep.2021 were collected to analyze the clinical and imaging urodynamic characteristics. 【Results】 Of the 106 patients, 55 (52.44%) had neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD)with clear neurological etiology, and 51 (48%) had non-neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NNLUTD). In NLUTD patients, dysuria was the most common symptom (76.74%); lumbosacral lesions were the main cause (76.36%); imaging urodynamics indicated weakening of detrusor muscle in different degrees. In NNLUTD patients,the main symptoms were frequent urination (48.72%) and dysuria (48.72%); about 58.97% of patients had two or more LUTS, and the main diagnosis was detrusor underactivity (DU)(35.90%). 【Conclusion】 NLUTD in young male is characterized by varying degrees of detrusor muscle weakness, detrusor sphincter dyscoordination, and decreased bladder compliance. NNLUTD is mostly caused by detrusor overactivity (DO) and DU.

17.
Front Microbiol ; 13: 1031878, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36532426

ABSTRACT

Background: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in young male patients accounts for a significant proportion of total heart attack events. Therefore, clinical awareness and screening for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in asymptomatic patients at a young age is required. The gut microbiome is potentially involved in the pathogenesis of STEMI. The aim of the current study is to develop an early risk prediction model based on the gut microbiome and clinical parameters for this population. Methods: A total of 81 young males (age < 44 years) were enrolled in this study. Forty-one young males with STEMI were included in the case group, and the control group included 40 young non-coronary artery disease (CAD) males. To identify the differences in gut microbiome markers between these two groups, 16S rRNA-based gut microbiome sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Further, a nomogram and corresponding web page were constructed. The diagnostic efficacy and practicability of the model were analyzed using K-fold cross-validation, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: Compared to the control group, a significant decrease in tendency regarding α and ß diversity was observed in patients in the case group and identified as a significantly altered gut microbiome represented by Streptococcus and Prevotella. Regarding clinical parameters, compared to the control group, the patients in the case group had a higher body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and low blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Additionally, BMI and SBP were significantly (p<0.05) positively correlated with Streptococcus and [Ruminococcus]. Further, BMI and SBP were significantly (p<0.05) negatively correlated with Prevotella and Megasphaera. A significant negative correlation was only observed between Prevotella and AST (p < 0.05). Finally, an early predictive nomogram and corresponding web page were constructed based on the gut microbiome and clinical parameters with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.877 and a C-index of 0.911. For the internal validation, the stratified K-fold cross-validation (K = 3) was as follows: AUC value of 0.934. The calibration curves of the model showed good consistency between the actual and predicted probabilities. The DCA results showed that the model had a high net clinical benefit for use in the clinical setting. Conclusion: In this study, we combined the gut microbiome and common clinical parameters to construct a prediction model. Our analysis shows that the constructed model is a non-invasive tool with potential clinical application in predicting STEMI in the young males.

18.
Antioxidants (Basel) ; 11(10)2022 Sep 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36290614

ABSTRACT

Physically active lifestyle has huge implications for the health and well-being of people of all ages. However, excessive training can lead to severe cardiovascular events such as heart fibrosis and arrhythmia. In addition, strenuous exercise may impair brain plasticity. Here we investigate the presence of any deleterious effects induced by chronic high-intensity exercise, although not reaching exhaustion. We analyzed cardiovascular, cognitive, and cerebral molecular changes in young adult male mice submitted to treadmill running for eight weeks at moderate or high-intensity regimens compared to sedentary mice. Exercised mice showed decreased weight gain, which was significant for the high-intensity group. Exercised mice showed cardiac hypertrophy but with no signs of hemodynamic overload. No morphological changes in the descending aorta were observed, either. High-intensity training induced a decrease in heart rate and an increase in motor skills. However, it did not impair recognition or spatial memory, and, accordingly, the expression of hippocampal and cerebral cortical neuroplasticity markers was maintained. Interestingly, proteasome enzymatic activity increased in the cerebral cortex of all trained mice, and catalase expression was significantly increased in the high-intensity group; both first-line mechanisms contribute to maintaining redox homeostasis. Therefore, physical exercise at an intensity that induces adaptive cardiovascular changes parallels increases in antioxidant defenses to prevent brain damage.

19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35805504

ABSTRACT

Juvenile delinquency is always seen as a public health problem which needs intervention at various levels. Identifying which factors may lead juveniles to delinquency is a long-standing question among criminologists. This remains the case in Malaysia. There are studies that have explored the impact of problem-solving skills, low socioeconomic status, and gender differences in predicting the delinquent behavior of youth in Malaysia. However, very few studies have aimed to find an in-depth understanding of the effects of family roles and peer pressure on delinquency in Malaysia. The present qualitative research was designed to fill this gap in the literature. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 young male prisoners (juvenile delinquents) in Malaysia to explore the influences of family life and peer pressure on delinquency. The current study showed that parental un-involvement, parent separation, peer pressure, criminal gang membership, and parents' involvement in crime were the important factors for involvement in delinquency. The findings revealed the importance of guidance and counseling for parents and adolescents, to help them cope with life challenges and to build their social and emotional skills, as well as the necessity of appointing school psychologists and public health experts to help the youths become valuable individuals.


Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Juvenile Delinquency , Adolescent , Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Humans , Juvenile Delinquency/psychology , Malaysia , Male , Parenting , Peer Group , Peer Influence
20.
Injury ; 53(7): 2541-2549, 2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35643556

ABSTRACT

AIM: Ballistic injuries during the Great March of Return (GMR) protests in Gaza have resulted in young, civilian amputees. This article defines this unique population, their injuries and clinical variables that impacted on amputation. METHOD: A multidisciplinary team (MDT) assessed 103 lower limb amputees (104 stumps). Individualized prescriptions of care were formulated and applied for both stump and prosthesis management. The cohort's health state was assessed at screening by applying the EQ-5D-L5 questionnaire. The EQ-5D-L5 will be repeated on completion of the prescription of care. RESULTS: The population is predominantly young, male, suffering unilateral amputation with an equal ratio of above knee (AKA) to below knee (BKA) amputations. 18% were amputated immediately and 82% with delay. Most amputations occur within 15 days of gunshot wound (GSW). All tissue elements were affected by the severe, ballistic injury. Division, gapping and tissue loss consolidated the decision for amputation rather than limb salvage. Knee zone injury was common, influencing the high numbers AKAs. Primary injury ramified beyond the amputated leg: 38% have contralateral leg injuries. 20% had physiological challenges requiring Intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Infection was reported in 49% of amputees with 12% reporting acute sepsis. Psychologically, 49% reported severe, or extreme, anxiety and depression. AKAs were associated with greater morbidity: amputees are significantly younger, have more proximal vascular injuries, receive delayed amputations and experience longer time intervals to stump healing. ICU care and contralateral leg injuries were more frequent. One third of amputees used their prostheses', one third did not and one third do not have a prosthesis yet. The limiting factor for repair was supply of materials. 11% of amputees needed no adjustment to stump or prosthesis. Surgical stump revision was recommended in 26% of stumps and prosthetic management in 41%. A further 22%, subject to the success or failure of prescribed prosthetic adjustment, could require stump revision. CONCLUSION: Youth, proximal injury, high numbers of AKA, psychosocial issues and the need for stump and prosthetic support define this group of amputees. Unifying expertise within a National MDT will promote continuity of care necessary for decades to come. The ultimate aim is an evidence-based amputee care system in Gaza, with lower limb specialists promoting best outcomes, judicious allocation of funds and maximising amputee quality of life.


Subject(s)
Amputees , Artificial Limbs , Leg Injuries , Wounds, Gunshot , Adolescent , Amputation, Surgical , Humans , Leg Injuries/surgery , Lower Extremity/surgery , Male , Quality of Life
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL
...