Black discoloration of the knee articular cartilage in a patient with pigmented villonodular synovitis: A case report.

In this case report, total knee arthroplasty was performed in a patient with pigmented villonodular synovitis. During surgery, severe black discoloration of the articular cartilage and menisci was observed in the patient. According to literatures, this is the first case report of severe articular cartilage pigmentation in a patient with pigmented villonodular synovitis.

Investigation of the Association Between ITPA Gene 94C>A Sequence Variant and Kidney Transplant Rejection in Iranian Kidney Transplant Recipients.

OBJECTIVES: Thiopurine prodrugs are commonly used in kidney transplant recipients. Inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase is an enzyme encoded by the ITPA gene. Alteration of ITPA gene is one of the pharmacogenetic sequence variants possibly involved in thiopurine metabolism. The ITPA 94C>A sequence variant (C-to-A substitution at nucleotide 94) is associated with an increased risk of adverse drug reactions in patients treated with the thiopurine drug. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the ITPA 94C>A gene sequence variant in kidney transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The genotyping of the ITPA rs1127354 variant was performed by the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method in 140 kidney transplant recipients and in 100 control participants. Data were analyzed with SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: The results revealed a significant difference between control and nonrejection groups regarding the rs1127354 genotype and allele frequency. No significant difference was found between the rejection and nonrejection groups regarding the rs1127354 genotype and allele frequency. Also, a significant association was observed between the ageofthe control group and age of the rejection group. No significant differences between sex and underlying disease in patients with or without rejection were observed. CONCLUSIONS: We observed no significant differences between rejection and nonrejection transplant. Further studies are recommended, in a larger population and with different ethnicities.

Investigation of the Association Between the ITPA Gene 94C>A Gene Sequence Variant and Liver Transplant Rejection in Iranian Liver Transplant Recipients.

OBJECTIVES: Inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase is an enzyme encoded by the ITPA gene and functions to prevent the incorporation of thiopurine nucleotides into DNA and RNA. Thiopurine drug metabolites such as azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine have been included in the lists of inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase substrates. Inosine triphosphatase gene alterations are other pharmacogenetic sequence variants possibly involved in thiopurine metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the possible association between ITPA 94C>A gene sequence variant (C-to-A substitution at nucleotide 94) in liver transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The genotyping of ITPA 94C>A was evaluated by the polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism method in 200 liver transplant recipients as well as 100 controls. Data were analyzed with SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: This study showed statistically significant associations between the CA genotype of the ITPA 94C>A sequence variant and liver transplant in the rejection and nonrejection groups. Moreover, the results reported in this study showed no significant differences between sex, age, and blood group in patients with liver transplant (with or without transplant rejection). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that there were statistically significant associations of the CA genotype of ITPA 94C>A sequence variant with liver transplant in the rejection and nonrejection groups. Further studies are recommended.

Fibrinolytic Therapy in CCU Instead of Emergency Ward: How It Affects Door to Needle Time?

BACKGROUND: The door-to-needle-time (DNT) is considered a standard time for scheduling thrombolysis for acute ST-segment elevation of myocardial infarction and this time can be reduced by minimizing the delay in starting thrombolytic treatment once the patient has reached to the hospital. This study was carried out on a sample of Iranian patients with acute myocardial infarction to determine the DNT in those after changing schedule of thrombolysis during 8 years from emergency to coronary care unit (CCU). METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on all consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction admitted to the emergency ward of Ekbatan Hospital in Hamadan, Iran, within 2011 and had an indication of fibrinolytic therapy, which 47 patients were finally indicated to receive streptokinase in the part of CCU. RESULTS: The mean time interval between arrival at the hospital and electrocardiogram (ECG) assessment was 6.30 min, taking ECG and patient's admission was 21.6 min and transferring the patient from admission to CCU ward was 31.9. The time between transferring the patients to CCU ward and fibrinolytic administration order and the time between its ordering and infusion was 31.2 min and 14.0 min respectively. In sum, the DNT was estimated 84.48 ± 53.00 min ranged 30-325 min that was significantly more than standard DNT (P <0.01). Furthermore, DNT mean in this study is significantly more than a study conducted 8 years ago in the same hospital (P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The DNT is higher than the standard level and higher than the estimated level in the past. This shows that DNT was longer after transferring to CCU.