Predictive Potential of Biomarkers of Intestinal Barrier Function for Therapeutic Management with Teduglutide in Patients with Short Bowel Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: The human intestinal tract reacts to extensive resection with spontaneous intestinal adaptation. We analyzed whether gene expression analyses or intestinal permeability (IP) testing could provide biomarkers to describe regulation mechanisms in the intestinal barrier in short bowel syndrome (SBS) patients during adaptive response or treatment with the glucagon-like peptide-2 analog teduglutide. METHODS: Relevant regions of the GLP-2 receptor gene were sequenced. Gene expression analyses and immunohistochemistry were performed from mucosal biopsies. IP was assessed using a carbohydrate oral ingestion test. RESULTS: The study includes 59 SBS patients and 19 controls. Increases in gene expression with teduglutide were received for sucrase-isomaltase, sodium/glucose cotransporter 1, and calcium/calmodulin serine protein kinase. Mannitol recovery was decreased in SBS but elevated with teduglutide (Δ 40%), showed a positive correlation with remnant small bowel and an inverse correlation with parenteral support. CONCLUSIONS: Biomarkers predicting clinical and functional features in human SBS are very limited. Altered specific gene expression was shown for genes involved in nutrient transport but not for genes controlling tight junctions. However, mannitol recovery proved useful in describing the absorptive capacity of the gut during adaptation and treatment with teduglutide.

Ocular Syphilis Causing Panophthalmitis.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum which is undergoing a global resurgence since its initial decline in the late 1980s. The authors present the case of a 30-year-old Caucasian female who was transferred to our institution for left-sided orbital cellulitis and ultimately diagnosed with ocular syphilis causing panophthalmitis. She was treated with intravenous penicillin and other broad-spectrum antibiotics, topical prednisolone, and cycloplegia, resulting in full recovery. Timely recognition of ocular syphilis by healthcare professionals is key in the prevention of visual sequelae from the infection.

Long-term Outcome of Subacute Thyroiditis.

BACKGROUND: Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is a rare inflammatory disease that presents diagnostic challenges. The underlying pathophysiology and prediction of outcomes are elusive. We investigated the long-term follow-up of SAT for up to 30 years and determined predictors for later hypothyroidism. METHODS: SAT outcome data from 127 patients (age: 47.6 ± 11.0 yrs. , BMI: 24.7±4.8 kg/m²) were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with pre-existing and known causes of hypothyroidism unrelated to SAT were excluded. We also excluded patients without an accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. SAT outcome parameters included anterior neck pain or tenderness of the thyroid, inflammation markers, hypoechoic areas in thyroid ultrasound, hyperthyroidism, fine-needle aspiration, and thyroid scan. Pre-treatment TSH-levels, gender, age, ultrasound findings, anti-thyroid antibodies and markers of inflammation were considered as possible predictors of SAT outcome. RESULTS: More than 26.8% of SAT patients developed permanent hypothyroidism within 3 years of treatment. The patient groups later developing hypothyroidism did not differ in age, BMI, pre-treatment TSH levels or initial dosage of prednisolone treatment. However, high cumulative doses of prednisolone were associated with a higher prevalence of hypothyroidism. Also, women were more likely to develop hypothyroidism (OR: 3.18 (95% CI: 1.14-8.65); p=0.0176). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that one-quarter of patients with SAT develop hypothyroidism in the long-term. Hypothyroidism was predicted by high cumulative doses of prednisolone treatment and female gender. The reported lower prevalence of hypothyroidism in other countries may represent the faster establishment of diagnosis, different treatment protocols, or lower susceptibility to loss of thyroid function. Swift establishment of the diagnosis and rapid tapering of steroids may result in a higher proportion of patients with euthyroidism.

Impact of Autoimmune Thyroiditis on Reproductive and Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) has been found to be associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of this retrospective cohort study using data from a fertility clinic, with patients recruited from 2009 to 2010, was to confirm the higher prevalence of AIT in PCOS and to evaluate the impact of AIT on reproductive and metabolic parameters of PCOS patients. METHODS: Patients comprised 827 PCOS subjects seen for reproductive or metabolic complaints. Patients presenting primarily for thyroid problems were excluded. All patients were tested for the presence of AIT by laboratory testing and thyroid ultrasound. The impact of AIT on PCOS was evaluated by determination of reproductive and metabolic parameters. RESULTS: Patients with PCOS and AIT as compared to those only with PCOS, had a lower prevalence of elevated testosterone (45 vs. 61%; p=0,0001), free androgen index (5,96±5,41 vs. 7,02±7,6; p<0,001) and hyperandrogenemia (66 vs. 78%; p<0,001). Also testosterone levels were lower in PCOS patients with AIT (0,50±0,30 vs. 0,63±0,71; p=0,0006). Consequently, in these patients, hirsutism was less frequent (51 vs. 66%; p=0,0021). There was no difference in the prevalence of acne, alopecia, a-/ or oligomenorrhea or PCO-morphology in the two patient groups. Patients with PCOS and AIT were more obese by 2 kg/m² BMI on average. A higher BMI correlated with a higher TSH value, although all patients were euthyroid. CONCLUSIONS: AIT is more prevalent in PCOS than in controls. PCOS patients with AIT have less severe hyperandrogenemia and hyperandrogenism but are likely to suffer from an elevated metabolic risk.

Pars Plana Vitrectomy with Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling for Nontractional Diabetic Macular Edema.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus remains the leading cause of blindness among working age Americans with diabetic macular edema being the most common cause for moderate and severe vision loss. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anatomical and visual benefits of pars plana vitrectomy with inner limiting membrane peeling in patients with nontractional diabetic macular edema as well as correlation of integrity of outer retinal layers on spectral domain optical coherence tomography to visual outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 42 diabetic patients that underwent vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling for nontractional diabetic macula edema. The integrity of outer retinal layers was evaluated and preoperative central macular thickness and visual acuity were compared with data at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. The student t-test was used to compare the groups. RESULTS: 31 eyes were included. While no differences were seen at 1 and 3 months, there was significant improvement of both central macular thickness and visual acuity at the 6 months follow up visit compared to preoperatively (357, 427 microns; p=0.03. 20/49, 20/82; p=0.03) . Patients with intact external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone had better preoperative vision than patients with outer retinal layer irregularities (20/54, 20/100; p=0.03) and greater visual gains postoperatively (20/33, p<0.001 versus 20/81; p=non-significant). CONCLUSION: Pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling can improve retinal anatomy and visual acuity in patients with nontractional diabetic macular edema. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography may help identify patients with potential for visual improvement.

Components of the fibrinolytic system in the vitreous body in patients with vitreoretinal disorders.

PURPOSE: To assess components of the fibrinolytic system in the vitreous humour and serum of patients with vitreoretinal disorders. METHODS: Forty-three samples of vitreous humour and plasma of 43 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy for macular hole, macular pucker, retinal detachment or proliferative vitreoretinopathy were evaluated for their content of plasminogen, a2-antiplasmin, plasminogen-activatorinhibitor 1, plasmin-a2-antiplasmin-complex, tissue plasminogen activator, total protein, albumin, d-dimer. Patient groups were compared with each other using the U-test (Mann and Whitney) for non-parametric testing of two independent samples. RESULTS: The groups of retinal detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy had elevated vitreal levels of plasminogenactivator-inhibitor 1 (352.5 and 370.7 ng/mL vs. 1.86 and 56.6 ng/mL, P = non-significant), plasmin-a2-antiplasmincomplex (2416.5 and 1836.2 microg/L vs. 124.2 and 133.4 microg/L, P < 0.001), albumin (0.08 and 0.15 g/dL vs. 0.03 and 0.07 g/dL, P < 0.05) and d-dimer (4.76 and 1.64 microg/mL vs. 0.40 and 0.48 microg/mL, P = non-significant) when compared with patients with macular hole and macular pucker. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in the vitreal concentration of components of the fibrinolytic system in patients with vitreoretinal disorders. Breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier and complex disease-specific mechanisms are thought to be responsible for an increase of components of the fibrinolytic system in the vitreous.

Single-vessel versus multivessel territory acute ischemic stroke: value of transesophageal echocardiography in the differentiation of embolic stroke.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the presence of potential aortic or cardiac sources of embolism in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke in one or more vascular territories. BACKGROUND: In patients with acute ischemic stroke, involvement of multiple vascular territories has been used to implicate a cardiac or aortic source of embolus. It remains unclear whether patients with multivessel stroke have a higher frequency of cardiac or aortic embolic sources on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) compared with patients with single-territory stroke. METHODS: We identified 210 patients with acute ischemic stroke documented by neuroimaging undergoing TEE for identification of a potential embolic source. Patients were divided into 3 groups (lacunar stroke, nonlacunar stroke/single-vessel involvement, nonlacunar stroke/multivessel involvement) and the frequency of potential embolic sources on TEE was compared. RESULTS: Of the 210 patients, 121 (58%) were male and the mean age was 61 years. In all, 139 patients (66%) were classified as having single-vessel stroke, 47 (22%) as having multivessel stroke, and 24 (11%) as having lacunar stroke. On TEE, 87 patients (41%) had at least one potential source of embolism. Patients with multivessel strokes had fewer potential embolic sources on TEE than patients with single-vessel or lacunar strokes (26% vs 46% and 46%, respectively; P = .043). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute ischemic stroke, the incidence of a potential cardiac or aortic source of embolism is high, regardless of the vascular distribution of the stroke. TEE may be a useful tool to assess the source of stroke in single-vessel, multivessel, and lacunar territory stroke distribution. We aimed to assess the presence of potential aortic or cardiac sources of embolism in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke in one or more vascular territories. A total of 210 patients with acute ischemic stroke were divided into 3 groups (lacunar stroke, nonlacunar stroke/single-vessel involvement, nonlacunar stroke/multivessel involvement) and the frequency of potential embolic sources on transesophageal echocardiography was compared. Patients with multivessel strokes had fewer potential embolic sources on transesophageal echocardiography than patients with single-vessel or lacunar strokes, but the frequency of a potential cardiac or aortic source of embolism was high, regardless of the vascular distribution of stroke.