The transmission of Helicobacter pylori from stomach to stomach

The mode of transmission of Helicobacter pylori is largely unknown and is a matter of circumstantial evidence and speculation rather than fact. However, the principle evidence is of two sorts: the epidemiological data, providing evidence of possible risk factors associated with transmission, and the identification of potential sources from which H. pylori could be acquired. Evidence exists for several potential sources of infection and several possible modes of transmission, and it is feasible that the transmission of H. pylori varies according to the cultural and demographic circumstances. However, the most likely recognized source for H. pylori is the human stomach, although it is not known by what route the organism is transmitted to the stomach. Evidence suggests close personal contact is important and that acquisition occurs mainly in childhood. This article reviews the evidence for the source of infection and the route of transmission of H. pylori .     

Towards a definition of comorbidity in the light of clinical complexity

Clinical complexity encompasses multiple levels, including all the disorders and conditions experienced by a person along cross-sectional and longitudinal contexts, the diversity of severity levels and courses of clinical conditions, but also the plurality of values of people experiencing health problems and seeking help for them. The term comorbidity refers to the association of two distinct diseases in the same individual at a rate higher than expected by chance. Looking systematically to comorbidity represents the main road to approach patients’ clinical complexity. Once epidemiologically established through population or community surveys, the study of the comorbidity direction and of the chronological patterns of associated clinical entities may offer relevant information from both a clinical and a scientific point of view. Comorbidity profiles of migraine and tension-type headache offer a paradigmatic example to appraise and highlight headache patient clinical complexity, allowing the conversion of diagnosis from a validated cluster of symptoms to a person-centred clinical diagnosis.

     

Cranial neuralgias: from physiopathology to pharmacological treatment

Cranial neuralgias are paroxysmal painful disorders of the head characterised by some shared features such as unilaterality of symptoms, transience and recurrence of attacks, superficial and “shock-like” quality of pain and the presence of triggering factors. Although rare, these disorders must be promptly recognised as they harbour a relatively high risk for underlying compressive or inflammatory disease. Nevertheless, misdiagnosis is frequent. Trigeminal and glossopharyngeal neuralgias are sustained in most cases by a neurovascular conflict in the posterior fossa resulting in a hyperexcitability state of the trigeminal circuitry. If the aetiology of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and other typical neuralgias must be brought back to the peripheral injury, their pathogenesis could involve central allodynic mechanisms, which, in patients with inter-critical pain, also engage the nociceptive neurons at the thalamic-cortical level. Currently available medical treatments for TN and other cranial neuralgias are reviewed.     

Anhidrosis in multiple system atrophy: A preganglionic sudomotor dysfunction?

Anhidrosis occurs in the majority of multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients but the underlying site of lesion is not well established. We describe three patients with long‐standing MSA and anhidrosis diagnosed on the basis of a thermoregulatory sweating test. In biopsies of anhidrotic skin, immunofluorescence analysis disclosed a well preserved postganglionic sudomotor innervation in all three patients supporting the hypothesis of a preganglionic nerve fiber lesion underlying their anhidrosis. Postganglionic sudomotor fiber integrity was also confirmed by normal electrodermal responses in one patient, whereas such responses and microneurographically detectable skin sympathetic nerve activity were absent in the other two MSA patients, suggesting a functional inactivity of structurally intact postganglionic sympathetic skin fibers. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society.     

Operative treatment of interdigital Morton’s neuroma

The Authors present their experience in the surgical treatment of Morton’s neuroma via a dorsal approach. The assessed results have been very good in terms of a clear clinical improvement and no recurrences in all the treated cases. The histological examination carried out on all the removed samples have shown that the thickening of the nerve first occurs due to perineural fibrosis and successively associated with sclerohyalinosis of the tissue, which is in line with the already existing literature reports. The Authors of the article reckon the adopted surgical technique to be simple, safe and highly effective.     

Intermittent gaseous bowel distention: Atypical sign of congenital tracheoesophageal fistula

Three girls, 5‐, 9‐, and 15‐year‐old, were evaluated for recurrent airway infections and pneumonia. Chest X‐rays, which included the upper portion of the abdomen, showed marked gaseous bowels distention, while computed tomography scans of the chest demonstrated the presence of tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Abdominal gaseous distension, a known possible clinical manifestation of TEF in the neonatal period generated by airflow through the fistula into the oesophagus, has not been reported as a clue to the diagnosis in older children. When detected in patients with recurrent respiratory infection, should raise the suspicion of unrecognized TEF. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009; 44:244–248. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Rapid clearing of acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis after administration of ciclosporin

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare disorder, usually drug‐induced, and is clinically characterized by widespread, non‐follicular aseptic pustules. Although spontaneous resolution usually occurs once the causative drug has been withdrawn, more severe cases often require treatment with systemic corticosteroids. We report a 63‐year‐old woman who developed AGEP after a 30‐day course of hydroxychloroquine. Extensive re‐exacerbation of AGEP after an 18‐day course of methylprednisolone led us to switch the treatment to oral ciclosporin with a prompt and satisfactory improvement. Ciclosporin has many inhibitory effects on the main cell population (T cells) involved in AGEP. In particular, a significant reduction in producton of interleukin‐8 by T cells is a possible explanation of the rapid remission observed in this case. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of AGEP successfully treated with ciclosporin.     

Perforación de la uretra proximal durante TVT-O,en paciente con desviación uretral secundaria a cirugía de Burch fallida

A 59 years old woman with laparoscopic Burch made during 2003 in another hospital. During 2006, the patient is evaluating in our center for a persistent urinary incontinence, the urodynamic study demonstrated stress urinary incontinence type II and overactive bladder without obstruction evidences. A TVT-O (tension-free vaginal tape obturador in-out route) was made, nevertheless when the right branch was passed blood was observed in the Foley catheter. A cystoscopy showed an important deviation of urethra and the tape through urethra in the proximal portion. The right branch went again inserted taking the necessary precautions. Two days after surgery the Foley catheter was removed and the stress urinary incontinence symptoms disappeared. The urge incontinence symptoms disappeared with the pharmacalogical treatment (Tolterodine 2 mg/day). We believe that the urethral deviation caused by a technically deficient laparoscopic Burch was the reason for the urethral perforation during the TVT-O.     

Radiation therapy in metastatic spinal cord compression. A prospective analysis of 105 consecutive patients

One hundred thirty consecutive patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) were entered in a therapeutic protocol in which radiation therapy (RT) played the main role. When MSCC is diagnosed by clinical-radiologic methods such as myelography with or without computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), steroids are given and RT treatment started within 24 hours. When diagnostic doubts exist or stabilization is necessary, surgery precedes RT. Chemohormonal potentially responsive tumors are also treated with chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Twelve patients (9.2%) underwent surgery plus RT, and 118 (90.8%) received RT alone. Thirteen (11%) early death patients were not evaluable. The 105 evaluable cases that received RT alone were analyzed. Median follow-up was 15 months (range, 4 to 38 months). Response among patients with back pain was 80%. In cases with motor dysfunction, 48.6% improved, and in 33 of 105 patients (31.4%) without motor disability there was no deterioration. Forty percent of patients with autonomic dysfunction responded to RT. Median survival time was 7 months with a 36% probability of survival for 1 year. The median duration of improvement was 8 months. The most important prognostic factor was early diagnosis. Radiosensitivity of tumor was only important in paraparetic patients in predicting response to RT. Complete myelographic block significantly diminished response to RT. Vertebral collapse did not influence response or survival.     

Simple and scalable method for peptide inhalable powder production

The aim of this work was to produce capreomycin dry powder and capreomycin loaded PLGA microparticles intended for tuberculosis inhalation therapy, using simple and scalable methods. Capreomycin physico-chemical characteristics have been modified by hydrophobic ion pairing with oleate. The powder suspension was processed by high pressure homogenization and spray-dried. Spray-drying was also used to prepare capreomycin oleate (CO) loaded PLGA microparticles. CO powder was suspended in the organic phase containing PLGA and the suspension was spray-dried. Particle dimensions were determined using photon correlation spectroscopy and Accusizer C770. Morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and capreomycin content by spectrophotometry. Capreomycin properties were modified to increase polymeric microparticle content and obtain respirable CO powder. High pressure homogenization allowed to reduce CO particle dimensions obtaining a population in the micrometric (6.18 μm) and one in the nanometric (～317 nm) range. SEM pictures showed not perfectly spherical particles with a wrinkled surface, generally suitable for inhalation. PLGA particles were characterized by a high encapsulation efficiency (about 90%) and dimensions (～6.69 μm) suitable for inhalation. Concluding, two different formulations were successfully developed for capreomycin pulmonary delivery. The hydrophobic ion pair strategy led to a noticeable drug content increase.