Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as Therapy for Inferior Caval Vein Embolization: Recovery of Sodium Laurate-Post-Embolization Syndrome in Rats.

After inferior caval vein embolization therapy, post-embolization syndrome (sodium laurate 10 mg/kg, 0.1 mL into rat inferior caval vein, assessment at 15, 30, 60 min, prime lung lesions, thromboemboli occluding lung vessels), as a severe occlusion/occlusion-like syndrome, might be resolved as a whole by stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 therapy. At 5 min after laurate injection, stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 was implemented as therapy (10 µg/kg, 10 ng/kg intraperitoneally or intragastrically). As before, confronted with the occlusion of major vessel(s) or similar noxious procedures, such as rapidly acting Virchow triad circumstances, the particular effect of the therapy (i.e., collateral pathways activation, "bypassing vascular key", i.e., direct blood flow delivery via activation of azygos vein) assisted in the recovery of the vessel/s and counteracted multiorgan failure due to occlusion/occlusion-like syndrome as a whole in the laurate-injected rats. Along with prime lung lesions and thromboemboli occluding lung vessels, post-embolization syndrome rapidly occurred peripherally and centrally as a shared multiorgan and vessel failure, brain, heart, lung, liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract lesions, venous hypertension (intracranial (superior sagittal sinus), portal, and caval), aortal hypotension, progressing thrombosis in veins and arteries and stasis, congested and/or failed major veins, and severe ECG disturbances. Whatever the cause, these were all counteracted, eliminated, or attenuated by the application of BPC 157 therapy. As recovery with BPC 157 therapy commonly and rapidly occurred, reversing the collapsed azygos vein to the rescuing collateral pathway might initiate rapid direct blood delivery and start blood flow reorganization. In conclusion, we suggest BPC 157 therapy to resolve further vascular and embolization injuries.

Diagnostic performance of digital breast tomosynthesis in female patients with nipple discharge.

BACKGROUND: Nipple discharge is one of the most common symptoms related to the breast, but it is a presenting feature of breast cancer in 5%-12% of women. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in the evaluation of patients with nipple discharge and to compare it with mammography (MMG), ultrasound (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS AND RESULTS: This retrospective study included 53 patients with nipple discharge. All patients underwent DBT, and results were compared to MMG, breast US, and MRI. Radiological findings for each method were categorized according to BI-RADS classification: categories 1-2 were considered negative and categories 3-5 positive. If a tissue specimen was obtained, the final diagnosis was established based on the results of histopathological analysis; otherwise, a clinical follow-up was required for at least 2 years to confirm benign radiological findings. Measures of diagnostic accuracy of DBT, MMG, US, and MRI were calculated and compared. RESULTS: Final histopathological analysis revealed six malignant breast lesions, all of which were detected in patients with pathologic nipple discharge. DBT and MRI exhibited high sensitivity (100%) and high negative predictive value (100%) for the detection of breast cancer in patients with nipple discharge. DBT showed higher specificity compared to MRI (82.9% vs. 61.9%). Sensitivity and specificity of MMG were 83.3% and 76.6%, respectively. Breast US was determined to have a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 57.5%. CONCLUSION: DBT exhibited higher specificity than MRI at the same level of sensitivity and negative predictive value. Therefore, the use of DBT should be considered as an alternative to MRI in the assessment of patients with nipple discharge.

Impact of a guide dog on glycemia regulation in blind/visually impaired persons due to diabetes mellitus.

The aim was to assess glycemia regulation in a blind diabetic patient after getting a guide dog. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) results of a blind patient before and after getting the guide dog were retrospectively collected. The paired t-test results yielded a two-tailed P value of 0.0925, a difference considered not statistically significant; the 95% confidence interval of this difference varied from -0.2494 to 1.889. An improvement of glycemia regulation was observed with the guide dog compared to previous glycemia regulation, however, the difference was not statistically significant. The moderate improvement could probably be attributed to the mobility of the blind person having a guide dog. Standard quality of life tests should be included in the evaluation of diabetic blind persons, especially the impact of a guide dog on glycemic control or other chronic complications of diabetes.

The impact of hormone replacement therapy on metabolic syndrome components in perimenopausal women.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is in use for more than a half of century, but the question of indications and ideal candidates for HRT remains unclear. Postmenopausal women are a population with the increasing risks for cardiovascular diseases which are the main cause of death in this group. Decline in oestrogen concentrations is linked to a number of changes in peri and postmenopause: increased total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low density lipoprotein, increased insulin resistance and impaired fibrinolysis. These changes are the main components of metabolic syndrome, the epidemic of the modern age. HRT is currently recommended as the gold standard for the management of vasomotor symptoms, but the benefit of HRT on components of metabolic syndrome and risk for cardiovascular events is still uncertain. In the initial reports from the Women's Health Initiative trial (WHI), overall health risks exceeded benefits in the cohort taking combined estrogen-progestin trial. Observational study in postmenopausal women, some meta-analyses and subsequent analyses of WHI had suggested that the timing of exposure to postmenopausal estrogen therapy may be an important factor in determining subsequent cardiovascular risk. It seems that the early therapy onset is a key factor in accomplishing positive results, but there are almost no surveys regarding the effects on the metabolic syndrome components in perimenopausal women. We hypothesized that the early, low dosage HRT in healthy perimenopausal women would have beneficial effects on the compounds of metabolic syndrome and could decrease the risk of cardiovascular events. Beneficial effect of HRT on cardiovascular diseases is due to the maintained integrity and functional status of the endothelium in younger women. We are aware of the fact that further studies are necessary to test the effects of different doses and routes of administration of HRT on cardiovascular outcomes.