Increased Rates of Gold and Acrylate Allergy in Individuals with Fibromyalgia Tested with an Extended Dental Patch Test Series.

Fibromyalgia is a common chronic pain condition. Rates of contact allergy in individuals with fibromyalgia have not been widely studied. Systemic contact allergy can present with muscle and joint pain and general malaise. The aim of this study is to investigate contact allergy rates in individuals with fibromyalgia to the sensitizers in an extended dental series and compare with control groups. Contact allergy to gold was significantly more common in the fibromyalgia group than the dermatitis control group. When corrected for patch test system, contact allergy to gold was significantly more common in the fibromyalgia group than the dental control group. Contact allergy to hydroxyethyl methacrylate and grouped acrylates and methacrylates was significantly more common in the fibromyalgia group than the dental control group. In conclusion, individuals with fibromyalgia may have a propensity to sensitization to gold, either via an increased exposure or an alteration in the oral environment. Gold is also implicated in systemic contact dermatitis and may be a factor in elicitation of symptoms in individuals with fibromyalgia. Acrylate allergy is also common in the fibromyalgia population and may be a consequence of occupational exposure or dental treatment.

Increased rates of fragrance allergy in fibromyalgia individuals tested with the Swedish baseline patch test series.

BACKGROUND: Contact allergy can manifest in a variety of ways clinically. Systemic contact allergy may occasionally present with pain in muscles and joints. Fibromyalgia is a chronic rheumatic disease characterized by pain and with virtually unknown aetiology. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the contact allergy rates to the sensitizers in a baseline series and compare with corresponding rates in dermatitis patients and the general population. METHODS: Patch testing with the Swedish baseline series was performed in 120 individuals with fibromyalgia. Fisher's exact test was used for pair-wise comparisons of contact allergy rates between the fibromyalgia group and two control groups, dermatitis patients and individuals in the general population. RESULTS: Contact allergy was significantly more common in the fibromyalgia group compared to the general population concerning nickel and the fragrance markers Myroxolon pereirae and fragrance mix I. There were fewer allergic reactions to preservatives in the fibromyalgia group compared with the dermatitis group. CONCLUSIONS: Myroxolon pereirae and fragrance mix I represent besides fragrance allergy also allergy to flavouring substances which indicate that oral exposure to flavouring substances and hygiene products might be important for sensitization and possibly elicitation of systemic contact allergy symptoms in fibromyalgia individuals.

Performance characteristics of magnetic resonance imaging without contrast agents or sedation in pediatric appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a promising modality for evaluating pediatric appendicitis. However optimal imaging protocols, including roles of contrast agents and sedation, have not been established and diagnostic criteria have not been fully evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate performance characteristics of rapid MRI without contrast agents or sedation in the diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included patients ages 4-18 years with suspicion of appendicitis who underwent rapid MRI between October 2013 and March 2015 without contrast agent or sedation. After two-radiologist review, we determined performance characteristics of individual diagnostic criteria and aggregate diagnostic criteria by comparing MRI results to clinical outcomes. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to determine cut-points for appendiceal diameter and wall thickness for optimization of predictive power, and we calculated area under the curve (AUC) as a measure of test accuracy. RESULTS: Ninety-eight MRI examinations were performed in 97 subjects. Overall, MRI had a 94% sensitivity, 95% specificity, 91% positive predictive value and 97% negative predictive value. Optimal cut-points for appendiceal diameter and wall thickness were ≥7 mm and ≥2 mm, respectively. Independently, those cut-points produced sensitivities of 91% and 84% and specificities of 84% and 43%. Presence of intraluminal fluid (30/33) or localized periappendiceal fluid (32/33) showed a significant association with acute appendicitis (P<0.01), with sensitivities of 91% and 97% and specificities of 60% and 50%. For examinations in which the appendix was not identified by one or both reviewers (23/98), the clinical outcome was negative. CONCLUSION: Rapid MRI without contrast agents or sedation is accurate for diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis when multiple diagnostic criteria are considered in aggregate. Individual diagnostic criteria including optimized cut-points of ≥7 mm for diameter and ≥2 mm for wall thickness demonstrate high sensitivities but relatively low specificities. Nonvisualization of the appendix favors a negative diagnosis.

Iterative reconstruction technique with reduced volume CT dose index: diagnostic accuracy in pediatric acute appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Iterative reconstruction technique has been proposed as a means of reducing patient radiation dose in pediatric CT. Yet, the effect of such reductions on diagnostic accuracy has not been thoroughly evaluated. OBJECTIVE: This study compares accuracy of diagnosing pediatric acute appendicitis using contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT scans performed with traditional pediatric weight-based protocols and filtered back projection reconstruction vs. a filtered back projection/iterative reconstruction technique blend with reduced volume CT dose index (CTDIvol). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Results of pediatric contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT scans done for pain and/or suspected appendicitis were reviewed in two groups: A, 192 scans performed with the hospital's established weight-based CT protocols and filtered back projection reconstruction; B, 194 scans performed with iterative reconstruction technique and reduced CTDIvol. Reduced CTDIvol was achieved primarily by reductions in effective tube current-time product (mAseff) and tube peak kilovoltage (kVp). CT interpretation was correlated with clinical follow-up and/or surgical pathology. CTDIvol, size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) and performance characteristics of the two CT techniques were then compared. RESULTS: Between groups A and B, mean CTDIvol was reduced by 45%, and mean SSDE was reduced by 46%. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy were 96%, 97% and 96% in group A vs. 100%, 99% and 99% in group B. CONCLUSION: Accuracy in diagnosing pediatric acute appendicitis was maintained in contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT scans that incorporated iterative reconstruction technique, despite reductions in mean CTDIvol and SSDE by nearly half as compared to the hospital's traditional weight-based protocols.

Bedside optic nerve sheath diameter ultrasound for the evaluation of suspected pediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility and test characteristics of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measured by ocular ultrasound as a screening tool for ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) failure. METHODS: Prospective observational study using a convenience sample of children 6 months to 18 years of age, presenting to an academic pediatric emergency department for evaluation of possible VPS failure between September 2008 and March 2009. ONSD was measured by anterior transbulbar and lateral transbulbar techniques. Mean ONSD was compared between subjects with and without shunt failure, as determined by neurosurgical decision to operate. RESULTS: A total of 39 encounters were completed, including 20 VPS failures. The mean ONSD was 4.5 ± 0.9 and 5.0 ± 0.6 mm among encounters with and without shunt failure (p = 0.03), respectively. The mean ONSD was not statistically different when obtained by the anterior transbulbar vs. the lateral transbulbar approach (4.8 ± 1.0 vs. 4.7 ± 0.8 mm, p = 0.12). ONSD ultrasound had a sensitivity of 61.1 % (95 % CI 35.7-82.7) and specificity of 22.2 % (95 % CI 6.4-47.6 %) for detecting shunt failure in this sample. CONCLUSIONS: ONSD ultrasound does not appear to be a useful primary screening tool in emergency department evaluation of VPS failure. There was no difference between the anterior transbulbar approach and the lateral transbulbar approach. Children with VPS in our sample have larger ONSD measurements than in previously reported studies.

Size-appropriate radiation doses in pediatric body CT: a study of regional community adoption in the United States.

BACKGROUND: During the last decade, there has been a movement in the United States toward utilizing size-appropriate radiation doses for pediatric body CT, with smaller doses given to smaller patients. OBJECTIVE: This study assesses community adoption of size-appropriate pediatric CT techniques. Size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) in pediatric body scans are compared between community facilities and a university children's hospital that tailors CT protocols to patient size as advocated by Image Gently. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared 164 pediatric body scans done at community facilities (group X) with 466 children's hospital scans. Children's hospital scans were divided into two groups: A, 250 performed with established pediatric weight-based protocols and filtered back projection; B, 216 performed with addition of iterative reconstruction technique and a 60% reduction in volume CT dose index (CTDIvol). SSDE was calculated and differences among groups were compared by regression analysis. RESULTS: Mean SSDE was 1.6 and 3.9 times higher in group X than in groups A and B and 2.5 times higher for group A than group B. A model adjusting for confounders confirmed significant differences between group pairs. CONCLUSIONS: Regional community hospitals and imaging centers have not universally adopted child-sized pediatric CT practices. More education and accountability may be necessary to achieve widespread implementation. Since even lower radiation doses are possible with iterative reconstruction technique than with filtered back projection alone, further exploration of the former is encouraged.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma: unusual etiology of mediastinal mass in an adolescent.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare malignancy that usually arises in an extremity. Mediastinal involvement is uncommon, with only two reports of primary mediastinal disease and two reports of metastatic mediastinal disease in the literature, all referencing adult patients. To our knowledge, ours is the first report of ASPS presenting with a mediastinal mass in adolescence. Although ASPS is not generally included in the differential for adolescent mediastinal masses, it should be considered when clinical presentation and imaging appearance are characteristic.

Congenital oligomeganephronia: computed tomography appearance.

We report a case of congenital oligomeganephronia unexpectedly imaged with computed tomography (CT). Oligomeganephronia is a form of renal hypoplasia that leads to renal failure in childhood or adolescence. If encountered, its CT features should suggest the diagnosis and prompt renal biopsy.

Medulloblastoma: seeding of VP shunt tract and peritoneum.

We report on a 5-year-old boy with seeding of the peritoneum and a ventriculoperitoneal shunt tract by anaplastic medulloblastoma. The role of ventriculoperitoneal shunting in the spread of primary central nervous system tumors has been controversial. In the case reported here, the unique distribution of tumor implants on ultrasound and multiplanar computed tomography gives further credence to the argument that ventriculoperitoneal shunting is a pathway for extraneural metastases of primary central nervous system tumors.

Neuroblastoma found in a 4-year-old after rituximab therapy for opsoclonus-myoclonus.

Opsoclonus-myoclonus, a rare paraneoplastic syndrome that may occur in patients with neuroblastoma, is thought to be a humorally mediated immune reaction to malignant cells that cross-react with autoantigens. This report describes the case of an occult neuroblastoma diagnosed in a 4-year-old female 2 years after presentation of opsoclonus-myoclonus. Although no mass was evident on previous imaging at an interval of 10 months, a computed tomographic scan 4 months after rituximab treatment and 20 months after presentation revealed a new left adrenal mass. Although neuroblastomas can be identified months after presentation of opsoclonus-myoclonus without treatment with rituximab, this report describes one of the longest intervals using up-to-date imaging techniques. Therefore the case raises two concerns: (1) whether the same immune process that causes opsoclonus-myoclonus may suppress neuroblastomas, and (2) whether immunosuppressive therapy with rituximab may inhibit the immune reaction to occult neuroblastomas in patients with unexplained opsoclonus-myoclonus.