Skin manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis: a study of 215 Turkish patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency and clinicopathological features of skin involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to find out whether early and aggressive disease-modifying treatment is changing the spectrum towards a milder disease pattern. METHODS: Two hundred and fifteen consecutive RA patients were enrolled. Main outcome measures were the frequency of cutaneous features and their relation to disease severity and treatment modality, ultrasound (USG) examination of nodules, histopathological examination of nodules and papules. RESULTS: Mean age and disease duration were 55.3 years and 138.1 months, respectively. Sixty-six percent of the patients had erosive disease, 70% were rheumatoid factor (RF) positive and 44% had Classes III and IV functional index. Among 43 patients having nodules, 20 were diagnosed as rheumatoid nodules (RNs) and the others as synovitis, bursitis, and so on, on clinical basis and by ultrasound. In 7 of 20 RNs, diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination. When clinical, histopathological, and USG data were analyzed collectively, sensitivity, and specificity of USG were found as 100 and 75%, respectively. Sixteen patients had relevant papular lesions. Fourteen of these were diagnosed as palisading neutrophilic granulomatous dermatitis (PNGD) and two as rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis (RND) on histopathological examination. Accelerated nodulosis was seen in one, and vasculitis in two of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a milder disease pattern compared to Anglo-Saxon countries with lower RN and vasculitis frequency. This cannot be explained by early and aggressive treatment as disease onset to treatment interval was long in our patient group. PNGD resembles RN in terms of frequency and association with severe disease.

Proximal type epithelioid sarcoma of the scrotum: a source of diagnostic confusion that needs immediate attention.

Epithelioid sarcoma is a rare soft-tissue sarcoma which classically presents as a subcutaneous or deep dermal mass in distal extremities of adolescents and young adults. A more aggressive "proximal" or "large-cell" type has been described in rare cases to occur as a deep soft-tissue mass at proximal body sites which tends to recur and metastasize earlier than the conventional epithelioid sarcoma. The correct diagnosis of this type is essential since these lesions can easily be misdiagnosed as other epithelioid lesions. Its prognostic factors also have not yet been fully investigated. We herein report a case of metastatic proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma arising from the scrotum of a 50-year-old man managed by radical surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.

Kidney loss due to periureteral fibrosis and ureteral obstruction secondary to migration of subureterically injected calcium hydroxylapatite.

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is one of the significant urologic diseases of childhood and its endoscopic treatment is a viable option in terms of both simplicity and reduced morbidity. However, despite intensive research, no ideal injection material that yields the best long-term results with the least side effects has been introduced as yet. Synthetic calcium hydroxylapatite is one of the materials that has recently been under trial. Although favorable short-term success rates have been reported with the subureteric injection of calcium hydroxylapatite without any side effects, this case report shows its potential to migrate. To our knowledge, we present the first case where the migration of subureterically injected calcium hydroxylapatite resulted in periureteral fibrosis, ureteric obstruction and subsequent renal loss.

Testicular biopsy during orchidopexy procedure: does it have an adverse effect on fertility?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the gonadal biopsy procedure on fertility and histology of the experimentally created undescended testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty Wistar-Albino rat litters were divided into three groups. In the first two groups, undescended testes were obtained by dividing the right gubernaculum in the first 48 h and the third group constituted the sham group. When the rats were 30 days old, orchidopexy was performed in the first group (O), whereas orchidopexy and testicular biopsy were performed in the second group (OB). After the fertility study all rats were sacrificed at week 11 and testicular weights, mean seminiferous tubular diameters (MSTD) and mean testicular biopsy scores (MTBS) were measured. RESULTS: One testis in the O group and three testes in the OB group were atrophied and these rats were excluded from the study. Testicular weights, MSTD and MTBS values of the operated side in the O and OB groups were lower than those in the sham group. There was a statistically significant difference between the MSTD values of the ipsilateral testes in the OB group and sham group (p<0.05). MTBS values of the ipsilateral testes in the O and OB groups were <8. There was no difference in all parameters in the contralateral testes between all groups (p>0.05). All the evaluated rats were fertile. While there was no difference in number of fetuses and fertility scores between the O and OB group, however, the differences were significant between each of these groups and the sham group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Testicular biopsy in the unilateral undescended testis model results in limited histological changes without affecting the fertility.

Epidermal growth factor and bombesin act synergistically to support intestinal adaptation in rats with massive small bowel resection.

Intestinal adaptation is the most important event in short bowel syndrome following a massive small bowel resection. Effects of various growth factors and their synergism have been well documented in intestinal adaptation. This study aimed to compare the effect of two different trophic agents, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and bombesin (BBS), on intestinal adaptation following massive intestinal resection. Sprague-Dawley male rats were assigned to one of four groups after a 75% small bowel resection. Either EGF (90 microg/kg), BBS (10 microg/kg), EGF+BBS, or bovine serum albumin (BSA) were injected subcutaneously three times a day. The animals were killed 10 days after the operation. Weight loss and morphologic parameters such as mucosal thickness, villus height, crypt depth, villus-to-crypt ratio, and muscularis propria height were measured. In the EGF+BBS group, mucosal thickness was found to be significantly increased compared with the other study groups (p<0.05). Similarly, villus height was significantly increased only in the EGF+BBS group (p<0.05). In the BBS group, both villus height and mucosal thickness showed a slight increase, but the values were not statistically significant compared with the vehicle-treated group. There were no significant differences in any of the remaining parameters between the groups. The results of this study indicate that the gut hormones EGF and BBS act synergistically in facilitating the adaptive response of the remnant ileum to massive intestinal resection.

Extravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia of the larynx: a case report and review of the literature.

Papillary endothelial hyperplasia (PEH), a tumor that falls along the spectrum of reactive to neoplastic vascular lesions, must be diagnosed carefully because it can resemble an angiosarcoma. PEH is generally considered to be the result of an unusual form of thrombus organization, exhibiting excessive papillary endothelial proliferation that is usually confined to the lumen of preexisting vessels or vascular malformations. Most cases of PEH are of the intravascular type; extravascular PEH is rare. We describe what we believe is the first reported case of an extravascular PEH in the larynx.

The roles of free oxygen radicals, nitric oxide, and endothelin in caustic injury of rat esophagus.

PURPOSE: The authors aimed to find out the roles of free oxygen radicals, nitric oxide (NO), and endothelin (ET) in caustic injury of rat esophagus. METHODS: Forty-five Wistar albino rats were used to form 6 groups. The study groups are summarized as 1, sham (S; n = 7); 2, sham + L-arginine (SA; n = 7); 3, sham + L-NAME (SN; n = 7); 4, injury (I; n = 8); 5, injury + L-arginine (IA; n = 8); 6, injury + L-NAME (IN; n = 8). Normal saline in the sham groups and 50% NaOH in the caustic injury groups were administered to the distal esophagus. Free oxygen radicals and NO were detected by chemiluminescence from tissue samples, and they were correlated with histologic examinations. Tissue ET was measured also with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The injury was verified histologically. Free oxygen radical levels were found to be increased as well as NO and ET with the caustic injury (P <.05). L-arginine caused a histologic increase in the injury that was close to statistical significance (P =.08). L-NAME showed no significant effect. CONCLUSIONS: Free radicals, NO, and ET increase in the early phase of caustic esophageal injury. Understanding their early interactions during the caustic injury may help in future therapeutic strategies.

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on caustic esophageal injury in rats.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Caustic esophageal burn is a serious problem in pediatric surgery. Even though many clinical and experimental studies had been performed, the complication rate could not be reduced to a satisfying level. In this study, the authors evaluated the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in caustic esophageal burn in rats. METHODS: Rats were divided into 4 groups, and caustic burn at the distal esophagus was created by applying 50% NaOH for 3 minutes in all groups. The first and third groups did not receive HBO therapy. HBO therapy was applied to the second group for 2 days and to the fourth group for 28 days. To evaluate the effects of short-term HBO therapy, the first 2 groups were compared for ulceration, inflammation, and submucosal vascular thrombosis after 2 days. The third and fourth groups were compared for the long-term effects of HBO therapy. Rats in these groups were killed after 28 days and compared for the collagen content, weight, and mortality rate. RESULTS: In the second group, which received 2 days of HBO therapy, ulcer depth and vascular thrombosis were significantly lower than these in the first group (P =.022 and P =.020, respectively). The fourth group, which received 4 weeks of HBO therapy, had a significantly reduced mortality rate, weight loss, and collagen score and hydroxyproline level if compared with the third group (P =.035; P =.016; P =.028; and P =.033, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that HBO therapy is useful in caustic esophageal burn both in short-term and long-term use.

Gastric histopathology, iron status and iron deficiency anemia in children with Helicobacter pylori infection.

OBJECTIVES: Helicobacter pylori has been established as a major cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in adults and children. H. pylori infection may also have a role in the development of some extra-gastrointestinal diseases, including iron deficiency anemia. The aim of this study is to investigate H. pylori-related changes in gastric physiology and histology and the relationship of these changes to iron deficiency anemia in children. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with gastrointestinal complaints were studied. Hematologic parameters, 3-day vitamin C and iron consumption, serum gastrin levels, and gastric juice ascorbic acid levels were compared in patients with and without H. pylori infection. Dietary intake of vitamin C and iron, serum gastrin, gastric juice ascorbic acid content, and gastric histology were compared in patients with H. pylori infection and anemia and in patients with H pylori infection and no anemia. The CagA status of the H. pylori organisms was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-eight of 52 patients had H. pylori. Thirty-one patients had iron deficiency anemia. H. pylori infection was associated with low serum iron levels. H. pylori gastritis was associated with a decrease in the gastric juice ascorbic acid level. Infection with CagA-positive strains was associated with a greater decrease in gastric juice ascorbic acid than infection with CagA-negative strains. However, the gastric juice ascorbic acid levels of patients with H. pylori and anemia were not different from those of non-anemic patients with H. pylori. Among patients with H. pylori infection, pangastritis was twice as common in those with anemia than in those without anemia. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori infection was associated with a decrease in gastric juice ascorbic acid concentration, and this effect was more pronounced in patients with the CagA-positive strain. Pangastritis was more common in patients whose H. pylori.infection was accompanied by anemia.

Meconium periorchitis--a rare cause of a paratesticular mass.

We report a 9-month-old boy who presented with a hard paratesticular mass. Clinical and ultrasound findings were highly suggestive of malignancy and orchidectomy was performed. Histology confirmed the unexpected diagnosis of meconium periorchitis, a rare, benign condition resulting from intrauterine bowel perforation.

AgNOR values are not helpful in the differential diagnosis of pituitary adenomas.

Nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) are chromosomal segments in which ribosomal RNA is encoded. AgNOR technique, which reveals these regions, has rarely been used in the diagnosis and preceding the prognosis of pituitary adenoma. The purpose of this study was to determine and evaluate the correlation of hormonal profile with AgNOR counts, the correlation of recurrence with AgNOR counts, and to determine the consistency between the evaluations of the two independent observers. This study covers 33 patients with pituitary adenoma. The slides were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Silver colloid method was used for NOR, and immunohistochemistry for hormone expressions. Consistency was significant between the two pathologists (for hormonal profile, the Kappa test was used and P<0.001; for AgNOR count, intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.83). There was no significant correlation between mean AgNOR counts and hormone expressions (P>0.05), and there was also no correlation between mean AgNOR counts and tumor sizes (P>0.05). While no difference between recurrent and non-recurrent patients was found with respect to mean AgNOR numbers (P>0.05), nucleolar silver staining in the form of AgNOR clusters was more frequently detected in recurrent cases.

A rare primary pulmonary tumor of childhood.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is known to be the pulmonary blastoma of childhood. It has a range of macroscopic and microscopic features which appear to correlate with eventual prognosis. Type 1, presenting as a multicystic lesion, occurs at an earlier age and has a more favorable prognosis than other types. The presented case of type 1 PPB had a microscopic focus of rhabdomyosarcoma. Although this patient was disease-free one year after the initial diagnosis without chemotherapy, he presented at 14 months with local dissemination and cardiac metastasis, revealing the inevitable chemo-radiotherapy need in PPB.

The Mckusick-Kaufman syndrome: report of a case with some associations.

McKusick-Kaufman syndrome (MKS) is a rare autosomal recessive condition consisting of congenital hydrometrocolpos, polydactyly and congenital heart defect. We present a female stillborn, the product of non-consanguineous parents, who presented postaxial polydactyly on both feet, micrognathia and marked abdominal distension. Postmortem examination revealed bicornuated cystic uterus and intestinal malrotation. She also had flat left kidney and left hydroureter due to compression by the cystic mass.