Herpes simplex type-2 encephalitis masked by diabetic ketoacidosis.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening acute complication of type-1 diabetes mellitus. Infection is the most common precipitating factor for diabetic ketoacidosis and is responsible for more than 50% of the cases. Here, we present a case study of a young man with herpes simplex virus type-2 encephalitis masked by diabetic ketoacidosis. We aim to orient clinicians towards being vigilant against such clinical scenarios.

Concomitant compression of median and ulnar nerves in a hemophiliac patient: a case report.

A 15-year-old boy, with a diagnosis of hemophilia A, suffered bleeding into his left forearm 5 months before being admitted to our medical center. His neurological examination revealed a pronounced median neuropathy and a minor ulnar neuropathy on the left side. There was marked muscle atrophy on the thenar side and, to a lesser degree, on the hypothenar side and in the forearm. Electromyographic findings demonstrated an evident, nearly complete, sensorimotor axonal loss in the median nerve. Magnetic resonance imaging studies showed atrophy in muscles of the left forearm and median nerve. The patient was diagnosed as having median nerve axonotmesis and ulnar nerve neuropraxia due to compartment syndrome. In hemophiliac patients, frequent single nerve compressions (often involving the femoral nerve) can be seen. However, concomitant median and ulnar nerve injuries with differing severity are rare.

Carotid intima-media thickness and its relations with the complications in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Atherosclerosis is the major cause of the morbidity and mortality in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is the early sign of atherosclerosis and thereby, also the sign of macrovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the CIMT in patients with type 1 DM, and its association with diabetic microvascular complications (nephropathy-retinopathy). METHODS: One hundred and thirteen consecutive patients with type 1 DM without macrovascular disease were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. Age, gender, and body mass index matched 59 healthy subjects, were taken as the control group. Microvascular complications in diabetic patients were scanned. Ultrasonographic analysis of the carotid artery was performed with a high-resolution ultrasound scanner. Student's t, Mann Whitney U, Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests, as well as multiple linear regression analysis were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Patients with type 1 DM had significantly higher CIMT compared to control group (p<0001). The CIMT of the patients with microvascular complications (nephropathy and/or retinopathy) was significantly increased (0.70+/-0.11 mm) compared with the patients without complications (0.63+/-0.09 mm) (p=0.001). The increase in CIMT in type 1 DM in multiple regression analysis was dependent on the presence of proliferative retinopathy (beta=0.037, 95%CI 0.010-0.065, p=0.008), macroalbuminuria (beta=0.043, 95%CI 0.019-0.068, p=0.001), increased urinary albumin excretion (beta=0.00003, 95%CI 0.00001-0.00005, p=0.005) and duration of diabetes (beta=0.002, 95%CI 0.001-0.003, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Increment of CIMT in type 1 diabetic patients was associated with microvascular complications, suggesting that diabetic microangiopathy is related with macroangiopathy. Therefore, there is a need for prospective studies to show the effect of increased CIMT on prognosis of type 1 DM.

Compatibility of different methods for the measurement of visceral fat in different body mass index strata.

PURPOSE: Obesity, particularly visceral obesity, is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Therefore, cardiovascular risk should be determined by evaluating visceral fat tissue not only in obese individuals but also in non-obese individuals. We aimed to evaluate the comparison of visceral fat tissue measurement methods with computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred four participants, 19 to 58 years of age (21 males, 83 females) were enrolled in this study. Participants underwent anthropometric evaluation, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), ultrasonography (US), and CT examinations on the same day. RESULTS: The mean body mass index (BMI) was 31.2 +/- 8.7 kg/m2 (73 individuals [70.2%] had BMI > or =30, and 31 individuals [29.8%] had BMI < 30). The non-obese group (BMI < 30) that showed the best correlation coefficient values were for visceral fat area (VFA) by BIA in all participants, males and women (r = 0.902, P < 0.001; r = 0.994, P < 0.001; r = 0.645, P = 0.01, respectively); in case of BMI > or =30 the best correlation coefficient values were for VFA by BIA (r = 0.774, P < 0.001) for all participants, and visceral fat thickness by US for males (r = 0.851, P < 0.001), and BMI (r = 0.786, P < 0.001) for females. Using multiple stepwise regression analysis, the methods best reflecting VFA by CT were as follows: In subjects with BMI < 25, BIA correlated best with CT measures of VFA; while in subjects with BMI > 30 waist-to-hip ratio showed the best correlation with CT measures of VFA. The method best reflecting VFA by CT was visceral thickness by US in males; and the method best reflecting VFA by CT in females was visceral thickness by US, BMI and waist circumference. CONCLUSION: Anthropometric measurements and visceral fat tissue measurement methods such as US and BIA exhibit differences with respect to compliance with CT results in visceral fat tissue measurements by gender and BMI levels.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, and 5-fluorouracil in locally advanced breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Our primary objective was to determine the response rate; secondary objectives were to assess the toxicity rate, and disease-free and overall survival rates in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) receiving a cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2), mitoxantrone (12 mg/m2) and 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m2) (CMF) chemotherapy regimen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data from 74 patients with LABC with neoadjuvant CMF chemotherapy were analyzed retrospectively. Preoperatively, all patients received 3 cycles of CMF on day 1, repeated every 21 days. In 3 (4.1%) patients, breast-conserving surgery was given and in 71 (95.9%) modified radical mastectomy. All patients received radiotherapy and 3 additional cycles of CMF chemotherapy after surgery. RESULTS: Median age of the patients was 47 years (range: 17-74). 43 patients were premenopausal, whereas 31 were postmenopausal. 54 patients were in stage IIIA, and 20 were in stage IIIB. The overall clinical response rate was 88%; 11 (14.9%) had a complete response, 54 (73%) had a partial response, and 2 (2.8%) had progression. 14 (18.9%) had a pathological complete response. The median follow-up was 62 months. The median disease-free survival was 64.9 months, and the median overall survival was 97.5 months. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were 52% and 79.9%, respectively. Most frequent side-effects were nausea/vomiting, mucositis, alopecia and leukopenia. CONCLUSION: The CMF regimen has a high overall response rate and an acceptable side effect profile in the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer. Further studies are needed to evaluate its effectiveness in breast-conserving strategies.