Severe Forms of Acalculous Acute Pancreatitis in Young Female Patients. A Preliminary Study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a severe disease that usually involves hospitalization and a customized therapy. To date, remarkable progress has been made in establishing the etiology, diagnosis and therapy of this condition. For example, it is well documented that the AP course consists of two distinct pathophysiological phases. The first phase lasts about 1-2 weeks, involving only local inflammatory changes and possibly a transient SIRS syndrome, which require conservative therapy. The second phase is represented either by disease remission in patients with mild forms of AP, or by the persistence of SIRS syndrome and the occurrence of local complications in patients with moderate forms. Local complications therefore often occur in the second phase, when therapy must be customized according to the complications of the pancreatic area, as well as to provide adequate systemic support. Methods/ Results: Severe forms are less common and generally associate MSOF, which can develop at any time in the evolution of AP. MSOF worsens preexisting SIRS syndrome and local complications, making treatment more difficult and significantly increasing morbidity and mortality. This study presents the evolution of a group of patients with acalculous AP, who did not present in the first phase any systemic determinant of SIRS syndrome. Consequently, our initial prognosis was favorable, but the evolution of some patients was unexpectedly severe. Conclusions: Such surprising cases in terms of the evolution may suggest that increased caution is required in all AP patients, even if preliminary data suggest a mild form of the disease. Additional studies are necessary in the near future on this topic, both to improve therapy and to establish a better prognostic score by using new diagnostic tools.

Mechanical Ventilation Associated Pneumomediastinum - A Rising Incidence of Cases in an Emergency Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemics.

Introduction: Mechanical ventilation is a last resort solution for patients presenting with acute respiratory distress syndrome produced by SARS-CoV-2. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare pathology associated with invasive mechanical ventilation. The objective of our research was to highlight the increased incidence of spontaneous pneumomediastinum during the COVID-19 pandemics in our hospital. Material and method: A retrospective review of the cases in our hospital requiring surgical evaluation was performed. Electronic health records from our institution were searched for nontraumatic pneumomediastinum from October to November 2021. All patients that were identified with pneumomediastinum were included in the review. Results: We identified 12 mechanical ventilated patients that presented with free air in the mediastinum on a computed tomography during the study period. All of the patients had SARS-CoV-2 bronchopneumonia with extensive pulmonary involvement. The mortality rate among these patients was 58.33%. Conclusions: The main take-home message of our study is that the incidence of mechanically ventilation-associated pneumomediastinum was exponentially higher during the fourth wave of COVID-19. There is a need for multicenter data in this pathology for a better approach and to define surgical management options for these patients.

Prediction and Management of Surgical Site Infections in Hybrid Vascular Surgery for Peripheral Artery Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Postoperative complications are an important problem that all surgeons face. Among all possible complications, local and systemic infections are one of the most prevalent postprocedural adverse events. It is difficult to assess whether or not a patient will develop a surgical site infection (SSI), but there are certain basic investigations that can suggest the probability of such an event. We also investigated some clinically assessable signs to help us better predict the occurrence of SSIs. Every bit of information brings us closer to an ideal where we can bring postoperative complications to a minimum. Close examination and attention to detail is crucial in the prediction and prevention of SSIs. Methods: A multicenter, retrospective and prospective observational study was carried out between 01.01.2019 â?" 01.09.2021. All adult patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) who had disabling intermittent claudication or rest pain, were included in this study. We excluded minor or vascular surgery emergencies (ruptured aneurysms, acute ischemia or vascular trauma). We followed the postoperative complications as well as their management with an emphasis on surgical site infections (SSIs). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine key values of statistical relevance by calculating the Area Under the Curve (AUC). Multivariate analysis was used to assess the statistical relevance of our data. Results: The study evaluates 128 patients diagnosed with PAD, aged between 47 and 97, with a mean age of 71.26 Ã+- 10.8 years. There were significantly more male than female patients 71.09% vs. 28.91% (p 0.01). All patients were treated using hybrid vascular techniques. All complication rates were recorded but we focused on SSIs, which was the most prevalent complication (25%). C-Reactive Protein with values higher than 5 mg/dl, was confirmed as a positive predictive factor for postoperative surgical site infections (AUC = 0.80). Another positive predictive factor for SSIs is hyperglycemia. Glycemic values higher than 140mg/dl are more frequently associated with postoperative infections (p = 0.02), a predictability curve of statistical significance was also obtained (AUC = 0.71). Postoperative SSIs were more prevalent in patients with preoperative distal trophic lesions (p 0.01). The presence of other complications such as edema and lymphoceles were also linked to SSIs (p 0.01). Nevertheless, patients who underwent surgery over negative wound pressure therapy (NWPT) for infection management had significantly shorter hospital stays (p 0.01). Conclusions: There are multiple clinical or paraclinical predictors of SSIs. The coexistence of several such factors can carry an additional risk of developing a SSI and should be evaluated and controlled separately in the preoperative phase as much as possible. Admission to a diabetes center and regulation of glycemic values prior to elective vascular surgery, for patients who can be surgically postponed is an effective method of preventing infections. Surgical management remains the most reliable form of treatment of SSIs, being the most efficient therapy and offering immediate results, while simultaneously shortening hospital stays.

Surgical Stasis: Anomalies Scarcities in Surgical Residents Training in the Covid-19 Period.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a marked decrease in surgical procedures performed worldwide and to numerous other changes in medical practice. We investigated the effect of these changes on surgical trainees. Method: We searched medical records and asked a total of 67 surgical residents from different specialities (general surgery, obstetrics-gynecology, orthopedics-traumatology, neurosurgery) to answer a questionnaire investigating how the total number of surgical procedures and operative role varied for each respondent during the pandemic, the number of medical congresses and handson courses they attended during this time, how much study time was available to them and how the changes in their training modules affected them. Results: Most respondents reported a marked decrease in the number of surgical procedures performed, performing key operative steps with a lower frequency. Most of them believed that their training stagnated or suffered a setback. However, most residents consider the changes in their training during the pandemic a useful experience. Conclusion: The real effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical training should be further studied. Future prospective studies should identify threshold values for each surgical procedure and the most effective compensatory strategies.

Current Management of Colon Trauma at a Level II Trauma Center - A Single Center Review of Cases from the Last Two Decades.

Introduction: The large bowel is the second most commonly injured hollow viscus in penetrating abdominal trauma following the small bowel. Injuries to the colon are fairly common in times of war and the lessons learned in these instances have historically guided management. The objective of our research is to highlight current management principles as they are applied in a single trauma centre during the last two decades. Material and Method: retrospective review of our clinical experience was performed. Electronic health records from our institution were searched for injuries caused by external forces from January 2003 - October 2021. All patients that were identified with colon injuries were included in the review. Results: We identified 11 male patients with colon injuries during the study period. Repair options used were primary suture or colostomy formation with no anastomoses and no damage control procedures. Mortality was 27.2%, relatively high when compared with contemporaneous studies. Conclusions: The main take home message of our research is that the epidemiology of colon trauma is very different in a civilian environment that has a low caseload of penetrating injury compared to wartime injuries. There is a clear need of prospective multicentre data in this type of trauma cohorts to better define management options and not base our approach on wartime data or data from communities where the rate of penetrating injuries is high.

Acute Colonic Pseudoobstruction (Ogilvie Syndrome) - A Severe Complication in the Evolution of the Hospitalized or Institutionalized Patients.

Introduction: Ogilvie syndrome, or acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO), represents a pathological entity, potentially with a severe outcome, due to the acute important dilation of the large bowel, in the absence of a mechanical luminal obstruction. Usually, it occurs in patients admitted in intensive care unit, that associate severe surgical or medical pathologies. The mechanism of the ACPO has not been completely explained, but it is assumed that the motor function of the colon may be affected, as a result of autonomic regulation disturbance. Early diagnosis and treatment help reduce the risk of severe outcome, such as ischemia or perforation. Material and Method: In addition to our experience, a literature search was elaborated in order to evaluate the incidence, the etiology, the clinical presentation and the diagnosis of the ACPO. Results and Conclusions: The present study may be of help in the process of guiding the optimal management of a critically ill patient is at high risk of developing colonic pseudo-obstruction.

The Current Surgical Managemnt of the Parietal Deffects in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis - Options and Limits. Our Experience and Review of Literature.

Introduction: The abdominal wall hernias in patients with liver cirrhosis have a significant higher prevalence than those in non- cirrhotic patients. The best surgical treatment option and the optimal operative time still represent a subject of debate. Material and method: We have retrospectively analyzed the cases of abdominal wall hernias in patients with liver cirrhosis admitted in the Surgical Department of the Sfantul Pantelimon Clinical Emergency Hospital from Bucharest, undergoing surgical treatment between January 2012 and December 2016. Data regarding the laboratory results (the serum albumin and bilirubin levels, the Prothrombin Time) and the clinical aspects (the presence of ascites or encephalopathy) that helped establish the grade of the disease according to Child classification system, and, also, the information regarding the type of hernia, the character of the surgical indication (emergency or elective), the surgical technique and the postoperative evolution have been collected from the medical documents of the patients included in the present study. The statistical analysis has been made using the chi- square test. Results: 32 cases out of the total 65 patients included in the study, that underwent surgical intervention for the treatment of the abdominal wall defects, had umbilical hernia (49,23%), 18 cases presented with inguinal hernia (27.69%), 11 with incisional hernia (16.92%) and 4 with epigastric hernia (6.15%). 29 patients were subjected to elective surgery (44.6%) and 36 to emergency surgery (55,4%). Regarding the Child classification system used in the present study, 24 patients presented with Child A grade of cirrhosis (36.92%), 30 with Child B (46.15%) and 11 with Child C (16.92%). The postoperative morbidity rate was 45,83% in Child A group, 56,66% in Child B group and 81,8% in Child C group. The mortality rate was 4,16% in the Child A group (one death), 13.33% in the Child B group (4 deaths) and 72.72% in Child C group (8 cases). The highest mortality rates have been registered in patients that underwent emergency surgical intervention. Conclusions: The parietal defects in patients with liver cirrhosis can be surgically treated with satisfactory outcomes. The best results have been registered in patients with compensated form of the cirrhosis or in cases undergoing elective surgery. The methods used for the surgical treatment of the abdominal wall defects vary from herniorrhaphy to alloplastic techniques. For patients with ascites, a good control of this complication represents an important factor for the favourable postoperative evolution. The emergency surgical interventions are associated with greater risks of morbidity and mortality.

Post-Finasteride Adverse Effects in Male Androgenic Alopecia: A Case Report of Vitiligo.

Finasteride has proved to be relatively safe and effective in the therapeutic management of male androgenic alopecia. However, literature data report several endocrine imbalances inducing various adverse effects, which often persist after treatment cessation in the form of post-finasteride syndrome. Here we present the case of a 52-year-old man receiving finasteride (1 mg/day) who developed an uncommon adverse effect represented by generalized vitiligo 2 months after finasteride discontinuation. Associated adverse effects encountered were represented by mild sexual dysfunction (as determined by the International Index of Erectile Function, IIEF) and moderate depressive symptoms (according to DSM-V criteria), all of these manifestations aggregating within/as a possible post-finasteride syndrome. Further studies should develop and compare several therapeutic approaches, taking into account not only compounds that decrease the circulating dihydrotestosterone level but also those that could block the dihydrotestosterone receptors (if possible, compounds with selective tropism towards the skin). In addition, the possibility of predicting adverse effects of finasteride (according to hand preference and sexual orientation) should be taken into account.

Appendiceal Diverticulitis - A Case Report.

Appendiceal diverticulitis is a very rare cause for pain in the right iliac fossa. Whether it is simptomatic or discovered randomly during an appendectomy or barium enema, understanding its clinical evolution is important for having a good management. In this report we present the case of a 50 year old female who underwent an open appendectomy during which we discovered appendiceal diverticulitis.

A Pilot Study on Tamoxifen Sexual Side Effects and Hand Preference in Male Breast Cancer.

Recent clinical and imaging studies suggest that sex hormones modulate sexuality according to a psychophysiologic process of lateralization of the brain, with androgens playing a greater role in sexual functioning of left hemibrain/right handedness and estrogens possibly for right hemibrain/left handedness. Based on this perspective, the current study attempted to specify the relationship between hand preference, estrogens, and sexual function in subjects with male breast cancer, taking into account the sexual side effects of tamoxifen as the agent for inhibiting estrogen action. Twenty-eight Romanian men-17 right-handed and 11 left-handed-undergoing treatment with tamoxifen for male breast cancer participated in this study. These men were assessed both prior to and during tamoxifen treatment using the International Index of Erectile Function, a standardized instrument used for the evaluation of various aspects of sexual functioning, including erectile function (EF), orgasmic function (OF), sexual desire (SD), and overall functioning (OF). A main effect for handedness was found on EF, OF, SD, and OS scales, with right-handed men showing higher functioning than left-handed men. Regarding interaction effects, the left-handed group of men showed greater decreased sexual functioning during tamoxifen (on three subscales: OF, SD, OS) compared to right-handed men. Further research should be conducted in order to support and refine this potential lateralized process of sexual neuromodulation within the brain.

A pilot study on the sexual side effects of finasteride as related to hand preference for men undergoing treatment of male pattern baldness.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between pharmacologically induced deprivation of dihydrotestosterone, sexual arousal, libido and hand preference, by comparing the self-reported sexual response prior to and during reception of the anti-androgen finasteride in men undergoing treatment for male pattern baldness. PATIENTS AND METHOD: In total, 33 sexually healthy Romanian men participated in this study. Patients prospectively provided information regarding their sexual functioning (over 4 weeks), as measured by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) prior to and after commencing treatment with 1 mg finasteride for male pattern baldness. RESULTS: Overall IIEF scores as well as the erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire and overall satisfaction subscales showed group, treatment and group by treatment effects. The intercourse satisfaction subscale showed group and group by treatment effects. On most subscales, right-handed men showed no effect or lower sexual function whereas left-handed men reported no effect or improved sexual function, primarily. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the sexual effects of dihydrotestosterone deprivation may depend on handedness--a proxy variable that may represent cognitive style--which lends further support to the idea of two distinct neuroendocrine psychosexual axes. They further suggest that detection of such sexual effects may be enhanced by using research methodologies and communication strategies that increase patients' sensitization to such effects.

A multidisciplinary approach in the diagnostic challenge of GIST.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common malignant mesenchymal lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. They originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal and are characterized by overexpression of the tyrosine kinase receptor, protein product of c-KIT gene (KIT). In this retrospective study, conducted over a period of 10 years, we retrieved from our database, a total number of 57 patients, admitted and operated in the surgical department of 'Sf. Pantelimon' Emergency Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, for digestive tumors, histopathologically confirmed as GISTs. More than half of the cases presented as surgical emergencies and the tumors found during the surgical procedures, which proved to be GISTs, were sometimes difficult to differentiate from other mesenchymal tumors, both for the clinician and the pathologist. The diagnosis of GIST relies mostly on pathology and immunohistochemistry, but also on clinical and imagistic data. The most common emergencies were digestive hemorrhage (associated with gastric location), followed by intestinal obstruction (especially for the ileal localization). The largest dimensions corresponded to gastric location. For selected indications (upper digestive sites), upper digestive endoscopy approaches 100% sensitivity. This study focuses on diagnosis of GISTs sustained by both clinical and imagistic methods, along with histopathology and immunohistochemistry techniques, according to the World Health Organization 2019 criteria. Even though the differential diagnosis of these tumors is challenging, an interdisciplinary cooperation with a multiple approach increases the odds of a correct positive diagnosis.

Dormant cardiac stem cells: A promising tool in cardiac regeneration.

Stem cells represent an old niche with various new potential therapeutics. Besides drug treatment, reperfusion procedures and surgical revascularization, stem cell therapy could be a good option in ischemic cardiac diseases. A study was performed on a small group of cases who died of cardiac arrhythmia secondary to scarring myocardial infarctions. Tissue cardiac samples were taken from these cases (from the anterior and lateral wall of the left ventricle), for microscopy examination, in order to investigate the presence of cardiac stem cells (CSC). Multiple series of histological sections were also performed and examined, along with immunohistochemical analysis (IHC). The cells were identified in close contact with the residual ischemic cardiomyocytes, in the proximity of the myocardial collagenous scar, in old myocardial infarctions. They were activated by hypoxic ischemia and were influenced by the capillary microvascular density and the interstitial micro-environment conditions. In chronic intermittent ischemia they seem to turn themselves from dormant quiescent cells into activated progenitor committed cells.

Gastric cancer - histopathological correlations between tumor and non-tumor gastric mucosa changes.

Gastric cancer is a widely geographically distributed malignancy with high prevalence, therefore being a serious health problem that needs standardized methods for early diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation of some epidemiological and clinical data with the histological features. The study group was made up of 66 patients that underwent surgical removal of the gastric neoplasm, and the pathological exam showed the morphological features of the tumor, as well as the ones of the unaffected mucosal tissue. Topographically, the highest incidence of the tumor was registered in the gastric antrum, but in recent years, an increased incidence of the superior gastric pole localization was recorded. The macroscopic aspects reveal that the ulcerated type 2 Borrmann is the most frequent, and alongside type 3 Borrmann, the ulcer-infiltrative type represents most of the gastric antrum cancers. The analysis of the tumor invasion showed that most carcinomas underwent surgery when the tumor invaded the serosa (pT3) or even the perigastric tissues (pT4). In our research, we chose Goseki's microscopic classification because of its best coverage of the histological heterogeneity of the gastric carcinomas, providing information about the percentage of the cellular and secretory differentiation with direct impact on the invasion of the tumor. In more than 70% of the cases, the patients showed lesions of severe chronic atrophic gastritis of the non-tumor mucosa. Lately, the incidence of Helicobacter pylori has been 5.5%, lower than indicated by mainstream literature. We observed that the incidence of type 3 incomplete intestinal metaplasia, as the most commonly involved factor in the etiopathogenesis of gastric neoplasms, was encountered in 36.3% of the cases, this percentage rising proportionally with age and being frequently associated with antrum tumors. In conclusion, the permanent analysis of the relation between epidemiological data and some histological features might be relevant for the characterization of the tumoral process or the non-tumor gastric mucosa, leading to an evaluation of the prognosis.

Burnout syndrome in Romanian medical residents in time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burnout is a state of physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress. Burnout during residency training has gained significant attention secondary to concerns regarding job performance and patient care. The new COVID-19 pandemic has raised public health problems around the world and required a reorganization of health services. In this context, burnout syndrome and physical exhaustion have become even more pronounced. Resident doctors, and especially those in certain specialties, seem even more exposed due to the higher workload, prolonged exposure and first contact with patients. This article is a short review of the literature and a presentation of some considerations regarding the activity of the medical residents in a non-Covid emergency hospital in Romania, based on the responses obtained via a questionnaire. Burnout prevalence is not equal in different specialties. We studied its impact and imagine the potential steps that can be taken in order to reduce the increasing rate of burnout syndrome in the pandemics.

Aspects regarding nomenclature, classification and pathology of neuroendocrine neoplasms of the digestive system - a review.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) of the digestive system are composed of cells with a neuroendocrine phenotype. These tumors produce and secrete peptide hormones and biogenic amines and they are called neuroendocrine neoplasms because of the marker proteins that they share with the neural cell system. The classification and nomenclature used to designate NENs have undergone changes over the past decades due to the accumulation of evidence related to the biological characteristics and their evolution. The European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) proposed a classification system based on the tumor grading and staging according to their localization. The latest internationally recognized NEN classification was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2010. In accordance with the 2010 WHO criteria, the determination of the NEN malignancy potential is based on grading, depending on the mitotic activity and the Ki67 proliferation index, as well as on the tumor TNM stage. It is worth emphasizing that the terms neuroendocrine tumor (NET) and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), without reference to grading or differentiation, are inadequate for prognostic assessment or the therapy determination, being inappropriate in pathology reports. The functional status of the tumor is based on the clinical findings but not on the pathological data or immunohistochemically profile. Despite the inability to establish a single system of sites, these are common features to establish the basis of most systems, documentation of these features allowing for greater reliability in the pathology reporting of these neoplasms.

Androgenetic alopecia; drug safety and therapeutic strategies.

INTRODUCTION: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a benign condition with variable psychosocial impact, with some individuals adapting well while others needing therapeutic support. Although 5α-reductase inhibitors like finasteride and dutasteride have proven effective in ameliorating AGA, their use/selection is currently a subject of debate. AREAS COVERED: Treatment of AGA with 5α-reductase inhibitors lead to variable adverse effects and relatively unstable results (therapeutic efficacy ending with treatment cessation), so the choice of optimal therapy is not straightforward. This paper presents a general perspective regarding AGA based on studies listed in PubMed, to better understand/appreciate the opportunity for long term use of medication for a biological condition having non-life threatening implications. Studies focussed on adverse effects suggest that finasteride should be used with caution in AGA, due to considerable and persistent side effects induced in some men. In contrast, efficacy data indicate that dutasteride (a stronger inhibitor) presents superior therapeutic results compared to finasteride. EXPERT OPINION: This paper argues that finasteride should be preferred to dutasteride in the treatment of AGA. Thus, finasteride preserves important physiological roles of dihydrotestosterone (unrelated to AGA) and, in addition, its adverse effects seem to be (at least in part) predictable.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma in a 27-year-old woman. Case report and literature review.

Endometrial stromal tumors are very rare, representing approximately 0.2% of uterine malignancies, having an incidence of one to two from a million of women. The diagnosis cannot be established by imaging, it is histopathological only, often necessitate supplementary immunohistochemistry tests. We report the case of a 27-year-old woman who had an initial diagnosis, in another hospital, of uterine adenomyoma, established by dilatation and uterine curettage and then by subsequently histopathological exam. This diagnosis led to an initial non-oncological surgery, with interannexial total hysterectomy. The establishment of the final histopathological diagnosis of stromal endometrial sarcoma has led to a serious reassessment of the case. Making a review of the literature, we found very few cases of endometrial stromal sarcoma in young women less than 30 years old and we have not identified any clear strategy of treatment. However, from precautionary and considering that may be at risk, even with very few cases reported, the distance metastases can be present, sometimes at large intervals of time, we decided, for oncological safety, reintervention after one month. At the second surgery, it was practiced bilateral salpingo-ovarectomy, cardinal ligaments excision, partial omentectomy, bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy extended lumbo-aortic and interaortico-cava, sampling biopsy from the inguinal femoral adenopathy and re-excision of the vaginal vault. The evolution was favorable, the patient being follow-up together with the oncologist specialist.

Primary neuroendocrine tumors - an extremely rare cause of obstruction of extrahepatic bile ducts: a case report.

Primary neuroendocrine tumors of the extrahepatic bile ducts are extremely rare - up to date, only 77 cases have been reported in the literature, which represents between 0.2-2% of all gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors. The paper focuses on the case of a woman patient, aged 37 years, admitted to the Clinic with the diagnosis of obstructive jaundice, unaccompanied by pain and where imaging indicates a tumor in the third average of the common bile duct (CBD). The surgery involved the excision of CBD, lymphadenectomy and restoring the biliodigestive continuity of Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations revealed the presence of a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor of CBD. Based on the case report and literature, we attempted to accurately identify and relate this type of tumor to other varieties encountered in the extrahepatic bile ducts, pointing out elements of a positive diagnosis, differential diagnosis, histopathology and immunohistochemistry, and referring to the therapeutic attitude, evolutionary methods and prognosis.

Finasteride adverse effects in subjects with androgenic alopecia: A possible therapeutic approach according to the lateralization process of the brain.

Nowadays, finasteride is a relatively frequently prescribed drug in the therapeutic management of male androgenic alopecia. The reported adverse effects are notable in some patients, consisting in signs and symptoms that are encountered both during finasteride administration and after treatment cessation. Clinical and imagistic data show that cognition and sexuality are two distinct but interrelated environmental functions, most probable due to lateralization process of the brain. Specific for our topic, relatively recent published studies found that frequency and severity of finasteride adverse effects could be interrelated with hand preference and sexual orientation of the respective subjects. This paper tries to explain/support this interrelation through a psychophysiologic approach, to suggest how this premise could be further proved in dermatological practice, and to highlight its relevance in respect to therapeutic approach of male androgenic alopecia. As a possible therapeutic application, subjects having preference for a certain sexual orientation and/or predisposition for a given dominant hand could be advised before finasteride administration, that present an increased risk/sensitivity to develop adverse effects. Finally, even if finasteride and post-finasteride symptoms overlap to a large extent they should be, however, viewed as distinct physiopathologic entities, which could require perhaps different therapeutic approaches.