Protein-Protein interactive networks identified in bronchoalveolar lavage of severe compared to nonsevere asthma.

INTRODUCTION: Previous bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) proteomic analysis has evaluated limited numbers of subjects for only a few proteins of interest, which may differ between asthma and normal controls. Our objective was to examine a more comprehensive inflammatory biomarker panel in quantitative proteomic analysis for a large asthma cohort to identify molecular phenotypes distinguishing severe from nonsevere asthma. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 48 severe and 77 nonsevere adult asthma subjects were assessed for 75 inflammatory proteins, normalized to BALF total protein concentration. Validation of BALF differences was sought through equivalent protein analysis of autologous sputum. Subjects' data, stratified by asthma severity, were analysed by standard statistical tests, principal component analysis and 5 machine learning algorithms. RESULTS: The severe group had lower lung function and greater health care utilization. Significantly increased BALF proteins for severe asthma compared to nonsevere asthma were fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), TGFα, IL1Ra, IL2, IL4, CCL8, CCL13 and CXCL7 and significantly decreased were platelet-derived growth factor a-a dimer (PDGFaa), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin 5 (IL5), CCL17, CCL22, CXCL9 and CXCL10. Four protein differences were replicated in sputum. FGF2, PDGFaa and CXCL7 were independently identified by 5 machine learning algorithms as the most important variables for discriminating severe and nonsevere asthma. Increased and decreased proteins identified for the severe cluster showed significant protein-protein interactions for chemokine and cytokine signalling, growth factor activity, and eosinophil and neutrophil chemotaxis differing between subjects with severe and nonsevere asthma. CONCLUSION: These inflammatory protein results confirm altered airway remodelling and cytokine/chemokine activity recruiting leukocytes into the airways of severe compared to nonsevere asthma as important processes even in stable status.

Differences in treatment and outcomes among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with and without standard modifiable risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There are limited data available on outcomes and pathophysiology behind ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in populations without standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRFs). The authors carried out this meta-analysis to understand the differences in treatment and outcomes of STEMI patients with and without SMuRFs. Methods: A systematic database search was performed for relevant studies. Studies reporting desired outcomes among STEMI patients with and without SMuRFs were selected based on predefined criteria in the study protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42022341389). Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts using Covidence. Full texts of the selected studies were independently reviewed to confirm eligibility. Data were extracted from all eligible studies via a full-text review of the primary article for qualitative and quantitative analysis. In-hospital mortality following the first episode of STEMI was the primary outcome, with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), repeat myocardial infarction (MI), cardiogenic shock, heart failure, and stroke as secondary outcomes of interest. Odds ratio (OR) with a 95% CI was used to estimate the effect. Results: A total of 2135 studies were identified from database search, six studies with 521 150 patients with the first STEMI episode were included in the analysis. The authors found higher in-hospital mortality (OR: 1.43; CI: 1.40-1.47) and cardiogenic shock (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.55-1.63) in the SMuRF-less group with no differences in MACE, recurrent MI, major bleeding, heart failure, and stroke. There were lower prescriptions of statin (OR: 0.62; CI: 0.42-0.91) and Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor /Angiotensin II receptor blocker (OR: 0.49; CI: 0.28-0.87) at discharge in SMuRF-less patients. There was no difference in procedures like coronary artery bypass graft, percutaneous coronary intervention, and thrombolysis. Conclusion: In the SMuRF-less STEMI patients, higher in-hospital mortality and treatment discrepancies were noted at discharge.

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Acinetobacter spp. in a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar: a cross-sectional study.

Acinetobacter spp. have been a primary cause of nosocomial infections worldwide, causing significant morbidity and mortality, especially in Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to investigate the trend of antimicrobial resistance over a 5-year period in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study regarding the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter spp. recovered from clinical specimens that were referred to the Pathology Laboratory of Northwest General Hospital, Peshawar. The data from 2014 to 2019 was recorded and analyzed by the laboratory. Sociodemographic characteristics and laboratory record data was analyzed using SPSS, version 25. A chi-square test was applied to see the significance. Results: Of 59 483 clinical samples, Acinetobacter baumannii strains were detected in 114 of them. The majority of the clinical samples were from blood (89.5%) followed by sputum (7.9%), wound swab (1.8%), and bone marrow (0.9%). A. baumannii has been found in 52 men (67.53%) and 28 women (75.67%), with an overall risk of 0.669 times. In 76 men (98.70%), sensitivity for ertapenem (99.1), colistin (96.49), and tigecycline (78.9%) were also observed which indicated the potential viability of these drugs to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter infections. The male-to-female risk ratio was 0.98 for colistin and 0.71 for amikacin. Conclusion: Increased frequency of MDR supports the need for continuous surveillance to determine the prevalence and evolution of MDR Acinetobacter spp. in Pakistan. Colistin, tigecyclines, and ertapenem remain the possible line of drugs to treat MDR Acinetobacter.

Proceedings of the North American Society of Head and Neck Pathology, Baltimore, MD, March 17, 2021: The Mistakes I Made When I Stepped Out of My Neck of the Woods.

Rapidly growing, symptomatic, non-hematological, malignant neck masses are unusual in young adults. We report a case of a 34-year-old African American male with sickle cell trait who presented with a large left supraclavicular/cervical mass comprising of poorly differentiated malignant epithelial cells consistent with metastatic carcinoma of unknown origin. Upon immunohistochemistry, the tumor showed loss of INI1 (BAF47) and retained PAX-8 expression. After extensive clinical and radiological work-up the primary tumor was found to be a 2.6 cm renal medullary carcinoma. This case highlights the role of multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis of a neck mass and to understanding that certain genetically-defined tumors can occur at and metastasize to any site.

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis: a lesson learned.

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) is a rare and controversial entity that is known to be a cause of pulmonary hypertension and is microscopically characterized by proliferation of dilated capillary-sized channels along and in the alveolar walls. Clinically, it is mostly seen in adults. Clinical features are characterized by nonspecific findings such as shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, and fatigue. It can be clinically indistinguishable from pre-capillary pulmonary arterial hypertension disorders such as primary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. However, the diagnostic distinction, which usually requires a multidisciplinary approach, is crucial in order to avoid inappropriate treatment with vasodilator medications usually used for PAH treatment. Prognosis of PCH remains poor with lung transplant being the only definitive treatment. We report an autopsy case of pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis unmasked at autopsy that was treated with a prostacyclin analog, usually contraindicated in such patients. We emphasize that this entity should always be on the differential diagnosis in a patient with pulmonary hypertension and requires great vigilance on the part of the clinician, radiologist and pathologist to make the diagnosis and guide appropriate management.

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis: a lesson learned

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) is a rare and controversial entity that is known to be a cause of pulmonary hypertension and is microscopically characterized by proliferation of dilated capillary-sized channels along and in the alveolar walls. Clinically, it is mostly seen in adults. Clinical features are characterized by nonspecific findings such as shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, and fatigue. It can be clinically indistinguishable from pre-capillary pulmonary arterial hypertension disorders such as primary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. However, the diagnostic distinction, which usually requires a multidisciplinary approach, is crucial in order to avoid inappropriate treatment with vasodilator medications usually used for PAH treatment. Prognosis of PCH remains poor with lung transplant being the only definitive treatment. We report an autopsy case of pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis unmasked at autopsy that was treated with a prostacyclin analog, usually contraindicated in such patients. We emphasize that this entity should always be on the differential diagnosis in a patient with pulmonary hypertension and requires great vigilance on the part of the clinician, radiologist and pathologist to make the diagnosis and guide appropriate management.

Critical Care Utilization in Patients with Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Stroke, and Gastrointestinal Bleed: Two Hospitals Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are among the most expensive components of hospital care. Experts believe that ICUs are overused; however, hospitals vary in their ICU admission rate. Our hypothesis is based on clinical observations that many patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), stroke, and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding admitted to the ICU don't really need it and could be managed safely in a non-ICU level of care. Reducing inappropriate admissions would reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes. Our primary objective was to determine the frequency of inappropriate ICU admissions. Secondary objectives were to evaluate which diagnoses were more unnecessarily admitted to the ICU, evaluate different variables and comorbidities, and determine the mortality rates during ICU admissions. METHODS:  Patients admitted to the ICU, from the Emergency Department (ED) or transferred from the floor, during a one-year period were evaluated in this retrospective study. Patients 18-years old and above who had an admitting diagnosis of DKA, GI bleed, ischemic stroke, or hemorrhagic stroke were included. Patients in a comatose state, intubated, on vasopressors, hemodynamically unstable or had an unstable comorbid disease, subarachnoid hemorrhage, surgery during hospitalization prior to the ICU admission were excluded. Patients were categorized as having an appropriate or inappropriate ICU admission based on our institutional ICU admission criteria and data from available literature and guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients were included in our cohort. Seventy-two out of 95 (76%) were considered as inappropriate ICU admissions. When comparing each of the four admitting diagnoses, a significantly higher proportion of DKA patients were considered inappropriate ICU admissions when compared to the other diagnoses (P = 0.001). The overall mortality rate of ICU admissions was 16%, 15 patients out of 95 study population. When comparing each of the four admitting diagnoses, there was a significant difference in mortality rate with DKA having the lowest mortality (3%) and GI bleed having the highest mortality (43%). Out of the 15 patients who died, only 1 patient was categorized as an inappropriate ICU admission. CONCLUSIONS:  More than three-quarters of our study population was admitted to the ICU inappropriately. Incorporating severity scores in ICU admission criteria could improve the appropriateness of ICU admission and financial feasibility. This article is based on a poster: Alsamman S, Alsamman MA, Castro M, Koselka H, Steinbrunner J: ICU admission patterns in patients with DKA, stroke and GI bleed: do they all need ICU? J Hosp Med. March 2015.

Trends in Incidence and Outcomes of Clostridium difficile Colitis in Hospitalized Patients of Febrile Neutropenia: A Nationwide Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been attracting attention lately as the most common hospital acquired infection. Patients with neutropenia because of malignancy seem to be at an increased risk for developing CDI. There is currently limited data that assesses the national burden and outcomes of CDI in Febrile Neutropenia (FN). METHODS: We analyzed the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for all subjects with discharge diagnosis of FN with or without CDI (ICD-9 codes 288.00, 288.03,780.60, and 008.45) as primary or secondary diagnosis during the period from 2008 to 2014. All analyses were performed with SAS, version 9.4 (SAS Institute). RESULTS: From 2008 to 2014 there were total 19422 discharges of FN patients with CDI. There was a rising incidence of CDI in patients with FN from 4.11% (in 2008) to 5.83% (in 2014). The In-hospital mortality showed a decreasing trend from 7.79% (in 2008) to 5.32% (in 2014), likely because of improvements in diagnostics and treatment. The overall mortality (6.37% vs. 4.61%), length of stay >5 days (76.45% vs. 50.98%), hospital charges >50,000 dollars (64.43% vs. 40.29%), colectomy and colostomy (0.35% vs. 0.15%), and discharge to skilled nursing facility (10.47% vs. 6.43%) was significantly more in FN patients with CDI versus without CDI over 7 years (2008 to 2014). Age above 65 years, Hispanic race, hematological malignancies, urban hospital settings, and sepsis were significant predictors of mortality in febrile neutropenia patients with CDI. DISCUSSION: Despite the significant decrease in mortality, the incidence of CDI is rising in hospitalized FN patients with underlying hematological malignancies. Risk factor modification, with the best possible empiric antibiotic regimen is imperative for reducing mortality and health care costs in this cohort.

Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma with Unusual Cardiac Metastasis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a very uncommon soft tissue malignancy which accounts for <1% of soft tissue sarcoma. It is a malignant and highly vascular tumor arising most commonly in the musculature of the lower extremities, with metastasis primarily to the lungs, bones, and brain. Cardiac metastasis is very rare and only 5 cases have been reported in the literature so far. We report a case of a young woman with a history of surgically resected alveolar soft part sarcoma of left thigh who presented with persistent dry cough and was found to have a cardiac mass, which on biopsy proved to be alveolar soft part sarcoma.

Development of a patient and institutional-based model for estimation of operative times for robot-assisted radical cystectomy: results from the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium.

OBJECTIVES: To design a methodology to predict operative times for robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) based on variation in institutional, patient, and disease characteristics to help in operating room scheduling and quality control. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The model included preoperative variables and therefore can be used for prediction of surgical times: institutional volume, age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, history of prior surgery and radiation, clinical stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, type, technique of diversion, and the extent of lymph node dissection. A conditional inference tree method was used to fit a binary decision tree predicting operative time. Permutation tests were performed to determine the variables having the strongest association with surgical time. The data were split at the value of this variable resulting in the largest difference in means for the surgical time across the split. This process was repeated recursively on the resultant data sets until the permutation tests showed no significant association with operative time. RESULTS: In all, 2 134 procedures were included. The variable most strongly associated with surgical time was type of diversion, with ileal conduits being 70 min shorter (P < 0.001). Amongst patients who received neobladders, the type of lymph node dissection was also strongly associated with surgical time. Amongst ileal conduit patients, institutional surgeon volume (>66 RARCs) was important, with those with a higher volume being 55 min shorter (P < 0.001). The regression tree output was in the form of box plots that show the median and ranges of surgical times according to the patient, disease, and institutional characteristics. CONCLUSION: We developed a method to estimate operative times for RARC based on patient, disease, and institutional metrics that can help operating room scheduling for RARC.

Sub-MICs of Mentha piperita essential oil and menthol inhibits AHL mediated quorum sensing and biofilm of Gram-negative bacteria.

Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) is a density dependent communication system that regulates the expression of certain genes including production of virulence factors in many pathogens. Bioactive plant extract/compounds inhibiting QS regulated gene expression may be a potential candidate as antipathogenic drug. In this study anti-QS activity of peppermint (Mentha piperita) oil was first tested using the Chromobacterium violaceum CVO26 biosensor. Further, the findings of the present investigation revealed that peppermint oil (PMO) at sub-Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (sub-MICs) strongly interfered with acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) regulated virulence factors and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas hydrophila. The result of molecular docking analysis attributed the QS inhibitory activity exhibited by PMO to menthol. Assessment of ability of menthol to interfere with QS systems of various Gram-negative pathogens comprising diverse AHL molecules revealed that it reduced the AHL dependent production of violacein, virulence factors, and biofilm formation indicating broad-spectrum anti-QS activity. Using two Escherichia coli biosensors, MG4/pKDT17 and pEAL08-2, we also confirmed that menthol inhibited both the las and pqs QS systems. Further, findings of the in vivo studies with menthol on nematode model Caenorhabditis elegans showed significantly enhanced survival of the nematode. Our data identified menthol as a novel broad spectrum QS inhibitor.

Nerve growth factor (NGF): a potential urinary biomarker for overactive bladder syndrome (OAB)?

UNLABELLED: WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: The search for a biomarker in overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is an emerging field of interest, as bladder dysfunction is a common complaint that causes significant morbidity. A biomarker may give us insight as a diagnostic tool, and also inform us about how severe the condition is, how it may progress and how it may best be treated. The protein of interest here is nerve growth factor (NGF) and it has been shown to be a dynamic molecule in the bladder of patients with OAB. Urinary levels have been seen to rise in patients with OAB and fall in those who respond to treatment. However, there have also been many studies that examine this trend in numerous other conditions, e.g. interstitial cystitis, bladder outflow obstruction, renal stone disease and patients with neurological impairment after stroke. As a result the specificity of this as a potential urinary biomarker for OAB is questioned. This is a review of published studies, which discusses the pros and cons of NGF as a potential urinary biomarker. The evidence is examined and the studies are summarised together in a Table. Questions remain about the reliability, practicality and specificity of NGF as a biomarker for OAB. These questions need to be addressed by further studies that could clarify the points raised. OBJECTIVE: To review the current literature on the use of urinary nerve growth factor (NGF) as a potential biomarker for overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). METHOD: A comprehensive electronic literature search was conducted using the PubMed database to identify publications relating to urinary NGF. RESULTS: There are a growing number of publications that have measured urinary NGF levels in different types of bladder dysfunction. These range from OAB, bladder pain syndrome, idiopathic and neurogenic detrusor overactivity, bladder oversensitivity and bladder outflow obstruction. Urinary NGF levels do appear to be raised in these pathological states when compared with healthy control samples. In patients with OAB, these raised urinary NGF levels appear to also reduce after successful treatment with antimuscarinics and botulinum toxin A, which indicates a potential use in monitoring responses to treatment. However, raised levels are not limited to OAB, which questions its specificity. Urinary NGF measurements are performed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using polyclonal antibodies to NGF. The technique requires standardisation, and the different antibodies to NGF require validating. Also a definition of what is the 'normal' range of NGF in urine is still required before it can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic tool. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst the evidence for an increased urinary NGF in OAB appears convincing, many questions about its validity remain including: specificity, sensitivity, cost- and time-effectiveness. Many criteria for what constitutes a biomarker still need to be evaluated and met before this molecule can be considered for this role.

Evaluation of robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for small renal tumours (T1a).

OBJECTIVE: To compare laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) with robotic PN (RPN) using meta-analytical techniques, since there has been a rise in the incidence of small renal masses (SRM; <4 cm) minimally invasive approaches are becoming more popular in dealing with such pathologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies comparing LPN and RPN. Comparative studies evaluating RPN and LPN that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected. Data on preoperative, operative (operative time, estimated blood loss [EBL], and warm ischaemia time [WIT]), postoperative (length of stay [LOS]) variables and complications were collected. A meta-analysis using random effect model was performed. A further Bland-Altman analysis of some of the operative variables was done to compare their reproducibility and mean difference in techniques. RESULTS: Six studies matched the selection criteria. In all, 256 patients were analysed (40% RPN and 60% LPN). There was no significant different in EBL (P = 0.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] -12.01 to 104.26). Similarly, there was no significant different in WIT between the groups (P = 0.23, 95% CI -15.22 to 3.70). Also, LOS (P = 0.22, 95% CI -0.38 to 0.09) and overall postoperative complication rates were not significantly different between the groups (P = 0.84, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Despite multiple studies reporting better perioperative variables for RPN, the present study found no significant differences between RPN and LPN. This has implications for both the surgeon and the patient. Lack of randomised controlled trials in addition to a lack of long-term oncological data for RPN are current limitations.

The possible role of selenium concentration in hepatitis B and C patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The compelling evidence reported that selenium is an essential trace mineral for human beings. Selenium plays a pivotal role in the restoration of immune functions. High rates of hepatitis B and C are present in Pakistan. Epidemiologic surveys demonstrated an inverse association between selenium (Se) level and regional cancer incidence, as well as viral infection. The present study was designed to evaluate the concentration of selenium in the serum of patients suffering from hepatitis B and C. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional descriptive analytical study, serum selenium concentration of 150 patients suffering from hepatitis B and C, along with 26 healthy controls, was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with hydride generation system, model Analytic Jena (Vario III). RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation of serum selenium concentration observed in male and female patients with hepatitis C were 101.60 ± 0.55 and 77.43 ± 0.47 µ g/L, respectively, whereas the mean and standard deviation of serum selenium concentration observed in male and female patients with hepatitis B were 107.58 ± 0.44 and 137.8 ± 0.36 µg/L. Analysis of t test showed significant difference between C and B (P<0.001) patients in serum selenium concentration, when compared with the control. CONCLUSION: The obtained results indicate that serum selenium concentration of hepatitis B and C patients is less than serum selenium concentration of healthy individuals. However, serum selenium decline is relative to severity of disease. Based on findings of this study, it is proposed that selenium should be supplemented in such patients in order to optimize nutritional support and to get better treatment response.

Improvement in quality of life after botulinum toxin-A injections for idiopathic detrusor overactivity: results from a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) treatment has an effect on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with overactive bladder (OAB) refractory to anticholinergics. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a single centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were men and women with idiopathic detrusor overactivity (IDO). Participants were randomised to receive either 200 U of BTX-A (Botox(R), Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA, USA; n = 16) or placebo (n = 18) via a trigone-sparing flexible cystoscopic technique. QoL was assessed using the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) at baseline and at 4 and 12 weeks, after injection. At 12 weeks patients were 'unblinded' and a further open-label follow-up in the BTX-A group occurred at 24 weeks. The changes in the subdomains of the KHQ were assessed over the study period. RESULTS Overall QoL was significantly improved in the BTX-A treated patients compared with placebo in the blinded part of the study. When analysing the KHQ subdomains, 'Incontinence Impact', 'Emotions', 'Physical Limitations', 'Social Limitations' and 'Severity Measures' were significantly improved in those that received BTX-A compared with placebo. The 'Symptom Severity' domain was also significantly improved at 4 weeks but not at 12 weeks. At 12 weeks 'Role Limitations' also became statistically significant in favour of BTX-A. The open-label extension study suggested these benefits last for at least 24 weeks. CONCLUSIONS BTX-A bladder injections at 200 U appear to improve QoL in patients with OAB symptoms and IDO refractory to anticholinergics for at least 24 weeks. As well as the improvement seen in clinical parameters with this form of therapy, perhaps of more importance to the patient, is the improvement in QoL.

Assessment of urodynamic and detrusor contractility variables in patients with overactive bladder syndrome treated with botulinum toxin-A: is incomplete bladder emptying predictable?

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether incomplete bladder emptying and the need for clean intermittent self-catheterization (CISC) is predictable, by analysing urodynamic and detrusor contractility variables in patients treated with botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) for refractory idiopathic detrusor overactivity (IDO). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven patients (mean age 50.3) with IDO, from two centres, had bladder injections of 200 U BTX-A. Patients with difficulty in emptying their bladder and/or persistent overactive bladder symptoms, with postvoid residual volumes (PVR) of >150 mL after treatment were started on CISC. Urodynamics were conducted at baseline, 4 and 12-16 weeks after injection with BTX-A. Detrusor contractility was assessed using the projected isovolumetric pressure (PIP1) in women and bladder contractility index (BCI) in men. RESULTS: There were improvements in the mean maximum cystometric capacity, bladder compliance and maximum detrusor pressures during filling cystometry after BTX-A injections. The PVR was significantly increased at 4 but not at 12 weeks. Nineteen patients required CISC and when compared with those not needing CISC their pretreatment maximum flow rate (15 vs 22 mL/s, P = 0.003), PIP1 (43 vs 58, P = 0.02) and BCI (113 vs 180, P = 0.001) were lower. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis suggested that a PIP1 of < or =50 in women (sensitivity 0.83; specificity 0.70; area under the curve 0.822) and BCI < or =120 (sensitivity 0.7; specificity 0.79; area 0.879) might predict the need for CISC. CONCLUSION: The maximum flow rate, PIP1 and BCI were significantly lower in patients who required CISC after BTX-A treatment than in those who did not. A PIP1 of < or =50 in women and a BCI of < or =120 might be predictive of a need for CISC in this setting, and might help when counselling patients.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) presenting as painful lymphocele 12 years after a cadaveric renal transplant.

We report a case of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder presenting as a symptomatic lymphocele 12 years after cadaveric renal transplantation for IgA nephropathy. The presentation, imaging, and management are discussed. We review current literature concerning PTLD, posttransplantation lymphoceles, and state-of-the-art imaging techniques.

Adenocarcinoma of the appendix presenting as bilateral ureteric obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma of the vermiform appendix is a rare neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. Presentation mimics acute appendicitis, but right iliac fossa mass and intestinal obstruction have also been reported. These presentations reflect various stages of a locally expanding tumour causing luminal obstruction of appendix. The investigation and subsequent management with a review of the literature is presented. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of appendicular adenocarcinoma found unexpectedly in a 43 year old male who presented with urinary symptoms. Cystoscopy and uretero-renoscopy showed normal bladder but external compression of the ureters and therefore bilateral stents were inserted. CT scan showed a caecal mass. After colonoscopy, that showed external compression, and diagnostic laparoscopy the patient underwent right hemicolectomy. Histopathology revealed well differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring morphology with multiple lymph node involvement. The patient was referred for chemotherapy where he received infusional 5 fluorouracil but died 7 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: Patients with atypical manifestations related to right lower abdominal quadrant should be thoroughly investigated with an open mind. Every attempt should be made to make a precise diagnosis through all the available means to direct the treatment along correct lines.

Chylous ascites following radical nephrectomy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Chylous ascites may result from diverse pathologies. Ascites results either due to blockage of the lymphatics or leak secondary to inadvertent trauma during surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the first case of chylous ascites following radical nephrectomy for a renal cell carcinoma involving the right half of a crossed fused renal ectopia. The patient was managed conservatively. CONCLUSION: Post-operative chylous ascites is a rare complication of retroperitoneal and mediastinal surgery. Most cases resolve with conservative treatment which aims at decreasing lymph production and optimizing nutritional requirements along with palliative measures. Refractory cases need either open or laparoscopic ligation of the leaking lymphatic channels. A review of the current literature on the management of post-operative chylous ascites is presented.