Glomerulonephritis Caused by Bartonella spp. Infective Endocarditis: The Difficulty and Importance of Differentiation from Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-related Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis.

A 65-year-old man with valvular disorder presented to his physician because of widespread purpura in both lower extremities. Blood tests showed elevated serum creatinine levels and proteinase 3-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) with hematuria, suggesting ANCA-related rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN). Although multiple blood cultures were negative, transthoracic echocardiography revealed warts in the valves, and a renal biopsy also showed findings of glomerular infiltration by mononuclear leukocytes and C3 deposition in the glomeruli, suggesting infection-related glomerulonephritis. Later, Bartonella antibody turned positive. Antimicrobial treatment improved the purpura and renal function without any recurrence. ANCA-positive RPGN requires the exclusion of infective endocarditis, especially that induced by Bartonella spp.

Case of lamotrigine-induced drug adverse reaction under tocilizumab treatment with clinical and virological features of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome.

The pathological mechanisms and immunological kinetics of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS), including the relevance of interleukin (IL)-6, remain unclear. We report a case of drug adverse reaction that does not fulfill the diagnostic criteria of DIHS but mimics its characteristic features. Because the patient was under anti-IL-6 therapy at the onset, some symptoms typically seen in DIHS were absent, such as fever and leukocyte count abnormalities. However, the characteristic features of DIHS were clearly observed in the subsequent course, including the repeated recurrence of skin rash, prolonged liver dysfunction and reactivation of herpes viruses. This case suggested that IL-6 role at the onset is not a main factor to determine the subsequent pathomechanism of DIHS and attention should be paid to the preceding therapy for achieving accurate diagnosis.

Symptomatic Brainstem Cavernoma of Elderly Patients: Timing and Strategy of Surgical Treatment. Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Brainstem cavernomas (BSCs) are rare and difficult to treat. The treatment strategy for symptomatic lesions in elderly patients remains unclear. In this review, we discuss the optimal treatment strategy and consider effective surgical strategies in elderly patients. CASE DESCRIPTION: The clinical data of 8 elderly patients (age >70 years) with symptomatic BSCs drawn from the literature and 2 of our cases are summarized in this review. The mean patient age was 73.3 ± 3.13 years, and the most common location was the pons. Multiple rebleeding before surgery was seen in at least 4 cases, with clinical presentation and surgical approach varying depending on the location. Surgical removal was performed in 9 cases, and 1 case was treated with radiosurgery. The mean duration of clinical follow-up was 26.1 ± 18.2 months. Neurologic improvement was found in 5 cases, and postoperative decline was seen in 1 of the surgery cases. CONCLUSIONS: Radical resection of the cavernoma with severe symptoms might be recommended in elderly patients, especially in those with multiple rebleeding events. From the viewpoint of surgery, we consider the subacute phase the optimal time to remove cavernomas in elderly hemorrhagic patients. However, multiple rebleeding events might exacerbate the neurologic deficit. Therefore, the subacute phase from the first or second rebleeding might be the best time for the surgical resection. At surgical intervention, preservation of the surrounding brain should be prioritized over complete removal of the cavernoma and hematoma.

Expression of monoacylglycerol lipase as a marker of tumour invasion and progression in malignant melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that the lipid lytic enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) promotes tumour invasion and metastasis through up-regulation of pro-tumorigenic signalling lipids in several tumour cell lines. However, the expression status of MAGL in clinical melanoma tissues and its clinicopathological significance remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To correlate the tumour expression status of MAGL with the clinicopathological information of patients with malignant melanoma. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array screening was performed, and the results were validated using immunocytochemical analysis of tumour and non-tumour melanocytic cell lines. Immunohistochemical staining for MAGL was performed for 74 melanoma samples, including 48 primary and 26 metastatic tumours, in which the expression of MAGL was determined by evaluating the percentage of MAGL-positive tumour cells and the MAGL staining intensity. Finally, we analysed the association of MAGL expression status with tumour progression, tumour thickness and vascular invasion of the primary lesion. RESULTS: Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that MAGL was expressed in all 12 melanoma cell lines, but not in normal human epidermal melanocytes. In the immunohistochemical analysis, positive staining for MAGL was noted in 32 of 48 (64.5%) primary lesions, 14 of 17 (82.4%) lymph node metastatic lesions and 7 of 9 (77.8%) skin metastatic lesions. Metastatic tumours had a significantly higher staining intensity (P = 0.033 for lymph node, P = 0.010 for skin). In the analysis of primary lesions, higher MAGL expression correlated with greater tumour thickness (P = 0.015) and the presence of vascular invasion (P = 0.017). On further evaluation of MAGL-positive primary lesions, staining intensity of MAGL tended to be higher in deeper areas of the tumour mass. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of MAGL in tumour cells reflects the aggressiveness of melanoma cells and may serve as a marker of tumour progression.

Microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma arising within seborrheic keratosis.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising within seborrheic keratosis (SK) is rare. We report an 84-year-old woman who presented with a rapidly growing black tumor on her left palpebral eyelid of several years' duration. Clinical examination revealed an elevated hemorrhagic black tumor that measured 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.6 cm. A clinical diagnosis of SK was made, but basal cell carcinoma could not be ruled out; therefore, excision with wide margins was performed. Histologically, the tumor was symmetrical and composed of benign basaloid cells with pseudohorn cysts in a reticulated pattern. The tumor showed heavy melanin deposition. The features were indicative of SK. An atypical cell cluster was seen in the central low area. These cells showed keratin pearls, individual keratinization, mitotic and apoptotic figures, nuclear atypia, and microinvasion, indicating microinvasive SCC. Immunohistochemistry revealed the microinvasive SCC area was true SCC. This case suggests that microinvasive SCC can arise within pigmented reticulated SK.

[Assessment of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase and thymidylate synthase expression in gastric carcinoma and colonic carcinoma].

We measured DPD activity and TS content in cancer and normal mucosa obtained from 23 patients with colorectal carcinoma and 7 patients with gastric carcinoma. DPD activity in colorectal carcinoma cases was significantly decreased in cancer tissues compared to those in adjacent normal mucosa (p<0.001), while TS content was significantly increased in cancer tissues (p<0.01). No significant correlation was found between cancer and adjacent normal mucosa in DPD activity and TS content of gastric carcinoma cases. Immunohistochemically, DPD and TS overexpression were found in 11 out of 23 patients (47.8%) and 3 out of 23 patients (13%) in colorectal carcinoma cases, respectively. In gastric carcinoma cases, DPD and TS overexpression were found in 3 out of 7 patients (42.9%) and 3 out of 7 patients (42.9%), respectively. No significant correlation was found between quantitative measurement and immunohistochemical overexpression in colorectal and gastric carcinoma cases. DPD and TS protein were partially overexpressed in some cases. Heterogeneity of the tumor is thought to be one of the reasons for the discrepancy between quantitative measurement and immunohistochemical overexpression.