Assessment of environmental and spatial factors influencing the establishment of Anopheles gambiae larval habitats in the malaria endemic province of Woleu-Ntem, northern Gabon.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the spatial distribution of Anopheles mosquito larval habitats and the environmental factors associated with them, as a prerequisite for the implementation of larviciding. METHODS: The study was conducted in December 2021, during the transition period between the end of the short rainy season (September-November) and the short dry season (December-February). Physical, biological, and land cover data were integrated with entomological observations to collect Anopheles larvae in three major towns: Mitzic, Oyem, and Bitam, using the "dipping" method during the transition from rainy to dry season. The collected larvae were then reared in a field laboratory established for the study period. After the Anopheles mosquitoes had emerged, their species were identified using appropriate morphological taxonomic keys. To determine the influence of environmental factors on the breeding of Anopheles mosquitoes, multiple-factor analysis (MFA) and a binomial generalized linear model were used. RESULTS: According to the study, only 33.1% out of the 284 larval habitats examined were found to be positive for Anopheles larvae, which were primarily identified as belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex. The findings of the research suggested that the presence of An. gambiae complex larvae in larval habitats was associated with various significant factors such as higher urbanization, the size and type of the larval habitats (pools and puddles), co-occurrence with Culex and Aedes larvae, hot spots in ambient temperature, moderate rainfall, and land use patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this research mark the initiation of a focused vector control plan that aims to eradicate or lessen the larval habitats of An. gambiae mosquitoes in Gabon's Woleu Ntem province. This approach deals with the root causes of malaria transmission through larvae and is consistent with the World Health Organization's (WHO) worldwide objective to decrease malaria prevalence in regions where it is endemic.

Development and Validation of Early Warning Criteria to Identify Escalated Care Events in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify and validate the diagnostic utility of a set of clinical and laboratory criteria (early warning criteria [EWC]) that portend a clinical deterioration event (escalated care event [ECE]) in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. STUDY DESIGN: Using the RAND appropriateness method, we first established a consensus on seven ECE, that is, events that require additional monitoring, treatment, or stay in the NICU or that were associated with morbidity. We then established consensus on EWC that could portend an ECE from an initial set of 32 potential EWC items to a final set of 10 items. The occurrence and nonoccurrence of EWC and ECE were prospectively identified and tracked over 9 weeks. RESULTS: Among 170 NICU patients studied (2,502 patient-days), the frequency of an EWC was 53 per 1,000 patient-days. Of these patients, 41% had an EWC and 16% had an ECE. An EWC was followed by an ECE within 72 hours, 37% of the time, and within a median time interval of 113 minutes. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of EWC in identifying an ECE were 0.96, 0.69, 0.37, and 0.99, respectively. CONCLUSION: A simple bedside NICU-specific EWC identifies neonates likely to develop ECEs in the NICU.

Correlation of rectal tumor volumes with oncological outcomes for low rectal cancers: does tumor size matter?

PURPOSES: Several reports have described a relationship between tumor volume and oncological outcomes for certain cancers. There is paucity of similar data for rectal cancer. We conducted this study to establish whether tumor volume, mesorectal volume, and the tumor volume to mesorectal volume ratio (TV/MRV), evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), affect the oncological outcomes of patients with rectal cancer. METHODS: We performed volumetric analysis of rectal tumors from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images and assessed their correlation with oncological outcomes, using clinical and radiological databases. RESULTS: The subjects of this study were 25 of 35 patients who underwent rectal cancer surgery after staging with MRI, after the exclusion of 7 patients for whom MRI images could not be retrieved and 3 patients who had metastases identified at diagnosis. Tumor volume (TV) was a significant predictor of overall survival hazard ratio (95% CI); 5.8 (1.2-29), (P = 0.03). Mesorectal volume (MRV) and TV/MRV did not correlate with oncological outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: We found a direct relationship between tumor volume and overall survival, which may be used to stratify rectal tumors for neoadjuvant therapy. A larger prospective study is required to confirm this correlation.

Isolated pancreatic heamorrhage in association with anticoagulation.

Haemorrhage is the primary complication of anticoagulation therapy with the gastrointestinal, urinary and nasal tracts the most common sites of bleeding. Haematoma within solid organs is uncommon especially in the absence of blunt trauma. We describe two patients on long term Warfarin therapy who developed focal haematomas within the pancreas. To the best of our knowledge these are the first isolated unprovoked focal pancreatic hematoma cases reported in the literature. The non-specific clinical symptoms and confusing radiological features mimicked pancreatic malignancy and this led to misdiagnosis in the one patient who underwent unnecessary surgical exploration. The haematoma was correctly identified in the second patient who was managed conservatively and had an uneventful recovery.

A comparative study of quantitative assessment with fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography and endoscopic ultrasound in oesophageal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the correlation between PET/CT and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) parameters in patients with oesophageal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who had complete PET/CT and EUS staging performed for oesophageal cancer at our centre between 2010 and 2016 were included. Images were retrieved and analysed for a range of parameters including tumour length, volume and position relative to the aortic arch. RESULTS: Seventy patients were included in the main analysis. A strong correlation was found between EUS and PET/CT in the tumour length, the volume and the position of the tumour relative to the aortic arch. Regression modelling showed a reasonable predictive value for PET/CT in calculating EUS parameters, with r higher than 0.585 in some cases. CONCLUSION: Given the strong correlation between EUS and PET parameters, fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET can provide accurate information on the length and the volume of tumour in patients who either cannot tolerate EUS or have impassable strictures.

Self-expandable metal stent placement for malignant duodenal obstruction distal to the bulb.

OBJECTIVE: Self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) are widely used for the palliative management of malignant proximal gastroduodenal obstruction because of its low morbidity and mortality rates compared with surgical bypass. However, stent placement for duodenal obstruction beyond the first part of the duodenum is considered technically difficult and is not routinely performed. We report our experience with SEMS placement for these patients. METHODS: Between 2006 and 2015, 51 patients with unresectable or metastatic malignancy underwent SEMS placements under combined endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance. Eighteen patients had intestinal obstruction distal to the duodenal bulb. Their demographics, technical and clinical outcomes, periprocedural morbidity and mortality, length of hospital stay, further interventions and overall survival were analysed. RESULTS: Out of the 18 cases, nine cases of intestinal obstruction were due to primary malignancy of the pancreas, three due to gastric malignancy, three from other locoregional cancers and three were the result of metastases. In 12 patients, the obstruction involved the second part (D2), in four the third part (D3) and in two the fourth part (D4) of the duodenum. A front-facing therapeutic gastroscope was used to visualize the duodenum before the stricture was crossed under direct vision and fluoroscopic guidance, with a catheter and guidewire, and a through-the-scope SEMS deployed using an 'over-the-wire' technique. Technical success rate was 89%. The mean gastric outlet obstruction scores improved from 0.63 to 2.57 (P<0.0001). Four patients died within 30 days of the procedure, although none of the deaths were procedure related. The median length of postprocedural hospital stay was 4 days and the median overall survival was 58 days.

Evaluation of Outcomes in Adolescent Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients Following Transfer From Pediatric to Adult Health Care Services: Case for Transition.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the impact of a transition service on clinical and developmental outcomes in adolescent Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients on transfer to adult health care services. METHODS: We reviewed the records of IBD patients diagnosed in pediatric care following their transfer/attendance to the adult IBD service. The data on patients who attended the transition service were compared with those who did not pass through the transition service. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients were included in the study 41M and 31F. Forty-four patients went through the transition system (Group A), and 28 had no formalized transition arrangement before transfer (Group B). A significantly higher number of Group B patients needed surgery within 2 years of transfer when compared with patients in Group A (46% vs. 25%, p = .01). Sixty-one percent of patients in Group B needed at least one admission within 2 years of transfer when compared with 29% of Group A patients (p = .002). Nonattendance at clinics was higher in Group B patients with 78% having at least one nonattendance, whereas 29% of Group A failed to attend at least one appointment (p = .001). In addition, drug compliance rates were higher in the transition group when compared with Group B (89% and 46%, respectively; p = .002). A higher proportion of transitioned patients achieved their estimated maximum growth potential when completing adolescence. There was a trend toward higher dependence on opiates and smoking in Group B patients. CONCLUSIONS: In adolescent IBD patients, transition care is associated with better disease specific and developmental outcomes. Prospective studies of different models of transition care in IBD are needed.

The role of endorectal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the management of early rectal lesions in a tertiary center.

BACKGROUND: In early rectal cancer, ERUS has a vital role in determining radical or local excision based on identification of T-stage. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEMs) has a reduced morbidity and mortality compared with radical surgery. Correct identification of lesions that can be managed with TEMs is therefore imperative. Our aim was to assess the accuracy of ERUS in identifying mucosal/submucosal lesions and thus their suitability for TEMs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent ERUS was carried out over an initial 25-month period at a tertiary colorectal center. Our main outcome measures were T-stage measured using ERUS or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (indicating suitability for local excision, ie, ≤ T1) with correlation with that of the subsequent surgical specimen and improvement in accuracy over time. After data analysis and review, the study was repeated over the subsequent 12 months to establish whether there was a learning curve with the use of ERUS. RESULTS: Over the initial period, 52 patients who met the inclusion criteria underwent ERUS. T-staging was accurate in 73.1% (38/52) with identification of ≤ T1 lesions having a sensitivity of 70.8% and a specificity 100%. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of MRI was similar to that of ERUS (72.7%, 70.0%, and 100% respectively). Over the subsequent period, 23 patients underwent ERUS with T-staging accuracy improving to 78.3% (18/23) (P = .777). CONCLUSION: In our experience, ERUS is a useful adjunct to clinical assessment and pelvic MRI in determining suitability for local excision. Its 100% specificity in determining that a lesion is limited to the mucosa or submucosa aids in the assessment of lesions that are being considered for submucosal resection. Over the time periods assessed, improvement in T-staging accuracy was demonstrated, which might be due to the presence of a learning curve.

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (veno-occlusive disease) in a patient receiving bevacizumab for metastatic colorectal cancer: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: We present the case of a patient with colon cancer who, while receiving bevacizumab, developed sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (veno-occlusive disease) (SOSVOD). Certain antitumour agents such as 6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanine have also been reported to initiate hepatic SOSVOD in isolated cases. There have been no reports so far correlating bevacizumab with SOSVOD. CASE PRESENTATION: A 77-year-old man was being treated with oxaliplatin and a modified de Gramont regimen of 5-fluorouracil for metastatic colon cancer. Bevacizumab (7.5 mg/kg) was added from the seventh cycle onwards. Protracted neutropenia and thrombocytopenia led to discontinuation of oxaliplatin after the ninth cycle. A computed tomography scan showed complete response and bevacizumab was continued for another 3 months, after which time the patient developed right hypochondrial pain, transudative ascites, splenomegaly and abnormal liver function tests. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed oesophageal varices. Liver biopsy showed features considered to be consistent with SOSVOD. Bevacizumab was stopped and a policy of watchful waiting was adopted. He tolerated the acute damage to his liver and subsequently the ascites resolved and liver function tests normalised. CONCLUSION: We need to be aware that bevacizumab can cause sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (veno-occlusive disease) and that the occurrence of ascites should not be attributed to progressive disease without appropriate evaluation.