The molecular profile of synovial fluid changes upon joint distraction and is associated with clinical response in knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical knee joint distraction (KJD) leads to clinical improvement in knee osteoarthritis (OA) and also apparent cartilage regeneration by magnetic resonance imaging. We investigated if alteration of the joint's mechanical environment during the 6 week period of KJD was associated with a molecular response in synovial fluid, and if any change was associated with clinical response. METHOD: 20 individuals undergoing KJD for symptomatic radiographic knee OA had SF sampled at baseline, midpoint and endpoint of distraction (6 weeks). SF supernatants were measured by immunoassay for 10 predefined mechanosensitive molecules identified in our previous pre-clinical studies. The composite Knee injury and OA Outcome Score-4 (KOOS4) was collected at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: 13/20 (65%) were male with mean age 54°±°5yrs. All had Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥2 knee OA. 6/10 analytes showed statistically significant change in SF over the 6 weeks distraction (activin A; TGFß-1; MCP-1; IL-6; FGF-2; LTBP2), P < 0.05. Of these, all but activin A increased. Those achieving the minimum clinically important difference of 10 points for KOOS4 over 6 months showed greater increases in FGF-2 and TGFß-1 than non-responders. An increase in IL-8 during the 6 weeks of KJD was associated with significantly greater improvement in KOOS4 over 12 months. CONCLUSION: Detectable, significant molecular changes are observed in SF following KJD, that are remarkably consistent between individuals. Preliminary findings appear to suggest that increases in some molecules are associated with clinically meaningful responses. Joint distraction may provide a potential opportunity in the future to define regenerative biomarker(s) and identify pathways that drive intrinsic cartilage repair.

Impact of a national enhanced recovery after surgery programme on patient outcomes of primary total knee replacement: an interrupted time series analysis from "The National Joint Registry of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man".

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test whether a national Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Programme in total knee replacement (TKR) had an impact on patient outcomes. DESIGN: Natural-experiment (April 2008-December 2016). Interrupted time-series regression assessed impact on trends before-during-after ERAS implementation. SETTING: Primary operations from the UK National Joint Registry (NJR) were linked with Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data which contains inpatient episodes undertaken in National Health Service (NHS) trusts in England, and Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing primary planned TKR aged ≥18 years. INTERVENTION: ERAS implementation (April 2009-March 2011). OUTCOMES: Regression coefficients of monthly means of Length of stay (LOS), bed day costs, change in Oxford knee scores (OKS) 6-months after surgery, complications (at 6 months), and rates of revision surgeries (at 5 years). RESULTS: 486,579 primary TKRs were identified. Overall LOS and bed-day costs decreased from 5.8 days to 3.7 and from £7607 to £5276, from April 2008 to December 2016. Oxford knee score (OKS) change improved from 15.1 points in April 2008 to 17.1 points in December 2016. Complications decreased from 4.1 % in April 2008 to 1.7 % in March 2016. 5-year revision rates remained stable at 4.8 per 1000 implants years in April 2008 and December 2011. After ERAS, declining trends in LOS and bed costs slowed down; OKS improved, complications remained stable, and revisions slightly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Different secular trends in outcomes for patients having TKR have been observed over the last decade. Although patient outcomes are better than a decade ago ERAS did not improve them at national level.

High-frequency ultrasound features in a case of gouty panniculitis.

Gouty panniculitis is caused by the deposition of urate crystals in the subcutaneous tissue, accompanied by a lobular panniculitis. It presents as subcutaneous nodules, most commonly located on the lower extremities. Being an unusual clinical presentation of gout, the sonographic findings of gouty panniculitis have been scarcely described in the literature. Our report describes the ultrasound features we found in a case of gouty panniculitis and the usefulness of this technique for diagnosis and monitoring of this disease.

A low-cost, sustainable, second generation system for surveillance of people living with HIV in Spain: 10-year trends in behavioural and clinical indicators, 2002 to 2011.

A second-generation surveillance system of people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been implemented in Spain. Behavioural and clinical data were collected between 2002 and 2011 through an annual one-day, cross-sectional survey in public hospitals, including all in- and outpatients receiving HIVrelated care on the survey day. Mean age increased over time (from 38.7 years in 2002 to 43.8 years in 2011) and 68.4% of the 7,205 subjects were male. The proportion of migrants increased from 6.1% to 15.9%, while people who inject or used to inject drugs (PWID and Ex-PWID) decreased and men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexuals increased. Unprotected intercourse at last sex increased among MSM and PWID/Ex-PWID. Patients receiving antiretroviral treatment increased significantly from 76.0% to 88.2% as did those with CD4 T-cell counts ≥350 (from 48.2% to 66.9%) and viral copies <200 (from 47.0% to 85.2%). HIV-infected people with hepatitis C virus RNA decreased from 36.0% in 2004 to 29.9% in 2011, while those with HBsAg remained stable at around 4.4%. Implementation of a low-cost, sustainable system for second-generation surveillance in people living with HIV is feasible. In Spain, the information obtained has helped to define and refine public health policy and document treatment effectiveness.

NHS Health Checks for people with mental ill-health 2013-2017: an observational study.

AIMS: People living with serious mental ill-health experience adverse cardiovascular outcomes causing some of the greatest health inequality gaps in England, UK. We describe uptake of the NHS Health Check programme in people with mental ill-health, and rates of new diagnoses and management of cardiovascular risk factors in those who attend NHS Health Checks in comparison to those people without mental ill-health. METHODS: We used a large nationally representative database of people registered with general practitioners in England (QResearch). Between 2013 and 2017, we analysed attendance at NHS Health Checks and outcomes in the succeeding 12 months, in people with serious mental illness (SMI) including psychoses and in people prescribed long-term antidepressant medications (LTAD), with comparison to attendees who did not have these conditions. Hazard ratios (HR) were used to describe the association between outcomes and SMI and LTAD adjusting for sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: In those eligible for the NHS Health Check programme, we found a higher percentage of people with SMI attended an NHS Health Check (65 490, 19.8%) than those without SMI (524 728, 16.6%); adjusted HR 1.05 [95% confidence interval 1.02-1.08]. We also observed a higher percentage of attendance in people on LTAD (46 437, 20.1%) compared to people who were not prescribed LTAD (543 781, 16.7%); adjusted HR 1.10 (1.08-1.13). People with SMI were more likely to be identified with chronic kidney disease (CKD, HR 1.23, 1.12-1.34) and type 2 diabetes (HR 1.14, 1.03-1.25) within the 12 months following their NHS Health Check compared with those without SMI. People on LTAD were more likely to be identified with CKD (HR 1.55, 1.42-1.70) and type 2 diabetes (HR 1.45, 1.31-1.60) and also hypertension, cardiovascular disease, non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, familial hypercholesterolemia and dementia within the 12 months following their NHS Health Check. Statins were more likely to be prescribed to NHS Health Check attendees with SMI and those on LTAD than those without these conditions; HR 1.31 (1.25-1.38) and 1.91 (1.82-2.01), respectively. Antihypertensives were more likely to be prescribed to those on LTAD; HR 1.21 (1.14-1.29). CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence that people with SMI or on LTAD treatment were 5-10% more likely to access NHS Health Checks than people without these conditions. People with SMI or on LTAD treatment who attended NHS Health Checks had higher rates of diagnosis of CKD, type 2 diabetes and some other relevant co-morbidities and increased treatment with statins and also anti-hypertensive medication in people on LTAD. This is likely to contribute to equitable reduction in adverse cardiovascular events for people with mental ill-health.

Development and validation of a clinical prediction model for patient-reported pain and function after primary total knee replacement surgery.

To develop and validate a clinical prediction model of patient-reported pain and function after undergoing total knee replacement (TKR). We used data of 1,649 patients from the Knee Arthroplasty Trial who received primary TKR across 34 centres in the UK. The external validation included 595 patients from Southampton University Hospital, and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (Oxford). The outcome was the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) 12-month after TKR. Pre-operative predictors including patient characteristics and clinical factors were considered. Bootstrap backward linear regression analysis was used. Low pre-operative OKS, living in poor areas, high body mass index, and patient-reported anxiety or depression were associated with worse outcome. The clinical factors associated with worse outcome were worse pre-operative physical status, presence of other conditions affecting mobility and previous knee arthroscopy. Presence of fixed flexion deformity and an absent or damaged pre-operative anterior cruciate ligament (compared with intact) were associated with better outcome. Discrimination and calibration statistics were satisfactory. External validation predicted 21.1% of the variance of outcome. This is the first clinical prediction model for predicting self-reported pain and function 12 months after TKR to be externally validated. It will help to inform to patients regarding expectations of the outcome after knee replacement surgery.

Transmission of Hansen's disease and unscreened household contacts.

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy household contact investigation has been recommended as an epidemiological surveillance strategy for more than 50 years. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the yield that could be achieved in case detection if four contacts could be examined for every case found. METHODS: For the estimation of the number of cases not detected (lost) and yield per contact investigation in Mato Grosso, the incidence rates and yield calculations from a cohort study conducted in Rio de Janeiro by Matos et al (1999) were applied to data from the state of Mato Grosso. Also, to identify high-risk groups for leprosy, a cross-sectional study was conducted in which leprosy cases found as a result of a contact investigation were compared with index cases detected by other means. RESULTS: The lost cases among household contacts were at least 4 per every 10 new cases detected. This is the result of insufficient contact investigations--it being 0.8 instead of 4 contact investigations per each case as recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Up to 60% of the incidence of leprosy could be explained by the high number of lost cases among household contacts not examined. Women and children are more likely to be contacts. CONCLUSION: The lost cases due to insufficient contact investigation represent lost opportunities in early detection and treatment, thus losing the opportunity to reduce leprosy transmission.

[Acute urinary retention and hematuria secondary to metastatic renal clear-cell carcinoma to the penis]. / Retención urinaria aguda y hematuria secundarias a metástasis peneanas por carcinoma renal de células claras.

Renal cell carcinoma have a great capacity of dissemination and have a great variety of clinical presentation. We exposed a clinical note of a patient diagnosed of renal cell carcinoma who developed hematuria and acute urinary retention due to a penis metastasis. Next we review the literature about this topic.

Osteochondroma of the thoracic spine and scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: The case of a 16-year-old patient with an osteochondroma in T11 and scoliosis is reported. OBJECTIVE: To describe the treatment of an osteochondroma with scoliotic deformity and the imaging methods used for the diagnosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Osteochondromas arising in the vertebral column are rare. However, spinal involvement is found with some regularity because osteochondromas are among the most common benign tumors of bone. METHODS: The clinical history, plain radiographs, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, and pathologic findings of the reported patient were reviewed. The medical literature also was reviewed. RESULTS: The patient was treated with surgery in an attempt to remove the tumor and correct the aesthetic deformity. The results were satisfactory, with an improvement of the thoracolumbar scoliosis from 45 degrees to 18 degrees. CONCLUSIONS: Osteochondromas of the vertebral column may cause scoliosis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are necessary for evaluating the origin, size, and characteristics of the tumor. In this case, surgical management involved resection of the tumor and correction of the scoliotic deformity.

Regional differences in transport, lipid composition, and fluidity of apical membranes of small intestine of chicken.

Na+-dependent D-glucose transport was studied in brush-border membrane vesicles from duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of 5- to 6-wk-old chickens. Regional differences were found, and both initial rates and accumulation ratio of D-glucose were higher in the proximal part of the small intestine than in the ileum. To establish the mechanism(s) underlying these differences we have studied the density of Na+-dependent D-glucose cotransporter (SGLT1) as well as lipid composition and fluidity. Phlorizin-specific binding and Western blot analysis indicated a decrease in the amount of SGLT1 in the ileum when compared to the duodenum and jejunum. The distal part of the small intestine also showed a decrease in free cholesterol content and saturated-to-unsaturated fatty acid ratio together with an increase in lipid content and phosphatidylcholine-to-sphingomyelin ratio. These results were associated with a decrease in the diphenylhextriene fluorescence polarization found in brush-border membranes of the ileum. We can conclude that the decrease in the apical D-glucose transport found in the ileum is primarily due to a reduction in the amount of SGLT1 present in the brush-border membrane rather than the differences in the lipid composition and fluidity.

[Characteristics of cases of infectious syphilis diagnosed in prisons, 2007-2008]. / Características de los casos de sífilis infecciosa diagnosticados en Instituciones Penitenciarias, 2007-2008.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of cases of syphilis amongst prison inmates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Descriptive study. Confirmed cases of primary, secondary and early latent syphilis were identified in prisons in Spain during 2007-2008. Socio-demographic and clinical information, as well as variables related to transmission, was collected by the attending physicians in a standard form. Frequency distributions of each variable were performed. Annual incidence rates were calculated. To evaluate the association between qualitative variables, the χ² and Fisher's exact tests were used; the Mann-Whitney test was utilized to compare quantitative variables. RESULTS: During the study period, 94 syphilis cases were identified (35.1% primary, 20.2% secondary and 44.7% early latent). The incidence rates were 0.9 cases/1000 prisoners in 2007 and 0.7 cases/1000 prisoners in 2008. Most cases were male (90.4%), between 31-40 years old (30.9%) and foreigners (52.1%). The majority of patients were diagnosed through screening (80.9%). Heterosexual contact was the most frequent transmission route (83.0%). Overall HIV prevalence was 5.3%, and 16.0% of the patients had a history of previous sexually transmitted infections (STI). Almost 40% of the cases reported being a client of a sex worker. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of syphilis in prison is high. Many syphilis patients were detected through screening, highlighting the role of the Spanish prison health service in STI control.

Patogenia y expresión endoscópica de la infección por H. pylori en niños / Prevalence of childhood oral habits and their influence in primary dentition

La infección por Helicobacter pylori es una de las causas más frecuentes de infección bacteriana crónica en el ser humano. A través de distintos factores patogénicos (adhesinas, ureasa, proteínas citotóxicas cagA y vacA) puede producir cambios que se pueden apreciar en una endoscopia digestiva alta. Estos incluyen la aparición de lesiones ulcerosas, mucosa en empedrado y palidez alternando con eritema, entre otros. Sus dianas preferentes en la edad pediátrica son el antro gástrico y el duodeno proximal. Este artículo hace una revisión de los hallazgos endoscópicos relacionados con la infección por H. pylori en niños, así como de sus posibles causas y consecuencias clínicas (AU)

H. pylori infection is one of the most frequent chronic bacterial infections in human beings. Through different pathogenic factors (adhesins, urease, cagA and vacA cytotoxic proteins) it may produce mucosal changes that can be seen in an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. These changes include, among others, ulcerative lesions, cobblestone mucosa and pallor alternating with erythema. Its favorite targets in children are the gastric antrum and proximal duodenum. This article reviews the endoscopic findings related to H. pylori infection in children and their possible causes and clinical consequences (AU)

Características de los casos de sífilis infecciosa diagnosticados en Instituciones Penitenciarias, 2007-2008 / Characteristics of cases of infectious syphilis diagnosed in Prisons, 2007-2008

Objetivo: Describir las características de los casos de sífilis en internos de prisiones. Material y Método: Estudio descriptivo de los casos confirmados de sífilis primaria, secundaria y latente precoz diagnosticados en prisiones españolas (2007-2008). Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y relacionadas con la transmisión en un cuestionario estandarizado cumplimentado por los médicos de los centros. Se obtuvieron distribuciones de frecuencia de las variables cualitativas y la media y desviación estándar para la edad. Se calculó la tasa de incidencia anual por mil internos. Para evaluar la asociación entre variables cualitativas se utilizaron las pruebas de ji-cuadrado y exacta de Fisher y la de U de Mann-Whitney para las cuantitativas. Resultados: Se identificaron 94 casos de sífilis (35,1% primaria, 20,2% secundaria y 44,7% latente precoz). La tasa de incidencia fue 0,9 y 0,7 casos/1.000 internos en 2007 y 2008, respectivamente. La mayoría de enfermos fueron hombres (90,4%), entre 31 y 40 años (30,9%) y extranjeros (52,1%). El 80,9% de los diagnósticos se realizaron por cribaje. Un 5,3% presentó coinfección con el VIH y el 16% refería haber tenido infecciones de transmisión sexual (ITS) previamente. El mecanismo de transmisión más probable fueron las relaciones heterosexuales (83,0%); la situación de riesgo más común para la adquisición de sífilis fue ser cliente de prostitución (39,4%). Conclusiones: La incidencia de sífilis en prisión es elevada. La oferta de screening de sífilis ha permitido detectar pacientes que no estaban siendo tratados y pone de manifiesto la importancia del sistema penitenciario en el control de las ITS(AU)

Objective: To describe the characteristics of cases of syphilis amongst prison inmates. Materials and Methods: Descriptive study. Confirmed cases of primary, secondary and early latent syphilis were identified in prisons in Spain during 2007-2008. Socio-demographic and clinical information, as well as variables related to transmission, was collected by the attending physicians in a standard form. Frequency distributions of each variable were performed. Annual incidence rates were calculated. To evaluate the association between qualitative variables, the ÷2 and Fisher’s exact tests were used; the Mann-Whitney test was utilized to compare quantitative variables. Results: During the study period, 94 syphilis cases were identified (35.1% primary, 20.2% secondary and 44.7% early latent). The incidence rates were 0.9 cases/1000 prisoners in 2007 and 0.7 cases/1000 prisoners in 2008. Most cases were male (90.4%), between 31-40 years old (30.9%) and foreigners (52.1%). The majority of patients were diagnosed through screening (80.9%). Heterosexual contact was the most frequent transmission route (83.0%). Overall HIV prevalence was 5.3%, and 16.0% of the patients had a history of previous sexually transmitted infections (STI). Almost 40% of the cases reported being a client of a sex worker. Conclusions: Incidence of syphilis in prison is high. Many syphilis patients were detected through screening, highlighting the role of the Spanish prison health service in STI control(AU)

Kinetic characterization of apical D-fructose transport in chicken jejunum.

In mammals, D-fructose transport takes place across the brush-border membrane of the small intestine through GLUT5, a member of the facilitative glucose transporter family. In the present paper, we describe and characterize for the first time the apical transport of D-fructose in chicken intestine. Brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) were obtained from jejunum of 5- to 6-wk-old chickens. D-Fructose uptake by BBMV from chicken jejunum comprises a saturable component and a simple diffusion process. The maximal rate of transport ( V(max)) for D-fructose was 2.49 nmol.(mg prot)(-1).s(-1), the Michaelis constant ( K(m)) was 29 mM, and the diffusion constant ( K(d)) was 25 nl.(mg prot)(-1).s(-1). The apical transport of D-fructose was Na(+)-independent, phlorizin-, phloretin-, and cytochalasin B-insensitive, and did not show cis-inhibition by D-glucose or D-galactose. These properties, together with the detection of specific GLUT5 mRNA, indicate the presence of a low-affinity high-capacity GLUT5-type carrier in the chicken jejunum, responsible for the entry of D-fructose across the brush-border membrane of enterocytes.

Aldosterone mediates the changes in hexose transport induced by low sodium intake in chicken distal intestine.

1. In chickens, low Na+ diets markedly decrease the hexose transport in the rectal segment of the large intestine; transport in the ileum shows a lower, but significant reduction and transport in the jejunum is unaffected. These effects involve both apical (SGLT1) and basolateral (GLUT2) hexose transporters. 2. The role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis (RAAS) in the epithelial response to Na+ intake was studied in chickens fed high-NaCl (HS) and low-NaCl (LS) diets. The V(max) of alpha-methyl-D-glucoside and D-glucose were determined in vesicles from the brush-border (BBMVs) and basolateral (BLMVs) membranes, respectively. The binding of phlorizin to BBMV and cytochalasin B to BLMV were used as indicators of the abundance of SGLT1 and GLUT2, respectively. 3. In HS-adapted chickens, the serum concentration of aldosterone (means +/- S.E.M.) was 35 +/- 5 pg ml(-1) (n = 6) and that of renin was 20 +/- 2 ng ml(-1) (n = 3). In LS-fed birds, these values were 166 +/- 12 pg ml(-1) (n = 6) and 122 +/- 5 ng ml(-1) (n = 3), respectively. Administration of captopril, the inhibitor of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), to LS-chickens lowered the aldosterone serum concentration without affecting the renin concentration. Captopril also prevented the reduction of apical and basolateral hexose transport in ileum and rectum characteristic of the intestinal response to LS adaptation. 4. Administration of the aldosterone antagonist spironolactone to LS-adapted chickens did not affect the serum concentrations of aldosterone, but prevented the effects of LS intake on hexose transport in both apical and basolateral membranes. This suggests that the effects of aldosterone are mediated by cytosolic mineralcorticoid receptors. 5. Administration of exogenous aldosterone to HS-fed birds induced hexose transport and binding properties typical of the LS-adapted animals. These findings support the view that aldosterone, besides its primary role in controlling intestinal Na+ absorption, can also modulate the expression of apical and basolateral glucose transporters in the chicken distal intestine.

Effects of resalination on intestinal glucose transport in chickens adapted to low Na+ intakes.

In chickens, we have shown that intestinal absorption of glucose via apical SGLT1 and basolateral GLUT2 transport systems is affected by dietary Na+; low-Na+ adapted birds show a dramatic reduction of glucose transporters in both membranes in the rectum, an intermediate response in the ileum and no effects in the jejunum. We have now studied the effect of resalination of low-Na+ adapted chickens on glucose kinetics across SGLT1 (using -methyl-D-glucoside as substrate) and GLUT2 (using D-glucose) and on the specific binding of phlorizin and cytochalasin B, respectively. Twelve-week-old male Leghorn chickens were fed wheat and barley with drinking water containing either 150 mM NaCl (high-Na+ group) or 0. 015 mM (low-Na+ group) for 14 days (serum aldosterone: 242 +/- 6 pg ml-1 in the low-Na+ and 46 +/- 4 pg ml-1 in the high-Na+ group). On day 14, the low-Na+ group was either resalinated with an oral dose of NaCl (9 g (kg body wt)-1) or switched to the high-Na+ condition, for 1 week. Serum aldosterone measured 4 h, 1 day and 7 days after the change in NaCl intake fell to between 30 and 39 pg ml-1. The changes in apical -methyl-D-glucoside and basolateral D-glucose transport observed in the ileum and rectum of low-Na+ adapted animals were completely reversed by resalination within 4 h of NaCl administration to the level of values observed for high-Na+ adapted birds. The good correlation between the -methyl-D-glucoside and D-glucose Vmax and the SGLT1 and GLUT2 density, respectively, supports the view that the increase in apical and basolateral hexose transport found in the ileum and rectum of both groups of resalinated birds is due to an increase in the number of protein transporters. The rapid changes in the number of glucose transporters observed suggest that the target of the regulatory signal(s) involved are the mature enterocytes present in the villi rather than the developing enterocytes in the crypt.