Treatment of fever and associated symptoms in the emergency department: which drug to choose?

OBJECTIVE: Fever is a frequent cause of admission to the Emergency Department (ED) worldwide. Although it can be caused by a wide range of conditions, the most effective treatment based on its etiology is still undetermined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, single-center, observational study enrolled adult patients who accessed the ED for fever. Physicians were free to administer paracetamol 1,000 mg (P), the combination paracetamol 500 mg/ibuprofen 150 mg (PI) or Ibuprofen 600 mg (I). The primary endpoint was both 1-degree and 1-point reduction in body temperature for all associated symptoms on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) after 1 hour (T1). The secondary endpoint was the reduction of at least 2 points on the NRS after two hours (T2). Adverse events, the need for rescue therapy, and the response based on the underlying etiology (bacterial, viral, or immune/neoplastic) were also evaluated. RESULTS: 324 patients (170 males, mean age 71±6 years) were enrolled: 187 had bacterial, 80 viral, and 57 neoplastic/inflammatory fever. Fever was treated with Paracetamol 1,000 mg (P) in 189 patients and with Paracetamol/Ibuprofen 500/150 mg (PI) in 135 subjects, while none of the patients were primarily treated with I. Based on the fever etiology P was administered to 113 patients with bacterial fever (59.8%), 48 patients with viral fever (25.4%), and 28 subjects with neoplastic/inflammatory fever (14.8%). PI was administered to 74 patients with bacterial fever (54.8%), 32 patients with viral fever (23.7%), and 29 subjects with neoplastic/inflammatory fever (21.5%). The primary endpoint was achieved by 126 patients, 70 of them (37.0%) were treated with P and 56 (41.5%) with PI (p=0.418). The secondary endpoint was achieved by 295 patients, 171 (90.5%) of them treated with P and 124 (91.9%) treated with PI (p=0.669). No significant differences were found between groups treated with P and PI concerning rescue therapy (15 vs. 6 patients; p=0.893). Interestingly, PI was more effective than P in patients with bacterial fever at T1 (P 33.6% vs. PI 48.6%; p=0.040), while efficacy of P and PI was similar at T2 for all kind of fever. CONCLUSIONS: Paracetamol 1,000 mg represents the first choice for the treatment of fever in the ED, followed by Paracetamol/Ibuprofen 500/150 mg. Interestingly, Paracetamol/Ibuprofen combination resulted in being more effective in patients with bacterial fever one hour after its administration.

Are behavioural approaches feasible and effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes? A propensity score analysis vs. prescriptive diet.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Lifestyle changes are considered first line treatment in type 2 diabetes, but very few data are available in the "real world" of diabetes units. We aimed to measure the effectiveness of moderate and high intensity interventions on weight loss, metabolic control and insulin use. We report a prospective cohort study, carried out in 822 consecutive subjects with type 2 diabetes, first seen in a 4-year period in a diabetes unit of an academy hospital. METHODS AND RESULTS: Subjects were treated with either a sole prescriptive diet (Diet), or received an additional short-course Elementary Nutritional Education (4 group sessions-ENE) or an intensive Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (12-15 group sessions-CBT). The results were adjusted for the propensity score to be assigned different treatments, derived from logistic regression on the basis of age, gender, BMI, HbA1c, diabetes duration and insulin use at baseline. Main outcome measures were weight loss and weight loss maintenance, metabolic control, and secondary failure to insulin use. Both structured programmes produced a larger weight loss, and the adjusted probability of achieving the 7% weight loss target was increased. Similarly, both programmes favoured metabolic control, irrespective of insulin use. After adjustment for propensity score, both ENE (hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27-0.84) and CBT (hazard ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.16-0.83) were associated with a reduced risk of de novo insulin treatment. CONCLUSION: Structured behavioural programmes aimed at lifestyle changes are feasible and effective in the "real world" setting of a diabetes unit for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Regional point prevalence study of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in acute care hospitals in Liguria, Italy.

BACKGROUND: Given the importance of monitoring healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) and the consumption of antibiotics, a regional point prevalence survey was conducted in Liguria between March and April 2016. AIM: To measure the overall prevalence of HCAI and describe the use of antibiotics in all public hospitals. METHODS: Data on risk factors and use of antibiotics were collected for each hospitalized patient. To define the variables significantly associated with HCAI, univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Standardized infection ratio and standardized antimicrobial use ratio were measured for each participating hospital. FINDINGS: A total of 3647 patients were enrolled. In all, 429 HCAIs were diagnosed in 376 patients, giving a prevalence of HCAI of 10.3%. Respiratory tract (21.7%) and urinary tract (20%) were the most frequent sites of infection. High rates of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (47.4%) and Enterobacteriaceae resistant to carbapenems (26.3%) were isolated. Forty-six percent of patients received at least one antibiotic. Combinations of penicillins including ß-lactamase inhibitors (24.1%) were the most widely used; the main indication (46.7%) was the treatment of a community-acquired infection. CONCLUSION: There was an increase in HCAI prevalence compared to a similar survey conducted in 2007; however, the performance of overlapping investigations will enable more reliable considerations. Nevertheless, data on antimicrobial resistance and use of antibiotics are consistent with the national trend. Despite methodological limitations, prevalence studies are useful to monitor HCAI over time and encourage greater awareness of the problem by all stakeholders.

Evaluation of the Sealing Capability of the Implant Healing Screw by Using Real Time Volatile Organic Compounds Analysis: Internal Hexagon Versus Cone Morse.

BACKGROUND: Implant sealing capability is a crucial issue in assessment of implant success and peri-implant marginal bone loss. Clinical studies demonstrated presence of viable bacteria in the internal part of functioning implants during tissue healing. For this study, a volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission test was developed to evaluate the existing "seal" between implant and healing screw. Two kinds of implant-screw connection were compared: 1) internal hexagon; and 2) cone Morse. METHODS: Fifteen patients were enrolled in the study, three males and 12 females, who required fixed prosthetic rehabilitation. A total of 37 implants was placed, 23 with a cone Morse taper internal connection and 14 with a screw-retained internal hexagon abutment. VOCs real-time measures were performed in the implant site immediately after removing the healing screw. RESULTS: Statistical analysis was carried out. Results showed VOCs maximum peak amplitude in cone Morse versus internal hexagon showed significant difference (P <0.001), whereas VOCs time to peak showed no significant difference (P = 0.7). CONCLUSIONS: Use of the new methodology for the VOCs emission test may lead to important new data for understanding how the "failed" attachment of implant components, in two-part assemblies, may contribute to implant losses. In particular, study results support the hypothesis that the microgap of the implant-screw healing junction could cause differences in bacterial penetration. VOCs emission test evaluation represents a new diagnostic tool with an effective approach to quickly analyze, in real time, sealing capability of dental implants with healing screw interfaces.

Isoelectricfocusing and reverse blotting as a diagnostic tool in pediatric HIV infection.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of perinatally acquired HIV-infection is based on either direct HIV detection--by means of viral culture and/or PCR--or anti-HIV antibody detection. However, due to the passive, transplacental passage of maternal immunoglobulin G, antibody detection is nor reliable until 15-18 months of age. In this regard, clonotypic analysis of specific antibodies performed by isoelectricfocusing and reverse blotting (IEF-RB) can be very helpful, as it recognizes possibly different patterns between mother and infant. OBJECTIVES: We used IEF-RB in order to analyze the kinetics of development of anti-HIV antibodies in infants born to seropositive mothers. STUDY DESIGN: Sera from ten mother/infant pairs (all mothers were HIV-infected) were retrospectively analyzed in order to detect different patterns, between mother and infant, in anti-gp120 V3-loop clonotype. RESULTS: We diagnosed the real HIV status of the examined infants no later than month 6 and in one case as early as month 2. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the small size of sample number, these data are preliminary and should be confirmed by larger scale studies. However, they show IEF-RB, when applied to infants born to seropositive mothers, may be useful in evaluating the infants' dynamics of anti-HIV humoral immune response.

[Mixed medullary and follicular carcinoma of the thyroid: report of one case]. / Carcinoma misto midollare e follicolare della tiroide: case report.

INTRODUCTION: Mixed medullary-follicular carcinoma of the thyroid with pleomorphic pattern is an uncommon malignant epithelial tumor characterized by clinical and immunohistochemical features of both follicular and parafollicular thyroidal C cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We describe a rare case of this type of tumor observed in a 56 year old woman, undergone total thyroidectomy for suspected thyroid carcinoma, without lymph node metastasis. Preoperative basal calcitonin levels were in the limits, while thyroglobulin resulted increased. Presence of the latter suggests a potential usefulness of radioiodine therapy as an additional therapeutic tool for this type of tumor. RESULTS: Histological and immunohistochemical findings were surprising showing characteristic patterns and thyroglobulin and calcitonin positivity. After postoperative diagnosis the patient undergone specific endocrine and scintigraphic tests. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis of a mixed medullary-follicular thyroid carcinoma is essential, considering its special therapy and negative prognosis. In fact it constitutes another clinicopathologic entity, different from typical medullary thyroid carcinoma and it's associated with a more favourable clinical course than the former. A precise diagnosis of this uncommon variety of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is fundamental for an accurate treatment of the patient, but also for familiar genetic screening excluding MEN II syndromes. A radical surgical therapy plays a key-role for the treatment and the follow-up of this rare tumoral entity.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura in a patient with bowel bypass syndrome.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a common vasculitis being characterized by the classic tetrad of nonthrombocytopenic palpable purpura, arthritis or arthralgias, gastrointestinal and renal involvement. Antigen-antibody (IgA) complexes activate the alternative complement pathway, resulting in inflammation and small vessels vasculitis. We present the case of a 53 years old Italian woman with HSP who was previously hospitalized for purpura skin lesions of the lower legs and diarrhea; a skin biopsy showed a leukocytoclastic vasculitis with perivascular accumulation of neutrophils and mononuclear cells. She was treated with immunosuppressive therapy. After 8 months she was hospitalized again for a recurrent episode of purpura skin lesions of the lower legs. At age 49 she was affected by obesity (BMI = 41.6 Kg/m2), treated via a bilio-pancreatic diversion that led, within a year, to a BMI reduction (25 Kg/m2). We suppose that bariatric surgery played a role on the development of autoimmune phenomena and that the formation of immunecomplexes is secondary to the excess of intestinal bacterial antigens. A cyclic therapy with Paromomicine 500 mg twice daily and Metronidazole 250 mg twice daily was performed with a clear up of the clinical picture. In medical literature are described numerous complications which include arthritis, erythema nodosum-like lesions, eruptions and other skin manifestations in patients who have undergone jejunocolic bypass. This case report describes for the first time the presence of HSP in a patient with bowel bypass syndrome and it is also able to demonstrate the relationship between the intestinal bacterial overgrowth and the systemic autoimmune system.

Olfactory conditioning impairment following posttraining NMDA receptor blockade in neonatal rats.

Six-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat pups were exposed to peppermint odor paired with tactile stimulation (stroking the skin with a paint brush) for twenty 10-s conditioning trials, and their olfactory preference was tested the next day. In Experiment 1, pups that had received an injection of the noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) either 30 min before or immediately after conditioning spent less time over the conditioned odor than saline-treated controls. In Experiment 2, pups received an injection of either MK-801 or saline 0, 30, or 60 min after the training period. There was a reduction in the preference for the conditioned odor in the animals receiving MK-801 immediately following training, but treatment with the drug at the other intervals did not produce a performance impairment. The impairment following immediate posttraining injection occurred with either 0.05 or 0.1, but not with 0.01 mg/kg of MK-801 (Experiment 3). Experiment 4 provided control data to confirm that pups that had experienced the procedures used in Experiments 1-3 showed greater preference for the conditioned odor than did naive pups or those receiving exposure to the odor without stroking. The data indicate that immediate posttraining activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors is required for normal olfactory learning in neonatal rats.

Impacto de los subtipos intrínsecos del cáncer de mama en la predicción de metástasis en los ganglios axilares / Impact of intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer in predicting axillary node metastases

Resumen: Introducción: Observamos que el compromiso axilar es uno de los factores de pronóstico más importantes. Aunque la asociación entre el compromiso axilar y el tamaño tumoral ha sido estudiada en varias series, la relación del subtipo según la inmunohistoquímica (IHQ) para predecir compromiso axilar, no es muy conocida. El objetivo de este estudio es correlacionar los subtipos intrínsecos según la IHQ con la afectación axilar. Como objetivos secundarios evaluamos la sobrevida global y libre de enfermedad. Material y métodos: Se incluyeron en este estudio 1.413 pacientes operadas en forma consecutiva en el Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama primario (se excluyeron los estadios IV) entre los años 2007 y 2012. Fueron analizados los datos clínicos y patológicos de las pacientes que realizaron la biopsia del ganglio centinela o la linfadenectomía axilar. Los subtipos se clasificaron en cuatro grupos según la IHQ: luminal A (RE+, RP+, HER–, Ki67 <15%); luminal B (RE+, RP+, HER+, Ki67 >14%); HER2 (RE–, RP–, HER+); y triple negativo (RE–, RP–, HER–). Resultados: Evaluamos 1.413 pacientes de las cuales se analizaron 1.248 casos, donde 386 casos (31%) mostraron metástasis en los ganglios axilares. Tomando como referencia al grupo luminal A encontramos que la presencia de compromiso axilar es significativo en aquellos subtipos luminal B y HER (p<0,0001), no así en el subtipo TN (p=0,4468). Mediante un modelo de regresión logística múltiple se evaluó la probabilidad de compromiso axilar ajustado por cada uno de los diferentes subtipos tumorales, tamaño tumoral. En aquellos tumores menores de 2 cm observamos que los tumores luminal B y los TN aumentan el riesgo de compromiso axilar con un OR=2,73 (95% IC: 1,73-4,31; p>0,000), y un OR=2,05 (95% IC: 1,13-3,70; p=0,017), respectivamente, y los tumores HER2 aumentan el riesgo con un OR=6,62 (95% IC: 3,02-14,50; p>0,000).

Ganglio centinela en cáncer de mama: experiencia de 11 años del Servicio de Ginecología del HIBA / Sentinel node in breast cancer: eleven years experience of the Breast Pathology Branch of the HIBA

Objetivo: el objetivo de este trabajo es presenter la experiencia en ganglio centinela (GC) del Sector Patología del Servicio de Ginecología del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires en 11 años (junio 1997 / junio 2008). Material y métodos: se evaluaron retrospectivamente las historias clínicas de las pacientes operadas por cáncer de mama estadio I y II con axila clínicamentes negativa. Hasta julio de 2009 hemos efectuado 1.032 procedimientos; 147 procedimientos que conforman el período de aprendizaje y mejoramiento del método, siempre seguida la biopsia del GC de vaciamiento axilar (06/1997 - 12/2001), y 885 en los cuales no se efectuó linfadenectomía axilar al resultar negativo el GC. A los fines de tener un seguimiento adecuado de la población analizamos 638 procedimientos realizados en 630 pacientes. Resultados: el tamaño tumoral promedio en carcinoma invasor fue 12mm (2-36mm). El ganglio centinela se halló en 623 casos (tasa de detección 97,64%). El promedio de ganglios obtenidos por procedimiento fue 1,86 (rango 1-5). De los 623 casos de GC hallado, 90 casos (14,4%) mostraron compromiso tumoral en el GC [76 casos de macrometástasis (84,44%), 13 casos micrometástasis (14,4%), y 1 caso de células tumorales aisladas (1,1%)]. En 42 de 44 casos (95,45%) de metástasis masiva en el GC, hubo ganglios no centinela comprometidos. Estos mismo se observó en 25 de 32 casos de macrometástasis sin compromiso masivo (78,12%) y en 3 de 13 casos de micrometástasis (23,07%). En la impronta intraoperatoria, 14 casos resultaron ser positivos en el estudio diferido [FN 15,55% (IC 95%. 8,7%-25,0)]. El VPN de la impronta intraoperatoria de nuestra casuística fue 97,44% (IC 95%. 95,6-98,5). El VPP 100% (94,5-100). La sensibilidad de la impronta operatoria fue 84,44% (IC 95%: 75,57-90,05). Se registró una recaída axilar al año de la cirugía con ganglio centinela negativo (0,18%) con una medida de seguimiento de 46 meses (12-84 meses).

Ganglio centinela en cáncer de mama: su detección y correlación anatomopatológica. Informe preliminar del Servicio de Ginecología del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires / Sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer: Detection and histopathologic correlation with the axilla. Preliminary report from the Gynecology of Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires

Objetivo: comunicar la expriencia preliminar del Sectro de Patología Mamaria del Servicio de Ginecologíadel Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, en la detección del ganglio centinela y la correlación de éste con el resto de la axila.Material y métodos: en el período comprendido entre junio y agosto de 2000 se efectuaron 72 procedimientos para detectar el ganglio centinela en mujeres con cáancer de mama, que iban a ser sometidas a cirugía conservadora. El ganglio centinela fue hallado en 56 casos (77,8). Existe una curva de aprendizaje, dado que en los últimos 10 procedimientos fue hallado en el 90 por ciento. La edad promedio de las pacientes fue de 58,2 años. Técnica del ganglio centinela: bajo anestesis general se inyectaron entre 3 y 5 ml de azul metileno en el área peritumoral o en el lecho de biopsia previa. Tras un suave masaje en la zona, se procedió a la búsqueda del ganglio en la axila por medio de una incisión de 3 cm en el límite inferior de la inserción del vello axilar. El tiempo promedio entre la inyección y el abordaje axilar fue de 10. El estudio de ganglio se efectuó con hematoxilina eosina (H-E), relizándose numerosos cortes. Resultados: en casos de tumores internos, el centinela se encontró en el 68,7 por ciento de los casos y en el 80,3 por ciento de los tumores externos. De 56 procedimientos exitosos se registraron 3 falsos negativos, mientras que en 9 casos de 21 axilas positivas, el centinela fue el único ganglio positivo de la axila...

Reconstrucción mamaria protésica inmediata : evaluación de nuestras complicaciones y evolución estética / Inmediate breast prosthetic reconstruction : evaluation of our complications and aesthetic evolution

Fueron revisadas 35 reconstrucciones mamarias protésicas, realizadas en forma consecutiva. El objetivo del trabajo es evaluar la tasa de complicaciones y exponer la evolución de la táctica operatoria, en pos de mejores resultados estéticos. El índice global de complicaciones fue bajo. El fracaso más importante es la pérdida del expansor o prótesis; en nuestra casuística esto ocurrió en dos pacientes. Las pacientes no permanecieron más tiempo internadas por la reconstrucción y la misma prolongó escasamente el tiempo operatorio. En publicaciones previas, aparecen como factores de riesgo para la pérdida de la prótesis: el hábito de fumar, edad, obesidad y la cobertura con músculo de toda la cara anterior de la prótesis. Este último factor condiciona a los anteriores, ya que un expansor o prótesis cubierto con músculo en el 100 por ciento de su superficie anterior, garantiza su permanencia. La ubicación del complejo areola pezón y surco submamario, así como las caraterísticas pigmentarias y texturales de areola y pezón, fueron mejorando a partir de los primeros casos que no nos conformaron. De la misma manera, se cuidó la estética de la mama contralateral y la simetría, usando abordajes periareolares y malla de ácido policólico para perpetuar la pexia conseguida en la mama restante.