Laboratory misdiagnosis of von Willebrand disease in post-menarchal females: A multi-center study.

Increased awareness of von Willebrand Disease (VWD) has led to more frequent diagnostic laboratory testing, which insurers often dictate be performed at a facility with off-site laboratory processing, instead of a coagulation facility with onsite processing. Off-site processing is more prone to preanalytical variables causing falsely low levels of von Willebrand Factor (VWF) due to the additional transport required. Our aim was to determine the percentage of discordance between off-site and onsite specimen processing for VWD in this multicenter, retrospective study. We enrolled females aged 12 to 50 years who had off-site specimen processing for VWF assays, and repeat testing performed at a consulting institution with onsite coagulation phlebotomy and processing. A total of 263 females from 17 institutions were included in the analysis. There were 251 subjects with both off-site and onsite VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) processing with 96 (38%) being low off-site and 56 (22%) low onsite; 223 subjects had VWF ristocetin co-factor (VWF:RCo), 122 (55%) were low off-site and 71 (32%) were low onsite. Similarly, 229 subjects had a Factor VIII (FVIII) assay, and 67 (29%) were low off-site with less than half, 29 (13%) confirmed low with onsite processing. Higher proportions of patients demonstrated low VWF:Ag, VWF:RCo, and/or FVIII with off-site processing compared to onsite (McNemar's test P-value <.0005, for all assays). These results emphasize the need to decrease delays from sample procurement to processing for VWF assays. The VWF assays should ideally be collected and processed at the same site under the guidance of a hematologist.

Novel heterozygous mutation in the PTEN gene associated with ovarian germ cell tumor complicated by growing teratoma syndrome and overgrowth in a two-year-old female.

Growing teratoma syndrome (GTS) is a condition in which mature teratoma with negative tumor markers arises at the site of a treated malignant germ cell tumor. Pathogenic variants in PTEN have been reported to cause autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndromes and are associated with germ cell tumors. We report the association of a novel heterozygous pathogenic variant in PTEN and very early onset ovarian germ cell tumor complicated by GTS as well as overgrowth syndrome. This marks the youngest reported patient to have developed GTS following treatment of her primary malignant ovarian germ cell tumor.

Ferumoxytol-enhanced MR venography for diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome commonly results in arm swelling and pain as the subclavian vein is obstructed within the thoracic inlet. We report the use of ferumoxytol-enhanced contrast MRI in the diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome in a male adolescent. In this patient who presented with right upper extremity thrombosis, ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI of the chest was able to show both chronic subclavian vein thromboses and dynamic occlusion of the subclavian veins with arm abduction consistent with Paget-Schroetter syndrome.

Complex family planning and pediatric hematology oncology integrated clinic for young people with blood disorders and heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding.

OBJECTIVES: To describe practice patterns of an integrated complex family planning-pediatric hematology oncology clinic for patients with blood disorders STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of patients who had an initial consultation for blood disorders impacting menstrual bleeding in an integrated complex family planning-pediatric hematology oncology clinic from October 2015 to September 2020. We reviewed all charts to extract medical and gynecologic history, blood disorder diagnosis, hormonal treatment prior to and following initial consultation, subsequent visits to the integrated clinic, and hormonal treatment up to 24 months after initial consultation. RESULTS: We saw 47 patients; their most common blood disorder diagnosis was protein defect (14 of 47, 30%). Most patients (30 of 47, 64%) were not using any hormonal treatment prior to their initial consultation. After the initial consultation, 26 (55%) elected to start, change, or discontinue hormonal treatment for abnormal menstrual bleeding, the most common treatment being combined hormonal contraception (CHC, 22 of 47, 47%), alone or as dual therapy. Over the study duration, 36 patients (77%) initiated, changed, or discontinued their hormone treatment, 22 (61%) of whom changed their treatment plan more than once. CHC usage decreased from 19 of 47 (40%) to 8 of 37 (22%) and hormonal device usage, particularly the implant, increased from 9 of 47 (19%) to 11 of 37 (30%) over the 24 months from initial consultation. CONCLUSION: Most patients in an integrated complex family planning-pediatric hematology oncology clinic will change their menstrual bleeding hormone treatment with initial consultation, although management may require multiple changes. The most common treatment 24 months following the initial consultation was hormonal devices. IMPLICATIONS: Patients with blood disorders affecting menstrual bleeding have complex needs that could be addressed by an integrated complex family planning-pediatric hematology oncology clinic. Most patients require multiple changes in treatment to achieve adequate control of their bleeding, and patients were more likely to choose hormonal devices for management over time.

Rehabilitation Following Surgically Treated Distal Radius Fractures: Do Immobilization and Physiotherapy Affect the Outcome?

Distal radius fractures (DRF) are one of the most common fractures treated by orthopaedic surgeons around the globe. It has been estimated that the National Health Services (NHS) spends an average of £1375.34 per patient for surgical fixation of DRF with a volar locking plate as a day case. This figure climbs to £1983.39 if the same patient stays at the hospital overnight. Inpatient physiotherapy costs the NHS a staggering £82.03 per day, while each outpatient session with physiotherapy is £40.70 for the NHS. This means that a substantial amount is spent by the NHS on rehabilitation and physiotherapy for each DRF, whether fixed surgically or non-surgically. Post-operative rehabilitation involving initial immobilization followed by physiotherapy/hand therapy is an indispensable part of the total management concept of DRF. Most of the conservative management protocols also advocate a five-week immobilization followed by physiotherapy/hand therapy. Due to the fact that more than 50% of the patients with DRF are still employed, the impairment caused by a restriction of range of motion, duration of the sick leave and the effects of DRF on quality of life play a very important socio-economical role in the broadest sense. Patients are routinely referred to physiotherapists/hand therapists following DRF to improve the range of motion (ROM), manage pain, strengthen the wrist and develop full functionality to pre-injury levels. However, the real impact of supervised exercises and active physiotherapy in restoring mobility and strength to the fractured wrist is still not well understood. This article aims to review the existing literature and evidence base regarding the efficacy of immobilization and physiotherapy in improving the functional outcome of surgically treated DRFs.

Measuring the Effects of an Animal-Assisted Intervention for Pediatric Oncology Patients and Their Parents: A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial [Formula: see text].

OBJECTIVE: This multicenter, parallel-group, randomized trial examined the effects of an animal-assisted intervention on the stress, anxiety, and health-related quality of life for children diagnosed with cancer and their parents. METHOD: Newly diagnosed patients, aged 3 to 17 years (n = 106), were randomized to receive either standard care plus regular visits from a therapy dog (intervention group), or standard care only (control group). Data were collected at set points over 4 months of the child's treatment. Measures included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory™, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Pediatric Inventory for Parents, and child blood pressure and heart rate. All instruments were completed by the child and/or his/her parent(s). RESULTS: Children in both groups experienced a significant reduction in state anxiety ( P < .001). Parents in the intervention group showed significantly decreased parenting stress ( P = .008), with no changes in stress among parents in the control group. However, no significant differences between groups over time on any measures were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Animal-assisted interventions may provide certain benefits for parents and families during the initial stages of pediatric cancer treatment.

Unsaturated fatty acid regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha activity in rat primary hepatocytes.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs alpha, beta, gamma1, and gamma2) are widely regarded as monitors of intracellular nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels. As such, fatty acid binding to PPAR leads to changes in the transcription of many genes involved in lipid metabolism and storage. Although the composition of the intracellular NEFA pool is likely an important factor controlling PPAR activity, little information is available on factors affecting its composition. Accordingly, we have examined the effects of exogenous fatty acids on PPARalpha activity and NEFA pool composition in rat primary hepatocytes. Prior to the addition of fatty acids to primary hepatocytes, nonesterified unsaturated fatty acid levels are very low, representing 22:6n-3 > 18:3n-3/6 = 20:5n-3. Of these fatty acids, only 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 consistently induced PPARalpha activity. Metabolic labeling of primary hepatocytes indicated that both 14C-18:1n-9 and 14C-20:5n-3 are rapidly assimilated into neutral and polar lipids. Although the addition of 18:1n-9 had no effect on NEFA pool composition, 20:5n-3 mass increased >15-fold within 90 min. Changes in NEFA pool 20:5n-3 mass correlated with dynamic changes in the PPARalpha-regulated transcript mRNACYP4A. Metabolic labeling also indicated that a significant fraction of 14C-20:5n-3 was elongated to 22:5n-3. Cells treated with 22:5n-3 or 22:6n-3 led to a significant accumulation of 20:5n-3 in the NEFA pool through a process that requires peroxisomal beta-oxidation and fatty acyl CoA thioesterase activity. Further analyses suggest that 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3, but not 22:5n-3, are active ligands for PPARalpha. These studies suggest that basal fatty acid levels in the NEFA pool coupled with rates of fatty acid esterification, elongation, desaturation, peroxisomal beta-oxidation, and fatty acyl thioestease activity are important determinants controlling NEFA pool composition and PPARalpha activity.

The role of liver X receptor-alpha in the fatty acid regulation of hepatic gene expression.

Liver X receptors (LXR) alpha and beta play an important role in regulating the expression of genes involved in hepatic bile and fatty acid synthesis, glucose metabolism, as well as sterol efflux. Studies with human embryonic kidney 293 cells indicate that unsaturated fatty acids interfere with oxysterols binding to LXR and antagonize oxysterol-induced LXRalpha activity. In this report, we evaluated the effects of unsaturated fatty acids on LXR-regulated hepatic gene expression. The LXR agonist, T1317, induced mRNAs encoding sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) and two SREBP-1c-regulated lipogenic genes, e.g. fatty-acid synthase and the S14 protein in primary hepatocytes. Treatment of hepatocytes with eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) suppressed these mRNAs in the absence and presence of T1317. The cis-regulatory elements targeted by T1317 were not required for fatty-acid suppression of FAS or S14 promoter activity. In contrast to SREBP-1-regulated lipogenic genes, 20:5n-3 had no effect on the T1317 induction of ABCG5 or ABCG8 in the rat hepatoma cell line, FTO-2B. These two genes require LXR but not SREBP-1c for their expression. Feeding rats a diet supplemented with fish oil suppressed hepatic SREBP-1c-regulated genes and induced PPARalpha-regulated genes but had no effect on the LXR-regulated transcripts, CYP7A1, ABCG5, or ABCG8. Transfection studies, using either full-length hLXRalpha or a chimera containing only the LXRalpha ligand binding domain, indicate that a wide array of unsaturated fatty acids had little effect on LXRalpha activity in primary hepatocytes or FTO-2B. These studies suggest that LXRalpha is not a target for unsaturated fatty acid regulation in primary rat hepatocytes or in liver. Thus, oxysterol/LXR-mediated regulation of transcripts involved in bile acid synthesis or sterol efflux appear insensitive to dietary unsaturated fatty acids. The unsaturated fatty acid suppression of SREBP-1 and its targeted lipogenic genes is independent of LXRalpha

Fatty acid regulation of liver X receptors (LXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha ) in HEK293 cells.

Fatty acids bind to and regulate the activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated (PPAR) and liver X receptors (LXR). However, the role lipid metabolism plays in the control of intracellular fatty acid ligands is poorly understood. We have identified two strains of HEK293 cells that display differences in fatty acid regulation of nuclear receptors. Using full-length and Gal4-LBD chimeric receptors in functional assays, 20:4,n6 induced PPARalpha activity approximately 2.2-fold and suppressed LXRalpha activity by 80% (ED50 approximately 25-50 microm) in HEK293-E (early passage) cells but had no effect on PPARalpha or LXRalpha receptor activity in HEK293-L (late passage) cells. LXRbeta was insensitive to fatty acid regulation in both HEK293 strains. Metabolic labeling studies using [14C]20:4,n6 (at 100 microm) indicated that the uptake of 20:4,n6 and its assimilation into triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, and polar lipids revealed no difference between the two strains. Such treatment increased total cellular 20:4,n6 ( approximately 11-fold) and its elongation product, 22:4,n6 ( approximately 3.6-fold), within 6 h. Non-esterified 20:4,n6 and 22:4,n6 represented