A Single Nail Dystrophy as a Unique Manifestation of Sarcoidosis: A Case Report.

Sarcoidosis with nail involvement is rare and most commonly affecting plural digits. Nail changes are frequently an indication of systemic disease and underlying bone involvement, thus complete clinical evaluation with bone and thorax radiological examination is a necessity in suspected cases. We report a case of onychodystrophy with osseous involvement of only one finger as unique manifestation of sarcoidosis, which is very rare.

Evolution of clinical, electrophysiological, and radiological aspects of the carpal tunnel syndrome before and after surgery.

The aim of the study was to analyze the evolution of the clinical, electrophysiological, and ultrasound aspects of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) before and 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. A Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, an ultrasound scan, and an electrophysiological exam were performed in 14 patients the day of surgery, 4 and 8 weeks after. The nerve conduction study included: median nerve sensory conduction stimulating digit 3 and 4, median motor conduction from the abductor pollicis brevis, ulnar nerve sensory, and motor conduction. A significant improvement of the symptoms and a significant decrease of the median nerve proximal cross-sectional area on the ultrasound scan were observed 4 weeks after surgery. Distal motor latency (DML) was > 4.2 ms in six patients and decreased along the three visits. DML was ≤ 4.2 ms in the eight others and stayed stable after surgery. We observed a significant increase of the sensory median nerve amplitude response at the wrist stimulating the third digit 8 weeks after surgery. When operated patients are referred for control, we recommend to perform: (1) 4 weeks after surgery, an ultrasonography, and a measure of the DML of the median nerve; (2) 8 weeks after surgery, a measure of the sensory conduction velocity of the median nerve.

Effect of systemic inflammation on inspiratory and limb muscle strength and bulk in cystic fibrosis.

RATIONALE: Diaphragm thickness is increased in cystic fibrosis (CF), but it shows a marked variability between patients. The variable response of the diaphragm to loading may reflect the combined and opposite effects of training by the respiratory disease and systemic inflammation. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of systemic inflammation on diaphragm and limb muscle strength and bulk in adult patients with CF. METHODS: In 38 stable patients with CF and 20 matched control subjects, we measured fat-free mass (FFM), inspiratory muscle strength, diaphragm thickness, quadriceps and biceps strength and cross-sectional area, and circulating levels of leukocytes, C-reactive protein, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha soluble receptors, and immunoglobulin G. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients had increases in several inflammatory markers that correlated with the severity of lung disease and nutritional depletion. Compared with control subjects, patients with CF had increased diaphragm thickness and inspiratory muscle strength and showed a trend toward a reduction in limb muscle strength and bulk. Multiple regression analyses identified FFM and airway resistance as independent predictors of diaphragm thickness, but systemic inflammation had no (or only a minor) predictive effect on FFM, inspiratory muscle strength, diaphragm thickness, and limb muscle strength and bulk. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CF, the intensity of systemic inflammation does not account significantly for the variance of FFM and diaphragm or limb muscle strength and bulk. Training of the diaphragm in CF occurs despite the presence of systemic inflammation.

Involvement of the anterior portion of the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa in the painful shoulder.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to verify that increased widening of the anterior portion of the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa is associated with anteromedial shoulder pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bursography, sonography, and CT were performed in six cadaver shoulders and compared with anatomic sections in neutral position and while the humerus was extended and internally rotated. For the clinical study, the width of the anterior portion of the bursa was measured in both positions in both shoulders of 27 patients referred because of shoulder pain and in eight asymptomatic volunteers. Pain was coded as absent, experienced in the anteromedial portion of the shoulder, or experienced elsewhere but not anteromedially, and we compared the pain scores between shoulder positions. RESULTS: In all cadaver shoulders, when compared with CT scans and anatomic sections, sonography showed the morphology of the bursa, its relationships with surrounding structures, and morphologic changes associated with position. In volunteers, the mean width of the bursa was 0.74 +/- 0.05 and 0.93 +/- 0.09 mm (p = 0.013), respectively, in neutral and stress position. In patients, the same values were 0.70 +/- 0.07 and 0.81 +/- 0.14 mm (p = 0.286) in the asymptomatic side and 1.20 +/- 0.11 and 1.75 +/- 0.23 mm (p < 0.001) in the symptomatic side, respectively. The bursa was wider in patients experiencing pain anteromedially than in those who experienced pain elsewhere and volunteers (p = 0.002 and < 0.001, respectively), and the bursa was wider in symptomatic shoulders than in asymptomatic shoulders (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Widening of the anterior portion of the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa is associated with anteromedial shoulder pain and the clinical syndrome of coracoid impingement.

Imaging infection with 18F-FDG-labeled leukocyte PET/CT: initial experience in 21 patients.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and the potential role of PET/CT with (18)F-FDG-labeled autologous leukocytes in the diagnosis and localization of infectious lesions. METHODS: Twenty-one consecutive patients with suspected or documented infection were prospectively evaluated with whole-body PET/CT 3 h after injection of autologous (18)F-FDG-labeled leukocytes. Two experienced nuclear medicine physicians who were unaware of the clinical end-diagnosis reviewed all PET/CT studies. A visual score (0-3)-according to uptake intensity-was used to assess studies. The results of PET/CT with (18)F-FDG-labeled white blood cell ((18)F-FDG-WBC) assessment were compared with histologic or biologic diagnosis in 15 patients and with clinical end-diagnosis after complete clinical work-up in 6 patients. RESULTS: Nine patients had fever of unknown etiology, 6 patients had documented infection but with unknown extension of the infectious disease, 4 patients had a documented infection with unfavorable evolution, and 2 patients had a documented infection with known extension. The best trade-off between sensitivity and specificity was obtained when a visual score of >or=2 was chosen to identify increased tracer uptake as infection. With this threshold, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were each 86% on a patient-per-patient basis and 91%, 85%, and 90% on a lesion-per-lesion basis. In this small group of patients, the absence of areas with increased WBC uptake on WBC PET/CT had a 100% negative predictive value. CONCLUSION: Hybrid (18)F-FDG-WBC PET/CT was found to have a high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of infection. It located infectious lesions with a high precision. In this small series, absence of areas with increased uptake virtually ruled out the presence of infection. (18)F-FDG-WBC PET/CT for infection detection deserves further investigation in a larger prospective series.

A controlled study of vitamin D3 to prevent bone loss in renal-transplant patients receiving low doses of steroids.

BACKGROUND: New and potent immunosuppressive regimens allow for reduced doses of corticosteroids after renal transplantation. The aims of our study were to investigate whether the use of low-dose corticosteroids is associated with a reduction in posttransplant bone loss and to assess the ability of cholecalciferol supplementation to further decrease bone loss in this setting. METHODS: Ninety patients admitted for renal transplantation and scheduled to be treated per protocol with low doses of prednisolone were randomized to receive either 400 mg daily oral calcium (Ca group, n=44) or the same dose of calcium in association with a monthly dose of 25,000 IU of vitamin D3 (CaVitD group, n=46). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy absorptiometry at baseline and at 1 year. RESULTS: The overall population experienced a moderate but significant -2.3+/-0.9% loss of lumbar spine BMD (P<0.01) but no bone loss at the femoral neck and shaft during the first posttransplant year. Bone loss tended to be slightly higher in the CaVitD group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Patients in the CaVitD group had significantly higher 25(OH) but not 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D levels. We observed a highly significant negative correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) serum levels. CONCLUSIONS: Kidney-transplant recipients receiving modern immunosuppressive regimens with low doses of corticosteroids experience only minimal loss of BMD during the first posttransplant year. Cholecalciferol supplementation did not prevent posttransplant bone loss but contributed to the normalization of iPTH levels after renal transplantation.

Associated giant cell tumor and tophaceous deposits in a finger pulp: a case report.

A case of concomitant giant cell tumor of soft tissue and tophaceous deposits within the finger pulp is presented. The local hemorrhage and increased turnover with giant cell tumor may explain the deposits of aggregated crystals of monosodium urate in this patient with hyperuricemia.

Gouty involvement of flexor tendons.

This article presents three patients suffering from complications related to tophi deposited within the hand and wrist synovium and flexor tendons. One patient had no previous history of gout or acute arthritis, with uricemia within normal values upon admission. The pathophysiology and treatment of gout in these special circumstances are discussed.