Patients with Lemierre syndrome have a high risk of new thromboembolic complications, clinical sequelae and death: an analysis of 712 cases.

BACKGROUND: Lemierre syndrome is characterized by head/neck vein thrombosis and septic embolism usually complicating an acute oropharyngeal bacterial infection in adolescents and young adults. We described the course of Lemierre syndrome in the contemporary era. METHODS: In our individual-level analysis of 712 patients (2000-2017), we included cases described as Lemierre syndrome if these criteria were met: (i) primary site of bacterial infection in the head/neck; (ii) objectively confirmed local thrombotic complications or septic embolism. The study outcomes were new or recurrent venous thromboembolism or peripheral septic lesions, major bleeding, all-cause death and clinical sequelae. RESULTS: The median age was 21 (Q1-Q3: 17-33) years, and 295 (41%) were female. At diagnosis, acute thrombosis of head/neck veins was detected in 597 (84%) patients, septic embolism in 582 (82%) and both in 468 (80%). After diagnosis and during in-hospital follow-up, new venous thromboembolism occurred in 34 (5.2%, 95% CI 3.8-7.2%) patients, new peripheral septic lesions became evident in 76 (11.7%; 9.4-14.3%). The rate of either was lower in patients who received anticoagulation (OR: 0.59; 0.36-0.94), higher in those with initial intracranial involvement (OR: 2.35; 1.45-3.80). Major bleeding occurred in 19 patients (2.9%; 1.9-4.5%), and 26 died (4.0%; 2.7-5.8%). Clinical sequelae were reported in 65 (10.4%, 8.2-13.0%) individuals, often consisting of cranial nerve palsy (n = 24) and orthopaedic limitations (n = 19). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Lemierre syndrome were characterized by a substantial risk of new thromboembolic complications and death. This risk was higher in the presence of initial intracranial involvement. One-tenth of survivors suffered major clinical sequelae.

Parent-Infant Interaction during the First Year of Life in Infants at High Risk for Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Introduction: Perinatal adverse events put neonates at high risk for short and long-term disabilities, including cerebral palsy (CP). The most recent guidelines about early intervention in infants with brain damage have emphasized the importance of family involvement from the very first phases of development. Early parent-infant interactions are pivotal in promoting infant cognitive and social developmental trajectories. However, little is known about the extent to which severe adverse perinatal events can affect the quality of early parent-infant interactions. Patients and Methods: We systematically searched five databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library) for the publications assessing parent-infant interactions in infants at high neurological risk within 1 year of age. Articles were selected if they involved direct comparison between high-risk populations and healthy controls or low-risk populations, and if quantitative or semiquantitative tools were used to assess the parent-infant interaction. Measures of parent-infant interaction included infant interactive behaviors, parental interactive behaviors, and dyadic interactive patterns. Results: The search yielded 18 publications that met the inclusion criteria. The articles represent a high level of heterogeneity in terms of infant neurological risk, infant age, and tools assessing interactive behaviors. Both infant and maternal behaviors within the investigated interactive exchanges were reported to be compromised, leading to subsequent overall impairment of the dyadic patterns. Conclusion: While the studies reviewed here provide general and important information, the review did not yield a clear picture of early dyadic interactions in high-risk infant populations. Further observational studies are warranted in order to provide a more accurate knowledge of the early dyadic exchanges between infants at high neurological risk and their parents, as they might provide a critical opportunity for early family centered habilitative interventions.

Comité de autoprotección y seguridad ciudadana : Una experiencia aragueña en programas de capacitación ciudadana vinculados a la escuela para comunidades en zonas de alto riesgo

Participación de la comunidad en el hacer comunitario, en su deber y derecho a intervenir en los procesos socioeconómicos, políticos y culturales que permitan elevar la calidad de vida. El Comité de Autoprotección y Seguridad Ciudadana es una experiencia halagüeña en este sentido que se inició con trabajos comunitarios pilotos que en este trabajo se exponen

Fresh and cryopreserved arterial homografts in the treatment of prosthetic graft infections: experience of the Italian Collaborative Vascular Homograft Group.

Following the experience of cardiac surgeons with homografts in the treatment of infective aortic valve endocarditis, cardiovascular surgeons have investigated in situ revascularization by means of homografts in the management of vascular prosthetic graft infections. Preliminary results are encouraging, but their late fate in long-term follow-up and the influence of preservation techniques are still under investigation. This article reports the experience of the Italian Collaborative Vascular Homograft Group, with the use of fresh and cryopreserved arterial homografts for the treatment of prosthetic graft infections. Between March 1994 and December 1996, 44 patients with prosthetic graft infection were treated with homografts (13 preserved at 4 degrees C, 31 cryopreserved). The mean age of the patients was 65 years. Emergency surgical procedures were performed in eight patients (18%). Sepsis was diagnosed in 11 patients, aortoenteric fistula in 13, and false aneurysms in 10. Staphylococcus was the main cause of infection. The types of vascular reconstruction with homograft were: 32 aortobifemoral, 3 aortoaortic, 2 iliofemoral, 4 peripheral, and 3 axillobifemoral. Human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) and antibody (ABO) blood group system compatibility between donors and recipients was not respected. The mean duration of follow-up was 15 months (range 1-33). Clinical and duplex scanning evaluations were routinely performed. Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scanning or arteriography were performed on the basis of duplex scanning results. There were six deaths during the early postoperative period (30 days) with a mortality rate of 13.6%. During the follow-up there were five late deaths with a mortality rate of 11.4%. Eight patients had graft occlusion. Three cases were successfully treated with thrombectomy. Two cases were successfully treated with femoropopliteal bypass with autologous vein. In three cases leg amputation was necessary. The results of fresh and cryopreserved homograft were compared. No significative differences of early postoperative mortality, late mortality, homograft related mortality, and graft occlusion were observed. We have evaluated the actuarial survival of the patients and the actuarial patency of the homografts on the aortoiliac reconstructions. Twelve months after the surgery the actuarial survival of the patients was 73% and the actuarial patency of the homografts was 56%. In our preliminary experience, we have not observed any significant difference in terms of clinical outcome by using fresh rather than cryopreserved homografts. In the near future it will be our policy to employ only cryopreserved homografts. Moreover, we will extend vessel harvesting to nonheart-beating donors, thus maximizing retrieval. The aforementioned solutions will supply the best graft availability to obtain dimensional and ABO compatibility between donors and recipients.

[Our experience concerning scrotal traumatology]. / La nostra esperienza sulla traumatologia scrotale.

The Authors present their experience on 24 blunt scrotal traumas observed since January 1991. They underline the importance of an ecographic scanning that enables a precise evaluation of the traumatic event. Patients that present positive ultrasonic findings are promptly operated thus permitting bleeding and infection control. In this way gonadic function is restored and hospital care reduced. The diagnostic approach is presented, cases reported and results discussed. After a review of the literature on the topic they stress the role of Eco-Color-Doppler examination in scrotal blunt trauma for the intrinsic characteristics of precision, rapidity and non invasivity. This permits a nosologic evaluation of all types of blunt trauma and selects, for surgery, only those patients with a well definied diagnosis.

[Epidemiological study of mortality in a cohort of rayon industry employees]. / Studio epidemiologico di mortalità in una coorte di addetti alla produzione del rayon viscosa.

A cohort of 166 employees in the SNIA viscosa rayon production plant in Padua was followed up for mortality up to 1989. The study detected a statistically significant increase in total mortality mainly due to an excess of deaths from ischaemic heart diseases (ICD 410-414). Workers affected by occupational disease in the age group 50-64 years had the highest risk with a threefold increase in mortality compared to the general population. An increasing pattern of lung cancer mortality with time since first exposure was observed. The SMR for lung cancer was 192 for smokers with occupational disease.

Color Doppler imaging of liver metastases. The value phase-III of a US contrast agent: SH U 508 A (Levovist) Schering.

In a phase-III multicenter clinical trial, the color Doppler vascular patterns were studied of 34 liver metastases in 18 patients before and after the i.v. injection of SH U 508 A (Levovist), with different US units and probes. The patients were selected as having poor color Doppler signals at unenhanced examinations. Lesion size ranged .8 to 9 cm (mean: 3.5 cm). The primary lesion site was the colon in 14 cases, the breast in 8 cases, the lung in 4, the stomach in 4 cases, the ovary in 3 and finally unknown in 4 cases. Each patient received two to four contrast agent injections, with suggested doses and concentrations (10 ml x 300 mg/ml, 8 ml x 400 mgr/ml). No adverse reactions were observed. Thirteen of 34 lesions exhibited no vascular signals at baseline examinations, 10 exhibited some perilesional color spots or small vessel branches, 5 some internal color spots or vessels and 4 small internal and peripheral vessels. After contrast agent infusion, the vascular patterns were better demonstrated in 28/34 lesions and the signal-to-noise ratio was markedly improved, in a concentration-dependent manner, from 40 to 240s. Five lesions remained avascular, 11 exhibited "basket"-like vascular patterns, 10 "internal flow" patterns and finally 10 lesions exhibited both. No major correlation was observed between vascular pattern and lesion size. To conclude, the use of the intravenous contrast agent SH U 508 A (Levovist) appears to be a promising technique to improve the color Doppler demonstration of focal metastatic liver lesions. Nonetheless, further studies on larger series of cases are needed to differentiate the different primary sites of the metastases.

[The combination of extracorporeal lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrostomy in the treatment of obstructive ureteral urate calculi]. / Associazione della litotrissia extracorporea e della nefrostomia percutanea nel trattamento della calcolosi ureterale ostruente uratica.

The authors report their experience with combined percutaneous nephrostomy and extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy to treat obstructive uratic ureteral stones. The role of nephrostomy is stressed as a diagnosis and treatment method before, during and after lithotripsy. Thus, the method proved especially useful to drain obstructed kidneys and restore peristalsis, to evacuate septic urine, to facilitate the elimination of lithiasic fragments, to perform anterograde pyelography before, during and after lithotripsy and finally to allow pharmacological litholysis. Fourteen patients were successfully treated with combined extracorporeal lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrostomy and the results compared with those obtained with other techniques--e.g., ureteroscopy, whose value appears lower because the method requires general anesthesia and is more traumatic to the ureter. The authors conclude that combined extracorporeal lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrostomy make the best technique to treat obstructive uric acid stones thanks to their positive results, low invasiveness and to patients compliance.

[Doppler color-echo in the echographic evaluation of solid neoplasms of the breast: 5 years of experience]. / L'eco-color-Doppler nella valutazione ecografica nelle neoformazioni solide della mammella: 5 anni di esperienza.

In the last 5 years, 1,245 breasts have been examined with conventional and color-Doppler US. To assess color-Doppler capabilities and limitations, the results were critically reviewed only of the 311 patients who were operated and had unquestionable histologic findings. We investigated: 1) the number of "vascular poles", that is the vessels entering the examined mass from the periphery; 2) the presence of vessels with "abnormal" features, that is the vessels with varying diameters and/or with tortuous and erratic course; 3) the presence of vessels even on the mass interface only. The criterion indicated as no. 1, that is the presence of more than a vascular pole, exhibited 90.4% sensitivity and 70.7% prospective and 90.7% retrospective specificity. The criterion indicated as no. 2, that is the presence of vessels with anomalous features exhibited 75.1% sensitivity and 96.9% specificity. Using criterion no. 3 instead of no. 1, sensitivity would be increased from 90.4% to 96.5% but specificity would be decreased from 70.7% (and 90.7% retrospective specificity) to 46.9%, which was considered to be too low relative to the moderate increase in sensitivity. The positive predictive value of the presence of two vascular poles was 85% and that of the presence of vessels with anomalous course was 97.7%. Criteria no. 1 and 2 had 70.7% and 68.8% negative predictive value, respectively. In conclusion, the authors suggest the use of color-Doppler US to add further pieces of information to those obtained with conventional US.

[Clinical applications of color-Doppler: the parathyroid glands]. / Applicazioni cliniche del color-Doppler: le ghiandole paratiroidi.

The high-resolution appearance of enlarged parathyroid glands is well known. Thus, real-time gray-scale US alone fails to provide, in ENT surgery, adequate sensitivity and specificity rates to differentiate between parathyroid glands, hypoechoic thyroid adenomas and other hypoechoic neck masses. Since parathyroid tissue, in both normal and enlarged glands, is hypervascular, color-Doppler US is used as a sort of non-invasive angiography to identify parathyroid glands. The combined use of B-mode and color-Doppler US allows the vascular features of thyroid masses to be satisfactorily demonstrated, with easy differentiation between enlarged parathyroid glands, featuring diffuse internal vascularization, and thyroid adenomas characterized by rounded peripheral vessels and also lymph nodes and cysts exhibiting different vascular patterns. We studied 25 patients with clinical and biochemical signs of hyperparathyroidism (19 primary and 6 secondary) submitted to surgery in the last 20 months. Every patient was scanned with both B-mode and color-Doppler US. At surgery, 19 parathyroid adenomas were found--16 of them correctly identified preoperatively with color-Doppler US and 3 false negatives (retrotracheal glands). Moreover, 1 false positive was observed due to a small Plummer's adenoma misdiagnosed as an intrathyroid parathyroid adenoma: both lesions had the same vascular pattern on US images. Sensitivity was 84.5% and specificity 93.7%. In secondary HPT patients, 23 hyperplastic glands were found at surgery--21 of them correctly identified preoperatively by color-Doppler US, with 2 false negatives. No false positive was found. Sensitivity was 87.5% and specificity 100%. Sensitivity does not differ very much from what reported in literature. Specificity is clearly increased by the use of color-Doppler US. The possible source of error represented by Plummer's adenomas lead us to investigate pulsed Doppler capabilities in differentiating Plummer's adenomas from PT glands, since color-Doppler findings were similar in the two conditions. Peak velocities recorded with both color and pulsed Doppler showed velocity to range 6 to 40 cm/s in parathyroid glands (mean +/- SD: 14.6 +/- 11.7) and 38 to 120 cm/s in thyrotoxic nodules (mean +/- SD: 78.4 +/- 23). The statistical analysis of the results showed a highly significant difference between the two groups of velocities. Peak velocities as recorded in the main, vessels of the parathyroid glands with color and pulsed Doppler were correlated with the activity of the parathyroid glands.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Role of echo-color Doppler in the diagnosis of breast diseases. Personal experience]. / Ruolo dell'eco-color-Doppler nella diagnostica della mammella. Esperienza personale.

The role of color-Doppler US was investigated in the diagnosis of solid focal breast lesions. The results obtained with this method over the last two years were reviewed. Seventy-two patients with solid breast lesions were considered: conventional US scans of the nodules were performed first and color-Doppler scans followed, to depict vascularization. In benign focal lesions color-Doppler US never demonstrated more than a single vascular pole afferent to the lesion. In 92.5% of histologically malignant lesions, color-Doppler US easily demonstrated two or more feeding vessels. The analysis of our series confirmed the presence of a typical vascular pattern related to breast carcinoma which is easy to depict by means of color-Doppler US: this new technique is therefore of great value in the differentiation of benign from malignant breast masses, especially in the cases where conventional US and mammography alone failed to yield unquestionable and final results.

[Color-Doppler in the study of male sexual impotence]. / Il color-Doppler nello studio dell'impotenza sessuale maschile.

The authors report their experience with color-Doppler US in the study of 54 male patients with sexual impotence. The examination includes two distinct phases; in between, the erection-inducing drugs is injected directly in the cavernous bodies. During the basal phase, B-mode information relative to both morphology and structure of cavernous bodies is collected. After injecting the drug, systolic and end-diastolic velocities are evaluated as flowmetric indices, together with the resistive index; these variables are derived from cavernous arteries, at scheduled time--i.e., 5, 10 and 20 minutes after the injection. Moreover, the examined patients were divided into 4 groups according to their clinical response to the pharmacologic test. Color-Doppler US proved to be quite sensitive in the identification of the patients with a vascular alteration, both venous and arterial, underlying their erectile dysfunction; as a matter of fact, venous flights are easily depicted with the use of colors. The authors believe that color-Doppler could eventually become a major exam in the diagnosis of sexually impotent patients, thus allowing the marked reduction of such invasive diagnostic techniques as selective angiography of internal pudendum arteries and dynamic cavernosography, which are poorly tolerated by the patients.

Risk factors for varicose disease before and during pregnancy.

Risk factors for varicose disease before and during pregnancy have been analyzed by use of data from a survey on venous disease in pregnancy conducted in 611 women (mean age thirty years, range fifteen to forty-seven) who consecutively delivered at the Obstetric-Gynecologic Clinic "L. Mangiagalli" of Milan between January and April, 1989. In total, 137 women (22%) reported varicose disease before the index pregnancy. The relative risk (RR) of varicose disease before the index pregnancy increased with age, being, as compared with women aged twenty-nine years or less, 1.6 in those aged thirty to thirty-four and 4.1 in those aged thirty-five years or more (chi 2(1) trend 25.28, p < 0.001). Compared with nulliparae, women reporting a full-term pregnancy before the index pregnancy had an RR of venous disease of 1.2, and the risk increased to 3.8 in women reporting two or more births (chi 2(1) trend 25.28, p < 0.001). A family history of varicose disease was associated with an RR of venous disease of 6.2 (95% confidence interval, CI, from 4.1 to 9.6). No relationship emerged between varicose disease and overweight. Of the 474 women who did not report venous disease before the index pregnancy, 132 (28%) developed venous disease during the index pregnancy. The risk of developing venous disease in pregnancy increased with age, being, as compared with women aged twenty-four years or less, 4.0 in those aged thirty-five years or more, and the trend in risk was statistically significant (chi 2(1) trend 16.25, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Ultrasound-color Doppler in the study of sexual impotence]. / L'eco-color Doppler nello studio dell'impotenza sessuale.

Male impotence is a relatively frequency disease. To define the correct aetiology of this disorder is important to plan a right diagnosis to difference organic, psychological and psycho-organic causes. From June 90 to June 91 fifty-four patients with male impotence of different degree were observed and went through diagnostic investigations. The patients were classified in four groups (A, B, C, D) as clinical results of the pharmacological test (intracavernous injection of PGE1 alpha 15 micrograms). A and B groups showed normal and nearly normal hemogenic finding. C group showed either low arterial flow increase after FIC or venous leakage. D group showed very low haemodynamic increase. The analysis of Eco-doppler studies was performed 5'-10'-20' after intracavernous injection of PGE1 alpha obtaining three haemodynamic markers: the systolic top flow (Vs) the diastolic ending flow (Vd) resistance flow index. The Authors discuss the results obtained considering the Eco-color-doppler the most important stage in the haemodynamic evaluation of sexual impotence.

[A new inclusion complex of silibinin and beta-cyclodextrins: in vitro dissolution kinetics and in vivo absorption in comparison with traditional formulations]. / Nuovo complesso di inclusione tra la silibina e la beta-ciclodestrina: velocità di dissoluzione in vitro e assorbimento in vivo in confronto a formulazioni tradizionali.

The very low bioavailability of silybinin, the main constituent of silymarin, so far prevented the development of an oral pharmaceutical specialty based on this active ingredient. To overcome this difficulty, an inclusion complex between Silybinin and beta-Cyclodextrin was prepared. The new complex was compared in vitro tests (dissolution rate) and in a in vivo test (rat bile elimination) with silybinin, silymarin and one traditional formulation based on silybinin. The results show a dramatic increase in the dissolution rate of the complex (> 90% within 5 min) respect to the silybinin that confirm to be practically insoluble (< 5%). The in vivo results agree with the dissolution rates; after administration of the silybinin complex p.o., the silybinin concentration in the rat bile was near 20 times more than after administration of silybinin as is or in a traditional formulation. In the last two cases, the silybinin concentration was even 6 times less than after administration of the same amount of silymarin. These data show that the beta-CD complex solved the problem of the bioavailability of silybinin which, in the traditional formulation utilised as reference, proved to be not bioavailable.

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of 2,3-dialkylindoles, "in vitro" inhibitors of thrombin-induced platelet aggregation.

A series of 2,3-dialkylindoles (1-5) have been prepared and tested as antithrombotic agents. The whole class showed in vitro interesting activity in the inhibition of thrombin-induced aggregation. Among these compounds some ones showed activity comparable to standards also in the inhibition of collagen-induced aggregation. Owing to a very fast metabolic degradation through a beta-oxidative mechanism, a drastic decrease of activity in several tests ex vivo or in vivo was observed.

[Epidemiological analysis of the incidence of varicose pathology in pregnancy]. / Analisi epidemiologica sull'incidenza della patologia varicosa in gravidanza.

One thousand and fourteen women who were delivered in the Obst. Gynec. Clinic "L. Mangiagalli" were investigated to evaluate the real incidence of varicose disease, its correlation with some factors and the development of complication. The observation period was comprised between the 1st and the 4th day of puerperium in which women were investigated by obstetricians through a detailed questionnaire and underwent an angiological visit. The mean age of the puerperae was 29.6 years (range 15-47 yrs); 587 women were primiparas (57.9%). The prevalence of varicose disease's different aspects resulted 57.9%, while the incidence related to pregnancy was 26.1%. The prevalence and the incidence resulted to be respectively 26.8% and 14.4% for varicosities, 5.6% and 3.1% for saphenous varicosis. Complications were observed in 10 patients (0.99%). 45.3% of patients reported family positivity for varicose disease; this group has shown a statistically significant difference (p less than 0.01) for the onset of different aspects of varicose syndrome.

[Portal hypertension of hepatic origin. A qualitative assessment by color and echo Doppler US]. / L'ipertensione portale di origine epatica. Valutazione qualitativa mediante color ed eco-Doppler.

One hundred and twenty-eight subjects were studied: 103 of them were affected with portal hypertension diagnosed both radiologically and clinically. Twenty-five healthy subjects were studied, as a control group, by means of combined real-time US and color Doppler. US parameters were evaluated, specific to chronic hepatopathy, together with the Doppler qualitative parameters relative to splanchnic vessels hemodynamics. Our results allowed a sort of noninvasive angiogram of the portal system to be obtained, which is to be of use for diagnosing portal hypertension, and for assessing its causes, risks, and consequences. This study was also aimed at suggesting an examination protocol for portal hypertension, employing real-time and color Doppler US, which any radiologist with enough experience in abdominal US could use. Color Doppler, although not strictly necessary to obtain good results, dramatically shortens execution times. Moreover, color Doppler allows the method to be more quickly learned.

[Color Doppler in the echographic evaluation of breast nodules]. / Il contributo del Color Doppler nella valutazione ecografica dei noduli mammari.

The authors report on their experience with color Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of solid breast masses. Twenty-two patients were examined; breast masses were studied with B-mode US first, and then with color Doppler US to evaluate eventual tumor vascularization. Color Doppler US demonstrated only one vascular pole in histologically confirmed benign masses. On the contrary, in 92.8% of histologically confirmed malignant masses, color Doppler easily depicted 2 or more groups of nutritional arteries. Color Doppler makes the diagnosis of malignant masses easier, thus allowing, in the author's opinion, a reduction in the number of biopsies of solid breast masses clinically/mammographically detected. The use of color Doppler US is therefore suggested: the technique is noninvasive, fast, and easy and its widespread use would translate into advantages for both the patient and the clinician.