High-functioning autism patients share similar but more severe impairments in verbal theory of mind than schizophrenia patients.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that autism and schizophrenia share similarities in genetic, neuropsychological and behavioural aspects. Although both disorders are associated with theory of mind (ToM) impairments, a few studies have directly compared ToM between autism patients and schizophrenia patients. This study aimed to investigate to what extent high-functioning autism patients and schizophrenia patients share and differ in ToM performance. METHODS: Thirty high-functioning autism patients, 30 schizophrenia patients and 30 healthy individuals were recruited. Participants were matched in age, gender and estimated intelligence quotient. The verbal-based Faux Pas Task and the visual-based Yoni Task were utilised to examine first- and higher-order, affective and cognitive ToM. The task/item difficulty of two paradigms was examined using mixed model analyses of variance (ANOVAs). Multiple ANOVAs and mixed model ANOVAs were used to examine group differences in ToM. RESULTS: The Faux Pas Task was more difficult than the Yoni Task. High-functioning autism patients showed more severely impaired verbal-based ToM in the Faux Pas Task, but shared similar visual-based ToM impairments in the Yoni Task with schizophrenia patients. CONCLUSIONS: The findings that individuals with high-functioning autism shared similar but more severe impairments in verbal ToM than individuals with schizophrenia support the autism-schizophrenia continuum. The finding that verbal-based but not visual-based ToM was more impaired in high-functioning autism patients than schizophrenia patients could be attributable to the varied task/item difficulty between the two paradigms.

Clinical management of sepsis.

Sepsis is a common cause of hospital admission worldwide and contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. The definition of sepsis has evolved from the 1991 American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine definition based on the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, to the 2016 Sepsis-3 definition that incorporates the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. The landmark trial on protocolised early goal-directed therapy was published in 2001, but three subsequent multicentre randomised controlled trials (ProCESS, ARISE, and ProMISe) in 2014-2015 did not confirm a survival benefit with protocolised care. Over the years, there has been considerable improvement in sepsis outcome and management that hinges on early detection; timely source control; prompt, appropriate, and correctly dosed antibiotics; aggressive fluid resuscitation; and shock reversal. These are all directed by repeated bedside assessment. This article summarises recent developments and landmark trials that should guide current sepsis management.

Intensive care unit family satisfaction survey.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the level of family satisfaction in a local intensive care unit and its performance in comparison with international standards, and to determine the factors independently associated with higher family satisfaction. DESIGN: Questionnaire survey. SETTING: A medical-surgical adult intensive care unit in a regional hospital in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: Adult family members of patients admitted to the intensive care unit for 48 hours or more between 15 June 2012 and 31 January 2014, and who had visited the patient at least once during their stay. RESULTS: Of the 961 eligible families, 736 questionnaires were returned (response rate, 76.6%). The mean (± standard deviation) total satisfaction score, and subscores on satisfaction with overall intensive care unit care and with decision-making were 78.1 ± 14.3, 78.0 ± 16.8, and 78.6 ± 13.6, respectively. When compared with a Canadian multicentre database with respective mean scores of 82.9 ± 14.8, 83.5 ± 15.4, and 82.6 ± 16.0 (P<0.001), there was still room for improvement. Independent factors associated with complete satisfaction with overall care were concern for patients and families, agitation management, frequency of communication by nurses, physician skill and competence, and the intensive care unit environment. A performance-importance plot identified the intensive care unit environment and agitation management as factors that required more urgent attention. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first intensive care unit family satisfaction survey published in Hong Kong. Although comparable with published data from other parts of the world, the results indicate room for improvement when compared with a Canadian multicentre database. Future directions should focus on improving the intensive care unit environment, agitation management, and communication with families.

Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is the commonest, yet mostly preventable, infection in mechanically ventilated patients. Successful control of ventilator-associated pneumonia can save hospitalisation cost, and is possible by using a multidisciplinary clinical and administrative approach. The ventilator-associated pneumonia rate should be expressed as the number of ventilator-associated pneumonia days per 1000 ventilator days to take into account the device-utilisation duration for meaningful comparison. Various strategies address the issue, including general infection control measures, body positioning, intubation and mechanical ventilation, oral and gastro-intestinal tract, endotracheal tube, airway pressure, cuff pressure, selective digestive and/or oropharyngeal decontamination, and probiotic or early antibiotic treatment, as well as overall administration at a policy level. The rationale and controversy of these approaches are discussed in this article. The authors suggest that all units treating mechanically ventilated patients should have a ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention protocol in place, and ventilator-associated pneumonia should be seriously considered as a key performance indicator in local intensive care units.

Characteristics of patients readmitted to intensive care unit: a nested case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the pattern of unplanned readmissions to the intensive care unit and identify patients at risk of readmission. DESIGN: Nested case-referent study. SETTING: Tertiary hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS: A total of 146 patients with unplanned intensive care unit readmission were compared with 292 control patients who were discharged from the intensive care unit alive and never readmitted. Cases and controls were matched for age, gender, and disease severity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient demographics, initial and pre-discharge clinical parameters, reasons for readmission, and outcomes were studied. RESULTS: During the 30-month study period, the readmission rate was 5.1%. Readmitted patients had significantly higher mortality and longer mean hospital lengths of stay (both P<0.001). Most patients in this cohort (36.3%) were readmitted for a respiratory cause. Based on classification tree analysis, postoperative patients with sepsis (adjusted P=0.043), non-operative septic patients with fluid gain 24 hours pre-discharge (adjusted P=0.013), and non-septic patients with increased sputum quantity on discharge (adjusted P=0.006) were significantly associated with intensive care unit readmission. CONCLUSION: Incomplete resolution of respiratory conditions remained an important reason for potentially preventable intensive care unit readmission. Attention to fluid balance and sputum quantity before intensive care unit discharge might prevent unplanned intensive care unit readmission.

Benchtop study of leakages across the Portex, TaperGuard, and Microcuff endotracheal tubes under simulated clinical conditions.

OBJECTIVES. To compare three endotracheal tubes for leakage across the cuff (microaspiration) under a comprehensive set of simulated clinical situations. These were the Mallinckrodt TaperGuard (Covidien, US) with a tapered polyvinyl chloride cuff; the KimVent Microcuff (Kimberly-Clark Health Care, US) with a cylindrical polyurethane cuff; and a conventional Portex (Smiths Medical International Ltd, UK) with a globular polyvinyl chloride cuff. DESIGN. A benchtop experimental study. SETTING AND MATERIALS. A silicone cylinder serving as the model trachea was intubated with each of the three endotracheal tubes, one at a time. A total of 20 mL of water were added above the cuff and leakage measured every minute for 20 minutes under five simulated mechanical ventilation scenarios, including different positive end-expiratory pressure levels, and disconnection with and without spontaneous breathing efforts. Each scenario was studied under three cuff pressures of 10, 20 and 30 cm H2O, and then repeated with the application of a continuous suction force of 200 cm H2O, and leakage measured every minute for 3 minutes. RESULTS. The outcome of interest was the cumulative amount of leakage. The Microcuff endotracheal tubes with an ultrathin polyurethane cuff consistently provided the best protection against microaspiration under all simulated clinical situations, followed by TaperGuard with a tapered cuff, and lastly Portex with a globular polyvinyl chloride cuff. Clinical scenarios associated with the greatest leakage were mechanical ventilation with zero positive end-expiratory pressure, circuit disconnection with spontaneous breathing efforts, application of suction, and a low cuff pressure. CONCLUSIONS. Microcuff endotracheal tubes outperformed TaperGuard and Portex endotracheal tubes in preventing microaspiration, which is one of the major mechanisms for ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Reduced expression of bone morphogenetic protein receptor IA in pancreatic cancer is associated with a poor prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The expression of SMAD4, the central component of the transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling pathways, is lost in 50% of pancreatic cancers and is associated with a poor survival. Although the TGF-ß pathway has been extensively studied and characterised in pancreatic cancer, there is very limited data on BMP signalling, a well-known tumour-suppressor pathway. BMP signalling can be lost not only at the level of SMAD4 but also at the level of BMP receptors (BMPRs), as has been described in colorectal cancer. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical analysis of the expression levels of BMP signalling components in pancreatic cancer and correlated these with survival. We also manipulated the activity of BMP signalling in vitro. RESULTS: Reduced expression of BMPRIA is associated with a significantly worse survival, primarily in a subset of SMAD4-positive cancers. In vitro inactivation of SMAD4-dependent BMP signalling increases proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, whereas inactivation of BMP signalling in SMAD4-negative cells does not change the proliferation and invasion or leads to an opposite effect. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that BMPRIA expression is a good prognostic marker and that the BMP pathway is a potential target for future therapeutic interventions in pancreatic cancer.

Clostridium perfringens liver abscess with massive haemolysis.

Liver abscesses are commonly caused by Enterobacteriaceae and anaerobes. This report is of a patient with liver abscess with massive haemolysis and multiorgan failure caused by Clostridium perfringens. Despite the reportedly high mortality rate and poor prognostic factors, the patient eventually recovered with prompt treatment.

Increased vascular permeability precedes cellular inflammation as asthma control deteriorates.

BACKGROUND: Airway microcirculation is abnormal in asthma but the role of vascular changes in asthma deteriorations remains poorly defined. We prospectively assessed the vascular changes accompanying worsening of asthma control by using an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dose-reduction model. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate airway vascularity, vascular permeability and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in early asthma deterioration induced by ICS back-titration. METHODS: Twenty mild-to-moderate persistent symptomatic asthmatics on low-to-moderate ICS were recruited and treated with 4 weeks of high-dose fluticasone propionate (1000 microg/day) to achieve symptom control. This was followed by dose reduction to half of the pre-study doses for 4-8 weeks until the symptoms began to return. Endobronchial biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples were obtained after both treatment periods. RESULTS: Vascularity as measured by the number and size of blood vessels, as well as VEGF expression did not change following ICS reduction. Even on high-dose ICS, perivascular albumin staining and BAL microalbumin levels in asthmatic subjects, as markers of permeability, were elevated when compared with normal subjects and both further increased significantly after ICS reduction. There was a significant association between changes in vascular leakiness and clinical deterioration. Increases in airway albumin correlated with previously reported increases in airway wall infiltration with T lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that airway vascular leakage is a major pathophysiologic feature of early asthma deterioration, occurring before recrudescence of cellular inflammation.

Multipathway risk assessment on disinfection by-products of drinking water in Hong Kong.

The lifetime cancer risk and the hazard index of trihalomethanes (THMs) through oral ingestion, dermal absorption, and inhalation exposure from tap water in 19 districts in Hong Kong are estimated. The most dominant THMs are chloroform and bromodichloromethane (BDCM) in Hong Kong tap water. Among the three different pathways, residents have a higher risk of cancer through oral ingestion than through the other two pathways. The lifetime cancer risks through oral ingestion and dermal absorption for BDCM make the highest percentage contribution (59%) to total risks, followed by chloroform (24%). The chloroform and BDCM are at or above the negligible risk level of 10(-6) by a factor of 10 or more in most districts. Among the 19 districts, people living in Sai Kung have the highest risk of cancer due to the THM exposure through the multipathways, mainly because of the exposure to BDCM and dibromochloromethane (DBCM). The total cancer risk analysis indicates that each year approximately 10 out of the seven million Hong Kong residents could get cancer from the daily intake of water.

Bilateral submandibular gland infection presenting as Ludwig's angina: first report of a case.

We diagnosed and treated a case of Ludwig's angina in a 45-year-old man who had edema of the floor of mouth and the tongue along with bilateral submandibular sialadenitis and sialolithiasis. We secured the patient's airway via nasal fiberoptic intubation in the surgical intensive care unit and administered intravenous antibiotics. The edema subsided, and the patient was extubated on the third postoperative day and discharged shortly thereafter. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient with bilateral submandibular sialadenitis and sialolithiasis presenting as Ludwig's angina. Despite the decreasing incidence of this disease, Ludwig's angina remains an important disease process because a failure to control the airway can have disastrous consequences. Proper diagnosis, airway control, antibiotic therapy, and occasionally surgical management are essential to ensure the safety of the patient.

Sliding genioplasty for correction of chin abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: Correction of chin underprojection has a significant effect on facial symmetry. Alloplastic chin implants and sliding genioplasty represent the accepted methods of chin augmentation. While both procedures may be used for retrognathia or microgenia, the sliding genioplasty may also be used in chin asymmetry, prognathia, and vertical height discrepancies. We report our finding from a 5-year review of our experience with sliding genioplasty. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the results of sliding genioplasties performed by residents and private practitioners, to illustrate the versatility and ease of this procedure, and to confirm the excellent clinical results obtained with minimal complications. DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: University center and private practice. PATIENTS: Forty-three patients, aged 16 to 52 years (mean age, 21 years), underwent sliding genioplasty alone (8 patients) or with concomitant orthognathic surgery (35 patients). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient satisfaction, physician satisfaction, chin movement, bone resorption, and other complications. RESULTS: Mean value of chin advancement was 8 mm in cases of isolated sliding genioplasty and 4 mm when performed with orthognathic surgery. Average setback for prognathic correction (6 patients) was 2 mm. Less than 0.5 mm of bone resorption was encountered. Temporary unilateral mental nerve paresthesia was noted in 1 patient. Thermal injury to the lower lip occurred in 1 patient. Thirty-seven of 43 patients were extremely satisfied with their cosmetic result; 5 patients were very satisfied; and 1 patient was dissatisfied because of the resultant occlusion. Physician satisfaction correlated closely with that of the patients. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 5 years, with an average follow-up of 2.3 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate excellent esthetic results with minimal complications. Unlike alloplastic chin implants, sliding genioplasty allows correction of many chin abnormalities, including underprojection, overprojection, chin asymmetries, and/or vertical-height abnormalities. This underused technique is simple and effective and should be included in the options of the facial plastic surgeon.

Cranioplasty in acoustic neuroma surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the incidence of postoperative headaches after retrosigmoid resections of acoustic neuromas and to evaluate the impact of cranioplasty on the prevention and management of these headaches. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective evaluation was performed on 30 consecutive patients who underwent a cranioplasty after retrosigmoid excision of their acoustic neuroma. The results were compared with 30 historical control patients who underwent the same procedure but did not have reconstruction with a cranioplasty. The patients were evaluated by review of office records and via telephone questionnaire. METHODS: One group of patients (30 patients) had no cranioplasty, and the other group of 30 patients had primary reconstruction with a titanium mesh-acrylic cranioplasty. All 60 patients were asked to report on the duration and severity of their headaches by means of a standard questionnaire, grading their symptoms on a scale of 1 to 4. The data were subjected to chi2 and Student t test statistical analyses. RESULTS: New-onset, postoperative headaches occurred in 27% of patients, 23% in the cranioplasty group compared with 30% in the group without cranioplasty (a difference that was not statistically significant [P = .158]). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the severity of the headaches (P<.03). The headaches in the cranioplasty group were less severe and were not disabling. There were no complications, infections, or extrusions related to the cranioplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Cranioplasty has not been able to eliminate postoperative headaches. However, the use of cranioplasty has significantly decreased the severity of postoperative headaches after retrosigmoid excision of acoustic neuromas.

Transforming growth factor-alpha and rhinitis.

OBJECTIVES: Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) has been implicated in diverse physiologic and pathophysiologic functions including immunological, inflammatory, and neoplastic processes. TGF-alpha has been localized in the hyperproliferative, inflammatory environment of chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, and asthmatic airways. TGF-beta1, which must be present with TGF-alpha to transform fibroblasts, has been found in rhinitic mucosa and in asthma in prior studies. The authors sought to identify whether TGF-alpha also played a role in the inflammatory cascade and fibrosis of rhinitis. STUDY DESIGN: A nonrandomized, prospective study was carried out in which samples of inferior turbinate and nasal polyps from rhinitic and nonrhinitic patients were subjected to immunohistochemistry and Western blotting to determine the presence of TGF-alpha. METHODS: Twenty-seven subjects undergoing surgery for rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea, nasal fracture, and rhinoplasty were recruited for this study, the latter three groups acting as controls. Immunohistochemical and Western blotting techniques were employed to identify the presence of TGF-alpha in inferior-turbinate and nasal-polyp samples of rhinitic subjects. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the selective staining of TGF-alpha in the basement membrane and extracellular matrix, including lymphatic, vascular, and glandular structures, in most turbinate samples and the absence of staining in corresponding controls. Further, TGF-alpha was isolated to a discrete 30-kD band in both inferior turbinate and polyp tissues by Western blotting without staining in the corresponding controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that TGF-alpha may play a role in the inflammatory derangement of rhinitis.

Acute pulmonary hemorrhage following a honeybee sting: a case report.

A generalized allergic reaction to or anaphylaxis from honeybee sting may involve the skin with erythema, puritus, urticaria, or angioedema; the respiratory tract with laryngeal edema, and brochospasm; the cardiovascular system with myocardial depression, hypotension, and shock; and the gastrointestinal system with nausea, vomiting, and incontinence. Acute pulmonary hemorrhage following a honeybee sting has never been reported. We describe a previously healthy 14-year-old girl who developed acute pulmonary hemorrhage, hypotension, and generalized skin rash after a single honeybee sting on her right fourth finger. Her serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) was high (360 IU/mL). Chest X-ray revealed perihilar alveolar infiltrative lesions. Metabolic acidosis and hypoxemia were also found. After treatment with antihistamines, dopamine, corticosteroids, bronchodilaters, fluid replacement, and mechanical ventilation, her condition improved dramatically. A hypersensitivity reaction to honeybee venom is the most likely explanation for this unusual case of acute pulmonary hemorrhage.

Premenstrual asthma: report of a case with hormonal studies.

We report a 39-year-old female non-smoker who has history of asthma since the age of 29 and history of allergic rhinitis at age 13. No symptomatic characteristics of premenstrual tension were reported. Forced expiratory peak flow rate (PEFR) readings showed striking falls 24 hours before menses, with the peak flows dropping from a baseline of 350 L/min to 200 L/min. The patient received 10 mg prednisolone daily which was increased to 40 mg prednisolone in the menstrual week in an attempt to maintain a normal peak flow. Daily peak flow readings and every other day hormonal studies of progesterone and estrogen both demonstrated a positive correlation between the serum progesterone and the peak flow readings. The addition of intramuscular progesterone (75 mg daily) to the bronchodilators eliminated the premenstrual dips in peak flow, and daily doses of prednisolone were reduced to 5-10 mg. We suggest that a rapid fall in serum progesterone may play an important role in the pathogenesis of premenstrual asthma.

Immunohistochemical localization of type-II (AT2) angiotensin receptors with a polyclonal antibody against a peptide from the C-terminal tail.

A polyclonal antibody has been prepared against a synthetic peptide derived from the C-terminal tail of the cloned rat AT2 angiotensin receptor, corresponding to amino acid residue 341-351. The antibody was of high titer and displayed monospecific activity toward the synthetic peptide in the ELISA assay. Western blot analysis indicated that the antiserum recognised only a single protein band with a mean apparent molecular mass of 75.4 kDa in the rat adrenals. Immunohistochemical studies with affinity purified antibody localised immunoreactive AT2 angiotensin receptor in medulla cells of the adrenals. Immunoreactivity was also observed in pyramidal tract, but no specific immunoreactivity can be detected in regions of rat brain that are known to express AT2 angiotensin receptors, including inferior olive, locus coeruleus and cerebellum.

Acinetobacter pericarditis with tamponade in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

We describe a case of active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated with a large amount of pericardial effusion with diastolic collapse of right ventricle suggestive of tamponade. Isolates from surgical drainage of pericardial fluid showed Acinetobacter baumannii exhibiting multiple antibiotics resistance. Despite the high frequency of both pericardial involvement and of infection complications in SLE, septic pericarditis and tamponade is considered rare. Most of the reported cases of septic pericarditis in SLE were due to Staphylococcal aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii has never been reported before.

Association of ankylosing spondylitis with IgA-multiple myeloma: report of a case and pathogenetic considerations.

Multiple myeloma has rarely been reported in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. We observed a patient with a 20-year history of ankylosing spondylitis, who subsequently developed IgA myeloma. This association may not be simply coincidental. It has been proposed that the protracted stimulation of immunocytes by inflammatory lesions on the mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and biliary tracts, where lymphocytes are already committed to IgA production, may be implicated in the pathogenesis of IgA myeloma in some patients. Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease, probably resulting from the interaction of a genetic predisposition involving HLA-B27 with an environmental event such as enteric bacterial infection. We propose that ankylosing spondylitis and IgA myeloma occurring concomitantly in our patient implies a possible pathogenetic relationship. In ankylosing spondylitis, persistent reticuloendothelial stimulation, due to chronic subclinical gastrointestinal infection, may lead to IgA-producing plasma cell activation and proliferation, and subsequent IgA myeloma development.