[The 495th case: young female-hyperandrogenemia-severe insulin resistance].

A 22-year-old female has complained of hirsutism, acanthosis nigricans, enlarged clitoris, and menstrual disorders since puberty. Laboratory examinations revealed hyperandrogenemia. Severe insulin resistance and diabetes were found during hospitalization in our hospital. She was diagnosed with type A insulin resistance syndrome finally. After treatment with metformin, the acanthosis nigricans was significantly relieved, blood glucose was controlled satisfactorily, and the menstrual cycle was restored.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the United States, 2011-2016: patient characteristics and risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and describe MDR-TB according to three characteristics: previous TB disease, recent transmission of MDR-TB, and reactivation of latent MDR-TB infection.SETTING and DESIGN: We used 2011-2016 surveillance data from the US National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and National Tuberculosis Genotyping Service and used logistic regression models to estimate risk factors associated with MDR-TB.RESULTS: A total of 615/45 209 (1.4%) cases were confirmed as MDR-TB; 111/615 (18%) reported previous TB disease; 41/615 (6.7%) were attributed to recent MDR-TB transmission; and 449/615 (73%) to reactivation. Only 12/41 (29%) patients with TB attributed to recent transmission were known to be contacts of someone with MDR-TB. For non-US-born patients, the adjusted odds ratios of having MDR-TB were 32.6 (95%CI 14.6-72.6) among those who were known to be contacts of someone with MDR-TB and 6.5 (95%CI 5.1-8.3) among those who had had previous TB disease.CONCLUSION: The majority of MDR-TB cases in the United States were associated with previous TB disease or reactivation of latent MDR-TB infection; only a small proportion of MDR-TB cases were associated with recent transmission.

[Laparoscopic reoperation for recurred antireflux surgery of gastroesophageal reflux disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic reoperation for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) recurred form previous anti-reflux surgery. METHODS: Totally 19 patients received laparoscopic reoperation for symptomatic and anatomic recurred GERD in Department of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Rocket Force General Hospital from January 2008 to September 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 12 male and 7 female patients. The average reoperation age was (48±14) years, the average duration of reoperation from original ones was (43±38) months. The patients underwent preoperative barium, endoscopy, manometry and 24-hour pH studies. Laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair plus fundoplication was carried out for reoperation. Gastroesophageal reflux related symptoms (reflux, heartburn, chest pain, chough, wheezing, chest tightness and globus sensation) before and after surgery were compared by a questionnaire. The patients' medication consumption, complications and satisfaction of the reoperation were investigated as well. The repeated measures analysis of variance was used for statistical comparison of data preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: No major complication and death occurred. Six cases (32%) had complications such as diarrhea, increased passing wind, flatulence, dysphagia and abdominal pain. The GERD related symptom score of reflux, heartburn, chest pain, chough, wheezing, chest tightness and globus sensation all significantly decreased (F: 25.0 to 56.7; P: 0.000 to 0.001) after the reoperation, with 68% good outcome of all the patients. After a follow-up of (33±22) months after reoperation, 1 case had partial recurrence at the 3(rd) month after reoperation. For all the patients, 12 cases felt very satisfied or satisfied with the reoperation. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic reoperation is generally effective with acceptable morbidity rates for patients with esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms recurred form previous hiatal repair and (or) fundoplication.

Estimating tuberculosis cases and their economic costs averted in the United States over the past two decades.

BACKGROUND: Following a concerted public health response to the resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States in the late 1980s, annual TB incidence decreased substantially. However, no estimates exist of the number and cost savings of TB cases averted. METHODS: TB cases averted in the United States during 1995-2014 were estimated: Scenario 1 used a static 1992 case rate; Scenario 2 applied the 1992 rate to foreign-born cases, and a pre-resurgence 5.1% annual decline to US-born cases; and a statistical model assessed human immunodeficiency virus and TB program indices. We applied the cost of illness to estimate the societal benefits (costs averted) in 2014 dollars. RESULTS: During 1992-2014, 368 184 incident TB cases were reported, and cases decreased by two thirds during that period. In the scenarios and statistical model, TB cases averted during 1995-2014 ranged from approximately 145 000 to 319 000. The societal benefits of averted TB cases ranged from US$3.1 to US$6.7 billion, excluding deaths, and from US$6.7 to US$14.5 billion, including deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Coordinated efforts in TB control and prevention in the United States yielded a remarkable number of TB cases averted and societal economic benefits. We illustrate the value of concerted action and targeted public health funding.

A rare PAX6 mutation in a Chinese family with congenital aniridia.

Aniridia is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the complete or partial loss of the iris and is almost associated with mutations in the paired box gene 6 (PAX6). We examined three generations of a Chinese family with congenital aniridia and observed genetic defects. Exons of PAX6 from 12 family members were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, sequenced, and compared with reference sequences in NCBI reference sequence database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/NG_008679.1?from=5001&to=38170&report=genbank). A rare mutation c.2T>A (M1K) in exon 4 of PAX6 was identified in all affected family members but not in unaffected family members. Our results suggest that the c.2T>A (M1K) mutation may be responsible for the pathogenesis of congenital aniridia in this family. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the M1K mutation in PAX6 in a Chinese family with this disease and the second report worldwide.

Risk factors for transmission of tuberculosis among United States-born African Americans and Whites.

SETTING: Tuberculosis (TB) patients and their contacts enrolled in nine states and the District of Columbia from 16 December 2009 to 31 March 2011. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate characteristics of TB patients that are predictive of tuberculous infection in their close contacts. DESIGN: The study population was enrolled from a list of eligible African-American and White TB patients from the TB registry at each site. Information about close contacts was abstracted from the standard reports of each site. RESULTS: Close contacts of African-American TB patients had twice the risk of infection of contacts of White patients (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 2.1, 95%CI 1.3-3.4). Close contacts of patients whose sputum was positive for acid-fast bacilli on sputum smear microscopy had 1.6 times the risk of tuberculous infection compared to contacts of smear-negative patients (95%CI 1.1-2.3). TB patients with longer (>3 months) estimated times to diagnosis did not have higher proportions of infected contacts (aRR 1.2, 95%CI 0.9-1.6). CONCLUSION: African-American race and sputum smear positivity were predictive of tuberculous infection in close contacts. This study did not support previous findings that longer estimated time to diagnosis predicted tuberculous infection in contacts.

The chondroprotective effects of ferulic acid on hydrogen peroxide-stimulated chondrocytes: inhibition of hydrogen peroxide-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and metalloproteinase gene expression at the mRNA level.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of ferulic acid (FA), an antioxidant from the Chinese herb Dong-Gui [Chinese angelica, Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels], on the regulation of various genes in hydrogen peroxide-stimulated porcine chondrocytes at the mRNA level. METHODS: The effect of FA and the effective concentration of FA on porcine chondrocytes was evaluated by the lactate dehydrogenase, WST-1, crystal violet assay, and a chemical luminescence assay. Gene expression in hydrogen peroxide-stimulated chondrocytes either pre- or post-treated with FA was evaluated by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Chondrocytes pre-treated with 40 microM FA decreased the hydrogen peroxide-induced interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and MMP-1 and partially restored SOX9 gene expression. Post-treatment with 40 microM FA also decreased the expression of MMP-1 and MMP-13. CONCLUSION: FA decreased the hydrogen peroxide-induced IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, MMP-1 and MMP-13 and increased SOX9 gene expression. These findings suggest that FA may prove to be important in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Further research is needed.

Treatment outcome of multidrug/extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in Latvia, 2000-2004.

In the present study, we characterised drug-resistance patterns, compared treatment outcome between extensively and nonextensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (non-XDR-TB) cases, and assessed risk factors for poor outcome in a high-prevalence country that screens all TB patients for first-line anti-TB drug resistance. We reviewed drug susceptibility test results among all pulmonary TB cases in Latvia diagnosed from 2000-2004, as well as demographic and clinical characteristics, drug-resistance patterns, and treatment outcomes. During the 5-yr period, 1,027 multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases initiated treatment. Among all cases, the proportion that experienced an outcome of cure or completion increased from 66.2 to 70.2% (p = 0.06 for linear trend). Among the 48 (4.7%) XDR-TB cases, 18 (38%) were cured, four (8%) died, three (6%) defaulted, and treatment failed in 23 (48%). In proportional-hazards analysis, characteristics significantly associated with poor outcome included XDR-TB, being retired, presence of bilateral cavitation, and previous MDR-TB treatment history for those aged ≥55 yrs. Overall, treatment success among all MDR-TB cases increased over time. Strategies to prevent transmission of XDR-TB and to further improve treatment outcome are crucial for the future of TB control in Latvia.