Structural and metabolic differentiation between bipolar disorder with psychosis and substance-induced psychosis: An integrated MRI/PET study.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) may be characterized by the presence of psychotic symptoms and comorbid substance abuse. In this context, structural and metabolic dysfunctions have been reported in both BD with psychosis and addiction, separately. In this study, we aimed at identifying neural substrates differentiating psychotic BD, with or without substance abuse, versus substance-induced psychosis (SIP) by coupling, for the first time, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: Twenty-seven BD type I psychotic patients with (n=10) or without (n=17) substance abuse, 16 SIP patients and 54 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. 3T MRI and 18-FDG-PET scanning were acquired. RESULTS: Gray matter (GM) volume and cerebral metabolism reductions in temporal cortices were observed in all patients compared to healthy controls. Moreover, a distinct pattern of fronto-limbic alterations were found in patients with substance abuse. Specifically, BD patients with substance abuse showed volume reductions in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, insula and thalamus, whereas SIP patients in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate. Common alterations in cerebellum, parahippocampus and posterior cingulate were found in both BD with substance abuse and SIP. Finally, a unique pattern of GM volumes reduction, with concomitant increased of striatal metabolism, were observed in SIP patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to shed light on the identification of common and distinct neural markers associated with bipolar psychosis and substance abuse. Future longitudinal studies should explore the effect of single substances of abuse in patients at the first-episode of BD and substance-induced psychosis.

The simultaneous occurrence of multiple myeloma and JAK2 positive myeloproliferative neoplasms - Report on two cases.

Multiple myeloma and JAK2 positive chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms are hematologic malignancies with a completely different cellular origin. Two cases of simultaneous occurrence of multiple myeloma, one with primary myelofibrosis and another one with essential thrombocythemia are reported in this article. In such cases, an accurate diagnosis requires a molecular testing, including gene sequencing and differential diagnosis of pancytosis associated with splenic amyloidosis. In general, in such cases, of two coexisting malignant hematologic diseases, the treatment of the most aggressive one is recommended. For our two cases, it was decided to start a Velcade based therapy. The main concern was the medullar toxicity, especially when a multiple myeloma was associated with a primary myelofibrosis.

Augmentative repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the acute treatment of poor responder depressed patients: a comparison study between high and low frequency stimulation.

BACKGROUND: While the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is well established, the debate is still open in relation to bipolar depression and to a possible different effectiveness of high vs. low stimulation. The present study was aimed to assess and compare the efficacy and tolerability of different protocols of augmentative rTMS in a sample of patients with current Major Depressive Episode (MDE), poor drug response/treatment resistance and a diagnosis of MDD or bipolar disorder. METHODS: Thirty-three patients were recruited in a 4-week, blind-rater, rTMS trial and randomised to the following three groups of stimulation: (1) (n=10) right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) 1 HZ, 110% of the motor threshold (MT), 420 stimuli/day; (2) (n=10) right DLPFC, 1Hz, 110% MT, 900 stimuli/day; (3) (n=13) left DLPFC, 10Hz, 80% MT, 750 stimuli/day. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients completed the treatment, showing a significant reduction of primary outcome measures (HAM-D, MADRS and CGI-S total scores: t=8.1, P<0.001; t=8.6, P<0.001; t=4.6, P<0.001 respectively). No significant differences in terms of efficacy and tolerability were found between high vs. low frequency and between unipolar and bipolar patients. Side effects were reported by 21% of the sample. One of the 4 dropouts was caused by a hypomanic switch. CONCLUSIONS: Augmentative rTMS appeared to be effective and well tolerated for the acute treatment of unipolar and bipolar depression with features of poor drug response/treatment resistance, showing a comparable effectiveness profile between protocols of high and low frequency stimulation.

Correlations of hematological parameters with bone marrow findings in chronic lymphoproliferative disorders associated with hepatitis viruses.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B and C viruses' infections are often associated with hematological disorders in evolution, suggesting that these viruses have a tropism for peripheral blood and/or bone marrow cells. AIM: To analyze the hematological parameters and bone marrow findings in a group of patients diagnosed with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLD) and hepatitis viruses B, C, D infections, which were included in the research grant (acronym LIMFO-VIR) between December 2007 and May 2010 in the Hematology Department of the Emergency University Hospital of Bucharest. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients were diagnosed by using immunopathology according to the WHO criteria. The analyzed group included 42 patients (both sexes), with the mean age of 60,35 years. The most frequent hematologic disease was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 30/42 (71,42%), followed by chronic lymphocytic leukemia (16,66%) and Hodgkin's lymphoma (7,14%). Hepatitis viruses were distributed: 17/42 (40,47%) patients with HBV, 22/42 (52,38%) with HCV and 3/42 (7,14%) had a double/triple association of viruses. Most of the patients had an indolent type of disease - 27/42 (64,28%), whereas 15/42 (35,71%) had an aggressive one, pattern found both in the HBV and HCV infected groups. An abnormal bone marrow result was revealed in 32/42 (76,19%) patients, 19 (59,37%) of them being HCV infected. Myelodysplasia was found in 6/42(14,28%) patients, the majority being HCV infected, all having an indolent form of CLD. The antiviral therapy did not influence the hematological parameters (no significant differences were found between the groups with/without an antiviral therapy). DISCUSSIONS: Patients with hepatitis virus infections may associate neutropenia and thrombocytopenia; the mechanisms are thought to involve hypersplenism, autoimmune processes and antiviral therapy. We excluded the influence of chemotherapy, as the study was performed before the treatment. In our group, patients whether HBV or HCV infected, presented an isolated cytopenia. The abnormal bone marrow cellularity (increased or decreased) and dysplasia were found especially in the HCV group. There are studies showing no association between myelodysplasia and hepatitis viruses; others found a strong relation of these. One of the mechanisms of myelodysplasia could be a dysregulation of the immune system. Conclusions. Bone marrow/peripheral blood features correlate with the type of viral infection and HCV is more prone to develop additional hematological changes than HBV. The degree of bone marrow involvement by CLDs influences these features. We considered mandatory to perform a bone marrow analysis at the diagnosis of CLDs to stage and to establish if other bone marrow changes were present, a crucial aspect for therapy and outcome of the disease. The association between the hepatitis viruses - myelodysplasia- autoimmunity seems to have a role in the lymphoproliferative disorders etiology. ABBREVIATIONS: CLD - chronic lymphoproliferative disorders; NHL- non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, CLL- chronic lymphocytic leukemia, HL- Hodgkin's lymphoma, MDS - myelodysplastic syndrome, AML - acute myeloid leukemia.

Transcranial direct current stimulation for the outpatient treatment of poor-responder depressed patients.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a selective, painless, brain stimulation technique that allows the electric stimulation of specific cortical regions. TDCS has been recently used as investigational intervention for major depression and treatment resistant depression (TRD) with encouraging results. The present study was aimed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of tDCS in major depressives with poor response to pharmacological treatment. Twenty-three depressed patients, with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder, were treated with augmentative tDCS for 5 days, two sessions per day in a blind-rater trial. The course of depressive symptoms was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA for HAM-D and MADRS total scores. A qualitative analysis on the basis of the HAM-D response was performed as well. Both analyses were conducted at three time-points: T0 (baseline), T1 (endpoint tDCS) and T2 (end of the first week of follow-up). All patients completed the trial without relevant side-effects. A significant reduction of HAM-D and MADRS total scores was observed during the study (P<0.0001). Treatment response (endpoint HAM-D reduction ≥50%) was obtained by four patients (17.4%) at T1 and by seven patients (30.4%) at T2 and remission (endpoint HAM-D<8) by three patients (13.0%) at T1 and by four subjects (17.4%) at T2. Present findings support the efficacy and good tolerability of tDCS in the acute treatment of patients with TRD with clinical benefit being progressive and extended to the first week of follow-up. Further sham-controlled trials with longer follow-up are needed to confirm present results.

Splanchnic vein thrombosis, the onset manifestation in JAK positive Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders Neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms-(MPN) have a high risk of thrombotic complications. Portal vein thrombosis is a severe complication, which in many cases, appears at the onset of the disease; the risk factors are related to the presence of qualitatively altered thrombocytes and leucocytes, leading to their activation and appearance of leukocytes-platelet-aggregates; anomalies of portal vein endothelial cells are also implicated. The presence of JAK2V617F mutation increases the risk for splahnic thrombosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We present three patients with portal vein thrombosis and Budd Chiari syndrome, who were further diagnosed with MPN-the thrombosis was the onset event of the disease. CONCLUSION: Patients were diagnosed with thrombosis of the portal vein before being diagnosed with MPN. Splenectomy was not associated with risk of thrombosis for the two cases in which it was performed; for one case, splenectomy was a therapeutic method to resolve portal hypertension. All patients had homozygous JAK2 mutation, which is associated in recent studies with increased risk of portal, mesenteric thrombosis. The high number of platelet was difficult to control for all patients. Bone marrow biopsy and determination of JAK status are valuable investigations for patients who have splenoportal thrombosis, with no apparent identifiable cause.

The lymphocyte immunophenotypical pattern in chronic lymphocytic leukemia associated with hepatitis viral infections.

BACKGROUND: Chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLD) are frequently found in patients with hepatitis viral infections, which can lead to changes in pathogenesis. Hepatitis viruses are hepatotrope viruses, potentially lymphotrope and also potentially oncogenic (hepatocellular carcinoma) viruses. HBV and HCV are involved in autoimmune disorders and in the ethiopathogeny of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders. AIM: Detection of immunophenotype changes of malignant lymphocytes in CLD--especially CLL--associated with hepatitis viral infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bone marrow aspirate, peripheral blood samples on EDTA were available for analysis from 58 patients from a follow-up schedule of the Department of Hematology SUUB from March 2008 until June 2009. The patients were diagnosed with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders associated with hepatitis virus B/C/D infections. A group of 28 consecutive unselected patients with CLL who met the diagnostic criteria of the National Cancer Institute-Working Group (NCI NCIWG), and associated hepatitis viral infection (v-CLL) were studied for the expression of several immunophenotypical markers, in comparison to CLL patients without viral infection (control group). Immunophenotyping analysis was performed on a FACS Calibur flowcytometer with a large panel according to EGIL/WHO recommendations. The diagnosis was completed after the histological and immunochemical analysis from tumoral lesions. RESULTS: Demographics characteristics--male/female ratio 1/2, average age 64 years. Disease type: 90% B-CLD, 5% T-CLD, 5% Hodgkin's disease. The viral infections: 58.53% HCV, 34.41% HBV, 2.43% HBV+HDV, 2.43% HCV+HDV, 2.43% HBV+HCV+HDV. We found in CLL with viral coinfection (v-CLL) cases an elevated expression of B-cell markers--CD19 (Md95/92), CD20 (Md 90/39), CD79b (Md58/31), CD23 (Md67/37). Poor prognosis markers have a higher expression in v-CLL: CD38 (Md49/24), Bcl2 (Md 46/5), cyclin D19 (Md 11/0.5). No change in ZAP-70 expression was observed: Md 59.5/59.1. DISCUSSIONS: Hepatitis viruses could be involved in the pathogenesis of CLD, but as a trigger for a more aggressive outcome. Higher expression of B-cell markers CD19, CD20 in CLL with viral infection suggests a change to atypical CLL, sustained by elevated expression of known poor prognosis markers bcl-2, cyclin D1 and CD38. Lack of ZAP-70 expression could be explained by a strong correlation with a basic unmutated IgVH status, not related to the viral infection. We found a higher frequency of HCV infection in patients with CLD and especially in CLL patients, which were analyzed extensively for immunophenotypical changes. In the present study, we demonstrated that this CD5+ B cell population with clonal expansion, defining CLL patients, has a different immunophenotype, probably related to the hepatitis viral infection.

Multicystic mesothelioma--a rare case of ascites: case report.

We present the case of a 37-year-old male, admitted to our clinic with abdominal tenderness, right supraclavicular tumour, and ascites. The presence of ascites was incidentally reported 6 years before, but no other evaluation was done at that moment or during this period. Abdominal ultrasound and CT scan revealed moderate ascites, perivascular adenopathies, and multiple abdominal cystic lesions, while thoracic CT scan revealed the same lesions in mediastinum. Laboratory data were within normal limits, including the tumoral markers, and the tests for hydatid cysts. A biopsy from the right supraclavicular nodule was performed, and based on usual and immunohistochemical stains (calretinin, mesotheline, CK 5/6, CK 7, CK18 diffusely positive in mesothelial cells, and CEA -M, bcl-2 and vimentin negative), suggested the diagnosis of mesothelioma. Based on these results, the diagnosis of "multicystic mesothelioma" was made. The patient was referred for surgery.

Cellular immune response in atypical tuberculosis diagnosed by PCR in paraffin embedded material.

The aim was to evaluate the cellular immune response in atypical tuberculosis and granulomatous inflammation consistent with tuberculosis (TBC), negative histochemically for acid-fast bacilli and analysed by PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) detection in paraffin-embedded tissue. Thirty six samples of differently localized atypical tuberculous lesions and granulomatous tuberculoid lesions negative for acid fast bacilli and 4 positive cases on Ziehl-Nielsen stain were analysed by PCR for MT detection and were tested immunohistochemically (IHC) for the cellular immune response in the granulomas and perigranulomatous tissue. The samples selected were: 7 pulmonary and 33 extrapulmonary specimens, especially lymph nodes. Histologically, the atypical tuberculous lesions contained supurative necrosis, defective granulomas and cellular polymorphism. The epithelioid cells showed frequent mitoses. The immunoprofile of cells was polymorphous. L26 positive small lymphocytes were found in nodular lymphoid aggregates surrounding granulomas. A significantly increased number of positive UCHL1 cells were found in 33 out of the 40 analysed cases, with a larger percentage of CD4 positive T cells (81.8% of cases). CD44 was positive in multinucleated giant cells (17.5% of cases), epithelioid cells (60% of cases) and lymphocytes (30% of cases). CD68 was localized in multinucleated giant cells and epithelioid cells, in a 4%, respectively 62.5% of cases. The PCR was performed in all 40 cases; the tissue samples were heterogeneous (lung, lymph nodes, lever, nasopharynx, etc.) and needed a good quality extraction of DNA. Performing a control PCR for Beta Globin tested the extraction; a good result was obtained in 31 cases (77.5%); from these, 19 cases had amplification for IS 6110. The cellular immune response in the atypical tuberculous lesions was similar in cases with and without acid-fast bacilli, but positive for PCR. In the most cases with negative PCR reaction, it was due to a deficient fixation of the material. The T lymphocytes were numerous in all types of tuberculous granulomas, with the prominence of CD4 positive subtype. The immunoprofile of the epithelioid cells, positive for CD44 and CD68, presenting frequently mitoses suggests an activate state in a possible relationship to the T-cell-mediated immune response in tuberculosis.