Impact of Ramadan fasting on vision and headache-related quality of life in women with idiopathic intracranial hypertension: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Ramadan fasting is an obligatory religious practice for Muslims. However, research data on the effect of Ramadan on idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) symptoms are lacking. This study aimed to study the effect of Ramadan fasting on the severity of headache and visual symptoms and related quality-of-life activities. METHODS: This prospective cohort study targeted females diagnosed with IIH (n = 102) who were eligible to fast for Ramadan in 2023. The patients were recruited from the Neurology Clinic in Beni-Suef University Hospital, Egypt. Body mass index (BMI), monthly headache days and intensity of headache attacks, six-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), and the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) scores during Ramadan were compared to those during the (non-fasting) month of Shaaban, the preceding month to Ramadan. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the BMI of patients with IIH in Ramadan compared to the (non-fasting) month of Shaaban, at a median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 30.5 (26.6-35.8) kg/m2 and 30.1 (26.6-35.2) kg/m2, respectively (p = 0.002). The median (IQR) value of monthly headache days was significantly increased during Ramadan in comparison to the (non-fasting) month of Shaaban, at 20 (11.5-30) vs. 15 (10-25) (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant worsening in the visual analog scale (VAS) scores (median [IQR] 7 [5-8] vs. 6.5 [5-8]), HIT-6 scores (median [IQR] 61 [58-67] vs. 59 [53-61.5]), and NEI-VFQ-25 total scores (median [IQR] 1312.5 [1238.8-1435] vs 1290 [1165-1417.5]) during Ramadan in comparison to the (non-fasting) month of Shaaban (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). The change in BMI in Ramadan was positively correlated with the change in monthly headache days (r = 0.24, p = 0.014), VAS (r = 0.20, p = 0.043), HIT-6 (r = 0.25, p = 0.010) and NEI-VFQ-25 scores (r = 0.24, p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Ramadan fasting had an aggravating effect on headache, visual symptoms, and related quality-of-life activities, which might be attributed to weight gain during this month. Whether proper nutritional management to prevent weight gain during Ramadan may help mitigate this worsening effect is a mission of future studies.

The potential impact of nutritional intake on symptoms severity in patients with comorbid migraine and irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Specific dietary recommendations for migraine patients with comorbid irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are lacking. This work aimed to study the severity scores of such two common pain-related disorders in relation to various macronutrients and micronutrients intake. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with concomitant migraine and IBS. The frequency and intensity of migraine attacks and the severity of IBS were evaluated. Data on dietary intake were collected using food frequency questionnaires and 24-hour dietary recall. RESULTS: One-hundred patients with a median age of 36 years participated. The severity scores for migraine and IBS were positively correlated with fat and copper and negatively correlated with fiber and zinc intake. Copper intake was an independent predictor of the severity of both migraine and IBS (P 0.033, < 0.001). Patients with episodic migraine (n = 69) had a significantly higher frequency of cooked, fresh vegetables, and wheat bran bread intake (P 0.009, 0.004, 0.021) and lower frequency of hydrogenated oils intake (P 0.046), in comparison to patients with chronic migraine (n = 31). Patients with moderate intensity of migraine (n = 37) had a significantly higher frequency of herbal drinks intake (P 0.014) than patients with a severe intensity of migraine (n = 63). Patients with mild (n = 13) and moderate IBS (n = 41) had a significantly higher frequency of wheat bran bread and sen bread intake (P 0.003, 0.022) than patients with severe IBS (n = 46). CONCLUSION: Patients with comorbid migraine and IBS are advised to adhere to a diet low in fat and copper and rich in fiber and zinc.

Predictors and effectiveness of different biopsy techniques in spotting invasion in the clinically diagnosed breast ductal carcinoma in situ / Factores predictivos y efectividad de diferentes técnicas de biopsia en la detección de focos infiltrantes en carcinomas in situ diagnosticados clínicamente

Objectives: To study the management of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and detect the predictors of recurrence and of missing an invasive component in the preoperative biopsy, aiming at guiding tailored treatment of these cases.Materials and methods: A total of 123 cases of DCIS, pure/with invasion, were retrieved from the database of a tertiary cancer hospital in the period from February 2007 to February 2018. Clinical, radiologic & pathologic characteristics and its impact on the surgical management were analyzed.Results: The mean age of the patients was 50.5±12.4 years. The commonest presentation was a palpable mass in 82.9% of the cases. Conservative breast surgery was successfully performed in 15 cases and mastectomy in 108 cases. Recurrence was reported in 11 cases. The underestimation rate in core needle biopsy was 48.9% missing invasive component within diagnosed malignant lesions and 19.6% missing the diagnosis of malignancy. On the other hand, overtreatment was noted as regard surgical procedure and adjuvant therapies.Conclusions: Mastectomy still the most common surgical treatment of DCIS and unfortunately sentinel lymph node biopsy is still underused. Underestimation of invasive component can occur in at least 1/4 of the patients, complexing the treatment plan. Overtreatment with axillary surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy needs governance. (AU)

Objetivos: Estudiar el manejo de pacientes con carcinoma ductal in situ (CDIS) y detectar los predictores de recaída y de ausencia de un componente invasivo en la biopsia preoperatoria, con el objetivo de orientar el tratamiento a medida de estos casos.Materiales y métodos: Se recuperó un total de 123 casos de CDIS, puro/con invasión de la base de datos de un hospital de cáncer terciario en el período de febrero de 2007 a febrero de 2018. Se analizaron las características clínicas, radiológicas y patológicas, así como su impacto en el manejo quirúrgico.Resultados: La edad media fue de 50,5 ± 12,4 años. La presentación más común fue masa palpable en el 82,9% de los casos. Se realizó cirugía de mama conservadora con éxito en 15 casos y mastectomía en 108 casos. Se informó de recaída en 11 casos. La tasa de subestimación en la biopsia con aguja fue de 48,9% sin componente invasivo en lesiones malignas diagnosticadas y 19,6% sin diagnóstico de malignidad. Por otra parte, se observó un exceso de tratamiento con relación al procedimiento quirúrgico y las terapias adyuvantes.Conclusiones: La mastectomía sigue siendo el tratamiento quirúrgico más común del CDIS y desafortunadamente no se utiliza aún la biopsia de ganglio linfático centinela. La subestimación del componente invasivo puede ocurrir en al menos el 25% de los pacientes, complejizando el plan de tratamiento. Debe gestionarse el sobretratamiento con cirugía axilar, quimioterapia o radioterapia. (AU)

Interlobar Pulmonary Hamartoma With an Unusual Neighboring Lesion: A Case Report.

Pulmonary hamartomas are benign lung tumors. They are uncommon and represent a small percentage of all solitary lung lesions. Hamartomas are composed of an abnormal mixture of epithelial and mesenchymal elements. They are usually discovered incidentally as patients are asymptomatic in most cases. On the other hand, sclerosing pneumocytomas are rarely discovered and are one of the most uncommon benign lung tumors. Herein, we present the case of a 37-year-old female who presented with hemoptysis. A computed tomography scan of her thorax revealed a right-sided round lesion in the interlobar fissure with no additional findings. Surgical excision was performed, which demonstrated an uncommon and unique finding of a pulmonary hamartoma coexisting with a sclerosing pneumocytoma found on exploration. This highlights the importance of exploration during surgical procedures in order identify missed lesions on imaging.