Acta Medica Indonesiana – The Indonesian Journal of Internal Medicine
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An 18-Year-Old Man with Idiopathic Non-cirrhotic Portal Hypertension
Non-Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension (NCPH) is a rare cause of hematemesis and melena. Like in cirrhotic patient, hematemesis in NCPH patient was caused by rupture of esophageal varices. But unlike in cirrhotic patient, in NCPH there are no sign of liver failure, because liver physiology is still normal. We reported case of male patient with NCPH that had hematemesis because of rupture of esophageal varices
Clinical Comparison of Renogen, a Biosimilar Epoetin-a, with the Originator, Eprex, in Chronic Kidney Disease Anemia in Indonesia: A Preliminary Study
Background: treatment of erythropoietin (EPO) is essential in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients to maintain optimal hemoglobin (Hb) level. Renogen is a biosimilar epoetin-α, and Eprex is the originator epoetin-α. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and tolerance of Renogen with Eprex in CKD anemia. Methods: Renogen and Eprex were compared in a randomized (2:1), open-label study for 8 weeks, proceeded by 4 weeks adjustment (maintenance) phase, in anemic CKD patients undergoing HD in Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta, from June 2017 to October 2018. Results: a total of 45 patients (31 received biosimilar EPO and 14 received originator EPO) were included in the study. At baseline, mean (SD) Hb levels were 10.9 (0.74) g/dL and 10.9 (0.61) g/dL in biosimilar and originator EPO groups, respectively. At end of study (8 weeks), mean (SD) Hb levels were 10.5 (1.28) g/dL and 11.0 (1.13) g/dL in biosimilar EPO and originator EPO groups, respectively. The proportion of patients with Hb levels maintained within the target range (>10 g/dL) during 8 weeks randomization phase were 58.1% and 71.4% in biosimilar EPO and originator EPO, respectively (p=0.60; NS). There were no significant difference in epoetin dose between the 2 groups, and there was no drug-related adverse event in either group. Conclusion: Hb level at >10 g/dL could be maintained for 8 weeks of treatment with both originator and biosimilar EPO (more consistent with originator EPO and more fluctuations with biosimilar EPO), with similar epoetin dose and no drug-related adverse event
The Expressions of CD44, CD90 and Alpha Fetoprotein Biomarkers in Indonesian Patients with Advanced Liver Disease: an Observational Study
Background: increased serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels are often found in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cluster Differentiation 44 (CD44) and CD90 are stem cell biomarkers that have been assumed as the early HCC markers and associated with onset and progressivity of HCC. The study related to HCC stem cell has not been available in Indonesia. The present study aimed to evaluate the expression of cancer stem cell markers (CD44, CD90) and AFP levels in patients with advanced liver disease. Methods: an observational study was conducted in 41 patients with chronic hepatitis B and/or C infection, liver cirrhosis, and HCC at dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital. CD44 and CD90 expressions were measured with flow cytometry, and AFP serum levels with ELISA. Data on patient characteristics were evaluated using bivariate and multivariate statistical analysis (One-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney, Chi-Square, Kruskal-Wallis). Data of CD44, CD90 and AFP were analyzed using Kruskal Wallis test with a significance value of p<0.05, and diagnostic power was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Results: the subjects of our study were 16 patients with chronic hepatitis, 15 patients with liver cirrhosis, and 10 patients with HCC. There was a significant difference regarding CD44+CD90+ and AFP among those three groups (p=0.001; p=0.000) specifically in chronic hepatitis compared to liver cirrhosis (p=0.002; p=0.000) and HCC (p=0.002; p=0.000) respectively. ROC analysis showed the best diagnostic power for the combination of CD44+CD90+ and AFP (AUC=0.981; p=0.000). Conclusion: there are higher expressions of CD44+CD90+ and serum AFP levels in patients with HCC compared to the other two groups (those with chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis). The combination of both parameters has the best diagnostic power of HCC
Association of Periodontitis and Arterial Stiffness in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Background: periodontitis is a major cause of chronic infection in diabetic patients. Diabetic patients have four-fold risk of having cardiovascular disease. Chronic inflammation caused by periodontitis, a non-traditional cardiovascular risk factor is widely known to play a major role in atherogenesis. Among non-diabetics, an association has been found between periodontitis and arterial stiffness, but in diabetic patients the result is inconsistent. No study has investigated either the proportion of periodontitis or its correlation with arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes population in Indonesia. Methods: this study was a cross-sectional study involving 97 patients with type 2 diabetics, who were recruited on Endocrinology Clinic from April to August 2017. Periodontitis was measured for pocket depth, clinical attachment loss and bleeding on probing by a periodontist. Carotid-femoral PWV (Pulse Wave Velocity) was measured using SphygmoCor Xcel with cuff-based tonometry technique. Results: periodontitis was found in 99% type 2 diabetic subjects and 78% of them had severe periodontitis. There was no significant correlation found between pocket depth, clinical attachment loss and cfPWV (r=0.024, p=0.407 and r=0.011, p=0.456); whereas there was a weak positive correlation between pocket depth and PWV (r=0.294, p=0.041) in well-controlled type 2 diabetics. Conclusion: most of type-2 diabetics had severe periodontitis; however, the correlation between periodontitis and arterial stiffness could not be concluded in this study
Tadalafil Once a Day for Men with Erectile Dysfunction: Is It Superior than On-Demand Administration?
Background: Tadalafil is a PDE5I which has been licensed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) since 2003, is effective from 30 minutes after administration and its efficacy is maintained for up to 36 hours. More recently, it is also given OAD in a lower dose to allow spontaneous sexual activities. However, whether OAD administration is more effective than PRN administration in improving the EF is yet to be established. This study aimed to evaluate whether OAD administration of tadalafil leads to a better improvement of erectile function (EF) in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) compared to PRN administration. Methods: literature search of electronic database was performed through Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases. Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was then employed to assess the risk of bias in each study. Results: initial literature search resulted in 231 hits, but only four studies were included in final selection. Based on our judgements, the study by Kang et al. was the most applicable in our clinical setting. This study showed that subjects who received tadalafil OAD had statistically significant higher increases of mean IIEF-EF (6.5 (SD 4.5) vs 4.9 (SD 4.2), p=0.032), proportion of “yes” responses to SEP-2 (81.8% vs 64.7%, p=0.025), and proportion of “yes” responses to SEP-3 (77.3% vs 60.3%, p=0.034). Conclusion: administration of tadalafil OAD leads to a better improvement of EF compared to PRN administration
Low Body Mass Index as a Risk Factor for Antiretroviral Drug-Related Liver Injury Among HIV Patients
Background: antiretroviral drug-related liver injury (ARLI) is a drug-induced hepatotoxicity due to antiretroviral medication (ARV). It commonly disrupts compliance to treatment and causes treatment discontinuation in HIV-infected patients. Several studies have been conducted on predisposing factors for ARLI including studies on body mass index (BMI) and cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4). The association of BMI and CD4 with ARLI remains controversial as previous studies have demonstrated different outcomes. Our study was conducted to identify the association of low baseline BMI and CD4 cell count as risk factors for ARLI in HIV-infected patients. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study. Subjects were 75 patients with HIV-AIDS who received ARV therapy using fixed-dose combination (tenofovir, lamivudine, efavirenz) at the Teratai HIV outpatient clinic of Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung city. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test was performed prior to starting ARV treatment and the test was repeated on the sixth month of therapy. Results: there was no significant difference on the proportion of low baseline CD4 count between ARLI and non-ARLI group (p=0.155). Bivariate analysis demonstrated that regarding the proportion of low baseline BMI, there was a significant difference between ARLI and non-ARLI group (p= 0.001). Multivariate analysis using logistic regression showed that BMI of < 18.5 kg/m2 increased the risk for developing ARLI by 5.53 fold; while CD4 cell count of < 200 cells/µL did not the risk. Conclusion: our study indicates that low baseline BMI may increase the risk for developing ARLI; while low baseline CD4 cell count does not; therefore, we suggest that ALT test should be performed on a routine basis among HIV-AIDS patients for early detection of ARLI, particularly in patients with low BMI
Safety and Efficacy of NC120 for Improving Lipid Profile: A Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial
Background: the use of statin to lower blood cholesterol is often associated with bothersome adverse effects such as myopathy and liver dysfunction. NC120 is herbal lipid lowering drug containing red yeast rice (RYR) extract, guggulipid, and chromium picolinate, and expected to have better safety profile. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of NC120 in lowering blood lipid. Methods: this was a double blind randomized clinical trial comparing NC120 with placebo in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. Two capsules of NC120 or placebo were administered twice a day for 28 days. Blood total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride were measured on day-0, day-7, and day-28. Unpaired t-test was used to compare study parameter between groups, and one-way ANOVA was used to compare within group. Results: 25 subjects received NC120 and 24 subjects received placebo. Significant decrease of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were observed since day-7 in NC120 group, while the changes in placebo group were not significant at all time of observation. No significant decrease of triglyceride was observed in NC120 group and in placebo group. Side effects were minor and comparable between the two groups. Conclusion: NC120 is effective in reducing total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, but not triglyceride. This drug shows a good safety profile, and thus can be considered for patients who can not tolerate statin drugs
Insulin Resistance in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Insulin resistance is the disturbance of glucose regulation characterized by higher insulin level. In clinical context, insulin resistance can manifest as abnormalities that are related with cardiovascular event risk, known as metabolic syndrome. Several studies had reported that insulin resistance was associated with erosive esophagitis in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Hypertension Despite Dehydration in an Adolescent with Diabetic Ketoacidosis
In general, information on blood pressure changes in diabetic ketoacidosis in paediatric population is very scarce. Our aim was to report a case of severe DKA in an adolescent girl who unexpectedly had hypertension rather than hypotension.A 17-year-old girl presented in our Children’s Emergency Unit with complaints of excessive eating for 6 weeks, excessive urination for 2 weeks, fever for 1 week, vomiting for 4 days, difficulty with breathing for one day and unresponsiveness to calls for 3 hours. She had moderated to severe dehydration but no hypotension. Laboratory findings included hyperglycaemia (random blood glucose 20.8 mmo/L; 347 mg/dl), acidosis (serum bicarbonate 5 mmol/L), ketonuria 2+; glycosuria 2+, and urine specific gravity of 1.015. At admission, the blood pressure was 100/60 mmHg but progressively rose to 140-180/80-100 mmHg by the third day from admission. A significant hypertension can occur in children and adolescents admitted for severe DKA despite the presence of dehydration. Therefore, the attending physician should be aware of this possibility