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Calcium Polystyrene Sulfonate-Induced Colitis: Advanced Characterization of Crystal Nature With Infrared Spectroscopy.
No full textClassical potassium binders are used in the treatment of hyperkalemia and are widely associated with gastrointestinal side effects, with crystal colonic injury being rare but potentially fatal. In this report, we describe the case of an 82-year-old male with hyperkalemia and calcium polystyrene sulfonate crystal-associated colonic necrosis. Traditionally, this diagnosis has relied on the examination of crystal morphology and polarization through microscopy. Our study enhances crystal identification by incorporating an analysis of the physical characteristics of the crystals using infrared spectroscopy. This is the first description, to our knowledge, of the calcium polystyrene sulfonate infrared spectrum
Fatal Superior Vena Cava Obstruction With High-Output Chylothorax in a Preterm Infant: A Complication of Central Venous Catheterization
No full textChylothorax in the perinatal period may have congenital or acquired aetiologies. In premature infants, invasive procedures with thrombosis risk are common practice. We present a case of a 29-week gestation neonate, diagnosed on the 27th postnatal day with vegetation on the tip of the central venous catheter (CVC) and right auricle thrombosis, along with superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome, leading to significant bilateral chylothorax. Despite antithrombotic therapy, extensive intramural SVC obstruction persisted. Surgical intervention was considered high risk in such a preterm infant. Lung function declined progressively, and the neonate died from cardiorespiratory failure at the age of 2 months and 26 days. A post-mortem examination revealed minimal SVC lumen obstruction, emphasizing the potential lethality of secondary complications, regardless of successful thrombolysis. This case highlights both the life-threatening risk of neonatal SVC thrombosis associated with CVC and the need to assess the causes of chylothorax for coexisting aetiologies
Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Europe.
No full textThe Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a significant public health challenge in European countries. Historically, healthcare-related procedures were the primary source of HCV infection in Europe. However, with the implementation of blood safety programs, injection drug use has become the main transmission route. The infection's distribution and genotype prevalence vary widely across the continent. Even with the availability of highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies, HCV infection is far from being controlled. A significant proportion of patients remain undiagnosed, contributing to the ongoing transmission of the virus. Additionally, several barriers hinder the widespread use of DAAs, including high treatment costs, stigma, poor linkage to care, and considerable geographical variations in prevalence and transmission routes. The World Health Organization has set ambitious targets to reduce liver-related deaths, decrease new viral hepatitis infections, and ensure that 90% of infected individuals are diagnosed by 2030. However, most European countries face challenges, highlighting the need for screening programs, funding mechanisms, and public health strategies to effectively control HCV infection in Europe
Intracranial Complications of Sinogenic and Otogenic Infections in Children: an ESPN Survey on their Occurrence in the Pre-COVID and Post-COVID Era.
No full textBackground: COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have changed the epidemiology of some pediatric neurosurgical disease: among them are the intracranial complications of sinusitis and otitis (ICSO). According to some studies on a limited number of cases, both streptococci-related sinusitis and ICSO would have increased immediately after the pandemic, although the reason is not clear yet (seasonal changes versus pandemic-related effects). The goal of the present survey of the European Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ESPN) was to collect a large number of cases from different European countries encompassing the pre-COVID (2017-2019), COVID (2020-2021), and post-COVID period (2022-June 2023) looking for possible epidemiological and/or clinical changes.
Material and methods: An English language questionnaire was sent to ESPN members about year of the event, patient's age and gender, presence of immune-deficit or other favoring risk factors, COVID infection, signs and symptoms at onset, site of primary infection, type of intracranial complication, identified germ, type and number of surgical operations, type and duration of medical treatment, clinical and radiological outcome, duration of the follow-up.
Results: Two hundred fifty-four cases were collected by 30 centers coming from 14 different European countries. There was a statistically significant difference between the post-COVID period (129 children, 86 cases/year, 50.7% of the whole series) and the COVID (40 children, 20 cases/year, 15.7%) or the pre-COVID period (85 children, 28.3 cases/year, 33.5%). Other significant differences concerned the presence of predisposing factors/concurrent diseases (higher in the pre-COVID period) and previous COVID infection (higher in the post-COVID period). No relevant differences occurred as far as demographic, microbiological, clinical, radiological, outcome, morbidity, and mortality data were concerned. Paranasal sinuses and middle ear/mastoid were the most involved primary site of infection (71% and 27%, respectively), while extradural or subdural empyema and brain abscess were the most common ICSO (73% and 17%, respectively). Surgery was required in 95% of cases (neurosurgical and ENT procedure in 71% and 62% of cases, respectively) while antibiotics in 99% of cases. After a 12.4-month follow-up, a full clinical and radiological recovery was obtained in 85% and 84% of cases, respectively. The mortality rate was 2.7%.
Conclusions: These results suggest that the occurrence of ICSO was significantly increased after the pandemic. Such an increase seems to be related to the indirect effects of the pandemic (e.g., immunity debt) rather than to a direct effect of COVID infection or to seasonal fluctuations. ICSO remain challenging diseases but the pandemic did not affect the management strategies nor their prognosis. The epidemiological change of sinusitis/otitis and ICSO should alert about the appropriate follow-up of children with sinusitis/otitis
Welcoming the New, Revisiting the Old: a Brief Glance at Cytopathology Reporting Systems for Lung, Pancreas, and Thyroid.
No full textThis review addresses new reporting systems for lung and pancreatobiliary cytopathology as well as the most recent edition of The Bethesda Reporting System for Thyroid Cytopathology. The review spans past, present, and future aspects within the context of the intricate interplay between traditional morphological assessments and cutting-edge molecular diagnostics. For lung and pancreas, the authors discuss the evolution of reporting systems, emphasizing the bridge between past directives and more recent collaborative efforts of the International Academy of Cytology and the World Health Organization in shaping universal reporting systems. The review offers a brief overview of the structure of these novel systems, highlighting their strengths and pinpointing areas that require further refinement. For thyroid, the authors primarily focus on the third edition of The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, also considering the two preceding editions. This review serves as an invaluable resource for cytopathologists, offering a panoramic view of the evolving landscape of cytopathology reporting and pointing out the integrative role of the cytopathologist in an era of rapid diagnostic and therapeutic advancements
Perceção da Aplicação de Inteligência Artificial na Otorrinolaringologia Portuguesa
No full textIntrodução - As tecnologias de Inteligência Artificial (IA) têm sido capazes de analisar bases de dados de grandes dimensões e posteriormente aplicar esse conhecimento na resolução de problemas clínicos práticos.
Objetivos - Comparar a perceção da aplicação de AI na Otorrinolaringologia, em Portugal, entre a população geral e os profissionais de saúde.
Material e Métodos - Foi realizado um estudo transversal com recurso a um questionário on-line anónimo e de auto-preenchimento. O questionário analisou aspetos relacionados com as áreas de aplicação da IA, nomeadamente diagnóstico, tomada de decisão clínica, procedimentos cirúrgicos e monitorização de doenças crónicas. Dos 770 participantes adultos (idade igual ou superior a 18 anos), foram excluídos 249 por apresentarem questionários com informações incompletas, sendo selecionados um total de 521.
Resultados - Dos participantes, 60.8% eram do sexo feminino (60,8%), 66.8% tinham entre 26 e 57 anos e 46.4% eram profissionais de saúde. As mulheres preferiram mais frequentemente um ser humano a realizar a monitorização de doenças crónicas (p = 0.024) e cirurgia com baixo risco de vida (p = 0.003). Os elementos de grupos etários
mais jovens (18-25 anos) e mais velhos (>67 anos) preferiram humanos a realizarem a avaliação clínica de sinais e sintomas (p = 0.000), a tomada de decisão terapêutica (p = 0.011) e a criação de planos de reabilitação (p = 0.009). Os profissionais de saúde preferiram mais frequentemente humanos a realizar o seguimento de um tratamento (p =
0.000) ou cirurgias com risco de vida (p = 0.004), em comparação com a população geral.
Conclusões - Este estudo sugere que existem diferenças significativas na perceção da aplicação de IA, dependendo do sexo, da idade e da população em geral versus profissionais de saúde
A New Future for Family Medicine/General Practice in Portugal
No full textThe ‘Blue Book’: a Future for Family Medicine in Portugal, edited in 1990 by the Portuguese Association of General Practice and Family Medicine, influenced the subsequent years and built the foundation for the Primary Healthcare Reform, initiated in 2005, but not fully implemented. In the current moment of low professional satisfaction, reviewing the principles that should guide family medicine in the future is important.
The family doctor is the individual’s physician, who accompanies people's health throughout their life. Family doctors are specialists in primary healthcare and act according to the core values of family medicine as defined by the WONCA. Their actions form the basis of the health system and are associated with better health outcomes. Therefore, their actions must be centred on the person and the provision of differentiated care, reducing bureaucratic tasks and those with low health
value. Physical spaces, equipment, and human resources should be adequately ensured, including the adjustment of the size of patients’ lists to ensure quality and dignified work by the Family Doctor, in every working setting. The Portuguese Association of General Practice and Family Medicine advocates for a performance-based remuneration modelappropriate to the family doctor’s activity that compensates and prioritizes value-based healthcare, focusing their actions on the individual and reducing inefficiencies and duplications. This model is based on a new, simplified, and modern quality system grounded in the classic Structure – Process – Results framework but considering the dimensions of patient and professional satisfaction and adequately rewarding clinical work, teamwork, and citizen-centeredness. The present document is an adaptation and translation into English of the book 'A New Future for General and Family Medicine', edited by the Portuguese
Association of General Practice and Family Medicine, in 2023.UM NOVO FUTURO PARA A MEDICINA GERAL E FAMILIAR EM PORTUGAL
O Livro Azul: um futuro para a Medicina de Família em Portugal, editado em 1990 pela Associação Portuguesa de Médicos de Clínica Geral, marcou os anos seguintes e conceptualizou a Reforma dos Cuidados de Saúde Primários, iniciada em 2005, mas não implementada na totalidade. No momento atual de insatisfação profissional é importante rever os princípios que nortearão a medicina geral e familiar no futuro.
O médico de família é Médico da Pessoa. É nessa condição que faz o acompanhamento médico ao longo da sua vida. É especialista em cuidados de saúde primários e atua de acordo com os valores da medicina de família definidos pela WONCA. A sua ação é a base do sistema de saúde em que atua e está associada a melhores resultados de saúde. É, por isso, fundamental que a sua ação seja centralizada na pessoa e na prestação de cuidados diferenciados a esta, reduzindo as tarefas burocráticas e de baixo valor em saúde. Devem ser dadas condições materiais, de espaços físicos e de recursos humanos, incluindo adequação do tamanho das listas para garantir um trabalho digno e de qualidade ao médico de família.
A APMGF defende um modelo de remuneração pelo desempenho adequado à atividade do médico de família que compense e priorize o valor em saúde, que centre a sua ação na pessoa e que reduza as ineficiências e duplicações. Este modelo assenta num novo sistema da qualidade simplificado e moderno assente no clássico Estrutura – Processo – Resultados, mas que considere as dimensões de satisfação de utentes e profissionais e que compense adequadamente o trabalho clínico, em equipa e centralidade do cidadão. O presente documento é uma adaptação e tradução para inglês do livro “Um Novo Futuro para a Medicina Geral e Familiar”, editado pela Associação Portuguesa de Medicina Geral e Familiar, em 2023
Respiratory Syncytial Virus among People Living with HIV: Is There a Case for Rolling Out Prophylaxis? A Viewpoint Based on a Systematic Review.
No full textRespiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is responsible for a considerable burden of respiratory disease among children and older adults. Several prophylactic strategies have recently been introduced. We review the available evidence on the interplay between RSV infection and HIV, looking at the specific role of RSV prophylactic strategies in individuals affected by or exposed to HIV. We conducted a systematic review on the association between HIV infection and RSV incidence and severity. We searched in PubMed/MEDLINE for clinical epidemiological studies covering outcomes such as RSV-associated illness, severity, and mortality in individuals affected by or exposed to HIV. A total of 36 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included, the majority conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. There was no compelling evidence suggesting a higher incidence of RSV illness among HIV-infected people. A higher risk of severe disease was consistent among both HIV-positive and HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) children. Case fatality rates were also higher for these groups. Evidence on a differing risk among adults was scarce. HIV-positive pregnant women should be given priority for recently approved RSV vaccination, for protection of their newborns. HIV-infected and HEU infants should be considered risk groups for nirsevimab prophylaxis in their first year of life and possibly beyond
Pachydysostosis of the Fibula in a Case of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis.
No full textBackground: Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) is a colorectal cancer (CRC) predisposition syndrome caused by germline APC mutations and characterised by an increased risk of CRC and colonic polyps and, in certain forms, of specific prominent extraintestinal manifestations, namely osteomas, soft tissue tumours and dental anomalies. Pachydysostosis of the fibula is a rare clinical entity defined by unilateral bowing of the distal portion of the fibula and elongation of the entire bone, without affectation of the tibia.
Clinical report: We report a 17-year-old male, who presented with a non-progressive bowing of the right leg detected at 18 months of age caused by a fibula malformation (later characterized as pachydysostosis) and a large exophytic osteoma of the left radius, noticed at the age of 15 years, without gastrointestinal symptoms. There was no relevant family history. Detailed characterisation revealed multiple osteomas, skin lesions and dental abnormalities, raising the hypothesis of FAP. This diagnosis was confirmed by genetic testing [c.4406_4409dup p.(Ala1471Serfs*17) de novo mutation in the APC gene] and endoscopic investigation (multiple adenomas throughout the colon, ileum and stomach).
Discussion: This case report draws attention to the phenotypic spectrum of skeletal manifestations of FAP: this patient has a congenital fibula malformation, not previously associated with this syndrome, but which is likely to have been its first manifestation in this patient. This clinical case also illustrates the challenges in the early diagnosis of FAP, especially without family history, and highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and the adequate study of rare skeletal abnormalities