Monday, July 22, 2019

Lupine Publishers: Lupine Publishers | Advances in Robotics & Mechani...

Lupine Publishers: Lupine Publishers | Advances in Robotics & Mechani...: Journal of Robotics & Mechanical Engineering | Lupine Publishers Smart Robotics for Smart Healthcare Abstract The...

Lupine Publishers| Neurosarcoidosis: A Review of the State of Art

Lupine Publishers| Medical Care Research and Review


Abstract

Neurosarcoidosis is a rare disease, difficult to diagnose. A correct diagnostic approach should include a multidisciplinary assessment involving physicians, radiologists and pathologists. Corticosteroids are the first-line treatment for neurosarcoidosis, followed by steroid-sparing immunosuppressants.
Keywords: Sarcoidosis; Neurosarcoidosis; Central Nervous System Diseases; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases

Introduction

Sarcoidosis is a chronic disease with a highest annual incidence among African-American females (39.1/100,000) and males (29.8/100,000), followed by Caucasian females (12.1/100,000) [1]. Although sarcoidosis continues to be considered as an idiopathic disease, there is an increasing evidence of a genetic predisposition that associated with several environmental factors that act as trigger agents (e.g. mycobacteria, viruses, neoplasms and inorganic compounds as aluminum) contributes to the development of the disease [2]. Lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes are the most frequently affected sites, but sarcoidosis can also involve the heart, skin, joints, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.

Neurosarcoidosis

The involvement of the central and peripheral nervous system (neurosarcoidosis) is rare, clinically happening in about 5-10% of patients with sarcoidosis, with an average age of onset around 33-41 years [1]. Because of the rarity of this entity and the nonspecificity of its clinical and radiological findings, there is surely a high percentage of poorly diagnosed cases, mainly in an initial approach, as the neurological involvement can be found in up to 25% of autopsies from patients with sarcoidosis [1,2]. Non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, headache, cognitive dysfunction and mood disorders are frequent in cerebral neurosarcoidosis, but the clinical picture is usually dominated by cranial neuropathy or aseptic basilar meningitis. The damage of the optic nerve, the most frequently affected followed by the facial nerve, is associated with a poor prognosis in terms of visual recovery [3]. Spinal neurosarcoidosis can be divided into intramedullary and extramedullary involvement (leptomeningeal, extradural, vertebral and disc involvement); paresthesia and weakness of the lower extremities are the main symptoms, although it often presents as symmetric sensory motor polyneuropathy. Rarely, cases of sudden paraplegia can occur, along with bowel and bladder dysfunction [3].

Diagnosis

The Zajicek criteria are the mostly adopted classification system for neurosarcoidosis established in 1999 and later revised. The other set of criteria belong to WASOG (World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders), updated in 2014. The specificity and sensitivity of these two options are unknown [4]. A definite diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis can only be established with a positive biopsy of the affected nervous system, frequently considered impossible or too invasive; for this reason, the biopsy is usually performed outside the central nervous system, in a peripheral nerve or another affected and more accessible organ (as neurosarcoidosis frequently coexists with other organ involvement). None of the serum biomarkers used nowadays have been accepted as the one that stablishes the diagnosis, including the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) or the serum soluble activity of the interleukin-2 receptor (sIL2 receptor) [1].
Levels of ACE in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have a low sensitivity (between 24-55%), but may raise the suspicion of neurosarcoidosis due to its high specificity (around 94%). It seems that there is no correlation between serum and CSF levels of ACE and serum levels do not correlate with the degree of clinical activity [5]. Image findings should not be considered alone for the diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis, but always included in an appropriate diagnostic algorithm. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred imaging technique because it provides the best definition for brain and spinal cord disease [3,4]. Meningeal involvement can appear as nodular or diffuse enhancement on contrast-enhanced T1- weighted images, mainly in the basilar meninges, as opposed to intraparenchymal lesions that manifest as multiple small, nonenhancing periventricular or subcortical white matter lesions, with high signal on T2-weighted images [3]. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) can reveal areas of hypermetabolism that correspond to active lesions in asymptomatic sites, which can be used to identify suitable sites to do a biopsy, although there is a lack of evidence regarding the use of FDG-PET and its usefulness in neurosarcoidosis [4]. Histopathologically, neurosarcoidosis is characterized by the presence of noncaseating epithelioid granulomas, the same lesions as those found elsewhere in the body in systemic disease. These granulomas although not specific for sarcoidosis, are valuable diagnostic clues [1]. The differential diagnosis includes: tuberculosis, especially in endemic areas, other infections like histoplasmosis, aspergillosis and cryptococcosis, but also granulomatosis with polyangiitis [6].

Treatment

There are no international guidelines to treat neurosarcoidosis and randomized clinical trials are lacking to make treatment recommendations. Taking this into consideration, there is a general consensus that corticosteroids should be the first line of treatment, as the majority of patients improve with only glucocorticoids [1,3,7]. If the symptoms are severe, with involvement of the central nervous system, a short course of intravenous steroids is usually given, up to 1g of methylprednisolone a day for 3-5 days. Subsequently, or if the clinical symptoms are less severe, oral steroids can be administered (e.g. prednisone 40-80mg, around 1mg/kg/day), with gradually descending pattern until the lowest effective or maintenance dose (around 10mg/day). Relapse often occurs after the dose of glucocorticoids is tapered down; if the required maintenance dose is more than 10 mg a day, or if clinical response is insufficient, it is recommended to add a steroid-sparing immunomodulatory agent. The evidence is in favor of methotrexate (between 10-25mg once a week), but other immunosuppressant drugs can be considered, such as azathioprine (at 2mg/kg/day, maximum 200mg/day) [1,3,7]. In severe resistant or refractory cases, cyclophosphamide is classically used (500-1000mg iv every 2-4 weeks, or at a dose of 0.5g/m2 of body surface area every 4 weeks).
Anti- TNF-alpha agents are becoming strongly recommended because of the increasing evidence of rapid reversal of clinical and radiologic features with these agents, especially infliximab (intravenously at a dose of 3-5mg/kg at weeks 0,2 and 6, with intervals of 4-6 weeks thereafter); some groups are already considering this treatment option before cyclophosphamide [3,7]. Patients treated with long-term infliximab could develop anti-infliximab antibodies that will lead to treatment failure. To avoid this, concomitant methotrexate is recommended, as an immunomodulatory agent. When to stop the treatment remains controversial [7]. Surgery is generally limited to the diagnostic biopsy rather than to the therapeutic use. Cranial mass lesions could benefit from radiation therapy, although this is not recommended as standard treatment [3].

Prognosis

There is no cure, but optimal immunosuppressive therapy can achieve clinical remission in approximately two thirds of cases, along with variable improvement in imaging findings. Despite the use of new therapies, close to one third of patients remain stable, deteriorate or die [3,8].

Conclusion

The optimal diagnostic approach to neurosarcoidosis should include a multidisciplinary team with physicians, radiologists and pathologists. Corticosteroids are the first-line of treatment, followed by steroid-sparing immunomodulatory agents. There is increasingly more evidence considering anti-TNF-alpha agents as the therapeutic of choice for severe resistant or refractory cases. When clinical deterioration progresses despite intensive immunosuppression treatment, an alternative diagnosis should always be ruled out. New therapeutic approaches are expected in the upcoming years.

For more Lupine Publishers Open Access Journals Please visit our website:
https://lupinepublishersgroup.com/
For more Medical Care Research and Review articles Please Click Here:
To Know More About Open Access Publishers Please Click on Lupine Publishers

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Lupine Publishers: Surfactant Mediated Biodegradation of Aromatic Hyd...

Lupine Publishers: Surfactant Mediated Biodegradation of Aromatic Hyd...: Journal of Oceanography | Lupine Publishers Abstract Aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene and xylene) are highly water soluble and their...

Increased A1c Testing among Members of A Large Coordinated Care Organization in Southern California- Lupine Publishers



Medical Care Research and Review- Lupine Publishers

Abstract

DaVita HealthCare Partners Medical Group (DHCP), a large coordinated care organization, implemented a population health program to expand the number of southern California members who receive an A1C test. The A1C test is used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, and to monitor blood glucose control in current diabetic patients. Prediabetes occurs when blood glucose levels are elevated, but not yet high enough to be considered diabetes and it places individuals at higher risk for developing diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic illness and serious complications such as kidney disease, loss of eyesight and amputation can occur when blood glucose is uncontrolled. A1C testing is key not only to the diagnosis and management of diabetes, but also to identification of prediabetes to allow early intervention to delay or stop the transition to diabetes. This Mini Review reports on DHCP’s successful A1c testing expansion, which led to over 50,000 members on average receiving an A1c test for the first time each year of the 2007-2016 study period.
Keywords: A1C test; Diabetes; Prediabetes; Population health

Introduction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 9.4% (30.3 million) of the.com population has diabetes, with 24% (7.2 million) of these individuals undiagnosed [1]. Diabetes and the increase in prevalence of this condition is not just a problem in the.com, but worldwide [2]. Diabetes is associated with a variety of health complications (e.g., eye disease, kidney disease, amputations) and in the.com average medical expenditures for persons with diabetes is about 2.3 times higher than for persons without diabetes [3,4]. Yet, effective self management programs that involve a combination of diet, exercise and possibly medication, can help patients control their prediabetes and diabetes. The.com Diabetes Prevention Program indicated that lifestyle changes could reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 58% over three years [5].
Blood glucose measurements are integral to the diagnosis of diabetes, its management and more recently identification of prediabetes. Prediabetes is a high risk state for developing diabetes, where blood glucose is elevated above normal levels but not yet high enough to be considered diabetes. In the case of the A1C test, categories include< 5.7% (normal), 5.7%-6.4% (prediabetes) and ≥ 6.5% (diabetes) [3]. The A1C test is used by diabetic patients and their physicians to monitor blood glucose. Regular measurement of A1C levels enables patients with diabetes and their physicians to know whether patients are reaching their A1C goals in order to minimize the adverse health outcomes associated with uncontrolled diabetes. The A1C test has the advantage of requiring no preparation and it is not sensitive to the time of day, unlike other blood glucose tests. Consequently, many providers are hopeful that the ease of the A1C test will decrease the number of undiagnosed diabetics as well as allow for identification of patients with prediabetes and therefore earlier intervention and prevention of diabetes [6].

Case Study Site, Study Goals and Results

The site for this study is a large coordinated care organization, DaVita HealthCare Partners, a DaVita Medical Group (DHCP), which serves over half a million members in the greater Los Angeles, California region. DHCP sought to increase A1C testing among its members to help control diabetes and prediabetes and implemented a multifaceted approach, involving both providers and patients over several years [7,8]. This article analyzes the experience of their program to expand A1C testing as a first step to broader population health management of their membership. We analyze data including the total number of A1C tests and the total members tested over the 10-year period 2007 through 2016. Our calculations focus on the average number of A1C tests per member per year and the number of members newly tested each year of the study period. These results are shown in Tables 1 & 2.
Table 1: Average Number of A1c Tests per Member per Year: 2007-2016.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews
Table 2: Number of Newly Tested Members and Members with Repeat A1c Testing: 2007-2016.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews

Discussion

This analysis shows that a multifaceted approach to increasing A1C testing among all members of a large coordinated care organization is possible, but particularly members who have never been tested as DHCP members, or not recently. Increases in A1C testing from current levels will be necessary to prevent future cases of diabetes as well as improve blood glucose control. Population health management in the.com and other countries can increase testing levels. Tailoring the message according to the characteristics of the target population of patients and providers will undoubtedly be necessary. For DHCP future outreach and embedded research will focus on subpopulations and how best to target A1C testing to identify patients with prediabetes or undiagnosed or uncontrolled diabetes. Only with testing can providers work with patients to help them control their blood sugar levels and possibly avoid a future diabetes diagnosis or poor outcomes such as vision loss and nerve damage.

To Read More Click on Below Link
https://lupinepublishers.com/research-and-reviews-journal/fulltext/increased-a1c-testing-among-members-of-a-large-coordinated-care-organization-in-southern-california.ID.000125.php

For more Lupine Publishers Open Access Publishers Please Visit our Website
https://lupinepublishersgroup.com/

For More Medical Care Research and Review Articles click on below link
https://lupinepublishers.com/research-and-reviews-journal/

To Know more about Open Access Publishers please click on Lupine Publishers

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Nesseria Gonorrhoea at the Genitourinary Medicine Clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia- Lupine Publishers



Medical Care Research and Review- Lupine Publishers

Abstract

Background: In the era of super bugs, there is a need to monitor antibiotic resistance patterns. Due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance worldwide, local antibiotic resistance patterns should be monitored periodically to alert early intervention. This audit was conducted to analyse the antibiotic resistance patterns among the gonococcal urethritis cases that presented to the Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) Clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), Malaysia.
Methodology: This is a retrospective study on the antibiotic resistance patterns based on 370 culture positive gonorrhoea obtained from urethral swab samples sent between 2011 and 2015. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by standard disc diffusion method was performed to detect sensitivity to penicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, azithromycin and ceftriaxone. All data was obtained from microbiology report and patient records.
Results: A total of 370 positive culture isolates of N.gonorrhoeae (new and recurrent cases) from 2011 to 2015 were reviewed. Highest level of resistance detected was to azithromycin (100%, 64/64) followed by tetracycline (82.8%, 293/354). Resistance to penicillin was noted in 60.9% (224/368) of all isolates. Both penicillin and tetracycline showed a decreasing resistance trend from 2011-2015. The fourth commonest antibiotic resistance was to ciprofloxacin at 46.5% (158/340). Cephalosporins tested were cefuroxime and ceftriaxone, which showed resistance rates of 2.7% (6/219) and 0.8% (3/364), respectively.
Conclusion: The complete resistance to azithromycin is alarming since it is a common antibiotic used to treat urethral discharge using the syndromic approach. Penicillin and tetracycline resistance remain high in Malaysia and other Western Pacific countries. The current first line antibiotic for treating gonorrhoea in GUM Clinic, HKL is ceftriaxone. Clinicians should be aware of the newly discovered increase in resistance observed to ceftriaxone.
Keywords: Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Gonorrhoea; Antibiotic Resistance

Introduction

The last decade has seen Neisseria gonorrhoeae emerging as a true superbug, bringing.com closer to a time of untreatable gonorrhoea. This diplococcal microbe is able to recombine its genes and invade the immune system through antigenic variation. It is also naturally competent to acquire new deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), enabling N. gonorrhoeae to spread new genes, disguise itself with different surface proteins, and prevent the development of immunological memory an ability that has led to antibiotic resistance and has made vaccine development difficult. Gonorrhea is a debilitating disease, which was responsible for an estimated 445,000 years lived with disability in 2015, according to a systemic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study [1]. Patients infected with N.gonorrhoeae are known to present with urethral discharge, malaise and symptoms that may suggest a urinary tract infection. Nevertheless, urogenital gonorrhea may be asymptomatic in 40% of men and often manifests as urethritis [2,3].
Unfortunately, it is also asymptomatic in more than half of women [4]. In men, untreated urethral infection can lead to epididymitis, reduced fertility, and cause urethral strictures. In women, if present, symptoms are non specific and include abnormal vaginal discharge, dysuria, lower abdominal discomfort, and dyspareunia. The lack of discernible symptoms results in unrecognized and untreated infections, which can lead to serious complications [5]. Overall, 10%-20% of female patients develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and, consequently, are at risk for infertility [6]. Pregnancy complications associated with gonorrhea include chorioamnionitis, premature rupture of membranes, preterm birth, ectopic pregnancies, and spontaneous abortions [5,7,8]. Infants of mothers with gonococcal infection can be infected at delivery, resulting in neonatal conjunctivitis (ophthalmia neonatorum). Such untreated conjunctivitis may lead to scarring and blindness.
Extragenital infections are common in both sexes and frequently occur in the absence of urogenital infection [9,10]. Rectal infections are usually asymptomatic but can manifest as rectal and anal pain or discharge. Pharyngeal infections are mostly asymptomatic, but mild sore throat and pharyngitis may occur. Although bacterial concentrations are generally lower than in other infection sites, the pharynx is thought to be a favourable site for resistance emergence due to acquisition of resistance traits from commensal Neisseria spp [11]. Disseminated gonococcal infections with gonococcal arthritis also occur. Because they are frequently asymptomatic, extragenital infections often remain untreated, despite their key role in disease transmission. Co-infection with other major Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) HIV, Herpes simplex virus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Treponema pallidum are common and may result in synergistic effects on transmission and disease severity. Attempts to treat and control gonorrhoea are compromised by the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant N.gonorrhoeae. Antibiotic resistance pattern vary between different geographical areas. It is therefore important to know the local antibiotic resistance pattern, so that appropriate treatment can be instituted. In Malaysia, Kanamycin was used as the first line antibiotic to treat gonorrhoea during the early 1970’s and 80’s, which was subsequently changed to Spectinomycin, followed by Ceftriaxone since the early 1990’s [12] There are many surveillance programmes on antibiotic resistance patterns of N.gonorrhoeae such as GRASP (Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobial Surveilance Programme), that is based in London, UK, and WHO (World Health Organization) Antimicrobial Surveilance Programme [13,14].

Materials and Methods

All patients with positive culture for gonorrhoea, who attended the GUM clinic in HKL between 2011-2015, were included in this study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by standard disc diffusion method was performed to detect sensitivity to Penicillin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Cefuroxime, Azithromycin and Ceftriaxone. Data was obtained from patient records and formal microbiology laboratory results.

Results

370 positive culture isolates of N.gonorrhoeae from patients seen in 2011-2015 were included in this study. Most of the data were obtained from the microbiology laboratory results. Demographic data was available for 98 patients only. More than half of the patients (58.2%) were between 21-30 years old. Most patients were Malay (83.7%), followed by Indian (9.2%). Overall, the heterosexually orientated patients represented about 73% of gonococcal urethritis cases. Majority of cases (92%) tested negative for HIV (Tables 1 & 2). The highest level of resistance detected was to azithromycin (100%, 64/64), followed by tetracycline (82.8%, 293/354). Resistance to penicillin was noted in 60.9% (224/368) of all isolates. Both penicillin and tetracycline showed a decreasing resistance trend from 2011-2014, but increased in 2015. The fourth commonest antibiotic resistance was to ciprofloxacin at 46.5% (158/340), followed by cefuroxime 2.7% (6/219). Resistance to ceftriaxone was 0.8% (3/364), although reviews previously in 2001-2005 showed no resistance [12]. The results were compared to data obtained from the Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance Programme (GRASP) and WHO (World Health Organization) Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme [13,14].
Table 1: Demographic characteristics of patients with gonorrhoea.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews
Table 2: Summary of antibiotic resistance pattern of N.gonorrhoeae (2011-2015) in HKL.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews

Discussion

Azithromycin

The rate of resistance to Azithromycin in this study was higher than expected. All 64 samples tested for sensitivity to Azithromycin showed resistance. In Singapore, no resistance to Azithromycin has been documented [14]. Similarly in England & Wales and Australia, the rate of resistance is significantly lower, at 1% or less [13,14] (Table 3). Studies have indicated concerns for increasing resistance to Azithromycin, likely due to delay in diagnosis of gonorrhoea and suboptimal dose of Azithromycin used [15].
Table 3: Comparison of N.gonorrhoeae antibiotic resistance pattern in HKL with other countries.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews

Tetracycline

The rate of resistance to Tetracycline is high. In our study, 82.8% of N.gonorrhoea isolates were resistant to Tetracycline. This is slightly lower, compared to an earlier analysis done in HKL from 2001-2005, where 86.8% of isolates were resistant [12]. The resistance rates in England & Wales was similar to ours [13] (Table 3). Looking at the trend, there was a reduction in resistance rates from 87.1% in 2011 to 63.2% in 2014. However, the rate increased to 91.1% in 2015 (Table 2). In HKL, Doxycycline is sometimes used to treat non-gonoccocal urethritis but never as primary treatment for gonorrhoea. Tetracycline has never been used for treating gonorrhoea in HKL as the resistance is very high. Nevertheless, the resistance pattern is continuously monitored for epidemiological purposes.

Penicillin

Since the 1940’s, Penicillin was successfully used to treat gonorrhoea, but quickly developed decreased sensitivity and deemed not a suitable treatment after 1970. This can be due to Penicillinase Producing N.gonorrhoeae (PPNG) or Chromosomal Mediated Resistance N.gonorrhoeae (CMRNG) [16]. Our study shows that the rate of N.gonorrhoeae resistance to Penicillin has reduced, from 82.2% in 2011 to 53.6% in 2015 (Table 2). Compared to an earlier study done in HKL in 2001-2005, there was a slight drop in resistance to penicillin in HKL from 64.4% to 60.9% in 2011-2015. However, our resistance rates were much higher compared to the resistance rate reported in England & Wales of 22.6% (Table 3) [13].

Ciprofloxacin

In the early 1990’s, Ciprofloxacin was widely used especially by general practitioners to treat gonorrhoea although studies had already began demonstrating the beginning of reduced sensitivity to quinolones. The resistance to Ciprofloxacin in HKL showed a steady increase from 10.0% in 2011 to 62.7% in 2015 (Table 2). When compared to an earlier review in HKL from the period 2001- 2005, we can see marked increase in resistance to Ciprofloxacin from 10.4% to 46.5% in 2011-2015 (Table 3). The resistance rate reported in HKL from 2011-2015 was similar to England & Wales and Australia, which reported resistance of 37.3% and 34.7% respectively (Table 3) [13,14]. Among the Asian countries, Singapore reported the lowest resistance to Ciprofloxacin (10.0%) [14]. Other Asian countries, like the Phillipines, Thailand and China reported an alarmingly high resistance to Ciprofloxacin, which is between 74.4%-100% (Table 3) [14].

Cephalosporin–Cefuroxime and Ceftriaxone

Although Cefuroxime is not a recommended treatment for gonorrhoea, its resistance pattern is monitored for epidemiological purposes. Our study showed a resistance rate of 2.7% to Cefuroxime in 2011-2015, whereas an earlier study in 2001-2005 showed no resistance to Cefuroxime (Table 3). Susceptibility testing for Ceftriaxone use in the treatment of gonorrhoea in HKL between 2001-2005 indicated no resistance, however, recent data from 2011-2015 showed a resistance rate of 0.8% (Table 3). Ceftriaxone is the first line treatment of gonorrhoea in HKL and clinicians should be aware that we are seeing a small percentage of resistance in some cases. No resistance was noted in Singapore and the Phillipines (Table 3) [14]. Resistance rates to Ceftriaxone in Thailand and China are significantly higher, at 19.9% and 36.9% respectively (Table 3) [14].

Conclusion

Attempts to treat and control gonorrhoea are compromised by the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant N.gonorrhoeae. WHO expert committee has recommended that treatment regimen be altered once resistance to a particular antibiotic reaches 5%. High rates of resistance to Penicillin and Tetracycline have been documented in HKL and in the Western Pacific region. Within 15 years, a marked increase in Ciprofloxacin resistance (10% to 46.5%) is evident. Resistance to Cefuroxime and Ceftriaxone was discovered, which was not found in the previous study. Ceftriaxone remains the first line antibiotic in treating gonorrhoea in HKL, and clinicians need to be aware of the small percentage of resistance detected to Ceftriaxone.

To Read More Click on Below Link
https://lupinepublishers.com/research-and-reviews-journal/fulltext/antibiotic-resistance-pattern-of-nesseria-gonorrhoea-at-the-genitourinary-medicine-clinic-hospital-kuala-lumpur-malaysia.ID.000124.php

For more Lupine Publishers Open Access Publishers Please Visit our Website
https://lupinepublishersgroup.com/

For More Medical Care Research and Review Articles click on below link
https://lupinepublishers.com/research-and-reviews-journal/

To Know more about Open Access Publishers please click on Lupine Publishers

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Intracardiac Papillary Fibroelastoma: A Case Report- Lupine Publishers



Medical Care Research and Review- Lupine Publishers

Abstract

Most of primary cardiac masses correspond to benign tumors within which are the myxomas, rhabdomyomas and papillary fibroelastomas that occupy the third place in prevalence. These lesions are rare and are usually found incidentally in routine studies. More than 90% of papillary fibroelastomas occur in the heart valves, the most frequent being the aortic valve and the mitral valve. Echocardiography studies have reported a size between 2 and 40mm, mostly corresponding to single lesions, with a short pedicle, which present independent movement and are attached to an endocardial surface. The treatment is surgical since they can present complications like embolism to the pulmonary or systemic circulation, significant hemodynamic obstruction and death secondary to these embolic events. We present the case of an asymptomatic patient in whom a papillary fibroelastoma located in the tricuspid valve was documented, which was successfully resected.
Keywords: Cardiac tumors; papillary fibroelastomas; Embolism; Echocardiography

Introduction

Heart tumors include a wide number of lesions that may be of neoplastic or non neoplastic origin. Primary benign lesions are approximately 90% of primary heart tumors, including myxomas, rhabdomyomas, fibroids, and lipomas, among others [1]. Metastatic lesions are more frequent than primary lesions, found in nearly 18% of stage IV cancer [2]. Most heart tumors are incidentally found during routine cardiac imaging, and their prevalence in autopsy series is less than 0.1% [3-5]. Patients with primary tumors are usually asymptomatic until lesions grow large and generate symptoms related to mechanical obstruction, valve interference, alterations in contractility or in the electrical conduction system, generating arrhythmias and blockages [1,6]. Papillary fibroelastoma is the third most prevalent primary tumor after myxoma and rhabdomyoma. It may compromise valve surface, although cases of compromised interventricular or interatrial septum have also been reported [6,7]. Next we present the case of an asymptomatic patient with papillary fibroelastoma in the tricuspid valve, which was successfully resected.

Case Background

51-year-old man with a history of controlled hypertension and an active smoker, asymptomatic from a cardiovascular point of view who underwent a transthoracic echocardiogram during his routine checkup in his hometown. The exam revealed a mass attached to the tricuspid valve, and thus the patient was referred to our hospital for assessment. He was hemodynamically stable when he checked in at Hospital Militar Central (HMC), with no abnormal findings after physical examination and with normal range of laboratories and preoperative electrocardiogram values. After checking in at the HMC, the patient underwent a transesophageal echocardiogram to better characterize the lesion, which revealed a 11mm x 11 mm rounded, pedunculated mass of endocardial density in the lateral valve (Figure 1), without regurgitation and with preserved ejection fraction of the left ventricle (63%). The remainder of the description of this study was normal. Both the transthoracic and the transesophageal projection show a 11mm x 11 mm rounded, pedunculated mass of endocardial density in the anterior tricuspid valve. The subject underwent additional presurgical testing in the form of a coronary angiography, which revealed epicardial arteries without angiographically significant lesions. The patient’s case was submitted to the Board of Cardiology and to the cardiovascular surgery service, and it was concluded that he was suitable for surgery. The histopathological study of the sample taken in surgery was reported as papillary fibroelastoma type myxoid tissue mass of mesenchymal origin with a low degree of malignancy (Figure 2). The patient evolved without complications during the postoperative period and was discharged after 7 days of hospitalization.
Figure 1: Transthoracic (left) and transesophageal (right) echocardiogram.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews
Figure 2: Sample of resected mass.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews

Discussion

Heart tumors or masses are rare lesions that are documented parenthetically when performing a routine cardiac imaging. They can be classified into neoplastic and non-neoplastic tumors, the former being 20 to 50 times more frequent than primary tumors [1,7,8]. The prevalence of primary tumors is very low, being between 0.001 and 0.03% according to reports in autopsy series; as for neoplastic cardiac lesions, they can be found in about 18% of stage IV cancer patients [2-5]. Most primary heart tumors are benign, myxomas being the most frequent in adults, while rhabdomyoma is the most common in children. The third most frequent primary heart tumor in adults is the papillary fibroelastoma, which can be generated on any surface of the endocardium, being more commonly located in the heart valves. It makes up less than 10% of all cardiac tumors and is the most common valve tumor [5,8,9]. Papillary fibromyosarcomas are benign proliferations consisting of soft fibroblasts and variable collagenized stroma derived from the endocardium. They can occur at any age, but are more common in adults between 70 and 80 years. Over 90% of fibroelastomas occur in the heart valves, and close to 10% happen in non-valvular surfaces, such as the interventricular or interatrial septum [1,8]. From a clinical point of view, up to a third of patients are asymptomatic, so their diagnosis is mainly incidental in autopsies, in echocardiographic studies or during a cardiovascular surgery [10-12]. In the case of patients with symptoms, they are secondary to obstructive effects of the coronary ostium or to embolic events in pulmonary or systemic circulation due to detachment of mass fragments or accumulated thrombi that have also been described in cases of sudden death by embolization in coronary arteries and in cases of ischemic cerebrovascular events [1,8,13].
Regarding the findings in echocardiography, the lesions are usually located in the aortic valve, followed by the mitral valve, with a size between 2 and 40 mm, making them easier to detect in transesophageal echocardiograms. The overall mass is unique, with a short pedicle; it moves independently and it is attached to an endocardium surface. Given that the tumor has papillary extensions attached to the central pedicle, an image in the shape of a sea anemone is observed. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate the lesion when it is attached to the valves when they are moving and when they are smaller than 2 mm [5,8]. Although the papillary fibroelastoma can be seen in the Computerized Axial Tomography and the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, the echocardiogram is still the best image to evaluate these lesions since they are highly mobile and can be better seen in high resolution mode or zoom mode. Larger lesions may be accompanied by calcifications, which makes it easier to identify them [1,5]. The differential imaging diagnoses of this type of tumors include Lambal’s excrescences, which look more linear and are smaller, the vegetations that are usually accompanied by valve incompetence and destruction of the valve leaflets, thrombi and valve degenerative changes. Although these tumors are formed in the heart valves, the dysfunction of these structures is rare [5,8,10]. Treatment of benign primary tumors such as papillary fibroelastoma is surgical. Some authors suggest that, in the case of tumors on the left side, they should be resected in patients without high surgical risk if the size is greater than 1 cm or during another type of heart surgery. In the case of lesions on right side of the heart, they should only be resected if they are large or moving, and if they are associated with a hemodynamically significant obstruction or with a high risk of embolism due to short circuit from right to left [5,14]. Although a significant percentage of patients are asymptomatic, we suggest that those that meet the aforementioned criteria be resected, given the high risk of cerebrovascular events and death, aiming to use a technique that conserves the native valve [1,15]. If the patient does not have any symptoms or if the tumor is small, has no pedicle and is not moving, of if it is not possible to perform the surgical procedure due high surgical risk or due to the patient’s preference, we suggest antiplatelet therapy, even though there are few publications that support this recommendation [5,15].

Conclusion

Primary cardiac fibroelastoma of the papillary fibroelastoma type are rare masses that are usually found incidentally during routine exams conducted to frequently asymptomatic patients. The image that can best characterize this type of mass is the transesophageal echocardiogram and the recommended management is surgery, considering the risk of embolic events and the individual characteristics of both the patient and the tumor,

Ethical Responsibilities

Protection of people and animals. The authors declare that no experiments have been conducted on humans or animals for this research.
a. Data Confidentiality: The authors declare that they have followed the protocols of their work center on the publication of patient data. Right to privacy and informed consent. The authors declare that patient data does not appear in this paper.

To Read More Please Click on below link

For more LupinePublishers Open Access Journals Please visit our website: https://lupinepublishersgroup.com/

For more Medical Care Research and Review articles Please Click Here:

To Know More About Open Access Publishers Please Click on Lupine Publishers

Monday, July 15, 2019

Expectations in the Purchase of Health Insurance Plans: An Experiment in the City Of Barranquilla (Colombia)_ Lupine Publishers

Medical Care Research and Review- Lupine Publishers

Abstract

This paper aims to replicate the Chew-Graham experiment [1] in order to determine whether the perception of quality for complementary medical insurance is biased and independent from its actual consumption in a different cultural and geographic context for two groups of consumers with different levels of coverage. This in order to contrast the standard insurance theory in which the perception of quality comes after the consumption of medical products and services. Through a U Mann Whitney and Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical tests to 50 consumers of complementary medical insurance in the city of Barranquilla (Colombia) it is found that quality perception is different according to the type of policy that consumers have. Those insured who have policies with greater benefits, tend to have greater perception of quality of those who have policies with lower benefits. This experiment exposed the quality perception and the action of consuming medical services as independent variables not necessarily correlated.

Introduction

According to Sloan and Hsieh [2], health insurance companies fulfill several fundamental functions for the optimal functioning of medical services in both the public and private sectors. For the authors McCue, Hall and Xiu [3] there is a link between the consumption of medical services covered by insurance and the perception of quality only after the insured uses the insurance services, regardless of its geographical context and the type of insurance that is acquired. The perception of quality is given after the consumption of medical services and the additional benefits offered by insurance does not influence the quality perception of the policyholder before he/she uses the insurance. This implies a high degree of rationality of the consumers who apparently understand the scope of their medical coverage and do not have expectations of the services they acquire before they use it. This idea infers that policyholders are not influenced by additional medical benefits limiting their choice to their medical needs and budget constraints.
However, this way of relating the interaction between health insurance policies and policy holders does not reflect the role of subjectivity and its influence on people´s decision to purchase health insurances. In order to contrast the perspective of McCue and Hall, a survey was conducted to 50 medical insurance policyholders in the city of Barranquilla (Colombia) on the perception of various services offered by their insurance policies before being used following the experiment of Chew-Graham (2017) that highlights the possibility of having complementary medical insurance as a determinant for a high perception of quality before use it. The respondents were divided into two groups, the first group of 25 insured has additional benefits in their health insurance (spas, hydrotherapy, thalassotheraphy) while the other group of 25 does not. From a Likert survey ranging from 1 to 5, they were asked about three items: a variety of doctors and health centers that their insurance plan offer, medical attention and follow-up care after medical procedures, timely assistance before, during and after consumption of medical services.
It should be taken into account that none of the policyholders in the two groups had used their insurance policies until the date of the survey, which, according to McCue and Hall’s position, the surveys should show no perception of quality of their insurance plans before use it. The hypothesis of this experiment is that policyholders have different expectations in their medical insurance before using them because they have variable preferences (Gritcher and Cox, 1996) where policyholders are encouraged in different ways to select different health insurance that does not necessarily reflect a completely rational decision. In this sense, direct and indirect incentives [4] influence the creation of biases that influence the choice of policyholders, hence the creation of different expectations before the acquisition and consumption of medical insurance services.

Methodology and conceptual framework

A quantitative research methodology was used to analyze the results of quality perception based on a U Mann Whitney test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests that indicate whether the use non-parametric tests when minimum requirements or statistical assumptions are not met, such as small sample sizes (n <30), nonnormal data distribution. In other words, when there is a trend in the data and the variables are not continuous [5].

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that the perception of quality of complementary medical insurance is no necessarily related to its consumption in a different cultural and geographical context. This is based on a Likert survey with three items with scale from 1 to 3 where 1 is a low perception and 3 a high. The first item asks about whether the insurance policy contracted offers a wide variety of medical centers and specialist doctors for their health care services. The second item asks about whether the insurance company continually assists its policyholders after a medical procedure. The third item asks about whether the insurance company provides timely assistance in the face of an adverse health condition. The first step of the study was the selection and verification of the suitability of the respondents in terms of having complementary medical insurance subscribed in the same period of time. Half (25) with complementary medical care benefits services and the other 25 without it, with similar policies in the availability of specialist doctors and health centers. In this step, insurers that had similarity in their policies with differences in complementary services were also selected. The second step was to carry out the survey of the target population based on the three items described above. The third step was the statistical analysis by means of the tests Test Kolmogorov Smirnov (KS) and Test U Mann Whitney in order to determine if the provision of complementary medical services affects the perception of quality of medical insurance even when these are not consumed.

Main objective

The main objective is to statistically determine the perception of quality of 50 insured surveyed in the city of Barranquilla with complementary medical insurance replying the Chew- Graham experiment in order to determine if the perception of quality varies for the two groups before they use their insurance benefits. The study population was divided into two groups; the first group 25 insured have the option to enjoy wellness medicine procedures (thalassotherapy, hydrotherapy and spas) with a lower co-payment than the individual payment of procedures. The second group of 25 is composed of policyholders who do not have this additional benefit even when both policies are very similar in coverage of medicines, clinics and number of physicians to which the insured can access. The sample was obtained on December 6, 2017, first group of policyholders’ states that they have not yet enjoyed the extra benefits of their policies.

Participants

Two groups of 50 individuals with complementary medical insurance in the city of Barranquilla were surveyed. The first group of 25 insured has a health insurance policy that offers coverage in complementary medical services (thalassotherapy, spa, and spa) and the other 25 insured do not have that additional benefit. Both groups of respondents have similar characteristics in gender parity (25 men and 25 women), education (both groups claimed to have a university degree), age (35-45 years) and per capita income (they claimed to have between 5-10 minimum legal monthly salary). The insurers that offer the two different medical insurance are are Colmedica Prepaid Medicine and Coomeva Prepaid Medicine. Both providers of complementary medical insurance.
This study was divided in three phases. In the first one, a characterization diagnosis of the participants was made in order to determine if they have similarity in levels of education, income, gender parity and ages. In the second stage, the target population was asked to complete a three-item survey on their perception of the quality of the two insurance policies in the city of Barranquilla. In the third phase it was determined if there is a differentiated perception about the quality of the health services through the Kolmogorov Smirnov Test (K-S) and the U Mann Whitney Test.

Parametric and non-parametric tests

Before the beginning of the statistical tests to prove the hypothesis, it is necessary to highlight an important element as a fundamental requirement to choose an appropriate statistical test. In this case, the difference between parametric and nonparametric tests will be briefly mentioned, in order to justify the usefulness of the U Mann Whitney test. Parametric statistics refers to the set of statistical procedures that allow knowing the distribution of the data, that is, if the data meet the necessary parameters to know what type of distribution the data has. On the contrary, if the distribution of the data is unknown and it is not known how these behave, then non-parametric tests should be applied. In addition, it is convenient to use non-parametric tests when minimum requirements or statistical assumptions are not met, such as small sample sizes (n <30), non-normal data distribution, that is, when there is a tendency in the data and its distribution is not in the form of a Gaussian bell and the variables are not continuous [5]. To apply parametric tests it is necessary to verify that the requirements or assumptions that conform to this type of tests are met.
i. Test Kolmogorov Smirnov (K-S)
a. P-value> 0.05 → The data comes from a normal distribution, it is possible to use the parametric techniques.
b. P-value <0.05 → The data have an unknown distribution, it is advisable to use nonparametric techniques.
For the research case, this procedure was applied in order to determine the normality of the data, finding the following: As seen in table 1, the results show a p-value <0.05 for each group evaluated, that is, the data have an unknown distribution and do not meet the assumption of normality, therefore, it is acceptable to use non-parametric techniques for achieving the main objective.
Table 1: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews
Source: Own calculation with SPSS, 23.

U Mann Whitney test

The U Mann Whitney test is a type of non-parametric technique in which the purpose is to contrast the mean of a variable in two independent groups and verify whether it is different or not in a significant way. The U Mann Whitney test is the non-parametric alternative to the Student T test, when it is not possible to comply with the assumptions or requirements to apply it. This test is used when the observations of both groups are independent and the variables are ordinal or continuous (Scale from 1 to 3, ordinal), in addition, it is important to have the same size in both groups (in this case 25 surveyed in each group).

Procedure

The perception of quality is composed of three variables: variety of services, support and timely medical assistance. However, to obtain a variable that would allow to include the general perception and also to compare both groups, the three questions evaluated were aggregated in order to achieve a total score for each respondent, where the highest total scores indicate a greater perception and On the other hand, lower total scores indicate a lower perception of quality. Given that the instrument consists of three questions, the highest possible score that both groups can obtain is 9 points, corresponding to answer High (3) in all. On the contrary, the minimum possible score that can be obtained by both groups is 3, corresponding to Low (1) in all the questions. In this way, the total score can be seen where the values close to the theoretical maximum (9) correspond to a better evaluation and the total scores close to the theoretical minimum (3) correspond to a low evaluation.
Once the total score of each respondent was obtained, the total average per group was obtained, as shown in table 2. It is observed that in the group with greater benefits, the perception of quality in general is higher than in the group with the lowest benefits. However, it is necessary to test whether this difference is statistically significant with the U Mann Whitney test.
Table 2: Total scores per group.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews
Source: Own calculation with SPSS, 23.

Application and interpretation of U Mann Whitney test.

The U Mann Whitney test contrasts the hypothesis if the means of both groups are the same or on the contrary they do not present differences. In this case it can be expressed as follows:
a. P-value> 0.05 → The mean in both groups are the same.
b. P-value <0.05 → The mean in both groups are different.
The results shown by the statistical software allow to obviate all the manual procedure of calculation of the test and to obtain the necessary values for the statistical interpretation. Table 3 allows to evaluate if the average scores (perception) between both groups are the same or not (Table 3).
Table 3: Total scores per group.
Lupinepublishers-openaccess-Research-Reviews
Group variable: Affiliation to medical insurance policy

Discussion and Conclusion

Since the value of significance (P-value = 0.000) is less than the value of statistical significance of 0.05 (P-value <0.05) interpretation is taken (b) and it can be affirmed that the perception of quality in both groups is different. With these statistical results, it can be said that the perception of quality of the insured according to the type of policy they have is different. Those insured who have policies with greater benefits, have greater perception of the quality of service than those who have policies with lower benefits. The results presented reinforce Chew-Graham´s position that expectations play an important role in the acquisition of health insurance, creating differentiated perceptions before the insured use their insurance. Although nothing is conclusive, this experiment serves as an element to identify the limitations of rationality in the decision making regarding the acquisition of medical goods and services.

To Read More Please Click on below link

For more LupinePublishers Open Access Journals Please visit our website: https://lupinepublishersgroup.com/

For more Medical Care Research and Review articles Please Click Here:

To Know More About Open Access Publishers Please Click on Lupine Publishers

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Medical Care Research and Review- Lupine Publishers



Currently, surgical treatment of the ovaries is carried out mainly by laparoscopic entry. Surgical interventions are always associated with the need for hemostasis. All types of energy that are used in surgery (mechanical, electrical, thermal, welding, laser, etc.), depending on various pathophysiological mechanisms, affect the ovarian tissue and damage the ovarian reserve in women of reproductive age [1,2]. The ovarian suture causes an intense inflammatory reaction to the foreign body (tissue necrosis, granulation tissue) even around the suture material that dissolves within 30-60 days. In surgery, conservative hemostasis methods involving temporary compression are widely used: hemostasis during acute gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding, liver damage.Thus, temporary compression hemostasis can be suggested as an alternative to thermal and ultrasound methods and as the one that causes minimal damage to the ovarian reserve. Furthermore, phylogenetically the ovary “got used” to permanent monthly hemorrhages, hematomas and ischemia during ovulation. Taking into account the peculiarities of ovarian blood supply, as well as natural monthly traumatization of the ovaries accompanied by the formation of hematomas in the area of an ovulation stigma, it was decided to use temporary compression of the ovarian tissue to achieve hemostasis [3,4].

For more information click on below link

For more Lupine Publishers Open Access Journals Please visit our website:

For more Medical Care Research and Review articles Please Click Here:

To Know More About Open Access Publishers Please Click on Lupine Publishers

Monday, July 8, 2019

Medical Care Research and Review- Lupine Publishers




The frequently use of DBT & CBT during DSH has approximately doubled during the last decade. However, little is known about their efficacy for eradicating dependency on various Substances and concerns have been raised about the potential association with DSH (Deliberate Self Harm) and the maladaptive behaviours among SIPD (Substance Induced Psychotic Disorder). To detect the maladaptive behaviors overall the Substance Induced Psychotic Disorder (SIPD) patients with the risk of DSH (Deliberate Self Harm) & suicidal attempts (Para suicide). Efficiency of SBT (Spiritualistic Behaviour Therapy) in comparison with DBT & CBT especially who are exposed with DSH & comorbid substance for a prolong period.

For more information click on below link

For more Lupine Publishers Open Access Journals Please visit our website:

For more Medical Care Research and Review articles Please Click Here:

To Know More About Open Access Publishers Please Click on Lupine Publishers

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Medical Care Research and Review- Lupine Publishers



Gastroesophageal reflux disease is the result of persistent Gastroesophageal reflux associated with symptoms and/or complications. It is the most prevalent esophageal pathology in pediatric population and it is one of the most common causes for medical consultations. The identification of extra esophageal manifestations and associated alarm signals allows an appropriate treatment, an early identification of esophageal mucosal injury and prevention of complications. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) occurs when there is incompetence of sphincter of the Gastroesophageal junction or when raised intragastric or intra-abdominal pressures exist sufficient to overcome this mechanism. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) results from a persistent GER and gives rise to troublesome symptoms or complications.

For more information click on below link

For more Lupine Publishers Open Access Journals Please visit our website:

For more Medical Care Research and Review articles Please Click Here: 

To Know More About Open Access Publishers Please Click on Lupine Publishers

Lupine Publishers: Lupine Publishers| A Standard Pediatric Dental Clinic

Lupine Publishers: Lupine Publishers| A Standard Pediatric Dental Clinic :  Lupine Publishers| Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health Care Aft...