Project description:BackgroundPost-COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) conditions (PCC) include multiple symptoms afflicting different organs and systems. To evaluate the frequency and type of them, we described our multidisciplinary approach with preliminary results of the first enrolled patients.MethodsWe included patients aged ≥ 18 years with hospital admission for confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Symptoms were grouped in five macro groups hereafter referred to as "Symptoms Category" (SC): respiratory SC (dyspnoea or cough), neurological SC (peripheral neuropathies, headache, impaired mobility, behavioural disorders), psychological SC (sleep disorders, mood disorders), muscular SC (arthromyalgia, asthenia), other SC (fever, alopecia, diarrhoea, weight loss, smell and taste alterations, sexual dysfunctions). SC were evaluated at discharge and at follow-up. Association between patients' characteristics and presence of SC at follow up was estimated by a logistic multivariable regression model.ResultsFrom June 2020 to July 2021, we followed up 361 patients: 128 (35.5%) who were previously admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 233 patients to ordinary department. The median length of hospital stay was 20 days (Inter-Quartile-Range 13-32). Most patients (317/361, 87.8%) were still symptomatic at discharge, with one third referring three or more SC. At follow up, 67.3% (243/361) of patients still complained at least one SC. Moreover, 159 patients (44%) developed at least one new involved SC during follow up: 116 (72.9%) one SC, 39 (24.5%) two SC, 4 (2.5%) three or more SC. At follow up visit 130 of 361 (36%) were still with SC developed during follow up. At multivariable analysis presence of any SC at follow-up was associated with male gender (Odds Ratio [OR] 3.23, Confidence Interval [CI] 95% 1.46-7.15), ICU admission (OR 2.78, CI 95% 1.29-5.96) and presence of SC at discharge (OR 14.39, CI 95% 6.41-32.32).ConclusionsIn our sample of patients with severe COVID-19, we found that PCC are highly variable and fluctuating over time; in particular, in about 50% of our patients new SC appear during follow up. Moreover, presence of PCC also in patients without SC at discharge and the variability of symptoms underlining the advisability of our multidisciplinary approach.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04424992, registered on 28 February 2020 https://www.Clinicaltrialsgov/ct2/results?recrs=ab&cond=&term=NCT04424992&cntry=&state=&city=&dist The current version of protocol is version 1.0 enrolling since June 2020. The enrollment is still ongoing.
Project description:IntroductionWorldwide, 3.7% (144.7 million) of people diagnosed with COVID-19 developed Post-COVID Conditions (PCC). Therefore, creating and implementing multidisciplinary rehabilitation clinics is important to address the needs of patients and improve overall recovery. This study was made possible with support from the United States Agency for International Development funded RISE program, under the terms of the cooperative agreement 7200AA19CA00003.MethodsThis case study was conducted in Ecuador and describes the creation and implementation of 21 PCC rehabilitation clinics in primary healthcare centers and secondary level hospitals in 7 provinces across the country. Data was gathered for the identification of partnering health facilities and needs, for the evaluation of knowledge enhancement in health professionals after a specific training program, and for the measurement of key performance indicators. This article emphasizes the organization, educational strategies, and implementation of rehabilitation programs tailored specifically for the management of Post-COVID Conditions in Ecuador.ResultsThe implementation of PCC rehabilitation clinics involved a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), the private sector and a non-governmental organization (Jhpiego). Twenty-one health facilities from the primary and secondary level of care were selected, and PCC rehabilitation implemented in 7 provinces of Ecuador. Additionally, 133 health providers were trained and a total of 13,846 patients treated, among whom 859 had a diagnosis of PCC. Medical doctors outperformed nurses in both pre- and post-tests scores. However, all healthcare professionals demonstrated comparable improvement in knowledge acquisition. Rehabilitation manuals were developed and adopted by the MOPH, rehabilitation equipment was donated and a mobile application, "RESPIRA", was developed and disseminated free of charge.ConclusionThe establishment of PCC rehabilitation clinics in Ecuador was successful in identifying patients in need of early rehabilitation. The insights of this study can serve as a guide for the development of similar initiatives in other countries. Tailored courses are essential to address disparities and ensure comprehensive skill development and promote equitable healthcare delivery.
Project description:BackgroundGorlin syndrome, also known as Gorlin-Goltz syndrome (GGS) or basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) or nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), is an autosomal dominant familial cancer syndrome. It is characterized by the presence of numerous basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), along with skeletal, ophthalmic, and neurological abnormalities. It is essential to anticipate the diagnosis by identifying the pathology through the available diagnostic tests, clinical signs, and radiological manifestations, setting up an adequate treatment plan.Main bodyIn the first part, we searched recent databases including MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and the Cochrane Library by analyzing the etiopathogenesis of the disease, identifying the genetic alterations underlying them. Subsequently, we defined what are, to date, the major and minor clinical diagnostic criteria, the possible genetic tests to be performed, and the pathologies with which to perform differential diagnosis. The radiological investigations were reviewed based on the most recent literature, and in the second part, we performed a review regarding the existing jawbone protocols, treating simple enucleation, enucleation with bone curettage in association or not with topical use of cytotoxic chemicals, and "en bloc" resection followed by possible bone reconstruction, marsupialization, decompression, and cryotherapy.ConclusionTo promote the most efficient and accurate management of GGS, this article summarizes the clinical features of the disease, pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, and surgical protocols. To arrive at an early diagnosis of the syndrome, it would be advisable to perform radiographic and clinical examinations from the young age of the patient. The management of the patient with GGS requires a multidisciplinary approach ensuring an adequate quality of life and effective treatment of symptoms.
Project description:Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology defined by the presence of noncaseating granulomatous inflammation that can cause organ damage and diminished quality of life. Treatment is indicated to protect organ function and decrease symptomatic burden. Current treatment options focus on interruption of granuloma formation and propagation. Clinical trials guiding evidence for treatment are lacking due to the rarity of disease, heterogeneous clinical course, and lack of prognostic biomarkers, all of which contribute to difficulty in clinical trial design and implementation. In this review, a multidisciplinary treatment approach is summarized, addressing immunuosuppressive drugs, managing complications of chronic granulomatous inflammation, and assessing treatment toxicity. Discovery of new therapies will depend on research into pathogenesis of antigen presentation and granulomatous inflammation. Future treatment approaches may also include personalized decisions based on pharmacogenomics and sarcoidosis phenotype, as well as patient-centered approaches to manage immunosuppression, symptom control, and treatment of comorbid conditions.
Project description:Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue which rarely manifests in the neonatal period and has an ominous prognosis. A case of a first female offspring of healthy parents is described here. The pregnancy was uneventful and the mother had a term caesarean delivery. At birth, some dysmorphic signs became apparent, such as loose redundant skin, dolichocephaly, frontal bossing, deeply sunken eyes, micrognathia, contractures of the elbows, arachnodactyly and hip dysplasia. The echocardiogram showed a mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation and a long aortic arch. The diagnosis of neonatal MFS came forward and genetic studies revealed a de novo mutation in the fibrillin 1 (FBN1) gene. At 6 months, due to a progressive worsening of the cardiac pathology, she was submitted to mitral valvuloplasty. She is now 2 years and 10 months old, which is a remarkable feat for a child suffering from this condition.
Project description:Sanfilippo syndrome, or mucopolysaccharidosis type III (MPS III), is a disease grouping five genetic disorders, four of them occurring in humans and one known to date only in a mouse model. In every subtype of MPS III (designed A, B, C, D or E), a lack or drastically decreased activity of an enzyme involved in the degradation of heparan sulfate (HS) (a compound from the group of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)) arises from a genetic defect. This leads to primary accumulation of HS, and secondary storage of other compounds, combined with changes in expressions of hundreds of genes and many defects in organelles and various biochemical processes in the cell. As a result, dysfunctions of tissues and organs occur, leading to severe symptoms in patients. Although changes in somatic organs are considerable, the central nervous system is especially severely affected, and neurological, cognitive and behavioral disorders are the most significant changes, making the disease enormously burdensome for patients and their families. In the light of the current lack of any registered therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome (despite various attempts of many research groups to develop effective treatment, still no specific drug or procedure is available for MPS III), optimizing care with a multidisciplinary approach is crucial for managing this disease and making quality of patients' life passable. This includes efforts to make/organize (i) accurate diagnosis as early as possible (which is not easy due to various possible misdiagnosis events caused by similarity of MPS III symptoms to those of other diseases and variability of patients), (ii) optimized symptomatic treatment (which is challenging because of complexity of symptoms and often untypical responses of MPS III patients to various drugs), and (iii) psychological care (for both patients and family members and/or caregivers). In this review article, we focus on these approaches, summarizing and discussing them.
Project description:Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCC) is distinguished as an entity from perihilar and distal cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. Recently, molecular profiling and histopathological features have allowed further classification. Due to the frequent delay in diagnosis, the prognosis for iCC remains poor despite major technical advances and multimodal therapeutic approaches. Liver resection represents the therapeutic backbone and only curative treatment option, with the functional residual capacity of the liver and oncologic radicality being deciding factors for postoperative and long-term oncological outcome. Furthermore, in selected cases and depending on national guidelines, liver transplantation may be a therapeutic option. Given the often advanced tumor stage at diagnosis or the potential for postoperative recurrence, locoregional therapies have become increasingly important. These strategies range from radiofrequency ablation to transarterial chemoembolization to selective internal radiation therapy and can be used in combination with liver resection. In addition, adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapies as well as targeted therapies and immunotherapies based on molecular profiles can be applied. This review discusses multimodal treatment strategies for iCC and their differential use.
Project description:Background/Objectives: Post-infectious syndromes, including Post-COVID syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and late-stage Lyme disease, are associated with overlapping clinical features and autonomic dysfunction. Despite shared symptoms such as fatigue and orthostatic intolerance, the underlying pathophysiology and specific patterns of autonomic dysfunction may differ. This study aimed to evaluate and compare autonomic nervous system function in these syndromes using multiple diagnostic modalities to identify unique characteristics and improve differentiation between these conditions. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 758 patients, which were divided into four groups: Post-COVID syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome following Post-COVID syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome unrelated to COVID-19, and late-stage Lyme disease. Autonomic nervous system function was assessed using cardiovascular reflex tests, the Head-Up Tilt Test, beat-to-beat analysis, five-minute electrocardiogram recordings, 24 h Holter electrocardiogram monitoring, and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Statistical analyses compared parameters across the groups, focusing on patterns of sympathetic and parasympathetic dysfunction. Results: The patients with Lyme disease showed distinct autonomic patterns, including a higher prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (53.4%) and changes in heart rate variability during the Head-Up Tilt Test suggestive of adrenergic failure. Compared to the other groups, patients with Lyme disease exhibited reduced baroreceptor sensitivity and diminished changes in frequency domain heart rate variability parameters during orthostatic stress. Parasympathetic dysfunction was less prevalent in the Lyme disease group, while the Post-COVID syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome groups showed more pronounced autonomic imbalances. Conclusions: The patients with Post-COVID syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and late-stage Lyme disease exhibited varying degrees and types of autonomic dysfunction. Late-stage Lyme disease is characterized by adrenergic failure and distinct hemodynamic responses, differentiating it from other syndromes. The functional assessment of autonomic nervous system function could aid in understanding and managing these conditions, offering insights for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Project description:Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare ciliopathic human genetic disorder with mainly an autosomal recessive inheritance. BBS phenotype develops over the years and diagnosis is usually made in late childhood or early adulthood. Prenatal diagnosis is rare in the absence of family history or consanguinity. We present a prenatal case without a family history of inherited diseases or consanguinity. Mid-trimester ultrasound revealed hyperechogenic kidneys and postaxial polydactyly putting us on track of BBS. The fetopathology supported this diagnosis and the whole-exome sequencing confirmed the hypothesis. Our case illustrates how high-resolution obstetric scan, detailed observation of fetal features and application of gene sequencing technology contribute to elucidate the aetiology of rare, yet disabling and incurable disease, with the particular setting of negative family history.