Could "Low Quality of Life" Rather Than "Significant Symptoms" Be Better Criteria for the Selection of Patients for the Repair of a Giant Hiatus Hernia?

Purpose Giant hiatus hernia (GHH) repair is undertaken electively in symptomatic patients, to prevent complications such as gastric volvulus and subsequent mortality. Advances in laparoscopy and perioperative care have reduced the risk of GHH repair, and improvement in quality of life (QoL) has become an important outcome measure. In our unit, we have been assessing QoL in all the operated as well as non-operated patients with GHH, using the "Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia" (QOLRAD) questionnaire.

Transient Antenatal Bartter's Syndrome: A Case Report.

Antenatal Bartter's syndrome is a rare inherited disorder characterized by fetal polyhydramnios and polyuria that is usually detected between 24 and 30 weeks of gestation. However, a rare, severe, but transient form of antenatal Bartter's syndrome due to an x-linked melanoma-associated antigen D2 (MAGED2) mutation has recently been described. This transient type results in the earlier onset of severe polyhydramnios and preterm birth, but spontaneously resolves postnatally.

Monocytes and macrophages, implications for breast cancer migration and stem cell-like activity and treatment.

Macrophages are a major cellular constituent of the tumour stroma and contribute to breast cancer prognosis. The precise role and treatment strategies to target macrophages remain elusive. As macrophage infiltration is associated with poor prognosis and high grade tumours we used the THP-1 cell line to model monocyte-macrophage differentiation in co-culture with four breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, T47D, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) to model in vivo cellular interactions.

Diagnostic yield of parathyroid hormone testing in children evaluated for hypercalciuria.

Hypercalciuria is a frequent cause of non-glomerular hematuria in pediatric patients. Because hypercalciuria can be secondary to primary hyperparathyroidism, measurement of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels is often performed in children with this urinary abnormality. A retrospective chart review was performed to determine the diagnostic yield of PTH measurements when performed under these clinical circumstances.