FDG PET-CT for the Detection of Occult Nodal Metastases in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Because of an estimated 20-30% prevalence of occult lymph node (LN) metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), neck dissection is often proposed, despite its potential morbidity. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the diagnostic performance of FDG PET-CT in detecting occult LN metastases was evaluated in patients with clinically negative necks (cN0) and in whom histopathology of a neck dissection specimen served as gold standard. Overall, 16 studies out of 2062 screened on PubMed and EMBASE fulfilled the inclusion criteria (n = 1148 patients).

[Inducible laryngeal obstruction: detection and management].

Inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) is a phenomenon of paradoxical upper airway closure during breathing causing respiratory distress and a noisy breathing. It most often appears during maximal exertion but can also be induced by inhalation of irritants, pharyngolaryngeal reflux or stressful situations. It can sometimes be confused with an acute asthma attack.

Patients' related sexual outcomes in colorectal surgery.

Background: Patients undergoing colorectal surgery (CRS) have an increased risk of developing sexual disorders, attributed to different mechanisms. In this context, sexual function (SF) assessment of patients before and after surgery is essential: to identify risk factors for sexual disorders as well as to minimize their impact on overall quality of life (QoL), allowing them a satisfying relationship and sexual life.

Material And Methods: Patients over 18 years of age who underwent a CRS in the University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland, between June 2014 and February 2016 were included.

Atrial fibrillation detection with long-term continuous Holter ECG recording in patients with high cardiovascular risk and clinical palpitations: the prospective after study.

Aim: New technologic tools for continuous ECG monitoring have been developed to detect and treat atrial fibrillation (AF) in specific populations with high cardiovascular risk. We evaluated the prevalence and the management of AF diagnosed in patients with high cardiovascular risk and non-documented clinical palpitation undergoing systematic 14-day continuous ECG-Holter monitoring.

Methods: Patients were prospectively enrolled from December 2019 to December 2021 in this multicentre study, sponsored by the French National College of Cardiology.

Strict vegan, low-calorie diet administered by caregiving daughter to elderly mother--is this elder abuse?

We present a case in which a 40 year old woman, who was the primary care-giver of her 78 year-old mother, provided a strict vegan diet which caused the mother severe malnutrition. The mother was hospitalized with severe functional deterioration and, while eating a proper diet during hospitalization, gained weight and her condition improved. The case was reported to the Welfare Officer and the mother was released under the supervision of the Welfare Officer.

Protective effect of hydroxychloroquine in systemic lupus erythematosus. Prospective long-term study of an Israeli cohort.

Systemic lupus erythematosus-associated irreversible organ/system damage was previously associated with various clinical and demographic features. We analysed the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SLICC/ACR DI) in a cohort of 151 Israeli patients followed for a mean (+/- s.d.

Disease patterns of patients with Behçet's disease demonstrated by factor analysis.

Objective: To explore the main patterns of Behçet's disease (BD) expression, applying factor analysis.

Methods: Sixty-eight BD patients were studied. The following disease manifestations were used for the factor analysis: genital ulcerations, typical skin lesions (erythema nodosum, folliculitis or papulo-pustular rash), uveitis, CNS involvement, joint disease, deep vein and superficial vein thrombosis, and gastrointestinal manifestations.

Childhood Behçet's disease: clinical features and comparison with adult-onset disease.

Objective: To study the clinical spectrum of Behçet's disease (BD) in childhood, in comparison to adult-onset disease.

Methods: Nineteen children, who fulfilled disease criteria up to the age of 16 yr, were studied. The results were compared to those of 34 adult patients with BD.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis in Behçet's disease: clinical features and correlation with systemic disease expression and severity.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disease, in which recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a universal finding. We studied the expression of RAS in patients with BD, and the correlation between major or minor RAS and systemic expression and severity of the disease. Thirty-five patients with BD were studied, of whom 13 (37%) had major, 21 (60%) had minor and one (3%) had herpetiform RAS.

Mode of presentation and multisystem involvement in Behçet's disease: the influence of sex and age of disease onset.

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between the age at onset of Behcet's disease (BD) and sex distribution, mode of disease appearance, and number of organs involved during the disease.

Methods: BD was defined according to the International Study Group criteria. Data from medical files and from patient interviews were collected.

Seasons of the year and activity of SLE and Behcet's disease.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were evaluated using a telephone questionnaire on the activity of various disease manifestations during the seasons of the past year. The results were compared to those of patients with Behcet's disease (BD), using the same questionnaires, and analyzed in relation to the mean temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in the patient's location, obtained from the official Israeli Meteorological Service. It was found that SLE patients had a tendency towards winter worsening of clinical manifestations, shown as increased incidence of joint pains, weakness, fatigue, Raynaud's phenomenon, and rash, as well as increased number of hospital admissions, sick leaves, and need to raise the dose of medications.

The penetrating potential of autoantibodies into live cells in vitro coincides with the in vivo staining of epidermal nuclei.

We have previously demonstrated that IgG autoantibodies derived from SLE patients are capable of penetrating into nuclei of living COLO-16 cells, in vitro. To address the possible correlation in Lupus Erythematosus (LE) between the in vivo ANA binding to nuclei of epidermal cells and the presence of intranuclear penetrating antibodies in sera of those patients, 25 consecutive patients were studied. Out of 25 skin biopsies, 11 specimens (8 of SLE and 3 of DLE) showed by immunofluorescent microscopy extensive in vivo presence of IgG in epidermal nuclei, whereas all sera of these patients stained nuclei of living COLO-16 cells, in vitro.

Expression of rheumatoid arthritis in two ethnic Jewish Israeli groups.

Objective: To investigate the expression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Jewish Israeli patients according to ethnic origin.

Methods: RA patients who were seen in a primary public rheumatology clinic were divided into two groups according to ethnic origin (Sepharadic or Askenazi) and subjected to a cross sectional study. The two groups were compared for history, physical status, and radiographic and laboratory variables.

Fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus. Prevalence and relation to disease expression.

Significant fatigue was observed in 63/83 (76%) SLE patients. Patients with fatigue had significantly lower lymphocyte counts (1090 +/- 60 vs 1675 +/- 205 cells/mm3 P = 0.003), and higher ratings for headache, nervousness and musculoskeletal symptoms and signs.

Expression of systemic lupus erythematosus in various ethnic Jewish Israeli groups.

Objectives: To assess the expression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Jewish Israeli patients according to ethnic origin.

Methods: Eighty four patients with SLE were divided into groups according to origin and compared for history, physical examination, and laboratory variables.

Results: Patients of Sephardic origin had more serious disease manifestations than Ashkenazi patients in 60 of the 76 variables examined.

Rash in systemic lupus erythematosus: prevalence and relation to cutaneous and non-cutaneous disease manifestations.

Rash is a common cutaneous sign in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but no data regarding its prevalence or relation to disease manifestations are known, possibly due to the fact that it is a common but non-specific sign. Rash was present in 48/81 (59%) patients with SLE. Patients with rash had more cutaneous symptoms and signs, lymphadenopathy, increased levels of antibodies to double stranded DNA and decreased complement levels.

Effect of weather conditions on rheumatic patients.

In a one month prospective study of 62 rheumatic patients--16 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 24 with osteoarthritis (OA), 11 with inflammatory arthritis, 11 with fibromyalgia joint pain--swelling and everyday activity was compared with changes in daily weather conditions. In most patients weather changes increased arthritic symptoms. Women were more sensitive to weather than men (62% v 37%).

[Long-term treatment of chronic heart failure by an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme].

We studied the hemodynamic, echocardiographic, phonomechanographic and hormonal changes during acute (25 mg) and chronic (6 months--75 to 225 mg/day) treatment of 10 patients with congestive cardiac failure due to cardiomyopathy with dilatation with SQ 14 225 (Captopril). The following changes were observed after the single dose: an increase in cardiac output (p less than 0,001), in stroke volume (p less than 0,01), a reduction in heart rate (p less than 0,01), in peripheral resistance (p less than 0,001) and pulmonary capillary pressure (p less than 0,001). There were no significant changes in end systolic or end diastolic left ventricular internal diameter.

[Treatment of rheumatic polyarthritis with levamisole in 26 patients].

Twenty-six patients with rheumatic polyarthritis (serologically positive) were treated with levamisole at a daily dosage of 150 mg. Treatment was continuous for 3 months and 2 days weekly afterwards. Although improvement may appear from the 1st month onwards, it is more frequent between the 1st and 3rd month (13 good or very good results among the 16 patients still treated) and may even improve afterwards (11 good or very good results among the 11 patients still treated in the 6th month).