Long-term effects of pancreatic islet transplantation on polyneuropathy in patients with brittle diabetes: A single-center experience.

Introduction/aims: Pancreatic islet transplantation (ITx) is increasingly used in patients with brittle type 1 diabetes (T1D). If successful, ITx results in insulin-free euglycemia, but its application is limited by a need for lifelong immunosuppression. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effects of ITx on the occurrence and course of polyneuropathy in a cohort of patients with brittle T1D.

Current Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most extensively studied antibody-mediated disease in humans. Substantial progress has been made in the treatment of MG in the last century, resulting in a change of its natural course from a disease with poor prognosis with a high mortality rate in the early 20th century to a treatable condition with a large proportion of patients attaining very good disease control. This review summarizes the current treatment options for MG, including non-immunosuppressive and immunosuppressive treatments, as well as thymectomy and targeted immunomodulatory drugs.

Early Outcomes after Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Artery Stenting for Carotid Stenosis in the ACS-NSQIP Database.

Background: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are both viable treatment options for carotid artery stenosis. We sought to compare perioperative outcomes after CEA and CAS for the management of carotid stenosis using a "real-world" sample.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to compare 30-day (periprocedural) outcomes in patients with carotid stenosis undergoing CEA versus CAS from 2005 to 2012.

Ocular Myasthenia.

Ocular myasthenia is a form of myasthenia gravis in which weakness is restricted to the ocular muscles and may produce significant visual disability. Patients present with fluctuating ptosis, diplopia, or a combination of both. Examination may show any type of ocular motility deficit ranging from isolated muscle palsy to complete ophthalmoplegia.