The Impact of Long-Term Antibiotic Therapy of Cutaneous Adverse Reactions to EGFR Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an important public health issue, in terms of incidence and mortality, with approximately 1.8 million new cases reported worldwide in 2018. Advancements in understanding pathophysiological key steps in CRC tumorigenesis have led to the development of new targeted therapies such as those based on epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFR inhibitors).

Rare Clinical Association between Infection and Ischemic Colitis: Case Report and Literature Review.

Gut microbiota plays an important role in the wellbeing of the host through different interactions between microflora constituents. In certain instances, may pullulate, causing infection with associated colitis that may vary in terms of severity from mild disease to severe colitis, with increased associated mortality due to its complications. However, there are few literature data regarding the association between and ischemic colitis.

The dynamic changes in the pattern of liver function tests in pregnant obese women.

Obesity is an important problem in healthcare regarding gestating women. The objective of the present study was to highlight the impact that obesity has on the hepatic function in pregnant women by comparing the functional tests used in current practice. In addition, the aim was to identify possible predictors of liver damage by analyzing specific anthropometric data.

Hyperthyroidism management during pregnancy and lactation (Review).

Thyroid dysfunction is a significant public health issue, affecting 5-10 more women compared to men. The estimated incidence is up to 12% and only for women the treatment rises up to 4.3 billion dollars annually.

Electrochemotherapy and Other Clinical Applications of Electroporation for the Targeted Therapy of Metastatic Melanoma.

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is an effective bioelectrochemical procedure that uses controlled electrical pulses to facilitate the increase of intracellular concentration of certain substances (electropermeabilization/ reversible electroporation). ECT using antitumor drugs such as bleomycin and cisplatin is a minimally invasive targeted therapy that can be used as an alternative for oncologic patients not eligible for surgery or other standard therapies. Even though ECT is mainly applied as palliative care for metastases, it may also be used for primary tumors that are unresectable due to size and location.

Asthma in Pregnancy. Review of Current Literature and Recommendations.

Asthma is the most common respiratory disorder affecting women during pregnancy. Although it is a reversible disease, it may adversely affect maternal quality of life and perinatal outcomes, especially in severe and inappropriately managed cases. Conversely, pregnancy influences the course of asthma through the physiological respiratory, hormonal, and immune system changes.

Vulvar and Vaginal Melanomas-The Darker Shades of Gynecological Cancers.

Melanomas of the skin are poorly circumscribed lesions, very frequently asymptomatic but unfortunately with a continuous growing incidence. In this landscape, one can distinguish melanomas originating in the mucous membranes and located in areas not exposed to the sun, namely the vulvo-vaginal melanomas. By contrast with cutaneous melanomas, the incidence of these types of melanomas is constant, being diagnosed in females in their late sixties.

Phenotyping the Prediabetic Population-A Closer Look at Intermediate Glucose Status and Cardiovascular Disease.

Even though the new thresholds for defining prediabetes have been around for more than ten years, there is still controversy surrounding the precise characterization of this intermediate glucose metabolism status. The risk of developing diabetes and macro and microvascular disease linked to prediabetes is well known. Still, the prediabetic population is far from being homogenous, and phenotyping it into less heterogeneous groups might prove useful for long-term risk assessment, follow-up, and primary prevention.

Lipofuscin: a key compound in ophthalmic practice.

Lipofuscin is an intracellular aging pigment with fluorescent properties, found in retinal pigment epithelium cells of the eye. It is the main fluorophore used in fundus autofluorescence imaging techniques to diagnose, describe, and follow retinal disease. Lipofuscin forms by incomplete lysosomal degradation of cellular material previously subjected to oxidative changes.

Vitiligo and chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.

Vitiligo, the discoloration of the skin, has different autoimmune mechanisms reflected by many biomarkers as shown by skin histology, staining for CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, chemokine ligand 9 or circulating cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1 beta, interferon (IFN)-gamma, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, antibodies, markers of oxidative stress, chemokines, and others. In this narrative review, we aim to overview vitiligo in relationship with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. Regarding vitiligo, more than 50 different genetic loci have been associated with this disease, and the heritability is high.

Anorexia nervosa: COVID-19 pandemic period (Review).

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by restrictive eating and an intense fear of gaining weight. It is a disease with an increasing incidence during the last few decades, and represents a complex psychiatric condition which includes secondary amenorrhea, nutritional and metabolic damage, and impaired endocrine panel up to bone loss as well as cardiac, gastrointestinal and hematological complications. This is a narrative review which includes an update on this eating disorder from the perspective of an endocrine panel of anomalies, especially of the skeleton, considering the pressure of the recent global COVID-19 pandemic changes.

Capecitabine-Induced Terminal Ileitis: Case Report and Literature Review.

Capecitabine is a well-established agent for adjuvant chemotherapy in breast and colorectal cancers. However, one of the limiting adverse events of this therapy is severe diarrhea, which is reported with increasing frequency as of late. Capecitabine-induced ileitis should be suspected in cases with severe, treatment-refractory diarrhea.

COVID-19-related thyroid conditions (Review).

In patients who were not previously diagnosed with any thyroid conditions, the scenario of COVID-19-related anomalies of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axes may include either: A process of central thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) disturbances via virus-related hypophysitis; an atypical type of subacute thyroiditis which is connected to the virus spread or to excessive cytokine production including a destructive process with irreversible damage of the gland or low T3 (triiodothyronine) syndrome (so called non-thyroid illness syndrome) which is not specifically related to the COVID-19 infection, but which is associated with a very severe illness status. Our objective here was to briefly review thyroid changes due to the COVID-19 infection. Ongoing assessment of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will reveal more information on coronavirus-induced thyroid conditions.

Chemical hemorrhagic cystitis: Diagnostic and therapeutic pitfalls (Review).

Chemical cystitis (CC) is an inflammation of the bladder caused by various chemical agents ingested intentionally or accidentally. It is linked to chemotherapeutic agents such as cyclophosphamide, therapeutic agents for diverse diseases, and anesthetic agents consumed abusively for recreational effects such as ketamine, or can be linked to environmental and surrounding factors such as soaps, gels, spermicides, and dyes. CC is a pathology with an increasing incidence that is inadequately treated due to its infectious cystitis-like symptoms.

Respiratory allergies: Salicaceae sensitization (Review).

Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is one of the most frequent chronic conditions of the modern world. Pollen carried by the wind from pollinated trees is a major source of SAR. Betulaceae, Oleaceae and Platanus are the most important sources of airway sensitization with regard to tree pollen and, therefore, they are included in the official recommendations of skin prick testing by different official societies.

The E/e' Ratio-Role in Risk Stratification of Acute Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains a worldwide management problem. Although there is a general effort for characterizing this population, few studies have assessed the predictive value of the echocardiographic E/e' ratio in patients with acute HFpEF. The aim of the study was to identify groups with different prognosis in patients hospitalized with a first acute episode of HFpEF.

Massive Hematochezia Secondary to Rectal Enema Injury: The Role of Sengstaken-Blakemore Tube for Hemostasis When Endoscopy Fails.

In rare instances, rectal cleansing enemas may cause rectal injury, precipitating lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage (LGIH). In a subset of LGIH cases, the bleeding diathesis may fail to respond to traditional treatment modalities and can be life-threatening. We present a case of an 84-year-old female with cleansing enema induced rectal bleeding - she was a poor surgical candidate and due to lack of access to in-house interventional radiology teams, hemostasis was attempted with sui generis use of the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube.

Key biomarkers within the colorectal cancer related inflammatory microenvironment.

Therapeutic approaches focused on the inflammatory microenvironment are currently gaining more support, as biomolecules involved in the inflammatory colorectal cancer (CRC) tumor microenvironment are being explored. We analyzed tumor and paired normal tissue samples from CRC patients (n = 22) whom underwent tumor resection surgery. We assessed 39 inflammation-involved biomolecules (multiplex magnetic bead-based immunoassay), CEA and CA19-9 (ELISA assay) and the tissue expression levels of occludin and also pErk, STAT1 and STAT3 transcriptional factors (western blot).

Optimal systolic blood pressure and reduced long-term mortality in older hypertensive women with prior coronary events - An analysis from INVEST☆.

Background: Hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD) are a prevalent combination in older women, however limited data are available to guide blood pressure (BP) management. We hypothesized that older women with hypertension and CAD may not derive long-term benefit by achieving systolic BP (SBP) < 130 mmHg.

Methods: We analyzed long-term all-cause mortality data from the International Verapamil SR/Trandolapril Study (INVEST), stratified by risk attributable to clinical severity of CAD (women with prior coronary events of myocardial infarction or revascularization considered high risk, all others at low risk) and by age group (50-64 or ≥65 years).

Teratogenic effect of isotretinoin in both fertile females and males (Review).

Isotretinoin is an oral derivate of vitamin A that has been used since 1982 for the treatment of multiple dermatologic conditions such as severe acne, rosacea, scarring alopecia, ichthyosis or non-melanoma skin cancer prophylaxis. The recommended dose is 0.5-1 mg/kg/day for a period of 4-6 months in sebaceous gland pathologies.

The Roles of MicroRNAs in Male Infertility.

MicroRNAs applications were vastly studied throughout the years, spanning from potential cancer biomarkers to targeted therapies for various diseases. Out of these utilizations, this paper focuses on their role in male infertility. Approximately 10-15% of worldwide couples are affected by infertility.

Delivery and breastfeeding in pregnant patients with COVID-19 (Review).

COVID-19 infection has rapidly become a global issue that has brought essential changes in the daily life of patients and doctors. The pandemic outbreak represents a significant burden on humankind; yet, life still moves on with approximately 350,000 babies being born every day around the world (UNICEF-2018). Some of these mothers will have other conditions, including COVID-19 infection.

Urban allergy review: Allergic rhinitis and asthma with plane tree sensitization (Review).

Respiratory allergies represent a major public health issue in the modern world. Pollens are among the most significant causes of seasonal allergic rhinitis, with pollens of wind-pollinated trees representing an important cause. Members of the Platanaceae family (, ) are well-recognized sources of allergenic pollens worldwide, due to their high capacity of sensitization and widespread usage as ornamental urban trees.

A Practical Risk Score for Prediction of Early Readmission after a First Episode of Acute Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background: The first admission for acute heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) drastically influences the short-term prognosis. Baseline characteristics may predict repeat hospitalization or death in these patients.

Methods: A 103 patient-cohort, admitted for the first acute HFpEF episode, was monitored for six months.