Assessment of intestinal inflammation via fecal calprotectin for early prediction of adverse outcomes in advanced chronic liver disease.

Background And Aims: Intestinal inflammation assessed by fecal calprotectin (F-CAL) in advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) may represent an early sign of intestinal barrier dysfunction. We aimed to explore the usefulness of F-CAL testing in ACLD in the prediction of adverse outcomes (AO, death, or LT) and refinement of prognostic stratification.

Patients And Methods: We explored the RH7 cirrhosis registry comprising consecutive hospitalized patients and a control group with data on disease phenotype, demographics, anthropometrics, prognostic indices, and medication.

Impact of Infusion Therapies on Quality of Life in Advanced Parkinson's Disease.

A high burden of motor and non-motor parkinsonian symptoms is known to have a significant negative impact on the quality of life (QoL) of people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Effective control of these symptoms with therapies that enable patients to maintain a good QoL is therefore a key treatment goal in PD management. When symptom control can no longer be accomplished with oral or transdermal PD treatment regimens, device-aided therapies (DAT), namely levodopa and apomorphine infusion therapies, and deep brain stimulation, are valuable options to consider.

When can maximal efficacy occur with repeat botulinum toxin injection in upper limb spastic paresis?

Repeated injection cycles with abobotulinumtoxinA, a botulinum toxin type A, are recommended in current clinical guidelines as a treatment option for adults with upper limb spastic paresis. However, the magnitude of the maximal therapeutic effect of repeated abobotulinumtoxinA treatment across different efficacy parameters and the number of injection cycles required to reach maximal effect remain to be elucidated. Here, we present a exploratory analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (12-24 weeks; NCT01313299) and open-label extension study (up to 12 months; NCT0131331), in patients aged 18-80 years with hemiparesis for ≥6 months after stroke/traumatic brain injury.

Radiotherapy of prostate cancer in renal transplant recipients: single-center experience.

This study analyzed the long-term outcomes of localized prostate cancer in renal transplant recipients after radiotherapy treatment - mainly brachytherapy. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of renal transplant recipients between 2003 and 2016 at a single tertiary center, and identified four patients with high serum PSA level during regular follow-up, 1-108 months after primary renal transplantation. The mean age of patients with detected high serum PSA level with 9.

Phelan-McDermid syndrome in adult patient with atypical bipolar psychosis repeatedly triggered by febrility.

Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMD) is a rare genetic condition with only a few cases describing patients diagnosed as adults. We describe a long diagnostic odyssey of a 30-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Phelan-McDermid syndrom. Array comparative genomic hybridization analysis confirmed a 22q13.

Biologic treatment in comparison to methotrexate has positive effect on trabecular bone score in rheumatoid arthritis patients: 1-year follow-up.

Introduction: Biologic treatment may influence activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as well as areal bone mineral density (aBMD). Decreased aBMD explains the fracture risk in RA patients only partially. The trabecular bone score (TBS), novel texture parameter reflects degradation of trabecular bone and therefore could be used as a further parameter to predict the risk of fragility fracture.

High mobility group box 1 protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and correlation with other inflammatory markers in pulmonary diseases.

Analysis of new markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) provides new insights into the immunopathogenesis and may be helpful in differential diagnosis of lung diseases. High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is a non-histone nuclear protein and its release into the extracellular environment may be associated with the inflammatory response. The aim of the study is the analysis of HMGB1 in BALF, correlations with other markers of inflammation and differences in extracellular HMGB1 levels in various lung diagnoses.

Corrigendum to "Osteoporosis, Fractures, and Diabetes".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2014/820615.].

Frontal Cortical Atrophy as a Predictor of Poststroke Apathy.

The aim of the study was to identify associations between the symptoms of poststroke apathy and sociodemographic, stroke-related (severity of stroke, degree of disability, and performance in activities of daily living), and radiological correlates. We determined the degree of cortical and subcortical brain atrophy, the severity of white matter and basal ganglia lesions on baseline computed tomography (CT) scans, and the localization of acute ischemia on control CT or magnetic resonance imaging scans in subacute stages of stroke. During follow-up examinations, in addition to the assessment of apathy symptoms using the Apathy Scale, we also evaluated symptoms of depression and anxiety using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration as an independent risk factor of venous thromboembolism regardless of thyroid function.

Introduction: Thyroid dysfunction has been recognised as playing a role in the coagulation cascade, but the clinical implications of this phenomenon are unclear. The aim of our study was to assess the predictive power of TSH measurement on the presence or absence of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Material And Methods: From January 2009 to August 2012, all consecutive patients hospitalised for suspected VTE were included in the study.

Referring Parkinson's disease patients for deep brain stimulation: a RAND/UCLA appropriateness study.

In 2005, a European expert panel developed and validated an electronic tool to support the appropriate referral of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) for the consideration of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Since new evidence has become available over the last decade an update of the tool is necessary. A world-wide expert panel (71 neurologists and 11 neurosurgeons) used the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method to assess the appropriateness of referral for 1296 scenarios (9-point scale).

Osteoporosis, fractures, and diabetes.

It is well established that osteoporosis and diabetes are prevalent diseases with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of bone fractures. In type 1 diabetes, the risk is increased by ∼6 times and is due to low bone mass.

Frequency of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms influencing the warfarin pharmacogenetics in Slovak population.

Objective: Warfarin represents the most commonly prescribed oral anticoagulants, which functions as an antagonist of vitamin K, an essential factor of blood coagulation cascade. Warfarin has a narrow therapeutic index. An insufficient dose can cause failure of antithrombotic effect, and an overdose increases a risk of bleeding.