The impact of multifocal intraocular lens in retinal imaging with optical coherence tomography.

Multifocal intraocular lenses (MF IOLs) have concentric optical zones with different dioptric power, enabling patients to have good visual acuity at multiple focal points. However, several optical limitations have been attributed to this particular design. The purpose of this study is to access the effect of MF IOLs design on the accuracy of retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Sustained complete remission of primary effusion lymphoma with adjunctive ganciclovir treatment in an HIV-positive patient.

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is one of the least common of the AIDS-related lymphomas, accounting for less than 1-4% of cases. Clinical manifestations depend on the extent and distribution of disease and, as in the majority of patients no detectable mass lesion is found, symptoms are related to fluid accumulation, dyspnoea (pleural or pericardial effusions), abdominal distension (ascites) or joint swelling. The median survival after diagnosis, even with aggressive chemotherapy, remains poor and remissions are often of short duration.

An uncommon case of hepatopulmonary amoebiasis.

Amoebiasis is an uncommon infection in developed countries caused by the protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. Amoebic liver abscess is the most frequent extraintestinal presentation of the disease; pleuropulmonary involvement is rare, occurring mostly by rupture of the abscess into the pleural space or lung parenchyma. We describe a case of a 48-year-old migrant from São Tomé e Príncipe, with fever, wasting, dry cough and right upper abdominal pain for the past 2 months.

Thoracic manifestations of connective tissue diseases.

Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) comprise several immunologic systemic disorders, each of which associated with a particular set of clinical manifestations and autoimmune profile. CTDs may cause numerous thoracic abnormalities, which vary in frequency and pattern according to the underlying disorder. The CTDs that most commonly involve the respiratory system are progressive systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren syndrome, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and mixed connective tissue disease.

Pulmonary oedema in the emergency room: what is hidden beyond an apparently common presentation.

Cardiogenic flash pulmonary oedema is a common and potentially fatal cause of acute respiratory distress. Although it often results from acute decompensated heart failure, abrupt-onset aortic regurgitation can sharply rise cardiac filling pressure and, consequently, pulmonary venous pressure, leading to rapid fluid accumulation in the interstitial and alveolar spaces. We report a case of a 64-year-old woman admitted to the emergency department with a flash pulmonary oedema; a careful clinical investigation subsequently revealed a rare aetiology for this 'common' presentation.

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome.

A 45-year-old woman with a history of renal carcinoma was observed for facial, cervical and truncal flesh-colored papules. Relatives had similar skin findings and a brother had repeated episodes of pneumothorax. The computerized tomography scan revealed multiple cysts on both lungs.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm is a rare and aggressive hematodermic neoplasia with frequent cutaneous involvement and leukemic dissemination. We report the case of a 76-year-old man with a 2 month history of violaceous nodules and a tumor with stony consistency, located on the head, and mandibular, cervical and supraclavicular lymphadenopathies. Multiple thoracic and abdominal adenopathies were identified on computerized tomography.

Cutaneous leiomyomatosis in a mother and daughter.

A 34-year-old woman with no known medical history was evaluated for multiple painful brown nodules and papules on the anterior aspect of the trunk. She mentioned a history of similar cutaneous findings on her mother. Biopsies of three lesions revealed piloleiomyomata.

Case for diagnosis.

An 83 year-old man was observed for an 8 year-long pruritic, erythematous plaque of the left axilla. He had been continuously medicated with topical antifungals and steroids with occasional symptomatic relief, but with disease progression. After a clinical and histological diagnosis of Extramammary Paget's Disease, a total excision with wide margins was performed.

Onychoscopy.

Dermatoscopy can be used to evaluate the nail apparatus (ie, onychoscopy), and it is helpful for the diagnosis of numerous nail diseases and tumors. This article reviews the information that can be obtained in cases of nail dyschromia and especially in cases of melanonychia, in which the distinction between benign melanocytic activation or proliferation and malignancy is crucial. Dermatoscopic changes that accompany specific nail diseases are also reviewed, such as those observed with subungual hemorrhage, bacterial and fungal nail infections, psoriasis of the nail, lichen planus of the nail, and vascular abnormalities of the nail fold.

Role of trichoscopy in children's scalp and hair disorders.

Hair and scalp disorders in children may originate from the hair itself, scalp skin, or infectious causes and be congenital or acquired. The most common sign is alopecia, frequently brought on by tinea capitis, patchy alopecia areata, or trichotillomania. Sometimes less frequent and clinically more elusive conditions such as initial androgenetic alopecia, congenital triangular alopecia, or alopecia areata incognita may be responsible for hair loss.

[Future perspectives in the treatment of psoriasis: news in biological therapies].

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic, inflammatory disease. Due to the chronic nature of the disease, patients suffer from substantial psychological and financial burdens, thus adding to a significantly impaired quality of life. Current understanding of the pathophysiology of this condition has produced very encouraging new medical developments.

[Panniculitis in the setting of visceral leishmaniasis].

A 38-year-old male with a past history of intravenous drug use, AIDS and Visceral Leishmaniasis in 2000, was hospitalized after presenting with fever, myalgias and arthralgias, fatigue, hepatosplenomegaly and oedema of the inferior limbs. On the tenth day of admission, the patient developed painful subcutaneous nodules of the thighs and a Dermatology consultation was requested. A clinical and histological diagnosis of Leishmania Panniculitis was made, in the setting of Visceral Leishmaniasis recurrence.

Sweet's Syndrome and relapsing polychondritis signal myelodysplastic syndrome.

The emergence of certain skin conditions belonging to the group of mucocutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes may indicate the future appearance of a previously unknown malignancy. Sweet's Syndrome and relapsing polychondritis are included in this group. Sweet's Syndrome and relapsing polychondritis are very rarely found together in the same patient.

Time course of organ failure in patients with septic shock treated with hydrocortisone: results of the Corticus study.

Introduction: Corticosteroids have been proposed to decrease morbidity and mortality in patients with septic shock. An impact on morbidity should be anticipated to be earlier and more easily detected than the impact on mortality.

Methods: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock for <72 h who underwent a short high-dose ACTH test in 52 centers in 9 European countries.

[Cerebral venous thrombosis imagiologic features in a pregnant woman].

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a relatively rare but serious condition potentially reversible upon accurate diagnosis and adequate therapy. The peri-partum state and pregnancy are predisposing factors and TVC accounts for about 6% of maternal deaths. Its clinical symptoms depend on the the thrombus site and extension, and also on the existing collateral vessels network.

[Microbiological profile and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of organisms isolated from diabetic foot ulcers in a Portuguese hospital].

Objectives: To determine the microbiological profile and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of organisms isolated from diabetic foot ulcers in a Portuguese hospital.

Methods: Microbiological data from ambulatory and hospitalized patients with diabetic foot infection during the year 2010 were retrospectively analysed. The profile of the isolated organisms was identified, regarding their prevalence both in the outpatient and inpatient settings.