A study of histologic and immunophenotypical staining patterns in cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia.

Background: Cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia (CLH) is generally classified according to clinicopathologic entities or put into broad spectrums of B-cell or T-cell predominance or co-dominance.

Objective: We sought to discern histologic features and immunohistochemical staining patterns in CLH that may form a basis for a histologic classification system.

Methods: We studied the clinical, histologic, immunophenotypical, and molecular characteristics of 24 consecutive patients with CLH.

Impact of red blood cell transfusion on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Divergent views remain regarding the safety of treating anemia with red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We used a prospective database to study effect of RBC transfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI; n = 2,358). Cox regression models were used to determine the association between RBC transfusion and 6-month outcomes, incorporating transfusion as a time-dependent variable.

A unique pattern of dyskeratosis characterizes epidermolytic hyperkeratosis and epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma.

Hereditary skin diseases that are characterized ultrastructurally by intracellular clumpings of keratin tonofilaments, such as Darier disease and Ichthyosis Hystrix of Curth-Macklin, display epidermal dyskeratosis also histologically. Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis (EHK) and epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (Voerner type) (EPPK) are 2 types of autosomal dominant keratodermas, which are also characterized ultrastructurally by intracellular clumpings of tonofilaments but usually without a clear description of histological dyskeratosis. The main aim of the present study was to characterize the histologic signs of keratin aggregation and clumping in the involved epidermis of EHK and EPPK.

Dyskeratosis as a histologic feature in epidermolysis bullosa simplex-Dowling Meara.

Background: Intracellular keratin aggregation and clumping is a characteristic ultrastructural feature in epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS)-Dowling Meara (DM) yet without histologic correlates in routinely stained specimens.

Objective: We sought to detect histologic clues to keratin aggregation and clumping in the involved epidermis of EBS-DM.

Methods: Four cases of EBS-DM caused by dominant keratin (KRT)5 and KRT14 mutations were studied histologically and ultrastructurally.

Predictive value of white blood cell subtypes for long-term outcome following myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Elevation of total white blood cells (WBC) count is associated with higher mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes. However, it is unknown which specific subset of leukocytes best correlates with increased risk of adverse outcome.

Methods And Results: We prospectively studied the predictive value of WBC subtypes for long-term outcome in 1037 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Safe extraction of an impacted open safety pin from the esophagus: report of 9 cases.

Purpose: Foreign body ingestion is a common problem in children. An infrequent ingested item is an open safety pin (SP), which may become lodged in the esophagus and presents the endoscopist a challenge to his surgical judgment and technical skills.

Materials And Methods: We present 9 cases of infants with open SPs impacted in the esophagus and discuss the different options to treat these cases.

Five-year clinical follow up after intracoronary radiation for the prevention of in-stent restenosis.

Intracoronary radiation therapy (IRT), utilizing both gamma- and beta-emitting radiation sources, is considered to be a safe and effective treatment for in-stent restenosis (ISR). Although no longer in clinical use, a significant number of patients were treated in the past with IRT, and their long-term outcomes have not been well documented. The aim of the present analysis was to document the long-term outcomes of all patients who underwent IRT at our institution for the prevention of recurrence of ISR.

Managing mass casualties.

Purpose Of Review: The issue of mass casualty associated with terrorism has gained tremendous public interest, but only modest medical interest, in the past 2 years. This review examines recent medical literature and outlines a practical approach to managing the mass casualty situation on the basis of a doctrine developed and extensively practised in Israeli hospitals.

Recent Findings: A large portion of recently published articles deal with the preparedness for 'conventional', biological or chemical mass casualty situations.

Pleomorphic CD8+ small/medium size cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Pleomorphic small/medium-sized cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a recently recognized rare type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma which is clinicopathologically different from mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome. By definition the phenotype of the neoplastic lymphocytes in pleomorphic small/medium-sized cutaneous CD3CD4CD8 but CD8 pleomorphic small/medium sized cutaneous T-cell lymphoma cases have been occasionally described. We describe a 55-year-old female with a pruritic erythematous nodule on the lateral aspect of her right foot present for 1.

The eccentric lumenology.

Coronary angiography has a poor predictive value for the detection of eccentric plaque morphology. Many reports have demonstrated discordance between the angiographic classification and the intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) classification. Although eccentricity is usually considered a dichotomous character, more than two-thirds of all coronary stenosis have some degree of eccentricity.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome associated with renal failure: a case report.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome is a rare entity characterized by depigmentation of the skin and eye lashes, chronic granulomatous iridocyclitis and exudative retinal detachment, as well as aseptic meningitis and encephalopathy. We describe a 22-year-old male intravenous drug addict, infected with hepatitis B and C virus, suffering from this syndrome, associated with progressive renal sclerosis, malignant hypertension, heart failure and chronic myeloproliferative disorder. The association with these various diseases is discussed and relevant cases are reviewed.

Does otitis media in early childhood affect reading performance in later school years?

Objective: To evaluate reading performance in children with recurrent otitis media during childhood once middle-ear diseases have resolved and the children grew older.

Study Design And Setting: Seventy-five children with middle-ear problems during childhood and poor reading performance in first grades and 60 healthy controls free of middle ear diseases were enrolled in the study. All children underwent an otologic and audiologic evaluation followed by reading tests.

Early inflammation and risk of long-term development of heart failure and mortality in survivors of acute myocardial infarction predictive role of C-reactive protein.

Objectives: We aimed to study the relationship between C-reactive-protein (CRP), obtained within 12 to 24 h of symptoms onset, and long-term risk of death and heart failure (HF) in survivors of acute myocardial infarction (MI).

Background: A robust inflammatory response is an integral component of the response to tissue injury during MI. The magnitude of the early inflammatory response to ischemic injury might be an important determinant of long-term outcome.

Infection with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus among families of patients with classic Kaposi's sarcoma.

Background: Classic Kaposi's sarcoma (CKS) primarily affects elderly Mediterranean or Eastern European men. Incidence rates of CKS in Israel are among the world's highest. In practically all cases, antibodies against Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) can be detected.

Panaortitis: diagnosis via fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

A 57-year-old woman was admitted with a 2-month history of low-grade fever, malaise, and weight loss. Physical examination findings were unremarkable except for a systolic murmur of a known mild aortic regurgitation. Laboratory tests revealed only mild leukocytosis and an elevated sedimentation rate.

A comparison of anti-desmoglein antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence in the serodiagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris.

Background: Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) is the standard method for the detection of pemphigus autoantibodies. Commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have recently become available to measure serum antibodies (Abs) against desmoglein1 (Dsg1) and desmoglein3 (Dsg3). It has been suggested that patients with mucosal-dominant pemphigus vulgaris (PV) have serum Abs against Dsg3 only, patients with mucocutaneous PV have Abs to both Dsg1 and Dsg3, and patients with pemphigus foliaceus (PF) have Abs against Dsg1 only.

Histopathology of hypotrichosis with juvenile macular dystrophy.

Hypotrichosis with juvenile macular dystrophy (HJMD) (MIM 601553) is a rare disorder characterized by the paucity of hair and progressive macular degeneration leading to blindness. We have recently shown that mutations in the CDH3 gene encoding P-cadherin are the proximal cause of HJMD. The present study was performed to establish the histopathology of this disorder.

Von Willebrand gene expression in damaged human liver.

Background/aims: von Willebrand factor (vWf) is an adhesive glycoprotein known to play a role in hemostasis and in tissue injury. It is found in high levels in plasma of patients with acute hepatic failure and chronic liver disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of tissue vWf in acute liver failure in humans.

Omentopexy improves vascularization and decreases stricture formation of esophageal anastomoses in a dog model.

Background: Anastomotic strictures are common after primary esophageal anastomosis in pediatric patients. Recent studies provided evidence that omentopexy may improve vascularization of gastroesophageal anastomoses and decrease the rate of stricture-related complications. The effect of omentopexy on primary esophago-esophageal anastomosis, however, is unknown.

Synergistic effect of cigarette smoke and saliva on lymphocytes--the mediatory role of volatile aldehydes and redox active iron and the possible implications for oral cancer.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is most induced by exposure of the oral epithelial cells to tobacco products such as cigarette smoke. This exposure always occurs in the presence of saliva and presumably is induced by free radicals. To explore the effects of CS on cells in the presence of saliva, we used peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and exposed them to CS, alone or in the presence of saliva.

Admission C-reactive protein levels and 30-day mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Elevated C-reactive protein levels are associated with an increased risk of subsequent cardiovascular events in patients with unstable angina. However, limited information is available concerning the value of C-reactive protein levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: We prospectively studied 448 consecutive patients (mean [+/- SD] age, 60 +/- 12 years) with acute myocardial infarction.

Bacterial sacroiliitis probably induced by lumbar epidural analgesia.

Background: Properly administered, lumbar epidural analgesia provides adequate pain relief during labor and delivery, and is considered to be a safe procedure with limited complications. The prevalence of infection after lumbar epidural analgesia is negligible.

Introduction: Infection of the sacroiliac joint, although very close to the pucture area, has never been reported as a procedure complication.

The handheld dermatoscope as a nail-fold capillaroscopic instrument.

Background: The presence of nail-fold capillary abnormalities may be useful in diagnosing several connective tissue disorders, including scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and mixed connective tissue disease, and in differentiating primary Raynaud phenomenon from Raynaud phenomenon due to scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease. Capillaroscopy, however, usually requires special equipment and may be time consuming. Purpose To investigate the potential use of the unmodified common handheld dermatoscope as a capillaroscopic instrument.

Salivary gland involvement in rheumatoid arthritis and its relationship to induced oxidative stress.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to analyse salivary gland and free radical involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Thirty-four consenting RA patients (rheumatoid factor-positive) and 18 healthy controls, matched in age and gender, participated in the study. Plasma and saliva samples were harvested and subjected to compositional analysis and various free radical-related tests.