Differences In Clinical Manifestations Research Articles

Concomitant Primary and Secondary Syphilis: A Case Series from STD Clinic, Siriraj Hospital

Objective: To emphasize the importance of dermatologists in identifying the presence of concomitant primary and secondary syphilis in the same patient in order to effectively diagnose the disease and provide adequate treatment. Case presentation: The diversity of the clinical manifestations of syphilis is very common; however, atypical presentations of syphilis have a chance to occur. Such concomitant primary and secondary syphilis, which develop s chancre concomitant rash is an uncommon manifestation. Cases of atypical syphilis have been described most frequently in patients with concomitant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and men who have sex with men (MSM).This report presents the cases of 8 patients with primary and secondary syphilitic lesions. These cases are representative because of their clinical presentation, age range, gender distribution and diagnostic approach. Conclusion: The concomitant presence of primary and secondary syphilis in the same patient is unusual. The importance of our cases is to highlight some of the differences in clinical manifestations in HIV-infected men and HIV-uninfected men that might be important for early diagnosis for managing and curing such patients.

Ten‐year retrospective clinicohistological study of cutaneous lupus erythematosus in Korea

An understanding of the differences in clinical manifestations and laboratory abnormalities between subtypes of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to analyze demographic, clinical and histological features of CLE according to three main presentation subsets: acute (ACLE), subacute (SCLE) and chronic (CCLE). A 10-year retrospective analysis was performed on data from patients who were diagnosed with CLE between March 2005 and September 2015 in a Korean tertiary referral dermatology clinic. We compared demographic data and clinical and histological findings between three different CLE groups. An overall sample of 220 patients with CLE consisted of 67 patients with ACLE, 25 patients with SCLE and 135 patients with CCLE. Patients with CCLE regardless of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presence had lower prevalence of anemia, urinary abnormalities and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Furthermore, CCLE patients who only had skin lesions showed lower female predominance, lower extracutaneous manifestation, fewer laboratory and immunological abnormalities including low antinuclear antibody titers and the lowest positivity for C3, C4 and anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro, anti-Sm and anti-RNP antibodies, and more prominent perieccrine inflammation and dermal fibrosis in histological findings. Considering distinct cutaneous manifestations of LE, a comprehensive awareness of each CLE subtype is important for achieving a favorable prognosis through appropriate diagnosis and management. This study provides comparative clinical and histological profiles of patients with different CLE subtypes in Korea.

Relationship between serum vitamin D levels and clinical features of acute bronchiolitis

Purpose: Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. It is associated with various diseases such as cardiovascular, immune, allergic and infectious disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in clinical manifestations according to the concentra...

Age-associated differences in clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters during a dengue virus type 4 outbreak in Argentina.

Infection by any of the four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes produces a wide spectrum of clinical illness in humans. Differences in clinical manifestation and severity have been associated with secondary heterologous infection, patient age, and virus serotype. In this context, this retrospective study sought to analyze the presentation of dengue in patients during the 2014 DENV-4 outbreak affecting the City of Orán, Salta Province, Argentina. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, and laboratory abnormalities of laboratory-confirmed dengue patients were compared between age groups and between patients with and without warning signs. Of 301 patients with laboratory-confirmed dengue, 37.9% presented dengue with warning signs. Although nearly half of all patients had secondary DENV infections, no severe dengue cases, or deaths were reported. Furthermore, no association was found between incidence of warning signs and pre-existing immunity to DENV. Pediatric patients were least likely to present warning signs and showed significantly decreased risk of fever, retro-orbital pain, arthalgia, diarrhea and thrombocytopenia, and higher risk of rash compared to older patients. Female patients of all ages were also at higher risk of developing several symptoms. The characterization of DENV-4 infection in humans, a DENV serotype recently reported in Argentina, revealed differences in clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters and the presence/absence of warning signs based on age group. Further investigation of these age-related differences should contribute to better assessment of dengue disease in at risk populations.

Sexual Dimorphism in Innate Immunity.

Sexual dimorphisms account for differences in clinical manifestations or incidence of infectious or autoimmune diseases and malignancy between females and males. Females develop enhanced innate and adaptive immune responses than males and are less susceptible to many infections of bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal origin and malignancies but in contrast, they are more prone to develop autoimmune diseases. The higher susceptibility to infections in males is observed from birth to adulthood, suggesting that sex chromosomes and not sex hormones have a major role in sexual dimorphism in innate immunity. Sex-based regulation of immune responses ultimately contributes to age-related disease development and life expectancy. Differences between males and females have been described in the expression of pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune response and in the functional responses of phagocytes and antigen presenting cells. Different factors have been shown to account for the sex-based disparity in immune responses, including genetic factors and hormonal mediators, which contribute independently to dimorphism in the innate immune response. For instance, several genes encoding for innate immune molecules are located on the X chromosome. In addition, estrogen and/or testosterone have been reported to modulate the differentiation, maturation, lifespan, and effector functions of innate immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells. In this review, we will focus on differences between males and females in innate immunity, which represents the first line of defense against pathogens and plays a fundamental role in the activation, regulation, and orientation of the adaptive immune response.

Surgical Interventions for Organ and Limb Ischemia Associated With Primary and Secondary Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome With Arterial Involvement.

The association of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) and hypercoagulability is well known. Arterial compromise leading to ischemia of organs and/or limbs in patients with APS is uncommon, frequently unrecognized, and rarely described. We evaluated our institutional experience. Retrospective review was conducted. From August 2007 to September 2016, 807 patients with diagnosis of APS were managed in our Institution. Patients with primary and secondary APS who required interventions were examined. Demographics, comorbidities, manifestations, procedures, complications, and other factors affecting outcomes were recorded. Fourteen patients (mean age 35 years old, standard deviation ±14) were evaluated and treated by our service. Six (43%) of them had primary APS and 8 (57%) had secondary APS; 11 (79%) were female. Two (14%) experienced distal aorta and iliac arteries involvement, 3 (21%) visceral vessels disease, 2 (14%) in upper and 7 (50%) in the lower extremity vasculatures. Thirteen (93%) patients underwent direct open revascularization and 1 with hand ischemia (Raynaud disease) underwent sympathectomy. During the mean follow-up period of 48 months, reinterventions included a revision of the proximal anastomosis of an aortobifemoral bypass graft, 1 (7%) abdominal exploration for bleeding, 1 (7%) graft thrombectomy, and 4 (29%) amputations (2 below the knee, 1 above the knee, and 1 transmetatarsal). One (7%) death occurred secondary to sepsis in a patient who had acute mesenteric ischemia. Significant differences in clinical manifestations and outcomes were not observed among patients with primary and secondary APS. All patients remained on systemic anticoagulation. APS is a prothrombotic disorder that may lead to arterial involvement with less frequency than the venous circulation but has significant morbidity and limb loss rate. Arterial reconstruction seems feasible in an attempt to salvage organs and limbs; however, research is necessary to establish the optimal anticoagulation regime and long-term management following surgical interventions.

Virulence determinants of Moraxella catarrhalis: distribution and considerations for vaccine development.

Moraxella catarrhalis is a human-restricted opportunistic bacterial pathogen of the respiratory mucosa. It frequently colonizes the nasopharynx asymptomatically, but is also an important causative agent of otitis media (OM) in children, and plays a significant role in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults. As the current treatment options for M. catarrhalis infection in OM and exacerbations of COPD are often ineffective, the development of an efficacious vaccine is warranted. However, no vaccine candidates for M. catarrhalis have progressed to clinical trials, and information regarding the distribution of M. catarrhalis virulence factors and vaccine candidates is inconsistent in the literature. It is largely unknown if virulence is associated with particular strains or subpopulations of M. catarrhalis, or if differences in clinical manifestation can be attributed to the heterogeneous expression of specific M. catarrhalis virulence factors in the circulating population. Further investigation of the distribution of M. catarrhalis virulence factors in the context of carriage and disease is required so that vaccine development may be targeted at relevant antigens that are conserved among disease-causing strains. The challenge of determining which of the proposed M. catarrhalis virulence factors are relevant to human disease is amplified by the lack of a standardized M. catarrhalis typing system to facilitate direct comparisons of worldwide isolates. Here we summarize and evaluate proposed relationships between M. catarrhalis subpopulations and specific virulence factors in the context of colonization and disease, as well as the current methods used to infer these associations.

Clinical Manifestations of Isolated Chronic Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Relation to Angiographic Features.

Isolated chronic middle cerebral artery occlusion (ChMCAO) is not a rare condition and is known to cause hemodynamic stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in clinical manifestations and prognosis of isolated ChMCAO in relation to angiographic features. This retrospective study enrolled 56 patients with isolated ChMCAO. In accordance with degree of anterograde collateral flow (AF) on angiography, patients were categorized into poor and good AF groups. The 2 groups were assessed and compared for the presence and recurrence of neurologic symptoms. Of 56 patients, 33 were in the poor AF group and 23 were in the good AF group. The prevalence of ischemic symptoms was significantly higher in the poor AF group compared with the good AF group (P < 0.05). During an average follow-up period of 33.8 months, recurrent ipsilateral symptoms occurred in 6 of 45 patients. The hazard ratio conferred by poor AF was 5.36 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-26.57) for recurrent symptoms. AF through the basal collateral network may be related to clinical manifestations of ChMCAO. Good AF in isolated ChMCAO may play an important role in preventing recurrence of an ischemic event.

Abstract P420: Sexual Difference of Tubular Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) in 2 Kidney 1 Clip Rats

Background: Premenopausal female manifests lower blood pressure compared with age-matched male. Intrarenal RAS is thought to be an important role in hypertension and hypertensive renal disease, while there is rare information about sexual difference in intrarenal RAS. This study was performed to evaluate sexual difference of tubular RAS in 2 kidney 1 clip(2K1C) rat model. Methods: A 2.5-mm clip was inserted into the left renal artery of male and female Spargue-Dawley rats and they were euthanized at 5 week following the operation. Systolic blood pressure(SBP) was measured via the tail-cuff method at 10 day interval. Medullary area for tubular RAS and cardiac tissue was collected for analysis of local RAS expression. Results: At 30 days after clipping operation, SBP and albuminuria was significantly increased in 2K1C male rats (SBP: male 176.75±5.58 vs. female 106.71±8.68 mmHg, p 0.004, albumin/Cr ratio: male 116.93±33.96 vs. female 56.40±13.94 mg/g, p 0.029). Also, left ventricular hypertrophy was observed only in male rats, however cardiac ACE2 and MasR mRNA did not show sexual difference. The clipped kidney(CK) of 2K1C male rat presented worse glomerulosclerosis and more macrophage infiltration. Renin mRNA was more expressed in female CK, but protein expression was rather decreased in female CK and non-clipped kidney(NCK). 2K1C female rats exhibited highly augmented ACE2 and Mas receptor(MasR) in mRNA and protein, but ACE was augmented in mRNA and reduced in protein. Immunohistochemistry showed that tubular renin and ACE was increased in 2K1C male rats, in contrast ACE2 and MasR were increased in 2K1C female rats. Medullary angiotensin II(AngII) was significantly lower in male CK, but angiotensin 1-7(Ang1-7) was higher in female CK but did not show significance (CK AngII: male 201.88±10.40 vs. female 137.01±19.33 fg/mg p 0.030, CK Ang1-7: male 22.21±4.51 vs. female 57.93±19.59 fg/mg p 0.190). Conclusions: Same insult of renal artery stenosis aroused different clinical outcome in 2K1C male and female. Differently activated tubular RAS might influence difference in clinical manifestation. Superiority of nonclassic tubular RAS in female rats could limit the adverse effect of classic RAS under renovascular hypertension.

Transcriptome analysis of ankylosing spondylitis patients before and after TNF-α inhibitor therapy reveals the pathways affected.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors are highly effective in suppressing inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, and operate by suppression of TFN-α and downstream immunological pathways. To determine the mechanisms of action of TNF-α inhibitors in AS patients, we used transcriptomic and bioinformatic approaches on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from AS patients pre and post treatment. We found 656 differentially expressed genes, including the genome-wide significant AS-associated genes, IL6R, NOTCH1, IL10, CXCR2 and TNFRSF1A. A distinctive gene expression profile was found between male and female patients, mainly because of sex chromosome-linked genes and interleukin 17 receptor C, potentially accounting for the differences in clinical manifestation and treatment response between the genders. In addition to immune and inflammation regulatory pathways, like intestinal immune network for IgA production, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Ras signaling pathway, allograft rejection and hematopoietic cell lineage, KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway analyses revealed that infection-associated pathways (influenza A and toxoplasmosis) and metabolism-associated pathways were involved in response to TNF-α inhibitor treatment, providing insight into the mechanism of TNF-α inhibitors.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of asthma and COPD.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) both cause airway obstruction and are associated with chronic inflammation of the airways. However, the nature and sites of the inflammation differ between these diseases, resulting in different pathology, clinical manifestations and response to therapy. In this review, the inflammatory and cellular mechanisms of asthma and COPD are compared and the differences in inflammatory cells and profile of inflammatory mediators are highlighted. These differences account for the differences in clinical manifestations of asthma and COPD and their response to therapy. Although asthma and COPD are usually distinct, there are some patients who show an overlap of features, which may be explained by the coincidence of two common diseases or distinct phenotypes of each disease. It is important to better understand the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of asthma and COPD in order to develop new treatments in areas of unmet need, such as severe asthma, curative therapy for asthma and effective anti-inflammatory treatments for COPD.

Clinical manifestations and imaging tools in the diagnosis of splanchnic and cerebral vein thromboses

Splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) and cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT) are uncommon manifestation of venous thromboembolism (VTE), occurring less frequently than deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities and pulmonary embolism.SVT encompasses portal vein thrombosis, mesenteric vein thrombosis, splenic vein thrombosis and the Budd-Chiari syndrome. It is therefore a heterogeneous disease, with differences in clinical manifestations according to the site of thrombosis.CVT includes thrombosis of the cortical or deep cerebral veins and thrombosis of the major dural venous sinuses. Clinical presentation is variable, with a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms that can mimic other cerebral diseases.There are no clinical algorithms or specific laboratory tests that can guide in the identification of SVT and CVT; therefore, the diagnosis relies exclusively on imaging tests. Conventional angiography once was the gold standard for the diagnosis of SVT and CVT, but it is rarely used nowadays. Abdominal ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) with angiography are currently used for the diagnosis of SVT; while cerebral CT and MR with angiography are currently used for the diagnosis of CVT. These imaging tests have different sensitivities/specificities and different advantages/disadvantages that should be kept into consideration when choosing the appropriate imaging test based on the suspected site of thrombosis.This narrative review summarizes the clinical and diagnostic approach to SVT and CVT.

Polymicrobial and Monomicrobial Infections after Spinal Surgery: A Retrospective Study to Determine which Infection is more Severe.

Study DesignA retrospective clinical review.PurposeTo investigate the difference in clinical manifestations and severity between polymicrobial and monomicrobial infections after spinal surgery.Overview of LiteratureSurgical site infections (SSIs) after spinal surgery are a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for spinal surgeons. Polymicrobial infections after spinal surgery seem to result in poorer outcomes than monomicrobial infections because of complementary resistance to antibiotics. However, comparison of the clinical manifestations and severity between polymicrobial and monomicrobial infections are limited.MethodsSixty-seven patients with SSIs after spinal surgery were studied: 20 patients with polymicrobial infections and 47 with monomicrobial infections. Pathogenic bacteria identified were counted and classified. Age, sex, and body mass index were compared between the two groups to identify homogeneity. The groups were compared for clinical manifestations by surgical site, postoperative time to infection, infection site, incisional drainage, incisional swelling, incisional pain, neurological signs, temperature, white blood cell count, and the percentage of neutrophils. Finally, the groups were compared for severity by hospital stay, number of rehospitalizations, number of debridements, duration of antibiotics administration, number of antibiotics administered, and implant removal.ResultsPolymicrobial infections comprised 29.9% of SSIs after spinal surgery, and most polymicrobial infections (70.0%) were caused by two species of bacteria only. There was no difference between the groups in terms of clinical manifestations and severity. In total, 96 bacterial strains were isolated from the spinal wounds: 60 strains were gram-positive and 36 were gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter cloacae were cultured in order of the frequency of appearance.ConclusionsMost polymicrobial infections were caused by two bacterial species after spinal surgery. There was no difference in clinical manifestations or severity between polymicrobial and monomicrobial infections.

The clinical characteristics of Chinese Takayasu\u2019s arteritis patients: a retrospective study of 411 patients over 24 years

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of 411 Chinese Takayasu’s arteritis (TAK) patients using a retrospective analysis.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 810 medical charts of patients with a diagnosis of TAK who were admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1990 to 2014. 411 patients with a complete dataset were finally included in the analysis. The demographic data, clinical features, angiographic patterns, and TAK-related surgical procedures were collected and analyzed.ResultsThe median age at disease onset was 23 (18, 30) years old, with a median disease duration of 21 (6, 60) months; 325 (79.1%) were female. The angiographic involvement pattern was type I in 91 (22.1%) patients, type IIa in 16 (3.9%) patients, type IIb in 16 (3.9%) patients, type III in 12 (2.9%) patients, type IV in 26 (6.3%) patients, and type V in 250 (60.8%) patients. Subclavian arteries (79.8%) were the most commonly involved, followed by carotid arteries (79.1%). The occurrence rate (4.1%) of aortic aneurysm in this study was low; 119 operations and interventions were performed. The most common cause of death in this study was heart failure.ConclusionSubclavian arteries, carotid arteries, and type V were the most frequently involved arteries and angiography pattern in this Chinese TAK study. The difference in angiographic features may lead to differences in clinical manifestations. Surgical operation and interventions should be performed at different stages of the disease course.

Voxel-Based Lesion Mapping of Cryptogenic Stroke in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Detailed Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis of Distribution Pattern

Ischemic stroke is one form of cancer-associated thrombosis that can greatly worsen a patient's performance status. The present investigation aimed to elucidate the characteristic distribution pattern(s) of cryptogenic stroke lesions using a voxel-based lesion-mapping technique and examine the differences in clinical manifestations between cryptogenic and conventional strokes in patients with advanced cancer. Data from 43 patients with advanced cancer who developed acute ischemic stroke were retrospectively collected. Stroke etiology was grouped into either cryptogenic or conventional stroke etiology according to the ASCO stroke score. Clinical data were reviewed, and voxel-based lesion mapping using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed to visualize the cross-patient spatial distribution of the lesions. Of the 43 patients, 25 were classified as having cryptogenic stroke etiology and 18 were classified as having conventional stroke etiology. Median survival time of patients from stroke onset was 96 days for cryptogenic stroke etiology and 570 days for conventional stroke etiology (P = .01). D-dimer of patients was significantly higher in cryptogenic stoke etiology than in conventional stroke etiology (P = .006). Voxel-based lesion mapping showed that DWI hyperintense lesions accumulated at cortical and internal watershed areas of the cerebrum and at the vascular border zone of the superior cerebellar and posterior inferior cerebellar arteries at the cerebellum. Voxel-based lesion mapping for cryptogenic stroke in patients with advanced cancer showed that lesions accumulated at vascular border zones within the brain both at the cerebrum and at the cerebellum, but not at perforating arterial territories.

A clinical and serological study of linear IgA bullous dermatosis without linear immunoglobulin deposition other than IgA at the basement membrane zone using direct immunofluorescence.

Linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD) is a heterogeneous disease. Different diagnostic criteria have been used in different reports. To reappraise the characteristic features of LABD with only IgA deposition at the basement membrane zone (BMZ) with direct immunofluorescence (DIF). We retrospectively collected data from 101 patients from our archival records from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2014 who had: (i) blisters on the skin and/or mucous membranes; (ii) subepidermal blisters in a biopsy specimen; and (iii) linear IgA deposition along the BMZ with/without linear C3 deposition at the BMZ with DIF. Most patients were referred for serological evaluation. Patients who showed concurrent linear IgG and/or IgM deposition at the BMZ under DIF were excluded. Clinical manifestations and serological findings were analysed. Heterogeneity of autoantigens in LABD was confirmed. Fifty-four of 101 patients (53%) had IgG antibodies detected either by indirect immunofluorescence, immunoblotting or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). No statistical difference in clinical manifestations was found between patients in the IgG antibody-possessing group and patients in the other group. An association of IgG anti-BMZ antibodies with LABD may increase if new IgG immunoblotting or ELISA techniques become available. Consensus for diagnostic criteria for LABD is desired for prospective data storage, although it may be arbitrary.

Microsurgical Outcomes After Gross Total Resection on Vestibular Schwannoma in Elderly Patients: A Matched Cohort Study.

To compare and analyze the differences in clinical manifestations and surgical outcomes after gross total resection (GTR) for vestibular schwannoma between elderly and younger patients. We conducted a retrospective study of 40 elderly (≥65 years) and 40 younger (<65 years) patients, and matched operation dates and tumor size in the 2 groups were matched. All 80 patients underwent microsurgical resection though the sigmoid approach, by the same surgeon (X.Y.). We then summarized clinical manifestations, image data, perioperative complications, tumor recurrence, and functional outcomes and assessed the differences between the 2 groups. The mean follow-up time was 52.64 months. Elderly patients had a poorer preoperative American Society of Anesthesiology physical status scores than younger patients (62.5% vs. 30%, P= 0.004) and were more likely to have balance disorders (72.5% vs. 25%, P < 0.01), without other preoperative differences. Both groups of patients achieved GTR. The incidence of infection was slightly but not significantly greater in elderly patients (P>0.05). There were also no significant differences in perioperative complications, recurrence rate, facial nerve function, hearing level, or Karnofsky Performance Status Scale scores between younger and older patients. Elderly patients tended to suffer from poorer health (American Society of Anesthesiology score) and poor balance before the operation; however, they did not experience more complications, worse nerve function, or worse quality of life in the perioperative or follow-up times. We conclude that GTR of vestibular schwannomas, even large or giant ones, is a safe and effective option for elderly patients.

Sexual dimorphism in Parkinson's disease: differences in clinical manifestations, quality of life and psychosocial functioning between males and females.

IntroductionSex-related differences in clinical manifestations and consequences of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been poorly explored. Better understanding of sexual dimorphism in neurologic diseases such as PD has been announced as a research priority. The aim of our study was to determine independent sex differences in clinical manifestations and subtypes, psychosocial functioning, quality of life (QoL) and its domains between male and female individuals with PD.Patients and methodsA comprehensive list of demographics, motor symptoms and subtypes, nonmotor features, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), psychosocial functioning and general aspects of daily life was assessed in 157 individuals (108 males and 49 females) with idiopathic PD. In order to control for potential confounding variables, we applied Orthogonal Partial Least Squares – Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) to explore the strength of each feature to discriminate male and female patients with PD.ResultsWhile no sex difference was found in the total Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score and cumulative daily dose of levodopa, females had significantly more severe anxiety (mean difference =2.2 [95% confidence interval, CI: 0.5–4.0], P=0.011), worse nutritional status (23.8 [standard deviation, SD =4.2] vs 25.8 [SD =2.6], P=0.003) and poorer QoL (28.3 [SD =15.7] vs 17.9 [SD =14.2], P<0.001). Based on multivariate discriminant analysis, emotional well-being, bodily discomfort, social support, mobility and communication domains of HRQoL, together with anxiety, depression and psychosocial functioning, were the strongest features with more severe/worse status in females after adjustment for potential statistical confounders.ConclusionOur study provides a comprehensive understanding of sexual dimorphism in PD. Anxiety, depression, specific domains of HRQoL (mobility, emotional well-being, social support and bodily discomfort) and psychosocial functioning were significantly worse in female individuals with PD. Sexual dimorphism in PD highlights the features that are more likely to be affected in each sex and should be specifically targeted when managing male and female individuals with PD.

Etiology and clinical manifestations of hepatic space-occupying lesions

Hepatic space-occupying lesions refer to the lesions which are located in the abnormal echo area or density area of the liver parenchyma, have the appearance of nodule or mass, occupy a certain space, and may cause pressure, displacement, or invasion of adjacent liver tissue and vessels, as determined by imaging examination. Hepatic space-occupying lesions have various causes, as well as similarities and differences in clinical manifestations. An understanding of the etiology and clinical manifestations of hepatic space-occupying lesions helps with their diagnosis and differential diagnosis and the development of targeted therapeutic regimens to improve prognosis. This article introduces related issues, in order to help clinical physicians to expand their thoughts in diagnosis and treatment.

Analysis of clinical characteristics and outcomes of mechanically ventilated patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of mechanically ventilated patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. Methods: In this observational study, patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis were enrolled, who were admitted into Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from Jan 2012 to Jun 2015.All patients accepted tumor screening, symptomatic therapy, and immunotherapy.Outcomes were assessed by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) after immunotherapy every 6 months, and mRS 0-2 was defined as favorable outcome.The differences of clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations, and outcomes between mechanical ventilation (MV) group and no MV group were analyzed. Results: Fifty-six patients (mean age 28±12 years, range 12 to 58 years) were enrolled, and 28 were male.MV group included 16 (28.6%) patients.Five female patients were diagnosed with ovarian teratoma.After 6 months, 50 patients (89.3%) had favorable outcomes, mortality was 0.The proportions of patients being female, with ovarian teratoma, conscious disturbance, dysautonomia, accepting plasmapheresis, immunodepressant treatment, admitted into neuro-critical care unit in MV group were significant higher than those in no MV group.The duration of illness prior to MV was 10-73 days (mean 33±19 days). The period of MV was 3-154 days (mean 46±41 days). There was no significant difference in the period of using MV among different outcome groups.After 6-48 months' follow-up, 6 patients (10.7%) relapsed, with 1 patient in MV group (1/16, 6.3%), 5 patients in no MV group (5/40, 12.5%). The relapses and long-term outcomes were not significant different between MV group and no MV group. Conclusions: The condition of mechanically ventilated patients with Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is severe, and the treatment is difficult. However, after active combined immunotherapy and life support, majority of these patients could get good long-term outcomes.