Extent Score Research Articles

Facial involvement is reflective of patients' global perception of vitiligo extent.

The involvement of visible areas in vitiligo has been found to be correlated with increased psychiatric morbidity. Although multiple tools have been developed to assess vitiligo, no cutoff for improvement or worsening of vitiligo from a patient's perspective has been established. To determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the Self-Assessment Vitiligo Extent Score (SA-VES) in patients with vitiligo and to evaluate, from the patient's perspective, the importance of the change in the involvement of visible areas (face and hands) in patients' overall perception of disease worsening or improving. This was a cross-sectional study in the context of the ComPaRe e-cohort. Adult patients with vitiligo were invited to answer online questionnaires. They completed the SA-VES twice, 1 year apart. In addition, patients answered a 5-point Likert anchor question aimed at assessing their perception of the evolution of the extent of their vitiligo. The MCID was calculated using distribution- and anchor-based approaches. Using ordinal logistic regression, the change of vitiliginous lesions on the face or hands was compared to the overall extent of vitiligo (patches on all body areas). In total, 244 patients with vitiligo were included in the analyses; 20 (8%) were found to have an improvement in their vitiligo. The MCID in worsened patients was equal to a 1.3% body surface area [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.43] increase in the SA-VES. For participants with improved vitiligo, the MCID was equal to a decrease in total SA-VES of 1.3% (95% CI 0.867-1.697). Patients' perceptions of change in their vitiligo was increased sevenfold when it affected the face vs. the rest of the body. Changes in the facial SA-VES were highly correlated with patients' impressions of the extent of vitiligo.

Acupuncture in the Treatment of Abnormal Muscle Tone in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis.

To analyse the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and routine treatment in improving dystonia in children with cerebral palsy. The randomized controlled trials published from the establishment of the databases to August 2022 on acupuncture in the treatment of dystonia in children with cerebral palsy were collected and comprehensively searched in China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), weipu (VIP), Wanfang, SinoMed, PubMed, Excerpta medica database (EMBASE), and Cochrane Library. The literature was selected according to the established standards, the quality of the included studies was evaluated, the heterogeneity of the included studies was evaluated with the I2 test, and the appropriate model was selected for analysis. Sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the reliability of the results, and a funnel plot was used to evaluate the publication bias. Fifteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. The control group was treated with routine treatment and acupuncture combined with routine treatment. The outcome index showed that the effect in the treatment group was better: Modified Ashworth Scale score: -0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-0.62 to -0.41), p < 0.01. The treatment group showed reduced muscle tension to a greater extent (integral eletromyographic (iEMG) score: standard mean square deviation = -2.97, 95% CI (-4.87 to -1.06), p < 0.01). The effective rate in the control group was 74.2% and that in the treatment group was 91.5%, odds ratio = 3.70, 95% CI (2.02-6.78), p < 0.01. The funnel plot showed publication bias. Acupuncture combined with routine training could improve muscle tension abnormalities and improve the efficiency of clinical treatment.

Association of Clinical and Radiological Features with Disease Severity of Symptomatic Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Related Pneumonitis.

To investigate the predictive ability of clinical and chest computed tomography (CT) features to predict the severity of symptomatic immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP). This study included 34 patients diagnosed with symptomatic CIP (grades 2-5) and divided into mild (grade 2) and severe CIP (grades 3-5) groups. The groups' clinical and chest CT features were analyzed. Three manual scores (extent, image finding, and clinical symptom scores) were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance alone and in combination. There were 20 cases of mild CIP and 14 cases of severe CIP. More severe CIP occurred within 3 months than after 3 months (11 vs. 3 cases, p = 0.038). Severe CIP was significantly associated with fever (p < 0.001) and the acute interstitial pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndrome pattern (p = 0.001). The diagnostic performance of chest CT scores (extent score and image finding score) was better than that of clinical symptom score. The combination of the three scores demonstrated the best diagnostic value, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.948. The clinical and chest CT features have important application value in assessing the disease severity of symptomatic CIP. We recommend the routine use of chest CT in a comprehensive clinical evaluation.

Impact of COVID-19 pneumonia on interstitial lung disease: semi-quantitative evaluation with computed tomography.

To evaluate the CT scores and fibrotic pattern changes in interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients, with and without previous COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients with ILD (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and connective tissue disease-associated ILD (CTD-ILD)) were retrospectively enrolled in the study which consisted of patients who had COVID-19 pneumonia while the control group had not. All patients had two CT scans, initial and follow-up, which were evaluated semi-quantitatively for severity, extent, and total CT scores, fibrosis patterns, and traction bronchiectasis. A total of 102 patients (pneumonia group n = 48; control group n = 54) were enrolled in the study. For both groups, baseline characteristics were similar and CT scores were increased. While there was a 4.5 ± 4.6 point change in the total CT score of the COVID-19 group, there was a 1.2 ± 2.7 point change in the control group (p < 0.001). In the IPF subgroup, the change in total CT score was 7.0 points (95% CI: 4.1 to 9.9) in the COVID-19 group and 2.1 points (95% CI: 0.8 to 3.4) in the control group. Seven patients (14.6%) in the COVID-19 group progressed to a higher fibrosis pattern, but none in the control group. Semi-quantitative chest CT scores in ILD patients demonstrated a significant increase after having COVID-19 pneumonia compared to ILD patients who had not had COVID-19 pneumonia. The increase in CT scores was more prominent in the IPF subgroup. There was also a worsening in the fibrosis pattern in the COVID-19 group. • The impact of COVID-19 pneumonia on existing interstitial lung diseases and fibrosis is unclear. • COVID-19 pneumonia may worsen existing interstitial lung involvement with direct lung damage and indirect inflammatory effect. • COVID-19 pneumonia may affect existing lung fibrosis by triggering inflammatory pathways.

What is the quality of life of adults with vitiligo in Mexico?

Vitiligo is an incurable, slowly progressive skin condition, the prevalence of which ranges from 0.4 to 2.0%. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) refers to self-perceived well-being associated with the presence of a disease and its treatment. Cross-sectional study at a dermatological center. Adults with non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) were included, while patients with other pigmentary disorders and other types of vitiligo were excluded. The VitiQoL questionnaire (0 = no skin involvement, 90 = maximum skin involvement), the Vitiligo Extent Score (VES) and the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) were applied. 492 patients did participate; 63% were women. An average score of 32.6 was obtained on VitiQoL (95% CI = 30.6-34.5). Self-perception of severity and HRQoL were correlated (r = 0.568, p < 0.001). Age, the female gender, lower education and higher self-perceived severity were associated with poorer HRQoL. The proportion of subjects who reported an addiction was similar in the worst and best HRQoL groups (28% vs. 32%, p = 0.23). Poorer HRQoL is explained by severity self-perception, concern about disease progression, appearance of the skin and necessary actions to avoid sun exposure during recreation.

Updated severity and prognosis score of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: A multi-center cohort study in China.

The high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) score is an important component of the severity and prognosis score of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (SPSP). However, the HRCT score in SPSP only considers the extent of opacity, which is insufficient. We retrospectively evaluated HRCT scores for 231 patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (APAP) from three centers of the China Alliance for Rare Diseases. The SPSPII was created based on the overall density and extent, incorporating the SPSP. The severity of APAP patients was assessed using disease severity scores (DSS), SPSP, and SPSPII to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the different assessment methods. We then prospectively applied the SPSPII to patients before treatment, and the curative effect was assessed after 3 months. The HRCT overall density and extent scores in our retrospective analysis were higher than the extent scores in all patients and every original extent score severity group, as well as higher related to arterial partial oxygen pressure (PaO2) than extent scores. The mild patients accounted for 61.9% based on DSS 1-2, 20.3% based on SPSP 1-3, and 20.8% based on SPSPII 1-3. Based on SPSP or SPSPII, the number of severe patients deteriorating was higher in the mild and moderate groups. When applied prospectively, arterial PaO2 differed between any two SPSPII severity groups. The alveolar-arterial gradient in PaO2 (P[A-a]O2), % predicted carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung (DLCO), and HRCT score were higher in the severe group than in the mild and moderate groups. After diagnosis, mild patients received symptomatic treatment, moderate patients received pure whole lung lavage (WLL) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) therapy, and severe patients received WLL and GM-CSF therapy. Importantly, the SPSPII in mild and severe groups were lower than baseline after 3 months. The HRCT density and extent scores of patients with APAP were better than the extent score. The SPSPII score system based on smoking status, symptoms, PaO2, predicted DLCO, and overall HRCT score was better than DSS and SPSP for assessing the severity and efficacy and predicting the prognosis. ClinicalTrial.gov, identifier: NCT04516577.

Use of the Vitiligo Extent Score: a protocol for a scoping review

IntroductionVitiligo is a chronic skin condition with no cure. Clinical assessment and treatment evaluation relies heavily on clinometry tools and expert knowledge. The Vitiligo Extent Score has been proposed as...

P647 Outcomes following the use of vedolizumab first line versus second line in Ulcerative Colitis: a single centre experience

Abstract Background With the introduction of an increasing number of biological therapies for Ulcerative Colitis (UC), decisions regarding the sequencing of treatment continues to dominate current management strategies. In this single centre study, we assessed outcomes in patients with UC following first line treatment with the α4β7 integrin blocker vedolizumab (VDZ) therapy vs second line VDZ therapy following anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor (anti-TNF) exposure. Methods All patients exposed to VDZ either first line or second line were identified via our Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) registry. Data was collected retrospectively between June 2015 and June 2021. Baseline demographics, disease extent and activity scores, treatment continuation, and colectomy rates were analysed over a 52-week period. Results A total of 100 patients were included in the study, age (median [IQR]) 52 [37-64] years; 52% male 48% female). VDZ as first line biologic included 38 patients, age (median [IQR]) 51 [34-65] years; 50% male and 50% female). The VDZ as second line (Ant-TNF exposed) group included 62 patients, age (median [IQR]) 52 [38-61] years; 53% male and 47% female). The Anti-TNF exposed group included infliximab 26 (43.3%), adalimumab 22 (35.5%), golimumab 12 (19.2%) and both infliximab and adalimumab 2 (3%). Disease extent (Montreal classification: E1:proctitis, E2: left-sided or E3: extensive disease) in the VDZ first line group (E1 (13.1%), E2 (61.6%) and E3 (26.3%)) versus VDZ second line (E1 (11.3%), E2 (61.3%) and E3 (27.4%)). In the VDZ first line group (38 cases), the outcomes at 52 weeks were: Treatment continuation 24 (63%), colectomy 2 (5%) and treatment switch in 12 (32%) to infliximab (4), Adalimumab (3), Ustekinumab (4) and Tofacitinib (1). In comparison, the Anti-TNF exposed group (62 cases) outcomes at 52 weeks were: Treatment continuation 46 (74%), colectomy 5 (8%) and treatment switch in 11 (18%) to Adalimumab (2), Ustekinumab (4) and Tofacitinib (5). A total of 7 of patients underwent colectomy during the 52 week follow up period. By 52 weeks, 94.8% (36/38) were colectomy free in the VDZ first line group versus 92% (57/62) in the anti-TNF exposed group, which was not statistically significant (odds ratio (OR) of having a colectomy in the VDZ1st line group vs the VDZ 2nd line group was 0.61(p=0.58)). Conclusion Our study evaluated real-world treatment continuation and colectomy-free outcomes for VDZ as first and second line biologic therapy (Anti-TNF exposed) in patients with ulcerative colitis and confirmed its effectiveness in both treatment groups.

Racial and ethnic disparities in periodontal health among adults seeking dental care in rural North Carolina communities: A retrospective study.

Population studies consistently demonstrate a greater prevalence of chronic diseases, including oral diseases, among underrepresented minorities. This retrospective study aimed to measure and describe the prevalence and extent of periodontitis among adults seeking dental care within an academic practice-based network in rural North Carolina. This study used de-identified electronic health record (EHR) data from 2011 to 2017 of adult dentate patients (aged ≥30 years) seeking dental care who received a comprehensive periodontal examination at one of nine networked clinical centers. Periodontitis prevalence was calculated using CDC/AAP case definitions, along with extent (%) scores for periodontal parameters. Comparisons focused on age, sex, race, ethnicity, tobacco use, diabetes status, payer or insurance status, plaque scores, and the number of teeth. EHR data for 10,544 adult patients (60.5% female) indicated 79.8% had some form of periodontitis. This patient population was diverse: 22.6% Black, 4.4% American Indian, and 53.8% White, with 4.8% self-identified as Hispanic. Patients 50 years and older showed greater mean extent scores for clinical attachment levels relative to patients 30 to 49 years. Males exhibited greater periodontitis than females (p=0.001). Blacks showed significantly (p<0.001) greater periodontitis prevalence relative to Whites. Hispanics also showed a greater prevalence of periodontitis (p<0.001) relative to non-Hispanics. Significantly greater periodontitis was also noted for tobacco users (p<0.001) but not for diabetes or payer status. A multiple logistic regression analysis of periodontitis prevalence confirmed significant associations for periodontitis for age, sex, race, ethnicity, tobacco use, high plaque scores, and the number of teeth (p<0.001), but not diabetes or payer status. The data document that racial and ethnic inequalities in periodontal health occur within the population of adults residing in rural communities in North Carolina and seeking dental care.

Quality of life in children and adolescents with vitiligo

Abstract The assessment of the quality of life (QoL) in vitiligo patients is essential to quantify the psychological burden of the disease. The effect of vitiligo on the QoL has been reported extensively in adults; however, there is a lack of information in Mexican children. To assess the QoL in children and adolescents with vitiligo and their association with affected body surface area (BSA) and age. A cross-sectional study was conducted in vitiligo patients aged between 5 and 17 years. The study was approved by our institutional review board and informed consent was obtained from all participants and their parents. Participants with psychiatric and neurological disease were excluded. Vitiligo was clinically diagnosed by an experienced dermatologist, and the following variables were registered: sex, age, origin, education, treatment, time and response to treatment, age of onset, clinical type, affected body areas and skin phototype. All participants were requested to complete the CDLQI questionnaire, those aged from 5 to 10 years filled the cartoon format and those from 11 to 17 years filled the text version. The measure of the disease extent was done using the Vitiligo Extent Score (VES). A total of 223 participants were recruited, 102 males (46·2%) and 120 females (53·8%) with a mean age of 9·86 (SD 3·02) years. The mean age of onset of vitiligo was before the first decade of life, of 7·12 (SD 3·66) years. The most frequent type of vitiligo was nonsegmental 53·8% (n = 120), followed by segmental 46·2% (n = 103). The most affected area was head 63·7% (n = 142), followed by trunk 56·1% (n = 125). The median of body surface affected area was 0·7797 with a minimum of 0·0060 and a maximum of 22·285, of these 84·3% (n = 188) had lesions that covered &amp;lt;1% of the BSA and 15·7% (n = 35) &amp;gt;1% BSA. Phototype III was the most frequent in half of the population, followed by phototype IV. The mean duration of the treatment was 11·32 (SD 18) months; 62·3% (n = 139) of them showed good response to treatment. The mean value of the CDLQI questionnaire was 4·95 (SD 4·57) points, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 30 points. The participants were classified according to CDLQI results in the following groups: 22·9% (n = 51) showed no effect of vitiligo in their QoL, 50·7% (n = 113) had a small effect, 19·3% (n = 43) a moderate effect, 4·9% (n = 11) a very large effect and only 2·2% (n = 5) an extremely large effect. A total CDLQI score between 0 and 9 was obtained from 85·2% (n = 190) of the participants and 14·8% (n = 33) had a score &amp;gt;10 points. Differences between subgroups were found; children older than 10 years had a lower CDLQI score (mean of 4·13 points), and children under this age had a higher CDLQI score (mean of 5·54 points), and this difference was significant, P = 0·026. Regarding the affected BSA, patients with CDLQI in ranges between 0 and 9 points had a median VES index of 0·1905, while children with CDLQI &amp;gt;10 points had a median VES index of 0·4781, P = 0·024. No significant differences were found when we analysed the rest of the variables in relation to quality-of-life results. The effect of vitiligo on the QoL in Mexican children and adolescents with vitiligo was similar to that of previous studies. We found a higher prevalence of patients with moderate effect on the QoL. The lower the age and the BSA affected, the greater the impact on the QoL.

Differential expression of "A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 10" in hepatocellular carcinoma and the noncancerous hepatic tissues: Contribution to HCV-promoted hepatocarcinogenesis.

A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) have emerged as therapeutic targets in many cancers. ADAM10 was particularly studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for its potential role in hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression. To investigate the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of ADAM10 in HCCs and the adjacent noncancerous tissues from 70 HCC patients, attempting to elucidate any association between ADAM10 and HCC development and/or progression. IHC staining for anti-ADAM10 was performed using horseradish peroxidase technique. An extent and intensity-dependent scoring was applied dividing samples into high- and low-expression groups. HCCs were statistically compared in relation with gender, age, cirrhosis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) status, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) serum level, tumor size, multiplicity, encapsulation/invasion, grade, histological pattern and variant, mitosis, necrosis, vascular emboli, portal thrombosis, stage, recurrence, and mortality. Kaplan-Meier's method was used to analyze disease-free and overall survival (DFS and OS). ADAM10 was expressed in 77.1% of HCCs compared with 42.9% of noncancerous tissues. Differential expression showed significant statistical difference (P = 0.02), as 38.6% of HCCs showed high expression, whereas 92.8% of noncancerous samples showed low expression. No significant differences were observed when high- and low-ADAM10 expression HCCs were compared with respect to all tested prognostic parameters except the HCV status. Patients whose tumors showed high-ADAM10 expression had relatively longer DFS and OS times, but with insignificant log-rank differences. ADAM10 is frequently expressed in HCCs compared with noncancerous hepatic tissues suggesting its role in hepatocarcinogenesis, especially in association with HCV. It has no association with HCC progression or survival. Further studies should be sought to investigate its validity as a therapeutic target.

The frontal planar QRS/T angle in patients with non-ischemic type late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance.

Evaluation of myocardial fibrosis may offer an insight into underlying pathological mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmias. We intended to investigate the possible association between the presence and extent of myocardial fibrosis and ventricular repolarization heterogeneity based on frontal planar QRS/T angle. We retrospectively investigated patients in whom gadolinium-based contrast agent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed due to the suspicion of any myocardial disease. Patients with non-ischemic type late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) were enrolled into this study. The association between presence and extent of myocardial LGE and frontal planar QRS/T angle defined as the absolute difference between QRS wave axis and T-wave axis on a resting 12-lead surface ECG was evaluated. The frontal planar QRS/T angle was significantly higher in patients with myocardial fibrosis indicated by LGE compared to those without LGE (61.67 ± 40.70 vs. 37.27 ± 32.35, p < 0.001). LGE extent score assessed by visual 17-segment model was the only independent variable, which had a significant effect on frontal planar QRS/T angle [Unstandardized Coefficients B = 4.052, 95% CI [(2.025) - (6.079), p < 0.001]. In conclusion, this study showed that inhomogeneous areas of myocardium due to varying degrees of myocardial fibrosis might affect the electrical activity of the left ventricle, even with normal left ventricular dimensions and function.

Clinical and imaging characteristics of cardiac magnetic resonance presenting with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries in China

BackgroundThe characteristics are still unclear due to lack of systematic research on patients with myocardial infarction non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) in China. This study aimed to explore the clinical and imaging features of MINOCA patients.MethodsThe patients who were diagnosed as suspected MI were studied. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was performed after coronary angiography or coronary computed tomographic angiography examination within one week. Myocardial infarction (MI) was determined by late gadolinium enhancement CMR.The patients with MI were divided into MINOCA and MICAD group according to whether the degree of coronary stenosis was greater than 50%. Cardiac function and imaging characteristics between the two groups were analyzed.Results21 patients with MINOCA and 30 patients with myocardial infarction with obstructive coronary artery disease (MICAD) were analyzed. MINOCA patients were younger, and the electrocardiogram was commonly featured by non-ST-elevation. The parameters of left ventricular function were significantly different between the two groups including left ventricular ejection fraction, stroke volume, cardiac output, myocardial mass, and peak ejection rate (P < 0.05). Besides, MINOCA patients had smaller area of MI, less score of transmural extent, fewer involved segments. Furthermore, the transmural extent of MI in MINOCA patients was mainly grade I, that is, most of them were subendocardial MI, which was significantly negatively correlated with the amount of first-pass perfusion.ConclusionsThe clinical characteristics combined with imaging features of CMR may be effective to evaluate the cardiac function in order to make clinical decision for MINOCA patients in China.

Necroptosis-related subtypes are associated with bronchiectasis in pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteria-infected patients: a perspective based on transcriptomic analysis.

The aim of this study was to explore the potential mechanisms responsible for the different manifestations of bronchiectasis in patients with pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteria (pNTM) infection. We found that the necroptosis level increased significantly after NTM infection. Further, the 31 pNTM-infected patients were classified into two subtypes based on necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) by unsupervised cluster analysis. After that, we compared the differences in clinical parameters, immune cell infiltration, and gene expression between the two subtypes. We observed that the high-necroptosis subtype possessed higher CT scores for bronchiectasis extent (P = 0.008) and severity (P = 0.023). And, more neutrophil infiltration in the high-necroptosis subtype was demonstrated both by the CIBERSORT algorithm and by blood neutrophil count (P = 0.001). Next, 688 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two subtypes were identified. To explore the portion in DEGs that might contribute to bronchiectasis, we intersected the DEGs with two gene modules. These two gene modules were identified as the most associated with CT scores for bronchiectasis extent and severity by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Ninety-three intersection genes were obtained. Finally, 7 hub genes including ACSL1, ANXA3, DYSF, HK3, SLC11A1, STX11, and TLR4 were further screened out by machine learning algorithms and protein-protein interaction network analysis. These results suggested that the differential levels of necroptosis in pNTM patients might lead to differential extent and severity of bronchiectasis on radiographic imaging. This process might be associated with neutrophil infiltration and the involvement of seven hub genes.

BUBR1 as a Prognostic Biomarker in Canine Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Chromosomal instability (CIN) plays a key role in the carcinogenesis of several human cancers and can be related to the deregulation of core components of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) including BUBR1 protein kinase. These proteins have been related to tumor development and poor survival rates in human patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). To investigate the expression of the SAC proteins BUBR1, BUB3 and SPINDLY and also Ki-67 in canine OSCC, we performed an immunohistochemical evaluation in 60 canine OSCCs and compared them with clinical and pathological variables. BUBR1, Ki-67, BUB3 and SPINDLY protein expressions were detected in all cases and classified as with a high-expression extent score in 31 (51.7%) cases for BUBR1, 33 (58.9%) cases for BUB3 and 28 (50.9%) cases for SPINDLY. Ki-67 high expression was observed in 14 (25%) cases. An independent prognostic value for BUBR1 was found, where high BUBR1 expression was associated with lower survival (p = 0.012). These results indicate that BUBR1 expression is an independent prognostic factor in these tumors, suggesting the potential use for clinical applications as a prognostic biomarker and also as a pharmacological target in canine OSCC.

Establishing an experimental model for canine atopic dermatitis through epicutaneous application of Dermatophagoides farinae.

There is no established protocol for the development of an experimental canine atopic dermatitis model in laboratory beagles. This study aimed to establish an experimental model that mimics spontaneous canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) clinically, immunologically, and microbiologically, by repeated epicutaneous applications of mite antigens and to describe the entire process including sensitization and provocation in detail for reproducibility. Six intact male laboratory beagle dogs aged 14 months were included in this study. During the sensitization and provocation phase, the house dust mite (HDM) paste consisted of Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f ) and mineral oil, which was applied focally to the 10 × 10 cm area of the right groin as evenly as possible. Further, 120 mg of Der f was applied to each dog twice a week for 12 weeks during the sensitization phase and 25 mg and 120 mg was applied to each dog for the first 2 weeks and subsequent 2 weeks, respectively, during the provocation phase. Thereafter, the applied area was covered with a dressing. Skin lesions including erythema, hyperpigmentation, excoriation, and lichenification were induced and exacerbated gradually through the experimental time course in all six dogs. The canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI) score and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) significantly increased after sensitization and provocation. IL-13 and IL-31 levels increased significantly after provocation as a result of the activation of the T helper-2 (Th2) response. On the contrary, the IL-10 levels decreased significantly after sensitization, which suggested a suppression of Tregs activity. After the completion of provocation, skin microbiome analysis showed that Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum, which indicated bacterial dysbiosis. This study demonstrated that epicutaneous application of HDM in beagle dogs resulted in the elevation of serum HDM-specific IgE levels and clinical atopic scores, a high TEWL, and microbiome dysbiosis resembling spontaneous CAD. These results suggest that this tailored protocol of epicutaneous exposure to Der f may provide support for the development of the experimental CAD model in laboratory beagles.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Oral health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative analysis

BackgroundCompared to the healthy population, the psychological impact of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) on patients' lives could dramatically lower their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Our goal is to analyze OHRQoL in RA patients and look into the role of disease activity, dental health index, and Temporomandibular disorders score in maintaining their oral health.MethodsIn a cross-sectional comparative study, we compared a sample of 40 RA patients with 40 age- and gender-matched healthy controls in terms of oral health and OHRQoL. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD), number of decayed, filled, or missing teeth (DMFT), and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) were among the oral health factors studied (OHIP-14). This study also looked at the link between the RA disease activity score (DAS28) and oral health factors.ResultsRA patients had a significantly higher mean (poorer OHRQol) than healthy controls in total oral function, total psychosocial impact, OHIP-14 sum score, OHIP-14 extent score, TMD score and the number of missed teeth (Mann–Whitney U test, P-value < 0.05). After adjustment for DMFT, only the oral function score of OHIP-14 had a significant correlation with disease activity (Mann–Whitney U test, P-value < 0.05). The TMD sum score significantly correlated with disease activity regardless of adjustment for DMFT (Spearman's Correlation test, P-value < 0.05 for both). The number of decayed teeth and missed teeth showed a positive correlation with increased disease activity (Coefficient = 0.239 and 0.245, P-value < 0.05 for both).ConclusionsPatients with RA are less satisfied with their oral health than healthy controls. In RA patients, the number of missing teeth and temporomandibular disorders was substantially greater, and the number of missing teeth and temporomandibular diseases increased significantly with increased disease activity. Although OHRQoL was inversely connected with RA activity, after correcting for decaying, missing, and filled teeth, only the oral function score of OHIP-14 exhibited a slight connection to DAS28.

Serial changes of myocardial perfusion imaging in takotsubo and reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy

BackgroundTakotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) shows reversible hypokinesis in the left ventricular (LV) apical-half segment and hyperkinesis in the LV basal-half segment. However, the precise pathophysiological mechanism of TTC is unclear. Therefore, this study sought to clarify the nuclear characteristics, degree of myocardial damage, and serial change of TTC and rTTC using myocardial perfusion imaging. MethodsWe performed myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in 28 patients (TTC: 20, rTTC: 8) using Tc-99m sestamibi and assessed minimum percentage uptake (min-%-uptake), extent score (ES) and summed rest score (SRS) at acute and chronic phases. ResultsMin-%-uptake improved from the acute to the chronic phase (TTC: 54 [48-59]% vs 87 [81-90]%, P < 0.01; rTTC: 60 [55-64]% vs 77 [71-79]%, P < 0.01), as did the ES (TTC: 32 [26-41]% vs 0.0 [0.0-6.0]%, P < 0.01; rTTC: 16 [12-34]% vs 0.0 [0.0-0.0]%, P = 0.02) and SRS (TTC: 4.5 [3.9-5.3] vs 0.0 [0.0-0.2], P < 0.01; rTTC: 3.6 [3.3-3.8] vs 0.0 [0.0-0.0], P = 0.01). ConclusionTc-99m sestamibi uptake was reduced in hypokinetic regions in the acute phase and improved in the chronic phase. TTC and rTTC may involve a reversible disorder of the myocardial cell membrane, mitochondria, and microcirculation.

Anatomical distribution of cancer stem cells between enhancing nodule and FLAIR hyperintensity in supratentorial glioblastoma: time to recalibrate the surgical target?

It is ge nerally accepted that glioblastoma (GBM) arise from cancer stem cells (CSC); however, there is little evidence on their anatomical distribution. We investigated the expression and distribution of SOX-2-positive and CD133-positive CSCs both in the enhancing nodule (EN) of GBM and in the FLAIR hyperintensity zones on a surgical, histopathological series of 33 GBMs. The inclusion criterion was the intraoperative sampling of different tumor regions individualized, thanks to neuronavigation and positivity to intraoperative fluorescence with the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Thirty-three patients (20 males and 13 females with a mean age at diagnosis of 56years) met the inclusion criterion. A total of 109 histological samples were evaluated, 52 for ENs and 57 for FLAIR hyperintensity zone. Considering the quantitative distribution of levels of intensity of staining (IS), ES (extent score), and immunoreactivity score (IRS), no difference was found between ENs and FLAIR regions for both the SOX-2 biomarker (respectively, IS p = 0.851, ES p = 0.561, IRS p = 1.000) and the CD133 biomarker (IS p = 0.653, ES p = 0.409, IRS p = 0.881). This evidence suggests to recalibrate the target of surgery for FLAIRECTOMY and 5-ALA could improve the possibility to achieve this goal.

Clinical and pathogenetic justification of the use of methotrexate in the treatment of progressive non-segmental vitiligo

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is an urgent problem both for patients and for the scientific community of dermatologists. There are many studies aimed at finding new methods of therapy for this disease, but there are no effective schemes for repigmentation of foci and stabilization of the process in modern dermatology. In this regard, the search for means that have a pathogenetic effect is relevant.&#x0D; AIMS: Clinical and laboratory evaluation of the effectiveness of methotrexate in vitiligo.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preliminary results of a study of the effectiveness of methotrexate in the treatment of vitiligo are presented. Clinical effects were assessed using the VES index (Vitiligo extent score). The dynamics of immunological parameters and the influence of vitiligo on the quality of life were also determined.&#x0D; The study included 77 patients suffering from non-segmental vitiligo. All the subjects were divided into 2 groups. Patients of group 1 (39 patients) received methotrexate in combination with phototherapy, patients of group 2 (38 patients) underwent a course of UVB-311nm. The area of depigmentation was determined, and after treatment repigmentation, relative to the surface area of the body. The dynamics of the immune status against the background of therapy was analyzed. The correlation of the prevalence of the process with the quality of life was evaluated. The duration of the study was 4 months.&#x0D; RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in clinical and laboratory parameters among the groups before treatment. Patients included in group 1 and receiving combination therapy with methotrexate and medium-wave narrow-band therapy with UVB-311nm demonstrated more active repigmentation of vitiligo foci than the studied 2 groups. Also, patients of this group demonstrated the most active positive dynamics of the dermatological quality of life index, correlating with the prevalence of the process. Analysis of the dynamics of immune status indicators allowed us to conclude that the best tendency to normalize cytokine levels among group 1 patients.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated the clinical and pathogenetic efficacy of methotrexate. Small doses of the drug are well tolerated, which allows a long-term effect on pathogenetic mechanisms, stabilizing the skin process.