Commentary: Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome
Natalie M. Bath1*, Daniel H. Williams2, Hans W. Sollinger1, Robert R. Redfield III1
1 Division of Transplant Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
2 Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome (LPHS) remains a rare disease but has a significant impact on those affected by it. Patients diagnosed with LPHS experience severe, constant or intermittent flank pain that radiates to the groin and may be exacerbated even by a gentle touch. These patients often require significant narcotic regimens for pain control and are unable to maintain a functional lifestyle. Previously, diagnosis has been made based on clinical presentation. One treatment for this syndrome is renal autotransplant; however, success rates are varied. Therefore, patient selection for this procedure is important. We have developed the UW-LPHS test as a diagnostic maneuver in order to determine which patients with LPHS would benefit from renal autotransplant. To perform this diagnostic test, bupivacaine is instilled into the ureter on the affected side and left to dwell. Patients who experience pain relief following this test are deemed to benefit from renal autotransplant. Here we describe this novel diagnostic test and initial success rates following renal autotransplant.
DOI: 10.29245/2572-9411/2018/4.1169 View / Download Pdf Familial Immune Thrombocytopenia. Report of 16 Cases and Literature Review
Núria Pujol-Moix1,2*, Blanca Jimenez2, Eduardo Muñiz-Diaz3, Manel Roca4, Joan Carles Souto2,5
1Medicine Department, Unitat Docent Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
2Institute of Biomedical Research (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
3Division of Immunohematology, Banc de Sang i Teixits de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
4Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
5Unitat d'Hemostàsia i Trombosi, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an acquired disorder that generally occurs in sporadic individuals, but a few patients are grouped in families. The aims of the present study were: 1) to perform a retrospective descriptive study of a series of patients with familial ITP, and 2) to perform a literature review on familial ITP.
We studied 16 ITP patients, from 8 families, selected by using the general established exclusion criteria as well as at least one of the following additional positive criteria: the finding of autoantibodies on the platelet surface, a short platelet survival in the kinetic study, or a clear therapeutic response to immunosupressors or splenectomy. Moreover, we studied 60 patients with familial ITP previously reported in the literature, selected by using the same diagnostic criteria as for our patients.
The patient’s characteristics of familial ITP were not substantially different from those of sporadic ITP patients. The small number of patients reported in the literature suggests that, familial ITP has been underdiagnosed. We recommend considering the possible diagnosis of familial ITP when a familial thrombocytopenia has no demonstrable genetic cause, especially if there are other autoimmune disorders in the family. Moreover, to obtain a true diagnosis in these families we recommend applying the additional positive criteria mentioned above besides the exclusion diagnostic criteria.
List of Abbreviations
ITP = immune thrombocytopenia
Ig = immunoglobuin, immunoglobulins
AD = autoimmune disorder, autoimmune disorders
DOI: 10.29245/2572-9411/2018/4.1167 View / Download Pdf Frequency Analysis for The Effect of Pico Tesla-Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Epilepsy Patients Using Magnetoencephalography
Photios Anninos1*, Athanasia Kotini1, Adam Adamopoulos1, Nicolaos Tsagas2
1Labratory of Medical Physics, Department of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Alexandroupoli, Greece
2Department of Electrical Engineering, Polytechnic School, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece
The purpose of this research is to identify any change in the frequencies of 2-7Hz in the brain state of epilepsy patients after pico-Tesla transcranial magnetic stimulation (pT-TMS). It is a noninvasive technique for treating neurological disorders. We used magneto encephalographic (MEG) recordings of 10 epilepsy patients with a whole-head 122 - channel MEG system in a magnetically shielded room of low magnetic noise. The subjects were 5 male and 5 female epilepsy volunteers between 18-42 years of age. Afterwards, external pT-TMS was applied to the above patients. A software program was developed in our lab in order to detect the primary dominant frequency of the power spectra of the MEG obtained from every patient and channel before and after the application of pT-TMS. We found that 7 out of 10 patients (70%) had increased their 2-7Hz frequencies after the application of pT-TMS. We concluded that frequency analysis is a promising means for the assessment of epilepsy disorders.
DOI: 10.29245/2572-9411/2018/4.1164 View / Download Pdf