Biomedical Papers-Olomouc最新文献

Acute kidney injury (AKI) due to gentamicin nephrotoxicity is a significant concern in clinical medicine, particularly in patients receiving prolonged or high-dose gentamicin therapy. Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic frequently used in the treatment of a range of bacterial infections. However, its use is associated with nephrotoxicity which can manifest as AKI. Due to this, it is crucial to diagnose promptly and manage treatment effectively. Ongoing studies are therefore focusing on non-protein-coding RNAs as potential biomarkers for AKI. Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity and AKI. They participate in pathways associated with inflammation, cell death, and oxidative stress and each of these factors play critical roles in the development of gentamicin-induced kidney injury. Research studies have demonstrated changes in the expression levels of these miRNAs in response to gentamicin exposure both in vitro and in in vivo models, as well as in human clinical trials involving patients receiving gentamicin therapy. The dysregulation of these miRNAs correlates with the severity of kidney injury and may serve as sensitive biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of AKI induced by gentamicin.

Adrenal insufficiency (AI) manifests as a clinical syndrome arising from either the direct impairment of adrenal glands, leading to primary AI characterized by deficiencies in glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, or adrenal cortex atrophy due to diminished adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation, a consequence of hypothalamic and/or pituitary damage, resulting in secondary AI. The diagnosis of AI is based on clinical assessment and biochemical tests, including basal hormone level measurements and stimulation tests. In evaluating the results of laboratory tests, it is necessary to consider factors that may influence both pre-analytical and analytical phases, as well as the chosen methodology. Correct diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency and timely initiation of suitable replacement therapy are paramount. These steps are crucial not only for managing the condition but also to avert potentially life-threatening adrenal crises.

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed non-skin solid cancers and is a leading cause of cancer-related death and the incidence increasing. Early diagnosis of the disease improves the outcomes. There is an urgent need for new biomarkers with greater discriminative precision for diagnosis, risk-stratification and treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic potential of Fetuin-A and LRG1 in patients with PC.

Methods: Serum levels of Fetuin-A and LRG1 were compared in patients with PC (n=46), a control group 1 including young, healthy subjects (n=26) and control group 2 including patients with negative prostate biopsy (n=46). In PC patients, the levels of both biomarkers were compared in subgroups with different tumour characteristics.

Results: We demonstrated a statistically significant higher concentrations of Fetuin-A in PC patients compared to control group 2 (439 mg/L vs. 372 mg/L), P<0.001. No statistically significant difference was found between PC patients and control group 1, nor for LRG1 levels between the three groups. In PC patients, higher serum levels of LRG1 were found in M1 patients compared to M0 (98 mg/L vs. 42 mg/L), P=0.059.

Conclusion: Fetuin-A levels are significantly higher in patients with prostate cancer than in patients without malignancy but LRG1 levels do not differ between patients with PC and controls.

Aim: Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB), an alternative to bronchoscopic confirmation of lung lesions, is today being associated with a risk of pneumothorax and hemorrhage. Further, there are no data on the possible risk of malignant disease spreading to the pleura at the site of the PTNB. Previous studies have dealt with this risk in stage I non-small cell lung cancer only. The aim of this study was thus to assess the risk of pleural recurrence for all types of lung lesions. Secondary objectives included assessment of diagnostic yield and safety with respect to the incidence of pneumothorax and hemorrhage.

Methods: Clinical data of all patients from the University Hospital in Pilsen who had undergone PTNB of lung lesions between 1.1.2018 and 31.12.2022 were included in this retrospective study.

Results: Following PTNB, ipsilateral pleural effusion occurred in 4.8% of patients without prior pleural infiltration. The effusion was confirmed as malignant in one patient (0.7%). Diagnostic yield of the method was 86.6%. We recorded pneumothorax or hemorrhage in the lung parenchyma or pleural space requiring medical intervention in 3.4% and 1.1% of patients, respectively.

Conclusion: In our study, percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of lung lesions showed high sensitivity and low degree of acute complications requiring an invasive solution. The risk of pleural recurrence after a biopsy was very low. Consequently, we continue to consider this method to be an alternative to bronchoscopy biopsies.

Aims: To present a case of primary ventriculitis in a 53-year-old patient caused by Streptococcus intermedius, emphasizing the rarity of the condition and the challenges in achieving clinical improvement despite targeted therapy.

Methods: The patient underwent clinical evaluation, including CT and MRI imaging, as well as CSF analysis. Empirical antibiotic therapy was initiated with cefotaxime and metronidazole, followed by targeted therapy based on CSF culture results. External ventricular drainage was performed surgically.

Results: No predisposing factors were identified in the patient. Initial imaging showed no acute changes, but follow-up imaging revealed significant ventricular inflammation. CSF analysis confirmed the presence of Streptococcus intermedius. Despite early and targeted antibiotic therapy, and surgical intervention, the patient's clinical condition did not improve.

Conclusion: This case highlights the rarity of primary ventriculitis caused by Streptococcus intermedius and the challenges in managing it. The lack of clinical improvement despite prompt and targeted treatment underscores the need for further research to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for such infections.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse the ultrasound findings in the axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients with morphological changes that required biopsy. In most cases the morphological changes were minimal.

Materials and methods: Between January 2014 and September 2019 examination of axillary lymph nodes with subsequent core-biopsy was performed in 185 breast cancer patients at the Department of Radiology. Lymph node metastases were detected in 145 cases, while in the remaining 40 cases benign changes or normal lymph node (LN) histology was observed. Ultrasound morphological characteristics and the sensitivity and specificity were evaluated retrospectively. Seven ultrasound characteristics were evaluated - diffuse cortical thickening, focal cortical thickening, absence of the hilum, cortical non-homogeneities, L/T ratio (longitudinal to transverse axis), type of vascularization and perinodal oedema.

Results and conclusion: It is a diagnostic challenge to recognize metastases in the lymph nodes with minimal morphological changes. The most specific signs are non-homogeneities in the cortex of the lymph node as well as the absence of fat hilum and perinodal oedema. Metastases are significantly more frequent in LNs with a lower L/T ratio, in LNs with perinodal oedema and with a peripheral type of vascularization. Biopsy of these lymph nodes is necessary to confirm or exclude metastases, especially if it affects the type of treatment.

Aim: Patients with multiple brain metastases (BM) benefit from hippocampal-avoiding whole brain radiotherapy (HA-WBRT), the challenging and less available form of WBRT. This study explores potential of pre-radiotherapy (pre-RT) hippocampal magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measuring hippocampal neuronal density as an imaging surrogate and predictive tool for assessing neurocognitive functions (NCF).

Methods: 43 BM patients underwent pre-RT hippocampal MRS. N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) concentration, a marker for neuronal density (weighted by creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho) concentrations), and neurocognitive function (NCF) tests (HVLT and BVMT) performed by certified psychologists were evaluated. Clinical variables and NAA concentrations were correlated with pre-RT NCFs.

Results: HVLT and BVMT subtests showed pre-RT deterioration except for BVMT recognition. Significantly better NCFs were observed in women in HVLT subsets. Significantly higher NAA/Cr + Cho was measured in women (median 0.63 vs. 0.55; P=0.048) in the left hippocampus (no difference in the right hippocampus). In men, a positive correlation (0.51, P=0.018) between total brain volume and HVLT-TR, between left hippocampal NAA/Cr + Cho and HVLT-R (0.45, P=0.063), and between right hippocampal NAA/Cr + Cho and BVMT-recognition (0.49, P=0.054) was observed. In women, a borderline significant negative correlation was observed between left hippocampal NAA/Cr + Cho and BVMT-TR (-0.43, P=0.076) and between right NAA/Cr + Cho and HVLT-DR (-0.42, P=0.051).

Conclusion: Borderline statistically significant correlations were observed with speculative interpretation underlying the challenges of hippocampal MRS as a surrogate for neurocognitive impairment. Further studies need to be done to ascertain the opportunities for imaging predictors of benefit from memory sparing radiotherapy.

Background and aim: Pemphigoid gestationis (PG) is a rare skin disease of pregnancy. Given its incidence in pregnant women, physicians and especially obstetricians may not encounter this diagnosis in their entire career. We find this to be a major problem and there is an obligation to report it in as much detail as possible along with recommended treatments with proven efficacy.

Case report: We describe the case of a 27 year old patient who was referred to the dermatology department with severe dissemination of blisters in the 9th week of pregnancy. She was diagnosed with pemphigoid gestationis in her first pregnancy. High doses of corticosteroids were initiated but due to inadequate effect cyclosporine was added. The pregnancy was complicated with gestational diabetes. The patient gave birth in her 33rd week by caesarian section due to premature rupture of the membrane. Vesicles were seen on the newborn immediately after birth which diminished spontaneously over 2 weeks. Blisters were still seen on the patient 1 month after labor even with the combination of systemic corticosteroids with cyclosporine.

Conclusion: PG is a rare dermatosis of pregnancy. The course of the disease can be severe, necessitating systemic therapy. As described in this patient, systemic corticosteroids may not be sufficient and adding another immunosuppressive treatment may be needed. If pemphigoid gestationis has occurred during a previous pregnancy it is advised to reconsider another pregnancy.

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO), also called chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) or nonbacterial osteomyelitis (NBO), is a rare autoinflammatory bone disease of unknown etiology. However, the number of patients properly diagnosed would increase with better knowledge of the disease. In this regard, whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB MRI) has been found to be a better predictor of active lesions than clinical examination. Importantly, the RINBO index (radiologic index for NBO) quantifies the involvement based on the WB MRI. Further, a chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis MRI scoring (CROMRIS) has been developed as an online tool for assessing WB MRI. The therapy consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), bisphosphonates (pamidronate, zoledronate, etc.) and other drugs, including biologics. Pamidronate is an appropriate and safe therapy. The first pilot prospective randomised controlled trial (RCT) on pamidronate vs. placebo was carried out in adults. No RCT has been done in children yet. Besides RCTs, there are a number of issues to be explored in future, i.e. predictors of therapy effect, optimal therapy duration, predictors of therapy discontinuation and evaluation of optimal therapy protocol. Recently, the CNO clinical disease activity score (CDAS) was constructed and validated but the classification criteria are still being developed. As collaboration on this rare disease is essential, a prospective Chronic Nonbacterial Osteomyelitis International Registry (CHOIR) was established to generate future comparative effectiveness research data.

Objective: Several factors are involved in the preservation of graft function after surgical myocardial revascularization. This follow-up study aimed to evaluate the effects of vein graft anastomosis and graft morphology on long-term graft patency a minimum of 10 years after aortocoronary bypass grafting.Setting and Cohorts. This was a sub-analysis of a study that enrolled patients after isolated bypass surgery at the University Hospital Ostrava in order to evaluate the long-term graft patency of the saphenous vein after endoscopic harvest, a minimum of 10 years after aortocoronary bypass grafting.

Methods: Fifty angiograms, with a total of 90 grafts, after isolated myocardial revascularization were visualized using coronary computed tomography angiography, with 50% luminal stenosis or greater considered significant.

Results: The overall graft patency rate was 72.3%. The differences in occlusion rates between sequential and individual grafts were not statistically significant (P=0.156). All y-grafts were totally occluded. Graft and target artery diameters had a statistically significant influence on patency (P=1.000 and 0.381, respectively). Longer graft length and higher calcium scores were associated with statistically significant graft occlusion (P=0.033 and 0.005, respectively).

Conclusion: Sequential grafts can be constructed safely, especially when the goal is complete myocardial revascularization.