Neuro endocrinology letters最新文献

Background: Neurotrophins (NTs) encompass a group of closely associated proteins regulating various aspects of neuronal growth and survival. The potential association between work-related factors and the levels of circulating NTs has not been extensively examined. In this preliminary investigation, we evaluated plasma concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) in a cohort of healthy individuals from three distinct professional categories, each with unique work environments and lifestyle factors.

Methods: The study involved 60 men from three professional fields: airline pilots, construction laborers, and fitness trainers (20 participants per category) recruited during routine occupational health appointments. Plasma levels of NTs were measured using commercially available immunoassays and compared in the three professional groups.

Results: Among the professions studied, fitness instructors displayed the highest concentrations of BDNF and NGF, with airline pilots ranking second, and construction workers showing the lowest levels. Significantly decreased NT-3 levels were observed in airline pilots compared to fitness instructors and construction workers, but no differences were found between the latter two occupations. NT-4 levels were similar across all three occupational groups.

Conclusions: Our pilot results suggest that plasma concentrations of NTs, which are involved in various aspects of neuronal and cognitive functioning, may display significant differences among healthy individuals depending on their occupation. These observations warrant additional research to explore potential implications for the field of occupational medicine.

Introduction: Acute thyrotoxic myopathy (ATM) is a rare and potentially lethal complication of thyrotoxicosis. The typical clinical symptoms of ATM are characterized by bulbar paralysis. Reports of the successful treatment of ATM are sporadic due to its low incidence. However, no English literature has reported Chinese patients with ATM and neck pain. Here, we report for the first time a Chinese patient with ATM and neck pain who recovered through large doses of systemic glucocorticoids and one intrathyroidal steroid injection.

Case report: A 23-year-old woman visited our hospital with a two-year history of progressive weakness of her bulbar muscles, hoarseness, cough when swallowing, dysphagia, and a one-month history of recurrent painful swelling of the thyroid gland. She was diagnosed with ATM, chronic thyrotoxic myopathy (CTM), and Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) due to Graves' disease (GD). After she was treated with a combination of low-dose glucocorticoids, antithyroid drugs (ATDs), propranolol, and ultrasound-guided percutaneous intrathyroidal injection of glucocorticoids, her bulbar paralysis, proximal myopathy, and neck pain simultaneously improved without recurrence during follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a patient with ATM, CTM, GD, GO and neck pain treated by administering a combination of low-dose glucocorticoids, one intrathyroidal steroid injection and antithyroid agents.

Conclusions: Clinicians should consider ATM and intervene with aggressive glucocorticoid therapy, and this is the key to reversing the progression of ATM when a patient has bulbar paralysis and thyrotoxic symptoms. Our case report references the clinical diagnosis and treatment of such cases.

Objective: Reporting epidemiological data on prehospital cardiac arrest in the Pilsen Region in 2022. Expression of cardiopulmonary resuscitation success using the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score.

Materials and methods: The study looked at the survival rate of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest in all patients in whom emergency medical services performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The study covered the period from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022. Both electronic and paper medical records were used to obtain data. All cases were evaluated according to Utstein-style guidelines.

Results: During the studied period, emergency response teams in the Pilsen Region carried out CPR in 499 cases. The incidence of prehospital CPR was 88.43 cases per 100,000 population. A total of 146 patients (29.26%) were referred to the hospital with spontaneous circulation, and results indicating survival with a good neurological outcome of CPC 1 or 2 were recorded in 48 cases (9.62%). The first monitored rhythm was shockable in 119 cases (23.85%). In this subgroup, ROSC was achieved in 71 cases (59.66%) and 61 of them (51.26%) were referred to hospital. In this study subgroup, a total of 36 patients (30.25%) achieved a good neurological outcome with a CPC score of 1 or 2.

Conclusion: The study presented epidemiological data on OHCA and prehospital CPR in the Pilsen region in 2022. The data obtained shows a survival rate with good neurological outcome in 9.62% of cases.

Objective: To investigate the effect of postnatal primary repair surgery time on short-term (first 30 days) prognosis in newborns with Meningomyelocele (MMC).

Methods: The study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit at a tertiary training and research hospital. The records of 41 MMC neonates were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic and clinical characteristics, surgical time, hospitalization and antibiotic duration, complications and associated anomalies were recorded.

Results: There were 18 newborns in the early surgery (≤3 days) group and 23 newborns in the late surgery (>3 days up to 30 days) group.. There was no difference between groups in terms of birth weight, gestational week, head circumference, sex and type of delivery (p > 0.05). The length of hospitalization (17.2 ± 8.2 days vs 24.8 ± 16.1 days, p > 0.05) and antibiotic duration (11.8 ± 7.6 days vs 13.8 ± 10.1 days, p > 0.05) did not have significant difference. The number of neonates reoperated in the first 30 days was similar in early surgery group and in late surgery group (5 (27.7%) vs 6 (26.1%), p > 0.05). The number of patients requiring ventriculoperitoneal shunt was 9 (50%) in the early surgery group and 13 (56.5%) in the late surgery group. Surgical complications such as minor-major wound dehiscence, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, local infection, meningitis and ventriculitis were not statistically different between the groups (9 (50%) vs 8 (34.8%), (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Surgical complications were not statistically different between the early and late surgery group, although the presence of surgical complications may be effective in the short-term prognosis of MMC.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of mothers practicing ever and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life in Bahrain, a high-income country, and determine the variables associated with ever and exclusive breastfeeding.

Methods: This cross-sectional interview study on breastfeeding patterns was conducted on 345 women attending the Well Baby Clinic during their regular childcare visits at the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital from January 2019 to June 2019. Eligible women had at least one newborn aged six months to two years. The prevalence of ever and exclusive breastfeeding and its associated variables were analyzed using Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression and addressed by the odds ratio (OR) and respective 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results: During the first six months of the infant's life, 56% (95% CI: 50.8%-61.5%) of mothers breastfed their infants, but only 5.5% (95% CI: 3.3%-8.5%) practiced exclusive breastfeeding. The multivariate logistic regression results showed that women were less likely to practice ever breastfeeding in the age group of 20-24 years (OR = 0.399, 95% CI: 0.167-0.953, p < 0.05) and had low education levels (OR = 0.388, 95% CI: 0.184-0.881, p < 0.05). Besides, mothers on contraceptives were not associated with ever breastfeeding (OR=1.926, 95% CI: 1.100-3.373, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the multivariate analysis revealed that mothers who had infants born with chronic disease were more likely to exclusively breastfed them (OR = 4.183, 95% CI: 1.138-15.378, p < 0.05). On the other hand, a significant association existed between women who did not have antennal care and exclusively breastfeeding (OR = 3.951, 95% CI: 1.460-10.692, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the main reason reported by mothers for not ever or exclusively breastfeeding was insufficient breast milk. Besides, difficulty during breastfeeding was another primary reason for not ever breastfeeding.

Conclusion: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding is very low in Bahrain. To increase the exclusive breastfeeding prevalence rate, education programs and intervention studies, protocols, and training on overcoming mothers' challenges during breastfeeding must be implemented to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates.

Objectives: To evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) findings along with other surgical and pathologic features as prognosis predictors in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs).

Methods: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed a clinical data pool of patients with pathologically confirmed PNETs. CT and MRI findings were evaluated as potential prediction parameters of tumor-nodes-metastases (TNM) stage and grade, using Fisher's exact test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the risk factors associated with tumor recurrence after surgery. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were used for recurrence-free survival analysis.

Results: The predictors of higher TNM stages were tumor diameter, tumor boundary, distant metastases, and lymphadenopathy on CT scan. From MRI images, tumor diameter, T2-weighted image, tumor enhancement, and pancreatic duct dilatation showed statistically significant differences among TNM stages. Univariate analysis showed that American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM stage, World Health Organization (WHO) tumor grade, sex, smoking, and drinking were associated with tumor recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS); while tumor and metastasis also affected DFS. Multivariate survival analysis confirmed that AJCC TNM was an independent predictor after adjusting other covariates. Peripancreatic invasion and lymph node metastases as well as blurred boundary detected by CT or MRI may be independent risk factors for TNM stage and clinical outcome of PNETs.

Conclusion: TNM stage is a valuable predictor of prognosis in PNETs. Information from CT and MRI imaging can be used to determine the TNM stage, and to estimate the tumor prognosis, guide the follow-up, and avoid ineffective treatments.

Purpose: Low back pain is a significant socio-economic problem which is expected to deepen. Degenerative disc disease is considered to be one of its main causes. Unsuccessful conservative treatments usually lead to surgical treatments, including methods providing pain relief by vertebral fusion in the affected segment. However, this leads to changes in biomechanics, which is why approximately 30 years ago total disc replacements appeared. This work aims at determining the current state of treatments with this kind of replacement, comparing the results with those of fusion methods and assessing why fusion continues to dominate. Current treatments of degenerative disc disease by advanced procedures (regenerative and gene therapy, 3D printing) is also examined and evaluated, and future developments are considered.

Methods: A critical review based on available scientific articles from online databases. The main keywords used were "lumbar", "total", "disc" and "replacement", supplemented according to the individual, monitored areas ("follow-up", "fusion", "future" etc.). For the articles found through database search (n = 895), narrower selection was made and the result was 33 articles included in review.

Review: Total disc replacements have not yet satisfactorily demonstrated that they are superior to fusion methods in long term follow-up. Advanced methods are in their infancy.

Conclusions: Additional research and development of total disc replacements is still necessary. For implants, the 3D scan - 3D model - 3D printing chain and its related technologies are increasingly important. The development of regenerative procedures using induced pluripotent stem cells and gene therapies is important, but conservative treatments and primary prevention should also be developed because regenerative procedures and gene therapies apparently will not be used routinely until the future.

Introduction: Enterocutaneous fistula is defined as an abnormal connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the skin. In addition to the early recognition and treatment of sepsis, nutritional support, wound management, the adequate replacement of lost fluids with a properly set and timely rehydration treatment, together with the control of fistula production represent the first steps in treatment management.

Material and methods: The authors present an overview of oral rehydration therapy, describing the properties and effects of individual solutions on fistula. The absorption of fluids and electrolytes into the gastrointestinal tract is performed by the group of sodium-dependent glucose cotransporters (sodium-glucose linked transporter, SGLT1).

Discussion: The water and electrolyte absorption mechanisms described in the article can be used in the treatment of a patient with a high fistula. The amount of administered hypotonic fluids (water, tea) should not exceed 500 ml/day. The remaining volume, depending on fistula loss, must be supplemented with isoosmolar fluids. With a good tolerance of oral rehydration solutions and compliance with the other steps of treatment, it is possible to remain on oral intake during the entire duration of treatment without the need to prohibit it completely, thus improving the patient's overall comfort.

Conclusion: Reducing the intake of hypotonic fluids (tap water, tea) and administering an isotonic solution help to reduce the production of the fistula, thereby contributing to its spontaneous closure.

Combined central and peripheral demyelination (CCPD) is a rare autoimmune neurologic disease, characterized by immune-mediated damage of myelin sheath at central and peripheral levels of the nervous system. The current knowledge about this disorder is only limited, mainly due to the low incidence of the disease. According to previous studies, CCPD has a very heterogeneous course, insufficient therapeutic response, and an unfavorable prognosis. We report on the 37-year-old patient with a coincidence of demyelinating lesions in the brain fulfilling current McDonald's diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis, as well as the presence of an atypical variant of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) - multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory-motor neuropathy (MADSAM), as a subtype of combined central and peripheral demyelination (CCPD).

Background: Cranionasal communicating tumors often originate from the extra-axial intracranial tissue, nasal cavity, and sinuses, and mostly invade the anterior skull base, leading to communication between the cranial and nasal cavities. Cranionasal communicating tumors are clinically rare and thus have been rarely reported in the literature.

Objective: To investigate the clinical outcomes of combined transcranial and endoscopic transnasal approaches in the surgical management of cranionasal communicating tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with cranionasal communicating tumors treated at the Department of Neurosurgery, Jinhua Hospital, affiliated with Zhejiang University, from July 2017 to March 2020. All patients were surgically treated using combined transcranial and endoscopic transnasal approaches or the cranionasal dual approach, and skull base reconstruction was performed simultaneously. The postoperative gross tumor resection rate, perioperative complications, and postoperative efficacy were evaluated.

Results: Eleven patients with 14-37 months of follow-up were included. Eight patients underwent total resection, two patients underwent subtotal resection, and one patient was treated with partial resection. Postoperative pathological diagnoses revealed four olfactory neuroblastomas, three atypical meningiomas, two recurrent papilloma malignancies, one recurrent invasive pituitary tumor, and one recurrent invasive pituitary adenocarcinoma. Among the 11 patients, severe cerebral edema was observed postoperatively in one patient, and decompression craniectomy was performed. Intracranial infection was observed in two patients, including one with transient cerebrospinal fluid leakage, which was cured after symptomatic treatment. Moreover, postoperative ocular dysmotility and worse olfactory sensation were observed in one and two patients, respectively. The mean follow-up time of the 11 patients was (24.4 ± 5.7) months. The one-year survival rate of the patients was 100%; 10 patients (90.9%) had a favorable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 4-5), and only one patient (9.1%) had a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 3. Furthermore, during the last follow-up, tumor recurrence occurred in two patients (18.2%).

Conclusion: Surgical treatment of cranionasal communicating tumors using the cranionasal dual approach and simultaneous skull base reconstruction improves the gross tumor resection rate with fewer postoperative complications and good short-term efficacy.