Medicine
-
Observational Study
An observational study of headaches in children and adolescents with functional abdominal pain: Relationship to mucosal inflammation and gastrointestinal and somatic symptoms.
Headaches and abdominal pain are among the most common pediatric pain conditions. Mast cells have been implicated in the pathophysiology of migraines, as well as functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The primary aims of the current study were to assess headache prevalence in patients with FD and to assess the association between headaches and mucosal mast cells and eosinophils. ⋯ Headache was not associated with any specific gastrointestinal symptoms but was associated with a wide array of non-gastrointestinal symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, muscle pain, joint pain, and chest pain. Headaches are common in children and adolescents with abdominal pain and, utilizing Rome IV criteria, are specifically associated with FD. In patients with FD, headaches are associated with increased duodenal mast cell density and a variety of somatic symptoms, all of which are possibly the result of mast cell activation.
-
The duplex ureter is a common anomaly of urinary tract, but preoperative sonography, plain abdominal radiography, or nonenhanced computed tomography (CT) often overlooked it when involved with urinary tract obstruction. In this report, We present a rare case of left Y-shaped bifid ureter and both ureter of upper moiety and common stem were obstructed respectively by 2 calculi. ⋯ Contrast-enhanced CT should be recommended prior to any surgical procedures involved with upper urinary tract to exclude duplex ureter.
-
Case Reports
Pregnancy-induced hypertension-related chorioretinitis resembling uveal effusion syndrome: A case report.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a major cause of maternal and fetal mortality. Hypertensive choroidopathy is a preliminary sign of vasogenic edema in the choroid, and is associated with PIH. Here, we report a post-natal case of PIH-related chorioretinitis with bilateral severe serous retinal detachment (SRD) resembling uveal effusion syndrome. ⋯ Ophthalmologists should be aware of PIH-related chorioretinitis with similar clinical manifestations as uveal effusion syndrome, and should treat with antihypertensive agents in cooperation with obstetricians.
-
Acute liver failure (ALF) induced by amatoxin-containing mushrooms accounts for more than 90% of deaths in patients suffering from mushroom poisoning. However, due to the fact that most hospitals cannot identify the species of mushrooms involved, or detect amatoxins, the early diagnosis of amatoxin intoxication remains a significant challenge in clinical practice. ⋯ Our case reports suggested that patients with unidentified wild mushroom intoxication with delayed gastroenteritis could be clinically diagnosed with amatoxin poisoning; in such cases, liver coagulation function should be frequently evaluated. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for survival in patients with ALF induced by amatoxin poisoning.
-
Paraquat, an agent highly toxic to humans and animals, is a widely used herbicide and also commonly used for suicide attempts in Taiwan. The most common route of intoxication is oral ingestion, and parenteral poisoning is respectively rare. ⋯ Intravenous paraquat intoxication is rare. Patients who suffer from intravenous intoxication may not directly suffer from mucosal irritation, but the clinical onset of systemic effects is more immediate and lethal. The prognosis of paraquat poisoning is determined by the time of poisoning and the plasma paraquat concentration before treatment. Proudfoot's curve provides a simple method of predicting the survival rate. The most effective mode of management is extracorporeal therapy, and immunosuppressive or antioxidant therapies have shown insufficient evidence of benefit.