Internal medicine
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Review Comparative Study
Symposium on the etiology of hypertension--summarizing studies in 20th century. 1. Hypertension and genes.
Under classical strategy, scientists have tried first to find a physiological phenomenon specific for essential hypertension, then to identify the protein underlying the physiological abnormality, and finally to clarify the causative gene which encoded the protein. On the other hand, under the reverse genetic approach, the correlation between hypertension and genetic abnormality is identified first, and then the pathogenesis is clarified-in reverse order. Therefore, it is not extraordinary for unexpected results to be obtained in the correlation between a gene and a disease, suggesting that this approach has a possibility to be a breakthrough in the chaos of hypertension research.
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Susac's syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by the triad of microangiopathy of the brain and retina with hearing loss. More than 50 affected individuals have been reported worldwide, all Caucasians. We herein identify the first Japanese patient with Susac's syndrome. ⋯ T2-weighted MRI showed multiple high-signal lesions ti predominantly in the periventricular white matter. During the exacerbated phase both high-dose intravenous methyl-prednisolone and oral prednisone therapy produced beneficial effects. He showed definite remission within 2 years from the disease onset.
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There is an increasing number of accidents by erroneous ingestion of button batteries in recent years; the batteries arouse the interest of infants because of their attractive shape and luster. The batteries remaining in the gastrointestinal tract and discharging electric current over a long period of time may induce ulceration or perforation, thus must be carefully considered the selection of appropriate treatment. ⋯ We present this battery removal device together with a literature review, because it seems convenient and useful.
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An 87-year-old woman died of rapidly progressive pneumonia due to Aeromonas hydrophila shortly after a near-drowning event. Autopsy showed necrotizing pneumonia and postmortem cultures of both blood and lung revealed the organism. Fulminant pneumonia should be considered in patients of a near-drowning event.