Articles

Depression is a psychiatric disease resulting mainly by dysfunction of serotoninergic and monoaminergic neurotransmission in central nervous system (CNS). Due to the multifaceted nature of depression and our limited understanding on its etiology, depression is difficult to be treated with currently available pharmaceuticals. Then, new therapeutic strategies for depression have been proposed. Since 1975, several clinical studies have reported that L-type Ca2+ channel blockers (CCBs), used in anti-hypertensive therapy, produce increase of plasma catecholamine levels and tachycardia, typical symptoms of sympathetic hyperactivity. Despite these adverse effects of CCBs have been initially attributed to adjust reflex of arterial pressure, during almost four decades these enigmatic phenomena remained unclear. In 2013, we discovered that this paradoxical sympathetic hyperactivity produced by CCBs results from the increase of catecholamines release from sympathetic nerves, and adrenal chromaffin cells, due to its modulatory action on the interaction between intracellular signaling pathways mediated by Ca2+ and cAMP (Ca2+/cAMP signalling interaction). Then, the pharmacological modulation of this interaction by combined use of L-type CCBs, and cAMP-enhancer compounds, could be a more efficient (and safer) therapeutic strategy to produce increase of serotoninergic and monoaminergic neurotransmission in the CNS due to enhance of serotonin and monoamines release, thus attenuating clinical symptoms of depression in humans. 

A 64-year-old woman was referred to our hospital due to progressive dypnoea for the past week, combined with fever and type 1 respiratory failure. White blood cell count and procalcitonin level were normal. The Chest X-ray showed bilateral disseminated pulmonary infiltrates. Within the next 24 hours the patient developed a severe ARDS. A first diagnostic work-up for typical and atypical pathogens as well as serological tests for CMV, RSV, HIV and HSV were negative. Analysis of a second bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed Pneumocystis jiroveci DNA. The patient was successfully treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and off label use with caspofungin. The cause of the infection was a six week treatment with dexamethasone. The patient developed a toxic epidermal necrolysis during further course, but completely recovered. Pneumonia with Pneumocystis jirovecii must also be taken into account in non-HIV patients, whenever there are any indications that cellular immunity may be depressed.

By researching the factors related to exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens, such seasons, climate changes and particulate matter, allergists can screen the sensitization profile of individuals according to their exposures and conduct preventive treatment and individualized immunotherapy. Molecular allergology has improved aerobiological screening of allergenic components toward more specific results on allergic exposure, sensitization, and symptoms [1,2]. The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is a colorimetric enzyme immunoassay technique used to quantify soluble substances such as proteins, peptides, antibodies, and hormones. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, ELISA can quantify substances at low concentrations, such as allergens [3].

There are variations in therapeutic regimens of different liver diseases. The accurate diagnosis ensNusinersen treatment is a novel therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1; consequently, the adverse reactions of the therapy, have not been well known, yet. The present study is a case report that declares a hyponatremia development after the nursinersen therapy. Since the therapy is quite new one and has limited practice, we hope that this rare complication will contribute to the scientific literature.

Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is a hallmark of persistent asthma measured using direct or indirect airway bronchial challenge testing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the putative relationships between type 2 inflammatory biomarkers, airway geometry (FEV1 and FEF25-75) and specific IgE (RAST or skin prick) to AHR. We performed a retrospective analysis of our database (n = 131) of patients with asthma. Of these subjects, 75 had a histamine challenge and 56 had a mannitol challenge. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) but not blood eosinophils were significantly higher in patients with AHR to either histamine or mannitol. FEV1 % and FEF25 - 75 % were significantly lower in patients with AHR. Elevated Type 2 biomarkers including FeNO and specific IgE but not blood eosinophils were associated with AHR. Highlights: FeNO and specific IgE but not blood eosinophils are raised in patients with airway hyperresponsiveness.

Objectives: There are variations in therapeutic regimens of different liver diseases. The accurate diagnosis ensures prompt recovery from these diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the underlying causes of unexplained signs and symptoms associated with liver diseases through biopsies. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a public child care specialty of Lahore, Pakistan. The data was collected from medical records of the patients who were index hospitalized with unexplained clinical presentation of liver disease between 1st July, 2017 and 31st December, 2017. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.), and Microsoft Excel (MS Office 2010). Results: Overall, the records of 53 patients were selected for the study. Most of them were 11 to 15 years of age. The patients were presented with unexplained hepatomegaly (60.4%) and jaundice (40.7%) during index hospitalization which made them eligible for liver biopsy (LB). The findings of LB revealed that the underlying causes of liver diseases in most of the cases were metabolic (33.9%) and inflammatory disorders (22.6%). Majority of the patients were ≤4 years of age, however cryptogenic cirrhosis (39.1%) was commonly found in >10 years of age. Although most of the patients were suffering from metabolic disorders (p-value=0.07) and liver cirrhosis (p-value=0.08) but these were not statistically significant. Conclusions: LB was beneficial in evaluating the etiologies of unexplained signs and symptoms of liver diseases. It was found that glycogen storage diseases and liver cirrhosis were the most common etiologies of liver diseases among pediatric patients. But etiologies like metabolic and inflammatory diseases were insignificantly associated with gender.

Disruptions in Maternal-infant Bonding are shown to be the mediating variable between maternal distress and the subsequent expression of childhood asthma. When the mothers’ bonding is repaired, their children’s asthmatic symptoms diminish or remit. This study evaluated 16 asthmatic children before and after their mothers were treated with Bonding Therapy. Fourteen improved on 11 measures, including reduction in the STEP classification system and medication use. Thirteen children were able to stop all medications. Surprisingly, all mothers scores on the Beck Depression Inventory improved through Bonding Therapy, suggesting that impaired bonding can lead to maternal depression or even Postpartum Depression. The link between bonding disruptions and airway inflammation are discussed. Bonding Therapy is described.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary syndrome composed of exocrine gland dysfunction involving multiple systems which if untreated may result in chronic respiratory infections, pancreatic enzyme deficiency and failure to thrive. The association between CF and other inherited diseases or congenital anomalies is rare. We describe a rare case of CF with concomitant congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). 21- Hydroxylase deficiency accounts for most CAH cases. Varity in clinical phenotypes depends on the amount of enzymatic activity which in turn depends on different combination of gene mutations. The genes of CAH and CF are located in different locations. The chance of these diseases coexisting in our patient would be a rare combination. However, such a case will be more frequent in our population than others because of consanguineous marriage and common ancestors. There are diagnostic difficulties, similarities and contradictions between two diseases and they are pointed out.

Treatment of various inflammatory processes, including acute pneumonia(АP), over the past decades is identical and does not reflect the specifics of a particular disease. The basis of such treatment is «antibiotics alone». The need for additional therapeutic efforts is realized by the use of General therapeutic techniques, regardless of the diagnosis. This does not take into account the important fact that the localization of inflammation not only determines its clinical picture,but,above all,the mechanisms of influence on other organs and systems of the body.

Introduction: There is currently no strategy for identifying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients whose pulmonary function could benefit from inhaled corticosteroids. We investigated whether a 28-day regime of inhaled corticosteroids improved pulmonary function test results among COPD patients with a fractional exhaled nitric oxide concentration > 35 parts per billion. Methods: This single-centre one-arm pre–post trial included COPD patients with a fractional exhaled nitric oxide concentration > 35 parts per billion treated at our institution from September 2018 to August 2019. Patients were administered budesonide (200 μg, 8 puffs daily) for 28 days. The primary outcome measure was the difference between the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) at baseline and after 28 days of inhaled corticosteroid treatment. Secondary outcomes included differences in COPD Assessment Test scores, %FEV1, and that between the percent forced vital capacity (%FVC) at baseline and after 28 days of treatment. Results: Twenty patients completed the 28-day inhaled corticosteroid regime. The mean difference in FEV1 between day 1 and day 28 was 340 mL (95% confidence interval: −100 to 770 mL; p = 0.122). The mean differences in secondary outcomes were: %FVC, −0.16% (95% confidence interval [CI]: −2.84 to 2.53%; p = 0.905); %FEV1, 1.63% (95%CI: −4.56 to 7.81%; p = 0.589); COPD Assessment Test score, −2.50 (95%CI: −5.72 to 0.72; p = 0.121). Conclusion: The 28-day course of inhaled corticosteroids yielded no significant difference in FEV1 for COPD patients with a fractional exhaled nitric oxide concentration > 35 parts per billion. Trial registration: University Hospital Medical Information Network Center, UMIN000034005. Registered 3 September 2018. https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000038557