BACKGROUND:Pain is the extremely common disease in clinic. At present, acupuncture provides good therapeutic effect on it. But, there are many methods in acupuncture with various advantages individually.To understand the differences in therapeutic effects on pain with various needling techniques is significant in clinic. In 1999, the relevant observation was carried on in the demand of Ecuadorian Medical Pain Association.OBJECTIVE: To observe the differences in therapeutic effects on pain with various needling techniques.DESIGN: Randomized controlled observation was designed.SETTING: Department of Pain, Hospital General de las FF. AA. Quito, Ecuador, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and 1st Department of Surgery, General Hospital of Chengdu MilitaryArea Command of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 360 cases of lumber strain and hyperplastic spondylitis were selected in Department of Pain, Clinic of Ecuadorian 3rd Military General Hospital from May 1999 to November 2000, in which,179 cases were lumber strain and 181 cases were hyperplastic spondylitis.The groups were randomized in two kinds of diseases, named for lumber strain, dermal-needling group (88 cases) and body-acupuncture group (91cases); for hyperplastic spondylitis, dermal-needling group (92 cases) and body-acupuncture group (89 cases).METHODS: Dermal needling and body acupuncture were used to treat the diseases respectively and the symptom changes were observed before and after treatment simultaneously. The treatment was given once every two days. 5 treatments made one basic course for lumber strain and 7 treatments for hyperplastic spondylitis. The treating results were evaluated according to Budzynski grading criteria on pain. MEPS statistical software was used for statistical management of data.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain relieving before and after treatment with dermal needling and body acupuncture for lumber strain and hyperplastic spondylitis was evaluated. Correlative analysis on therapeutic effects and course of treatment for different diseases with same therapy and on same disease with different therapies were carried on.RFSULTS: Altogether 366 cases were observed and 6 of them were excluded. Totally, 360 cases finished the experiment. ① The severity was alleviated in pain grading after treatment with dermal needling and body acupuncture compared with that before the treatment (P ＜ 0.01). ② In treatment of lumber strain and hyperplastic spondylitis with dermal needling, the therapeutic effects on lumber strain were more remarkable (P ＜ 0.01). The therapeutic effects of dermal needling on lumber strain were superior to that of body acupuncture (P ＞ 0.05). ③ The therapeutic effects of body acupuncture group on pain of Ⅰ grade in hyperplastic spondylitis were remarkably better than that of dermal needling group,but the significant difference in the total therapeutic effects of two techniques did not present (P ＞ 0.05). ④ When pain grading was reduced by 1 level in two groups, the average times of treatment in dermal needling group were less than that in body-acupuncture group (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Good therapeutic effects of dermal needling and body acupuncture are achieved for both hyperplastic spondylitis and lumber strain,in which, the therapeutic effects of dermal needling are remarkable on injury of soft tissue and achieved swiftly; body acupuncture improves pain in hyperplastic spondylitis more radically compared with dermal needling.

INTRODUCTION: Lamellar ichthyosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder apparent at birth. Although not life threatening, it is disfiguring and causes considerable psychological stress.
CASE: We report a case of 15-year-old male with generalized, thick, dry, plate-like scales associated with ectropion and eclabium. At birth, he was enclosed in a transparent membrane that spontaneously shed revealing generalized pinkish skin. Non-pruritic plaques developed that evolved into plate-like scales. There was accompanying heat intolerance and tearing of eyes. Two siblings were similarly affected. Histopathologic findings were consistent with lamellar ichthyosis. The patient was treated with retinoic acid lotion and petroleum jelly. After three weeks, 50 percent improvement was noted with decrease in number and thickness of lesions.
CONCLUSION: This lifetime cutaneous disease affects the physical, mental and emotional state ofthe patient. It has no cure and treatment is directed symptomatically. We plan to continue topical treatment in this patient until significant improvement is attained.

Human ; Male ; Adolescent ; Administration, Topical ; Ectropion ; Emotions ; Eye ; Hot Temperature ; Ichthyosis, Lamellar ; Petrolatum ; Physical Examination ; Stress, Psychological ; Tretinoin

The potential to differentiate into different cell lines, added to the easy and cost-effective method of extraction, makes adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) an object of interest in lymphedema treatment. Our study’s goal was to conduct a comprehensive systematic review of the use of ADSCs in lymphatic tissue engineering and regeneration. On July 23, 2019, using PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Clinical Answers, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase databases, we conducted a systematic review of published literature on the use of ADSCs in lymphatic tissue engineering and regeneration. There were no language or time frame limitations, and the following search strategy was applied: ((Adipose stem cell) OR Adipose-derived stem cell)) AND ((Lymphedema) OR Breast Cancer Lymphedema). Only original research manuscripts were included. Fourteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Eleven studies were experimental (in vitro or in vivo in animals), and only three were clinical. Publications on the topic demonstrated that ADSCs promote lymphangiogenesis, and its effect could be enhanced by modulation of vascular endothelial growth factor-C, interleukin-7, prospero homeobox protein 1, and transforming growth factor-β1. Pilot clinical studies included 11 patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema, and no significant side effects were present at 12-month follow-up. Literature on the use of ADSCs in lymphatic tissue engineering and regeneration demonstrated promising data. Clinical evidence is still in its infancy, but the scientific community agrees that ADSCs can be useful in regenerative lymphangiogenesis. Data collected in this review indicate that unprecedented advances in lymphedema treatment can be anticipated in the upcoming years.

Background: and Purpose Ischemic stroke is a common cause of death worldwide. In clinical practice it is observed that many individuals who have experienced an ischemic stroke also suffer from simultaneous comorbidities such as heart failure, which could be directly associated with a worse clinical prognosis. Therefore, this study analyzed outcomes in terms of the severity of the event, inhospital mortality, duration of hospital stay, and inhospital recurrence of the episode, in order to determine the implications resulting from the presentation of both pathologies. Methods: This was a retrospective-cohort, hospital-based study. Results: The study included 110 subjects with heart failure (exposed) and 109 subjects without heart failure (nonexposed). The incidence of inhospital mortality was 27.27% in exposed patients and 9.17% in nonexposed patients (p<0.001), and the presence of heart failure increased the risk of death by 92% (p=0.027). According to scores on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, the median severity was worse in exposed than nonexposed patients (16.1 vs. 9.2, p=0.001). The median hospital stay was 9 days in subjects with heart failure and 7 days in nonexposed patients (p=0.011). The rate of inhospital stroke did not differ significantly between exposed and nonexposed patients (1.82% vs. 0.92%, p=0.566). Conclusions Individuals with heart failure who suffer from an acute ischemic stroke show worse clinical outcomes in terms of mortality, event severity, and duration of hospital stay.

The potential to differentiate into different cell lines, added to the easy and cost-effective method of extraction, makes adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) an object of interest in lymphedema treatment. Our study’s goal was to conduct a comprehensive systematic review of the use of ADSCs in lymphatic tissue engineering and regeneration. On July 23, 2019, using PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Clinical Answers, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase databases, we conducted a systematic review of published literature on the use of ADSCs in lymphatic tissue engineering and regeneration. There were no language or time frame limitations, and the following search strategy was applied: ((Adipose stem cell) OR Adipose-derived stem cell)) AND ((Lymphedema) OR Breast Cancer Lymphedema). Only original research manuscripts were included. Fourteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Eleven studies were experimental (in vitro or in vivo in animals), and only three were clinical. Publications on the topic demonstrated that ADSCs promote lymphangiogenesis, and its effect could be enhanced by modulation of vascular endothelial growth factor-C, interleukin-7, prospero homeobox protein 1, and transforming growth factor-β1. Pilot clinical studies included 11 patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema, and no significant side effects were present at 12-month follow-up. Literature on the use of ADSCs in lymphatic tissue engineering and regeneration demonstrated promising data. Clinical evidence is still in its infancy, but the scientific community agrees that ADSCs can be useful in regenerative lymphangiogenesis. Data collected in this review indicate that unprecedented advances in lymphedema treatment can be anticipated in the upcoming years.

Background: and Purpose Ischemic stroke is a common cause of death worldwide. In clinical practice it is observed that many individuals who have experienced an ischemic stroke also suffer from simultaneous comorbidities such as heart failure, which could be directly associated with a worse clinical prognosis. Therefore, this study analyzed outcomes in terms of the severity of the event, inhospital mortality, duration of hospital stay, and inhospital recurrence of the episode, in order to determine the implications resulting from the presentation of both pathologies. Methods: This was a retrospective-cohort, hospital-based study. Results: The study included 110 subjects with heart failure (exposed) and 109 subjects without heart failure (nonexposed). The incidence of inhospital mortality was 27.27% in exposed patients and 9.17% in nonexposed patients (p<0.001), and the presence of heart failure increased the risk of death by 92% (p=0.027). According to scores on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, the median severity was worse in exposed than nonexposed patients (16.1 vs. 9.2, p=0.001). The median hospital stay was 9 days in subjects with heart failure and 7 days in nonexposed patients (p=0.011). The rate of inhospital stroke did not differ significantly between exposed and nonexposed patients (1.82% vs. 0.92%, p=0.566). Conclusions Individuals with heart failure who suffer from an acute ischemic stroke show worse clinical outcomes in terms of mortality, event severity, and duration of hospital stay.

Background: and Purpose In real-world practice, the benefit of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is uncertain in stroke patients with very favorable or poor prognostic profiles at baseline. We studied the effectiveness of MT versus medical treatment stratifying by different baseline prognostic factors. Methods Retrospective analysis of 2,588 patients with an ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion nested in the population-based registry of stroke code activations in Catalonia from January 2017 to June 2019. The effect of MT on good functional outcome (modified Rankin Score ≤2) and survival at 3 months was studied using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis in three pre-defined baseline prognostic groups: poor (if pre-stroke disability, age >85 years, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] >25, time from onset >6 hours, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score <6, proximal vertebrobasilar occlusion, supratherapeutic international normalized ratio >3), good (if NIHSS <6 or distal occlusion, in the absence of poor prognostic factors), or reference (not meeting other groups’ criteria). Results:  Patients receiving MT (n=1,996, 77%) were younger, had less pre-stroke disability, and received systemic thrombolysis less frequently. These differences were balanced after the IPTW stratified by prognosis. MT was associated with good functional outcome in the reference (odds ratio [OR], 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0 to 4.4), and especially in the poor baseline prognostic stratum (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.6 to 5.9), but not in the good prognostic stratum. MT was associated with survival only in the poor prognostic stratum (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.0 to 3.3). Conclusions  Despite their worse overall outcomes, the impact of thrombectomy over medical management was more substantial in patients with poorer baseline prognostic factors than patients with good prognostic factors.

Background: and Purpose In real-world practice, the benefit of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is uncertain in stroke patients with very favorable or poor prognostic profiles at baseline. We studied the effectiveness of MT versus medical treatment stratifying by different baseline prognostic factors. Methods Retrospective analysis of 2,588 patients with an ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion nested in the population-based registry of stroke code activations in Catalonia from January 2017 to June 2019. The effect of MT on good functional outcome (modified Rankin Score ≤2) and survival at 3 months was studied using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis in three pre-defined baseline prognostic groups: poor (if pre-stroke disability, age >85 years, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] >25, time from onset >6 hours, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score <6, proximal vertebrobasilar occlusion, supratherapeutic international normalized ratio >3), good (if NIHSS <6 or distal occlusion, in the absence of poor prognostic factors), or reference (not meeting other groups’ criteria). Results:  Patients receiving MT (n=1,996, 77%) were younger, had less pre-stroke disability, and received systemic thrombolysis less frequently. These differences were balanced after the IPTW stratified by prognosis. MT was associated with good functional outcome in the reference (odds ratio [OR], 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0 to 4.4), and especially in the poor baseline prognostic stratum (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.6 to 5.9), but not in the good prognostic stratum. MT was associated with survival only in the poor prognostic stratum (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.0 to 3.3). Conclusions  Despite their worse overall outcomes, the impact of thrombectomy over medical management was more substantial in patients with poorer baseline prognostic factors than patients with good prognostic factors.

Objectives: To determine the frequencies of gastrointestinal manifestations and identity associations with outcomes among COVID-19 patients admitted in a tertiary hospital. Furthermore, it sought to determine conditions and risk factors that can be attributed to the development of these gastrointestinal symptoms. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort of 1212 adult patients admitted at the Philippine General Hospital from April to September 2020 for COVID-19 infection. Data were gathered from an established database and chart review. Frequencies of observations were tabulated and expressed in percentages. Analytical statistics via the Fisher's Exact test was used to determine associations. Results: A total of 597 observations of gastrointestinal symptoms was noted: diarrhea (16.4%), anorexia (13.3%), ageusia/dysgeusia/hypogeusia (7.7%), vomiting (4.5%), abdominal discomfort (4.7%), nausea (1.7%), and gastrointestinal bleeding (0.7% - [melena 0.5%, hematochezia 0.16%, hematemesis 0.08%]). Most of these patients had moderate COVID infection (38.37%). Gastrointestinal bleeding was significantly associated with the need for oxygen support (p = 0.009), invasive ventilation (p = 0.002), invasive ventilation (p= 0.001), ICU admission (p = 0.006) and mortality (p= 0.006). Anorexia was significantly associated with the need for oxygen support (p = <0.001), invasive ventilation (p= <0.001), renal replacement therapy (p = 0.003), ICU admission (p = <0.001) and mortality (p = <0.001). Vomiting was significantly associated with need for invasive ventilation (p = 0.023) and renal replacement therapy (p = 0.003). Conclusion Gastrointestinal manifestations can present among patients with COVID-19 infection and can affect overall prognosis.
Gastrointestinal Tract ; COVID-19 ; Tertiary Care Centers