In patients with advanced breast cancer, most new calcifications detected on a mammogram after neoadjuvant chemotherapy are benign dystrophic calcifications, but this is not always observed. We present a patient with advanced breast cancer who had paradoxically increased malignant microcalcifications concomitant with primary tumor regression after undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After the neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the follow-up mammogram revealed that local, fine pleomorphic microcalcifications had markedly increased. Pathologically, these calcifications were ductal carcinoma in situ. We concluded that, in patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, newly developed microcalcifications on follow-up mammograms should be carefully evaluated, and any suspicious malignant microcalcifications should be included in surgical excision planning.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Calcinosis ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Drug Therapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammography ; Neoadjuvant Therapy

A 32-year-old woman with a long-standing systemic lupus erythematosus had multiple subcutaneous nodules on her axillae, iliac crests and limbs. Three years ago, these nodules began to appear and slowly became larger. Some of them amassed to form a large, fungating, lobulated mass on her right iliac crest. Roentgenographic and histological examination showed that they were calcium deposits. She was initially treated with aluminum hydroxide administration for nine months, which resulted in moderate decrease in size and softening in consistency, but not complete resolution. Then, the mass on the right iliac crest was excised, with an excellent early result.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aluminum Hydroxide/therapeutic use* ; Biopsy ; Calcinosis/therapy* ; Calcinosis/etiology ; Calcinosis/diagnosis ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications* ; Skin Diseases/therapy* ; Skin Diseases/etiology ; Skin Diseases/diagnosis

A 32-year-old woman with a long-standing systemic lupus erythematosus had multiple subcutaneous nodules on her axillae, iliac crests and limbs. Three years ago, these nodules began to appear and slowly became larger. Some of them amassed to form a large, fungating, lobulated mass on her right iliac crest. Roentgenographic and histological examination showed that they were calcium deposits. She was initially treated with aluminum hydroxide administration for nine months, which resulted in moderate decrease in size and softening in consistency, but not complete resolution. Then, the mass on the right iliac crest was excised, with an excellent early result.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aluminum Hydroxide/therapeutic use* ; Biopsy ; Calcinosis/therapy* ; Calcinosis/etiology ; Calcinosis/diagnosis ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications* ; Skin Diseases/therapy* ; Skin Diseases/etiology ; Skin Diseases/diagnosis

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the diagnosis and treatment cervical disc calcification in children.

METHODS13 children with cervical disc calcification were analysed retrospectively. Cervical pain was observed after influenza in 5 children, suddenly cervical pain in 3, sudden wryneck in 3 cases. Two children with this disease were accidentally found after injury.

RESULTS14 calcifications of cervical disks were found in 13 children. Clinical symptoms disappeared after symptomatic management. Calcification disappeared in 5 months.

CONCLUSIONSCervical disc calcification in children is a kind of benign self-limited disease. Correst understanding of pathophysiologic course of this disease helps to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Adolescent ; Calcinosis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Cervical Vertebrae ; pathology ; Child ; Child Health Services ; Female ; Humans ; Male

Objective: To elucidate the clinical features of patients with refractory juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), and to explore the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in the treatment of refractory JDM. Methods: A total of 75 JDM patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology in Shenzhen Children's Hospital from January 2012 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, and to analyze the clinical manifestations, efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in the treatment of refractory JDM. Patients were divided into refractory group with using of glucocorticoids in combination with two or more anti-rheumatic drugs for treatment, and the presence of disease activity or steroid dependence after a one-year follow-up. The non-refractory group is defined as clinical symptoms disappeared, laboratory indicators were normal, and clinical remission was achieved after initial treatment, and the clinical manifestations and laboratory indexes of the two groups were compared. The Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher's precision probability test was used for intergroup comparison. Binary Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for refractory JDM. Results: Among the 75 children with JDM, 41 were males and 34 were females with a age of onset of 5.3 (2.3, 7.8) years. The refractory group consisted of 27 cases with a age of onset of 4.4 (1.5, 6.8) years, while the non-refractory group consisted of 48 cases with a age of onset of 5.9 (2.5, 8.0) years. Compared with 48 cases in the non-refractory group, the proportion of interstitial lesions and calcinosis in the refractory group was higher than that in the non-refractory group (6 cases (22%) vs. 2 cases (4%), 8 cases (30%) vs. 4 cases (8%), both P<0.05). Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that observation group were more likely to be associated with to interstitial lung disease (OR=6.57, 95%CI 1.22-35.31, P=0.028) and calcinosis (OR=4.63, 95%CI 1.24-17.25, P=0.022). Among the 27 patients in the refractory group, 22 cases were treated with tofacitinib, after treatment with tofacitinib, 15 of 19 cases (86%) children with rashes showed improvement, and 6 cases (27%) with myositis evaluation table score less than 48 score both were improved, 3 of 6 cases (27%) had calcinosis were relieved, and 2 cases (9%) had glucocorticoid-dependence children were successfully weaned off. During the tofacitinib treatment, there was no increase in recurrent infection, blood lipids, liver enzymes, and creatinine were all normal in the 22 cases. Conclusions: Children with JDM with calcinosis and interstitial lung disease are more likely to develop refractory JDM. Tofacitinib is safe and effective for refractory JDM.
Child ; Female ; Male ; Humans ; Dermatomyositis/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Calcinosis ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the use of dental operating microscope (DOM) and ultrasonic instruments in treating blocked canals.

METHODS135 blocked canals in 92 teeth were treated with ultrasonic tips and files under DOM. The etiology of canal blockage included calcification, broken instruments, post, resinifying therapy or ledge. These canals were negotiated and root canal therapy or pretreatment was performed. The success rates were calculated.

RESULTS77 teeth were successfully managed with a success rate of 83.7%. 84.4% of the blocked canals were negotiated. The success rates of each category of the blocked canals were: 88.1% for calcified canals; 76.9% for canals blocked by instrument fragments; 100% for canals blocked by post; 81.1% for canals subjected to resinifying therapy; and 78.6% for ledged canals. Complications such as root canal perforation or vertical fracture did not occur.

CONCLUSIONThe use of DOM and ultrasonic instruments is proved to be an effective way in the management of blocked canals.

Adult ; Aged ; Calcinosis ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy ; Middle Aged ; Root Canal Therapy ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonic Therapy

Tympanosclerosis is the middle ear tissue hyalinization and calcification caused by chronic middle ear inflammation, which mainly results in conductive deafness with unobvious clinical symptom. Etiology is unclear. The treatment is given priority to surgical treatment at present, while long-term effect reported mostly poor. This article analyzed etiology and treatment of the tympanic cavity sclerosis.
Calcinosis ; Chronic Disease ; Ear, Middle ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; etiology ; Humans ; Myringosclerosis ; complications ; etiology ; therapy ; Otitis Media ; Sclerosis

The effect of atorvastatin on warfarin-induced aortic medial calcification and systolic blood pressure (SBP) of rats induced by warfarin was studied. Thirty healthy and adult rats were randomly divided into Warfarin group (n=10), Atorvastatin group (n=10) and normal control group (n=10). Caudal arterial pressure of rats was measured once a week, and 4 weeks later, aorta was obtained. Elastic fiber, collagen fiber and calcium accumulation in tunica media of cells were measured by Von Kossa staining. The results showed that warfarin treatment led to elevation of systolic blood pressure and aortic medial calcification. The chronic treatment also increased collagen, but decreased elastin in the aorta. However, the atorvastatin treatment had adverse effects. It was concluded that treatment with atorvastatin presented evidence of blood pressure lowing and calcification reducing. These data demonstrate that atorvastatin protected aortic media from warfarin-induced calcification and elevation of systolic blood pressure.
Aortic Diseases/chemically induced ; Aortic Diseases/drug therapy ; Aortic Diseases/*pathology ; Blood Pressure/*drug effects ; Calcinosis/chemically induced ; Calcinosis/*drug therapy ; Calcinosis/pathology ; Heptanoic Acids/*pharmacology ; Heptanoic Acids/therapeutic use ; Hypertension/chemically induced ; Hypertension/*drug therapy ; Pyrroles/*pharmacology ; Pyrroles/therapeutic use ; Random Allocation ; Rats, Wistar ; Warfarin

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of HBP-A on meniscal injuries and the expressions of genes associated with pathological hypertrophy and calcification of the meniscusinduced by abnormal loading.

METHODSBovine meniscus explants were subjected to 25% strain at 0.3 Hz for 3 h and treated with 0.6 mg/mL of HBP-A. The cell viability in the meniscus explants after 72 hin culture was determined using live/dead staining and the expression levels of genes associated with pathological hypertrophy and calcification of the meniscus (ANKH, ENPP1, ALP, MMP13, and IL-1) were measured using real-time PCR and Western blotting. The conditioned medium was collected for testing sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release.

RESULTSThe number of dead cells, loss of proteoglycan content, and the expressions of ANKH, ENPP1, ALP and MMP13, and IL-1 at both the mRNA and protein levels were all significantly lower in the meniscus explants treated with 0.6 mg/mL HBP-A than in the explants with only 25% abnormal pressure stimulation (n=3, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONHBP-A can effectively alleviate meniscal injuries induced by abnormal loading and suppress the expressions of genes related with pathological hypertrophy and calcification of the meniscus, and can serve as a potential drug for treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Animals ; Calcinosis ; drug therapy ; Cattle ; Glucans ; pharmacology ; Hypertrophy ; Menisci, Tibial ; drug effects ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; drug therapy ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tibial Meniscus Injuries ; drug therapy

BACKGROUNDCalcified coronary lesions carry the risk of suboptimal stent expansion, subsequently leading to restenosis. The effectiveness of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) for the treatment of calcified lesion has not been fully investigated. In the present study, therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of SES implantation for the treatment of calcified coronary lesions.

METHODSA total of 333 consecutive patients with 453 lesions were enrolled in this study. They were divided into two groups according to whether the lesion treated with SES was calcified or not; no calcification group (n = 264) and calcification group (n = 189). Lesions treated with SES were subjected to quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) immediately and 8 months following stenting.

RESULTSBaseline clinical, demographic or angiographic characteristics were well balanced in both groups. Angiographic follow-up at 8 months, the in-stent restenosis and in-segment restenosis rates were not significantly different between the two groups; in-stent restenosis: 3.8% vs 4.2%; P = 0.081; in-segment restenosis: 8.7% vs 10.6%, P = 0.503. The target lesion revascularization (TLR) was also not significantly different between the two groups; 4.9% vs 6.9%, P = 0.378. In addition, the in-stent late loss was similar in both groups; (0.16 +/- 0.40) mm vs (0.17 +/- 0.33) mm, P > 0.05. Meantime, overall thrombosis rates were also similar in both groups; 1.6% vs 1.6%, P > 0.05.

CONCLUSIONAlthough calcified coronary lesion was hard to stent, successful percutaneous coronary intervention with SES stenting for calcified lesions was conferred by the similar favorable results that were seen when comparing non-calcified and calcified coronary lesions.

Adult ; Aged ; Calcinosis ; therapy ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Disease ; therapy ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage