Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common diseases of the upper respiratory system, which imposes a high cost on countries every year due to its high prevalence.This disease is a global health problem.In recent years, due to the increase in prevalence and clinical importance of allergic rhinitis in other diseases, such as asthma, the study of this disease has received much attention.In this article, single nucleotide polymorphisms involved in allergic rhinitis have been studied in particular.In this study, the possible candidate genes related to allergic rhinitis in people with this disease and the single nucleotide polymorphism variants related to the said disease were investigated.The data collected in this study was the result of studies conducted in different parts of the world.The population studied in the articles are people with allergic rhinitis.The results have shown the association of several single nucleotide polymorphisms in different genes with allergic rhinitis, some of which may be useful in understanding the pathophysiology and finding new methods for immunotherapy of allergic rhinitis.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a major health problem, having significant consequences on motor and sensory function, as well as on the quality of life of affected patients. The objective of this study is to assess the severity of high post-traumatic spinal cord injuries depending on the age and gender of the patients and the manner of their etiology. We used useful tools for evaluating and classifying the severity of spinal cord injuries: ASIA classification, MAS and MTS score. This is a retrospective observational study included a number of 146 patients with various high spinal cord injuries whose diagnosis was confirmed by imaging. The mean age of the cohort was 42.97 ± 15.9 years, with a range of 18 to 83 years. The severity of the ASIA score was inversely proportional to the age of the patients. Patients with ASIA A were younger than those with ASIA D. Regarding the etiology of the trauma, most patients, 39.7%, were traumatized following a road accident. The etiology of trauma has a significant influence on the severity of spinal cord injury. Accidents are the leading cause of injury, followed by falls and diving trauma. There is a correlation between the ASIA score and muscle tone/spasticity, which may influence the therapeutic approach and patient management.
The increasing resistance of cancers to common treatments has caused researchers to make more efforts to discover and identify new anticancer agents.Excessive use of chemical drugs increases the resistance of cancer cells, and as a result, treatment measures fail due to a decrease in the response level of these cells to the drug.Therefore, it is extremely important to study drugs that are more effective and have fewer side effects.Angiogenesis is a new treatment method that has been studied recently due to the high importance of this treatment method and the efficiency of this method in the treatment of some diseases, including all types of tumors.There are many hopes for the use of this method.It has created an effective method.Among the most important potential advantages of this method in cancer treatment, we can mention the absence of cell resistance problems, easy access to intravascular targets, as well as the wide scope of using this type of strategy to treat many types of diseases related to angiogenesis.Therefore, the use of different angiogenesis models and the development of these models can be very important for the treatment of all types of cancer and other diseases.In this review article, various dimensions of the angiogenesis process and the mechanisms and factors related to it, as well as the studies surrounding them, have been discussed.
Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) increases the risk cardiovascular events regardless of the presence of previous cardiovascular disease. As both OSAS and coronary heart disease (CHD) have same risk factors it’s often difficult to quantify the proportion of each risk factor in developing cardiac events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the 10-year risk of developing a coronary heart disease (CHD) event or stroke in newly diagnosed OSAS patients. 65 patients diagnosed with OSAS over a period of four months in Oradea Sleep Laboratory were included. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric parameters, clinical and biochemical data, sleep disorder and daytime sleepiness assessment, results of polysomnography were collected in all patients. In 55 selected patients by age range from 34 to 74 years old, cardiovascular risk was assessed using Framingham score calculator. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS-PC version 7.5 and Stata 10.The estimated 10-years risk of a CHD event was 18.97% (± 9.67) in all cases. It was higher in men (22.17% ± 9.24) compare to women (12.39% ± 6.92) and it was not significantly different by stages of OSAS severity (20.58% ±9.41 in patients with severe OSAS versus 15.4% in mild OSAS), suggesting that apnea hypopnea index is not a major confounding factor. Desaturation of oxygen is a better outcome to define the relation between OSAS and cardiovascular diseases. OSAS and cardiovascular risk factors increased risk for future adverse cardiovascular events related to the severity of oxygen desaturation. Keywords: obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, cardiovascular events, risk factors, oxygen desaturation
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition associated with cognitive impairment and various comorbidities. This prospective study evaluated cognitive deficits in OSA patients and identified clinical factors affecting cognitive function. Seventy-two participants were assessed using polysomnography (PSG) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Findings revealed significantly lower MoCA scores in severe OSA patients compared to those with mild or moderate OSA. Severe OSA patients had a median MoCA score of 23.5 (20.0-25.0), indicating more significant cognitive impairment, while those with normal OSA severity had the highest median score of 28.5 (27.8-29.2). Mild and moderate OSA patients had median scores of 26.5 (21.0-28.0) and 25.0 (23.80-26.0), respectively (p < 0.008). Logistic regression showed that ex-smoking status negatively impacted MoCA scores more in the unadjusted model (p = 0.003) than in the adjusted one (p = 0.018). Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) positively correlated with MoCA scores, stronger in the unadjusted model (p < 0.001 vs. p < 0.03). Higher Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI) correlated with higher MoCA scores while increasing Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) severity correlated with lower MoCA scores in both models. A significant negative correlation was found between age and MoCA score (r = -0.473, p < 0.001), and between MoCA score and AHI (r = -0.350, p < 0.003). This study highlights the need for sensitive cognitive screening tools like MoCA in evaluating OSA patients, linking cognitive impairment closely with OSA severity and other clinical factors.
Masitinib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively targets mast cell activity and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) signaling, both of which are implicated in various mechanisms of asthma pathogenesis.Assessment of masitinib as an add-on to standard maintenance therapy as compared with placebo in the treatment of oral corticosteroid-dependent severe asthma.We conducted a randomized (2:1), placebo-controlled study of masitinib (6 mg/kg/d) in adults with severe asthma uncontrolled by high dose inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-adrenoreceptor agonists plus oral corticosteroids (OCS) (≥7.5 mg/d). No minimum baseline blood eosinophil count was specified. Following a protocol amendment, the primary endpoint was reduction of annualized severe asthma exacerbation rate adjusted for the overall time on treatment (SAER). Subgroup analysis according to yearly cumulative OCS intake was also performed, a higher OCS dose indicating more severe asthma that is harder to control.Following an average exposure of approximately 13 months, masitinib (n = 240) reduced the SAER by 35% relative to placebo (n = 115) (rate ratio (RR) 0.65 (95% CI [0.47-0.90]; P = 0.010)). For patients with eosinophil ≥150 cell/µL, masitinib (n = 181) reduced SAER by 38% relative to placebo (n = 87); RR 0.62 (95% CI [0.42-0.91]; P = 0.016). Benefit of masitinib was shown to increase in the most severely affected patients (OCS intake of >1000 mg/year), with a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in SAER of 50%-70%. Safety was consistent with the known masitinib profile.Orally administered masitinib reduces the risk of asthma exacerbations in severe asthma patients, with an acceptable safety profile. Masitinib may potentially provide a new treatment option for oral corticosteroid-dependent severe asthma.
By definition, inflammation of the lung parenchyma is called pneumonitis, and if the cause of that inflammation is a microbial agent, it is called pneumonia.Microbial agents can be bacterial, viral, or even parasitic agents.According to the WHO definition, IMCI (Integrated Management of Children's Illness) project, clinically, pneumonia is an acute attack of cough with or without fever, which is accompanied by difficulty breathing or increased breathing rate (tachypnea).After the successful implementation of the control and treatment program for acute gastrointestinal infections and gastroenteritis caused by it, acute respiratory infections and especially pneumonia are considered the most important infectious cause of death of children in developing countries in recent years.Pneumonia diagnosis is mainly a clinical diagnosis that can be divided into three categories bacterial, viral, and acute pneumonia based on four criteria clinical, epidemiology, radiology, and routine laboratory findings.In each case, based on the characteristics of that pneumonia, a possible diagnosis is given and the corresponding treatment is carried out.The correct and accurate knowledge of doctors on how to diagnose and treat this important disease in children without spending extra costs can play a fundamental role in preventing and reducing its mortality and morbidity.
Background: Study AB07015 evaluated oral masitinib (6 mg/kg/d) in severe persistent asthma, uncontrolled by high-dose ICS/LABA and oral corticosteroids (OCS) (≥7.5 mg/d), irrespective of baseline eosinophil levels. Method: Eligible adult patients (pts) were treated for 36 weeks (with possible blinded extension until at least week-96). Primary endpoint was reduction of annualized severe asthma exacerbation rate (SAER) for overall exposure (W0–W96). A key subgroup was defined as pts with initial eosinophil count of ≥150 cells/µL (EOS). Subgroup analysis according to cumulative OCS intake was also performed, a higher dose indicating more severe asthma that is harder to control. Results: MAS (n=240) showed a significant 35% reduction in SAER relative to placebo (PBO, n=115) with a rate ratio (RR) of 0.64 ([95%CI[0.47–0.90];p=0·0103]). For the EOS subgroup, MAS (n=181) showed a significant 38% reduction in SAER (n=87); RR=0.62 ([95%CI[0.42–0.91];p=0·0156). Benefit of MAS increased in pts who had a higher cumulated use of OCS (see Table). In pts receiving an annualized cumulative OCS intake of >1000 mg, SAER was significantly reduced by 51% in the primary analysis population (p=0·0060), and by 71% in the EOS subgroup (p=0·0003). Safety was consistent with the known MAS profile and no new safety signals were observed. Incidence of ≥1 adverse event was 83.4% for MAS vs 82.0% for PBO. Conclusion: Masitinib demonstrated a positive benefit/risk ratio in uncontrolled severe asthma, regardless of baseline eosinophil level. Benefits were greatest in pts with the highest OCS dose dependency.
Background and Objectives: The pancreas, ensconced within the abdominal cavity, requires a plethora of sophisticated imaging modalities for its comprehensive evaluation, with ultrasonography serving as a primary investigative technique. A myriad of pancreatic pathologies, encompassing pancreatic neoplasia and a spectrum of inflammatory diseases, are detectable through these imaging strategies. Nevertheless, the intricate anatomical confluence and the pancreas’s deep-seated topography render the visualization and accurate diagnosis of its pathologies a formidable endeavor. The objective of our paper is to review the best diagnostic imagistic tools for the pancreas. Materials and Methods: we have gathered several articles using Prisma guidelines to determine the best imagistic methods. The imperative of pancreatic scanning transcends its diagnostic utility, proving to be a pivotal element in a multitude of clinical specialties, notably surgical oncology. Within this domain, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) of the pancreas holds the distinction of being the paramount imaging modality, endorsed for its unrivaled capacity to delineate the staging and progression of pancreatic carcinoma. In synergy with MDCT, there has been a notable advent of avant-garde imaging techniques in recent years. These advanced methodologies, including ultrasonography, endoscopic ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conjoined with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), have broadened the horizon of tumor characterization, offering unparalleled depth and precision in oncological assessment. Other emerging diagnostic techniques, such as elastography, also hold a lot of potential and promise for the future of pancreatic imaging. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a quick, minimally invasive procedure to evaluate lumps using a thin needle to extract tissue for analysis. It is less invasive than surgical biopsies and usually performed as an outpatient with quick recovery. Its accuracy depends on sample quality, and the risks include minimal bleeding or discomfort. Results, guiding further treatment, are typically available within a week. Elastography is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that maps the elastic properties and stiffness of soft tissue. This method, often used in conjunction with ultrasound or MRI, helps differentiate between hard and soft areas in tissue, providing valuable diagnostic information. It is particularly useful for assessing liver fibrosis, thyroid nodules, breast lumps, and musculoskeletal conditions. The technique is painless and involves applying gentle pressure to the area being examined. The resulting images show tissue stiffness, indicating potential abnormalities. Elastography is advantageous for its ability to detect diseases in early stages and monitor treatment effectiveness. The procedure is quick, safe, and requires no special preparation, with results typically available immediately. Results: The assembled and gathered data shows the efficacy of various techniques in discerning the nature and extent of neoplastic lesions within the pancreas. Conclusions: The most common imaging modalities currently used in diagnosing pancreatic neoplasms are multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), alongside new technologies, such as elastography.
