Diffuse coexpression of thyroid transcription factor-1 and p40 in a non-small cell carcinoma of the lung: Second case in the female population

Some non-small cell carcinomas of the lung can express TTF1 and p40 in the same tumor cells. This event has been described in only six cases prior to this one, and only in one other female. It is an extraordinary event that appears as a new entity yet to be defined. The case presented is a woman with a non-small cell lung carcinoma with diffuse coexpression of TTF1 and p40 in the same cells.

[Chronic granulomatous villitis due to cytomegalovirus. An unusual finding that may cause confusion. A case report]

Chronic cytomegalovirus (CMV) villitis typically causes inflammation with predominance of plasma cells. The granulomatous reaction in the chorionic villi is usually caused by pathogens other than CMV, such as toxoplasma or rubella. We present a case of a pregnant woman presenting with foetal death in the twentieth week of gestation. The study of the placenta revealed chronic CMV villitis with a granulomatous reaction, rather than the more common plasma cell inflammation.

Survival study of rheumatoid arthritis patients in Madrid (Spain). A 9-year prospective follow-up

OBJECTIVE

To determine the risk and causes of death in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in Madrid.

METHODS

A longitudinal survival analysis was made. 182 RA patients of the rheumatology clinic of a tertiary care hospital were studied. 42 (23%) males and 140 (77%) females. All were followed-up for a 9-year period or to the date of death. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for both male and female cohorts were performed. The logrank test was used to compare both distributions and to determine the statistical significance.

RESULTS

The mortality rate for the RA patient cohort was 15.4 deaths/1000 person-years (10.2/1000 for the female and 34.2/1000 for the male cohorts). The mortality rate ratio was 3.3. The logrank test showed a statistical difference (p=0.0023). The standardized mortality ratio was 1.85 for RA patients. The causes of death were: cardiovascular diseases 5 (21%), infections 5 (21%). amyloidosis 4 (17%), malignant diseases 2 (8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality is nearly two times higher in our population of RA patients. Male patients have a much lower survival probability than females. Cardiovascular diseases, infections and amyloidosis were the most common causes of death.

Influence of dose on the distribution kinetics of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin in the isolated hindlimb of the rat

The aim of this study was to determine whether the dose influences the distribution kinetics of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin in muscle- bone- and skin-tissues included in the isolated hindlimb of the rat. Experiments were carried out in the isolated perfused hindlimb of the rat, administering a single dose of 45, 450 or 900 microg of each quinolone as a bolus injection. Outflow perfusate samples were collected for 20 min and drug levels were determined by an HPLC technique. The mean transit time (MTT) and the distribution volume of ciprofloxacin significantly increased with the dose injected (MTT=1.47+/-0.69, 8.74+/-0.27 and 9.52+/-2.95 min for 45, 450 and 900 microg, respectively). A similar situation was observed with ofloxacin, although the increase in these parameters was less pronounced (MTT=3.65+/-0.86, 7.92+/-2.03 and 8.32+/-1.70 min for 45, 450 and 900 microg, respectively). The distribution of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin in the rat hindlimb appears to be a dose-dependent process, at least for the dose range considered in this study. This might explain the high variability in the distribution coefficients reported for these drugs in literature.