Hobnail haemangioma associated with the menstrual cycle

We report the third case in the literature of a hobnail haemangioma with cyclic changes throughout the menstrual cycle in a 36-year-old woman, suggesting a hormonal basis for the variations in the tumour. This patient was under oral contraceptive treatment due to ovarian endometriosis, making the clinical diagnosis difficult.

[Lipoprotein profile in patients with isolated hyperuricemia]

There have been described abnormalities in the lipoprotein profile of hyperuricemic patients, it has not been clarified wether these abnormalities are due to the hyperuricemia or to the hyperlipidemia often associated to these patients. Our aim is to study the apolipoprotein profile in hyperuricemic patients without hyperlipidemia compared to a control population. 30 hyperuricemic patients and 26 healthy controls. Measurements were of blood uric acid, total cholesterol, total triglycerides, creatinine, HDL-C, and VLDL cholesterol, triglyceride, Apo B, Apo CII and Apo CIII (1 and 2). Uric acid clearance and fractionated excretion were measured in 24 h. urine samples. No significant differences were found between hyperuricemic and control patients in cholesterol, triglycerides and apo B in VLDL, or LDL and HDL cholesterol. The levels of apo B, Apo AI levels and apo CIII/apo CII were similar in the hyperuricemic and controls. There are two types of hyperuricemic patients, one group associated to hyperlipidemia and would be included in the X Syndrome. The other group not associated to other metabolic abnormalities. Is important to distinguish between these two groups to define the prognosis of a given patient because the greater cardiovascular risk linked hyperuricemic patients could be related to the association to others cardiovascular risks factors.

Increased VLDL levels and diminished renal excretion of uric acid in hyperuricaemic-hypertriglyceridaemic patients

The objective was to study the lipoprotein levels in primary hyperuricaemic patients and to analyse their renal management or urates in order to check for some potential influence of altered lipid levels on the renal excretion of urates by this type of patient. Overall 115 male individuals were studied in five groups, namely: 30 primary hyperuricaemic (group I); 27 primary hyperuricaemic-hypercholesterolaemic (group II); nine primary hyperuricaemic-hypertriglyceridaemic (group III); 33 primary hyperuricaemic-mixed hyperlipidaemic (group IV); and 16 normouricaemic-normolipidaemic subjects (group C). All patients were subjected to blood analyses for uric acid, total triglycerides, total protein, creatinine, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, apoprotein (apo) AI, apoprotein B, apoprotein CII and apoproteins CIII1 and CIII2. For urine analysis creatinine, creatinine clearance, uric acid excretion, clearance and fractional excretion were measured in 24 h urine samples. Mixed and pure hyperuricaemic-hypertriglyceridaemic patients exhibited increased levels of VLDL components, decreased fractional excretion of uric acid and increased apo CIII/CII ratios. The increased levels of structural VLDL components were negatively (and statistically significantly) correlated with the fractional excretion of uric acid; this suggests a close biological relationship between the two parameters. Taking into account the role played by apo C in VLDL metabolism, the altered apo CIII/CII ratios found in hyperuricaemic-hypertriglyceridaemic patients (both pure and mixed) suggest that this apoprotein plays a central role in the physiopathology of the alterations observed.

Varicella gangrenosa with toxic shock-like syndrome due to group A streptococcus infection in an adult: case report

Varicella gangrenosa is a rare and serious complication of chickenpox that has been described in children only. We describe a case of an adult with varicella gangrenosa that presented as necrotizing fasciitis of a limb. This infection is caused by group A streptococcal superinfection of the skin lesions due to chickenpox. It can be misdiagnosed, with fatal consequences. Because of prompt recognition and aggressive surgical and medical treatment, the patient survived without loss of the affected limb.

Value of microscopy in the diagnosis of dysentery associated with invasive Entamoeba histolytica

AIMS

To assess the reliability of the detection of erythrophagocytic amoebic trophozoites in stool samples in the diagnosis of dysentery associated with invasive Entamoeba histolytica.

METHODS

Amoebic culture was carried out on single stool samples collected from patients from Mexico, Colombia, and Bangladesh. The stools had been examined by light microscopy. Amoebic dysentery was diagnosed when erythrophagocytic E histolytica trophozoites were observed in a case of bloody diarrhoea. E histolytica isolates were characterised by isoenzyme electrophoresis and results correlated with microscopical findings in stools. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi 2 test.

RESULTS

Where erythrophagocytic amoebae had been observed in dysenteric stool specimens the E histolytica phenotype was invariably invasive (p < 0.0001). Observation of erythrophagocytic amoebae in dysentery is 100% specific and predictive of infection with invasive E histolytica. When amoebic culture-positive cases only are considered it is 96% sensitive. In this study E histolytica of zymodeme XIV was more commonly associated with amoebic dysentery than zymodeme II. There was no significant difference between the carriage rate of invasive and non-invasive E histolytica in non-dysenteric diarrhoea. Asymptomatic subjects carried non-invasive E histolytica more frequently than invasive E histolytica. Patients with non-amoebic dysentery, when shown to be infected with E histolytica, carried non-invasive strains (12%).

CONCLUSIONS

Sensitivity and specificity of microscopical examination of a single stool specimen for diagnosing amoebic dysentery is very high; intestinal carriage of invasive E histolytica detected by culture is not necessarily an indication of active disease as patients with diarrhoea and asymptomatic subjects shed invasive and non-invasive E histolytica. There are possibly two subpopulations of invasive E histolytica with different pathogenic potential which can be differentiated by zymodeme analysis.

Dapsone in low doses prevents Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the rat model

Less toxic drugs are needed for the prophylaxis and treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients with AIDS. Rats immunosuppressed with cortisone were given dapsone, chlorproguanil (CPG) and chlorcycloguanil (CCG), alone or in combination, in the diet and the P. carinii attack rate was compared with that of untreated controls. Dapsone alone at doses of 25 and 5 mg/kg/day was 100% effective in preventing PCP. The efficacy of CPG and CCG, however, could not be properly assessed because of the lack of acceptance of the diet by the animals. Even so, as a result of the findings with dapsone in this study, and because of its pharmacokinetics and minimum inhibitory concentration for P. carinii in vitro, a clinical trial of reduced dosage of dapsone given prophylactically to human beings is suggested. Such a trial may show a decrease in the toxicity of the drug that usually accompanies its long-term administration but retention of its efficacy.

[A survey of the current status of the differential diagnosis of amoebas in Mexico]

The differential diagnostic criteria for the amebas parasitizing the human colon are described. The results of epidemiological studies carried out published in Mexico are discussed and the results of a survey performed in some hospitals in Mexico City on the current differential diagnosis of these parasites are reported. The findings showed that no carriers of E. hartmanni have been reported in the studies published in Mexico so far. However, no differentiation between E. histolytica and E. hartmanni is made in those hospitals according to the survey results. The possibility that in Mexico E. hartmanni is probably diagnosed as E. histolytica is discussed and as result the prevalence as asymptomatic intestinal amoebiasis is overestimated. The necessity of making the differential diagnosis between these parasites is emphasized.