Two nasal swabs may not be enough to exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection in symptomatic patients

The spread of COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019), due to SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2) has taken on dramatic pandemic proportions, affecting over 100 countries in a matter of weeks. Italy has had 237,828 confirmed cases according to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità as of May 13, and 34,448 deaths (1).

[Comparison among ecography, scintigraphy and surgery in the localization of parathyroid glands in uremic patients undergoing parathyroidectomy]

BACKGROUND

Sensitivity and specificity of the most widely employed techniques of parathyroid glands localization, namely echography and scintigraphy, are mostly obtained with short-term follow-up data and do not underline the existence of a methodological problem. As a matter of fact, both methods identify only pathological glands, with no "normal" results; therefore "true negatives" cannot be obtained. Aim of our study was to compare, by means of a statistically appropriate approach, the results of echography, scintigraphy and surgery with the data obtained after a mid term follow-up period, enabling us to discover all parathyroid glands.

METHODS

Twenty six consecutive dialysis patients (14M/12F; age 50+/-12 years) underwent echography and scintigraphy immediately before a total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation and were followed-up for 6 months to recognize all the existing glands (PTH levels and scintigraphy).

RESULTS

Total identified glands were: 73 by scintigraphy, 86 by echography, 99 by surgery and 103 by follow-up data. The concordance indexes (K0) between the number of glands effectively present in the individual patient (follow-up data) and those identified with each method were rather low with scintigraphy (0.071) and echography (0.218), and acceptable (0.578) with surgery. The number of patients correctly classified was: 9/26 (34,6%) with scintigraphy, 13/26 (50%) with echography and 22/26 (85%) with surgery. Finally, the number of wrongly identified glands (from zero to three) in each patient was similar with scintigraphy (65,4%) and echography (50%) and significantly better with surgery (15,6%; p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The most reliable technique to identify parathyroid glands in uremic subjects is surgery, nonetheless a meticulous clinical follow-up is necessary to recognize all of them.

Bile duct injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a 1994-2001 audit on 13,718 operations in the area of Rome

BACKGROUND

Bile duct injuries (BDIs) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) still are reported with greater frequency than during open cholecystectomy (OC).

METHODS

In 1999, a retrospective study evaluating the incidence of BDIs during LC in the area of Rome from 1994 to 1998 (group A) was performed. In addition, a prospective audit was started, ending in December 2001 (group B).

RESULTS

In group A, 6,419 LCs were performed (222 were converted to OC; 3.4%). In group B, 7,299 LCs were performed (225 were converted to OC; 3.1%). Seventeen BDIs (0.26%) occurred in group A and 16 (0.22%) in group B. Overall, mortality and major morbidity rates were 12.1% and 30.3%, respectively, without significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence and clinical relevance of BDIs during LC in the area of Rome appeared to be stable over the past 8 years and were not influenced by the use of a prospective audit, as compared with a retrospective survey.

[Objectives of a bloodless surgery program. A comparative study (major surgery vs. minor-medium surgery) in 51 Jehova's Witnesses patients]

AIM

The purpose of this retrospective review of the charts of 51 Jehovah's Witness patients, who underwent surgery without blood transfusions, was to compare two study groups (major surgery vs minor-medium surgery).

METHODS

We compared the following variables: age, sex, length of stay, type of surgical operation, use of intraoperative red cell salvaging devices, hemodilution, number of drainages and their stay, postoperative blood loss, complications, need of reoperation and mortality rate. Between medical variables we focused on blood production therapy and nutritional support (administration of iron, folate, erythropoietin and albumin) and blood tests (at the first day of admission; intraoperative; at the first postoperative day; at the discharge).

RESULTS

In the two study groups, we detected statistically significant differences in the following variables: total of postoperative blood loss (p < 0.00001), complications rate (p = 0.0122) and in Hgb values (intraoperative: p = 0.0197; at the first postoperative day: p = 0.0028; at the discharge: p = 0.0100).

DISCUSSION

The aims of a bloodless surgery program are: 1) minimize blood loss, reducing iatrogenic anemia and intraoperative hemorrhage loss; 2) maximize blood production by administration of erythropoietin, iron and folate; 3) maximize cardiac output by alternatives to blood transfusions, as crystalloids, colloids and blood substitutes; 4) increase oxygen content; 5) decrease metabolic rate. We focused on advantages and disadvantages of the suggested procedures. Most interesting techniques are the normovolemic hemodilution and the intraoperative red cell salvaging devices, indispensable in emergency.

CONCLUSIONS

A close team-work between surgeons, anesthesiologists and hematologists is determinant in a reference center that guarantees experience, organization, professionality, respect for the patients' will and, above all, low morbidity and mortality rates, as those reported by our series.

[Lymphangiomatosis of the spleen. Report of a clinical case]

Lymphangiomatosis confined to the spleen is a very are condition. The authors in this article describes one new case and briefly reviews the literature. In this case, after the exclusion of an hydatidosis of the spleen, a total splenectomy was performed. The histologic findings confirmed the lymphangiomatosis of the spleen. The authors emphasize the surgical strategy in splenic lymphangiomyomatosis, infact the total splenectomy is mandatory, because the splenic parenchyma is nearly completely substitute by the cysts. For this reason is preferably, before surgery, to perform the antibateric profilaxis against the OPSI.

The clinical spectrum of the sarcoid peripheral lymph node

BACKGROUND

The finding of sarcoid-type granulomas in a peripheral lymph node (PLN) without clinical evidence of changes suggestive of sarcoidosis elsewhere poses a diagnostic problem. The long term follow-up of these patients has never been described in adults. AIMS OF THE WORK: 1. To describe in the above population whether and when a definite diagnosis of sarcoidosis was eventually made, and the time required to make the diagnosis. 2. To study the percentage of peripheral lymph node presentation in sarcoidosis.

PATIENTS

A peripheral lymph node presentation, with lymph node biopsy demonstrating sarcoid granulomas, was seen in 127 patients over the last 20 years. Detailed investigation permitted the early diagnosis of sarcoidosis in 76, and of sarcoid reaction in 8 patients. The other 43-patients with granulomatous lymph node and no clinical evidence of changes outside the lymphatic system at the onset are the subject of the present study.

METHODS

Periodic examination at our Sarcoid Clinic every 2 to 4 months, in a long term median follow-up of 36 months (range 1 to 203) and workup according to clinical need, including chest X ray and Computed Axial Tomography (CAT), pulmonary function tests, total body 67Ga scan, Broncho Alveolar Lavage (BAL) studies, blood cell counts, 24 h calciuria and urine analysis, serological tests for liver function, calcaemia, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE).

RESULTS

The diagnosis of sarcoidosis (chronic in all) could be made in 33 patients (25 pulmonary, 8 extrapulmonary), after a median time from presentation of 5 years (range 3-288 months). In the other 10, in spite of a median duration of the illness of 62 months (range 20-487), our diagnosis has been idiopathic granulomatous disease of peripheral lymph nodes. Thus, we observed 109 patients in 20 years presenting with lymph nodes that were surgically removed and provided the diagnosis of sarcoidosis sooner (76 patients) or later (33 patients).

CONCLUSIONS

1. In patients presenting only sarcoid granulomas in peripheral lymph nodes, sarcoidosis may be diagnosed months or years later, but a subpopulation of them still exists where granulomatous lesions remain unexplained. 2. In our series of patients, peripheral lymph node presentation occurred in 11.7% of cases of sarcoidosis.

[Benign thyroid disease: 20-year experience in surgical therapy]

This retrospective study compares recurrence and postoperative complication rates after isthmo-lobectomy and subtotal thyroidectomy (group I) vs near-total and total thyroidectomy (group II) for benign thyroid disease. Seven hundred and forty-three patients were operated on for thyroid diseases over the period from 1977 to 1998. We considered 202 patients operated on for benign thyroid disease from 1988 to 1998. The follow-up ranged from 1 to 10 years (mean: 3.4 yrs). One hundred and thirty-two patients (65.3%) were operated on for bilateral nodular goitre, 35 (17.3%) for unilateral nodular goitre, 14 (6.9%) for toxic goitre and 21 (10.4%) for thyroiditis. Over the period 1988-1992, 19 patients underwent isthmo-lobectomy and 71 subtotal thyroidectomy (group I). From 1993 to 1998, 39 patients underwent near-total thyroidectomy and 61 total thyroidectomy (group II). The relapse rate was 14.4% in group I, while there were no recurrences in group II (p = 0.000064). Temporary hypocalcaemia was significantly higher (p = 0.000001) in group II (29%) than in group I (2.2%). Within group II, the rate was significantly higher (p = 0.0013) after total thyroidectomy (37.7%) than after near-total thyroidectomy (15.4%). In our experience, near-total and total thyroidectomy are an appropriate approach for preventing recurrence in patients with benign thyroid disease despite the fact that the risk of temporary hypocalcaemia is higher than after less radical surgery. Near-total thyroidectomy and the exercise of all due care in the surgical technique may help to reduce its incidence.

[Acute biliary pancreatitis. Role of laparoscopy after 30 years of traditional surgery experience]

The authors herein show their own experience in the treatment of acute biliary pancreatitis. Aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of the "early" laparoscopic approach to the mild to moderate acute biliary pancreatitis. The authors studied sixty cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative colangiography for acute biliary pancreatitis (M/F 1:1.2; mean age 59.6 yrs, range 29.79). The patients were divided in two groups on the basis of the severity of the pancreatitis, defined through Ranson's score and Balthazar classification. The mortality rate was nil. Intraoperative morbidity rate was 6.6% in the group I (3/45), and 13.3% in the group II (2/15). Postoperative morbidity rate was 6.7% (3/45) in the group I and 40% in the group II (6/15). The authors show an original diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for the treatment of acute biliary pancreatitis. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy with I.O.C. is proposed as the gold standard treatment for mild to moderate acute biliary pancreatitis. This approach appears to be effective and safe in their experience. In case of severe acute biliary pancreatitis, further investigations are mandatory to evaluate the role of laparoscopic approach.

[A case of intestinal occlusion caused by endometriosis of the cecum]

The purpose of this study is to heighten awareness of intestinal endometriosis, a disease that may mimic other abdominal pathologies (bowel carcinoma, intestinal inflammatory disease, diverticulitis), sometimes found in the emergency setting. The Authors report a case of acute bowel obstruction due to coecal endometriosis with appendix mucocele, peritoneal pseudomyxoma and ovarian endometrioma. The patient was operated on in the emergency setting, a right colectomy was performed and she then received pharmacological suppressive treatment with Gn-RH analogues and danatrol. We remark that preoperative diagnosis is very difficult in those cases that do not have a past history of pelvic endometriosis. An accurate anamnesis regarding the chronology of pain onset (typically only during the menstruation at first), but especially intraoperative histopathologic examination are useful for diagnosis. An increased awareness of intestinal endometriosis in reproductive age women with acute bowel obstruction, associated with an accurate anamnesis of menstrual history may allow pre- or intraoperative diagnosis, which is the clue to a less aggressive operation. Postoperative follow up and hormonal therapy are mandatory.

[Routine use of open laparoscopy: technique and results in 1006 consecutive cases]

Blind insertion of the Veress needle and/or the first trocar is one of the most frequent causes of laparoscopic surgery complications. Nevertheless, the closed technique is still more preferred than the open one. The Authors retrospectively analyzed 1006 consecutive laparoscopic procedures in which Hasson's technique was routinely utilized. The overall complication rate was 2.2%, but the vast majority of complications occurred during the learning curve (6% vs. 1.9%). The Authors conclude that after the first 50 cases the open technique is a quick and safe procedure.

The late follow-up of chronic sarcoid patients previously treated with corticosteroids

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study was to evaluate, in a white population with chronic sarcoidosis, the rate and pattern of relapses, the correlated factors, and the course of disease after prednisone withdrawal.

METHODS

We have retrospectively examined the charts of 702 consecutive patients with histologically proven sarcoidosis, first seen in the Milan Sarcoidosis Clinic in the period October 1978-October 1994. 239 patients required corticosteroid therapy; in 82 it was possible to discontinue prednisone therapy and to have a follow-up of at least 18 months after withdrawal.

RESULTS

A relapse, requiring a new course of steroids, was observed in 30 (36.6%) of the 82 patients (R group). The other 52 patients (No-R group) did not relapse during a mean follow-up of 36.8 +/- 24.8 months (range 18-125). There were no relapses after 3 asymptomatic years of prednisone withdrawal. Extrapulmonary sarcoidosis was a reason for giving therapy in 46.6% of patients in the R group, vs 23.0% in the No-R group (P < 0.05). The first course of therapy lasted 22 months [median time; i.q. 11.5 to 34.5] in R group vs 26 months [i.q. 18 to 41] in No-R group (P > 0.05). The mean daily prednisone dose was higher in the R group: 17 mg [median value; i.q. 8.9 to 23.2] vs 10.6 mg [i.q. 8.1 to 13.8] in the No-R group (p < 0.05). Logistic regression confirmed the prognostic significance of mean daily prednisone dose and of extrapulmonary sarcoidosis at presentation (P < 0.01). A mild sarcoid activity at the time of withdrawal was still present in 51.9% of patients who did not relapse, and in 66.7% of patients who relapsed (p > 0.05). Relapse in the first year after withdrawal of prednisone therapy occurred in twenty-five of the 30 patients. The pattern of relapse was different from the initial manifestation in 5. Nine of the 30 patients could ultimately be weaned successfully from prednisone.

CONCLUSION

Relapses occurred in 36.6% of cases, and their pattern was the same as the initial manifestation in the majority of cases. A mild sarcoid activity at the time of withdrawal is not a reason for continuing steroids when the disease is abating. In our white population severe irreversible pulmonary impairment is rare, and even patients requiring chronic therapy need low prednisone dosage, usually around 10 mg daily, to control the disease in the late course.

Long-term effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists on the right and left ventricles in essential hypertension

To compare the effects of chronic antihypertensive treatment on left and right ventricular structure and function, 24 patients with mild to moderate, never-treated hypertension were randomized to receive fosinopril (20 mg daily) or amlodipine (10 mg daily) for 12 months. At baseline and subsequently at the end of third, sixth, and twelfth months, each patient underwent an integrated echocardiographic study and noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Both drugs significantly reduced blood pressure, casual or monitored (p < 0.01), and left ventricular mass index (from 125 +/- 32 to 100 +/- 12 gm/m2 [p < 0.02] with amlodipine and from 106 +/- 18 to 89 +/- 10 gm/m2 [p < 0.02] with fosinopril). The decrease in left ventricular mass was essentially caused by a reduction of ventricular thickness. Free right ventricular wall thickness was also lowered in both groups, more consistently with amlodipine (from 8.0 +/- 2.1 to 6.4 +/- 0.8 mm; p < 0.01), without an increase in plasma natriuretic peptide and insulin concentrations or heart rate. With both treatments, the decrease in ventricular mass was not associated with impairment of systolic function, whereas a trend toward an improvement of Doppler echocardiographic indexes of biventricular diastolic function was observed. In conclusion, both amlodipine and fosinopril induced similar qualitative effects on anatomy and function of both ventricles. The clinical meaning of these observations must be defined further by means of adequately sized prospective trials.

Uveitis as a presenting feature of chronic sarcoidosis

Uveitis is often a manifestation of sarcoidosis. Less well-recognized, however, is the development of uveitis several years before the diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis. The possibility that presentation of uveitis is a marker for the chronicity of sarcoidosis has never been investigated. The aim of this work was to evaluate, in a Caucasian population, the epidemiology of uveitis as the primary manifestation of sarcoidosis with long-term follow-up, and the relationship of uveitis to the chronicity of sarcoidosis. The records of 1,156 Caucasian patients with histologically proven sarcoidosis, first seen in the period 1976-1992, were reviewed. In patients in whom uveitis was the primary feature of sarcoidosis, the following parameters were identified: systemic manifestations; time interval between the diagnosis of uveitis and sarcoidosis; therapy; the evolution of chest radiographic image over time; chronicity; the relationship between sarcoidosis and uveitis; and, finally, status in October 1994. In nine patients, uveitis was the reason for seeking medical treatment, resulting in the discovery of systemic sarcoidosis, which was then found to be chronic in 7 out of 9 cases. In an additional eight patients, uveitis preceded the diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis by 1-11 yrs, and yet most subjects had systemic manifestations that went unrecognized during this time period, with chest radiograph at the time of diagnosis suggesting a long-standing chronic disease. Thus, uveitis appeared to be the primary manifestation of sarcoidosis in 17 of the 1,156 patients studied (1.5%). In conclusion, any uveitis of unknown origin may be due to sarcoidosis, although its systemic manifestations may not occur for up to 11 yrs. Uveitis patients need a very long-term follow-up, including periodic diagnostic tests for systemic sarcoidosis. Furthermore, when uveitis precedes the systemic symptoms and diagnosis of sarcoidosis by more than one year, it may be regarded as a marker of the chronicity of sarcoidosis.

Nephrolithiasis as a presenting feature of chronic sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

Renal calculi have been reported to occur in about 10% of patients with chronic sarcoidosis, but nephrolithiasis as a presentation of this disease has not been studied.

METHODS

The charts of 618 patients with histologically proven sarcoidosis, seen in the period October 1978-1992, were reviewed in order to identify nephrolithiasis at presentation.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients had renal calculi which preceded other manifestations of sarcoidosis. In six the occurrence of calculi suggested the diagnosis. Another eight patients had a previous history of recurrent colic with calculi. The time intervals between the first calculus and the appearance of other manifestations of sarcoidosis ranged from one to 25 years, but it was over four years in only two cases and all had at least one calculus in the year before the diagnosis was made. In the other three patients appearance of the calculus was distant in time and was probably unrelated to their sarcoidosis. In most cases the sarcoidosis was chronic and needed long term treatment with corticosteroids. Four patients had further calculi during follow up (one month to 16 years) due to an improper withdrawal of treatment decided by the patient in two cases, and to the reduction in the corticosteroid dose in the other two.

CONCLUSIONS

Calculi were the presenting feature of sarcoidosis in six (1%) patients, and were the first manifestation of the disease in a total of 14 (2.2%). This frequency is over 20 times the likely incidence of calculi in the general population. Renal calculi may therefore be a rare primary manifestation of sarcoidosis. In such cases the disease is likely to be chronic and to require long term corticosteroid therapy. Sarcoidosis should always be suspected in cases of nephrolithiasis of unknown origin.

Efficacy of a three day course of azithromycin in moderately severe community-acquired pneumonia

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a 3 day course of azithromycin in low to moderately severe community-acquired pneumonia. Forty patients with low to moderately severe community-acquired pneumonia (29 males, 11 females, mean age 46 +/- 17 yrs; 20 pretreated with betalactams for 2-10 days with no results before admission to hospital; 18 with evidence of co-morbidity) were enrolled in an open, randomized study with azithromycin, 500 mg q.d. oral therapy for 3 days, versus clarithromycin, 250 mg b.i.d. oral therapy for 10 +/- 2 days. The aetiology of pneumonia was identified in 18 patients by serology (nine Mycoplasma pneumoniae, four Chlamydia pneumoniae, five Legionella pneumophila; one patient with chlamydial infection also had Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemia). A presumptive aetiological diagnosis was obtained with sputum culture in three other patients (one Haemophilus influenzae, two Haemophilus parainfluenzae), all strains were sole isolates with 10(8) Colony forming units (CFU), and with Gram stain in one patient with Streptococcus pneumoniae. All patients in the azithromycin group (one after a second 3 day course), and all but two (of those available for evaluation) of the clarithromycin group were cured. Defervescence occurred after 2.6 +/- 1.6 days, and chest roentgenogram cleared after 8.9 +/- 3.3 days, with no difference between the two groups. Tolerance was good, and there were no withdrawals from therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Reversibility of exogenous corticosteroid-induced bone loss

Osteoporosis is not usually considered to be reversible, as it is a consequence of the ageing process. However, an improvement of bone mineral density after successful surgery in Cushing's syndrome has been shown in several reports. The question of reversibility of exogenous corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis is, as yet, unanswered, possibly because of the difficulty in discontinuing steroids after long-term use. We describe six patients, all under 45 yrs of age, with chronic long-standing sarcoidosis, in whom long-term prednisone therapy resulted in 15 +/- 7% bone loss, as evaluated by quantitative computed tomography. This side-effect appeared fully reversible after prednisone withdrawal. This report of the reversibility of exogenous corticosteroid-induced bone loss needs confirmation in elderly people, where the capacity for recovery of bone mass could be reduced. Such potential for recovery may have implications for the pattern of use of corticosteroids.

Reversibility of exogenous corticosteroid-induced bone loss

Osteoporosis is not usually considered to be reversible, as it is a consequence of the ageing process. However, an improvement of bone mineral density after successful surgery in Cushing's syndrome has been shown in several reports. The question of reversibility of exogenous corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis is, as yet, unanswered, possibly because of the difficulty in discontinuing steroids after long-term use. We describe six patients, all under 45 yrs of age, with chronic long-standing sarcoidosis, in whom long-term prednisone therapy resulted in 15 +/- 7% bone loss, as evaluated by quantitative computed tomography. This side-effect appeared fully reversible after prednisone withdrawal. This report of the reversibility of exogenous corticosteroid-induced bone loss needs confirmation in elderly people, where the capacity for recovery of bone mass could be reduced. Such potential for recovery may have implications for the pattern of use of corticosteroids.

Prevention of corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis with salmon calcitonin in sarcoid patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of salmon calcitonin (sCT) in preventing corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. Three groups of patients with sarcoidosis requiring long-term steroid therapy were followed for 2 years with yearly evaluations of vertebral cancellous mineral content (VCMC) by quantitative computed tomography. The first group (n = 18) was treated with intramuscular (i.m.) sCT for the 2-year study period; the second (n = 11) with i.m. sCT for the first 4 months and then with sCT nasal spray for 20 months; the third (n = 35) received no sCT. We observed a large mineral loss in the third group but a very slight drop of VCMC in the two groups receiving sCT. SCT nasal spray was better tolerated and as effective as i.m. injections. The action of sCT appeared extremely useful, especially in the first year of steroid therapy when corticosteroid-induced mineral loss was maximal. We conclude that sCT nasal spray is a good tool for preventing corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis.

Bone loss in untreated longstanding sarcoidosis

The introduction of new techniques for the study of Bone Mineral Content (BMC) has not yet been extensively applied to sarcoidosis. Using Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) in a long-term prednisone-treated sarcoid population we have shown in 1988 [1] that Bone Mineral Loss is more frequent than elsewhere reported with other techniques on patients with different diseases. It was not clear if this difference was due to the sarcoidosis itself or to the better sensitivity of QCT compared to former techniques [2]. Thus we have now studied QCT in a group of 36 untreated patients with active, histologically proven sarcoidosis, chronic in most cases, to clarify the action of sarcoidosis itself over the BMC. For each patient Vertebral Cancellous Mineral Content (VCMC) has been expressed in terms of Z score (i.e. the number of Standard Deviations (SD) above or below the normal value) in order to overcome the differences due to age and sex. In the whole group, mean value of Z score was -0.41 +/- 0.30 (P > 0.05 vs. 190 normals). Nevertheless VCMC was below the normal range in 13 out of 36 patients; in five of them, all with longstanding sarcoidosis for at least 2 years, VCMC was more than two SD below the normal; four out of 36 had a VCMC lower than 110 mg/cm3 K2HPO4 eq, that is considered the threshold level under which the risk of fracture begins (but three of them were postmenopausal females).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Long-term therapy with deflazacort in chronic sarcoidosis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the long-term action of deflazacort (DF), a new calcium-sparing and bone-saving corticosteroid, in chronic sarcoidosis patients needing prolonged therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

40 patients with chronic histologically proved sarcoidosis requiring long-term corticosteroid therapy were treated with DF and followed for a mean period of 958 +/- 515 days (range 382-2, 068). The indication for giving corticosteroid therapy was pulmonary impairment in most (36), but also other events including hypercalcemia (2), kidney stones (5, 2 with recurrent colic), uveitis (2), lupus pernio (3), suspected heart impairment (5), hypersplenism (1), and other causes. Follow-up examination included serial ACE, chest x-ray, 67Ga lung scan, pulmonary function data, serum and urinary calcium levels. Eleven patients (UT group) were not receiving glucocorticoids when first seen at our clinic; 29 patients (PT group) were on therapy with glucocorticoids (27 wity prednisone, 2 with DF) for 870 +/- 1,128 days (range 27-4,310)

RESULTS

In the PT group, DF maintained the good results previously obtained with prednisone; in this group, chest x-ray film showed improvement in 16 patients, 67Ga lung scan was better in 13, while worsening chest x-ray film findings in 1 and 67Ga lung scan in 2 was seen coincident with DF tapering. Respiratory function data showed a mild nonsignificant improvement. SACE decreased significantly from 114.6 +/- 38.7 to 91.5 +/- 37.9 nM/ml/min (p less than .05). In the UT group the results were better, as expected in a population where the action of corticosteroids did not influence the first observation. FVC increased significantly from 76.3 +/- 13.0 to 89.9 +/- 19.5 percent predicted (p less than .01); the 67Ga lung scan and chest x-ray film findings improved in all but 1 patient, and ACE dropped significantly (p less than .01) from 131.8 +/- 46.3 to 83.7 +/- 25.0. In both groups the side effects were mild, and only 2 patients discontinued the treatment, 1 for gastric ulcer, and the other for amenorrhea plus a 14 kg weight gain.

CURRENT STATUS

One patient died of cancer, 9 discontinued treatment (5 because therapy was no longer necessary, 2 for the above described side effects, 2 for non-drug-related reasons), 4 dropped out and were last seen when taking DF 22.5, 18, 12 and 6 mg daily respectively. Twenty-six are continuing the drug on a long-term basis at the current mean daily dose of 12.1 +/- 7.3 mg (range 3-30). In a number of these, an attempt to discontinue DF resulted in a sarcoid relapse, and DF was restarted.

CONCLUSION

DF is a good and safe approach to the long-term corticosteroid therapy of sarcoidosis.

Retroperitoneal involvement in sarcoidosis

The presence of retroperitoneal lymphnodes is well known in sarcoidosis. We observed in two patients unilateral hydronephrosis (asymptomatic in one; dysuria in the other), and in one patient urine retention due to compression of both ureters; this patient also had jaundice due to lymphnode compression of the biliary tract. In another four patients we noted retroperitoneal lymphnodes without compression. We conclude that retroperitoneal impairment may be a previously unreported complication of Sarcoidosis.

Bone loss in prednisone treated sarcoidosis: a two-year follow-up

We followed up 35 sarcoid patients treated with prednisone for two years in order to evaluate bone mineral loss over time. Vertebral cancellous mineral content was detected by quantitative computed tomography and calibration phantom before beginning prednisone therapy and monitored two more times at yearly intervals. The percent mineral loss (ML%) averaged -13.9 +/- 2.1 at the end of the first year and -15.3 +/- 2.6 at the end of second year. We conclude first, that the time course of mineral loss in prednisone treated sarcoidosis is similar to that of other diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. In a separate group of 10 early postmenopausal females, we observed a greater ML% averaging -21.9 +/- 16.6 and -26.2 +/- 18.5, at the end of the first and second year respectively. Our second conclusion was thus that the synergic effect of postmenopausal status and prednisone therapy results in an ML% far more significant than expected from the two single conditions.

Spontaneous regression of amiodarone pulmonary toxicity

Two patients with Amiodarone-induced interstitial lung disease are described. The pulmonary lung biopsy in one of them, as well as Chest X ray, BAL cellularity and pulmonary function data in both, are in agreement with the reports from the literature, while Ga lung scan was negative in one of the two, and positive in the other one. In both, a total resolution was seen six and four months respectively after discontinuation of Amiodarone therapy. Corticosteroid therapy could be advisable only when no spontaneous resolution occurs after tapering the drug.

Bone protection with salmon calcitonin (sCT) in the long-term steroid therapy of chronic sarcoidosis

Prednisone-induced osteoporosis is very frequent in the long-term treatment of sarcoidosis (sarcoidosis 4:45-48, 1987). The aim of this work is to evaluate if salmon Calcitonin (sCT) is able to prevent osteopenia in the long-term. We have studied 53 patients with chronic histologically-proven sarcoidosis, all needing steroids, in a follow-up of 15 months; 20 of them were protected with sCT (100 I.U. i.m. daily for one month, then every two days for all the time of the study), 33 were unprotected. The two groups were matched for age, sex and total dose of prednisone. In order to overcome the differences of Vertebral Cancellous Mineral Content (VCMC) due to age and sex, we express VCMC in terms of Z score, i.e. the number of standard deviations above or below our normal means: initial Z score was -1.77 +/- 0.16 in the sCT group and -0.99 +/- 0.17 in the other group (P less than .05). For each subject we calculated the Mineral Loss (ML) in % of the initial value. At the end of the study ML% averaged -2.15(+/- 2.27) in the sCT protected group, and -14.11(+/- 2.08) in the unprotected group (P less than .001). We have also analysed the results limited to pts with initial Z score under -1 (19 sCT protected pts vs 18 unprotected). In these subgroups the ML% after 15 months averaged -13.62(+/- 2.9) in the unprotected group and -2.80(+/- 2.29) in the protected one (P less than .01). Finally we have studied another subgroup, i.e. 21 postmenopausal females: 9 were sCT protected, 12 were unprotected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Prednisone-induced bone loss in sarcoidosis: a risk especially frequent in postmenopausal women

The incidence of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is reported in about 40 to 50% of treated patients, but it has never been extensively studied in sarcoidosis. We have studied Vertebral Cancellous Mineral Content (VCMC) of the lumbar spine by Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) in 190 normal subjects, 7 patients with sarcoid on no treatment and 64 patients with sarcoid on treatment with prednisone. As compared to the 190 normal subjects and the 7 untreated patients, VCMC was reduced in 46 of 64 patients with sarcoid on treatment with prednisone. Loss of VCMC in the patients varied directly with dose and duration of prednisone treatment. It is concluded that - in sarcoid patients and especially in postmenopausal females - long-term prednisone therapy results in bone mineral loss more frequently than elsewhere reported for other groups of patients. It is not clear if this difference is due to the sarcoidosis itself or to the better sensitivity of Computed Tomography compared to former techniques.