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Biomedical subjects

Diva R Salomao

Publications and source records attributed to Diva R Salomao.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Ocular manifestations of molluscum contagiosum.

PURPOSE: Two cases of molluscum contagiosum (MC) are presented to illustrate the range of potential anterior segment complications of this condition. METHODS: Clinical records for two patients diagnosed with MC are retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis and management of both cases are presented. RESULTS: The first patient demonstrates a classic presentation of ocular MC. The patient was young and had several dermal lid lesions at the time of presentation. The second case represents a less common presentation. The patient was an adult and had a single lid lesion that was not apparent at the initial examination. Both patients had follicular conjunctivitis that resolved with excision of the concomitant eyelid lesions. CONCLUSION: MC is a treatable cause of chronic conjunctivitis or keratoconjunctivitis. Eye-care providers should be mindful that MC could present as a follicular keratoconjunctivitis with or without obvious dermal lid lesions. The possibility of immuno-compromise must be considered in patients with multiple large lesions, cutaneous lesions that do not respond to standard therapy, or recurrent lesions.

Adolescent↗

Primary CNS lymphoma complicating treatment of myasthenia gravis with mycophenolate mofetil.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MM), an immunosuppressant used after organ transplantation, is also used for treatment of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG). A patient with generalized MG was effectively managed with MM but developed CNS lymphoma after 3 years of treatment. Primary CNS lymphoma regressed on withdrawal of MM. Despite minimal short-term side effects and apparent efficacy, chronic treatment of MG with MM may be associated with increased risk of lymphoproliferative disorders.

Aged, 80 and over↗

Retinopathy from a green laser pointer: a clinicopathologic study.

OBJECTIVE: To report retinopathy following exposure to light from a commercially available class 3A green laser pointer. METHODS: A 55-year-old woman with a ring melanoma was scheduled for enucleation. The eye (visual acuity 20/20) had a healthy-appearing macular retina. The retina was exposed to light from a commercially available class 3A green laser: 60 seconds to the fovea, 5 minutes to a site 5 degrees below the fovea, and 15 minutes to a site 5 degrees superior to the fovea. Color photographs were obtained before and after exposure. The eye was enucleated 20 days after exposure. RESULTS: Laser power measurements averaged less than 5 mW. Retinopathy was observed 24 hours after laser exposure. This was characterized by a yellowish discoloration at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the subfoveal region and at the site superior to the macula where the retina received 15 minutes of laser exposure. Each site developed granular changes at the level of the RPE within 5 days of exposure. Histologic study showed RPE damage in the exposed subfoveal and parafoveal regions. CONCLUSION: A class 3A green laser pointer caused visible retinopathy in the human eye with exposures as short as 60 seconds.

Ciliary Body↗

An unusual presentation of rheumatoid meningitis.

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system involvement in rheumatoid arthritis can rarely occur in the absence of systemic disease. Rheumatoid meningitis has not been reported to present as spells of neurologic dysfunction. PATIENT AND METHODS: The authors describe a woman with a history of well-controlled rheumatoid arthritis who presented with headaches and spells of focal neurological dysfunction. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, brain biopsy, and temporal artery biopsy were required to make the diagnosis of rheumatoid meningitis with arteritis. RESULTS: Neuroimaging revealed abnormal leptomeningeal enhancement. Necrotizing granulomatous inflammation was seen on meningeal and brain biopsy. A temporal artery biopsy showed evidence of arteritis without giant cells. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of central nervous system involvement by rheumatoid arthritis should be considered in patients with a history of rheumatoid arthritis even in the absence of systemic symptoms. Making the diagnosis may require meningeal and brain biopsy. The condition may be steroid responsive.

Aged↗

Inflammatory orbital pseudotumor with extension beyond the orbit.

PURPOSE: To summarize the clinical profile and response to treatment of 4 biopsy-proven cases of inflammatory orbital pseudotumor extending beyond the orbit. DESIGN: Retrospective observational case series. METHODS: Four patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed. There were three men with extraorbital extension (two intracranial; one maxillary antrum) and one woman with intracranial disease that extended into the orbit. The men were 40, 41, and 60 years old; the woman was 73 years old. RESULTS: Two men with orbital myositis and mild discomfort, initially treated with corticosteroids, had asymptomatic intracranial disease 9 and 12 months after initial presentation. A third man had extension into the maxillary antrum after initial symptoms of painless diplopia. The woman had intraorbital disease with minimal discomfort (dacryoadenitis and myositis) 5 years after presenting with intracranial disease in the Meckel cave that subsequently became bilateral. Histopathologic examination in all cases showed nonspecific inflammation without evidence of vasculitis or granulomas. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike typical cases of nonspecific orbital inflammation, two of these four cases did not have pain as a prominent feature. Neuroimaging was essential in diagnosing asymptomatic extraorbital disease. Surgery has a prominent role in confirming this diagnosis, primarily by helping to rule out other diseases, such as those with granulomatous inflammation or vasculitis. Additional therapy was usually not required postoperatively.

Adult↗

A prospective comparison of digital image analysis and routine cytology for the identification of malignancy in biliary tract strictures.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Digital image analysis (DIA) allows quantification of nuclear DNA content and may help distinguish benign and malignant strictures of the biliary tract. METHODS: One hundred ten consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiography for suspicious biliary tract strictures were enrolled in a prospective study comparing the accuracy of DIA and routine cytology (RC). Standard brush cytology sampling was performed twice by using 2 cytology brushes per patient. Both brushes were fixed in a single-specimen vial. Each specimen was formed into 1 pellet, and the sample was equally divided for evaluation by DIA and RC. DNA histograms were generated for ploidy analysis. The DIA criterion for malignancy was demonstration of aneuploidy. RESULTS: Two patients had inadequate samples obtained for DIA analysis, 7 benign patients were excluded because of inadequate follow-up of less than 75 days, and 1 patient was lost to follow-up to clarify malignant versus benign disease. Of the remaining 100 patients, 56 strictures were malignant and 44 were benign. The sensitivities of DIA and RC were 39.3% and 17.9%, respectively (P = 0.014). The specificities of DIA and RC were 77.3% and 97.7%, respectively (P = 0.003). The accuracy of DIA (56.0%) was equivalent to RC (53.0%). CONCLUSIONS: DIA is a valuable adjunct to RC for detecting malignant strictures of the biliary tract.

Adult↗

Prospective, blinded assessment of factors influencing the accuracy of biliary cytology interpretation.

OBJECTIVES: There is little published data assessing factors that influence the accuracy of biliary cytology. The aim of this study was to (a) prospectively compare interobserver variability among two blinded pathologists interpreting biliary cytology specimens, (b) to describe the predictors of interpathologist agreement, and (c) to characterize the predictors of accurate cytology interpretation. METHODS: In total, 113 consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with brushing of suspicious biliary tract strictures were prospectively enrolled to assess routine cytology (RC) accuracy. The initial RC interpretation was performed by the pathologist on duty with the benefit of the patient's clinical information. Subsequent interpretation was performed by two independent pathologists blinded to the patients' clinical details. RESULTS: Of the 113 patients, 67 had malignant strictures and 46 had benign strictures. The sensitivity of RC varied from 9% to 24% (p= 0.02), while the specificity varied from 61% to 100% (p < 0.001). Accuracy varied from 43% to 51% (p= n.s.). The rate of equivocal readings was lowest for the initial interpretation (1.7%), p < 0.0001 versus pathologist 1, p= 0.002 versus pathologist 2. Overall correlation of the blinded pathologists' interpretations was moderate, k= 0.66. Neither cytology accuracy nor interpathologist agreement improved with increasing specimen cellularity. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high rate of interpathologist variation for the biliary cytology interpretation. The knowledge of the patient's clinical information appears to clarify cytology interpretation resulting in fewer equivocal results. We did not detect any reliable predictors of cytology accuracy.

Bile Duct Neoplasms↗

Paraneoplastic autoimmune optic neuritis with retinitis defined by CRMP-5-IgG.

Autoantibodies have defined two paraneoplastic visual disorders related to small-cell lung carcinoma: retinopathy ("CAR"-IgG [23kDa, recoverin]) and optic neuritis collapsin response-mediated protein 5 (CRMP-5-IgG [62kDa]). Among 16 patients with CRMP-5-IgG and optic neuritis (aged 52-74 years; all smokers, 9 women), we documented coexisting retinitis in 5. None had CAR-IgG. Fifteen had subacute vision loss, swollen optic discs, and field defects. Vascular leakage was evident at and remote from the disc; 5/5 tested had abnormal electroretinograms. Nine had striking vitreous cells. Vitrectomy showed reactive lymphocytosis (4/4), predominantly CD4(+) (1/1). Most patients had multifocal neurological accompaniments. Cerebrospinal fluid contained lymphocytes (7-32), elevated protein, multiple oligoclonal immunoglobulin bands, and CRMP-5-IgG. Three patients superficially resembled Devic's disease at presentation. One autopsied patient had predominantly CD8(+) T lymphocytes infiltrating optic nerve and spinal cord. Eleven patients had confirmed small-cell carcinoma; 1 had imaging evidence of lung cancer; 3 had renal or thyroid carcinoma. Full-length CRMP-5 protein was identified in normal retina and optic nerve by Western blot analyses. Photoreceptor cells, retinal ganglion cells, and nerve fibers exhibited CRMP-5-specific immunoreactivity. In summary, CRMP-5-IgG defines a paraneoplastic ophthalmological entity of combined optic neuritis and retinitis with vitreous inflammatory cells. Positive serology obviates the need for vitreous biopsy and expedites the search for cancer.

Aged↗

Tumor-associated B7-H1 promotes T-cell apoptosis: a potential mechanism of immune evasion.

B7-H1, a recently described member of the B7 family of costimulatory molecules, is thought to be involved in the regulation of cellular and humoral immune responses through the PD-1 receptor on activated T and B cells. We report here that, except for cells of the macrophage lineage, normal human tissues do not express B7-H1. In contrast, B7-H1 is abundant in human carcinomas of lung, ovary and colon and in melanomas. The pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma upregulates B7-H1 on the surface of tumor cell lines. Cancer cell-associated B7-H1 increases apoptosis of antigen-specific human T-cell clones in vitro, and the apoptotic effect of B7-H1 is mediated largely by one or more receptors other than PD-1. In addition, expression of B7-H1 on mouse P815 tumor increases apoptosis of activated tumor-reactive T cells and promotes the growth of highly immunogenic B7-1(+) tumors in vivo. These findings have implications for the design of T cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

Animals↗

Primary sarcomas of the brain and spinal cord: a study of 18 cases.

Primary sarcomas of the central nervous system are exceedingly rare. We reviewed the clinicopathologic features of 18 primary central nervous system sarcomas diagnosed from 1959 through 1999. Median age at diagnosis of the nine female and nine male patients was 28 years (range 3-63 years). Median tumor size was 4 cm (range 1.3-8 cm). Fifteen tumors arose in the cerebrum (83%), two in the cerebellum, and one in the spinal cord. Histopathologically, the most common tumor types included fibrosarcoma (six), malignant fibrous histiocytoma (five), and undifferentiated sarcoma (three). Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies supported the histologic diagnosis in 17 and six cases, respectively. All patients had subtotal to gross total tumor resection; 16 also received radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Twelve tumors (67%) were high-grade. Follow-up was obtained in all instances (median 2.3 years). Nine patients died of the disease, eight with high-grade tumors. Survival at 5 years for patients with high-grade tumors was 28% compared with 83% for those with low-grade neoplasms (p = 0.03). Primary central nervous system sarcomas most often affect young and middle-aged adults. Most involve the cerebrum and show fibrous, "fibrohistiocytic," or no specific differentiation. The prognosis for high-grade sarcomas seems better than that for glioblastoma multiforme.

Adolescent↗

Choristoma of the optic nerve: case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Optic nerve choristoma is a rare lesion composed of adipose tissue and smooth muscle involving the optic nerve. Few cases have been reported. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 20-year-old woman presented with a history of slowly progressive visual loss in the left eye. On T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging studies, after frequency-selective fat saturation, an optic nerve mass was detected at the level of the optic canal with signal characteristics suggesting the diagnosis of optic nerve lipoma. INTERVENTION: At left frontotemporal craniotomy, the intracranial optic nerve appeared thin and atrophic proximally and was covered by abundant adipose tissue distally. Because no cleavage plane could be identified between the fatty lesion and the optic nerve, which appeared splayed within the adipose tissue, the nerve was resected after an intraoperative biopsy. The presence of two heterotopic mesodermal elements, a rim of adipose tissue admixed with bundles of mature smooth muscle, extending into the nerve septa, warranted a diagnosis of optic nerve choristoma. CONCLUSION: Optic nerve choristoma is an uncommon optic nerve lesion. Even if imaging studies are highly suggestive of the diagnosis, pathological confirmation is required because of the high adipose tissue content in the majority of cases. The lesion, most likely malformative and nonneoplastic in nature, can be the cause of progressive visual loss.

Adolescent↗