Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: Epidemiological data show significant associations of vitamin D deficiency and autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D may prevent autoimmunity by stimulating naturally occurring regulatory T cells.

Objectives: To elucidate whether vitamin D supplementation increases Tregs[1] frequency (%Tregs) of circulating CD4+ T cells.

Methods: We performed an uncontrolled vitamin D supplementation trial among 50 apparently healthy subjects including supplementation of 140,000 IU at baseline and after 4 weeks (visit 1). The final follow-up visit was performed 8 weeks after the baseline examination (visit 2). Blood was drawn at each study visit to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and %Tregs. Tregs were characterized as CD4+CD25++ T cells with expression of the transcription factor forkhead box P3 and low or absent expression of CD127.

Results: Forty-six study participants (65% females, mean age ± SD 31 ± 8 years) completed the trial. 25(OH)D[2] levels increased from 23.9 ± 12.9 ng/ml at baseline to 45.9 ± 14.0 ng/ml at visit 1 and 58.0 ± 15.1 ng/ml at visit 2. %Tregs at baseline were 4.8 ± 1.4. Compared to baseline levels we noticed a significant increase of %Tregs at study visit 1 (5.9 ± 1.7, P < 0.001) and 2 (5.6 ± 1.6, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation was associated with significantly increased %Tregs in apparently healthy individuals. This immunomodulatory effect of vitamin D might underlie the associations of vitamin D deficiency and autoimmune diseases. Hence, our finding provides a rationale for further studies to investigate vitamin D effects on autoimmunological processes.

Background: Renal artery stenosis is one of the most frequent causes of secondary hypertension. Appropriate methods for screening, diagnosis and therapy are currently under debate.

Objectives: To evaluate and recommend methods for screening and diagnosing renal artery stenosis, and to assess the clinical outcomes of renal artery stenting.

Methods: A total of 450 patients undergoing non-emergent coronary angiography fulfilled the selection criteria for selective renal arteriography; those with severe (luminal narrowing ≥ 70%) renal artery stenosis underwent percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty with renal artery stenting.

Results: Of 166 patients (36.9%) with renal artery stenosis, 41 (9.1%) had severe stenosis that required renal artery stenting, and 83% had ostial renal stenosis. The primary success rate was 100% and there were no complications. During the follow-up period, two patients required a second PTRA[1]. After stent deployment, significant reductions were observed in systolic and diastolic pressures (P < 0.001 and P = 0.01, respectively) and in the number of antihypertensive drugs used by the patients (P < 0.001). These reductions were sustained during follow-up. Hypertension was cured (systolic blood pressure < 130 mmHg) in 9 (21.4%) and improved in 27 (64.3%) patients. Plasma creatinine did not change significantly.

Conclusions: Selective renal angiography is an effective diagnostic tool for identifying symptomatic cases of renal artery stenosis in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Our finding of a high success rate and low complication rate supports the use of primary renal artery stenting in symptomatic patients with renal artery stenosis.

Background: Rectal intussusception, rectocele and rectal prolapse are anatomic disorders in obstructed defecation syndrome. A relatively new surgical approach, Stapled Transanal Rectal Resection, was designed to treat these anomalies.

Objectives: To present our preliminary results with this technique.

Methods: Thirty patients with ODS[1] not responding to medical treatment or biofeedback were operated on with the STARR[2] technique. All the patients underwent a complete workup in the Pelvic Floor Unit. The operation was performed according to the technique described elsewhere.

Results: The patients' mean age was 67.1 years, and the median duration of symptoms was 7 years. The mean operating time was 40 minutes (range 35–80 min) and the mean hospital stay was 2 days (range 1–4 days). The mean follow-up was 26 months (range 6–48 months). ODS symptoms were ameliorated in 27 patients (90%), decreased significantly in 18, and in 9 patients the symptoms disappeared. The procedure failed in 3 patients (10%). Complications included minor bleeding that required homeostasis in eight patients during the operation. Three patients had transient tenesmus and five patients had anal pain. There were no cases of mortality or pelvic sepsis.

Conclusions: STARR is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of obstructed defecation syndrome due to rectal intussusception, rectocele and small rectal prolapse.

Background: There are several treatment options for simple bone cysts, with treatment depending mainly on the experience and preference of the surgeon and the extension and location of the cyst.

Objectives: To assess our experience with the surgical treatment of bone cyst lesions in pediatric patients at one institution by the same group of surgeons.

Methods: The study group comprised 60 patients (43 boys, 17 girls) treated surgically for monostatic lesions between January 2002 and July 2007. The mean age at surgery was 11.8 years (range 4–17 years). Mean follow-up was 4.2 years. Most of the lesions were located at the proximal humerus. Patients were divided into five groups according to treatment method: a) corticosteroids (methylprednisolone 40-80 mg) (n=26); b) curettage and bone grafting (fibula or iliac crest) (n=16); c) aspiration of the bone cavity and subsequent bone marrow transplantation (n=10); d) internal preventive fixation using an elastic stable intramedullary nail (n=5); and e) curettage and implantation of a synthetic cancellous bone substitute (pure beta-tricalcium phosphate substitute, ChronOS®, Synthes, Switzerland) (n=3).

Results: Treatment success was evaluated by the Capanna criteria. Successful results were observed in 68% (18 complete healing, 23 healing with residual radiolucent areas), 30% recurrence rate, and no response to treatment in one patient (2%). We recorded recurrence in 50% of the children treated by corticosteroid injection, and one child did not respond to treatment.

Conclusions: The best results were achieved in children treated by curettage and the subsequent use of an osteoconductive material, and in children treated with elastic intramedullary nail fixation. Despite our limited experience with calcium-triphosphate bone substitute, the treatment was mostly successful. Because of the short follow-up, further observation and evaluation are necessary.

Background: Current treatment options for acute calculous cholecystitis include either early cholecystectomy, or conservative treatment consisting of intravenous antibiotics and an interval cholecystectomy several weeks later. Percutaneous drainage is reserved for patients in whom conservative therapy failed or as a salvage procedure for high risk patients.

Objective: To identify clinical and radiographic factors leading to failure of conservative treatment.

Methods: We prospectively collected data on consecutive patients admitted with the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. Parameters were compared between patients who were successfully treated conservatively and those who required percutaneous cholecystostomy. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors for failure of conservative treatment. 

Results: The study population comprised 103 patients with a median age of 60 who were treated for acute cholecystitis. Twenty-seven patients (26.2%) required PC[1]. On univariate analysis, age above 70 years, diabetes, elevated white blood cell count, tachycardia (> 100 beats/min) at admission, and a distended gallbladder (> 5 cm transverse diameter) were found to be significantly more common in the PC group (P < 0.001). WBC[2] was higher in the PC group throughout the initial 48 hours. On multivariate analysis, age above 70 (odds ratio 3.6), diabetes (OR[3] 9.4), tachycardia at admission (OR 5.6), and a distended gallbladder (OR 8.5) were predictors for cholecystostomy (P < 0.001). Age above 70 (OR 5.2) and WBC > 15,000 (OR 13.7) were predictors for failure of conservative treatment after 24 and 48 hours (P < 0.001). 

Conclusions: Age above 70, diabetes, and a distended gallbladder are predictors for failure of conservative treatment and such patients should be considered for early cholecystostomy. Persistently elevated WBC (> 15,000) suggests refractory disease and should play a central role in the clinical follow-up and decision-making process for elderly patients with acute cholecystitis.

Background: It is common practice to use topical antiseptic formulations prior to specific therapy in superficial infections and injuries, but not in corneal bacterial ulcers. There is accumulating evidence proving chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02%, an antiseptic agent, as an effective treatment for infectious keratitis.

Objectives: To investigate the safety and efficacy of chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% as an adjunct therapy for corneal bacterial ulcers.

Methods: Twenty-six patients with corneal bacterial ulcers were treated with standard empirical antibiotic treatment. The study group was treated with chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% while controls received placebo for one week. The patients were followed for at least 1 month.

Results: No allergic or toxic reactions were noted. Although a higher baseline severity of ulcers existed in the study group, no differences were found in final vision, scarring extent, or recovery duration.

Conclusions: Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% may improve the clinical course of corneal ulcers.
 

Approximately 1 in 31 people suffers from an autoimmune disease. The clinical care of patients with autoimmunity crosses multiple disciplines within pediatrics and internal medicine, including, for example, allergy-clinical immunology, rheumatology, nephrology, hematology, pulmonology and neurology. There are two major areas that are considered in the analysis of autoimmunity in human patients. The first of course is etiology and the second, and of even greater importance, is therapy. Towards that end, considerable attention has focused on the role of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to either reverse or modulate autoimmune disease. Indeed, it is a field that has far more promise than premise based on a variety of issues, including economics, health care delivery, and obviously efficacy and safety. To put this in perspective, we have attempted to review some of the issues that pertain to this novel approach to the management of autoimmunity. Finally, we emphasize the need to incorporate basic research into therapeutic trials, a vacuum all too often present in clinical intervention.