J Clin Gastroenterol 2017 Jul 21. Epub 2017 Jul 21.

*Centre for Colorectal Disease, St Vincent's University Hospital †School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

Introduction: Identifying hospitalized patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) who will be refractory to corticosteroid therapy and require rescue therapy remains difficult. Hypoalbuminemia worsens with time during hospitalization and is associated with rapid clearance of and reduced response to infliximab (IFX) rescue. Early use of rescue therapy may therefore be more effective. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2017 Jul 21;11(1):197. Epub 2017 Jul 21.

University Medical Unit, National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo 10, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disorder where clinically significant renal involvement is relatively common. However, crescentic glomerular nephritis is a rarely described entity among the rheumatoid nephropathies. We report a case of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis presenting with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-negative crescentic glomerular nephritis. Read More

World J Nephrol 2017 Jul;6(4):176-187

Christian J Wiedermann, Department of Research, College of Health Professions Claudiana, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.

Our meta-analysis published in 2010 provided evidence that low levels of serum albumin (hypoalbuminemia) are a significant independent predictor of acute kidney injury (AKI) and death following AKI. Since then, a large volume of additional data from observational clinical studies has been published further evaluating the relationship between serum albumin and AKI occurrence. This is an updated review of the literature to re-evaluate the hypothesis that hypoalbuminemia is independently associated with increased AKI risk. Read More

Clin Nutr 2017 Jul 14. Epub 2017 Jul 14.

Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain.

Background & Aims: Hypoalbuminemia is common in acute heart failure (HF) patients and has been associated with increased hospital mortality and long-term mortality. Undernutrition is a factor causing hypoalbuminemia. The PICNIC study results show that a nutritional intervention in undernourished acute HF patients reduces the risks of all-cause death and of readmission for HF. Read More

Gastroenterology Res 2017 Jun 30;10(3):196-198. Epub 2017 Jun 30.

Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY, USA.

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare non-hereditary disease characterized by chronic diarrhea, diffuse intestinal polyposis and onychodystrophy. We present here a case of a middle-aged female who presented with chronic intermittent bloody diarrhea associated alopecia and loss of finger and toe nails. Labs were remarkable for microcytic anemia and severe hypoalbuminemia. Read More

PLoS One 2017 19;12(7):e0180750. Epub 2017 Jul 19.

Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.

Background: Development of acute kidney injury (AKI) is common and is associated with poor outcomes. We aimed to determine whether hypoalbuminemia (HA) at admission could be a risk factor for the development of AKI and mortality in hospitalized patients.

Methods: We enrolled patients who were admitted to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from January 2013 to December 2013. Read More

Curr Pediatr Rev 2017 Jul 18. Epub 2017 Jul 18.

Division of Newborn Medicine University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Magee-Womens Research Institute Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. United States.

Background: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency triggered and low-bilirubin kernicterus persist despite current prevention strategies.

Objective: Efforts to eradicate bilirubin induced brain injury in these two conditions will require novel approaches to riskassessment and hyperbilirubinemia evaluation.

Method: In the case of G6PD deficency, a heightenedawareness of populations at risk on who expanded kernicterus preventio strategies can befocused including intensified parental engagement, education and counselling on neonataljaundice. Read More

Circ J 2017 Jul 15. Epub 2017 Jul 15.

Department of Rehabilitation, Steel Memorial Yawata Hospital.

Background: Daily activity should be an important factor to consider when deciding on a treatment strategy for critical limb ischemia (CLI), and we hypothesized that there was a close relationship between activities of daily living (ADL) and prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ADL and outcomes of open bypass for CLI.Methods and Results:A total of 226 patients undergoing infrainguinal bypass for CLI between January 2005 and December 2015 were reviewed. Read More

CMAJ 2017 Jul;189(28):E942

Department of Medicine (Jogova, Hwang), University of Toronto; Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Hwang), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont.

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017 Jul 17. Epub 2017 Jul 17.

Department of Respirology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.

Aim: Medical comorbidities are a major cause of death among patients with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to clarify the risk factors for mortality among psychiatric patients with medical comorbidities.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical files of patients transferred to Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital from a psychiatric hospital to treat medical comorbidities during the three-year period from January 2014 to December 2016. Read More

Trop Anim Health Prod 2017 Jul 14. Epub 2017 Jul 14.

Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Via Livornese, snc, San Piero a Grado, 56122, Pisa, Italy.

Johne's disease (JD) is an economically important infectious disease of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). This study evaluated the differences in various hematological and biochemical parameters between healthy goats and goats with JD. Read More

J Vet Intern Med 2017 Jul;31(4):1043-1055

Clinic for Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Background: Chronic diarrhea (CD) is common in dogs, and information on frequency and distribution of primary and secondary causes is lacking.

Objectives: To evaluate underlying causes and predictors of outcome in dogs with CD.

Animals: One hundred and thirty-six client-owned dogs with CD (≥3 weeks duration). Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2017 Jul 11. Epub 2017 Jul 11.

Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.

Background: The effects of preoperative malnutrition and preoperative correction of hypoalbuminemia (PCH) on the short- and long-term outcomes in patients with gastric cancer are unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of preoperative nutritional status on short- and long-term outcomes in patients who underwent radical gastrectomy, and also explored the role of PCH in malnourished patients with gastric cancer.

Methods: We prospectively reviewed data from patients with gastric cancer who were treated in our department between January 2009 and December 2014. Read More

Pediatr Neonatol 2017 Jun 30. Epub 2017 Jun 30.

Departments of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Background: The clinical presentation of cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) in children varies. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical manifestations of CMPA in young children who visited for evaluation of iron deficiency anemia (IDA).

Methods: Patients aged <4 years who were diagnosed as having IDA (serum ferritin <12 ng/mL) at the National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taiwan in the period 2005-2015 were reviewed. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2017 Jul 1. Epub 2017 Jul 1.

Division of Cardiac Surgery, Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Background: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that diminishes the potential for functional recovery after a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) procedure; however, its integration in clinical practice has been limited by a lack of consensus on how to measure it.

Objectives: This study sought to compare the incremental predictive value of 7 different frailty scales to predict poor outcomes following TAVR or SAVR.

Methods: A prospective cohort of older adults undergoing TAVR or SAVR was assembled at 14 centers in 3 countries from 2012 to 2016. Read More

Med Sci Monit 2017 Jul 10;23:3335-3344. Epub 2017 Jul 10.

Department of Cardiology, Kocaeli University, School of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey.

BACKGROUND Assessment of risk for all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization is an important task during discharge of acute heart failure (AHF) patients, as they warrant different management strategies. Treatment with optimal medical therapy may change predictors for these 2 end-points in AHF patients with renal dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictors for long-term outcome in AHF patients with kidney dysfunction who were discharged on optimal medical therapy. Read More

J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017 Jul 7. Epub 2017 Jul 7.

Department of Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.

Background/aims: There are sporadic reports of occurrence of intussusception in celiac disease (CD) but no systematic study yet. We prospectively studied the prevalence and natural history of intussusception in newly diagnosed CD.

Methods: From January 2010 to October 2013, 150 children, diagnosed to have CD on the basis of positive serology and duodenal biopsy, were recruited in this study. Read More

Sci Rep 2017 Jul 6;7(1):4836. Epub 2017 Jul 6.

Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. Renal Research Institute of Central South University, Key Lab of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan, Changsha, China.

Renal biopsy has been widely recommended in clinic to determine the histological patterns of kidney disease. To prevent bleeding complications, patients should routinely stop anticoagulants prior to renal biopsy. However, patients with kidney disease are susceptible to thromboembolisms, particularly in those with severe hypoalbuminemia. Read More

Rinsho Ketsueki 2017 ;58(6):630-636

Department of Hematology, Nagano Red Cross Hospital.

Multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) is a rare, non-malignant lymphoproliferative disorder. We report a case of MCD with multiple liver masses. A 26-year-old woman presented with asymptomatic anemia and hypoalbuminemia. Read More

Circ J 2017 Jul 4. Epub 2017 Jul 4.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.

Scott Med J 2017 May 1;62(2):54-57. Epub 2017 Jan 1.

4 Chief, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan.

Introduction Pulmonary embolism is a potentially life-threatening complication of nephrotic syndrome. Syncope is rarely reported as an initial presentation of pulmonary embolism in nephrotic patients. Case presentation We describe a 35-year-old man who was taking steroids and diuretics for relapse of minimal change disease who presented after a syncopal event. Read More

Pediatr Transplant 2017 Jul 2. Epub 2017 Jul 2.

Section of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Poor nutritional status in HCT patients is a negative prognostic factor. There are no pediatric studies evaluating albumin levels prior to HCT and need for critical care interventions. We hypothesized that pediatric patients with low albumin levels, routinely measured 30 days (±10 days) prior to allogeneic HCT, have a higher risk of critical care interventions in the post-transplant period. Read More

J Pediatr 2017 Jun 29. Epub 2017 Jun 29.

The Pediatrix-Obstetrix Center for Research, Education, and Quality, Sunrise, FL. Electronic address:

Objective: To provide descriptive data on serum albumin levels and the bilirubin to albumin (B/A) ratio in neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, assess the effect of gestational and chronological age on serum albumin and the B/A ratio, and evaluate the association between extreme values and mortality.

Study Design: Using a retrospective cohort design, we queried the Pediatrix clinical data warehouse for all infants born between 23 and 41 weeks of gestation from 1997 to 2014 who had a report of both a serum albumin and total serum bilirubin (TSB) level on the same day between birth and 14 days of life.

Results: There were 382 190 paired albumin and bilirubin levels across 164 401 neonates (15% of the 1 072 682 infants in the clinical data warehouse). Read More

Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 2017 Jun 29. Epub 2017 Jun 29.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.

Purpose Of Review: It is well established that certain patient-specific risk factors affect outcomes following total joint arthroplasty. The goal of this paper is to summarize the latest data on several variables that have been investigated in the last 3 years and to characterize the effects these factors have on the success of hip and knee replacement.

Recent Findings: Preoperative diagnoses of depression and anxiety, liver disease, hypoalbuminemia, vitamin D deficiency, and diabetes mellitus are associated with increased risk of postoperative complications and can lead to worse outcomes after joint replacement surgery. Read More

Clin J Gastroenterol 2017 Aug 29;10(4):351-356. Epub 2017 Jun 29.

Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan.

A 75-year-old man presented with abdominal distension, hypoproteinemia, ascites and a 35-mm mass in the small bowel mesentery. Laparotomy was performed, and he was diagnosed with sclerosing mesenteritis. His clinical condition improved, with computed tomography (CT) showing tumor shrinkage and decreasing ascites after administration of prednisolone; however, on drug withdrawal, abdominal fullness recurred and CT revealed an enlarging tumor and increasing ascites. Read More

Eur J Radiol 2017 Jun 20. Epub 2017 Jun 20.

Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address:

Objective: In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate MR enterography (MRE) findings, MR index of activity (MaRIA) and laboratory markers in Crohn patients with enteroenteric fistula.

Methods: Institution's electronic medical records (laboratory, pathology, ileocolonoscopy results and discharge summary) were reviewed and MR images retrieved from the PACS were reanalyzed in Crohn patients assessed at Gastroenterology Clinic of our university between July 2011 and July 2016. MR enterography and clinic parameters of 38 Crohn patients with enteroenteric fistula and 48 Crohn patients without enteroenteric fistula were compared. Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2017 Jun;23(22):4121-4126

Masaki Murata, Shigeki Bamba, Kenichiro Takahashi, Hirotsugu Imaeda, Atsushi Nishida, Osamu Inatomi, Akira Andoh, Department of Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tsukinowa, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.

We present a case of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) in which the entire intestine was observed using a prototype of magnifying single-balloon enteroscope (SIF Y-0007, Olympus). CCS is a rare, non-familial gastrointestinal polyposis with ectodermal abnormalities. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing magnified intestinal lesions of CCS. Read More

Korean J Intern Med 2017 Jul 26;32(4):722-730. Epub 2017 Jun 26.

Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background/aims: Although multiple myeloma (MM) is typically a disease of the elderly, a certain subset of extremely young patients exists. It is necessary to establish clinicopathological characteristics for this population.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of MM patients whose age was 40 years or younger at diagnosis. Read More

J Hosp Infect 2017 Jun 21. Epub 2017 Jun 21.

National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, UK.

Background: Little is known about the use of antibiotics and the extent of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD) in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients.

Aims: To (1) record the use of antibiotics; (2) establish the prevalence of AAD and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and (3) assess whether there was any seasonal variation in antibiotic use and incidence of AAD.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in six European SCI centres during October 2014 to June 2015. Read More

J Clin Gastroenterol 2017 Jun 21. Epub 2017 Jun 21.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA.

Background: Clostridium difficile is a bacterial pathogen associated with significant morbidity and mortality in patients with cirrhosis.

Goals: Our primary aim is to identify variables that are predictive of poor outcomes in cirrhosis patients with C. difficile infection (CDI). Read More

J Avian Med Surg 2017 Jun;31(2):152-155

A 15-year-old, female Vieilott's fireback pheasant (Lophura rufa) presented with a 2-day history of a drooping right wing. Examination revealed severe soft tissue swelling in the area extending from the right shoulder to the humeral-radio-ulnar joint with associated bruising and feather loss. Results of a complete blood cell count revealed marked heterophilia and lymphocytosis, and results of serum biochemical analysis showed severe increases in creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, hypoproteinemia, and hypoalbuminemia. Read More

Pediatrics 2017 Jun 22. Epub 2017 Jun 22.

Blood Purification Center, Institute of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China;

There is increasing evidence supporting the use of corticotropin as an alternative treatment of refractory proteinuric glomerulopathies. The efficacy of short-acting corticotropin, however, remains unknown and was tested here in an adolescent with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome caused by minimal change disease. After developing Cushing syndrome and recently being afflicted with severe cellulitis, the patient was weaned off all immunosuppressants, including corticosteroids. Read More

Zhonghua Wei Zhong Bing Ji Jiu Yi Xue 2017 Jun;29(6):564-567

Department of Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China. Corresponding author: Liu Bin, Email:

Objective: Fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis (FCDC) means severe Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC), which often manifested with severe diarrhea, fever, abdominal distention, electrolyte disorder, hypoalbuminemia, and it can lead to pseudo membrane colonitis, toxic megacolon, bowel perforation, septic shock, and multiple organ dysfunction. Now Clostridium difficile (CD) becomes one of the most important medical institutions related infectious pathogens. In particular, the recently discovered mutant CD strain NAP1/BI/ribotype 027 has high pathogenicity in the global epidemic and its outbreak. Read More

J Am Vet Med Assoc 2017 Jul;251(1):80-83

CASE DESCRIPTION A 3-year-old spayed female Bengal cat was evaluated because of a history of bilateral pleural effusion and hydronephrosis of the right kidney. CLINICAL FINDINGS Cytologic analysis of a pleural fluid sample revealed characteristics of a pure transudate with a high percentage of lymphocytes. Results of fluid biochemical testing were not consistent with urine or chyle. Read More

BMJ Open 2017 Jun 15;7(6):e014218. Epub 2017 Jun 15.

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.

Objective: To evaluate serum potassium levels and rates of hypokalaemia in patients treated with liquorice-containing Japanese traditional Kampo-medicines Yokukansan (YK) and Yokukansan-ka-chinpihange (YKCH).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Patients receiving YK preparations for dementia and other psychiatric disorders in the University of Tsukuba Hospital in Japan. Read More

Scand J Clin Lab Invest 2017 Jun 14:1-6. Epub 2017 Jun 14.

a Department of Medical Sciences , Clinical Chemistry, Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden.

Background: There is a longstanding controversy as to whether plasma measurements of total calcium should be adjusted for albumin concentration, and if so which formulas are the most appropriate.

Methods: Ionised calcium, total calcium and albumin results, analysed at the same time at Uppsala University Hospital Laboratory between February 2005 and June 2013, were retrieved from a laboratory information system. The dataset included results from 20,003 patients. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2017 Aug 24;242:24-30. Epub 2017 May 24.

Division of Medicine, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, UP, 243122, India.

The present study aimed to evaluate the immuno-oxidative patho-biology of lice infestation in goats. Sixty goats were divided into five groups; sucking lice (Linognathus africanus) infested (Group 1, n=12), chewing lice (Bovicola caprae) infested-mild (Group 2, n=12), chewing lice (B. caprae) infested-moderate (Group 3, n=12), chewing lice (B. Read More

Cancer Res Treat 2017 Jun 9. Epub 2017 Jun 9.

Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea.

Purpose: The treatment strategy for elderly patients older than 80 years with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has not been established because of poor treatment tolerability and lack of data.

Materials And Methods: This multicenter retrospective study was conducted to investigate clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes of patients older than 80 years who were diagnosed with DLBCL at 19 institutions in Korea between 2005 and 2016.

Results: A total of 194 patients were identified (median age, 83. Read More

J Crit Care 2017 Jun 1;41:247-253. Epub 2017 Jun 1.

Neurocritical Care Unit, Sanatorio Pasteur, Catamarca, Argentina; Unidad de Terapia Intensiva, Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "San Juan Bautista", Catamarca, Argentina.

Purpose: Hypoalbuminemia and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are reported in critically-ill patients, but their relationship is unclear. We sought to determine the association of admission serum albumin and SIRS with outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods: We used a multicenter, multinational registry of ICH patients to select patients in whom SIRS parameters and serum albumin levels had been determined on admission. Read More

J Pediatr 2017 Jun 5. Epub 2017 Jun 5.

Division of Pediatrics Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh, India.

Crit Care 2017 Jun 6;21(1):138. Epub 2017 Jun 6.

Center for Critical Care Nephrology, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, 3347 Forbes Ave., Suite 220, Rm 207, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.

Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2016 07;47(4):618-623

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical application value of internal iliac artery balloon occlusion in pernicious placenta previa.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients of pernicious placenta previa in a single center from Jan, 2010 to Jan, 2015. The patients were divided into two groups, internal iliac artery balloon occlusion group and the control group without endovascular intervention. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2017 Jun 6;17(1):139. Epub 2017 Jun 6.

Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and Medical College, National Taiwan University, No. 7, Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis that occurs in children and may lead to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Progressive coronary dilatation for at least 2 months is associated with worse late coronary outcomes in patients with KD having medium or giant aneurysms. However, the risk factors and occurrence of progressive coronary dilatation in patients with KD but without medium or giant aneurysms have been insufficiently explored. Read More

J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2016 Oct-Dec;28(4):672-675

Department of Hepatology & Nutrition, Children Hospital & Institute of child health, Lahore, Pakistan.

Background: Celiac crisis is a serious life threatening complication of celiac disease characterized by profuse diarrhoea, severe dehydration and metabolic disturbances leading to neuromuscular weakness, cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. It has been described as rare condition and not well documented in the literature. To improve awareness and facilitate diagnosis of this condition, we studied risk factors, pattern of presentation and management plans of celiac crisis. Read More

Vet Pathol 2017 Jan 1:300985817709889. Epub 2017 Jan 1.

1 Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.

Glomerular lipidosis (GL) is characterized by dilated glomerular capillary loops containing lipid-laden cells (foam cells). Previously, GL was considered to be an incidental finding because affected dogs were typically not azotemic. However, the International Renal Interest Society staging system for canine chronic kidney disease has increased the awareness of other clinical parameters (eg, proteinuria and hypertension) that should be included in the assessment of renal function. Read More

Pharmacotherapy 2017 Jun 2. Epub 2017 Jun 2.

Department of Pharmacy, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada.

Study Objective: Because the pharmacokinetic evaluation of valproic acid (VPA) based on total drug concentration may be misleading in patients with hypoalbuminemia as a result of saturable protein binding and saturable metabolism, we sought to investigate the usefulness of therapeutic drug monitoring of unbound VPA concentration in a real-world clinical context, with a focus on clinically significant neurologic adverse outcomes.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Large academic tertiary care hospital in Montreal, Canada. Read More

Acta Trop 2017 Sep 29;173:55-61. Epub 2017 May 29.

Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address:

Malignant theileriosis (Theileria lestoquardi infection) is a hemoparasitic tick-borne disease that affects both wild and domestic small ruminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate biochemical and hematological characteristics of sheep after being experimentally infected by T. lestoquardi. Read More

J Clin Diagn Res 2017 Apr 1;11(4):SD03-SD04. Epub 2017 Apr 1.

Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Waldmann's disease or Primary Intestinal Lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disorder of gastrointestinal tract characterized by dilated lymphatics and widened villi causing leakage of lymph into intestinal lumen. Loss of lymph leads to hypoalbuminemia, hyogammaglobulinemia and lymphopenia. Secondary lymphangiectasia occurs secondary to an elevated lymphatic pressure as in lymphoma, systemic lupus erythematosus, constrictive pericarditis, cardiac surgeries (Fontan's procedure), inflammatory bowel disease and malignancies. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2017 Jul 29;378:75-79. Epub 2017 Apr 29.

Department of Neurology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.

Introduction: Early onset ataxia with ocular motor apraxia and hypoalbuminemia (EAOH)/ataxia with oculomotor apraxia 1 (AOA1) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the APTX gene. In contrast to the recent progress on the molecular mechanism of aprataxin in DNA repair, the genotype and phenotype correlation has not been fully established. A previous study demonstrated that patients with truncation mutations had earlier onset of disease than those with missense mutations METHODS: Genomic DNA analysis was performed in a consanguineous family with relatively late-onset EAOH/AOA1. Read More

Laryngoscope 2017 May 31. Epub 2017 May 31.

Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Objectives/hypothesis: Poor nutritional status in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is associated with tumor progression and survival. This study examined the prognostic value of nutritional and hematological markers in patients with HNSCC who received definitive treatments.

Study Design: A prospective observational cohort study. Read More