Ultimo Aggiornamento: Gennaio 2004

1: Am J Psychiatry. 2003 Dec;160(12):2242-3.

Lethal gastroenteritis associated with clozapine and loperamide.

Eronen M, Putkonen H, Hallikainen T, Vartiainen H.

Publication Types:
Case Reports
LetterPMID: 14638602 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

2: Ann Emerg Med. 2003 Dec;42(6):849-50.

Comment on:
Ann Emerg Med. 2001 Jul;38(1):36-41.Mobile hyperbaric chamber: an essential need in emergency medicine?

Rogatsky GG, Mayevsky A.

Publication Types:
Comment
LetterPMID: 14669778 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

3: Ann Emerg Med. 2003 Dec;42(6):763-6.

Irukandji-like syndrome in South Florida divers.

Grady JD, Burnett JW.

Department of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, US Army Special Forces
Underwater Operations School, Key West, FL 33040-9017, USA. cpt-grady@aol.com

Irukandji syndrome is a constellation of delayed severe local and systemic
symptoms occurring after a Carukia barnesi box jellyfish sting involving any
exposed skin. These cases are limited to Australia, the habitat of that animal.
Numerous other cases of an Irukandji-like syndrome after other small Carybdeid
genus envenomations have been reported elsewhere in the world. There have yet
been no reports of Irukandji-like syndrome occurring in continental US coastal
waters. We describe 3 cases of marine envenomation causing such a symptom
complex in US military combat divers off Key West, FL. It is unclear what
species caused the injuries, but a member of the Carybdeid genus seems most
likely.

Publication Types:
Case ReportsPMID: 14634600 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

4: Arch Dermatol. 2003 Dec;139(12):1658-9.

Iguana bite-induced hypersensitivity reaction.

Levine EG, Manilov A, McAllister SC, Heymann WR.

Publication Types:
Case Reports
LetterPMID: 14676094 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

5: Arch Dermatol. 2003 Dec;139(12):1601-7.

CD4+ T-lymphocyte-induced Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in a patient with
severe hypersensitivity to mosquito bites and Epstein-Barr virus-infected NK
cell lymphocytosis.

Asada H, Miyagawa S, Sumikawa Y, Yamaguchi Y, Itami S, Suguri S, Harada M,
Tokura Y, Ishihara S, Ohshima S, Yoshikawa K.

Department of Dermatology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan.
asadah@naramed-u.ac.jp

BACKGROUND: Natural killer (NK) cell lymphocytosis associated with Epstein-Barr
virus (EBV) infection often shows severe hypersensitivity to mosquito bites
(HMB) characterized by intense local skin reactions and systemic symptoms such
as high fever, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. However, the induction
mechanism of HMB is still unclear. OBSERVATIONS: We investigated a typical case
of HMB with EBV-positive NK cell lymphocytosis. CD4+ T cells dominantly
infiltrated the site of the mosquito bite, while EBV-positive cells were few in
comparison. CD4+ T cells, but not CD8+ T cells or NK cells, responded to the
mosquito salivary gland extracts. Interestingly, coculturing of the NK cells and
CD4+ T cells activated by mosquito extracts induced expression of EBV
lytic-cycle proteins in the NK cells. Furthermore, the expression of BZLF1, a
viral lytic-cycle transactivator, was detectable at the skin lesion induced by
scratch patch testing with mosquito extract. The EBV DNA copy number levels in
the plasma were elevated in systemic HMB symptoms compared with the normal
condition. CONCLUSIONS: CD4+ T cells are important for the primary skin reaction
to mosquito bites and might play a key role in reactivation of latent EBV
infection in NK cells. This viral reactivation contributed to the pathogenesis
of the infectious mononucleosis-like systemic symptoms of HMB in our present
case.

Publication Types:
Case ReportsPMID: 14676078 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

6: Arch Dermatol. 2003 Dec;139(12):1577-82.

Safety of cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors and increased leukotriene synthesis in
chronic idiopathic urticaria with sensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs.

Zembowicz A, Mastalerz L, Setkowicz M, Radziszewski W, Szczeklik A.

Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General
Hospital, Boston, USA.

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) exacerbate various
forms of urticaria by a nonallergic mechanism involving inhibition of
cyclooxygenases. OBJECTIVES: To assess safety of cyclooxygenase inhibitors in
patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) and NSAID sensitivity and to
evaluate a role of cysteinyl leukotriene metabolism and mast cell activation in
sensitivity to NSAIDs in CIU. DESIGN: Aspirin challenge test followed by
randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial with
cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors. SETTING: Tertiary referral center of a university
hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-six patients with CIU. INTERVENTIONS: Aspirin
challenge test (up to 500 mg); randomized trial with rofecoxib (up to 37.5 mg)
and celecoxib (up to 300 mg) in aspirin-sensitive patients. After completion of
the trial, 7 patients received naproxen sodium (500 mg) as a positive control.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Standardized skin examination, skin biopsy with mast cell
count, urinary levels of leukotriene E4 (LTE4), and serum levels of mast cell
tryptase. RESULTS: Aspirin induced skin eruption in 18 patients. Rofecoxib or
celecoxib did not elicit skin eruption in any of the aspirin-sensitive patients.
Patients with CIU had higher urinary excretion of LTE4 than healthy control
subjects. Basal urinary levels of LTE4 and serum mast cell tryptase were
increased in aspirin-sensitive compared with aspirin-tolerant patients. Severity
and duration of aspirin-induced urticaria showed a positive correlation with
urinary LTE4 excretion. Naproxen precipitated urticaria in 5 of 7
aspirin-sensitive patients and caused further increase in urinary LTE4.
CONCLUSIONS: Cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors do not induce urticaria in patients
with CIU sensitive to NSAIDs. Sensitivity to NSAIDs in CIU is associated with
overproduction of cysteinyl leukotrienes and mast cell activation and most
likely depends on inhibition of cyclooxygenase 1.

Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Randomized Controlled TrialPMID: 14676074 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

7: BMJ. 2004 Jan 3;328(7430):25.

Rash and acute nephritic syndrome due to candesartan.

Morton A, Muir J, Lim D.

Mater Adult Hospital, South Brisbane, Brisbane, Australia, 4101.
amorton@mater.org.au

Publication Types:
Case ReportsPMID: 14703542 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

8: Forensic Sci Int. 2003 Nov 26;137(2-3):165-71.

Homicide-suicide in Hong Kong, 1989-1998.

Chan CY, Beh SL, Broadhurst RG.

Centre for Criminology, University of Hong Kong, Room 1213 KK Leung Building,
Pokfulam, PR China.

This study provides the first systematic research of homicide-suicide (HS) in a
Chinese society. Data were drawn from the HK Homicide Monitoring Data-base
computer file derived from investigation and death reports held by the HK Police
Force and the Coroner's Court. During the 10-year study period, 56 events
involving 133 deaths were identified. The majority of offenders were males (75%)
and most victims were female (64%). The mean age of offenders and victims were
41.9 and 32.3 years, respectively. Spouses and lovers comprised the majority of
victims (46.4%) followed by child victims (36%). Most HS events were motivated
by separation or termination of marital or sexual relations (39%), economic
reasons (25%) and other domestic disputes (20%). The most frequent modes of
killing were strangulation/suffocation (26%), stabbing/chopping (24%), followed
by gassing/poisoning (14%) and falling from a height (14%). The commonest method
of suicide was falling from a height (48%). It was followed by gassing/poisoning
(22%) and strangulation/suffocation (13%). Depression (18.3%) was found to be
the commonest mental disorder. Most offenders were from low-socio-economic
background. Two-third were unemployed and 76.6% had 9 or less years of
education. HS in HK were distinguished from those reported in the western
literature in respect to the high relevance of economic factors, the absence of
mercy killing between old couples, a higher percentage of pedicide-suicides and
the infrequent use of firearms.

PMID: 14609653 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

9: J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Oct;64(10):1250-7.

Treatment of schizophrenia with long-acting injectable risperidone: a 12-month
open-label trial of the first long-acting second-generation antipsychotic.

Fleischhacker WW, Eerdekens M, Karcher K, Remington G, Llorca PM, Chrzanowski W,
Martin S, Gefvert O.

Department of Biological Psychiatry, Innsbruck University Clinics, Anichstrasse
35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. wolfgang.fleischhacker@uibk.ac.at

BACKGROUND: The long-term safety and efficacy of long-acting injectable
risperidone, the first long-acting second-generation antipsychotic, were
evaluated in stable patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: After a 2-week run-in
period during which patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia received flexible doses
of 1 to 6 mg of oral risperidone, patients received injections of 25 mg, 50 mg,
or 75 mg of long-acting risperidone every 2 weeks for 12 months. Severity of
extrapyramidal symptoms was assessed with the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating
Scale (ESRS), and efficacy was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome
Scale (PANSS). This study was conducted from March 29, 1999 to July 19, 2000.
RESULTS: The subjects were 615 patients with schizophrenia who received at least
1 injection of long-acting risperidone. The 12-month trial was completed by 65%
of patients. Treatment was discontinued because of adverse events in 5% of
patients. Extrapyramidal symptoms as adverse events were reported by 25% of the
patients. Severity of extrapyramidal symptoms (according to ESRS scores) was low
at baseline and decreased in each of the groups during the 12 months. The other
most common adverse events were anxiety in 24%, insomnia in 21%, psychosis in
17%, and depression in 14% of the patients. Little pain was associated with the
injections. Severity of symptoms of schizophrenia was improved in each group,
with significant reductions in PANSS total scores (p <.01) and positive (p <.01)
and negative (p <.001) factor scores. CONCLUSION: In terms of both safety and
efficacy, symptomatically stable patients with schizophrenia benefit from being
switched to long-acting injectable risperidone.

Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Multicenter StudyPMID: 14658976 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

10: JAMA. 2004 Jan 14;291(2):182; author reply 182-3.

Comment on:
JAMA. 2003 Aug 6;290(5):659-62.Treatment of sarin exposure.

Schier JG, Hoffman RS.

Publication Types:
Comment
LetterPMID: 14722139 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

11: JAMA. 2004 Jan 14;291(2):181; author reply 182-3.

Comment on:
JAMA. 2003 Aug 6;290(5):659-62.Treatment of sarin exposure.

Krivoy A, Layish I, Rotman E, Yehezkelli Y.

Publication Types:
Comment
LetterPMID: 14722138 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

12: JAMA. 2004 Jan 14;291(2):181-2; author reply 182-3.

Comment on:
JAMA. 2003 Aug 6;290(5):659-62.Treatment of sarin exposure.

DeBalli P, Cook DR.

Publication Types:
Comment
LetterPMID: 14722137 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

13: JAMA. 2004 Jan 14;291(2):171.

FDA warns on mercury in tuna.

Stephenson J.

Publication Types:
NewsPMID: 14722130 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]