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Biomedical subjects

M T Bousema

Publications and source records attributed to M T Bousema.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Prediction of pressure ulcer development in hospitalized patients: a tool for risk assessment.

OBJECTIVES: To identify independent predictors for development of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients and to develop a simple prediction rule for pressure ulcer development. DESIGN: The Prevention and Pressure Ulcer Risk Score Evaluation (prePURSE) study is a prospective cohort study in which patients are followed up once a week until pressure ulcer occurrence, discharge from hospital, or length of stay over 12 weeks. Data were collected between January 1999 and June 2000. SETTING: Two large hospitals in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients admitted to the surgical, internal, neurological and geriatric wards for more than 5 days were eligible. A consecutive sample of 1536 patients was visited, 1431 (93%) of whom agreed to participate. Complete follow up data were available for 1229 (80%) patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Occurrence of a pressure ulcer grade 2 or worse during admission to hospital. RESULTS: Independent predictors of pressure ulcers were age, weight at admission, abnormal appearance of the skin, friction and shear, and planned surgery in coming week. The area under the curve of the final prediction rule was 0.70 after bootstrapping. At a cut off score of 20, 42% of the patient weeks were identified as at risk for pressure ulcer development, thus correctly identifying 70% of the patient weeks in which a pressure ulcer occurred. CONCLUSION: A simple clinical prediction rule based on five patient characteristics may help to identify patients at increased risk for pressure ulcer development and in need of preventive measures.

Adult↗

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome co-existing with celiac disease.

BACKGROUND: Anaemia caused by iron deficiency is one of the most common disorders in the world. We describe a patient with iron deficiency anaemia in whom absorption was limited due to celiac disease, superimposed to chronic blood loss due to the blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, a rare syndrome characterised by multiple cutaneous venous malformations in association with visceral lesions. CASE REPORT: A 54-year-old patient with severe iron deficiency anaemia showed marked rubbery cutaneous lesions on the body surface, extremities, under and on the left side of the tongue as well as in the stomach and duodenum. The appearance and pathological examination of the lesions were consistent with the diagnosis of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS). Biopsy of the mucosa of the duodenum showed celiac disease. No association between celiac disease and BRBNS has been previously described. CONCLUSION: Combined loss of iron and malabsorption from the gastrointestinal tract can lead to severe iron deficiency. Early recognition of both diseases can result in early treatment. Patients can recover completely with iron suppletion and a gluten-free diet. Recognising typical BRBNS skin lesions would provide a potential diagnosis and could prevent unnecessary procedures or invasive surgery.

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency↗

[Women with pelvic complaints and atypical varicose veins, varicose veins of the vulva and insufficiency of the pelvic veins; treatment with embolisation].

In three women, aged 34, 52 and 30 years, respectively, who suffered from chronic pelvic symptoms such as a heavy feeling and abdominal pain, atypical varicose veins were observed on the medial side of the upper thighs together with varicose veins of the vulva; these are indicators of insufficiency of the pelvic veins. The symptoms were reduced following embolisation of the insufficient pelvic veins. These symptoms are also known as the pelvic congestive syndrome. The exact correlation between insufficiency of the pelvic veins and the complaints mentioned above has not yet been determined, but it seems that in most patients the symptoms diminish or disappear following embolisation of the insufficient pelvic veins. When patients complain of chronic pelvic pain of unknown aetiology, one should look for atypical varices and vulval varices and consider pelvic-vein insufficiency as a possible cause.

Adult↗

Potential effect of patient-assisted teledermatology on outpatient referral rates.

We carried out a pilot study on the feasibility and accuracy of store-and-forward teledermatology based on patient-provided images and history as a triage tool for outpatient consultation. Patients referred by their general practitioner provided a history and images via the Internet. The information was reviewed by one of 12 teledermatologists and the patient then visited a different dermatologist in person within two days. Three independent dermatologists compared the remote and in-person diagnoses in random order to determine diagnostic agreement. Broader agreement was also measured, by comparing the main disease groups into which the two diagnoses fell. The teledermatologists indicated whether an in-person consultation or further investigations were necessary. There were 105 eligible patients, aged four months to 72 years, who were willing to participate. For the 96 cases included in the analysis, complete diagnostic agreement was found in 41% (n=39), partial diagnostic agreement in 10% (n=10) and no agreement in 49% (n=47). There was disease group agreement in 66% of cases (n=63). Nearly a quarter (23%) of participating patients could have safely been managed without an in-person visit to a dermatologist.

Adolescent↗

Extensive capillary malformation with a compensated coagulopathy.

A 79-year-old male patient had an extensive vascular malformation, a thrombocytopenia and a low survival half-time of the thrombocytes without a bleeding problem. Recognition of this compensated coagulopathy is important, as it may become exacerbated into a bleeding disorder during periods of stress.

Aged↗

Treatment of erythropoietic protoporphyria with hydroxyethylrutosides.

BACKGROUND: Assuming that flavonoids have anti-oxidative properties and may protect against abnormal skin reactions in erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), we investigated whether systemic treatment with hydroxyethylrutosides (2.7 g/day) could decrease skin sensitivity to blue light in a 37-year-old female patient who suffered from EPP. DESIGN AND RESULTS: Before treatment, skin exposure during 5 min to a xenon high-pressure gas discharge lamp with filter was sufficient to produce intense erythema, irritation and later swelling. After 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment, the exposure times, necessary to produce similar effects, gradually increased. This improvement coincided with an increased tolerability to sunlight. No adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: These results encourage the set-up of a more systematic, placebo-controlled study of the protective effects of hydroxyethylrutosides in EPP.

Adult↗

Acitretin in the treatment of severe lichen sclerosus et atrophicus of the vulva: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Promising results have been reported from treatment with oral retinoids in patients with severe lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) of the vulva. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine the efficacy of acitretin (20 to 30 mg/day) for 16 weeks in LSA. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients were enrolled into a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The primary measure of efficacy was the "responder" rate based on the assessment of characteristic clinical features of LSA of the vulva (pruritus, burning, atrophy, hyperkeratosis, and secondary features such as erosions, ulcers, edema, or lichenification) and on the extent of the lesions. RESULTS: From the 46 patients eligible for efficacy analysis, a significantly higher number of responders was observed in the acitretin-treatment group (14 of 22 patients) as compared with the placebo-treatment group (6 of 24 patients). Typical retinoid adverse reactions were observed in all patients receiving active drug. CONCLUSION: Acitretin is effective in treating women with severe LSA of the vulva.

Acitretin↗

Venous hypertension of the hand caused by hemodialysis shunt: immunofluorescence studies of pericapillary cuffs.

BACKGROUND: Venous hypertension of the hand is an unusual complication of an arteriovenous shunt in patients receiving dialysis. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether in venous hypertension of the hand pericapillary cuffs are present and whether they consist of fibrin and other components. METHODS: Biopsy specimens were taken from three patients with a side-to-side shunt and venous hypertension of the hand, from three patients with an end-to-side shunt without venous hypertension, and from three control subjects. The specimens were stained with antibodies against fibrinogen, fibrin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-I, factor VIII-related antigen, and collagen type IV. RESULTS: Pericapillary cuffs consisting of fibrin only were observed in patients with venous hypertension of the hand. In this fibrin network, factor VIII-related antigen and collagen type IV were also present. The finding of plasminogen activator inhibitor-I in the pericapillary cuff in the patient with the most severe signs of venous hypertension may indicate that breakdown of this fibrin cuff is impaired. CONCLUSION: Pericapillary cuffs may be of pathogenetic significance in venous hypertension of the hand.

Adult↗

A fluorimetric assay of steroid sulphatase in leukocytes: evidence for two genetically different enzymes with arylsulphatase C activity.

Arylsulphatase C (ASC) activity in leukocytes and fibroblasts measured with 4-methylumbelliferylsulphate, is caused by at least two genetically different sulphatases. One of these is steroid sulphatase (STS). Depending on the substrate concentration, about 10-50% of the ASC activity in leukocytes can be attributed to sulphatases other than STS. Steroid sulphatase can be measured specifically with 4-methylumbelliferylsulphate as the fraction of total ASC activity which is inhibitable by dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate. Using this assay, the adjusted ASC activity in leukocytes from patients with X-linked ichthyosis was 2% of normal. Obligate heterozygotes showed reduced activity.

Arylsulfatases↗

Non-von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis resembling a giant pigmented nevus.

We report the case of a 30-year-old female patient with non-von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis. In our opinion it does not fit within a system of classification recently described. Clinically, the abnormality resembled a giant pigmented nevus; however, light- and electron microscopy findings were consistent with those of a neurofibroma. No other symptoms of classic neurofibromatosis or other diseases were present. The family history showed no evidence of neurofibromatosis. To the best of our knowledge this manifestation of non-von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis has not been previously described. The cause and the inheritance pattern of this variant are not clear.

Adult↗

Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma: case report, immunohistochemistry, and review of the literature.

We report a case of primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma in a 75-year-old man. Electron microscopy revealed similar features to those previously described in adenoid cystic carcinomas of salivary gland origin: wide intercellular spaces, pseudocysts containing replicated basement membrane-like material and true lumina lined by cytoplasmic membranes with numerous microvilli. Immunohistochemistry using antibodies to several cytoskeletal proteins (keratins and actin) indicated the presence of two epithelial tumour cell populations, one with the phenotype of myoepithelial cells, lining the pseudocysts and the periphery of the tumour fields, and another with the phenotype of acinar cells of the secretory coil of sweat glands. In addition, the tumour showed immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen, but not carcinoembryonic antigen. A review of the literature on other cases of primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma showed that this tumour generally affects older patients with a female to male ratio of 4:1. The most common tumour site appears to be the scalp (40%), and the recurrence rate is 50%. Surgical treatment with extensive resection margins is recommended.

Adult↗