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Breast cancer local recurrence: risk factors and prognostic relevance of early time to recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Local recurrence occurs in 10%-20% of patients treated with breast-conserving surgery for stage I-II breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate breast cancer local recurrence, potential risk factors, and prognostic impact. METHODS: A total of 503 patients treated with breast-conserving surgery were included in the study. All patients underwent axillary dissection and postoperative radiotherapy, and all patients had negative margins at pathological examination. Median follow-up was 82 months. Local recurrence was classified as early when it occurred within 2 years from surgery. The risk factors for local recurrence and overall survival were estimated by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Forty-six cases (9.1%) of local recurrence were observed, 11 of which occurred within 24 months of surgery; the other 35, sometime later. Statistically significant risk factors for local recurrence were premenopausal status, peritumoral vascular invasion, multifocality, and absence of estrogen receptors. Independent negative prognostic factors for overall survival at 5 and 10 years were N stage, absence of estrogen receptors, and early time to recurrence. Overall survival at 10 years was 10.0% for patients with early recurrence, 87.5% for patients with late recurrence, and 87.9% for patients without recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: None of the studied clinicopathological characteristics alone is a determinant for the choice of surgical treatment. Younger patients treated with breast-conserving surgery should receive aggressive postsurgical treatment and should be followed with an intensive follow-up program when metastatic axillary lymph nodes, negative estrogen receptors, or peritumoral vascular invasion are present.

Adult↗

Matched pair analysis of survival after chest-wall recurrence compared to mammary recurrence: a long-term follow up.

BACKGROUND: Local recurrence remains a major concern after primary treatment of breast cancer and has a major impact on subsequent survival. While most studies report a poorer survival rate in patients with a local recurrence after mastectomy than after breast conservation, it remains controversial whether different risk profiles at the time of primary diagnosis may account for this difference. METHOD: Matched pair analysis of 134 patients with newly diagnosed locoregional recurrence of breast cancer without evidence of systemic disease. Matching criteria included the primary surgical treatment, tumor size, nodal status, and age. The significance of various prognostic parameters at the time of primary diagnosis and at the time of recurrence were evaluated, by univariate and multivariate analyses, with respect to survival after recurrence. The median follow-up was 8.4 years. RESULTS: Risk factors at the time of presentation, such as tumor size and lymph node status, were comparable between both groups. Local recurrence occurred on an average 9 months earlier in patients after mastectomy (P = 0.08). Univariate analysis showed that lymph node status (P = 0.0001) and disease-free interval from primary treatment to local recurrence (P = 0.0002) were the most significant single prognostic factors for subsequent survival after local recurrence. The primary surgical treatment modality was shown to be of marginal statistical influence (only P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Local recurrence after mastectomy seems to be associated with worse survival than after breast-conserving therapy. Early onset of chest-wall recurrence, moreover, represents the highest independent risk for cancer-associated death.

Analysis of Variance↗

Comparison of naratriptan and sumatriptan in recurrence-prone migraine patients. Naratriptan International Recurrence Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: This randomized, double-blind, crossover study was undertaken to compare the incidence of headache recurrence after treatment with naratriptan or sumatriptan in migraine patients with a history of frequent headache recurrence (recurrence in > or =50% of successfully treated attacks). BACKGROUND: Although the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine, (5-HT1) agonist sumatriptan is effective and well tolerated for acute treatment of migraine in most patients, headache recurrence within 24 hours of initial successful treatment with sumatriptan and other medications has been reported in approximately 35% of patients. The novel 5-HT1 agonist naratriptan possesses pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic characteristics that may address the issue of headache recurrence. METHODS: Men and women aged 18 to 65 years with a > or =1-year history of migraine with or without aura were randomly assigned to treat 1 moderate or severe migraine attack in a nonclinical setting with one 2.5-mg naratriptan tablet and 1 attack with one 100-mg sumatriptan tablet. A pain-free interval of > or =24 hours was required between attacks. At 4 hours, patients not using rescue medication and experiencing headache recurrence could take a second, identical dose of study medication to treat recurrence. No more than 2 tablets of study medication were permitted in any 24-hour period. RESULTS: A total of 253 patients treated > or =1 migrane attack and were included in the safety analysis; the 225 patients who treated both attacks were included in the efficacy analysis. Of the 164 naratriptan-treated and 181 sumatriptan-treated patients experiencing headache relief after > or =1 attack, headache recurrence 4 to 24 hours after treatment was reported by 74 naratriptan-treated patients (45%) and 101 sumatriptan-treated patients (57%; not statistically significant). (One naratriptan- and 3 sumatriptan-treated patients who experienced headache relief did not record recurrence status and were not included in the denominator for the percentage calculation.) In a subset of patients experiencing headache relief after 2 attacks, headache recurrence 4 to 24 hours after initial dosing was reported by 55 naratriptan- and 77 sumatriptan-treated patients (41% and 57%, respectively; P = 0.005). The overall incidence of adverse events was 22% after treatment with naratriptan and 33% after treatment with sumatriptan. This incidence did not increase after use of a second dose of naratriptan (20%) or sumatriptan (31%). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that naratriptan is a long-acting and well-tolerated addition to currently available medications for the treatment of acute migraine.

Adolescent↗

Diagnosis of recurrent intermittent airway obstruction ("recurrent croup") in children.

Children with a history of recurrent intermittent airway obstruction can present with a constellation of signs and symptoms labeled by their primary care physician as "recurrent croup." Recurrent croup, however, is not a diagnosis and should alert the clinician to the potential for intrinsic or extrinsic laryngotracheal pathology. This study was undertaken to evaluate referral patterns, diagnostic algorithms, and diagnoses for children with a history of recurrent intermittent airway obstruction initially characterized as "recurrent croup." We performed a retrospective analysis of office and operative records of children with a history of recurrent intermittent airway obstruction characterized as "recurrent croup." The setting was a university-based pediatric otolaryngology practice with both urban and suburban referral patterns. The medical records of 53 children (median age, 2 years) with a history of mild to severe recurrent intermittent airway obstruction characterized as "recurrent croup" were evaluated with respect to referral source, duration of signs and symptoms, diagnostic algorithm, and findings. We conclude that recurrent intermittent airway obstruction in children is an underappreciated clinical scenario. Upper aerodigestive tract endoscopy is a key component in a diagnostic evaluation to ascertain the cause. The decision for an endoscopic evaluation is best determined after analysis of the patient's age, past medical history, clinical severity, and suspected diagnosis. By virtue of his or her knowledge of aerodigestive tract anatomy and endoscopy skills, the otolaryngologist can take a proactive role in arriving at an accurate diagnosis in these children.

Airway Obstruction↗

Isolated limb perfusion prolongs the limb recurrence-free interval after several episodes of excisional surgery for locoregional recurrent melanoma.

BACKGROUND: The influence of isolated limb perfusion (ILP) on the limb recurrence-free interval (LRFI) and the number of lesions per recurrence was studied for patients with frequently recurring regional in-transit metastases previously managed by excisional surgery. METHODS: All 43 patients who had their first ILP for a third or further limb recurrence were selected from our computer database of 451 patients who underwent therapeutic ILP for recurrent extremity melanoma in our centers. Eighteen patients had resectable and 25 had locally unresectable lesions at the time of ILP. The patients had a total of 269 intervals between treatment of their primary melanoma and last recurrence or last follow-up. Median follow-up was 35 months (interquartile range, 14-64 months). RESULTS: The median LRFI decreases over time from primary melanoma to the third or further recurrence for which ILP was performed (P < 0.001). The median LRFI is 4.7 times longer (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.8-7.9; P < 0.001) after ILP in comparison with the last interval before ILP. Patients with resectable lesions have a median LRFI that is 5.9 times longer (95% CI, 2.7-13; P < 0.001). In all patients, the number of lesions increases by 22% per recurrence number (95% CI, 10%-35%; P = 0.02). At the same recurrence number, patients before ILP have a 2.6-fold higher (95% CI, 1.6-4.5) mean number of lesions than do patients after ILP (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ILP lengthens the LRFI and decreases the number of lesions per recurrence significantly in patients with repeatedly recurrent limb melanoma. Therefore, ILP could be a valuable adjunct to excisional surgery for in-transit metastases in these patients whose LRFIs tend to shorten over time.

Adult↗

Immunohistochemical study on primary and recurrent tumors in patients with local recurrence in the conserved breast.

One hundred and seventy patients received breast-conserving therapy in the Second Department of Surgery, Gunma University School of Medicine. Six (3.5%) out of the 170 patients showed breast recurrence. We investigated the breast recurrent cases clinicopathologically. The age at the initial operation ranged from 38 to 78 (mean 57) years. One patient was clinical stage I and the others were clinical stage II. Surgical margin at the initial operation was negative in two patients and positive in four. Histological type was invasive ductal cancer in all cases. Three patients had lymph node involvement. The interval from the initial operation to breast recurrence ranged from 19 to 68 months. Five cases were nodular type and one was diffuse type of breast recurrence. Histological type of breast recurrence was the same as the initial one. We performed salvage surgery for all breast recurrent patients, mastectomy for four patients and local resection for two. One patient who showed diffuse type of recurrence could not be controlled with any surgical treatment, and later died of breast cancer. We investigated the expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, pS2, c-erbB-2 and p53 on both initial and recurrent specimens of the six patients. The expression of each protein on the recurrent specimens was the same as the initial one. We conclude that breast recurrence after breast-conserving therapy has its origin in the residue of cancer cells at the initial operation, even if surgical margins are histopathologically negative.

Adult↗

Recurrent sarcoidosis: a study of 17 patients with 24 episodes of recurrence.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Recurrence of sarcoidosis following complete remission and after a prolonged time of inactivity is considered a very unusual clinical event. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of a series of patients diagnosed as having recurrent sarcoidosis. METHODS: Recurrent sarcoidosis was defined as reappearance of the disease following complete spontaneous clinical, radiographic and other markers of activity resolution or following resolution after corticosteroid treatment and maintained for at least during 3 years without therapy. The clinical records of patients diagnosed as having episodes of recurrent sarcoidosis during a period of 28 years at the university hospital of Bellvitge in Barcelona, Spain, were reviewed. RESULTS: Seventeen patients suffering from 24 recurrences were identified. All but one patient were women. The mean follow-up time was 143 +/- 80 months (range: 52 to 282 months). Two patients had 3 recurrences, 3 had 2 and 12 had 1. The disease-free interval without treatment between the time when the disease became inactive after the initial presentation until the first recurrence varied from 10 months to more than 17 years, and the time of inactive disease without therapy between recurrences fluctuated from 23 months to more than 12 years. All the cases but one at onset and 17 at recurrence presented as Löfgren syndrome. At the time of the last control, 14 patients showed complete remission of the disease, one of them under corticosteroid therapy, 2 still had activity because of a recent recurrence, and 1 developed into chronic sarcoidosis. CONCLUSIONS: Acute sarcoidosis, and particularly Löfgren's syndrome, may recur many years after complete remission and, in general, still has a good outcome. In consequence, a long-term follow-up is recommended even in patients with inactive disease. This clinical observation strongly suggests that a re-exposure to or reinfection by an extrinsic antigen triggers the new flare-ups of the disease.

Acute Disease↗

[Medical management for the prevention of the recurrence of urolithiasis--with special recurrence to the patients who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PNL) or extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)].

Questionnaires about stone recurrence after treatment with percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PNL) or extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) were sent to 11 hospitals in the central section of Japan. We received 255 replies on PNL cases and 157 replies on ESWL cases. These patients were evaluated for the recurrence of renal stones and the enlargement of residual stone fragments. The effect of the medical management for the prevention of recurrent stone disease on postoperative recurrence rate was also evaluated. The average follow-up period of patients treated with PNL was 21.6 months, and 18.5 months for patients treated with ESWL. In patients who underwent PNL, 25 of 162 patients (15.4%) who were treated completely without any residual stones have suffered from new stones. The residual stone or fragments enlarged in 14 of the 93 patients (15.1%) who had residual stones or fragments after the treatment. The recurrence rate was significantly higher for the recurrent stone former than the single stone former. The recurrence rate for the patients who had multiple stones, staghorn calculi and metabolic disorders such as hypercalciuria also had a high incidence. Patients who received medical treatment for the prevention of stone recurrence had a lower recurrence rate than the group not treated. Especially among the patients with hypercalciuria, the recurrence rate of stone disease in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the group not treated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Clinicopathological studies of the recurrence of esophageal squamous cell cancer--with special reference to the mode of recurrence and operative procedure].

In 93 out of 201 patients (46%) with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus who underwent radical resection (excluding death within 30 days after operation), the site of recurrence could be identified by means of X-ray, CT, ultrasonography, and biopsy. Recurrence was found in 55% of 93 cases within 12 months after surgery and in 86% of 93 cases within 24 months. Of 93 patients with recurrences, lymph node recurrences were present in 44 cases, visceral recurrences in 32 cases, both lymph node and visceral recurrences in 11 cases and others in 6 cases. Neck and/or upper mediastinal lymph node recurrences were found in 10 out of 15 patients who had recurrences within 3 months after surgery. Careful examination should be made in the left recurrent nerve chain and extended lymph node resection of upper mediastinal region should be performed under the adequate indication. Esophageal squamous cell cancer has a tendency to recur in the lymph nodes initially, and visceral metastases may occur thereafter. The incidence of visceral recurrence increased remarkably, when neck and/or upper mediastinal lymph nodes were involved at the time of operation. Accordingly, both irradiation and chemotherapy should also be applied for improving the prognosis of esophageal carcinoma.

Aged↗

[Local recurrence after conservative therapy of breast cancer: risk factors, site of recurrence, evolution].

The identification of factors associated with breast recurrence as first event (62 cases, 10%) following conservative surgery and radiation therapy are drawn out from a series++ of 618 mammary carcinomas of clinical size less than 40 mm, stage I and II (UICC), with a median follow up of 8 years. The most powerful predictive characteristic associated with the likelihood of breast recurrence is multiple foci of invasion (42.9% vs 8.9, P = 0.0001, relative risk [RR]: 6). After this rarely cited feature, young age, less than 40 years (20% vs 7.3%, P = 0.0001, RR: 2.8), extensive in situ carcinoma more than 25% (19.2% vs 8.7%, P = 0.003, RR: 2.5) were found also persistent in the Cox model, but not histologic size more than 25 mm (18.9% vs 9.1%, P = 0.01, RR: 2.3). The site of recurrence was studied on the 54 salvage mastectomy done. A high rate of recurrence at distance of the initial site was found: 37% whose more than half, 22%, were multicentric. No significant difference in the mean delay of appearance was noted between recurrence near or at distance of the initial cancer (mean delay 52 months vs 64 months). From the recurrence the evolution is not very favourable: excluding simultaneous metastases found at the preoperative investigation, ten cases, mammary recurrence is followed by a metastatic syndrome in 36% of cases against 17% without it (P = 0.01, RR: 1.9). Metastatic evolution is not significantly linked with the time, early or late, of the mammary recurrence (54.5% before 5 years vs 39% after) but with the association of a controlateral cancer (P = 0.03). Locally ten of the 54 mastectomy presented a thoracic recurrence, often in case of multicentric breast recurrence (P = 0.05) and not significantly when skin or areola were invaded by carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Clinical study on the recurrence of meningiomas: correlating factors for the recurrence and therapeutic prognosis of meningiomas].

Authors have studied 128 cases of meningiomas which were operated on and examined histologically. 12 cases (11.3%) of 106 cases of the meningiomas followed up for more than 5 years after surgery had recurrence after the primary operation. The distribution of age and sex, the tumor location, the histological type, the extent of tumor evacuation and AgNORs counts and BrdU labeling index for the evaluation of tumor proliferation were studied comparatively in the two groups, the recurrent and nonrecurrent meningiomas. 8 cases (19.0%) of 42 cases of the meningiomas in the age-group lower than 50 years old were recurrent cases, whereas 4 cases (6.0%) of 67 cases in the age-group over 50 years old were non-recurrent. Concerning the sex distribution of the meningiomas in our cases recurrent rate was 20.5% among males and 6.0% among females. The tumor locations of the meningiomas did not correlate significantly with recurrence. The extent of tumor removal demonstrated Simpson grade I (47 cases), grade II (37 cases), grade III (17 cases), grade IV (5 cases) on primary operation. Recurrence was found in 11 cases (13.1%) of 84 cases operated on by total removal of Simpson grade I or grade II. 8 cases of 11 cases had recurrence within 5 years after the primary operation of Simpson grade I or II. Total removal of the tumor was important in order to bring about long survival after operation. But correlation between the extent of tumor removal and recurrence was not able to be recognized. Histologically, all of the malignant, atypical and papillary type of meningiomas treated in the primary operations had recurrence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Upper tract recurrences following radical cystectomy: an analysis of prognostic factors, recurrence pattern and stage at presentation.

PURPOSE: We study the incidence and pattern of upper tract recurrences following radical cystectomy for bladder cancer, and analyze the prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 529 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and urinary diversion at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between July 1989 and June 1997. Data related to upper tract recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 529 patients 16 (3%) had upper tract recurrence. Median followup was 16.9 months for the entire group and 49.1 months for patients with upper tract recurrence, with a median time to recurrence of 37.2 months. Of 12 upper tract recurrences 7 (58%) were locally advanced at surgery (p3a or greater with or without lymph node metastasis) and 5 of 16 patients with recurrence (31.3%) had bilateral tumors (2 synchronous and 3 metachronous). Overall survival from the time of diagnosis of upper tract recurrence after radical cystectomy was poor, with a median of 10 months (confidence interval 1 to 19). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of upper tract recurrence following radical cystectomy is low (3%). However, the incidence of bilateral tumors (31.3%) and locally advanced stage at the time of operation (58%) is higher than expected for upper tract tumors in the general population. Survival of patients with upper tract recurrence is poor, with a median of 10 months.

Adult↗

Recurrent fetal aneuploidy and recurrent miscarriage.

OBJECTIVE: Some investigators have found a high frequency of abortus aneuploidy in women with recurrent miscarriage, suggesting the possibility of recurrent aneuploidy as a cause of recurrent miscarriage. Others contend that aneuploidy is not a cause of recurrent miscarriage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fetal aneuploidy and recurrent miscarriage by estimating whether fetal aneuploidy is more common in patients with recurrent miscarriage than in patients with sporadic miscarriage METHODS: Recurrent miscarriage cases (n = 135) included women who had a subsequent miscarriage in which an abortus karyotype was obtained. Controls (n = 150) were patients experiencing a sporadic miscarriage who had fetal karyotypes performed as part of a study to assess the utility of abortus tissue for transplantation. Karyotype analysis was performed using standard G-banding techniques. RESULTS: Abortuses from 122 cases and 133 controls were successfully karyotyped. Thirty-one (25.4%) abortuses from cases and 56 (42.1%) from controls were aneuploid (odds ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.27-0.80). Aneuploid abortuses occurred in 20% of cases and 25% of controls, aged 20-29 years, 19% of cases and 24% of controls, aged 30-34 years, 35% of cases and 47% of controls, aged 35-39 years, and 50% of both cases and controls, aged 40 years or older (not significant). Of 30 cases in whom 2 or more miscarriages were karyotyped, 3 (10%) had aneuploidy in each abortus. CONCLUSION: In our population of recurrent miscarriage patients, abortus aneuploidy occurred significantly less often than in sporadic miscarriages. The rate of aneuploidy in this study was considerably lower than reported in other studies. If recurrent aneuploidy contributes to recurrent miscarriage, it does so in only a small number of patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2

Abortion, Habitual↗

Colchicine as first-choice therapy for recurrent pericarditis: results of the CORE (COlchicine for REcurrent pericarditis) trial.

BACKGROUND: Colchicine seems to be a good drug for treating recurrences of pericarditis after conventional treatment failure, but no clinical trial has tested the effects of colchicine as first-line drug for the treatment of the first recurrence of pericarditis. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, open-label design was used to investigate the safety and efficacy of colchicine therapy as adjunct to conventional therapy for the first episode of recurrent pericarditis. Eighty-four consecutive patients with a first episode of recurrent pericarditis were randomly assigned to receive conventional treatment with aspirin alone or conventional treatment plus colchicine (1.0-2.0 mg the first day and then 0.5-1.0 mg/d for 6 months). When aspirin was contraindicated, prednisone (1.0-1.5 mg/kg daily) was given for 1 month and then was gradually tapered. The primary end point was the recurrence rate. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed by treatment group. RESULTS: During 1682 patient-months (mean follow-up, 20 months), treatment with colchicine significantly decreased the recurrence rate (actuarial rates at 18 months were 24.0% vs 50.6%; P = .02; number needed to treat = 4.0; 95% confidence interval 2.5-7.1) and symptom persistence at 72 hours (10% vs 31%; P = .03). In multivariate analysis, previous corticosteroid use was an independent risk factor for further recurrences (odds ratio, 2.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-8.26; P = .04). No serious adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: Colchicine therapy led to a clinically important and statistically significant benefit over conventional treatment, decreasing the recurrence rate in patients with a first episode of recurrent pericarditis.

Adult↗

Recurrent differentiated thyroid carcinoma: biological implications of age, method of detection, and site and extent of recurrence.

BACKGROUND: We identified factors predictive of outcome for recurrent differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with local (LR), regional (RRec), and/or distant recurrence (DR) of 431 recurrent DTCs were studied. Disease-specific survival (DSS) rate was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate comparisons were conducted by log-rank and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 13 years. Distribution of the first relapse was LR only (35%), LR and RRec (23%), LR and DR (30%), and LR, RRec, and DR (12%). Factors predictive of resectability were a long (>or=5-year) disease-free interval (DFI) and subclinical and thyroid remnant recurrence. Only 26% of symptomatic and 45% of thyroid bed LR, and 43% with DFI <5 years, could be resected completely. No isolated thyroid remnant and 75% of thyroid bed LR resulted in tumor-related mortality. Age <45 years, subclinical recurrence, isolated LR, and the ability to render the patient disease free independently predicted DSS. Fifteen-year DSS for LR only; LR and RRec; LR and DR; and LR, RRec, and DR were 49%, 28%, 15%, and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated thyroid remnant recurrence defines a benign phenotype. Age, method of detection, site and extent of recurrence, and the ability to render the patient disease free predict outcome for recurrent DTC. Multimodality long-term follow-up is warranted to detect recurrence at a subclinical potentially curative stage.

Adolescent↗

Recurrent biliary stricture. Patterns of recurrence and outcome of surgical therapy.

We analyzed the course of 50 consecutive patients with recurrent biliary stricture (at least one previous repair) to determine the pattern of recurrence and the outcome of additional treatment. The presenting manifestations included cholangitis in 40 percent of the patients, jaundice in 30 percent, and pain in 17 percent. Sixty-seven percent had become symptomatic within 2 years of their previous repair and 90 percent within 7 years. Ten (20 percent) patients were treated by end-to-end anastomosis of the bile duct, and 40 (80 percent) patients by bilioenteric anastomosis (hepaticojejunostomy in 32 patients and hepaticoduodenostomy in 8). Two patients (4 percent) died postoperatively. After repair of recurrent stricture, 38 (76 percent) patients had no further symptoms. In 11 (22 percent), another recurrence developed: 6 (55 percent) of the 11 did well after another operation and in 4 (36 percent), a third recurrence developed which was successfully treated by a fourth operation in 3 of the patients. Thus, two thirds of recurrent strictures were evident by 2 years and 90 percent by 7 years. The chance of another recurrence was about 25 percent after treatment of a first recurrence. There was no evidence that prolonged stenting contributed to a good result. Treatment of recurrent stricture should consist of anastomosis between the duct and the intestine, usually a hepaticojejunostomy.

Biliary Tract Diseases↗

High recurrence rates of bacterial vaginosis over the course of 12 months after oral metronidazole therapy and factors associated with recurrence.

BACKGROUND: We wished to determine recurrences of bacterial vaginosis (BV) after treatment over the course of 12 months and to establish factors associated with recurrence. METHODS: Women with symptomatic BV (a Nugent score [NS] of 7-10 or of 4-6 with >or=3 Amsel criteria) were enrolled. BV was treated with 400 mg of oral metronidazole twice a day for 7 days. Participants completed a questionnaire and vaginal swabs were collected at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months; the study end point was an NS of 7-10. RESULTS: A total of 121 (87%) women with an NS of 7-10 and 18 (13%) with an NS of 4-6 and >or=3 Amsel criteria were enrolled; 130 (94%) returned >or=1 vaginal samples. Sixty-eight women (58% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 49%-66%]) had a recurrence of BV (NS 7-10), and 84 (69% [95% CI, 61%-77%]) had a recurrence of abnormal vaginal flora (NS 4-10) by 12 months. A past history of BV, a regular sex partner throughout the study, and female sex partners were significantly associated with recurrence of BV and abnormal vaginal flora by multivariate analysis; the use of hormonal contraception had a negative association with recurrence. CONCLUSION: Current recommended treatment is not preventing the recurrence of BV or abnormal vaginal flora in the majority of women; factors associated with recurrence support a possible role for sexual transmission in the pathogenesis of recurrent BV.

Adult↗

Recurrent and non-recurrent croup: an epidemiological study.

A community-based study investigating the natural history of recurrent and non-recurrent croup is described. Daily temperature data were collected during 1977-83, in order to analyse seasonal variation and the effect of atmospheric temperature on the number of croup episodes per calendar month. A case-control study of 137 cases--consisting of 75 children with recurrent croup and 45 children with non-recurrent croup--and 236 controls matched by age and sex was also conducted. It aimed to study associations between croup and other selected diseases in the patients and their families. Recurrent croup differed from non-recurrent croup in its natural history in a number of ways. There was a winter and autumn peak in the number of episodes per month. These episodes occurred on days with significantly lower maximum and minimum temperatures. Recurrent croup was significantly associated with a patient history of asthma and wheezy bronchitis and a family history of croup. In contrast, non-recurrent croup showed an autumn peak only, as well as no association with atmospheric temperature or other disease in the patients and their families. This study confirms and extends observations indicating that recurrent croup involves a persistent and inherited airways hyper-reactivity that is triggered by viral and other stimuli, including those related to temperature.

Asthma↗