Current Issue : October-December Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 4 Articles : 5 Articles
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus, identified in December 2019, led to a global pandemic resulting in over 6 million deaths. While most COVID-19 cases present mild symptoms, severe complications can develop in immunocompromised patients, including impacts on the heart. This study aimed to compare angiographic findings and hospitalization outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with and without COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 174 ACS patients (105 men, 69 women) hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology and Internal Medicine of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Bydgoszcz and Regional Hospital in Grudzia˛dz (2019–2021). Forty-eight of them had COVID-19. The analyzed parameters included, inter alia, the coronary artery disease severity, the presence of thrombosis, survival rates, risk factors, and prior endovascular procedures. Results: COVID-19 patients with ACS showed a higher rate of thrombus in non-culprit vessels (6.25% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.0293), and overall survival was significantly lower (68.75% vs. 93.65%, p < 0.0001), while prior PCI rates were higher in non-COVID patients (34.13% vs. 6.25%, p = 0.0002). Procedure times were shorter for non-COVID patients, reducing catheterization lab exposure. Other procedural factors showed no significant differences. Conclusions: This study highlights significant differences in coronary angiography and hospitalization outcomes between ACS patients with and without COVID-19. The extended stay of COVID-19 patients in the catheterization lab poses an increased risk to medical staff, and the presence of thrombi underscores the need for effective antithrombotic strategies. The significant association of COVID-19 with hypercoagulability and its role in precipitating acute coronary syndromes necessitates the development of specific clinical guidelines to manage these patients effectively....
Objective: This study aims to analyze and evaluate the diagnostic methods used to detect multiple myeloma in paleopathological research. As a malignancy characterized by bone lesions, multiple myeloma presents unique opportunities for study through the paleopathological analysis of human skeletal remains. Methods: A literature review was conducted across PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, focusing on macroscopic, radiological, and microscopic methods. A total of 43 original peer-reviewed studies published over six decades were selected. Results: The most commonly used diagnostic technique was macroscopic analysis of bone material, focusing on the characteristics of the lesions. Radiological methods, including X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography (CT), and micro-CT, provided complementary insights. Various microscopic techniques, chemical analyses, and fluoroscopy provided additional diagnostic detail. The diagnostic process is shaped by factors such as preservation, context, and access to technology; despite these variables, characteristic features of lesions were consistently recognized. Conclusion: This review highlights how macroscopic analysis remains central to diagnosis in paleopathology, with radiological and microscopic methods increasingly enhancing accuracy and interpretive depth. A multidisciplinary approach, combining macroscopic, radiological, microscopic, and chemical analyses where feasible, continues to strengthen paleopathological research and offers new insights into the historical presence of multiple myeloma....
Background: Trismus, or restricted mouth opening, can present significant challenges in oral and maxillofacial surgery and trigger substantial functional and psychosocial disabilities. Intra-articular causes, such as temporomandibular joint ankylosis and arthritis, are thoroughly described; however, extra-articular pathologies like neoplastic, traumatic, infectious, and fibrotic conditions of adjacent soft and hard tissues are less frequently reported and present distinct diagnostic complexities and therapeutic hurdles. This retrospective study aims to investigate the difficulties encountered in diagnosis and surgical interventions associated with rare extra-articular causes of trismus. Material and Methods: This article describes five rare causes of extra-articular trismus. The cases range from benign pathologies like coronoid hyperplasia and osteomas to more complex diagnoses of myositis ossificans, external auditory canal abscess, and chronic osteomyelitis. A thorough diagnostic workup was performed for each patient, and specific surgical interventions were administered based on their pathology. Results: All five patients showed significant improvements in mouth opening after surgery. Diagnostic accuracy was ensured with advanced imaging modalities and innovative surgical techniques, and adequate postoperative care translated the favorable outcome. Conclusions: Although based on individual case descriptions, this study emphasizes the potential importance of early diagnosis, a multidisciplinary approach, and individualized treatment planning in managing rare extra-articular causes of trismus. These cases suggest a basis for a more organized system for the timely identification and treatment of such conditions. Additional research is needed to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize surgical management, and develop evidence-based aftercare treatment to improve patient care and quality of life....
In pathology laboratories, several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are used, such as formaldehyde, ethanol, and xylene. These substances are recognized as genotoxic and cytotoxic, which is why their handling poses risks to human health. The buccal micronucleus (MN) cytome assay is a non-invasive, useful, and simple method to detect these effects in exposed individuals. The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of VOCs in pathology professionals of S. Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal. The study comprised two groups: exposed workers (n = 21) from the three laboratories of S. Miguel, and a reference group (n = 50), randomly chosen from other hospital services without known exposure to VOCs. The exfoliated buccal cells were auto-sampled by all the participants using a cytobrush. The samples were processed in ThinPrep®, stained with modified Feulgen with Fast Green, and visualized for MN and other nuclear anomalies (ONAs), such as karyorrhexis, pyknotic, and karyolytic cells. Results showed that VOCs have a predictive significance for MN frequency, leading to the conclusion that their exposure is an increased risk factor for the health of these professionals, approximately four times greater than in the control group....
Approximately 50–70% of patients with advanced cancer will experience bone metastases. The link between metastatic lesions and pathological bones is especially troubling since more metastases mean a higher chance of painful fractures, which can reduce mobility and often require surgery. Therefore, fracture risk predictions are essential for managing patients with bone metastases. However, the current methods for evaluating the risk of fractures are subjective, with low predictive value. This paper highlights how there being no effective comprehensive models for grouping patients by fracture risk due to skeletal metastases makes it harder to create personalized treatment plans; presents the methods currently used for objective evaluations of the pathological fracture risk in bone metastases; and discusses their pros and cons....
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