Rejected

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) pulsed radiofrequency combined with paravertebral injection of recombinant human interferon-α2b in the treatment of patients with acute herpes zoster neuralgia and its preventive effectiveness on postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

The sacral hiatus is an opening present at the lower end of the sacral canal. The anatomy of the sacral hiatus and its variations are clinically important during administration of caudal epidural block (CEB) in obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic, urology and general surgical practices. The success and reliability of CEB depends upon the sound knowledge of anatomical variations of the sacral hiatus.

The Fibromyalgia Survey Questionnaire (FSQ) was self-administered by a sample of 207 Italian individuals with obesity to screen for fibromyalgia (FM). We aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability and the agreement in the detection of FM symptomatology between the self-administered FSQ and the clinical interview conducted by a rheumatologist. All the patients were divided randomly into two groups (group A and group B): a rheumatologist first interviewed patients of group A and after 48 h, the patients completed the self-report FSQ. Patients of group B first completed the FSQ and 48 h later were interviewed by a rheumatologist. The agreement between the measurements was good with the Bland-Altman analysis showing low bias scores for the two subscales of the FSQ. Results showed that 33% of the sample satisfied the criteria for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. The FSQ is a self-reporting measure that showed substantial reliability providing fast screening for FM symptomatology.

Accessory and cavitated uterine mass (ACUM) is a rare form of Mullerian anomaly that usually presents in young females with chronic cyclic pelvic pain and/or dysmenorrhea. This clinical entity is often underdiagnosed as it may be mistaken for other differential diagnoses, such as pedunculated myoma or adnexal lesions. Imaging modalities, including ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), accompanied with relevant and suspicious clinical findings are important tools in making acorrect diagnosis. To date, surgical excision of the mass remains the mainstay of treatment,which provides significant symptom relief. In this study, we present a female adolescent with chronic pelvic pain since menarche who underwent laparotomy with the presumed diagnosis of a left-sided ovarian mass. Retrospective evaluation of pelvic MR images demonstrated that the lesion was in fact an ACUM, which was further confirmed by histopathological examination.

Cluster headache is uniquely rhythmic in its occurrence both diurnally and annually. This has implications for the clinical approach to the patient but also for our understanding of the role of central structures in its pathological basis. Many intrinsic and extrinsic factors seem to influence CH rhythmicity, including genetics. The proclivity for attacks to occur at night and the possible association with particular sleep phenomena, including sleep apnea, have motivated a number of studies which has improved our understanding but many questions remain unanswered. The sleep-headache interaction seems to be bidirectional and possibly both direct and indirect. The latter could involve more disperse networks of homeostatic regulation, which may better encompass recent observations. Treatment of the headache patient with concurrent sleep problems can be particularly challenging, especially considering side-effects and interactions of commonly used medications. While current treatment guidelines do not incorporate chronotherapeutic thinking, some evidence may suggest that application of such principles on an individual level may be beneficial.

Continuous epidural infusion (CEI) can provide analgesia during labor. The dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique is used to accelerate the onset of neuraxia anesthesia. The primary objective of this study was to compare the percentage of patients that received adequate labor analgesia following an injection of 0.08% epidural ropivacaine via the DPE and CEI techniques combined with the PIEB mode of maintenance.

Switching antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people with HIV (PWH) can influence their risk for drug-drug interactions (DDIs). The purpose of this study was to assess changes in the incidence and severity of DDIs among PWH who switched their ART to bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF).

As a central nervous system disease, migraine often coexists with gastrointestinal disorders, which suggests a disruption of brain-gut regulation. Clinical studies have confirmed that acupuncture and flunarizine not only alleviate migraine attacks but also substantially inhibit accompanying gastrointestinal symptoms. However, it is still not clear how acupuncture and flunarizine regulate the interactions of brain, gut, and microbiome. Therefore, this study will combine neuroimaging technology and gut microbiota detection technology to explore and compare the effects and brain-gut modulating mechanisms of acupuncture and flunarizine for migraine.

Patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) can experience hemorrhagic or ischemic vascular events. The prevention of these complications is challenging, and the overall risk of vascular events caused by ET is often overlooked. A 34-year-old man was admitted for a 10-day history of weakness and numbness in his right limbs. He had been diagnosed with ET in 2008 but had stopped receiving treatment half a year before admission. Physical examination showed a superficial sense of disturbance in the right limbs and decreased muscle strength in the right upper and lower limbs (4/5). His platelet count (459 × 10/L) was elevated. Magnetic resonance imaging showed acute watershed infarction, and he was treated successfully. However, he was readmitted for headache and left limb weakness 14 months later. A head computed tomography scan revealed spontaneous subdural hemorrhage. He underwent subdural hematoma removal and decompressive craniectomy. Surgery and pathological investigation revealed no venous sinus thrombosis or vascular malformation. His condition improved, and he exhibited a stable condition 1 year after discharge. Successive development of ischemic stroke and spontaneous subdural hemorrhage is rare in a patient with ET. This case suggests that ET is not only a risk factor for stroke but can also cause highly heterogeneous strokes.

Communication is key to understanding the emotional state of critical care patients.