OBJECTIVE: To analyze gender-related differences in patient and care characteristics and in toxicology findings in suspected cases of drug facilitated crime (DFC).
METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study of all patients in suspected DFC cases attended in the emergency department of Hospital Clínico San Carlos and of their blood or urine samples analyzed by the National institute of Toxicology and Forensics in Madrid between March 1, 2015, and March 1, 2023. We analyzed variables from patient records and the toxicology reports according to gender.
RESULTS: A total of 514 suspected DFC episodes were studied; 101 (19.6%) were proactive crimes, 61 (11.9%) opportunistic, and 352 (68.5%) mixed. The median (interquartile range) age was 25 years (21-34 years), and 370 (72%) were women. Eighty-three percent of the patients had amnesia, and 48% of the cases involved sexual assault or robbery. Toxicology identified substances in 78% of the patients (alcohol, 53%; street drugs, 37%; and/or psychopharmaceuticals or opioids, 23%). Independent variables associated with female gender in the multivariate analysis, according to adjusted odds ratio (aORs) were age less than 25 years (aOR, 2.73; 95% CI, 1.75 4.24; P < .001); physician-referred emergency (aOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.12-2.80; P = .03); robbery (aOR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.15-0.41; P < .001); alcohol-positive test result (aOR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.21-3.00; P = .01); and a drug-positive result (aOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.28-0.64; P < .001). Police and a forensic physician intervened in 13% of the cases, and in such cases the victim was more likely to be female (aOR, 3.97; 95% CI, 1.41-11.13; P < .001). Toxicology identified the presence of an unknown substance in 39%, and a woman was less likely to be involved in such cases (aOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.28-0.67; P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of victims of DFCs were female, and the crimes were mixed, involving involve alcohol, psychopharmaceuticals or street drugs. Female victims were more likely to be under the age of 25 years, be referred to the emergency service by a physician, be attended by a forensic physician for sexual assault, and have an alcoholpositive toxicology report. Women were also less likely to report a robbery or have a toxicology report identifying drugs or an unknown substance.
OBJECTIVE: Analizar las diferencias en las características de los pacientes atendidos por sospecha de sumisión química (SQ) y en los resultados del análisis toxicológico (AT) en función del sexo.
METHODS: Estudio observacional transversal retrospectivo que incluyó a todos los casos con SQ atendidos en el servicio de urgencias del Hospital Clínico San Carlos y las muestras (sangre o orina) para el AT en el Instituto Nacional de Toxicología y Ciencias Forenses de Madrid entre el 1 de marzo de 2015 y el 1 de marzo de 2023. Se analizan variables de la historia clínica y del AT según el sexo.
RESULTS: Se incluyeron 514 episodios con sospecha de SQ [101 (19,6%) proactiva, 61 (11,9%) oportunista y 352 (68,5%) mixta] en pacientes con una mediana de 25 años (RIC: 21-34), 370 (72%) de sexo femenino. El 83% presentó amnesia y el 48% asoció agresión sexual o robo. En el 78% se identificó alguna sustancia en el AT (53% alcohol etílico, 37% drogas y/o 23% psicofármaco u opiáceos). En el análisis multivariado las variables que se asociaron de manera independiente con el sexo femenino fueron la edad menor de 25 años con ORa de 2,73 (IC 95%: 1,75-4,24; p < 0,001), con médico deriva a urgencias con ORa de 1,77 (IC 95%: 1,12-2,80; p = 0,03), delito de robo con de ORa 0,25 (IC 95%: 0,15-0,41; p < 0,001), alcohol etílico en el AT con ORa 1,91 (IC 95%: 1,21-3,00; p = 0,01) y alguna droga en el AT con ORa 0,43 (IC 95%: 0,28-0,64; p < 0,001). En el 13% de casos hubo intervención policial y médico-forense y fue más probable que fuera a una mujer, con ORa 3,97 (IC 95%: 1,41-11,13; p < 0,001). En el 39% de AT se identificó alguna sustancia desconocida y fue menos probable que fuera mujer, con ORa de 0,43 (IC 95%: 0,28-0,67; p < 0,001).
CONCLUSIONS: La mayoría de casos registrados fueron mujeres con sospecha de SQ mixta por alcohol, psicofármacos o drogas de abuso. Las mujeres presentaron mayor probabilidad de tener menos de 25 años, ser derivada a urgencias por un médico, de intervención médico-forense por agresión sexual y encontrar alcohol etílico en el AT.

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocarcinoma is the most common malignancy of the biliary tree and has a poor prognosis. Adenocarcinoma is the most common pathological type of cholangiocarcinomas, but rare squamous, adenosquamous, and mucinous variants have been reported without adequate clinical data.
METHODS: This report describes a rare case of primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the intrahepatic bile duct. The patient was admitted with a tumor in the hepatic caudate lobe with no obvious clinical symptoms. Examination revealed hepatitis B surface antigen positivity, a slight increase in alfa-fetoprotein to 16.34 ng/mL, and an irregular slightly heterogeneous enhancing lesion in the hepatic caudate lobe, which was initially thought to be hepatocellular carcinoma. Laparoscopic resection was performed, and the final pathology suggested a rare primary SCC of the intrahepatic bile duct. Immunohistochemistry indicated positivity for villin, partial positivity for p63, and negativity for hepatocyte, CK7, CK8, CK19, and CK20. The Ki-67 index was approximately 60%. The patient received six cycles of Tegio chemotherapy. A new lesion was detected in the liver after 15 months. The surgery was performed, and the patient was followed-up at a local hospital. To date, no new lesions have been observed.
CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is the first choice for resectable lesions, and combined chemotherapy based on pathology is essential for increasing overall survival.

UNASSIGNED: Hepatitis E (HE), caused by the Hepatitis E virus (HEV), is a significant cause of acute viral hepatitis globally and a major public health concern, particularly in specific high-prevalence areas in China, which have diverse transmission routes and regional differences. Identifying the primary risk factors for HE transmission is essential to develop targeted interventions for vulnerable populations.
UNASSIGNED: This study employed a 1:1 matched case-control methodology, using a standardized questionnaire complemented by medical records for data validation.
UNASSIGNED: Among the 442 HE cases and 428 healthy controls, the case group had a higher prevalence of fatigue (46.21%) and loss of appetite (43.84%) compared to the control group. Furthermore, liver function indicators were significantly higher in the case group, with an average alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of 621.94 U/L and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level of 411.53 U/L. Severe HE patients were predominantly male, with significantly increased ALT and AST levels reaching 1443.81 U/L and 862.31 U/L respectively, along with a higher incidence of fatigue (90%) and loss of appetite (75%). Multifactorial analysis indicated that frequent dining out (OR = 2.553, 95%CI:1.686-3.868), poor hygiene conditions (OR = 3.889, 95%CI:1.399-10.807), and comorbid chronic illnesses (OR = 2.275, 95%CI:1.616-3.202) were risk factors for HE infection; conversely, good hygiene practices were protective factors against HE infection (OR = 0.698, 95%CI:0.521-0.934).
UNASSIGNED: In conclusion, HE infection in Zhejiang Province is closely associated with dietary habits and environmental hygiene, and individuals with chronic diseases or co-infections are at increased risk. This highlights the need for targeted health education to reduce the incidence of HE among these populations.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the reported cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in Iran.
METHODS: A comprehensive literature review of CJD cases in Iran was undertaken using the PubMed®, Scopus® and Google Scholar databases. In addition, the Iranian database MagIran was searched for Persian language reports. Case selection used the following criteria: (i) patients of Iranian origin; (ii) publication in peer-reviewed journals or reputable medical databases; (iii) a definitive diagnosis of CJD based on established diagnostic criteria.
RESULTS: Thirteen cases from twelve reports were included in this systematic review. The majority of the cases were female (11 of 13; 84.6%). The mean ± SD age of patients at hospital admission was 59.38 ± 7.44 years. The findings of the case review suggested that the prevalence of CJD in Iran is not fully established. CJD may be misdiagnosed alongside other clinical signs. The most prevalent early indications of the disease were psychiatric and neurological in nature. A considerable delay in diagnosis was observed in some cases and there was a shortage of brain autopsy records.
CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to improve diagnostic capabilities, promote awareness and establish monitoring systems are necessary for managing the challenges of providing an early diagnosis of CJD in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Multiple primary malignant tumors (MPMTs) was first described by Billroth as early as 1889, with the first report published by Warren and Gates in 1932. Since then, numerous cases have been reported. A literature review of 1104269 patients with cancer revealed that the incidence of MPMTs ranged from 0.73 to 11.7%. In recent years, however, there has been a significant upward trend in the incidence of this phenomenon, which may be associated with many different factors, including the advancement of modern diagnostic procedures facilitating the examination and diagnosis of more MPMTs, increased exposure to chemotherapy and radiotherapy that exacerbate the risk of new malignant tumors in patients with cancer, and prolonged survival of patients with cancer allowing sufficient time for the development of new primary cancers.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence, clinical features, treatment factors, prevalence, and prognosis of patients with MPMTs in the gastrointestinal tract treated in a single center. Additionally, we analyzed the different tumor combinations, time interval between the occurrence of tumors, and staging.
METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 8059 patients with pathologically confirmed gastrointestinal malignant tumors treated at the Gansu Province Hospital in Lanzhou, Gansu, China between June 2011 and June 2020. Of these, 85 patients had MPMTs. The clinical features, treatment factors, prevalence, and prognosis of this latter cohort were analyzed.
RESULTS: The incidence of MPMTs in patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumors was 1.05% (85/8059), including 83 double primary malignant tumors and two triple primary malignant tumors of which 57 (67.06%) were synchronous MPMTs (SMPMTs) and 28 (32.94%) were metachronous MPMTs (MMPMTs). The most frequent associations were found between the rectum colon cancers within the SMPMT category and the gastric-colon cancers within the MMPMT category. For the MMPMTs, the median interval was 53 months. The overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates from diagnosis of the first primary cancer were 91.36%, 65.41%, and 45.97%, respectively; those from diagnosis of the second primary cancer were 67.90%, 29.90%, and 17.37%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: MPMTs in the gastrointestinal tract have a high incidence and poor prognosis. Thus, it is necessary to perform both gastroscopy and colonoscopy in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. Multidisciplinary comprehensive diagnosis and treatment may improve the diagnosis rate and treatment efficiency of MPMTs.

UNASSIGNED: Anti-sulfatide antibodies are key biomarkers for the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). However, case reports on anti-sulfatide antibody-related GBS are rare, particularly for atypical cases.
UNASSIGNED: A 63 years-old man presented with limb numbness and diplopia persisting for 2 weeks, with marked deterioration over the previous 4 days. His medical history included cerebral infarction, diabetes, and coronary atherosclerotic cardiomyopathy. Physical examination revealed limited movement in his left eye and diminished sensation in his extremities. Initial treatments included antiplatelet agents, cholesterol-lowering drugs, hypoglycemic agents, and medications to improve cerebral circulation. Despite this, his condition worsened, resulting in bilateral facial paralysis, delirium, ataxia, and decreased lower limb muscle strength. Treatment with intravenous high-dose immunoglobulin and dexamethasone resulted in gradual improvement. A 1 month follow-up revealed significant neurological sequelae.
UNASSIGNED: A 53 years-old woman was admitted for adenomyosis and subsequently experienced sudden limb weakness, numbness, and pain that progressively worsened, presenting with diminished sensation and muscle strength in all limbs. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin, vitamin B1, and mecobalamin were administered. At the 1 month follow-up, the patient still experienced limb numbness and difficulty walking. In both patients, albuminocytologic dissociation was found on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, positive anti-sulfatide antibodies were detected in the CSF, and electromyography indicated peripheral nerve damage.
UNASSIGNED: Anti-sulfatide antibody-related GBS can present with Miller-Fisher syndrome, brainstem encephalitis, or a combination of the two, along with severe pyramidal tract damage and residual neurological sequelae, thereby expanding the clinical profile of this GBS subtype. Anti-sulfatide antibodies are a crucial diagnostic biomarker. Further exploration of the pathophysiological mechanisms is necessary for precise treatment and improved prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical characteristics, risk factors, pathogen distribution, and prognostic markers in primary Sjögren\'s syndrome (pSS) patients with severe pneumonia (SP) compared to those without severe pneumonia (NSP).
METHODS: This case-control study included 24 hospitalized pSS patients with SP and 96 NSP at the first affiliated hospital of Soochow university from June 2014 to May 2023. Data encompassing demographics, comorbidities, treatments, and laboratory results were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses, ROC curves, and statistical analyses using SPSS 23.0 assessed risk factors. The study retrospectively analyzed clinical features and risk factors, highlighting distinct parameters between pSS patients with and without SP.
RESULTS: Marked differences were observed in several parameters: pSS activity(P < 0.001), white blood cell (P = 0.043), lymphocyte (P < 0.001), neutrophils (P = 0.042), C-reactive protein (P = 0.042), and CD8+ T cell (P = 0.017). Notably, lymphocyte count and SS activity demonstrated robust discrimination ability (AUC > 0.85). C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, CD4+ T cell, and IgA showed significant associations with SP; higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted outcomes. Various biomarkers exhibited diverse discriminatory abilities but lacked strong predictive associations with outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP. Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators. Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes. Key Points • pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP. • Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators. • Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk. • SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Myositis-specific antibodies (MSAs) and myositis-associated antibodies (MAAs) are associated with distinctive dermatomyositis (DM) clinical phenotypes. The aim of this study is to explicate the clinical and immunological features of MSAs-negative DM patients.
METHODS: A total of 515 individuals diagnosed with DM was screened from 2013 to 2022 and 220 DM patients were enrolled in this retrospective cohort. Clinical and laboratory data of these patients were analyzed.
RESULTS: MSAs-negative DM patients were categorized into two groups: MAAs-negative (MSAs (-)/MAAs (-)) group and MAAs-positive (MSAs (-)/MAAs (+)) group. The percentage of Raynaud\'s phenomenon (P=0.026) was higher in the MSAs (-)/MAAs (+) DM patients than the MSAs-positive DM patients and MSAs (-)/MAAs (-) DM patients. The proportion of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) in the MSAs-negative DM patients was lower than that in the MSAs-positive group. The MSAs (-)/MAAs (+) group had a higher proportion of organizing pneumonia and usual interstitial pneumonia (P=0.011), and elevated eosinophils in their bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (P=0.008). Counts of lymphocytes (P=0.001) and CD16+CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells (P=0.012) were higher in the MSAs-negative group. Additionally, the percentage of CD4+TNFα+ (P=0.040), CD4+IFNγ+ (P=0.037), and CD4+IL-2+ (P=0.018) cells among total CD4+ T cells were higher in the MSA-negative DM patients compared with the MSAs-positive DM patients. Besides, MSAs-negative patients demonstrated a more favorable prognosis than MSAs-positive patients. Multivariable regression analysis identified advanced onset age, higher level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and RP-ILD as risk factors for mortality in DM patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Compared with MSAs-positive group, MSAs-negative DM patients suffered less from organ involvement compared with MSAs-positive group and tend to have better prognosis. Key Points MSAs-negative DM patients exhibited distinct characteristics in comparison with MSAs-positive DM patients:   • The MSAs (-)/MAAs (+) DM patients demonstrated a higher prevalence of organizing pneumonia (OP) and usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), and elevated eosinophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.   • CEA levels were lower in MSAs-negative patients compared with MSAs-positive patients.   • Elevated counts of lymphocytes and CD16+CD56+ NK cells were identified in the MSAs-negative patients. Additionally, proportions of CD4+TNFα+, CD4+IFNγ+, and CD4+IL-2+ cells among total CD4+ T cells were higher in the MSAs-negative DM patients compared with DM MSAs-positive DM patients.   • MSAs-negative DM patients had a more favorable prognosis than MSAs-positive DM patients. A multivariable regression analysis revealed the advanced onset age, high CEA levels, and RP-ILD were risk factors for mortality in DM patients.

Primary hepatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is extremely rare, and only a few dozen cases have been reported to date. It can barely be diagnosed before histopathological examination, which necessitates the exclusion of metastatic tumors. In this case, we present a 60-year-old female patient with no comorbidity. As laboratory tests and imaging examinations were not diagnostic, ultrasonography (US)-guided liver biopsy was performed and eventually revealed a definitive pathological diagnosis of hepatic SCC. After excluding metastasis, the diagnosis of primary hepatic SCC was established, and then chemotherapy and immunotherapy were performed. Additionally, a comprehensive literature search was conducted on primary hepatic SCC using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, and a total of 53 articles were retrieved with a time range from 1972 to 2022. A critical analysis was then performed to evaluate previous literature focusing on the clinical characteristics, imaging features, treatments, and prognosis.

Lupus mesenteric vasculitis (LMV) as initial presentation is rare, especially in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). It is a critical complication of lupus. At present, the research on cSLE with LMV as the initial presentation is few. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of cSLE with LMV in the Chinese population, compared with non-LMV cSLE.
A retrospective case-controlled study was conducted on 55 cSLE patients between July 2018 and July 2021. The clinical data, laboratory findings, imaging, treatment, and follow-up data were collected and compared between the two groups of cSLE with LMV and non-LMV. Non-LMV cSLE patients were matched according to the age and sex of LMV patients.
A total of 11 cSLE patients with LMV as the LMV group and 44 cSLE patients without LMV as the non-LMV group were included. The average age of onset was 12.55 ± 1.57 years old, the male-to-female ratio was 2:9, and high disease activity was observed in the LMV group. Abdominal pain was most common in LMV. Compared with the non-LMV, the percentage of abdominal pain, vomiting, abdominal distension, and diarrhea was higher, and gastrointestinal tract, serous cavity, kidney, and lung damage were higher in the LMV group (P < 0.05). In abdominal-enhanced CT, the percentage of intestinal wall thickening, peritoneal effusion, mesenteric vascular enhancement, hydronephrosis with ureteral dilatation, intestinal congestion, and gastric mucosa thickening in the LMV group were higher than those in the non-LMV group (P < 0.05). The percentage of receiving methylprednisolone pulse combined with cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in LMV was higher than in non-LMV. The clinical symptoms disappeared quickly, and there were no deaths in the LMV group. Compared with the non-LMV group, the 24-h urinary protein was higher, the complement C3 was lower, and the disease activity was higher in the LMV group (P < 0.05).
LMV often occurs in 12 ~ 13-year-old girls with high disease activity of cSLE. Abdominal pain is the most common and more susceptible to damage to the kidney, serous cavity, and lung in cSLE with LMV. Methylprednisolone pulse combined with CTX pulse therapy is effective. After the treatment above, cSLE with LMV has a good prognosis, but the overall recovery is worse than non-LMV patients.