Manuel Roca

Comparison of extracorporeal shock wave therapy with botulinum toxin type A in the treatment of plantar fasciitis

Abstract Objective: To compare the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) with botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) in the treatment of plantar fasciitis (PF). Design: Open label, prospective, randomized study. Results: A total of 72 patients were included. In all participants the median (and interquartile range) of the visual analog scale (VAS) of pain result, when taking the first steps, was 8 (6–9) points before treatment and 6 (4–8) points after treatment (p < 0.001). In the group of patients that received ESWT, the median (and interquartile range) of improvement in the VAS of pain result, when taking the first steps, was 2 (1–4) points, and in the group of patients that received BoNT-A the same result was 1 (0–2) points (p = 0.009). In the group of patients that received ESWT, the median (and interquartile range) of improvement in the Roles and Maudsley scale of pain result was 1 (0–1) points, and in the group of patients that received BoNT-A the same result was 0 (0–1) points (p = 0.006). In a multivariate analysis use of ESWT and lower weight were associated with improvement of pain with treatment in at least one of the three VAS of pain scales used in the study. Conclusion: ESWT was superior to BoNT-A in the control of pain in patients with PF. Implications for Rehabilitation Plantar fasciitis is characterized by pain at the calcaneal origin of the plantar fascia, exacerbated by weight bearing after prolonged periods of rest. Although studies comparing extracorporeal shock wave therapy or botulinum toxin type A to placebo suggest a superiority of the first one, no reliable data exist about it. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy was superior to botulinum toxin type A in the control of pain in patients with PF.

Soft hydrothermal synthesis of new microporous materials based on phosphate-like species

Factors controlling hydrothermal synthetic procedures are not well understood. A good knowledge of the solution chemistry of precursor species is the best reference for the design of rational procedures. Examples of the predictive character of simple models in order to rationalize complex syntheses are discussed in detail. In this paper the authors intend to show how the use of basic chemical information, with the help of simple models as the PCM or the VMP, provide the basis of general preparative strategies conducting to single-phased reaction products, with reasonable yields, and susceptible to be extended in designing new compounds. With this aim the authors will study two topics: the hydrothermal synthetic chemistry of the phosphate and phosphate-like oxovanadium (IV) microporous compounds (including layered structures), and the chemistry of a specific class of tubular materials built up from phosphate-like oxoanions and transition metal divalent cations.

Typhlitis as a complication of influenza in a patient with advanced HIV infection

ABSTRACT The authors report the case of an HIV-infected patient who presented with typhlitis as a complication of typical influenza. To the best of their knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature with such an association of clinical conditions.

Sarcoidosis presenting with acute dacryoadenitis

ABSTRACT Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disorder, pathologically characterized by noncaseating epithelioid granulomas. We report a case of the disease that presented with acute dacryoadenitis followed by acute parotitis.

Increased homocysteine plasma level is associated with shortened prothrombin time in HIV-infected patients

Objective: To find factors associated with increased homocysteine plasma level in HIV-infected patients. Methods: Cross-sectional study, carried out as a supplementary task to the standard care of HIV-infected patients. The possible association of increased homocysteine plasma level with blood analyses results was assessed with a multiple linear regression analysis, using the automatic linear modeling available in SPSS version 22. Results: A total of 145 patients were included. Creatinine was higher than normal in 7 patients (5%), prothrombin time was shortened in 36 patients (25%), and a monoclonal gammopathy was detected in 2 patients (1%). In the regression analysis, an association was found between high homocysteine plasma level and the following variables: low prothrombin time (β coefficient −0.286, confidence interval −1.1854 to −0.754, p < 0.001), high creatinine (coefficient 9.926, confidence interval 6.351–15.246, p < 0.001), low folic acid (coefficient −0.331, confidence interval −0–483 to −0.187, p < 0.001), and low vitamin B12 (coefficient −0.007, confidence interval −0.01 to −0.001, p = 0.005). Conclusion: An association was found between increased homocysteine plasma level and shortened prothrombin time.

Paraneoplastic pemphigus associated with dendritic cell neoplasm and Castleman’s disease: report of a new case and review of the literature

We report on a patient with longstanding multicentric Castleman’s disease, hyaline-vascular type, who developed a follicular dendritic cell sarcoma, and finally presented a fatal paraneoplastic pemphigus. We review all four cases of such a triple association described in the literature so far.