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Roca IC, Cojocaru E, Rusu CD, Trandafir LM, Săveanu CI, Lupu VV, Butnariu LI, Ţarcă V, Moscalu M, Bernic J, Lupu A, Ţarcă E. The Role of Natural Extracts in the Management of Infantile Hemangiomas and Vascular Tumors. Pediatric Health Med Ther 2024; 15:1-16. [PMID: 38213420 PMCID: PMC10778175 DOI: 10.2147/phmt.s439537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Hemangiomas are vascular tumors resulting from the proliferation of endothelial-like cells; they are the most common childhood tumors, affecting approximately 5-10% of newborns and infants. Besides hemangiomas, which are definitely benign tumors despite their overgrowth potential, there are other vascular tumors like hemangioendotheliomas, which may display intermediate characteristics between benign hemangiomas and highly malignant angiosarcomas. Standard therapy may be constricted by serious adverse effects, high cost, or traumatic influence. Diet is a major resource for health preservation, disease prevention, and treatment. The therapeutic property of edible berries, marine products, or medicinal plants have long been known and used in traditional medicine; a plant-based nutrition can prevent the development and progression of diseases associated with extensive neo-vascularization. The purpose of our review is to highlight those natural treatments that hemangioma and vascular tumor patients can receive in the future, both for their benefit and that of their families. We performed the review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalysis Statement. We used the Web of Science, PubMed, and EMBASE engines for the study, and searched for the association of hemangioma with naturopathic treatment/plant extract/plants in published articles. We found that natural extracts from plants and fruits are cost-effective and safe treatments for hemangiomas and vascular tumors, as well as for other forms of cancer. In any case, more in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to confirm the proposed signaling pathways in tumors and validate the improvement parameters after natural products administration. The era of molecularly targeted therapy and personalized medicine is approaching and naturally occurring substances are very useful tools for tumor treatment and prevention. Plant extract substances have strong specificity and pertinence, are non- toxic and have few side effects, and may become an emerging cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Cristina Roca
- Department of Surgery II, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, 700115, Romania
| | - Elena Cojocaru
- Department of Morphofunctional Sciences I – Pathology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, 700115, Romania
| | - Carmen Daniela Rusu
- Department of Surgery II, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, 700115, Romania
| | - Laura Mihaela Trandafir
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, 700115, Romania
| | - Cătălina Iulia Săveanu
- Surgical Department, Discipline of Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, 700115, Romania
| | - Vasile Valeriu Lupu
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, 700115, Romania
| | - Lăcrămioara Ionela Butnariu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, 700115, Romania
| | - Viorel Ţarcă
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, 700115, Romania
| | - Mihaela Moscalu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, 700115, Romania
| | - Jana Bernic
- Discipline of Pediatric Surgery, “Nicolae Testemițanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, Moldova
| | - Ancuța Lupu
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, 700115, Romania
| | - Elena Ţarcă
- Department of Surgery II, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, 700115, Romania
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Ţarcă E, Cojocaru E, Trandafir LM, Melinte Popescu MG, Luca AC, Butnariu LI, Hanganu E, Moscalu M, Ţarcă V, Stătescu L, Radu I, Melinte Popescu AS. Nosocomial Infections Affecting Newborns with Abdominal Wall Defects. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11081131. [PMID: 37107965 PMCID: PMC10137964 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11081131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Abdominal wall defects are serious birth defects, with long periods of hospitalization and significant costs to the medical system. Nosocomial infection (NI) may be an additional risk factor that aggravates the evolution of newborns with such malformations. METHODS in order to analyze the factors that may lead to the occurrence of NI, we performed a retrospective study over a period of thirty-two years (1990-2021), in a tertiary children's hospital; 302 neonates with omphalocele and gastroschisis were eligible for the study. RESULTS a total of 33.7 % patients were infected with one or more of species of bacteria or fungi. These species were Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp., Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp. or Candida spp., but the rate of NI showed a significant decrease between the 1990-2010 and 2011-2021 period (p = 0.04). The increase in the number of surgeries was associated with the increase in the number of NI both for omphalocele and gastroschisis; in the case of gastroschisis, the age of over 6 h at the time of surgery increased the risk of infection (p = 0.052, marginal statistical significance). Additionally, for gastroschisis, the risk of NI was 4.56 times higher in the presence of anemia (p < 0.01) and 2.17 times higher for the patients developing acute renal failure (p = 0.02), and a hospitalization period longer than 14 days was found to increase the risk of NI 3.46-fold (p < 0.01); more than 4 days of TPN was found to increase the NI risk 2.37-fold (p = 0.015). Using a logistic regression model for patients with omphalocele, we found an increased risk of NI for those in blood group 0 (OR = 3.8, p = 0.02), in patients with a length of hospitalization (LH) of ≥14 days (OR = 6.7, p < 0.01) and in the presence of anemia (OR = 2.5, p = 0.04); all three independent variables in our model contributed 38.7% to the risk of NI. CONCLUSION although in the past 32 years we have seen transformational improvements in the outcome of abdominal wall defects, there are still many factors that require special attention for corrections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ţarcă
- Department of Surgery II-Pediatric Surgery, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Elena Cojocaru
- Department of Morphofunctional Sciences I-Pathology, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Laura Mihaela Trandafir
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine-Pediatrics, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Marian George Melinte Popescu
- Department of General Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences, "Ştefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, Romania
| | - Alina Costina Luca
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine-Pediatrics, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Lăcrămioara Ionela Butnariu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania
| | - Elena Hanganu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Mihaela Moscalu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania
| | - Viorel Ţarcă
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania
| | - Laura Stătescu
- Department of Dermatology, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Iulian Radu
- Department of Surgery, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Alina Sinziana Melinte Popescu
- Department of General Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences, "Ştefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, Romania
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Ţarcă E, Cojocaru E, Trandafir LM, Luca AC, Melinte Popescu AS, Butnariu LI, Melinte Popescu MG, Anton Păduraru DT, Moscalu M, Rusu D, Ţarcă V. Ganglioneuroma of the Bladder in Association with Neurofibromatosis Type 1. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12123126. [PMID: 36553133 PMCID: PMC9776796 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12123126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disease, with autosomal dominant transmission, related to pathogenic variant of the tumor suppressor gene NF1 (17q11.2), predisposing affected subjects to a variety of benign (neurofibromas and plexiform neurofibromas) and malignant tumors. The lack of the NF1-neurofibromin gene product can cause uncontrolled cell proliferation in the central or peripheral nervous system and multisystemic involvement, and so the disease includes a heterogeneous group of clinical manifestations. Ganglioneuromas are benign tumors developing from the neural crest cells of the autonomic nervous system, considered to be part of neuroblastic tumors. Bladder localization is extremely rare in adults, and only three such cases were reported in children so far. The aim of our study, in addition to a brief review of the literature of these pathologies, is to bring to your attention the case of a sixteen year old patient with a very rare association of NF1 and bladder ganglioneuroma, who presented at the hospital with gross hematuria. Since bladder ganglioneuroma is a rare pathological condition, the differential diagnosis is difficult and imaging investigations and pathological investigations are the ones that elucidate this disease. The clinical approach of the medical multidisciplinary team involved should help the patient in managing her medical and surgical situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ţarcă
- Department of Surgery II-Pediatric Surgery, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Elena Cojocaru
- Department of Morphofunctional Sciences I–Pathology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Laura Mihaela Trandafir
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
- Correspondence: (L.M.T.); (D.R.)
| | - Alina Costina Luca
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Alina Sinziana Melinte Popescu
- Department of General Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences, “Ştefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, Romania
| | - Lăcrămioara Ionela Butnariu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Marian George Melinte Popescu
- Department of General Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences, “Ştefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, Romania
| | - Dana Teodora Anton Păduraru
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Mihaela Moscalu
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, ”Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
| | - Daniela Rusu
- Department of Surgery, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
- Correspondence: (L.M.T.); (D.R.)
| | - Viorel Ţarcă
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Interdisciplinarity, ”Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
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Ţarcă E, Roșu ST, Cojocaru E, Trandafir L, Luca AC, Lupu VV, Moisă ȘM, Munteanu V, Butnariu LI, Ţarcă V. Statistical Analysis of the Main Risk Factors of an Unfavorable Evolution in Gastroschisis. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11111168. [PMID: 34834520 PMCID: PMC8619615 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11111168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect that presents an increasing occurrence at great cost for the health system. The aim of the study is to detect the main factors of an unfavorable evolution in the case of gastroschisis and to find the best predictors of death. METHODS we conducted a retrospective cohort study of neonates with gastroschisis treated in a tertiary pediatric center during the last 30 years; 159 patients were eligible for the study. Logistic regression was used to determine the risk of death, estimated based on independent variables previously validated by the chi-square test. RESULTS if the birth weight is below normal, then we find an increased risk (4.908 times) of evolution to death. Similarly, the risk of death is 7.782 times higher in the case of developing abdominal compartment syndrome, about 3 times in the case of sepsis and 7.883 times in the case of bronchopneumonia. All four independent variables contributed 47.6% to the risk of death. CONCLUSION although in the past 30 years in our country we have seen transformational improvements in outcome of gastroschisis, survival rates increasing from 26% to 52%, some factors may still be ameliorated for a better outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ţarcă
- Department of Surgery II—Pediatric Surgery, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Solange Tamara Roșu
- Department of Nursing, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Elena Cojocaru
- Department of Morphofunctional Sciences I—Pathology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Laura Trandafir
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine—Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (A.C.L.); (Ș.M.M.)
- Correspondence: (L.T.); (V.V.L.)
| | - Alina Costina Luca
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine—Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (A.C.L.); (Ș.M.M.)
| | - Valeriu Vasile Lupu
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine—Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (A.C.L.); (Ș.M.M.)
- Correspondence: (L.T.); (V.V.L.)
| | - Ștefana Maria Moisă
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine—Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (A.C.L.); (Ș.M.M.)
| | - Valentin Munteanu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Lăcrămioara Ionela Butnariu
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine—Genetics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Viorel Ţarcă
- County Statistics Department, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
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Ţarcă E, Roșu ST, Cojocaru E, Trandafir L, Luca AC, Rusu D, Ţarcă V. Socio-Epidemiological Factors with Negative Impact on Infant Morbidity, Mortality Rates, and the Occurrence of Birth Defects. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9040384. [PMID: 33915730 PMCID: PMC8065913 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9040384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last 30-40 years, developed countries in particular, but also developing ones, have seen an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in infant mortality and morbidity rates. These factors are due to an increase in living standards, a decrease in differences between social classes, the increased accessibility of education to women, and the implementation of some public health measures. When certain basic social and medical measures are implemented on a large scale, their benefits are first reflected in lower infant mortality rates, and only in the second stage are such benefits reflected in decreasing neonatal mortality rates and a smaller number of stillbirths. In this study, we review the literature on these factors. We extrapolate and compare this literature with data recorded in our country in the hopes of finding the reasons why Romania ranks first in the European Union in terms of infant mortality rates. We found that lowering the infant morbidity, mortality, and congenital malformation rates is an absolute priority in Romania, which requires the involvement of decision makers in taking effective measures regarding food supplementation or enhancement using folic acid, adequate counselling of couples, monitoring of all pregnancies, setting antenatal diagnosis, implementing optimal delivery management and therapeutic approaches to problematic pregnancies in other hospitals and by involving the population in health education, avoiding occupational or in-home exposure to toxic factors, avoiding drug use, and implementing disease and infection prevention measures for pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ţarcă
- Department of Surgery II-Pediatric Surgery, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
- Correspondence: (E.Ţ.); (E.C.)
| | - Solange Tamara Roșu
- Department of Nursing, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Elena Cojocaru
- Department of Morphofunctional Sciences I—Pathology, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania
- Correspondence: (E.Ţ.); (E.C.)
| | - Laura Trandafir
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (L.T.); (A.C.L.)
| | - Alina Costina Luca
- Department of Mother and Child Medicine–Pediatrics, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania; (L.T.); (A.C.L.)
| | - Daniela Rusu
- Department of Surgery, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
| | - Viorel Ţarcă
- County Statistics Department, 700115 Iaşi, Romania;
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