[Genital gender affirming surgery in trans women: Vulvo-vaginoplasty review]

INTRODUCTION

A trans woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth, and who has a female gender identity. The majority are requesting a gender affirming genital surgery by vulvo-vaginoplasty. The objective is to review this surgery based on its history, then by presenting the different surgical techniques and their success and complication rates.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A narrative review was performed, based on a bibliography search with keywords from 2000 to 2022 on Pubmed.

RESULTS

Vulvo-vaginoplasty for trans women began in 1931, and the first case series date from 1969. The procedure includes excision of scrotal skin, orchiectomy, clitoroplasty, urethroplasty, labioplasty, recto-vesico-prostatic dissection and creation of a vaginal cavity (performed by penile skin inversion and graft, intestine, or peritoneum). Vulvo-vaginoplasty by penile skin inversion (VPPI) is today the reference surgical technique. It represents the vast majority of surgeries performed with the longest follow-up. The majority of trans women are satisfied with the procedure aesthetically (90%) and functionally (80%), with an active sexuality. Major complications are rare (< 5%), they correspond to fistulas or vaginal stenosis.

CONCLUSION

VPPI is the gold standard technique with satisfactory overall results, but long-term follow-up is requested.

The role of altered microRNA expression in premalignant and malignant head and neck lesions with epithelial origin

Background and Aims

The premalignant lesions of the oral cavity carry a risk of transformation to malignancy. Hence, early diagnosis followed by timely intervention remarkably affects the prognosis of patients. During tumorigenesis, particular microRNAs (miRNAs) show altered expressions and because of their post transcriptionally regulatory role could provide favorable diagnostic, therapeutic, or prognostic values in head and neck cancers.

Methods

In this review, we have demonstrated diagnostic, prognostic, and potential therapeutic roles of some miRNAs associated with oral premalignant and malignant lesions based on previous validate studies.

Results

It is previously documented that dysregulation of miRNAs contributes to cancer development and progression. MiRNAs could be tumor suppressors that normally suppress cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis or play as oncogenes that improved tumorigenesis process. Altered expression of miRNAs has also been reported in premalignant oral epithelial lesions such as leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis, oral lichen planus and some malignant carcinoma like oral squamous cell, verrucous, spindle cell, Merkel cell carcinoma and basal cell.

Conclusion

Some of miRNAs could be new therapeutic candidates in miRNA‐based target gene therapy. Although more investigations are required to identify the most favorable miRNA candidate, altered expression of some miRNAs could be used as biomarkers in premalignant lesions and oral cancers with high sensitivity and specificity.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis with acute abdomen: A case report

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) as a rare inflammatory gastrointestinal (GI) disorder is primarily characterized by long-term or recurrent abdominal pain. Peripheral eosinophilia is usually caused by eosinophilic infiltrations into the multiple layers of the GI tract. In this report, a case of EGE with an acute abdomen is presented. A 14-year-old female experienced severe abdominal pain and hypereosinophilia. She underwent appendectomy due to severe abdominal pain approximately one week before readmission. Because of the persistence of pain, the upper GI endoscopy and biopsy were performed and the result of the pathological examination was eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Due to the nonspecificity of EGE symptoms, it is recommended that clinicians study pathology in atypical and nonresponsive GI diseases; biopsy should be performed as well.

Neonatal sepsis in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis on national prevalence and causative pathogens

Background

Neonatal sepsis is accounted for 30–50% of annual neonatal deaths in developing countries. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis study to evaluate the national prevalence and identification of the etiological pathogens of neonatal sepsis in Iran.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was done on the national and international databases for studies published between 2000 and 2019. The DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used to calculate pooled prevalence estimates, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses and meta-regressions regarding the gender, type of sepsis and time during were also performed. Data were extracted, analyzed, and presented according to PRISMA guideline.

Results

Of 944 publications identified, 22 studies containing 14,683 neonates met the eligibility criteria. The pooled national prevalence of sepsis in Iran was 15.98% (95%CI, 11.96–20.46%; 1,367/14,683). Prevalence rate in boys (20.42%; 95%CI, 9.03–34.8%) was slightly higher than girls (18.5%; 95%CI, 7.4–32.8). A decreasing trend in prevalence of neonatal sepsis was found in recent years, although not statistically significant (c = -0.005; P value = 0.4). The most prevalent causative bacterial pathogens were Enterobacter spp. (23.04%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.54%), coagulase-negative Staphylococci (14.06%), Escherichia coli (13.92%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.67%), and Staphylococcus aureus (11.48%).

Conclusion

Our findings showed a high prevalence of neonatal sepsis in suspected neonates, suggesting the need to implement preventive measures, routine assessment, and close monitoring of neonates. Also, Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae were identified as the principal bacterial pathogens responsible for neonatal septicemia in Iran.

Global, Regional, and National Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years for 29 Cancer Groups, 1990 to 2017: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study

Importance

Cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are now widely recognized as a threat to global development. The latest United Nations high-level meeting on NCDs reaffirmed this observation and also highlighted the slow progress in meeting the 2011 Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases and the third Sustainable Development Goal. Lack of situational analyses, priority setting, and budgeting have been identified as major obstacles in achieving these goals. All of these have in common that they require information on the local cancer epidemiology. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study is uniquely poised to provide these crucial data.

Objective

To describe cancer burden for 29 cancer groups in 195 countries from 1990 through 2017 to provide data needed for cancer control planning.

Evidence Review

We used the GBD study estimation methods to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Results are presented at the national level as well as by Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income, educational attainment, and total fertility rate. We also analyzed the influence of the epidemiological vs the demographic transition on cancer incidence.

Findings

In 2017, there were 24.5 million incident cancer cases worldwide (16.8 million without nonmelanoma skin cancer [NMSC]) and 9.6 million cancer deaths. The majority of cancer DALYs came from years of life lost (97%), and only 3% came from years lived with disability. The odds of developing cancer were the lowest in the low SDI quintile (1 in 7) and the highest in the high SDI quintile (1 in 2) for both sexes. In 2017, the most common incident cancers in men were NMSC (4.3 million incident cases); tracheal, bronchus, and lung (TBL) cancer (1.5 million incident cases); and prostate cancer (1.3 million incident cases). The most common causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for men were TBL cancer (1.3 million deaths and 28.4 million DALYs), liver cancer (572 000 deaths and 15.2 million DALYs), and stomach cancer (542 000 deaths and 12.2 million DALYs). For women in 2017, the most common incident cancers were NMSC (3.3 million incident cases), breast cancer (1.9 million incident cases), and colorectal cancer (819 000 incident cases). The leading causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for women were breast cancer (601 000 deaths and 17.4 million DALYs), TBL cancer (596 000 deaths and 12.6 million DALYs), and colorectal cancer (414 000 deaths and 8.3 million DALYs).

Conclusions and Relevance

The national epidemiological profiles of cancer burden in the GBD study show large heterogeneities, which are a reflection of different exposures to risk factors, economic settings, lifestyles, and access to care and screening. The GBD study can be used by policy makers and other stakeholders to develop and improve national and local cancer control in order to achieve the global targets and improve equity in cancer care.

Global, regional, and national burden of stroke, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

BACKGROUND

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide and the economic costs of treatment and post-stroke care are substantial. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides a systematic, comparable method of quantifying health loss by disease, age, sex, year, and location to provide information to health systems and policy makers on more than 300 causes of disease and injury, including stroke. The results presented here are the estimates of burden due to overall stroke and ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke from GBD 2016.

METHODS

We report estimates and corresponding uncertainty intervals (UIs), from 1990 to 2016, for incidence, prevalence, deaths, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). DALYs were generated by summing YLLs and YLDs. Cause-specific mortality was estimated using an ensemble modelling process with vital registration and verbal autopsy data as inputs. Non-fatal estimates were generated using Bayesian meta-regression incorporating data from registries, scientific literature, administrative records, and surveys. The Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a summary indicator generated using educational attainment, lagged distributed income, and total fertility rate, was used to group countries into quintiles.

FINDINGS

In 2016, there were 5·5 million (95% UI 5·3 to 5·7) deaths and 116·4 million (111·4 to 121·4) DALYs due to stroke. The global age-standardised mortality rate decreased by 36·2% (-39·3 to -33·6) from 1990 to 2016, with decreases in all SDI quintiles. Over the same period, the global age-standardised DALY rate declined by 34·2% (-37·2 to -31·5), also with decreases in all SDI quintiles. There were 13·7 million (12·7 to 14·7) new stroke cases in 2016. Global age-standardised incidence declined by 8·1% (-10·7 to -5·5) from 1990 to 2016 and decreased in all SDI quintiles except the middle SDI group. There were 80·1 million (74·1 to 86·3) prevalent cases of stroke globally in 2016; 41·1 million (38·0 to 44·3) in women and 39·0 million (36·1 to 42·1) in men.

INTERPRETATION

Although age-standardised mortality rates have decreased sharply from 1990 to 2016, the decrease in age-standardised incidence has been less steep, indicating that the burden of stroke is likely to remain high. Planned updates to future GBD iterations include generating separate estimates for subarachnoid haemorrhage and intracerebral haemorrhage, generating estimates of transient ischaemic attack, and including atrial fibrillation as a risk factor.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The global and regional prevalence, burden, and risk factors for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in HIV-infected people: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is among the most important opportunistic pathogens in HIV+ patients, resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality.

METHODS

The MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were comprehensively searched for studies that investigated the prevalence of MRSA colonization in HIV+ patients. We used a random effects model to calculate pooled prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and analyzed data based on World Health Organization regions.

RESULTS

Among 9,772 records identified, 69 were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 30,050 HIV+ patients from 21 countries. We estimated the pooled worldwide prevalence of MRSA in people living with HIV to be 7% (95% CI 5%-9%, 1,623/30,050), with the highest prevalence in Southeast Asia (16%, 95% CI 9%-24%) and the region of the Americas (10%; 95% CI 7%-13%) and lowest prevalence in the European region (1%; 95% CI 0%-1%). Globally, we estimated approximately 2,659,000 (95% CI 1,835,000-3,303,000) HIV+ patients with colonized MRSA. Potential risk factors for MRSA colonization in HIV+ patients included previous MRSA infection (OR, 7.5; 95% CI, 3.91-14.37), hospitalization in the past year (OR, 1.87; 95% CI 1.11-3.16), and use of antibiotics (OR, 2.52; 95% CI 1.39-4.58).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings emphasize the importance of routine screening for MRSA among all HIV+ patients throughout the world, especially in regions that have a high burden of disease.

The significance role of regulatory T cells in the persistence of infections by intracellular bacteria

Regulatory T cells (Treg cells), are considered as effective immune cells playing a key role in immune response during cancers, autoimmune and infectious diseases. Regulatory T lymphocytes are divided into two main subgroups: natural Treg cells that generated during maturation in the thymus and have the suppressive activity that is critical for the establishment and maintenance of homeostasis in the body and induced Treg cells (iTreg) that are originated from naive T cells following the self-antigen recognition. In recent years, the roles of Treg in immune responses to microbial infections have received increased attention in researches. Several reports suggested the pivotal role of Treg cells in controlling responses to bacterial infections and demonstrated the impact of regulatory cells on one or more stages in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections. In this review, we describe the significance of regulatory T cells in the immunopathology of bacterial infections by focusing on specific bacterial infections including Mycobacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bordetella pertussis. Moreover, suppressive mechanisms of regulatory T cells during bacterial infection including cell-cell contact, local secretion of inhibitory cytokines and local competition for growth factors will be discussed.

The eminence status of bacterial pigments under different aspects

Several bacteria such as Flavobacterium, Serratias, Chromobacterium and Streptomyces that produce different pigments are playing a significant role in various fields of sciences. Alternatively, current knowledge about bacterial pigments is limited to medical bacteriology, for instance their importance in virulence factors and protective features, however recently the investigators have revealed the supplementary consequence of pigments in food, textile and pharmaceutical aspects.