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Deep Learning Technology: Sebastian Arnold, Betty van Aken, Paul Grundmann, Felix A. Gers and Alexander Löser. Learning Contextualized Document Representations for Healthcare Answer Retrieval. The Web Conference 2020 (WWW'20)
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"N"-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a precursor to glutathione, an antioxidant. It has been hypothesized that treatment with high doses of NAC may repair an oxidant–antioxidant imbalance that occurs in the lung tissue of patients with IPF. In the first clinical trial of 180 patients (IFIGENIA), NAC was shown in previous study to reduce the decline in VC and DLCO over 12 months of follow-up when used in combination with prednisone and azathioprine (triple therapy).
More recently, a large randomized, controlled trial (PANTHER-IPF) was undertaken by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA to evaluate triple therapy and NAC monotherapy in IPF patients. This study found that the combination of prednisone, azathioprine, and NAC increased the risk of death and hospitalizations and the NIH announced in 2012 that the triple-therapy arm of the PANTHER-IPF study had been terminated early.
This study also evaluated NAC alone and the results for this arm of the study were published in May 2014 in the New England Journal of Medicine, concluding that "as compared with placebo, acetylcysteine offered no significant benefit with respect to the preservation of FVC in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with mild-to-moderate impairment in lung function".
A Cochrane review comparing pirfenidone with placebo, found a reduced risk of disease progression by 30%. FVC or VC was also improved, even if a mild slowing in FVC decline could be demonstrated only in one of the two CAPACITY trials. A third study, which was completed in 2014 found reduced decline in lung function and IPF disease progression. The data from the ASCEND study were also pooled with data from the two CAPACITY studies in a pre-specified analysis which showed that pirfenidone reduced the risk of death by almost 50% over one year of treatment.
ILD is not a single disease, but encompasses many different pathological processes. Hence treatment is different for each disease.
If a specific occupational exposure cause is found, the person should avoid that environment. If a drug cause is suspected, that drug should be discontinued.
Many cases due to unknown or connective tissue-based causes are treated with corticosteroids, such as prednisolone. Some people respond to immunosuppressant treatment. Patients with a low level of oxygen in the blood may be given supplemental oxygen.
Pulmonary rehabilitation appears to be useful. Lung transplantation is an option if the ILD progresses despite therapy in appropriately selected patients with no other contraindications.
On October 16, 2014, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug for the treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). This drug, Ofev (nintedanib), is marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This drug has been shown to slow the decline of lung function although the drug has not been shown to reduce mortality or improve lung function. The estimated cost of the drug per year is approximately $94,000.
Many people with this condition have no symptoms. Treatment is aimed at the health problems causing the lung problem and the complications caused by the disorder.
Fast-acting drugs for RA include aspirin and corticosteroids, which alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. Slow-acting drugs termed disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), include gold, methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), which promote disease remission and prevent progressive joint destruction. In patients with less severe RA, pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs and physical rest are sufficient to improve quality of life. In patients with joint deformity, surgery is the only alternative for recovering articular function.
Prognosis is related to the underlying disorder and the type and severity of lung disease. In severe cases, lung transplantation can be considered. This is more common in cases of bronchiolitis obliterans, pulmonary fibrosis, or pulmonary hypertension. Most complications are not fatal, but does reduce life expectancy to an estimated 5 to 10 years.
The exact cause of rheumatoid lung disease is unknown. However, associated factors could be due largely to smoking. Sometimes, the medicines used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, especially methotrexate, may result in lung disease.
Prevention's:
- Stop smoking: Chemicals found in cigarettes can irritate already delicate lung tissue, leading to further complications.
- Having regular checkups: The doctor could listen to lungs and monitor breathing, because lung problems that are detected early can be easier to treat.
Interstitial lung disease (ILD), or diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD), is a group of lung diseases affecting the interstitium (the tissue and space around the air sacs of the lungs). It concerns alveolar epithelium, pulmonary capillary endothelium, basement membrane, perivascular and perilymphatic tissues. It may occur when an injury to the lungs triggers an abnormal healing response. Ordinarily, the body generates just the right amount of tissue to repair damage. But in interstitial lung disease, the repair process goes awry and the tissue around the air sacs (alveoli) becomes scarred and thickened. This makes it more difficult for oxygen to pass into the bloodstream. The term ILD is used to distinguish these diseases from obstructive airways diseases.
In children, several unique forms of ILD exist which are specific for the young age groups. The acronym chILD is used for this group of diseases and is derived from the English name, Children’s Interstitial Lung Diseases – chILD.
Prolonged ILD may result in pulmonary fibrosis, but this is not always the case. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is interstitial lung disease for which no obvious cause can be identified (idiopathic), and is associated with typical findings both radiographic (basal and pleural based fibrosis with honeycombing) and pathologic (temporally and spatially heterogeneous fibrosis, histopathologic honeycombing and fibroblastic foci).
In 2013 interstitial lung disease affected 595,000 people globally. This resulted in 471,000 deaths.
There have been attempts to control the inflammation using drugs that work in other conditions where inflammation is a problem. The most successful of these are steroids, but they have side effects when used long term. Other medications, including methotrexate, colchicine and canakinumab, have been tried with some success. Otherwise, the treatment is supportive, or aimed solely at controlling symptoms and maximizing function.
Treatment consists mainly of high dose antibiotics for active infections and prophylactic antibiotics for prevention of future infections. GM-CSF therapy or bone marrow transplant might be considered for severe cases. Prognosis is difficult to predict, but patients receiving treatment are generally able to survive to adulthood.
There is no specific treatment for Chédiak–Higashi syndrome. Bone marrow transplants appear to have been successful in several patients. Infections are treated with antibiotics and abscesses are surgically drained when appropriate. Antiviral drugs such as acyclovir have been tried during the
terminal phase of the disease. Cyclophosphamide and prednisone have been tried. Vitamin C therapy has improved immune function and clotting in some patients.
A new investigation has identified a seemingly successful treatment for LRBA deficiency by targeting CTLA4. Abatacept, an approved drug for rheumatoid arthritis, mimics the function of CTLA4 and has found to reverse life-threatening symptoms. The study included nine patients that exhibited improved clinical status and halted inflammatory conditions with minimal infectious or autoimmune complications. The study also suggests that therapies like chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, which inhibit lysosomal degradation, may prove to be effective, as well. Larger cohorts are required to further validate these therapeutic approaches as effective long-term treatments for this disorder.
No treatment is available to cure or slow down the progression of aspartylglucosaminuria. Bone marrow transplants have been conducted in hope that the bone marrow will produce the missing enzyme. The results of the tests thus far have shown to be inconclusive.
Since ear infections and respiratory infections are common for children diagnosed with aspartylglucosaminuria, it is best to have regular checkups for both the ears and the respiratory tract.
Extreme sensitivity to the sun’s rays may develop; the best way to protect an individual diagnosed with aspartylglucosaminuria is to have them wear sunglasses, hats or caps to protect their eyes.
Epilepsy and insomnia can both be treated with medication.
It will be beneficial to children who are diagnosed with AGU to receive an education from a school with special teaching.
Overall, the prognosis for patients with NOMID is not good, though many (80%) live into adulthood, and a few appear to do relatively well. They are at risk for leukemia, infections, and some develop deposits of protein aggregated called amyloid, which can lead to kidney failure and other problems. The neurologic problems are most troubling. The finding that other diseases are related and a better understanding of where the disease comes from may lead to more effective treatments.
The first line treatment for polymyositis is corticosteroids. Specialized exercise therapy may supplement treatment to enhance quality of life.
There does not yet exist a specific treatment for IP. Treatment can only address the individual symptoms.
In terms of beta-mannosidosis treatment there is none currently, individuals that exhibit muscle weakness or seizures are treated based on the symptoms(since there's no cure)
There have been no major breakthroughs in the treatment of PKAN, with most pharmacologic treatments focusing on the easing or temporary relieving of PKAN’s symptoms. Iron chelating agents have been used somewhat successfully in retarding the disorder, but they have not been a significant success.
Current research focuses on the future use of high dose pantothenate, the PANK2 enzyme substrate, in possibly alleviating symptoms as well as the further development of iron chelating agents that may be better aimed at reaching the central nervous system and working to better remove excess iron from the individual’s system.
Complications may result from the medication used to treat symptoms. Immobility from the disease can also lead to skin breakdown, respiratory infections, and blood clots, among others.
NARP syndrome is not curable. Symptomatic relief is targeted. Antioxidants play a role in improving the oxidative phosphorylation that is otherwise impaired.
There is no specific treatment but triggering anesthetics are avoided and relatives are screened for "RYR1" mutations as these may make them susceptible to MH.
As of today, no agreed-upon treatment of Dent's disease is known and no therapy has been formally accepted. Most treatment measures are supportive in nature:
- Thiazide diuretics (i.e. hydrochlorothiazide) have been used with success in reducing the calcium output in urine, but they are also known to cause hypokalemia.
- In rats with diabetes insipidus, thiazide diuretics inhibit the NaCl cotransporter in the renal distal convoluted tubule, leading indirectly to less water and solutes being delivered to the distal tubule. The impairment of Na transport in the distal convoluted tubule induces natriuresis and water loss, while increasing the reabsorption of calcium in this segment in a manner unrelated to sodium transport.
- Amiloride also increases distal tubular calcium reabsorption and has been used as a therapy for idiopathic hypercalciuria.
- A combination of 25 mg of chlorthalidone plus 5 mg of amiloride daily led to a substantial reduction in urine calcium in Dent's patients, but urine pH was "significantly higher in patients with Dent’s disease than in those with idiopathic hypercalciuria (P < 0.03), and supersaturation for uric acid was consequently lower (P < 0.03)."
- For patients with osteomalacia, vitamin D or derivatives have been employed, apparently with success.
- Some lab tests on mice with CLC-5-related tubular damage showed a high-citrate diet preserved kidney function and delayed progress of kidney disease.
Fortunately, severe systemic reaction to vaccine allergy is very rare in dogs. When it does occur, however, anaphylaxis is a life-threatening emergency. More often, dogs will develop urticaria, or hives within minutes of receiving a vaccine. When this occurs, a veterinarian will treat the reaction with antihistamines and corticosteroid drugs and this is usually effective. Future vaccine protocols must be modified according to the vaccine component suspected to have triggered the reaction.
There are no specific treatments for lipid storage disorders; however, there are some highly effective enzyme replacement therapies for people with type 1 Gaucher disease and some patients with type 3 Gaucher disease. There are other treatments such as the prescription of certain drugs like phenytoin and carbamazepine to treat pain for patients with Fabry disease. Furthermore, gene thereapies and bone marrow transplantation may prove to be effective for certain lipid storage disorders. Diet restrictions do not help prevent the buildup of lipids in the tissues.
Treatment plans will vary depending on the severity of the condition and its evidences in each patient.
Areas that will probably need to be evaluated and assessed include speech, vision, hearing and EEG. Treatment measures may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, Speech therapy, anti-seizure drugs and orthotic devices. Surgery may be needed to assuage spastic motor problems. Various supportive measures such as joint contractures that could prevent complications.
Genetic counseling may also be recommended
Increase the water intake to prevent oxalates to precipitate .
Minimize dietary intake of oxalates by restricting the intake of leafy vegetables , sesame seeds , tea , cocoa , beet root , spinach , rhubarb , etc.
Vaccines should be given in specific areas in order to: ease identification of which vaccine caused an adverse reaction, and ease removal of any vaccine-associated sarcoma.
In North America, vets adopted the practice of injecting specific limbs as far from the body as possible, with the rear "right for rabies", the rear "left for leukemia", and the right front shoulder (being careful to avoid the midline or interscapular space) for other vaccines (such as FVRCP).
This set of locations was not widely adopted outside of North America, and the international Vaccination Guidelines Group (VGG) made new recommendations that vaccines be administered:
- in subcutaneous (and not intramuscular) sites
- in the skin of the lateral thorax or abdomen (for easier excision of any FISS that occur)
- avoid the interscapular or intercostal regions (as more extensive surgical resection would be needed for sarcomas)
- in a different site on each occasion (either with general locations per species per year or diagrams of where administered on specific visit)