-
Absence of cross-toxicity between MET inhibitors in a non-small-cell lung cancer with a MET exon 14 skipping mutation Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 Ariane Vanderick, Benoît Colinet
Selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors are proven effective in patients with non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) with a MET exon 14 skipping mutation.The patient developed a metastatic lung adenocarcinoma ...
-
Factors to take into account when interpreting 25-hydroxy-vitamin D serum levels Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-07 Joris R Delanghe, Marijn M. Speeckaert, Thomas Maenhout
Assessing vitamin D status, typically evaluated using serum or plasma 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration, is complex because of various influencing factors.Seasonality significantly affec...
-
Flatten the curve. On a new covid-19 (hit) severity Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 J. Crombez, R. H. De Staelen
During the health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, the adagium was to ‘flatten the curve’. We investigate how well countries succeeded in this aim by constructing an appropriate severity measure. I...
-
Case report: diagnosis of VEXAS syndrome in a patient with therapy-resistant large vessel vasculitis Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-05 M. Boret, T. Malfait
VEXAS (Vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, Auto-Inflammatory, Somatic) syndrome is a recently identified multisystemic auto-inflammatory condition caused by somatic mutations in the UBA1 gene. This synd...
-
The potential role of vitamin D binding protein in kidney disease: a comprehensive review Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-03 Joris R. Delanghe, Charlotte Delrue, Reinhart Speeckaert, Marijn M. Speeckaert
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing health concern with a complex etiological landscape. Among the numerous factors implicated, vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) has emerged as a focal point o...
-
Flemish network on rare connective tissue diseases (CTD): patient pathways in systemic sclerosis. First steps taken Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Y. Piette, F. Van den Bossche, J. Aerts, N. Aerts, S. Ajeganova, V. Badot, N. Berghen, D. Blockmans, G. Brusselle, N. Caeyers, M. De Decker, P. De Haes, C. De Cock, F. De Keyser, E. De Langhe, M. Delcroix, H. De Nutte, M. De Pauw, A. Depicker, A. De Sutter, J. De Sutter, T. Du Four, C. Frank, J. Goubau, J. Guiot, J. Gutermuth, L. Heeman, F. Houssiau, I. Hennes, J. Lenaerts, A. Lintermans, B. Loeys
Despite the low prevalence of each rare disease, the total burden is high. Patients with rare diseases encounter numerous barriers, including delayed diagnosis and limited access to high-quality tr...
-
The development of the Belgian paediatric clinical trial network Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 E. Degraeuwe, L. Persijn, L. Nuytinck, K. Allegaert, L. De Taeye, E. Gasthuys, D. Christiaens, S. Karamaria, A. Raes, M. Turner, J. Vande Walle
Paediatric clinical trials are critical to ensure that medications prescribed to children are safe and effective. However, evidence-based dosing and labelling of such medications remain limited, an...
-
Human urea production, an ignored factor in the nitrogen debate Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Joris Delanghe
A public debate idealing with nitrogen (N) emissions is ongoing. Government reports use models in which the major N producers are agriculture and industry. Flemish NOx emission amounted to 26.4 kt ...
-
Belgian atopic dermatitis guidelines Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Hilde Lapeere, Reinhart Speeckaert, Marie Baeck, Bita Dezfoulian, Julien Lambert, Pierre-Paul Roquet-Gravy, Annelies Stockman, Jonathan White, Francisca Castelijns, Jan Gutermuth
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common, bothersome and difficult to treat skin disorders. Recent introduction of new systemic treatments has revolutionized the management of AD. The goal ...
-
Retrospective evaluation of an intervention bundle on OPAT implementation in a large non-university hospital Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Laetitia Missiaen, Dirk Vogelaers, Pieter-Jan De Roo, Frederik Van Hoecke, Bert Vanmierlo, Tine Ravelingien, Jodie Langbeen
Optimization of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) requires interdisciplinarity and an operational algorithm. This report retrospectively assesses the impact of a multimodal quality...
-
Heart failure with severely reduced ejection fraction after liver transplantation: a case report and review of the literature Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Dorien Pint, Andreas B. Gevaert, Thomas Vanwolleghem, Thiery Chapelle, Karolien Dams
Liver transplantation (LT) is a strenuous event for the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular events (CVE), including heart failure (HF), arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia, are important causes o...
-
Time to treat the climate and nature crisis as one indivisible global health emergency Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Kamran Abbasi, Parveen Ali, Virginia Barbour, Thomas Benfield, Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, Gregory E. Erhabor, Stephen Hancocks, Richard Horton, Laurie Laybourn-Langton, Robert Mash, Peush Sahni, Wadeia Mohammad Sharief, Paul Yonga, Chris Zielinski
Published in Acta Clinica Belgica: International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine (Vol. 79, No. 1, 2024)
-
The prevalence, risk factors and clinical implications of dehydration in older patients: a cross-sectional study Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Kubra Atciyurt, Cihan Heybeli, Lee Smith, Nicola Veronese, Pinar Soysal
Adequate hydration is essential for the maintenance of physiological functions. Older adults may not be able to maintain adequate hydration, which is often not recognized. Our aim was to investigat...
-
Work stress and burnout among emergency physicians: a systematic review of last 10 years of research Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 F. Somville, P. Van Bogaert, B. Wellens, H. De Cauwer, E. Franck
First, to provide a synthesis and analysis of available scientific literature regarding the level of work stress and burnout among emergency physicians. Second, to identify the effect of the specif...
-
The Belgian physiotherapy reimbursement criteria for fall prevention fails in screening appropriately fall-prone community-dwelling older adults Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Ellis Rommers, Mirko Petrovic, Robby de Pauw, Anke Van Bladel, Dirk Cambier
The incidence of falling in older adults has remained unchanged over the past decades, despite evidence-based prevention initiatives. Therefore, it is appropriate to reflect on the current screenin...
-
Development of quality indicators for antimicrobial stewardship in Belgian hospitals: a RAND – modified Delphi procedure Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-26 Sylvie Legros, Anna Vanoverschelde, Jens van Krieken, Yves Debaveye, Ann Versporten, Diana Huis in ’t Veld, Veerle Westelinck, Caroline Briquet, Christelle Vercheval, Isabel Spriet, Olivier Denis, Koen Magerman, Marc De Schepper, Franky Buyle
Inappropriate antibiotic use is a major cause of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, optimizing antibiotic usage is essential. In Belgium, optimization of antimicrobials for the fight against multidr...
-
Abstracts presented at the 27th Annual Congress of the Belgian Society of Internal Medicine, 1-2 December 2023, Dolce La Hulpe, La Hulpe, Belgium Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-11-29
Published in Acta Clinica Belgica: International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine (Vol. 78, No. sup1, 2023)
-
Acute stroke in patients taking an oral anticoagulant: impact of clinical pharmacist’s intervention on pharmacovigilance reporting Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-16 Eve-Marie Thillard, Chloé Rousselière, Johana Béné, François Caparros, Marie Bodenant, Pascal Odou, Sophie Gautier, Bertrand Décaudin
Introduction: Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke can occur to patients treated with oral anticoagulants (OAC), through lack of effectiveness or overdosing. Objective: To evaluate the impact of clinical...
-
Acquired factor X deficiency in a multiple myeloma without amyloidosis: a case report Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-16 Amber Coussee, Gudrun Alliet, Anne-Sophie Hervent, Liesbeth Vynckier, Jan Emmerechts, Sam Van Hecke, Lies Persijn
Multiple myeloma is one of the most common hematologic malignancies. Acquired factor X deficiencies are often observed in primary (AL) amyloidosis and rarely in multiple myeloma.We report a case of...
-
CPAP adherence after ambulatory and in-hospital management in patients aged 65 years and older Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-16 Charlène Collard, Maxime Regnier, Gisèle Maury
The aims of this study are to evaluate the early adherence to CPAP treatment in patients aged 65 years and older and to compare ambulatory (ACPAP) and in-hospital (HCPAP) management in starting CPA...
-
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Clostridioides difficile infection in a tertiary healthcare institution in Belgium Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-23 Bastien Tossens, Philippe Barthelme, Caroline Briquet, Leila Belkhir, Eléonore Ngyuvula, Kate Soumillion, Alexia Verroken, Hector Rodriguez-Villalobos, Michel Delmée, Ahalieyah Anantharajah
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) causes the greatest number of healthcare-associated infectious diarrhoea. CDIs are transmitted by direct and indirect patient-to-patient contact and risk in...
-
A first case of Chimaeribacter species catheter-related bloodstream infection Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-17 Stijn Van Hees, Stefanie Desmet, Lode VanOverbeke, Geertrui Mertens, Len Verbeke, Truus Goegebuer, Ann Lemmens
We present a case of a 80-year-old patient with a catheter-related bloodstream infection caused by Chimaeribacter species. The Chimaeribacter genus represents a novel genus within the Yersiniaceae ...
-
The concomitant use of paracetamol and flucloxacillin. A rare cause of high anion gap metabolic acidosis in the frail oldest old Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-13 Sarah Billet, Philippe Vanbiervliet, Mark Remery, Julien Dekoninck, Wim Janssens
This article describes the occurrence of a high anion gap metabolic acidosis (HAGMA) in two older, female patients with a methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infection. Both patients...
-
The 2023 Belgian clinical guidance on anticoagulation management in hospitalized and ambulatory COVID-19 patients Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-07 Thomas Vanassche, Matthias M Engelen, Christelle Orlando, Kristel Vandenbosch, Alain Gadisseur, Cedric Hermans, Kristin Jochmans, Jean-Marc Minon, Serge Motte, Harlinde Peperstraete, Pierre Péters, Muriel Sprynger, Patrizio Lancellotti, Isabelle Dehaene, Patrick Emonts, Christophe Vandenbriele, Peter Verhamme, Cecile Oury
COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk for thrombotic complications. The trials investigating the optimal thromboprophylactic dose are performed in challenging times and seemingly produce co...
-
Barriers and facilitators for physical activity on acute geriatric and rehabilitation wards: a survey study Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-30 Ine Mols, Margreet van Dijk, Maaike L. De Roo, Jos Tournoy, Bastiaan Van Grootven
During hospitalisation, physical inactivity is common among older patients and is associated with adverse outcomes, e.g. functional decline. This study identified barriers and facilitators of physi...
-
Regression of a melanoma brain metastasis that had appeared after immune checkpoint inhibitor discontinuation: a hypothesis-generating case Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-19 Julien Pierrard, Emmanuel Seront, Rachel Galot, Idil Gunes Tatar, Jean-François Baurain, Dario Di Perri
We present the case of a 50-year-old woman previously treated with nivolumab-ipilimumab combination therapy for a metastatic melanoma. Despite premature discontinuation of these immune checkpoint i...
-
Skeletal response to teriparatide in real-life setting: effects of age, baseline bone density and prior denosumab use Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-19 Valerie Konings, Michaël R. Laurent, Sigrid Janssens, Jolan Dupont, Evelien Gielen, Marian Dejaeger
Teriparatide (TPD) is an osteoanabolic agent used in patients with high osteoporotic fracture risk. Predictors of therapeutic response to TPD in real-life setting are not well characterised. This s...
-
Visceral leishmaniasis and potential role of vitamin D Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-10 Vitorino Modesto dos Santos, Taciana Arruda Modesto Sugai
Published in Acta Clinica Belgica: International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine (Vol. 78, No. 6, 2023)
-
Clinical approach to the older person with anorexia Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-06-22 Annelies Somers, Stany Perkisas, Sophie Bastijns, Femke Ariën, Anne-Marie De Cock
Anorexia is a challenging problem among older people. Apart from being the consequence of normal ageing, it can also be a symptom of underlying disease. Despite the high prevalence of anorexia, onl...
-
Inverse association between caffeine intake and albuminuria in US adults: an analysis of NHANES 2005-2016 Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-06-06 Qiqi Ma, Shuaihua Song, Gaosi Xu
Albuminuria is a significant biomarker of various kidney diseases and is associated with renal outcome. Recently, caffeine intake has shown potential renoprotective effects. However, the relationsh...
-
Clinical practice of hereditary angioedema in Belgium: opportunities for optimized care Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-05-27 DG Ebo, MM Van der Poorten, AL Van Gasse, R. Schrijvers, C. Hermans, M. Bartiaux, F. Haerynck, J. Willekens, H. Lapeere, M. Moutschen, O. Michel, V. Sabato
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disorder characterized by unpredictable painful and potentially life-threatening swelling episodes. The international WAO/EAACI guideline on the diagnosis and ...
-
A randomized n-of-1 study comparing blood pressure measured on a clothed arm and on an arm with a rolled-up sleeve Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-05-01 Robert L. Lins
ABSTRACT Background Blood pressure [BP] should be measured using a bare upper arm with an appropriately sized cuff. In practice, it is more convenient to measure BP on a bare arm below a rolled-up sleeve or on a sleeved arm. Aim A n-of-1 randomized controlled trial was performed to assess the difference between BP measurements over a sleeve or below a rolled-up sleeve. Methods The study subject was
-
Predictive value of coagulation variables and glycocalyx shedding in hospitalized COVID-19 patients – a prospective observational study Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-24 Sarah Thaler, Dana Stöhr, Tobias Kammerer, Tobias Nitschke, Dominik J. Hoechter, Florian Brandes, Martin Müller, Philipp Groene, Simon T. Schäfer
ABSTRACT Objectives Covid-19 disease causes an immense burden on the healthcare system. It has not yet been finally clarified which patients will suffer from a severe course and which will not. Coagulation disorders can be detected in many of these patients. The aim of the present study was therefore to identify variables of the coagulation system including standard and viscoelastometric tests as well
-
Characterisation of an interference affecting the triiodothyronine measurement on two different immunoassays Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-11 Louisiane Courcelles, Urszula Luyten, Loris Wauthier, Natacha Verbeke, Maria-Cristina Burlacu, Damien Gruson
ABSTRACT We report a case of falsely elevated triiodothyronine (T3) due to anti-T3 antibody interference in two immunoassays (Cobas 8000 e602® module (Roche Diagnostics) and Architect® i2000 (Abbott)). The interference was investigated using various laboratory methods including the search for heterophilic antibodies, biotin detection and the polyethylene glycol precipitation of potential interfering
-
Clinical, virological, and operational aspects of a single-center Belgian experience with in-hospital infusions of casirivimab/imdevimab and sotrovimab for mild/moderate COVID-19 Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-03 Sandrine Milas, Christophe Lelubre, Fabrizio Buttafuoco, Alberto Papaleo, Salah Eddine Lali, Anne Tamigniau, Soraya Cherifi
ABSTRACT Objectives To describe the clinical and virological characteristics of COVID-19 patients treated in a hospital with casirivimab/imdevimab and sotrovimab between June 2021 and April 2022 and to report the logistics for administering these monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). METHODS All COVID-19 adult patients treated with mAbs at CHU Charleroi (Belgium) were included. A multidisciplinary monoclonal
-
EUCAST rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) compared to conventional susceptibility testing: implementation and potential added value in a tertiary hospital in Belgium Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-03-31 Gregory Strubbe, Anne-Sophie Messiaen, Stien Vandendriessche, Bruno Verhasselt, Jerina Boelens
ABSTRACT Objectives EUCAST breakpoints for short incubation disk diffusion allow rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) directly from positive blood cultures. We evaluate the RAST methodology and assess its potential added value in a setting of low prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms. Methods In our two-part study, we performed RAST on 127 clinical blood cultures at 6 and 8 h
-
Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases as paraneoplastic phenomena: 3 illustrative case reports and narrative review of the literature Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-02-27 Anouck Poelman, Barbara Neerinckx, Benoit Beuselinck, Ellen De Langhe
ABSTRACT Objectives Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases can occur as paraneoplastic phenomena in the context of underlying malignancies. We present three illustrative clinical cases and a narrative literature review focusing on systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis and palmar fasciitis and polyarthritis syndrome. Methods Medical data of three patients from the University Hospitals Leuven were retrospectively
-
Outcome of novel oral anticoagulant versus warfarin in frail elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of retrospective studies Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-02-22 Jingjing Hu, Yidan Zhou, Zhaobin Cai
ABSTRACT Background Frail patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are thought to be at a higher risk for cerebral infarction and death than patients who are not frail, making preventive interventions important. Anticoagulants should be used in frailty patients with AF. However, there are limited data about anticoagulants in frail patients with AF. Therefore, we concucted this meta-analysis to find the
-
Using risk factors and markers to predict bacterial respiratory co-/superinfections in COVID-19 patients: is the antibiotic steward’s toolbox full or empty? Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-02-01 Johan Van Laethem, Jan Pierreux, Stephanie CM Wuyts, Deborah De Geyter, Sabine D Allard, Nicolas Dauby
ABSTRACT Background Adequate diagnosis of bacterial respiratory tract co-/superinfection (bRTI) in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients is challenging, as there is insufficient knowledge about the role of risk factors and (para)clinical parameters in the identification of bacterial co-/superinfection in the COVID-19 setting. Empirical antibiotic therapy is mainly based on COVID-19 severity and expert
-
Doege-Potter syndrome in a patient with a giant abdominal solitary fibrous tumor: a case report and review of the literature Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-01-15 Joris Rötgens, Bruno Lapauw, Guy T’Sjoen
ABSTRACT A 63-year-old man with spells of reduced consciousness in the morning and a giant abdominal mass presented to our institution for a second opinion. Investigation revealed non-diabetic hypoinsulinemic hypoglycemic events. Removal of the abdominal mass solved the hypoglycemia. Anatomopathological examination confirmed a solitary fibrous tumor (SFT). Doege-Potter syndrome was diagnosed. Doege-Potter
-
The effect of physical exercise on fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-01-12 Luna Vandenbulcke, Margot Erard, Dieter Van Assche, Ellen De Langhe
ABSTRACT Objective Fatigue is a prominent and disabling manifestation that impairs the quality of life of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients both physically and mentally. The majority of SLE patients reports fatigue as an unmet need. Physical exercise could help SLE patients to reduce fatigue and improve quality of life. Methods A systematic review was conducted to analyse the effectiveness
-
HOMA-IR and HOMA2-IR estimation based on glycated hemoglobin as an alternative for fasting glucose Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-12-27 Joris R. Delanghe, Evelyn Verlinde, Marijn M. Speeckaert, Thomas Maenhout
ABSTRACT Background Diabetes mellitus is a major global public health problem. Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) is a key laboratory index in the assessment of insulin resistance. The calculation of HOMA-IR and its updated version HOMA2-IR are partly based on plasma glucose determinations, which are prone to important pre-analytical errors. As glycated hemoglobin (Hb) fractions
-
Incidence, evolution and risk factors of hypophosphatemia in patients with solid tumors receiving ferric carboxymaltose: a retrospective cohort study Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-12-13 Alexander Decruyenaere, Koen Kortbeek, Sigurd Delanghe, Sylvie Rottey, Hannelore Denys, Lore Lapeire
ABSTRACT Objectives Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is increasingly used in the management of cancer-related anemia, yet it may cause hypophosphatemia. This retrospective study describes the incidence, evolution and risk factors of hypophosphatemia in a cohort of patients with solid tumors receiving FCM. Methods Serum phosphorus concentration was assessed longitudinally using a random intercepts model
-
Statin-induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy (SINAM): case report and review of the literature Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-12-13 Leander Cornelis, Julien Duyck, Franciska Dedeurwaerdere, Gert De Schoenmakere, Thomas Malfait
ABSTRACT Statins are a well-known and highly effective treatment for hypercholesterolemia in order to prevent cardiovascular disease. Occasionally, patients may experience muscle-related events such as myalgia or muscle cramps. Recently, SINAM (statin-induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy) has been described in patients using statins. Although very uncommon, it may cause a life-threatening situation
-
Abstracts presented at the 26th Annual Congress of the Belgian Society of Internal Medicine, 9-10 December 2022, Dolce La Hulpe, La Hulpe, Belgium Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-12-05
Published in Acta Clinica Belgica: International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine (Vol. 77, No. sup2, 2022)
-
Real-world hepatitis B antiviral treatment trends and adherence to practice guidelines: a large cohort study Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-11-30 Yana Davidov, Fadi Abu Baker, Ariel Israel, Ziv Ben Ari
ABSTRACT Background Epidemiologic data regarding chronic hepatitis B virus infections in Israel is limited as extensive population-based studies have not been performed. Objective This work aimed to evaluate the current characteristics of hepatitis B infection among Israeli adults and evaluate adherence to the European Association for the Study of the Liver practice guidelines for antiviral treatment
-
Real-world data on the efficacy and safety of tezacaftor-ivacaftor in adults living with cystic fibrosis homozygous for F508del and heterozygous for F508del and a residual function mutation Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-11-22 Stefanie Vincken, Sylvia Verbanck, Sue Braun, Nathalie Buyck, Christiane Knoop, Eef Vanderhelst
ABSTRACT Background To examine safety and efficacy of tezacaftor-ivacaftor (TEZ/IVA) in a real-life setting in adults living with cystic fibrosis. Methods A multicentre retrospective observational study, including adults living with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) eligible for TEZ/IVA, with assessments at baseline, 3 months (visit3mo) and 6 months (visit6mo) after start of treatment. Outcomes included change
-
Association between admission biomarkers and clinical outcome in older adults diagnosed with an infection in the emergency department Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-11-17 Lucas Flamant, Guillaume Giordano Orsini, Laurent Ramont, Marion Gornet, Sebastien De Ruffi, Pierre Leroux, Lukshe Kanagaratnam, Stéphane Gennai
ABSTRACT Introduction In older adults, prognostic performances of admission biomarkers have been poorly investigated. This study aims to compare the prognostic abilities of usual admission biomarkers, especially PCT and CRP, for major clinical outcomes, comparing older to younger adults diagnosed with an infection in the ED, and to investigate the prognostic abilities of PCT and CRP depending on the
-
A case of Leishmania infection with focal splanchnic involvement without systemic symptoms: a potential anti-inflammatory role for vitamin D Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-11-14 I Zaghi, L Ielasi, B Stagni, A Cascavilla, S Ferri, V Ambrosini, M Riefolo, S Varani
ABSTRACT Case Report: We report the case of a 59 year-old woman with persistent nausea, hyporexia, fatigue and mild abdominal discomfort. The patient was hospitalized upon suspicion of malignancy due to multiple hepatic and splenic nodules found on an abdominal ultrasound. Hypercalcemia emerged at initial diagnostic workup, which was considered secondary to iatrogenic vitamin D intoxication. After
-
Body mass index and occupational accidents among health care workers: in BMI we must trust? Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-11-14 Wim L.C. Van Hooste
Published in Acta Clinica Belgica: International Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine (Vol. 78, No. 4, 2023)
-
Ectodysplasin A is associated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease and poor long-term clinical outcome in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-10-27 Kenan Toprak, Mustafa Kaplangoray, Ali Palice, Mustafa Begenç Taşcanov, İbrahim Halil Altıparmak, Asuman Biçer, Recep Demirbağ
ABSTRACT Objectives Hepatokines are proteins secreted by hepatocytes and many hepatokines such as fetuin A/B, selenoprotein P have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of many metabolic dysfunctions such as diabetes, insulin resistance, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome by showing autocrine, paracrine and systemic effects. Ectodysplasin A (EDA) is a recently discovered hepatokine that plays
-
Mastocytosis and related entities: a practical roadmap Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-10-19 Michiel Beyens, Jessy Elst, Marie-Line van der Poorten, Athina Van Gasse, Alessandro Toscano, Anke Verlinden, Katrien Vermeulen, Marie-Berthe Maes, J. N. G. Hanneke Oude Elberink, Didier Ebo, Vito Sabato
ABSTRACT Mastocytosis is a complex heterogenous multisystem disorder that is characterized by pathologic activation or accumulation of neoplastic mast cells (MCs) in one or more organs. This clonal MC expansion is often associated with a somatic gain-of-function mutation (D816V in most of the cases) in the KIT gene, encoding for the MC surface receptor KIT (CD117), a stem cell growth factor receptor
-
Inconsistencies in laboratory investigations of hypertension in a young woman taking ethinylestradiol/drospirenone association Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-10-06 Patrice Dufour, Laurent Vroonen, Etienne Cavalier, Caroline Le Goff
ABSTRACT Case presentation A 34-year-old woman presented to the emergency department for arterial hypertension. Blood analysis requested by the endocrinologist showed very high level of aldosterone (1805 ng/L, normal values: <264 ng/L) and high level of renin activity (2.8 ng/mL/h, normal values: 0.1–2.0 ng/mL/h). The patient reported the use of Yasmin® (ethinylestradiol 30 µg/drospirenone 3 mg) continuously
-
Trends in oral anticoagulant prescription in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in Flanders and the impact of switching patients from vitamin K antagonists to DOACS in terms of the burden caused by complications of the disease: a registry-based study Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-09-29 Elvire Nakhoul, Bert Vaes, Pavlos Mamouris, Jean-Marie Degryse
ABSTRACT Context Since the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for the treatment of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (Afib), oral anticoagulants (OACs) prescription has evolved. Aim We aim first to explore the OACs prescription behaviour in Flanders from 2002 to 2019 before exploring the impact of switching patients from vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) to DOACs in terms of the burden caused
-
RSV induced rhabdomyolysis: a case report Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-09-06 Stijn Arnaert, Thomas Malfait, Astrid Deruyck, Farah Desoete, Maria Nersisjan, Inge Matthijs, Bart Maes
ABSTRACT Objective Rhabdomyolysis induced by an RSV infection is a clinical entity. Case presentation A few years ago, one case of severe rhabdomyolysis associated with RSV was described. We present the case of an 18-year-old patient without relevant medical history with a nearly asymptomatic presentation of severe rhabdomyolysis induced by an RSV infection. He consulted the primary physician because
-
Associations between anemia and insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness in older adults Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-08-29 Osman Kara, Tayfun Elibol, Saadet Koc Okudur, Lee Smith, Pinar Soysal
ABSTRACT Objective Sleep disorders including excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), insomnia and anemia are both common. The aim of this study is to investigate associations between anemia and insomnia/EDS in the elderly. Methods A total of 744 older outpatients were included in this cross-sectional study. Anemia was defined as a hemoglobin concentration below 12 g/dL in females and <13 g/dl in males
-
Prediction parameters of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction improvement in patients after acute coronary syndrome Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-08-24 Marija Bjelobrk, Tatjana Miljković, Aleksandra Ilić, Aleksandra Milovančev, Snežana Tadić, Snežana Bjelić, Dragana Dabović, Milenko Čanković, Vladimir Ivanović, Andrej Preveden, Dejana Popović
ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the effects of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CCR) in patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) resolved by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and to extract the parameters that have the greatest influence on LVDD improvement. Methods The study included 85 subjects who were divided
-
Truth or dare: switching BRAF/MEK inhibitors after acute interstitial nephritis in a patient with metastatic melanoma – A case report and review of the literature Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-08-23 Lore De Ryck, Sigurd Delanghe, Celine Jacobs, Sharareh Fadaei, Lieve Brochez, Michael Saerens
ABSTRACT Introduction The introduction of BRAF/MEK inhibitors has significantly improved overall survival of patients with BRAF V600-mutant advanced or metastatic melanoma. Most patients treated with BRAF/MEK inhibitors will experience adverse events during the course of their treatment. Kidney impairment, however, was rarely reported in the pivotal trials. To date, there are only three cases of biopsy-proven
-
Peritoneal tuberculosis caused by intravesical instillation with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) following nephroureterectomy in a patient with bladder and upper tract urothelial cancer: a case report Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-08-09 Charlotte Allaeys, Pieter De Backer, Karel Decaestecker, Camille Berquin, Karen Decaestecker, Steven Callens, Charles Van Praet
ABSTRACT Background The standard treatment for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is trans-urethral resection of the bladder (TURB) followed by instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The occurrence of peritoneal tuberculosis after intravesical BCG instillation is extremely rare and difficult to diagnose. Methods We report the case of a 79-year-old man with urothelial cell
-
The prospective screening for SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 antibodies delineates the factual incidence of COVID-19 and shows a sustained serological response post COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients Acta Clin. Belg. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-08-08 Louis Firket, Antoine Bouquegneau, Laurence Seidel, Catherine Bonvoisin, Stéphanie Grosch, Marie-Pierre Hayette, François Jouret, Laurent Weekers
ABSTRACT Background The impact of immunosuppression on the occurrence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear. Methods We conducted a prospective screening of anti-S1/S2 IgGs against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein from March, 1 2020 to May, 15 2021 (prior to the vaccination campaign) in a cohort of 713 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). In a first phase, the factual incidence and seroprevalence