0
selected
-
1.
Vitamin D, zinc and glutamine: Synergistic action with OncoTherad immunomodulator in interferon signaling and COVID‑19 (Review).
Name, JJ, Vasconcelos, AR, Souza, ACR, Fávaro, WJ
International journal of molecular medicine. 2021;(3)
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), was identified in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then, it has continued to spread rapidly in numerous countries, while the search for effective therapeutic options persists. Coronaviruses, including SARS‑CoV‑2, are known to suppress and evade the antiviral responses of the host organism mediated by interferon (IFN), a family of cytokines that plays an important role in antiviral defenses associated with innate immunity, and has been used therapeutically for chronic viral diseases and cancer. On the other hand, OncoTherad, a safe and effective immunotherapeutic agent in the treatment of non‑muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), increases IFN signaling and has been shown to be a promising therapeutic approach for COVID‑19 in a case report that described the rapid recovery of a 78‑year‑old patient with NMIBC with comorbidities. The present review discusses the possible synergistic action of OncoTherad with vitamin D, zinc and glutamine, nutrients that have been shown to facilitate immune responses mediated by IFN signaling, as well as the potential of this combination as a therapeutic option for COVID‑19.
-
2.
Juvenile transient bone marrow oedema of the foot associated with Vitamin D deficiency: A case study and an overview of pathogenesis and treatment.
Kaspiris, A, Savvidou, OD, Chrronopoulos, E, Vasiliadis, E
Foot (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2019;:50-53
Abstract
Bone Marrow Oedema Syndrome during childhood is a rare benign transient condition without clear pathophysiology. It usually resolves after conservative treatment, but resolution may exceed up to 8 months. A 12-year-old child with bone marrow oedema of the left foot which was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is reported. She presented with a six week subacute pain and mild swelling on the dorsal surface of the foot. Routine plain radiographs, blood tests, biochemical and serological tests were normal with the exception of serum Vitamin D levels that were reduced. The management of the child included partial weight-bearing, administration of anti-inflammatory drugs and supplementation of Vitamin D due to insufficient Vitamin D intake. After six months the child did not have any clinical symptoms and MRI showed complete resolution of the oedema. This is the first report of a juvenile bone marrow oedema correlated with hypovitaminosis D that was successfully treated with Vitamin D administration.
-
3.
[Severe hypercalcemia of unusual cause, looking for the culprit: Case report and review of the literature].
Jalbert, M, Mignot, A, Gauchez, AS, Dobrokhotov, AC, Fourcade, J
Nephrologie & therapeutique. 2018;(4):231-236
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hypercalcemia is not a rare event and can lead to severe consequences. Its main etiologies are primary hyperparathyroidism and neoplasic conditions. The iatrogenic etiology by vitamin D intoxication is more rarely found. CASE PRESENTATION A 76-year-old finish woman comes to the emergency room for chest pain. Her medical history is impossible to specify due to the language barrier and initial confusion. She has severe hypercalcaemia (4.14mmol/L), renal insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmia later complicated by an ischemic cardiac episode. Clinic and biologic examinations initially guided the research towards a hematological and neoplasic pathology. The iatrogenic etiology will be permitted by the contribution of details on its medical history and treatment learnt secondly. She was treated for post-surgical hypoparathyroidism by dihydrotachysterol, a vitamin D derivative. The cessation of substitution, treatment with hydration and biphosphonates allowed the rapid correction of hypercalcemia. DISCUSSION Dihydrotachysterol intoxication is a rare etiology of hypercalcemia. Because of the longer half-life of this molecule, the risk of hypercalcemia seems to be greater than with other vitamin D derivatives. This molecule, withdrawn from the French market in 1982, is not detected by the dosage of 25 and 1.25 OH vitamin D. CONCLUSION We report an original case of intoxication by dihydrotachysterol. The risk of hypercalcemia encountered with this molecule must be known. The close medical follow-up recommended in case of hypoparathyroidism seems to be particularly necessary in case of supplementation by this molecule.
-
4.
Remission of Severe Myasthenia Gravis After Massive-Dose Vitamin D Treatment.
Cadegiani, FA
The American journal of case reports. 2016;:51-4
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D has been shown to be related to autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. Correlations have been reported between vitamin D levels and prevalence and severity of other autoimmune disorders, and also between vitamin D therapy and disease improvement and remission. CASE REPORT This is a case report of a patient with severe and refractory myasthenia gravis (MG) who followed a "high-dose vitamin D treatment", a massive-dose treatment (80,000 to 120,000 IU/day) promoted by a medical center in Brazil (but still not proven), and she had her first complete remission after this type of treatment with increased vitamin D serum levels (400 to 700 ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS This case report may reinforce the reported correlation between vitamin D level and disease severity and introduces a possible new use for vitamin D as a potential target for treating autoimmune diseases. We recommend large, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized studies using high-dose vitamin D treatment for refractory autoimmune diseases to reliably assess this pharmacotherapy target for these diseases.
-
5.
Genetic Disorders of Vitamin D Metabolism: Case Series and Literature Review.
Khokhar, A, Castells, S, Perez-Colon, S
Clinical pediatrics. 2016;(5):404-14
-
6.
Effects of Pre-surgical Vitamin D Supplementation and Ketogenic Diet in a Patient with Recurrent Breast Cancer.
Branca, JJ, Pacini, S, Ruggiero, M
Anticancer research. 2015;(10):5525-32
Abstract
BACKGROUND A woman, mother of one at the age of 19 years, was diagnosed with mammary adenocarcinoma in the right breast in 1985 at the age of 37 years. The patient underwent surgery (quadrantectomy), lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy. In 1999, an adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in the left breast, followed by adequate resection, radiotherapy and anti-oestrogen receptor treatment for 6 years. In March 2014, an infiltrating adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in the remaining part of the right breast that had been operated on and irradiated in 1985. CASE REPORT The pre-surgical biopsy, showed weak positivity for progesterone receptor (PgR) (<1%), high positivity for oestrogen receptor (ER) (90%), high positivity for human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) (>10%, score 2+), and high positivity for the nuclear protein Ki67 (30%). In the three weeks between diagnosis and operation, when no other treatment had been planned, the patient decided to self-administer high doses of oral vitamin D3 (10,000 IU/day), and to follow a strict ketogenic diet. RESULTS Following right mastectomy, analysis of the surgical specimen showed no positivity for HER2 expression (negative, score 0), and significant increase in positivity of PgR (20%). Positivity for ER and Ki67 were unaltered. CONCLUSION This observation indicates that a combination of high-dose vitamin D3 and ketogenic diet leads to changes in some biological markers of breast cancer, i.e. negativization of HER2 expression and increased expression of PgR.
-
7.
Severe vitamin D deficiency in a patient with sickle cell disease: a case study with literature review.
Kaza, PL, Moulton, T
Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology. 2014;(4):293-6
Abstract
PURPOSE Vitamin D is essential for the normal absorption of calcium and to maintain calcium homeostasis. Vitamin D deficiency results in rickets, osteomalacia, and bony changes in the spine. Sickle cell disease patients are at an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency. CASE PRESENTATION We describe a case of severe vitamin D deficiency and response to vitamin D supplementation in a patient with sickle cell disease. CONCLUSIONS Currently, there are no recommendations for calcium and vitamin D supplementation in sickle cell patients. Vitamin D deficiency in these patients may be due to poor absorption.
-
8.
Normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism-characteristics and clinical significance of an emerging entity.
Shlapack, MA, Rizvi, AA, Lopez, FA
The American journal of the medical sciences. 2012;(2):163-166
Abstract
The epidemiology and presentation of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is changing. Full-blown disease in its tertiary stage is rarely seen. Instead, asymptomatic hypercalcemia draws more attention because of the widespread use of screening laboratory tests. In recent years, clinicians have started ordering intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) assays for a variety of reasons (eg, during the evaluation of fractures, nephrolithiasis, osteomalacia and low bone mass), even in individuals who have no evidence of hypercalcemia. The increased levels of iPTH without an underlying etiology may represent an early phase, or a distinct subtype, of PHPT, termed as normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (NPH). The prevalence and clinical significance of NPH are unknown and are a matter of great debate. No guidelines regarding management of this entity exist. The authors describe a patient who had increased levels of iPTH, osteopenia and normal calcium and vitamin D. There was no discernible secondary cause for hyperparathyroidism (renal insufficiency, osteomalacia, vitamin D deficiency, lithium use, etc), and no intervention was offered aside from periodic monitoring of laboratory values and bone density. Analysis of data in patients with NPH should include elucidation of its natural history, temporal patterns in calcium level and prevalence of low bone mass, nephrolithiaisis and fragility fractures and could assist in devising evidence-based guidelines for management of the condition. Further characterization of NPH will be of benefit in defining its clinical impact and associated complications, to clarify the rationale behind the use of the iPTH assay as a screening test, and to assist in management of this entity.
-
9.
Solar radiation and vitamin D: mitigating environmental factors in autoimmune disease.
Schwalfenberg, GK
Journal of environmental and public health. 2012;:619381
Abstract
This paper looks at the environmental role of vitamin D and solar radiation as risk reduction factors in autoimmune disease. Five diseases are considered: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disease of the thyroid, and inflammatory bowel disease. Clinical relevant studies and factors that may indicate evidence that autoimmune disease is a vitamin D-sensitive disease are presented. Studies that have resulted in prevention or amelioration of some autoimmune disease are discussed. An example of the utility of supplementing vitamin D in an unusual autoimmune disease, idiopathic thrombocytic purpura, is presented.
-
10.
Improvement of chronic back pain or failed back surgery with vitamin D repletion: a case series.
Schwalfenberg, G
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM. 2009;(1):69-74
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
This article reviews 6 selected cases of improvement/resolution of chronic back pain or failed back surgery after vitamin D repletion in a Canadian family practice setting. Pub Med was searched for articles on chronic back pain, failed back surgery, and vitamin D deficiency. Chronic low back pain and failed back surgery may improve with repletion of vitamin D from a state of deficiency/insufficiency to sufficiency. Vitamin D insufficiency is common; repletion of vitamin D to normal levels in patients who have chronic low back pain or have had failed back surgery may improve quality of life or, in some cases, result in complete resolution of symptoms.