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Objective To describe a group of patients with suspected acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) diagnosis, and identify factors associated with a greater risk of presenting this disease. Design Non‐concurrent cohort study. Setting A single‐centre non‐concurrent follow‐up of patients with suspected AIFRS between August 2015 and July 2018. Participants 50 inpatients referred due to suspected AIFRS at Hospital Clínico Universidad Católica based on the association of a predisposing factor (neutropenia/immunodeficiency/poorly controlled diabetes) with fever of unknown origin. Main outcome measure The primary outcome was AIFRS diagnosis, defined as a concordant tissue biopsy. Results Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis was confirmed in 18% (9/50) of the evaluated patients. AIFRS was significantly associated with a positive galactomannan (P = .04), and a paranasal sinus MRI with lack of contrast enhancement (LoCE) (P = .04) orbit compromise (P = .03) or global extrasinusal extension (P = .04). LoCE and extrasinusal extension in the paranasal sinus/brain MRI were risk factors for AIFRS (OR 16; CI 1.2‐210.6 and OR 12.75; CI 1.3‐128.8, respectively). Conversely, a nasal endoscopy showing healthy mucosa was identified as a protective factor for AIFRS (OR 0.06; CI 0.007‐0.57). Conclusions In patients with suspected AIFRS, we identified laboratory and radiologic variables associated with the disease, which may help for a more accurate diagnostic algorithm and approach in this population.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune mediated disease and the progressive phase appears to have significant neurodegenerative mechanisms. The classification of the course of progressive MS (PMS) has been reorganized into categories of active vs. not active inflammatory disease and the presence vs. absence of gradual disease progression. Clinical trial experience to date in PMS with anti-inflammatory medications has shown limited effect. Andrographolide is a new class of anti-inflammatory agent, that has been proposed as a potential drug for autoimmune disorders, including MS. In the present trial, we perform an exploratory pilot study on the efficacy and safety of andrographolide (AP) compared to placebo in not active PMS. Methods: A pilot clinical trial using 140 mg oral AP or placebo twice daily for 24 months in patients with not active primary or secondary progressive MS was conducted. The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean percentage brain volume change (mPBVC). Secondary efficacy endpoints included 3-month confirmed disability progression (3-CDP) and mean EDSS change. Results: Forty-four patients were randomized: 23 were assigned to the AP group, and 21 were assigned to the placebo group. The median baseline EDSS of both groups was 6.0. Annualized mPBVC was − 0.679% for the AP group and − 1.069% for the placebo group (mean difference:-0.39; 95% CI [− 0.836-0.055], p = 0.08, relative reduction: 36.5%). In the AP group, 30% had 3-CDP compared to 41% in the placebo group (HR: 0.596; 95% CI [0.200-1.777], p = 0.06). The mean EDSS change was − 0.025 in the AP group and + 0.352 in the placebo group (mean difference: 0.63, p = 0.042). Adverse events related to AP were mild rash and dysgeusia. Conclusions: AP was well tolerated and showed a potential effect in reducing brain atrophy and disability progression, that need to be further evaluated in a larger clinical trial. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02273635 retrospectively registered on October 24th, 2014.

Portal biliopathy (PB) is a disorder characterized by biliary ductal and gallbladder wall abnormalities seen in patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction. These abnormalities consist mainly of bile duct compression and tethering, stenoses, fibrotic strictures and dilatation of both extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts, as well as gallbladder varices. In this pictorial essay, we describe the imaging findings of PB, which allow differentiation of this entity from other diseases that may have similar imaging findings including cholangiocarcinoma, extrinsic compression of the bile duct caused by metastatic adenopathy or sclerosing cholangitis.

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