RESUMEN
There is conflicting information in the medical literature regarding hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count syndrome (HELLP) and preeclampsia and whether they are subsets of a single disease or distinct complications of pregnancy. In numerous places, HELLP is described as a severe form or later stage of preeclampsia. However, a detailed medical literature search utilizing NCBI, PubMed, and Elicit: The AI Research Assistant clearly demonstrates that HELLP and preeclampsia are distinct diseases. While they share similarities, each one has unique diagnostic criteria, pathophysiology, and treatment. We believe that these entities should be taught as separate entities to medical students and residents because this will result in better patient care. Medical educational theories, including constructivism, demonstrate that initial learning experiences heavily influence future learning. The joining of HELLP and preeclampsia in medical school teaching materials is detrimental to students' and trainees' long-term understanding of these two serious complications of pregnancy.
RESUMEN
The disease, cystic fibrosis, is caused by the malfunction of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. Expression of functional CFTR may normally regulate extracellular pH via control of bicarbonate efflux. Reports also suggest that the CFTR may be a Cl-/HCO3- exchanger. If true, this could be very important for treatment of CF given the airway host defense system is quite sensitive to pH, and acidic pH been found to increase mucus viscosity. We compared evidentiary support of four possible models of CFTR's role in the transport of bicarbonate: 1) CFTR as a Cl-channel that permits bicarbonate conductance, 2) CFTR as an anion Cl-/HCO3- exchanger (AE), 3.) CFTR as both a Cl-channel and an AE, and 4.) CFTR as a Cl-channel that allows for transport of bicarbonate and regulates an independent AE. The effect of stimulators and inhibitors of CFTR and AEs were evaluated via iodide efflux and studies of extracellular pH. This data, as well as that published by others, suggest that while CFTR may support and regulate bicarbonate flux it is unlikely it directly performs Cl-/HCO3- anion exchange.