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AIM: Thymomas are characterised by their rarity, histologic variability and peculiar patterns of recurrence. Herein, we present the experience of a single institution and aim to highlight the major prognostic factors of these tumours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a retrospective study on 100 thymomas diagnosed between 1994 and 2011. Statistical analyses were performed using version 18.0 SPSS. The Kaplan Meier method was used to estimate survival, and survival curves were compared using the Log-Rank test. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: 50 men and 50 women underwent surgical resection for thymoma. Radiologic findings highlighted a diagnosis of thymoma in 51% of cases. The thymomas were classified as stage I in 25 cases, stage II in 47 cases, stage III in 25 cases and stage IV in 3 cases. According to the WHO classification, tumours were classified as type A in 14 cases, type AB in 24 cases, type B1 in 17 cases, type B2 in 20 cases, type B3 in 8 cases, B1/B2 in 8 cases and B2/B3 in 9 cases. The mean survival of patients was 136 months. Age, sex, tumour size, WHO classification and Masaoka stage were evaluated as prognostic factors. Univariate analysis showed that the major prognostic factors were WHO classification (p = 0.019) and Masaoka Stage (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our results place emphasis on the prognostic value of WHO classification and Masaoka stage in thymomas; in addition, the necessity of improving reproducibility of microscopic classification to avoid discrepancies among prognostic groups is highlighted.

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BACKGROUND: Pleural solitary fibrous tumour (PSFT) is a rare, usually benign tumour, with unpredictable behaviour. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five cases of PSFT were diagnosed in our department over a 12-year period from January 1999 to December 2010. Clinical, radiological, histological, therapeutic and follow-up information were provided in all cases. RESULTS: Our series comprised four men and one woman. The mean age of the patients at presentation was 55 years. All patients were symptomatic. Radiologic investigations showed a pleural lesion with a mean size of 10.6cm ranging from 3 to 17cm. Histologic diagnosis was made from resected parietal pleura in three cases and visceral pleura in two cases. The histologic features were suggestive of malignancy in two cases and benign in three cases. Immunohistochemical study showed that the tumour cells expressed vimentin, CD34, CD99 and Bcl2. Complete resection was obtained in all patients. The evolution was marked in the two patients with malignant PSFT by the recurrence of the tumour after 6 and 21 months respectively. Both died from the condition. The three patients with a benign form are disease-free after 3, 11 and 2 and half years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: PSFT is rare tumour, the diagnosis of which is based on histologic investigations. These tumours require long-term monitoring due to the possibility of local recurrence and malignant transformation.

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UNLABELLED: Insulin resistance and endogenous hyperinsulinemia are associated with blood hypertension. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this analysis is to estimate the prevalence of blood hypertension one year after insulin treatment in type 2 diabetic patients. MATERIAL: and methods: This is a retrospective clinical study of 178 type 2 diabetic patients (57 men and 121 women) insulin treated since at least one year. Mean age is 62 +/- 10 years and mean duration of diabetes is ten years. All patients had a clinical and biological control before treatment with insulin and at least three controls during the first year of insulin treatment (anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C). WHO definition of hypertension is used (blood pressure >or=140 / 90 mmHg). RESULTS: At baseline, 48% of patients have hypertension. After insulin treatment, the prevalence of hypertension significantly increase to 53% (94 / 178) three months later (p=0.008), to 54.5% (98 / 178) six months later (p=0.001) and to 55.6% (99 / 178) twelve months later. This increase in hypertension frequency is associated with a significant weight gain and a better blood glucose control. CONCLUSION: Insulin therapy may contribute to the development of blood hypertension. It promotes renal sodium retention and increases sympathetic nervous system activity. In the UKPDS intensive blood glucose control with insulin is not associated with an increase of macro vascular complications. These observational data suggest the need for further study of the relationship between exogenous insulin and hypertension.

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PURPOSE: The aim of our retrospective study was to explore the clinical and metabolic characteristics of newly diagnosed diabetes patients over the age of 30 years. METHODS: Study participants were consecutive, newly diagnosed patients with diabetes, over the age of 30 years, presenting to our university hospital department between January 1999 and June 2003. Clinical and metabolic data were collected retrospectively by medical record review. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy patients were included; mean age was 54.1+/-14.0 years; 49% were women and a family history of diabetes was reported in 52% of patients. Patients presented with acute complications in 40% of cases. Symptoms of polyuria-polydipsia and weight loss were present at diagnosis in 87% and 76% of cases respectively. 58% of our patients were obese or overweight (BMI> or =25 kg/m(2)), hypertension was present in 22%, hypertriglyceridemia in 27% and high LDL cholesterol in 27%. Neuropathy was diagnosed in 24%, nephropathy in 13%, coronary heart disease in 9%, retinopathy in 8% of cases, stroke in 3% and peripheral arterial disease in 2%. Insulin was prescribed initially in 47% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that clinical symptoms and acute ketosis are the most common presenting features of diabetes mellitus in adults at the hospital level. Associated chronic complications are frequent.

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