Search

To compare the frequency of abnormal cervical cytology in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with that of healthy women without connective tissue diseases by using ThinPrep® liquid based Pap Tests(TM) . A retrospective case-control study over 2 years was conducted. The cases included all women with SLE who had Pap tests during their treatment period. The control group included all women without SLE or other connective tissue diseases (CTDs) that had routine Pap tests in the same period. The age and demographic features were adjusted and matched for both groups. Statistical analysis included Chi-Square test and Fischer exact test. The SLE group (n= 55) showed significantly (P < 0.05) more abnormal cervical squamous epithelial abnormalities [14 positive cases (25.4%) than the controls (n = 8,175, with 285 positive cases (3.5%)]. Women with SLE had statistically significant higher frequency and prevalence of squamous intraepithelial lesions than women without SLE of similar age and demographic background. The data suggested that women with SLE might benefit from more frequent cervical cytology screening., (Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Lesions of the mesoappendix are rare. The majority are benign and incidental pathologic findings. They rarely present clinically or radiologically. A spectrum of infectious, tumor-like, and neoplastic lesions can involve the mesoappendix and the periappendiceal tissue. Pathologists usually pay little attention to the gross examination of the mesoappendix in appendectomy specimens in comparison to the appendix itself. This could lead to a missed opportunity to identify mesoappendiceal lesions, despite being rare, but some are clinically important for the patient's management. Pathologists should perform careful gross examination and sectioning of the mesoappendix. A retrospective review study of 4371 appendectomy specimens over four years showed eight cases (0.18%) with a variety of mesoappendiceal and periappendiceal lesions. Most (five cases) were benign incidental pathologic findings (lymph nodes with reactive follicular hyperplasia, ectopic decidua, infarcted epiploica and peritoneal cyst), one case was a rare occurrence (inflammatory fibroid tumor), and few others (two cases) were clinically important findings (tuberculosis and schistosomiasis). They were more commonly found in young adult males with a male to female ratio of 7:1., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)