Diagnosis of Porphyria

The porphyrias are disorders of heme synthesis, which has eight steps. Each type of porphyria involves a defect, either inherited or acquired, in a pathway enzyme. When the defect is physiologically significant, it results in overproduction of pathway precursors preceding the defective step which enter the circulation and are excreted into urine or bile. The diseases have been grouped as acute hepatic porphyrias and photocutaneous porphyrias. The acute porphyrias are due to hepatic overproduction of the porphyrin precursors, delta aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen, and the symptoms are caused by injury primarily to the nervous system. Cutaneous porphyria is due to overproduction of photosensitizing porphyrins by the liver or bone marrow, depending on the type of porphyria.

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Diagnostic Criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a result of injury or severe psychological shock, typically involving disturbance of sleep and constant vivid recall of the experience, with dulled responses to others and to the outside world.

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Diagnostic Criteria of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA)

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) accounts for 2%-12% of all cases of diabetes. Patients are typically diagnosed after 35 years of age and are often misdiagnosed as type II Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Glycemic control is initially achieved with sulfonylureas, but patients eventually become insulin dependent more rapidly than with type II DM patients.

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Diagnostic Criteria of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown cause that is characterized pathologically by an inflammatory and fibrotic process centered on the epithelium, leading to diffuse biliary stenosis and increased wall thickness throughout the intra- and extra-hepatic biliary trees.

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Interpretation of Dengue Diagnostic Tests

Dengue virus infection produces a broad spectrum of symptoms, many of which are non-specific. Thus, a diagnosis based only on clinical symptoms is unreliable. Early laboratory confirmation of clinical diagnosis may be valuable because some patients progress over a short period from mild to severe disease and sometimes to death. Early intervention may be life-saving.

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Diagnostic Criteria for Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM)

Inclusion body myositis is the most common myopathy in patients over the age of 40 years encountered in neurological practice. Although it is usually sporadic, there is increasing awareness of the influence of genetic factors on disease susceptibility and clinical phenotype. The diagnosis is based on recognition of the distinctive pattern of muscle involvement and temporal profile of the disease, and the combination of inflammatory and myodegenerative changes and protein deposits in the muscle biopsy.

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Symptoms and Diagnosis of Zika Virus Infection

Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.

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Criteria for the Diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (DSM-V)

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent anxiety and uncontrollable worry that occurs consistently for at least 6 months. This disorder is commonly associated with depression, alcohol and substance abuse, physical health problems, or all these factors.

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