ABSTRACT
We report the case of a 32-year-old female who developed polymyositis associated with scrub typhus. She exhibited the eschar with high titer of anti-Rickettsia(R)-tsutsugamushi antibody, severe muscle weakness, markedly elevated serum levels of muscle enzymes, EMG changes, and infiltration of macrophages in a muscle biopsy specimen. Initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy resulted in complete healing of scrub typhus and disappearance of symptoms and signs of polymyositis within 1 month after high dose steroid therapy. We suggest that scrub typhus also be included within the causes of idiopathic inflammatory polymyositis.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Biopsy , Macrophages , Muscle Weakness , Polymyositis , Scrub TyphusABSTRACT
Quadricuspid aortic valve is an uncommon congenital anomaly and cause of aortic regurgitation. We report two cases of quadricuspid aortic valve with aortic regurgitation. Case 1, a 51-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for fatigue and chest tightness. She had to and fro murmur along the left sternal border. Transthoracic echocardiography and transeso- phageal echocardiography showed grade 2-3 aortic regurgitation with quadricuspid aortic valve. The aortic valve consisted of four cusps of equivalent size(Hurwitz type a). Case 2, a 35-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for exertional dyspnea and chest tightness. He had grade 4/6 to and fro murmur along the left sternal border. Transthoracic echocardiography showed grade 4 aortic regurgitation with suggested quadricuspid aortic valve. The aortic valve consisted of two equal larger cusps and two equal smaller cusps and a supernumerary cusp located between the right and noncoronary cusps(Hurwitz type c). He was performed aortic valve replacement with a 21 mm On-X valve.