Beneath the Surface: Exploring Hidden Threats of Long-Term Corticosteroid Therapy to Bone Density.

Within the field of medical treatments, corticosteroids are potent substances that efficiently reduce inflammation and immunological responses, making them essential for the management of a wide range of medical ailments. However, continued use of these synthetic drugs presents a serious risk: the onset of osteoporosis brought on by corticosteroids. Determining the complex pathways by which corticosteroids cause a general disturbance in bone metabolism, suppress osteoblast function, increase osteoclast activity, and upset the delicate balance of bone remodelling emphasizes the need for all-encompassing management and prevention approaches. In this review, we aim to expose the complexities of corticosteroid-induced bone loss and urge for personalized, proactive measures to improve long-term therapeutic outcomes.

Retraction: Saddle Aortic Embolism Following Recovery From Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.18074.].

Saddle Aortic Embolism Following Recovery From Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a multi-organ disease with a wide range of manifestations. Coagulopathy is one of the well-recognized complications of COVID-19. We report the case of a 42-year-old man who presented with progressively worsening low back pain of two days in duration. The pain was burning in character, non-radiating, and was not related to movement. The patient had a recent history of severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation and has stayed in the intensive care unit for eight days. He was discharged three days before the acute onset of his back pain. Examination of the lumbar spine was unremarkable. However, lower limb examination revealed coldness and absent pulses bilaterally. The patient underwent computed tomography angiography which revealed complete occlusion of the lower abdominal aorta at its bifurcation. Emergency endovascular treatment was performed to aspirate the clot. The symptoms resolved following the procedure and the patient was discharged on the third post-intervention day. Saddle aortic embolism is a rare life-threatening condition that may present solely with low back pain. The case demonstrated a possible complication of COVID-19 that occurred after the recovery from the acute phase of the disease.