Secondary Amyloidosis Presenting as Ischemic Proctitis.

A 49-year-old man presented with abdominal pain and rectal bleeding for two days associated with a 50-pound unintentional weight loss. History was notable for hypertension, chronic kidney disease, obesity, gout, and acute cholecystitis status post cholecystectomy. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis showed rectal wall thickening. Colonoscopy showed proctitis with superficial ulcerations. In the setting of renal insufficiency, malabsorption, and low-voltage QRS complexes on electrocardiogram (ECG), amyloidosis was considered in the differential diagnosis. Rectal and renal biopsies with subsequent retrospective staining of gallbladder tissue confirmed amyloid deposition. Gastrointestinal involvement of amyloidosis is relatively uncommon. Particularly, amyloid deposition in the gallbladder and rectum is very rare. The development of AA amyloidosis in our patient may have been related to gout, obesity, and the presence of a heterozygous complex variant for the MEFV (familial Mediterranean fever) gene. Awareness of this atypical presentation of amyloidosis is important, as additional staining of biopsy samples is necessary, and diagnosis allows for directed treatment.

Complications and Management of Eptifibatide-Induced Thrombocytopenia.

BACKGROUND: Eptifibatide is used in acute coronary syndromes to reversibly block platelet aggregation by inhibiting the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor. A serious adverse effect of eptifibatide is a profound drop in platelet count, termed eptifibatide-induced thrombocytopenia (EIT). OBJECTIVE: To provide insight into the types of complications and management of EIT. METHODS: Cases of EIT submitted to the Food and Drug Administration adverse event reporting system were evaluated. Data analyses included management of EIT, complications of thrombocytopenia, initial platelets, and platelet nadir following eptifibatide. RESULTS: 103 cases of EIT were reported from January 2010 to 2019; 57 cases met the Naranjo scale and were included. Only 37 of those cases contained information on how EIT was managed. Eptifibatide administration was withheld in all 37 of those cases. Platelet transfusions were administered in 20 cases (54%). Two cases were managed with steroids (5.4%), and 1 case used intravenous immunoglobulin G to reverse EIT (2%). The median initial platelet count prior to administration of eptifibatide was 207 000 cells/mm3 (SD = 69 000; n = 27), and median platelet nadir was 9000 cells/mm3 (SD = 19 000; n = 35) The majority of complications of EIT included bleeding events (16/28, 57%). Delayed procedures, prolonged stay, allergic reactions, and thrombosis were each reported in 3 patients (10.75%). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Most cases of EIT were managed by withholding eptifibatide with platelet transfusion if necessary. The majority of complications included bleeding. However, significant procedure delays, prolonged hospital stay, thrombosis, and allergic reactions were also reported.

Polycythemia in neonatal intensive care unit, risk factors, symptoms, pattern, and management controversy.

BACKGROUND: Polycythemia (PC) is defined as venous hematocrit (hct) ≥65%.( ) Its incidence is high among certain risk factors (RFs). Its management is controversy. AIMS: TO DETERMINE: (1) The incidence of PC in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). (2) Most common RF, symptoms, and laboratory abnormalities (LA) associated with PC and their effect on the length of hospital stay (LOS). (3) Whether noninvasive interventions are effective in reducing hct. (4) Hct pattern of PC neonates. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: NICU at a maternity and children hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records review of all neonates from March 2011 to August 2013. Inclusions criteria were: (1) Venous hct ≥65%. (2) Neonates born in our institution. (3) Early umbilical cord clamping. (4) Gestational age ≥34 weeks. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Chi-square and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and one PC neonates were eligible. Incidence of PC in our NICU is 14.5%. The most common RF, symptoms, and LA were: Small for gestational age, jaundice and hypoglycemia respectively. Tachypnea (  P - 0.04) and oliguria (P - 0.03) significantly prolonged LOS. Noninvasive interventions or observation could not reduce the hct significantly (P - 0.24). The hcts mean peaked maximally at a mean of 2.8 h of age. CONCLUSION: PC incidence in our NICU is higher than the reported incidence in healthy newborns. Most of the PC neonates were either symptomatic or having LA. Noninvasive interventions or observation were not effective in reducing hct in polycythemic neonates. Hct in both healthy and PC neonates peaked at the same pattern.

Patients' satisfaction and opinions of their experiences during admission in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan - a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: It is often felt that developing countries need to improve their quality of healthcare provision. This study hopes to generate data that can help managers and doctors to improve the standard of care they provide in line with the wishes of the patients. METHODS: It was a cross sectional study carried out at a major tertiary care hospital of Karachi. Patients between the ages of 18 and 80 years admitted to the hospital for at least one day were included. Patients in the maternity, psychiatry and chemotherapy wards and those in the ICU/CCU were excluded. A pretested, peer reviewed translation of a validated patient satisfaction scale developed by the Picker Institute of Europe was administered. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients (response rate: 78.6 %) filled the questionnaire. Patient satisfaction was at levels comparable to European surveys for most aspects of hospital care. However, nearly half the patients (48%) felt they had to wait too long to get a bed in the hospital after presenting to the ER. 68.6% of the patients said that they were never asked for views on the quality of care provided. 20% of the patients did not find anyone in the staff to talk to about their worries and fears while 27.6% felt that they were given emotional support to only some extent. Up to one third of the patients said they were not provided enough information regarding their operative procedures beforehand. CONCLUSION: Although several components of patient care equal the quality levels of the west, many sections require considerable improvement in order to improve health care provision. The healthcare team needs to get more involved with the patients, providing them greater support and keeping them informed and involved with their medical treatment. Efforts should be made to get regular feedback from the patients.

Liaison psychiatry and depression in medical inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of depression among hospitalized patients, the socio-demographic variables associated with depression and the number of cases referred by physicians to Psychiatry. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi. An anonymous Urdu version of the WHO-developed self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ) was administered to inpatients meeting the inclusion criteria. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 13.0. RESULT: Of the 225 patients approached, 178 completed the questionnaire (men= 45.2%, women = 54.8%). The mean age of the sample was 45.2 years. Out of the total 30.5% of patients were identified as having probable depression, among which housewives were more likely to be depressed compared to others (p=0.031). Among variable comparison, there with secondary school education or below and those with psychiatric co-morbidities, showed significantly greater prevalence of depression (p=0.003) and (p=0.005) respectively. Attending physicians correctly diagnosed 7 (13%) patients and referred only 3 patients to Psychiatry over the previous month. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression among inpatients is comparable to that in the general population. Being a housewife, level at or below secondary school education and having a past psychiatric history are significant factors associated with depression in medical inpatients. A very small number of depressed cases were referred to a psychiatrist.