Hypoalbuminemia as a risk factor for thromboembolic events in inflammatory bowel disease inpatients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are chronic entities characterized by local and systemic inflammation and may be associated with thrombosis. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of thromboembolic events (TEE) in hospitalized IBD patients and identify risk factors for their occurrence. METHODS: This retrospective, single-center study included patients treated at a Brazilian IBD referral unit between 2004 and 2014. Patients hospitalized for more than 48 hours due to active IBD and who did not receive prophylaxis for TEE during hospitalization were included. Patients were allocated to 2 groups: those with TEE up to 30 days or at the time of hospitalization (TEE-group) and patients without TEE (control-group). Clinical and laboratory characteristics were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 53 patients evaluated, 69,8% with Crohn's disease (CD) and 30.2% with ulcerative colitis (UC). The prevalence of TEE 30 days before or during hospitalization was 15.1%, with 10.8% in CD and 25% in UC. In the TEE group, mean serum albumin was 2.06 g/dL versus 3.30 g/dL in the control group. Patients with albumin levels below 2.95 g/dL (43.18%) had a higher risk of developing TEE (relative risk, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.53) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Albumin levels were significantly lower in patients with TEE, and hypoalbuminemia was considered a risk factor for the development of TEE in this population.

Multiple hepatic metastases of cardiac angiosarcoma.

The differential diagnosis of hepatic focal lesions is challenging because the etiology can be inflammatory, infectious, and even neoplastic. A rare cause of metastatic liver nodules is cardiac angiosarcoma. We report a case of this tumor, which was diagnosed only after autopsy. A 26-year-old Caucasian man was admitted for progressive dyspnea and cough over the past 3 weeks. Physical examination showed only hypophonetic heart sounds. Laboratory analysis demonstrated anemia and elevated inflammatory markers, despite normal biochemical parameters and liver function. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed massive pericardial effusion. Abdomen computed tomography (CT) showed multiple hepatic nodules, the largest of which measured 3 cm, but the percutaneous biopsy revealed only lobular necrosis and perisinusoidal fibrosis without granulomas or neoplastic cells. During hospitalization, the patient had fever and night sweats with weight loss, and empiric treatment for extrapulmonary tuberculosis associated with corticosteroids was initiated. The outpatient follow-up revealed complete improvement of the pericardial effusion, but maintenance of the liver lesions. After 2 months of hospital discharge, the patient was readmitted with hemorrhagic shock due to bleeding liver lesions, which were evidenced by CT. Embolization of the right hepatic artery was performed, but the patient soon died. The autopsy revealed a primary cardiac angiosarcoma with multiple hepatic metastases, rupture of the Glisson's capsule and laceration of the liver. The case shows how important and difficult the diagnosis of focal liver lesions is, since it may result in an unexpected fatal outcome.