Determining the Association Between the Origin of Sepsis and the Severity of Sepsis in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients Using Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) IV.

Objective The objective of this study is to compare the outcomes of hospital mortality, the requirement of invasive ventilation, vasopressor requirement, duration of vasopressor requirement, and duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stay among the different causes of sepsis and to determine which cause of sepsis had the most severe outcomes. Methods A retrospective chart review was done in critically ill adult patients who were admitted with sepsis to the ICU from July 2017 until July 2019. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) IV scores were calculated on patients admitted to ICU on day one of ICU admission. Each patient was then evaluated for outcomes of hospital mortality, need for invasive ventilation, requirement of vasopressors, duration of vasopressors, and duration of ICU stay. The outcomes were then compared between the different sources of sepsis to determine which source of sepsis had the highest severity. Results In total, 176 patients were included in the study. Ninety-three patients were admitted with respiratory sepsis, 26 patients were admitted with gastrointestinal sepsis, 31 patients were admitted with urosepsis, and 26 patients were admitted with other miscellaneous causes of sepsis. The hospital mortality was highest in the respiratory sepsis group at 32%, with a trend towards statistical significance with a P value of 0.057. ICU stay duration was highest in patients with respiratory sepsis at six days, with a statistically significant P value of < 0.001. The need for invasive ventilation was highest in patients with respiratory sepsis at 64%, with a statistically significant P value of < 0.001. The requirement of vasopressor support was highest in patients with respiratory sepsis at 47% and the duration of vasopressors was highest in both respiratory and gastrointestinal sepsis at three days, however, there was no statistical significance. Conclusion Among the different origins of sepsis, the patients with respiratory sepsis had the most severe outcomes, with the highest need for invasive ventilation and the highest ICU stay duration.

Determining the Need for Additional Testing With Quantiferon TB Gold in Patients With Positive Tuberculin Skin Tests and a History of BCG Vaccination.

OBJECTIVE:  To determine if the QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) testing can be obviated for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in patients with a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) and a history of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination by identifying high-risk features in patients with positive TST and a history of BCG vaccination who are associated with positive QFT. METHODS:  Retrospective chart review was done for 76 adult patients by dividing them into two groups. Group 1 consisted of true positive TST patients who had BCG vaccination and were positive for QFT. Group 2 consisted of false positive TST patients who had BCG vaccination but were negative for QFT. The two groups were compared to determine if the high-risk features of TST induration diameter of 15mm and more, TST induration of 20mm and more, recent immigration to the US, the advanced age of more than 65 years, country of origin with high TB burden, known exposure to active TB, and smoking history were more prevalent in Group 1 compared to Group 2. RESULTS:  Group 1 had 23 patients and Group 2 had 53 patients. Group 1 had a higher prevalence of patients with PPD induration of more than 10mm than Group 2, which was statistically significant with a P value of 0.03. Other risk factors of advanced age, exposure to active TB and smoking did not show statistically significant differences between Groups 1 and 2.  Conclusion: This study also confirms that if the TST induration is more than 10mm in patients with a history of BCG vaccination, the TST induration is likely because of LTBI and is less likely because of cross-reaction with BCG vaccination.

An Incidentally Discovered Large Left Main Coronary Artery Aneurysm.

Left main coronary artery aneurysms (LMCAA) are rare. The most common cause is atherosclerosis followed by congenital malformations. Patients with LMCAA can present with shortness of breath and angina if there is coexisting obstructive coronary artery disease. Here we describe a patient incidentally found to have a 2 cm aneurysm of the left main coronary artery in the setting of an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and we discuss potential medical and surgical treatment options for this incompletely understood condition.

An Interesting Case of Congenital Intrahepatic Porto-hepatic Shunt as a Cause of Unexplained Encephalopathy.

Congenital portosystemic shunts can be divided into two types: intrahepatic shunts in which there is an abnormal connection between the branches of the portal vein and either the inferior vena cava or the hepatic veins and less commonly the extrahepatic type in which the portal system is connected to one of the branches of the mesenteric veins. Here we describe a 73-year-old woman who was admitted to the hospital with clinical evidence of encephalopathy and was found to have hyperammonemia. Abdominal computed tomography angiography was performed and revealed a dilated portal vein measuring up to 1.8 cm at the porta-hepatis along with dilated superior mesenteric and splenic veins. Multiple dilated vascular channels were identified within the right hepatic lobe. An intrahepatic portosystemic shunt between an enlarged middle hepatic vein and two separate branches of the right portal vein was demonstrated. A liver biopsy showed normal architecture with no evidence of inflammation or fibrosis. Portosystemic shunts are rare and often detected in adulthood but should be considered as an important cause of unexplained encephalopathy in the absence of cirrhotic liver disease or hepatic trauma. Given that the size of such shunts increases with age, older persons are more prone to the effect of toxic metabolites.This age-associated increase in shunt size may help explain why some patients remain asymptomatic until later in their life which may account for the late presentation in our patient.

Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients With Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic ketoacidosis entails a huge health burden among patients with diabetes. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of heart arrhythmia. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of AF on clinical outcomes in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis. METHODS: Using the 2012-2014 National Inpatient Sample database, we identified adult patients hospitalized with diabetic ketoacidosis as the principal discharge diagnosis. The identified admissions were stratified into 2 cohorts based on the AF presence. We used multivariable regression models and propensity score matching models to evaluate in-hospital mortality, length of stay, comorbidities, and in-hospital complications. RESULTS: The study included 478,890 adult patients who were admitted for diabetic ketoacidosis in the year 2012-2014. A total of 467,780 (97.68%) had no AF and 11,125 (2.32%) had AF. In both multivariable regression models and propensity score matching models, compared with nonatrial fibrillation group, the AF group had higher in-hospital mortality rates (2.36 [1.69-3.32], P < 0.001) and longer length of stay (5.5 versus 3.3 days, P < 0.001). AF was also associated with a significantly higher incidence of complications including septic shock, pulmonary failure, mechanical ventilation, neurological failure, cerebral edema, acute kidney injury, acute hematologic failure, and cardiac arrest. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who were hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis, comorbid AF led to increasing in-hospital mortality rates and longer length of stay. A potential explanation was that AF increased the risk of in-hospital complications including respiratory failure with a more frequent requirement for mechanical ventilation, cardiac arrest, and metabolic encephalopathy.

A potential role of toll-like receptors, IFN-γ and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in the pathogenesis of acquired mediastinal lymphatic malformation.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder with non-caseating granulomas in various organs. The etiology of sarcoid granuloma formation is not clear and likely an antigen-induced process. We came across a previously treated sarcoidosis patient who presented with worsening dyspnea on exertion for several months and several days of difficulty swallowing. On Chest CT imaging, large posterior mediastinal mass was found that subsequently diagnosed as macrocystic lymphatic malformation after surgical resection. Pathophysiology of development of acquired lymphatic malformations in a sarcoidosis patient is currently not clear. We hypothesize there might be a complex interplay of Toll-like receptors, IFN-γ and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in the pathogenesis.

Macrophage lipid accumulation in the presence of immunosuppressive drugs mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporin A.

OBJECTIVE: Mycophenolate (MPA) and cyclosporin A (CsA) are two immunosuppressive agents currently used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, reports regarding their effects on inflammation and lipid handling are controversial. Here, we compare the effect of these two drugs on the expression of proteins involved in cholesterol handling and lipid accumulation in a macrophage cell system utilizing M0, M1 and M2 human macrophages and in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). METHODS: Differentiated M0, M1 and M2 subsets of THP-1 human macrophages were subjected to various concentrations of either MPA or CsA. Expression of proteins involved in reverse cholesterol transport (ABCA1 and 27-hydroxylase) and scavenger receptors, responsible for uptake of modified lipids (CD36, ScR-A1, CXCL16 and LOX-1), were evaluated by real-time PCR and confirmed with Western blot. DiI-oxidized LDL internalization assay was used to assess foam cell formation. The influence of MPA was also evaluated in BMDM obtained from atherosclerosis-prone transgenic mice, ApoE-/- and ApoE-/-Fas-/-. RESULTS: In M0 macrophages, MPA increased expression of ABCA1 and CXCL16 in a concentration-dependent manner. In M1 THP-1 macrophages, MPA caused a significant increase of 27-hydroxylase mRNA and CD36 and SR-A1 receptor mRNAs. Exposure of M2 macrophages to MPA also stimulated expression of 27-hydroxylase, while downregulating all evaluated scavenger receptors. In contrast, CsA had no impact on cholesterol efflux in M0 and M1 macrophages, but significantly augmented expression of ABCA1 and 27-hydroxylase in M2 macrophages. CsA significantly increased expression of the LOX1 receptor in naïve macrophages, downregulated expression of CD36 and SR-A1 in the M1 subpopulation and upregulated expression of all evaluated scavenger receptors. However, CsA enhanced foam cell transformation in M0 and M2 macrophages, while MPA had no effect on foam cell formation unless used at a high concentration in the M2 subtype. CONCLUSIONS: Our results clearly underline the importance of further evaluation of the effects of these drugs when used in atherosclerosis-prone patients with autoimmune or renal disease.

Bordetella bronchiseptica pneumonia a thread in the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Bordetella (B.) bronchiseptica is primarily a zoonotic pathogen, which is often found in upper respiratory tract of various domestic and wild animals. Human infections are rarely reported in immunocompromised patients and are associated with a wide spectrum of presentation ranging from mild cough, tracheobronchitis to sepsis and death. Here, we describe a case of B. bronchiseptica pneumonia that led to the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection. The diagnosis of B. bronchiseptica infection can be challenging, as there are no distinctive imaging features. This infection mimics Pneumocystis jiroveci infection and unless a detailed evaluation of an unusual presentation is done it may be missed, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. This case emphasizes the importance of a systematic detailed investigation of patients with unusual pneumonia presentations.

Role of Vitamin D and Its Analogues in Diabetic Nephropathy: A Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy remains one of the most common causes of chronic kidney disease in the United States and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Recently, there have been emerging data highlighting the role of vitamin D and its analogue in chronic kidney disease especially diabetic nephropathy independent of its effect on bone metabolism. METHODS: This study aimed to evaluate effect of supplementing vitamin D and its analogues on halting or slowing progression of diabetic nephropathy. Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar) were searched and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the use of vitamin D and its analogs for diabetic nephropathy were studied. This meta-analysis of RCTs performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-analysis statement. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 9 RCTs and suggested a favorable trend with respect to an effect of vitamin D and its analogues on albuminuria though this did not reach statistical significance (MD, -0.17; 95% CI, -0.34-0.01; P = 0.06]. Serum calcium was unaffected suggesting safe use of these agents. CONCLUSIONS: Use of vitamin D and its analogues may have potential as an adjuvant therapy for reducing albuminuria and slowing progression of diabetic nephropathy but further studies are needed.