Gastrointestinal Kaposi Sarcoma without Dermatological Lesions: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Kaposi sarcoma is a malignancy of the vascular endothelium. It is associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection, typically found with HIV/AIDS. It is rarely seen presenting as visceral involvement without any cutaneous lesions. Few case reports have described this. CASE REPORT We report a case of visceral Kaposi sarcoma (specifically, gastrointestinal lesions) without any cutaneous lesions in a 35-year-old man with HIV/AIDS who presented with abdominal pain, fatigue, and melena of a 15-day duration. Physical examination revealed tachycardia and hypertension, with a negative orthostatic sign. There were no visible signs of bleeding or cutaneous lesions, no abdominal pain, and a digital rectal examination was negative. Laboratory test results were significant for severe microcytic anemia, with hemoglobin level of 3.3 g/dL, decreased ferritin and iron levels, high red cell distribution width, and reticulocyte index lower than appropriate for anemia level. The absolute CD4 count was 33/uL, and the viral load was 56 895 copies/mL. Hemoglobin was optimized with packed red cells prior to endoscopy, and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis was started. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy revealed small and large bowel hemorrhagic stellate and annular lesions of varying sizes. Pathology reports from biopsy of the lesions seen in the procedure reported Kaposi sarcoma positive for HHV-8. He underwent chemotherapy with doxorubicin and showed clinical and laboratory improvement after treatment. CONCLUSIONS Kaposi sarcoma should be considered and investigated in patients with HIV/AIDS who are not on highly active antiretroviral therapy and present with gastrointestinal bleeding as an initial symptom, without any cutaneous lesions.

Acute Pancreatitis Simulating Myocardial Infarction: A Challenging Case.

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition with varying local and systemic complications and variable severity. Although rare, cardiovascular complications induced by acute pancreatitis are rarely described in the literature. Epigastric pain with acute pancreatitis often simulates electrocardiographic changes in the absence of coronary artery abnormalities, resulting in a diagnostic dilemma for optimal treatment and management. We underline a case of acute pancreatitis complicated by acute coronary syndrome in a patient who presented with chest heaviness, dyspnea, nausea, and worsening epigastric pain associated with vomiting. Clinical and laboratory evaluations and using imaging modalities were suggestive of acute pancreatitis mimicking myocardial infarction (MI) in the absence of coronary artery abnormalities.

Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction As Initial Thrombotic Event of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: A Rare Challenging Case.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare autoimmune and devastating blood disorder that results in micro-clots throughout the body, leading to tissue damage and organ dysfunction resulting in widespread microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, fever, and neurological symptoms. TTP patients commonly manifest renal and neurological symptoms; however, cardiovascular involvement is not widely reported in the literature. We report a case of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) as an initial manifestation of TTP. Although rare, TTP complications must be considered among other possible causes of unexpected thrombocytopenia during acute phase treatment of acute coronary syndrome because of high morbidity and mortality.

Prevalence and impact of tobacco use disorder on in-hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with non-group 1 pulmonary hypertension: a nationwide propensity score-matched analysis, 2019.

Numerous studies indicated that patients with tobacco use disorder (TUD) are inversely associated with mortality in what is known as the smoker's paradox. However, limited studies have been conducted on the impact of TUD on the in-hospital mortality rates of patients with secondary pulmonary hypertension (PH, Non-Group 1 PH). Using the 2019 National Inpatient Sample, we identified PH and divided it into TUD and non-TUD to compare the comorbidities and in-hospital mortality between the two after 1:1 propensity-score matching. Of 1,129,440 PH hospitalizations, 12.1 % had TUD. After matching (n=133545, each group), TUD had lower median age (62 vs. 63), higher females (49 vs. 46.6 %), blacks (25.9 vs. 25.3 %), lower household income (40.8 vs. 32.7 %), Medicaid (22.4 vs. 14.8 %), non-elective (93.5 vs. 89.8 %), rural (9.3 vs. 6.7 %), urban non-teaching (17.2 vs 15.8 %) admissions. All CV comorbidities and other substance use were higher in TUD except CHF and valvular heart disease, TUD+ cohort and lower mortality (3.3 vs. 4.2 %, OR 0.78, p<0.001), higher routine discharges (53.8 vs. 51.3 %, p<0.001) and lower total charges ($47155 vs. 51909, p<0.001) than non-TUD. Although PH patients with TUD had a higher comorbidity burden, they had lower in-hospital mortality rates along with lower total charges of hospitalization, mandating real-world data to validate these results. See also the Graphical abstract(Fig. 1).

A Systematic Review of COVID-19 Vaccine-Induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A 2023 Update.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a life-threatening transient left ventricular dysfunction triggered by either physical or emotional stressors. Concerns have been raised on reports of TCM after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Our study provides comprehensive detail on COVID-19 vaccine-induced TCM. We conducted a systemic literature search using major databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar up to November 2023, to identify cases of COVID-19 vaccine-induced TCM using the MeSH terms and keywords "covid-19 vaccines" and "takotsubo cardiomyopathy". We identified 15 case reports, including 16 patients with COVID-19 vaccine-induced TCM. The mean age was 55.81 ± 19.13 years, and 75% of the patients were female. The most common presentation was chest pain (62.5%), and the average time to first symptom onset was 3.12 ± 2.24 days. COVID-19 vaccine-induced TCM was reported in 43.75% of patients receiving the first and second dose each, and 87% of patients had messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna). The elevated level of cardiac troponins was found in all the patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <50% in 15 patients, and T-wave inversion (50%) was the most common electrocardiographic finding. The mean length of the hospital stay was 7.27 ± 3.95 days, and 87% of patients were discharged. COVID-19 vaccine-induced TCM is a rare but life-threatening complication. TCM should be included in the differential diagnosis of chest pain or dyspnea in patients recently receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

A Rare Case of Sheehan Syndrome With Cardiac Tamponade.

Sheehan syndrome, also called postpartum hypopituitarism, is primarily caused by ischemic necrosis of the pituitary resulting from a complicated pregnancy. As the clinical presentations occur years after the complication, it is difficult to diagnose this condition. In this report, we discuss the case of a 35-year-old female with altered mental status, generalized edema, and loss of appetite. The condition was complicated due to the comorbidities of multiple medical conditions such as massive pericardial effusion and untreated jaundice. Her anorexic condition perfectly masked the malnourished appearance of the patient. After multiple laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging, the empty sella turcica of the patient propounded Sheehan syndrome. Replacement of the deficient hormones improved her condition after two weeks. Patients with complicated pregnancy history should be advised for diagnostic imaging early in life to appropriately manage Sheehan syndrome. A delay in diagnosis can have significant health and financial loss. Hormone replacement therapy is the only viable option as there is no cure to treat necrosed pituitary.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease in a Young Female: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, a rare immune-mediated disorder presenting with lymphadenopathy, leukopenia, and occasionally fever. Herein we report a case of KFD who presented with anorexia, fever, and cervical lymphadenopathy. Lymph node biopsy and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of KFD. She was treated with prednisolone and paracetamol, and her condition improved gradually on subsequent follow-up. A patient presenting with fever and lymphadenopathy leads to prompt investigations for common diseases such as tuberculosis and lymphoma. However, rare diseases like KFD must be kept in mind, and a lymph node biopsy followed by histopathologic examination and immunohistochemistry should be done to confirm the diagnosis.

Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A 2021 Update on Diagnosis, Management, and Current Challenges.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experience neuropsychiatric symptoms. The term neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) is a generic term that refers to a series of neurological and psychiatric symptoms directly related to SLE. In approximately 30% of patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms, SLE is the primary cause (NPSLE), and symptoms manifest more frequently around SLE onset. Neurovascular and psychotic conditions can also lead to NPSLE. Pathogenesis of NPSLE is implicated in both neuroinflammatory and ischemic mechanisms, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. After diagnosing and assigning causality, NPSLE treatment is individualized according to the type of neuropsychiatric manifestations, type of the predominant pathway, activity of SLE, and severity of the clinical manifestations. There are many problems to be addressed with regards to the diagnosis and management of NPSLE. Controlled clinical trials provide limited guidance for management, and observational cohort studies support symptomatic, antithrombotic, and immunosuppressive agents. The purpose of this review was to provide a detailed and critical review of the literature on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of NPSLE. This study aimed to identify the shortcoming in diagnostic biomarkers, novel therapies against NPSLE, and additional research needs.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy in Undiagnosed Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Rare Case Report.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder known to affect the nervous system by direct neuronal damage, vasculitis, or pathologic mechanisms indirectly induced by immune mechanisms related to the production and deposition of immune complexes. SLE has a wide range of clinical manifestations due to the involvement of almost every organ system of the body. SLE presents with serositis, mucositis, arthralgia, glomerulopathy, hematological, cutaneous, and hematological manifestations. Among the neurological manifestations of SLE, posterior reversible encephalopathy is rarely described in the literature. We report a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy in a female patient who presented with seizures, altered mentation, headache, and blurry vision in the setting of undiagnosed SLE.

Association of Guillain-Barre Syndrome With COVID-19: A Case Report and Literature Review.

There is growing evidence of neurological involvement in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), suggesting that Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) can also occur with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as a neurological complication. Herein, we describe a unique case of a 45-year-old male who manifested with sudden onset progressive symmetric ascending paralysis leading to quadriplegia one week after developing fever, cough, and dyspnea. On examination, he had areflexia in lower limbs and hyporeflexia in upper limbs. Hypoesthesia to fine touch and vibration distal to calf was noted. His reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was positive for COVID-19, and his cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed albumin-cytologic dissociation. The diagnosis of GBS was made based on clinical presentation and neurophysiological studies due to COVID-19. He was commenced on intravenous immunoglobulin, and improvement in his condition was observed. He was discharged to a rehabilitation center for regular physical therapy.

Exceptionally Large Kidneys in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Disease in India.

We report a case of exceptionally large kidneys in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) in India. A 43-year-old male with a family history of ADPKD presented with abdominal pain, intermittent fever, and a sense of bilateral fullness in both flanks. On examination, he had bilaterally enlarged kidneys extending towards iliac fossae. The serum metabolic panel revealed elevated serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Ultrasound abdomen and pelvis showed enlarged kidneys with parenchyma replaced by multiple varying-sized cysts and few cysts in both the kidneys leading to hemorrhagic transformation. CT abdomen showed bulky bilateral kidneys with multiple non-communicating cysts, with few cysts showing the hemorrhagic and calcific transformation. The right kidney measured 30.3 x 15 cm, weighing 9 lb, was resected. The left kidney measured 37.0 x 14.0 cm and was resected three months later. The specimen weighed 19.8 lb. Histopathological examination showed a gross specimen with a bossellated surface composed of sub-capsular multiple cysts of varying sizes. Both the enlarged kidneys were resected due to cyst hemorrhage and infection. The patient is currently on hemodialysis until he receives a renal graft.