Infective Pleural Effusions-A Comprehensive Narrative Review Article.

Infective pleural effusions are mainly represented by parapneumonic effusions and empyema. These conditions are a spectrum of pleural diseases that are commonly encountered and carry significant mortality and morbidity rates reaching upwards of 50%. The causative etiology is usually an underlying bacterial pneumonia with the subsequent seeding of the infectious culprit and inflammatory agents to the pleural space leading to an inflammatory response and fibrin deposition. Radiographical evaluation through a CT scan or ultrasound yields high specificity and sensitivity, with features such as septations or pleural thickening indicating worse outcomes. Although microbiological yields from pleural studies are around 56% only, fluid analysis assists in both diagnosis and prognosis by evaluating pH, glucose, and other biomarkers such as lactate dehydrogenase. Management centers around antibiotic therapy for 2-6 weeks and the drainage of the infected pleural space when the effusion is complicated through tube thoracostomies or surgical intervention. Intrapleural enzymatic therapy, used to increase drainage, significantly decreases treatment failure rates, length of hospital stay, and surgical referrals but carries a risk of pleural hemorrhage. This comprehensive review article aims to define and delineate the progression of parapneumonic effusions and empyema as well as discuss pathophysiology, diagnostic, and treatment modalities with aims of broadening the generalist's understanding of such complex disease by reviewing the most recent and relevant high-quality evidence.

Impact of Liver Transplantation on Carbon Monoxide Production as Measured by Arterial Carboxyhemoglobin Levels in Cirrhotic Patients with and without Hepatopulmonary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Hepatic dysfunction is associated with increased production of carbon monoxide. End-stage liver disease patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) have been shown to have higher blood carbon monoxide levels than those without HPS. The impact of liver transplantation on blood carbon monoxide levels is currently unknown. We assessed the impact of liver transplantation on blood carbon monoxide and whether this is affected by HPS. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eligible liver transplant recipients had room air arterial blood gas testing performed before and after liver transplantation. The carboxyhemoglobin fraction was obtained from arterial co-oximetry and used as a surrogate for carboxyhemoglobin production. Mean arterial carboxyhemoglobin fraction before transplantation was compared to that after transplantation. Mean absolute and median relative pre- to post-transplant within-patient change in carboxyhemoglobin fraction was compared between those with and without HPS. RESULTS Thirty-nine transplanted cirrhotic patients were analyzed, of whom 14 (36%) met criteria for hepatopulmonary syndrome. The mean pre-transplant carboxyhemoglobin fraction was higher than the post-transplant fraction (2.6 vs 1.8, difference 0.8 [95% CI 0.4-1.2]; P value 0.0002). Of the 14 patients with HPS, 11 (79%) experienced a decrease in their carboxyhemoglobin fraction after liver transplantation; among the 25 patients without HPS, 16 (64%) experienced such a decrease (P=0.48). Neither the absolute nor relative within-patient pre- to post-transplant change in carboxyhemoglobin fraction was significantly different between patients with and without HPS. CONCLUSIONS Blood carbon monoxide levels decreased significantly in cirrhotic patients following liver transplantation, but HPS did not affect the magnitude of this change.

Hammering home the sickle: an instructive case of endobronchial anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

It is extremely unusual for primary pulmonary lymphoma, an uncommon occurrence in any form, to be of T-cell origin and to manifest as an endobronchial lesion. Each of these characteristics is rare individually, so cases that combine them are exceptional. We report a patient in whom primary pulmonary anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a T-cell neoplasm, presented with obstruction of the left upper lobe bronchus, resulting in left upper lobe atelectasis and creating the radiographic luftsichel sign. We briefly discuss anaplastic large cell lymphoma as a whole, place our case in the context of previously published literature on endobronchial anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and review the genesis of the luftsichel sign.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Associated With Parvovirus B19 in a Patient With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and life-threatening condition characterized by widespread inflammation due to massive immune activation and cytokine release. It is of 2 types, primary or familial and secondary or acquired. Diagnosis is made by fulfilling 5 of 8 criteria as determined by the Histiocyte Society. Treatment includes etoposide, dexamethasone, with or without intrathecal methotrexate in the presence of neurologic involvement as well as treating the underlying cause in secondary HLH. We present a case of a 23-year-old female with congenital human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who presents with nonspecific signs and symptoms of cough, fever, leukopenia, and anemia, and a high-serum parvovirus B19 DNA, later diagnosed with HLH and treated with etoposide and dexamethasone. She made clinical improvements and was successfully discharged to home after 26 days of admission.

Placement of markers to assist minimally invasive resection of peripheral lung lesions.

With development of lung cancer screening programs and increased utilization of radiographic imaging there is significantly higher detection of smaller lung nodules and subsolid lesions. These nodules could be malignant and pose a diagnostic challenge. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) represent minimally invasive methods for tissue sampling. Intraoperative identification of these lesions maybe difficult, requiring marking prior to surgery. We review different techniques for the placement of markers to assist in the resection of peripheral lung lesions (PLL).

Unusual presentation of urban leptospirosis complicated by a septic shock.

Leptospirosis, an infectious zoonosis, is common to tropical areas. The clinical presentation varies from flu-like symptoms to a serious presentation called Weil's syndrome. Fever and conjunctival suffusion are present in the majority of patients. This case report describes a resident of New York City who presented initially with gastroenteritis symptoms without fever or conjunctival suffusion to develop septic shock before being diagnosed with leptospirosis.

Encephalitis treatment - a case report with long-term follow-up of EBV PCR in cerebrospinal fluid.

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been found to cause infectious mononucleosis multiple times, but has been associated rarely with EBV encephalitis. Also, whenever it is diagnosed, it is always treated symptomatically. CASE REPORT: A case of confirmed EBV encephalitis is presented, which was treated with antiviral therapy resulting in complete clearance of the virus in cerebrospinal fluid and minimal neurologic symptoms after hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: The Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines state that intravenous acyclovir is not recommended for EBV-related encephalitis. But we reviewed the literature and found similar cases, and we believe that antiviral therapy should be recommended for EBV encephalitis because it is a potentially fatal disease and if left untreated, can lead to raised intracranial pressure, craniotomy and even death.

A Rare Case of Septic Shock Secondary to Emphysematous Hepatitis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of emphysematous hepatitis which is a rare clinical entity, characterized by a fatal, rapidly progressive infection of the liver with a radiological appearance simulating emphysematous pyelonephritis and to help provide more data about the causative organisms and precipitating factors of this pathology. DATA SOURCES AND SYNTHESIS: Relevant literature was reviewed and, to the best of our knowledge, there is limited data regarding the pathogenesis, causative organisms, and management of this condition. CONCLUSION: Emphysematous hepatitis is a rapidly progressive infection that can be fatal in the absence of appropriate therapeutic intervention. Initial clinical manifestations are usually subtle and thus high clinical suspicion is required for early diagnosis and management of this condition to help decrease the mortality rates.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting as Refractory Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: A Diagnostic and Management Challenge. A Case Report and Concise Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is one of the thrombotic microangiopathic (TMA) syndromes, caused by severely reduced activity of the vWF-cleaving protease ADAMTS13. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), on the other hand, is an autoimmune disease that affects various organs in the body, including the hematopoietic system. SLE can present with TMA, and differentiating between SLE and TTP in those cases can be very challenging, particularly in patients with no prior history of SLE. Furthermore, an association between these 2 diseases has been described in the literature, with most of the TTP cases occurring after the diagnosis of SLE. In rare cases, TTP may precede the diagnosis of SLE or occur concurrently. CASE REPORT We present a case of a previously healthy 34-year-old female who presented with dizziness and flu-like symptoms and was found to have thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and schistocytes in the peripheral smear. She was subsequently diagnosed with TTP and started on plasmapheresis and high-dose steroids, but without a sustained response. A diagnosis of refractory TTP was made, and she was transferred to our facility for further management. Initially, the patient was started on rituximab, but her condition continued to deteriorate, with worsening thrombocytopenia. Later, she also fulfilled the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria for diagnosis of SLE. Treatment of TTP in SLE patients is generally similar to that in the general population, but in refractory cases there are few reports in the literature that show the efficacy of cyclophosphamide. We started our patient on cyclophosphamide and noticed a sustained improvement in the platelet count in the following weeks. CONCLUSIONS Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is a life-threatening hematological emergency which must be diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. Refractory cases of TTP have been described in the literature, but without clear evidence-based guidelines for its management, and is solely based on expert opinion and previous case reports. Further studies are needed to establish guidelines for its management. We present this case to highlight the role that cyclophosphamide might carry in those cases and to be a foundation for these future studies.