Sarcoidosis y esplenomegalia masiva: un dilema diagnóstico / Sarcoidosis and massive splenomegaly: a diagnostic dilemma

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Severe Clostridium difficile colitis as potential late complication associated with COVID-19.

Spain has been one of the most affected countries by the COVID-19 outbreak. After the high impact of the pandemic, a wide clinical spectrum of late complications associated with COVID-19 are being observed. We report a case of a severe Clostridium difficile colitis in a post-treatment and recovered COVID-19 patient. A 64-year-woman with a one-month hospital admission for severe bilateral pneumonia associated with COVID-19 and 10 days after discharge presented with diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Severe C. difficile-associated colitis is diagnosed according to clinical features and CT findings. An urgent pancolectomy was performed due to her bad response to conservative treatment. Later evolution slowly improved to recovery. C. difficile-associated colitis is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections. Significant patient-related risk factors for C. difficile infection are antibiotic exposure, older age, and hospitalisation. Initial therapeutic recommendations in our country included administration broad-spectrum antibiotics to all patients with bilateral pneumonia associated with SARS-CoV-2. These antibiotics are strongly associated with C. difficile infection. Our patient developed a serious complication of C. difficile due to the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The appearance of late digestive symptoms in patients diagnosed and treated for COVID-19 should alert clinicians to the possibility of C. difficile infection. The updated criteria for severe colitis and severe C. difficile infection should be considered to ensure an early effective treatment for the complication.

Hipopotasemia, dato clínico clave en el diagnóstico de un hiperaldosteronismo primario / Hypokalemia, a key clinical data for diagnosing primary hyperaldosteronism

Describimos el caso de un varón de 37 años con antecedentes de hipertensión arterial de varios años de evolución, en tratamiento farmacológico, que ingresa por un cuadro de astenia generalizada con disminución de fuerza en ambos miembros inferiores. En la analítica realizada en Urgencias de detecta una hipopotasemia severa, por lo que se inicia el estudio de posible hipertensión arterial secundaria. Con la sospecha inicial de hiperaldosteronismo primario se realiza analítica completa, incluyendo actividad de renina plasmática basal, que está claramente suprimida, así como aldosterona plasmática basal, que resulta normal. Así mismo, se realiza una TC abdominal que muestra la existencia de un adenoma suprarrenal. Por este motivo se decide realizar una sobrecarga oral de sodio con determinación posterior de actividad de renina plasmática, que sigue estando suprimida, aldosterona plasmática, que sigue siendo normal, y aldosterona en orina de 24 h, que aparece claramente elevada y confirma así el diagnóstico de sospecha. Tras la cirugía el paciente se mantiene normotenso, sin necesidad de tratamiento farmacológico y con niveles de potasio sérico normales

We report a case of a 37 year-old man with a long history of hypertension under treatment, who was admitted at our institution with intense fatigue and weakness of lower limbs. The laboratory results at Emergency Department showed severe hypokalemia. A study of secondary hypertension was carried out. With the initial suspicion of primary hyperaldosteronism, complete blood test was done including plasma renine activity, which was completely suppressed, and plasma aldosterone concentration, which resulted normal. Likewise, an abdomen CT was performed and revealed a left adrenal mass consistent of suprarrenal adenoma. Therefore, a salt loading suppression test was done with subsequent measure of plasmatic renine activity, which was still suppressed, plasma aldosterone concentration, that persisted normal, and a 24-h urinary aldosterone excretion rate, which was clearly high, supporting the suspected diagnosis. After the adrenalectomy, the patient remained asymptomatic with normal blood pressure without treatment and with normal serum potassium levels

[Hypokalemia, a key clinical data for diagnosing primary hyperaldosteronism]. / Hipopotasemia, dato clínico clave en el diagnóstico de un hiperaldosteronismo primario.

We report a case of a 37 year-old man with a long history of hypertension under treatment, who was admitted at our institution with intense fatigue and weakness of lower limbs. The laboratory results at Emergency Department showed severe hypokalemia. A study of secondary hypertension was carried out. With the initial suspicion of primary hyperaldosteronism, complete blood test was done including plasma renine activity, which was completely suppressed, and plasma aldosterone concentration, which resulted normal. Likewise, an abdomen CT was performed and revealed a left adrenal mass consistent of suprarrenal adenoma. Therefore, a salt loading suppression test was done with subsequent measure of plasmatic renine activity, which was still suppressed, plasma aldosterone concentration, that persisted normal, and a 24-h urinary aldosterone excretion rate, which was clearly high, supporting the suspected diagnosis. After the adrenalectomy, the patient remained asymptomatic with normal blood pressure without treatment and with normal serum potassium levels.