Sclerotic Bone Metastasis in Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma is one of the major types of lung cancers in which metastasis is very common and it accounts approximately to one-third of all primary pulmonary cancers. Although a minority of patients with lung cancer are asymptomatic, which gets usually detected in routine chest radiography, most of the patients present with some symptoms. Lung cancer metastasis may occur virtually in every organ system. Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer commonly have extrathoracic metastases to the adrenal glands, liver, brain, bones, and lymph nodes at presentation. Approximately one-third of patients with lung cancer will present with symptoms related to extrathoracic spread. Metastasis to the bone is not uncommon in lung cancer; however, osteoblastic bone metastasis is very rare. Here we present a 30-year-old female diagnosed to have pulmonary adenocarcinoma with multiple sclerotic bony lesions in the vertebra.

Acute acalculous cholecystitis induced by acute hepatitis B virus infection.

During the course of acute viral hepatitis, some functional and anatomical changes to the gallbladder can occur. Acute acalculous cholecystitis (ACC) is a rare complication of acute hepatitis B virus infection; only few cases are reported as ACC associated with acute hepatitis B virus infection. ACC cases are self-limiting, while other limited cases can progress to a gangrenous state, perforation, and even death. We present a 27-year-old female case diagnosed to have acute acalculous cholecystitis and associated with acute hepatitis B virus infection, and she recovered within one week of her presentation without complication or surgical intervention.

Hepatitis E in Qatar imported by expatriate workers from Nepal: epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations.

Prompted by cases of acute hepatitis in expatriate workers presenting at Alkhor Hospital, Qatar, a limited prospective observational study was conducted from July 2005 to June 2006 to determine the epidemiological and clinical features of patients (predominantly Nepalese) presenting with acute hepatitis. Countrywide during that period samples from 86 Nepalese presenting at different centers were found to be anti-HEV IgG positive and 50 of these were also positive for anti-HEV IgM. Fifty-eight of those Nepalese were seen and treated at Alkhor Hospital and of them 43 were confirmed as cases of acute HEV, being positive for both anti-HEV IgM and IgG. The remaining 15 were diagnosed as probable cases of acute HEV on the basis of clinical and epidemiological similarity. It seems likely that transit in Kathmandu in reportedly unsanitary conditions was the focus of infection. In some of those examined at Alkhor, ultrasound detected a thickened gallbladder wall in 30 of 39 (76.9%) with two cases having clinical acalcular cholecystitis. Higher levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were associated with severe disease and derangement in coagulation. On the available evidence hepatitis E was imported by expatriate workers and it is clear that medical screening of these workers pre- and post-arrival must be improved to prevent further outbreaks. It is also essential that health care workers in Qatar are made aware of this ongoing problem of imported HEV and understand the variable presentation of the condition.

Rupture of spleen in a mechanically ventilated patient with falciparum malaria admitted with pulmonary edema.

Rupture of the spleen in malaria may constitute a diagnostic challenge to many clinicians particularly in non-endemic areas where experience with malaria is limited. Our aim is to increase the awareness among clinicians from non-endemic areas of serious malarial complications. We present a young American military man who was admitted to Hamad General Hospital and had 2 serious malarial complications, namely, acute pulmonary edema and rupture of the spleen. He was unusual compared with what was published previously in 4 main points: 1. The rupture of spleen occurred while the patient on mechanical ventilation and under the effect of sedation, which constituted a diagnostic challenge. 2. The 2 complications occurred in a patient with a low parasitemia. 3. The causative species for splenic rupture is Plasmodium falciparum, and 4. The first sample of peripheral blood smear for malarial parasite was negative. We treated him successfully and discharged home in a good condition.

Does pleural tuberculosis disease pattern differ among developed and developing countries.

BACKGROUND: A number of reports from developed countries have documented a rising age at which pleural tuberculosis occurs and increase in the frequency of reactivation disease being as the main cause of pleural involvement. OBJECTIVE: To determine the age at which pleural tuberculosis occurs, study its clinical pattern, and to determine whether pleural tuberculosis is a result of reactivation of pulmonary tuberculosis or it is a primary one comparing our findings with results from developed countries. METHOD: Retrospective study of 100 cases discharged from Hamad General Hospital with the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis from January 1996 to December 2002. RESULTS: Pleural tuberculosis tends to affect younger age groups (84% are below the age of 45 years, with mean age of 31.5). The disease tends to be mostly a primary infection. Fever is the most common symptom (90%) and the disease is usually an acute or sub acute one. Weight loss precedes other symptoms. Exudative pleural effusion with predominant lymphocytosis is characteristic. Majority of patients have no predisposing conditions for the disease. CONCLUSION: In contrast to what has been reported in some developed countries, Pleural tuberculosis tends to be a primary disease in the present study. Younger age groups are particularly affected.

Radioiodine treatment of hyperthyroidism. Success rate and influence of thyrostatic medication.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the response rate of hyperthyroidism to radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment, optimum effective dose, effect of pretreatment with thyrostatic medications, etiology, ophthalmopathy, mortality and cancer incidence post RAI treatment. METHODS: Retrospective study analysis of 360 patients records who received RAI treatment (dose 5-15 mCi) for hyperthyroidism in Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar between 1984-1999, treated and analyzed. Follow-up data was available in 215 patients, with a follow-up range of 2-10 years, of these 84 were males and 131 were females, with an age range of 12-74 years. Eighty percent were toxic diffuse goiter, 13.5% were toxic multinodular goiter and 6.5% were toxic single nodule. Eighty-seven percent had been pre-treated with anti-thyroid medications. Free thyroxine4, and thyroid stimulating hormone were recorded at diagnosis; 6 months, one year and yearly post RAI treatment. RESULTS: The incidence of hypothyroidism was 55.8% at 6 months and 67.9% at one year. There was no significant difference in the response rate to different doses of RAI treatment groups (50-59%, p=0.46). The response rate was significantly higher in the group without pre-treatment with anti-thyroid medications (95% versus 80.9%, p<0.0001) and 27.4% of our patients had ophthalmopathy. There was no significant worsening or new development of ophthalmopathy post RAI treatment. Three of our patients developed cancer: one with colonic, one with breast and one with acute leukemia. The mortality rate according to the age group was linear in the positive direction of age and the highest was 74-year-old (10.5 per 10,0000 population). CONCLUSION: Radioactive iodine treatment is an effective modality for definitive treatment of hyperthyroidism with long-term cure approaching 80%. Response rate was not related to gender, etiology or RAI dosage. Pre-treatment with anti-thyroid medication reduces the response rate. Radioactive iodine treatment has no significant influence on ophthalmopathy, mortality or thyroid cancer.

Post-varicella Guillain Barre syndrome.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection has not often been related to the development of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS). However, the close temporal relationship noted between varicella infection and the onset of GBS suggests the participation of VZV in the etiopathogenesis of GBS. Very few cases have been reported showing this relationship. This report describes 2 cases highly suggestive of this association.