Pleural Effusion Induced by Systemic Consumption of Topical Minoxidil: A Rare Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Pleural effusions can be caused by several conditions such as cancer, connective tissue disease, and infection. They are occasionally caused due to the adverse drug reaction. Most commonly, systemic minoxidil use can cause pleural effusions in patients with chronic kidney disease. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a patient without chronic kidney disease who developed pleural effusion as a result of unintentional use of topical minoxidil orally. The patient's oxygen saturation was 90% on room air; there was dullness to percussion and asymmetrical chest expansion with diminished air entry on both sides. In chest x-ray there were bilateral pleural opacities. Minimal pleural effusions were shown in ultrasonography of the chest. The patient was managed with diuretics and airway management which resolved completely. CONCLUSION: Minoxidil is a commonly used drug by many people for the treatment of hair fall with or without doctor advice. We would like to stress that even though rare, physicians/pulmonologists should be aware of the rare side effects of topical minoxidil, and it should be kept in mind as a differential diagnosis for pleural effusion.

Proportion of New Onset of Anosmia and Its Diagnostic Significance in COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to know the proportion of new-onset of anosmia and to find its diagnostic significance in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients attending the hospital. Study design and duration: The Indian smell test in COVID-19 by AIIMS Raipur (ISCA-R) was developed for evaluating olfaction in the Indian population. The olfactory function was assessed using the corona scale on anosmia AIIMS Raipur (COSANAr). RESULTS: Out of 256 patients, 171 were males and 85 were females. In the majority of the patients, 75 (29.29%), the COSANAr score "0" was higher on the day of admission compared to the score "3" on the day of discharge with 61 (23.82%) patients. There was no improvement in 134 (52.34%) patients with loss of smell at the time of discharge. CONCLUSION: This study is a step forward in identifying anosmia by ISCA-R at the early stages of the COVID phase. The COSANAr is affordable for the Indian population. It is noticed that most of the patients have mild hyposmia at the time of discharge and anosmia at the admission time.