Acute myopericarditis and left shoulder capsulitis following second dose of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Moderna vaccination.

Vaccination against mRNA SARS-CoV-2 has been administered on a very large scale and various side effects have been described. The increased risk of myopericarditis is known, and only a few cases of shoulder capsulitis have been reported after vaccination. These two pathologies have never been reported in the same patient after vaccination. Our article presents the history of a man in his 40s who presented with myopericarditis a few days after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 with mRNA(Messenger RNA) Moderna® vaccine and who at the same time developed shoulder capsulitis. His cardiovascular symptoms resolved rapidly, and his shoulder symptoms improved/resolved within 1 year. This case should make physicians aware of the possibility of several concomitant side effects following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.

Going toe-to-toe with a rare case of a complex regional pain syndrome limited to the hallux.

We report the first case of a complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) limited to the hallux using the Budapest criteria. Limited forms of CRPS are scarce in the literature and probably overlooked. There is currently no consensus to define these forms. Due to the particular metameric topography, common to the hand and the foot, we suggest the term 'metameric' CRPS to describe them. A uniform nomenclature would promote future research to study its prevalence and specific treatment in more detail.

Cranial neuropathies in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's): a case-based review.

The purpose of this case-based review is to highlight cranial nerve involvement in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's). In this disease, cranial nerve involvement may be less frequent than other neurological manifestations, but often goes unrecognized by physicians as a sign of the disease, and its prevalence and importance is likely underestimated. Awareness of this aspect of the disease is necessary to make the proper diagnosis rapidly, as it can be a major feature of a patient's presentation. We also briefly discuss the known pathogenic mechanisms, which could be important when selecting the best therapeutic option.

A controlled trial of the benefits of ultrasound-guided steroid injection for shoulder pain.

OBJECTIVES: We studied the value of ultrasound (US) to define shoulder pathology and guide local steroid injection in comparison with a standard injection in the management of the acute painful shoulder. METHODS: Seventy consecutive patients with acute shoulder pain were assessed clinically and by US. Patients were randomized to receive either a standard subacromial infiltration of 7 mg of betamethasone or a US-guided injection according to the US diagnosis. Follow-up evaluations were performed by an independent assessor who was blinded to the results of the initial US and clinical assessments. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients completed the study. Both groups showed a significant reduction in both daytime and night pain compared to baseline. The US injection group had significantly less pain at rest at 2 and 6 weeks (NRS: 1.6 vs 3.3, P<0.005; 3 vs 4.2, P<0.04). The percentage of good responders was significantly higher in US group at 2 weeks, (81% vs 54%, P<0.005) and 6 weeks (64% vs 38%, P<0.05). At 2 and 6 weeks, responder rate and activity pain scores as well as Constant score were in favour of US, though did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Local steroid injection for shoulder pain leads to significant improvements in pain and function for up to 12 weeks. An US examination to define the origin of shoulder pain as well as to guide injection provides significant additional benefits for up to 6 weeks. We recommend routine US examination as part of the management of acute shoulder pain.

B cell depletion may be more effective than switching to an alternative anti-tumor necrosis factor agent in rheumatoid arthritis patients with inadequate response to anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in whom the response to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy is inadequate have several therapeutic options, such as switching to an alternative anti-TNF agent or initiating B cell-depleting therapy with rituximab (RTX). Although both therapeutic options have been proven effective in trials, no head-to-head comparisons are available. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of RTX with that of an alternative anti-TNF agent in the management of patients with RA who had an inadequate response to anti-TNF therapy. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was nested within the Swiss Clinical Quality Management RA cohort and included all patients who had an inadequate response to at least 1 anti-TNF agent and subsequently received either 1 cycle of RTX or an alternative anti-TNF agent. The primary outcome was the evolution of RA disease activity (as measured on the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints [DAS28]), which was analyzed using multivariate regression models for longitudinal data. RESULTS: One hundred sixteen patients with RA were included; 50 patients received 1 cycle of RTX, and 66 patients were treated with a second or a third alternative anti-TNF agent. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in age, sex, disease duration, and disease activity. Evolution of the DAS28 was more favorable in the group that received RTX compared with the group that received an alternative anti-TNF agent (P = 0.01). At 6 months, the mean decrease in the DAS28 was -1.61 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] -1.97, -1.25) among patients receiving RTX and -0.98 (95% CI -1.33, -0.62) among those receiving subsequent anti-TNF therapy. CONCLUSION: The results of this observational study suggest that treatment with RTX may be more effective than switching to an alternative anti-TNF agent in patients with RA in whom active disease persists despite anti-TNF therapy.

A pilot study of IL-1 inhibition by anakinra in acute gout.

Monosodium urate crystals stimulate monocytes and macrophages to release IL-1beta through the NALP3 component of the inflammasome. The effectiveness of IL-1 inhibition in hereditary autoinflammatory syndromes with mutations in the NALP3 protein suggested that IL-1 inhibition might also be effective in relieving the inflammatory manifestations of acute gout. The effectiveness of IL-1 inhibition was first evaluated in a mouse model of monosodium urate crystal-induced inflammation. IL-1 inhibition prevented peritoneal neutrophil accumulation but TNF blockade had no effect. Based on these findings, we performed a pilot, open-labeled study (trial registration number ISRCTN10862635) in 10 patients with gout who could not tolerate or had failed standard antiinflammatory therapies. All patients received 100 mg anakinra daily for 3 days. All 10 patients with acute gout responded rapidly to anakinra. No adverse effects were observed. IL-1 blockade appears to be an effective therapy for acute gouty arthritis. The clinical findings need to be confirmed in a controlled study.

Fever and musculoskeletal symptoms in an adult: differential diagnosis and management.

Fever in the context of a patient with musculoskeletal symptoms is a sign of systemic inflammation. Initial management should be targeted at the identification of the organ systems affected and the search for a precise diagnosis. The main challenge is to differentiate between an infectious aetiology from an immune-inflammatory cause. Patient history and physical examination are key elements in the diagnostic work-up in order to direct appropriate laboratory investigations, as well as radiological and biopsy procedures. Advances in microbiological techniques and molecular genetics have provided additional tools for the clinician. Unfortunately, there is no simple algorithm to direct the diagnostic work-up, which still largely depends on the recognition of patterns of clinical presentations and the corresponding laboratory abnormalities.

[Reactive arthritis]. / Les arthrites réactionnelles.

Reactive arthritis is a disease closely related to the presence of the HLA-B27 antigen and characterized by sterile joint inflammation secondary to infection. Arthritis is only one of the clinical manifestations of this systemic disease. Its diagnosis rests on history, clinical examination and various serologies. The prognosis is generally good, but recurrences are frequent, in particular in HLA-B27 positive patients. Treatment is mainly symptomatic, and antibiotics should be prescribed only in the event of an active infection. A 3 months course of antibiotics could be beneficial on the long-term evolution in HLA-B27 positive patients, but this practice deserves to be confirmed by additional randomized controlled studies.

Management of acute pharyngitis in adults: reliability of rapid streptococcal tests and clinical findings.

BACKGROUND: How to use clinical score, the rapid streptococcal antigen test (RSAT), and culture results is uncertain for efficient management of acute pharyngitis in adults. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 372 adult patients with pharyngitis treated at a Swiss university-based primary care clinic. In eligible patients with 2 to 4 clinical symptoms and signs (temperature >or=38 degrees C, tonsillar exudate, tender cervical adenopathy, and no cough or rhinitis), we performed an RSAT and obtained a throat culture. We measured sensitivity and specificity of RSAT with culture as a gold standard and compared appropriate antibiotic use with cost per patient appropriately treated for the following 5 strategies: symptomatic treatment, systematic RSAT, selective RSAT, empirical antibiotic treatment, and systematic culture. RESULTS: RSAT had high sensitivity (91%) and specificity (95%) for the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis. Systematic throat culture resulted in the highest antibiotic use, in 38% of patients with streptococcal pharyngitis. Systematic RSAT led to nearly optimal treatment (94%) and antibiotic prescription (37%), with minimal antibiotic overuse (3%) and underuse (3%). Empirical antibiotic treatment in patients with 3 or 4 clinical symptoms or signs resulted in a lower rate of appropriate therapy (59%) but higher rates of antibiotic use (60%), overuse (32%), and underuse (9%). Systematic RSAT was more cost-effective than strategies based on empirical treatment or culture: 15.00 dollars, 26.00 dollars, and 32.00 dollars, respectively, per patient appropriately treated. CONCLUSIONS: The RSAT we used is a valid test for diagnosis of pharyngitis in adults. A clinical approach combining this RSAT and clinical findings efficiently reduces inappropriate antibiotic prescription in adult patients with acute pharyngitis. Empirical therapy in patients with 3 or 4 clinical symptoms or signs results in antibiotic overuse.

Leg pain due to bilateral focal recurrent myositis in a hemodialysis patient.

Leg pain is a common symptom in dialysis patients. In most cases, the cause is easily identified, but some rare causes have been recognized. We describe a case of focal myositis as the source of recurrent leg pain in a hemodialysis patient. This disease usually is self-limited and has a spontaneously favorable outcome. We review the differential diagnosis of leg pain in this patient population.

Evaluation of drug prescription at the Geneva prison's outpatient service in comparison to an urban outpatient medical service.

PURPOSE: To analyse non-psychotropic drug prescription in a prison outpatient clinic in comparison with an urban medical outpatient service. METHODS: Comparative study during 3 weeks at Geneva: prison outpatient service and medical policlinic (MP) of the University Hospital. RESULTS: The most often prescribed non-psychotropic drugs at the Geneva prison were systemic analgesics (mostly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and paracetamol), dermatologicals, systemic anti-infectives and drugs for the gastrointestinal system. For most types of non-psychotropic drugs, frequency of prescription as well as the prescribing patterns were similar in the prison ambulatory service and the urban MP. Dermatologicals were prescribed more frequently at the prison than at the MP. Analgetics have been prescribed mainly for osteoarticulary reasons, especially low back pain at the MP, and for traumatism and headache at the prison. CONCLUSIONS: The higher frequency of dermatological prescriptions could be due to prison environmental factors. We do not have arguments for any overprescription of analgesics or other non-psychotropic drugs. The data did not show any prescription or co-prescription of several substances that violated clinical guidelines.

Prescription of hypnotics and tranquilisers at the Geneva prison's outpatient service in comparison to an urban outpatient medical service.

OBJECTIVES: Examine whether an overconsumption of tranquillizers exists in prison and discuss possible reasons. METHODS: Comparative study during three weeks at Geneva: prison outpatient service and Medical Policlinic (MP) of the University Hospital. RESULTS: When comparing the 113 (prison) and 151 (MP) male patients younger than 39 years, we found important differences concerning the quality and quantity of prescriptions of psychoactive drugs: ten times more prison patients than patients from the MP were treated with benzodiazepines (BZD). The differences persisted even when considering only prisoners who were not known to be street drug, alcohol or long time BZD consumers. CONCLUSIONS: The differences cannot be explained by the high percentage of drug addicts in prison. Our results suggest the importance of factors related to the prison environment.