63-year-old man with right biceps and right pectoralis major abscesses: an unusual case of pyomyositis.

Pyomyositis is considered a great mimicker and masquerader. This case is of a 63-year-old man with diabetes who initially presented to the outpatient clinic afebrile with right shoulder pain. His work-up was negative, and he was discharged home. He subsequently presented to the emergency room (ER) two times for worsening right shoulder pain. During his first visit to the ER, his work-up was unremarkable, and he was discharged home. On his return to the ER, he was now febrile with inflammation involving his right upper extremity and right chest wall. Imaging studies of his right upper extremity and his right chest wall were consistent with multiple abscesses. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from the abscess, and from blood and urine cultures. The diagnosis of pyomyositis was confirmed. This case illustrates the difficulty of diagnosing pyomyositis and the importance of including it in the differential diagnosis, especially in an immunocompromised patient.

Neurological Complications in a Polynesian Traveler with Dengue.

In recent times, there has been an increased focus on mosquito-borne Flaviviruses, in particular dengue and Zika. With the reappearance of dengue in Hawai'i and the mainland United States (US), clinicians should be aware of both the common presentations of dengue, as well as other less common complications associated with the disease. Dengue can result in neurologic disorders such as encephalopathy, encephalitis, immune-mediated syndromes, neuromuscular dysfunction, and neuro-ophthalmologic disorders. We present an interesting case of dengue that initially presented with classic symptoms (arthropathy, biphasic fever, and rash) and subsequently developed into a neurologic movement disorder with muscle tightening and twitching of the face, chest, and extremities. We review and update the epidemiology, biology, the clinical presentations including the neurologic complications associated with dengue, as well as their management and areas of future study in this field.

Does ethnicity play a role in the dosing of warfarin in Hawai'i?

Warfarin is the most common anticoagulant prescribed and its metabolism has been linked to two specific genes, CYP2C9 and VKORC1. This study analyzed 113 patients from 4 different ethnic backgrounds (Asian, Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Caucasian) and investigated the association between the mean daily dose of warfarin and ethnicity. Caucasian patients required the highest mean daily dose of warfarin 4.4 mg/day while Asian patients required the lowest mean daily dose of warfarin 2.5 mg/day. Portuguese patients and Native Hawaiian patients required mean of 3.8 mg/day. All three groups required a significantly lower dose than Caucasians. When adjusted for weight in kilograms, Native Hawaiian patients required a dose of 4.3 × 10(-2) mg/kg, Portuguese 4.4 × 10(-2) mg/kg and Asians 4.0 × 10(-2) mg/kg. These three populations had similar mean milligrams/kilogram dose requirements while Caucasians required a significantly higher dose of 5.3 × 10(-2) mg/kg. This data suggests that ethnicity should be taken into consideration when dosing warfarin.