Bioscientia Medicina - Journal of Biomedicine and Translational Research
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Drug-Induced Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Retrospective Study on Causative Agents and Patient Profiles in an Indonesian Hospital Setting
Get PDFBackground: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) represent rare, severe mucocutaneous adverse drug reactions characterized by extensive epidermal necrosis and significant morbidity and mortality. Understanding the specific causative agents and patient profiles within local populations is crucial for early diagnosis and management. This study aimed to characterize SJS/TEN cases in a tertiary hospital setting in Indonesia.
Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using secondary data from medical records of patients diagnosed with SJS, SJS/TEN overlap, and TEN admitted to the inpatient installation of Dr. Moewardi General Hospital, Surakarta, Indonesia, between January 2022 and December 2024. Data collected included demographics (age, gender), comorbidities, diagnosis classification (SJS, SJS/TEN overlap, TEN), suspected causative drugs, length of hospital stay, SCORTEN score, and patient outcome (discharged alive or deceased). Total sampling was employed, excluding records with incomplete data. Data were compiled and analyzed descriptively.
Results: Fifty-one patients were included, with a slight female predominance (52.94%). The largest age group affected was 19-59 years (60.78%). The distribution of diagnoses was SJS (41.18%), SJS/TEN overlap (31.37%), and TEN (27.45%). The mean SCORTEN score for the cohort was 2. The most common suspected causative drug classes were antibiotics (25.71%), followed by analgesic-antipyretics (24.29%), and anticonvulsants (22.86%). Carbamazepine (11.43%) and amoxicillin (10%) were frequent individual culprits. Epilepsy (13.73%) and diabetes mellitus (11.76%) were common comorbidities, although a significant portion (33.33%) had no recorded comorbidity. The mean length of stay was 9 days. Overall mortality was 15.68%, with higher rates observed in TEN (28.57%) compared to SJS (9.52%) and SJS/TEN overlap (12.5%).
Conclusion: SJS/TEN affected predominantly adults, with antibiotics, analgesics, and anticonvulsants being the most implicated drug classes. While mortality was considerable, it appeared lower than some international reports, particularly for TEN. Recognizing common causative agents and patient risk factors, such as specific comorbidities like epilepsy and diabetes, can aid clinicians in early identification and prompt management of these life-threatening conditions
Navigating a Rare Entity: Pancreatic Lipomatosis in a 34-Year-Old Female Without Classical Risk Factors – A Case Report
Get PDFBackground: Pancreatic lipomatosis (PL), characterized by the replacement of pancreatic acinar tissue with mature adipose cells, is an uncommon condition with an etiology that is often not fully understood. It is frequently identified incidentally during imaging studies. The aim of this case report is to contribute to and advance the clinical understanding of this exceedingly rare and atypical presentation of pancreatic lipomatosis.
Case presentation: This report details the case of a 34-year-old female who presented for evaluation of nonspecific, intermittent epigastric discomfort. Her medical history was devoid of significant illnesses, alcohol abuse, or known genetic conditions predisposing to pancreatic disorders. Comprehensive laboratory evaluations, encompassing serum amylase, lipase, liver function tests, lipid profile, and HbA1c, yielded results entirely within normal parameters. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed a striking diffuse, homogeneous fatty replacement of the entire pancreatic parenchyma, a hallmark of total pancreatic lipomatosis. Importantly, there was no evidence of pancreatic ductal dilatation, calcifications, or any discrete pancreatic masses. The patient's management was conservative, involving lifestyle counseling and scheduled periodic monitoring for the potential, though infrequent, development of complications such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency or secondary diabetes mellitus.
Conclusion: This case distinctly illustrates the occurrence of extensive pancreatic lipomatosis in a young, otherwise healthy female lacking classical risk factors. The pivotal role of cross-sectional imaging, specifically CT, in accurately diagnosing this benign condition is emphasized, which is crucial for averting misdiagnosis and precluding unnecessary invasive interventions. Enhanced awareness among clinicians is vital for appropriate patient counseling, the implementation of conservative management strategies, and diligent long-term monitoring for any potential metabolic or functional sequelae
The Shadow of Deficiency: Vitamin D Status as a Critical Determinant of Antithyroid Drug Efficacy in Graves’ Disease – Insights from an Indonesian Cohort
Get PDFBackground: Graves' disease (GD), an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition, presents significant management challenges, particularly concerning variable remission rates with antithyroid drugs (ATDs). Vitamin D, with its established immunomodulatory properties, is hypothesized to influence autoimmune processes, including those in GD. However, its precise impact on ATD treatment outcomes in diverse populations, especially in regions like Indonesia with high vitamin D deficiency prevalence, remains insufficiently elucidated.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Dr. Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia, analyzing data from 73 newly diagnosed adult GD patients (diagnosed January 2022 - December 2023). Patients had confirmed GD based on hyperthyroidism with orbitopathy or positive TRAb and were followed until May 2025. Baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], free T4 (fT4), and TSH levels were recorded. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) was defined as <20 ng/mL. The primary outcome was non-remission after ATD therapy, defined as failure to achieve stable euthyroidism for ≥6 months on minimal ATD doses. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to assess predictors of non-remission.
Results: Of 73 patients (mean age 36.2 years; 62% female), 55 (75.3%) exhibited VDD. Multivariate analysis identified VDD as a significant independent predictor of non-remission (adjusted Relative Risk [aRR] 11.81; 95% CI 1.88–74.20; p=0.008). Elevated baseline fT4 levels (≥5 ng/dL; aRR 4.61; 95% CI 1.13–18.70; p=0.032) and older age (>48 years; aRR 0.078; 95% CI 0.06–0.95, indicating a protective effect of older age against non-remission) were also significant predictors.
Conclusion: Baseline vitamin D deficiency is a potent independent risk factor for non-remission in Indonesian Graves' disease patients receiving antithyroid drug therapy. These findings underscore the potential importance of assessing and addressing vitamin D status in the management of Graves' disease to optimize therapeutic outcomes
Awake Intubation for a Predicted Difficult Airway in a Patient with Giant Goiter-Induced Tracheomalacia: A Case Report
Get PDFBackground: The management of a predicted difficult airway in patients with giant goiters presents a significant anesthetic challenge. Chronic tracheal compression can lead to secondary tracheomalacia, a condition characterized by tracheal weakness that can precipitate catastrophic airway collapse upon induction of general anesthesia. We present a case where a high index of suspicion for tracheomalacia guided the decision to perform awake tracheal intubation.
Case presentation: A 22-year-old female presented with a massive, non-toxic nodular goiter that had been growing for eight years, causing significant positional dyspnea. Airway assessment revealed a 10x10 cm neck mass with tracheal deviation, indicating a high risk for difficult intubation and ventilation. Preoperative suspicion of tracheomalasia was high due to symptoms and chronicity. The airway was secured using awake intubation with topical and intravenous lidocaine prior to the induction of general anesthesia. The patient underwent a total thyroidectomy. Intraoperative palpation confirmed flaccid tracheal rings, supporting the diagnosis. The endotracheal tube was retained postoperatively, and the patient was monitored in the intensive care unit. She was successfully extubated on the third postoperative day without complications.
Conclusion: This case underscores the critical importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for tracheomalacia in patients with long-standing, giant goiters. Awake tracheal intubation is a cornerstone technique, providing a safe and effective method to secure the airway while preserving spontaneous ventilation, thereby mitigating the risk of life-threatening airway obstruction. A meticulous, multidisciplinary perioperative plan is paramount for optimal patient outcomes
Unmasking Occult Malignancy: The Pivotal Role of the Peripheral Blood Smear in the Initial Diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Get PDFBackground: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a common hematologic malignancy in adults, frequently discovered incidentally through routine blood tests due to its often nonspecific clinical presentation. In resource-limited settings, fundamental laboratory investigations are crucial for initiating the diagnostic pathway. This report illustrates the critical diagnostic value of the complete blood count and peripheral blood smear in identifying CLL in a patient presenting with vague constitutional symptoms.
Case presentation: A 43-year-old female with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus presented to a rural hospital with a one-month history of debilitating fatigue, intermittent fever, and loss of appetite. Physical and radiological examinations were unremarkable. However, initial hematological analysis revealed marked leukocytosis (77,910/μL), mild anemia, and thrombocytopenia (54,000/μL). A peripheral blood smear was pivotal, showing an absolute lymphocytosis of 90% with mature-appearing lymphocytes, pleomorphism, and characteristic smudge cells. Following referral, definitive diagnosis was established through flow cytometry, which confirmed a clonal B-cell population (CD19+, CD5+, CD23+, dim CD20+). Bone marrow examination showed extensive infiltration, and molecular studies revealed an unmutated IGHV gene status, placing the patient in a high-risk prognostic category.
Conclusion: This case underscores that even in the absence of advanced diagnostic facilities, a meticulous evaluation of the peripheral blood smear is a powerful and essential tool for unmasking serious underlying hematologic malignancies like CLL. It enables early suspicion, appropriate patient referral, and timely initiation of management, thereby significantly impacting patient outcomes
Navigating a Therapeutic Triad: A Case of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Complicated by Drug-Induced Liver Injury and Prediabetes
Get PDFBackground: The management of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is frequently complicated by adverse drug reactions, with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) being one of the most severe. The clinical challenge is significantly amplified in patients with underlying metabolic disorders such as prediabetes, which can impair immune responses and affect treatment outcomes. This report details the complex management of a geriatric patient presenting with this therapeutic triad.
Case presentation: A 67-year-old male with newly diagnosed, drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis developed severe hepatotoxicity ten days after initiating standard first-line anti-tuberculosis therapy. Clinical presentation included jaundice, nausea, and vomiting, with laboratory findings showing a severe hepatocellular injury pattern (SGOT 204 U/L, SGPT 126 U/L) and hyperbilirubinemia (Total Bilirubin 2.6 mg/dL). Concurrently, he was diagnosed with prediabetes (HbA1c 5.9%) and was suffering from severe malnutrition (BMI 15.6 kg/m²). The offending drugs were immediately withdrawn, and supportive therapy was initiated. Following normalization of liver function, a modified anti-tuberculosis regimen was cautiously reintroduced using a stepwise re-challenge protocol that entirely omitted pyrazinamide.
Conclusion: The patient was successfully managed with a modified nine-month regimen of isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol, achieving clinical and biochemical stability without recurrence of liver injury. This case highlights that a meticulous, stepwise approach—involving prompt drug withdrawal, supportive care, and a tailored re-challenge protocol—can lead to successful TB treatment outcomes without recurrence of DILI, even in a patient with multiple converging high-risk factors
The Unseen Danger: A Meta-Analysis of Bystander Injuries in Firework-Related Ocular Trauma
Get PDFBackground: Firework-related ocular trauma represents a significant, preventable cause of severe vision loss, with incidence rates peaking during global cultural and national festivals. While the risks to active firework users are well-established, the burden of injury sustained by passive spectators, or bystanders, remains poorly quantified. This study aimed to synthesize global data to define the magnitude of this unseen danger.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched for studies published between January 2015 and December 2025 that reported separable data on firework-related ocular injuries in bystanders and operators. A random-effects model calculated the pooled proportion of bystander injuries. Secondary outcomes included pooled odds ratios (ORs) for open globe injury (OGI) and severe vision loss (SVL; Visual Acuity <3/60).
Results: Eleven studies, encompassing 2,440 patients, met the inclusion criteria. This meta-analysis, despite significant heterogeneity in the source data (I² = 89%), suggests that nearly half of all victims were bystanders, with a pooled proportion of 47.5% (95% CI: 41.8%–53.2%). Bystanders had significantly lower odds of sustaining an OGI compared to operators (pooled OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58–0.90). However, the odds of suffering permanent SVL were not statistically different between the two groups (pooled OR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.73–1.14), indicating a comparable risk of blinding injury.
Conclusion: These findings must be interpreted with caution due to high inter-study heterogeneity and unmeasured clinical confounders. Nonetheless, the analysis strongly suggests that the risk to bystanders is unacceptably high and that public health paradigms focused solely on operator safety are insufficient. This study underscores the urgent need for prospective, standardized data collection and a shift in prevention strategies toward protecting passive spectators
Impaired Stimulated Pancreatic β-Cell Responsiveness is a Dominant Feature of Bisphenol A-Associated Metabolic Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Adjusted Associations in an Indonesian Cohort
Get PDFBackground: Exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is a suspected contributor to the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) pandemic. This study aimed to move beyond simple correlation and investigate the adjusted association between urinary BPA and the dual pathophysiological defects of T2DM—insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell failure—with a novel emphasis on contrasting basal versus stimulated β-cell function in an understudied Indonesian cohort.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 40 patients with T2DM were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Palembang, Indonesia. Urinary BPA was quantified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LCMS). Insulin resistance was assessed by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). β-cell function was evaluated using the C-peptide index (CPI) at fasting and 1-hour post-75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to determine the association between urinary BPA (log-transformed) and metabolic indices, adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI).
Results: After adjusting for confounders, higher log-urinary BPA remained a significant independent predictor of higher log-HOMA-IR (β = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.31-0.85, p < 0.001). BPA was also independently associated with poorer β-cell function, showing a significant inverse association with the fasting CPI (β = -0.45, 95% CI: -0.73 to -0.17, p = 0.003). Critically, this association was markedly stronger and more profound with the 1-hour stimulated CPI (β = -0.79, 95% CI: -0.99 to -0.59, p < 0.001). The variance in stimulated CPI explained by the model (R2) was substantially higher than for other indices.
Conclusion: Higher environmental BPA exposure is independently associated with both heightened insulin resistance and compromised β-cell function in T2DM. The distinctly stronger association with impaired stimulated β-cell secretion, even after adjusting for key confounders, identifies a critical mechanism by which BPA may accelerate functional β-cell exhaustion, the pivotal event in T2DM progression
From Handlebar to Enucleation: Management and Prosthetic Outcome of a Severe Traumatic Globe Luxation
Get PDFBackground: Traumatic globe luxation (TGL) is a rare, severe ocular emergency involving the complete displacement of the eyeball from the orbit. It presents a profound clinical challenge, demanding a rapid and accurate assessment of complex prognostic factors to guide the difficult decision between globe salvage and primary enucleation.
Case presentation: A 33-year-old male presented 18 hours after a motorcycle handlebar strike to his left orbit. The examination revealed a left globe luxation with No Light Perception (NLP) vision, a total afferent pupillary defect, and complete ophthalmoplegia. Computed tomography confirmed a closed-globe injury with a superior orbital rim fracture and a large retrobulbar hematoma, but could not delineate soft tissue integrity. Surgical exploration revealed two critical, paradoxical findings: an anatomically intact optic nerve despite its functional death, and a catastrophic avulsion of five of the six extraocular muscles. The medial, lateral, and inferior recti, along with both oblique muscles, were detached, while the superior rectus muscle was uniquely spared.
Conclusion: Based on the catastrophic loss of vascular supply from the avulsed muscles, which rendered the globe biologically non-viable, a primary enucleation was performed. This case suggests that in TGL, the integrity of the extraocular musculature is a paramount prognostic indicator, potentially superseding the anatomical status of the optic nerve in determining globe viability. It highlights the necessity of intraoperative exploration to definitively assess the extent of injury and illustrates a scenario where primary enucleation is not a treatment failure, but a definitive, rehabilitation-focused therapeutic strategy
Catamenial Pneumothorax in a Patient with Adenomyosis: A Case Report on a Successful Multidisciplinary Approach with Pleurodesis and Hormonal Therapy
Get PDFBackground: Catamenial pneumothorax, a rare manifestation of thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES), presents a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. It is characterized by recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax occurring in temporal relation to menstruation in women of reproductive age. The underlying pathophysiology is complex, often involving the ectopic presence of endometrial tissue within the thoracic cavity. Coexisting pelvic pathologies, such as adenomyosis, may be associated, further complicating the clinical picture.
Case presentation: We present the case of a 38-year-old woman with a four-month history of recurrent, right-sided pneumothorax, with symptoms consistently commencing 24 to 48 hours prior to the onset of her menstrual cycle. Initial investigations, including high-resolution computed tomography of the thorax performed between menstrual cycles and microbiological analysis for tuberculosis, were unremarkable. The diagnosis of catamenial pneumothorax was established based on the distinct cyclical pattern of her symptoms. A subsequent gynecological evaluation, prompted by a history of secondary dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, revealed uterine adenomyosis via transvaginal ultrasonography. The patient was managed through a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach involving pulmonology, thoracic surgery, and gynecology. Treatment consisted of chemical pleurodesis with doxycycline, administered via a chest tube, followed by continuous hormonal suppression therapy with oral progestin (2 mg/day).
Conclusion: This case highlights the critical importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for catamenial pneumothorax in women of reproductive age presenting with recurrent pneumothorax. A successful outcome was achieved through a coordinated, multidisciplinary strategy combining definitive pleural symphysis via pleurodesis with systemic hormonal therapy to suppress the underlying endometriotic process. This dual approach effectively prevented pneumothorax recurrence over a 12-month follow-up period, underscoring its efficacy in managing this complex condition