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Very Late-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus as Unusual Cause of Reversible Functional and Cognitive Impairments in an Octogenarian Patient
Get PDFWhile functional decline is a common syndrome in geriatric medicine, the diagnosis of the underlying disease can be complex. We present a case of very late-onset systemic lupus erythematosus with fever, arthritis, lymphadenopathy, sicca syndrome, pleurisy, renal impairment and reversible functional and cognitive impairments. Prompt improvement was observed on prednisolone and hydroxychloroquine
Sudden Development of Subcutaneous Nodules Shortly after Radioiodine Treatment for Thyroid Cancer Caused by Self-Limiting Sarcoidosis
Get PDFBackground: Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease producing non-caseating granulomas. The aetiology and pathogenesis are unknown. We herewith report an atypical case of cutaneous sarcoidosis.Case presentation: A 50-year-old female presented with an onset of multiple subcutaneous nodules on her 4 limbs. These nodules appeared concomitantly with the initiation of radioactive iodine therapy for papillary thyroid cancer. These nodules were not obvious on inspection of the skin, but easily felt on palpation.The biopsy of the subcutaneous nodules revealed hypodermic non-caseating granulomas consistent with sarcoidosis. The patient underwent an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) scan study that revealed, besides the subcutaneous nodules, multiple hypermetabolic mediastinal lymphadenopathies and cervical adenopathies. Biopsy of the mediastinal lymphadenopathy showed neither granulomas nor neoplastic cells. Cervical biopsy revealed neoplastic cells of thyroid origin. Laboratory tests were normal. Bronchoalveolar lavage showed a normal CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio. A diagnosis of cutaneous sarcoidosis was established, as well as a recurrence of the cancerous disease. The subcutaneous nodules regressed spontaneously in the absence of any treatment.Discussion and conclusion: Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease of unknown origin. This case illustrates an uncommon occurrence of sarcoidosis, triggered by radioactive iodine therapy. Radioiodine may lead to immunological changes, especially affecting the Th1/Th2 ratio, which may promote the emergence of sarcoidosis in genetically predisposed patients. There is still much to discover to fully understand the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis
COVID-19 Associated Pneumonia and Pleural Effusion Masquerading as Heart Failure in Rheumatic Heart Disease
Get PDFThe ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that began in Wuhan, China, became an international emergency when thousands of people were infected around the world. COVID-19 emerged in Pakistan in April 2020, precipitating a nationwide lockdown. While some countries are now recovering from the pandemic, its peak is not estimated to occur in Pakistan until August 2020. We present a case of rheumatic heart disease with fever, myalgia and an unusual radiological finding of the virus
From Wellens To Kounis Syndrome: An Unlucky Patient
Get PDFWellens syndrome (WS) is identified by ECG changes in the precordial leads after resolution of angina chest pain. WS indicates critical stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) artery. On the other hand, Kounis syndrome (KS) is an allergic reaction to various substances resulting in acute coronary syndrome. Contrast media can trigger the allergic reaction associated with KS. We describe a patient with WS who developed an allergic reaction to contrast media after percutaneous coronary intervention and experienced recurrent myocardial infarction on re-exposure
Transient ST Segment Elevation in a Patient with COVID-19 and a Normal Transthoracic Echocardiogram
Get PDFThe effect of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular system still needs to be clarified. Patients can develop a spectrum of cardiac diseases, from mild myocarditis to acute coronary syndrome with an impaired systolic fraction. We describe an interesting case of transient ST segment elevation in a COVID-19 patient admitted to ICU for severe respiratory distress syndrome. During his stay in ICU, the patient developed transient ST segment elevation in inferior-lateral leads which promptly resolved without requiring any additional invasive and/or pharmacological treatment.Transthoracic echocardiography showed a preserved ejection fraction without any regional abnormalities and the rise in enzyme biomarkers was insignificant. The case highlights the importance of avoiding invasive procedures in this subset of patients to reduce both patient complications and medical staff exposure. Careful evaluation including echocardiogram and second-line examinations should be performed before invasive and aggressive treatment is undertaken
COVID-19 and Cytomegalovirus Co-infection: A Challenging Case of a Critically Ill Patient with Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Get PDFCOVID-19 is a severe disease that has reached pandemic status. To the best of our knowledge, we describe the first case of COVID-19 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) co-infection in a critically ill patient. We discuss the challenge of establishing the diagnosis as well as the management of tissue-invasive gastrointestinal CMV infection (TI-GI CMV) simulating vascular involvement and intestinal obstruction in a critically ill patient
Asymptomatic Hyperinsulinaemic Hypoglycaemia
Get PDFHypoglycaemia is rare in apparently well patients without drug-treated diabetes mellitus and warrants evaluation and management when Whipple’s triad is present. Even in the absence of Whipple’s triad, when repeatedly low values of plasma glucose are documented, the presence of endogenous hyperinsulinism should be investigated. The authors describe a case of endogenous hypoglycaemic hyperinsulinism, its diagnosis and treatment and the challenges of determining its aetiology
Acute Soft Head Syndrome (Subgaleal Haematoma) with Periorbital Oedema as a Rare Presentation in Sickle Cell Disease
Get PDFBackground: Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition frequently found in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Uncommon complications include subgaleal haematoma (soft head syndrome) and periorbital oedema.Case presentation: A 17-year-old male patient presented with body aches and progressive right parieto-temporal and frontal head swelling. Physical examination revealed puffiness of the right eye that progressed rapidly to reddish periorbital oedema sparing the extraocular muscle and pupil response to light. CT and MRI of the brain suggested multiple subgaleal haematomas (soft head syndrome) and right periorbital oedema.Conclusion: Subgaleal haematoma (soft head syndrome) and periorbital oedema are uncommon complications of sickle cell disease. Management is conservative rather than surgical
Cryptogenic Pyogenic Liver Abscess Due to Fusobacterium nucleatum in an Immunocompetent Patient
Get PDFn this case, a 76-year-old female presented with 3–4 days of fever with no other localizing signs. Notably, she had had an untreated Fusobacterium bacteraemia approximately 8 weeks prior to admission. She underwent abdominal imaging which demonstrated a liver abscess and had percutaneous drainage of the same. Blood and pus cultures both grew Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is an unusual organism to be associated with a liver abscess, especially in an immunocompetent host with no risk factors for this condition. Interestingly, this patient did not have any history of dental work, instrumentation, liver function test (LFT) abnormalities and no extrahepatic source for the abscess. This case highlights the importance of having a high index of clinical suspicion for an occult source of infection and emphasizes the importance of following up on cultures even after discharge of a patient, since anaerobic infections such as those caused by Fusobacterium can have a largely indolent course
Delayed Diagnosis of Pulmonary Thromboembolism Due to Overfocus on COVID-19
Get PDFThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has made it difficult for physicians to follow their usual diagnostic processes. We present the case of a 25-year-old man with adjustment disorder who developed dyspnoea. He was concerned about COVID-19, but his test result was negative. After excluding COVID-19, the physician concluded that his symptoms were related to his psychiatric condition. However, the patient was diagnosed with pulmonary thromboembolism by another physician. To avoid missing a diagnosis, physicians must practice zero-based thinking, regardless of COVID-19 concerns, and not be distracted from the patient's core problems