52 research outputs found

    Chronic Paracoccidioidomycosis with adrenal involvement mimicking tuberculosis – A case report from Austria

    No full text
    Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and endemic in certain areas of Central and South America. We report a case of a 62-year-old-man with a complex history of tuberculosis and imaging findings of a cerebral lesion and bilateral adrenal enlargement. Biopsy of adrenal gland revealed Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. This case highlights the importance of travel history for diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis in non-endemic areas and emphasizes the clinical and histopathological similarities with tuberculosis

    Dose-dependent decrease of platelet activation and tissue factor by omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with advanced chronic heart failure

    No full text
    SummaryChronic heart failure (CHF) is characterised by activation of neuroendocrine and inflammatory pathways, and both are linked to a prothrombotic state. Treatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFA) showed significant benefits including mortality reduction in CHF, but exact mechanisms of action are still unclear. We investigated the effects of n3-PUFA on markers of platelet activation and thrombogenesis in patients with severe CHF. Thirty-six patients with non-ischaemic CHF (LVEF&lt;35%, NYHA class&gt;2) under optimised therapy were randomised to supplementation with 1g/day or 4g/day n3-PUFA, or placebo for 12 weeks. Using whole-blood flow cytometry, monocyteplatelet aggregates characterised by CD14+/CD42b+ co-expression and monocytic tissue factor (TF) were determined. Plasma levels of P-selectin, sCD40L, fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment F1.2, TF and proinflammatory markers (high sensitive[hs] interleukin-6, hsCRP, hsTNFalpha, monocyte chemotactic protein-1) were measured by immunoassay. Supplementation with 1g/day and 4g/day n3-PUFA but not placebo significantly reduced monocyte-platelet aggregates in a dose-dependent manner (p for trend=0.02 across the groups). A dose of 4g/day but not 1g/day n3-PUFA significantly decreased P-selectin (p=0.03). Plasma TF decreased dose-dependently upon n3-PUFA supplementation (p for trend=0.02), paralleled by a significant decrease of TF+-monocytes (p for trend=0.01). The amount of 4g/day n3-PUFA exhibited modest anti-inflammatory effects with a significant reduction of hs interleukin-6 (p&lt;0.01) and a trend-wise reduction of hsTNF-alpha (p=0.09). No changes were seen for sCD40L, fibrinogen, hsCRP and monocyte chemotactic protein-1, while F1.2 was decreased by 4g/day n3-PUFA (P=0.03). In patients with severe non-ischaemic CHF, treatment with n3-PUFA leads to a dose-dependent decrease of platelet activation and TF. Higher dosage exhibits also anti-inflammatory effects.* ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00149409</jats:p

    The Influence of Diagnoses of Specific Viral Infections on In-Hospital Mortality, Length of Stay and Cost in Patients Admitted to Hospital with a Diagnosis of Myocarditis: An Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample

    No full text
    Background: The influence of different viral infections in patients with myocarditis is unknown. Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of heart muscle that is commonly caused by viruses. The impact of different viral infections in patients with myocarditis is unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data between 2016–2020 in the National Inpatient Sample in the USA to evaluate admissions with myocarditis and concomitant viral infection. The outcomes of in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LoS), and cost, among patients hospitalized for myocarditis was evaluated. Results: A total of 27,050 hospital admissions for myocarditis were included and 6750 (25.0%) had a co-diagnosis of viral infection. Patients with myocarditis and viral infection had significantly higher mortality compared to those without viral infection (23.6% vs. 4.4%, p < 0.001). Viral infection was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) 2.03, 95% CI 1.51 to 2.73, p < 0.001), greater median LoS (7 vs. 3 days, p < 0.001) and median hospitalization cost (21,445vs.21,445 vs. 11,596, p < 0.001), compared to patients without viral infection. The rate of death was greatest for patients with a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), viral pneumonia and herpes zoster, respiratory syncytial virus, chronic hepatitis, and influenza which was 36.0%, 34.3%, 27.3%, 21.4%, 20.0%, and 14.5%, respectively. Conclusions: In conclusion, the diagnosis of viral infection is present in one in four patients hospitalized with myocarditis and is correlated with greater mortality, LoS, and in-hospital cost
    corecore