A Rare Case of COVID-19 Presenting as Acalculous Cholecystitis

At its onset, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) commonly presents with generalized myalgia and upper respiratory symptoms. COVID-19 presenting as acalculous cholecystitis has been rarely described in the literature. The following case presents a patient whose first presentation of COVID-19 was acalculous cholecystitis without respiratory symptoms, critical illness, or severe COVID-19 infection.

A Rare Case of Antinuclear Antibody (ANA)-Negative Lupus Nephritis

Because most patients with lupus nephritis have a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA), ANA-negative lupus nephritis is a rare complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) classification criteria for SLE, a negative ANA precludes further work-up of SLE. The following case discusses a patient with multiple negative ANA titers but was diagnosed with SLE based on the findings of the kidney biopsy showing lupus nephritis. Though ANA was negative, anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) and anti-Sjogren's syndrome-A (anti-SS-A) antibodies were high. This case highlights the nuances of SLE and further illustrates the challenges in making a diagnosis of SLE when serology alone is relied on for screening.

Evaluation of eltrombopag in thrombocytopenia post Hematopoietic cell transplantation: Rertrospective observational trial

BACKGROUND

Thrombocytopenia remains a life-threatening late complication of HCT with an incidence of 5-20%. Currently, there is no approved drug for the treatment of persistent thrombocytopenia post HCT and platelet transfusion is the maintain stay of treatment. Eltrombopag is approved for the treatment of thrombocytopenia associated with different diseases, however; data on eltrombopag treatment post HCT are limited.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study evaluating the effect of eltrombopag on platelet recovery in patients with persistent thrombocytopenia post HCT. The primary endpoint was platelet recovery to ≥ 20,000/μL for 7 consecutive days without transfusion support after starting eltrombopag. Secondary endpoint was platelet recovery to ≥ 50,000/μL for 7 consecutive days.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients were included. Twelve (75%) of 16 patients became independent from platelet transfusions. Median time from starting eltrombopag to last transfusion was 60 days (range, 9-226 days). Ten (63%) of 16 transfusion dependent patients with platelet count < 20,000/μL achieved the primary endpoint. Seven (33%) patients of 21 included had successful platelet recovery (ie, ≥50,000/μL without transfusion support) and the median time to platelet recovery in patients who achieved it was 32 days (range, 13-265 days). Ten patients (48%) were able to successfully discontinue eltrombopag without recurrence of thrombocytopenia.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrated that eltrombopag appears to have a clinically significant impact on platelet recovery in persistent thrombocytopenic patients post HCT.

Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Risk in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Insights From the DCCT/EDIC Study

Background

Hyperglycemia leading to increased oxidative stress is implicated in the increased risk for the development of macrovascular and microvascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Methods and Results

A random subcohort of 349 participants was selected from the DCCT / EDIC (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications) cohort. This included 320 controls and 29 cardiovascular disease cases that were augmented with 98 additional known cases to yield a case cohort of 447 participants (320 controls, 127 cases). Biosamples from DCCT baseline, year 1, and closeout of DCCT , and 1 to 2 years post‐ DCCT ( EDIC years 1 and 2) were measured for markers of oxidative stress, including plasma myeloperoxidase, paraoxonase activity, urinary F 2α isoprostanes, and its metabolite, 2,3 dinor‐8 iso prostaglandin F 2α . Following adjustment for glycated hemoblobin and weighting the observations inversely proportional to the sampling selection probabilities, higher paraoxonase activity, reflective of antioxidant activity, and 2,3 dinor‐8 iso prostaglandin F 2α , an oxidative marker, were significantly associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (−4.5% risk for 10% higher paraoxonase, P <0.003; −5.3% risk for 10% higher 2,3 dinor‐8 iso prostaglandin F 2α , P =0.0092). In contrast, the oxidative markers myeloperoxidase and F 2α isoprostanes were not significantly associated with cardiovascular disease after adjustment for glycated hemoblobin. There were no significant differences between DCCT intensive and conventional treatment groups in the change in all biomarkers across time segments.

Conclusions

Heightened antioxidant activity (rather than diminished oxidative stress markers) is associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk in type 1 diabetes mellitus, but these biomarkers did not change over time with intensification of glycemic control.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL : https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifiers: NCT 00360815 and NCT 00360893.

Intraperitoneal rupture of cysticercosal cyst mimicking appendicular perforation

Anaphylaxis following intraperitoneal rupture of a cysticercosal cyst mimicking pelvic peritonitis secondary to appendicular perforation is reported. Human cysticercosis occurs following ingestion of Taenia solium eggs, usually from faecally contaminated food. A case of pelvic cysicercosis presenting with signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and peritonitis is reported, with plausible explanations for this unusual presentation.

Taenia-induced ileal perforation

An unusual case of taenia-induced ileal perforation is reported and the management is discussed.

A new technique for correction of disproportionate preputial growth with phimosis

A new surgical solution to correct the rare anomaly of asymmetric phimosis is described, with a note on its symptomatology and etiopathogenesis.

Drainage of deep-seated amoebic liver abscess by Supra cath

Supra cath is an effective alternative to trocar for drainage of deep-seated liver abscess especially in obese or muscular patients with a thick parietal wall.

Primary spinal extradural hydatid cyst

We report a rare case of spinal cord compression caused by primary multiple extradural hydatid cysts.

Diagnostic difficulties in patients with adul botulism type a

Although the ekcuodiagnostic abnormalities in botulism have bean well characterized, the expected abnormalities, such as facilitation of compound muscle anion potential amplitudes after sustained activation or with repetitive stimulation at fast tales, may not always be present especially early m the disease. This may lead to etectrodtagnosttc difficulties and sometimes a delay in establishing a diagnosis. We describe four serologically proven cases of type A botulism in adults that illustrate the variability in ekctrodiagnostic findings in this disease.

AAEM case report 16. Botulism. American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine

Early diagnosis of botulism is essential for effective treatment. Electrophysiologic testing can be of major help to establish a prompt diagnosis, but the classic electrodiagnostic features of botulism are often elusive. Decrement or increment of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes to slow or fast rates of nerve stimulation are often unimpressive or totally absent. Reduction of CMAP amplitudes, denervation activity, or myopathic-like motor unit potentials in affected muscles are found more frequently but they are less specific. In general, the electrophysiologic findings taken together suggest involvement of the motor nerve terminal, which should raise the possibility of botulism. The case reported here illustrates a common clinical presentation of botulism. This study emphasizes realistic expectations of the electrodiagnostic testing, the differential diagnosis, and the potential pitfalls often encountered in the interpretation of the electrophysiologic data.

Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction in malignant serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prognostic value of DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction in malignant serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary.

STUDY DESIGN

Flow cytometric analysis of nuclear DNA content was performed on paraffin-embedded tissues of 31 serous cystadenocarcinomas of the ovary. DNA ploidy, DNA index and S-phase fraction were determined without knowing the final outcome in the patients.

RESULTS

Histograms in 14 (46%) cases were aneuploid, whereas 17 (54%) were diploid. Aneuploidy was more frequent at the advanced stages of the disease as well as in the poorly differentiated histologic types. However, ploidy had a prognostic influence: both the disease-free survival and overall survival were better in diploid than aneuploid tumors at early and advanced stages. S-phase fraction (SPF) could be correctly assessed in 19 cases (62%) and was > 15% in 21% (4 cases). The survival of those patients, however, was not significantly different from that of those with SPF < 15%.

CONCLUSION

If used as an adjunct, DNA ploidy is of value in predicting tumor behavior, response to chemotherapy and disease recurrence.

Fulminant demyelinating neuropathy mimicking cerebral death

Guillain-Barré syndrome can very rarely present with acute quadripares and cranial nerve involvement resembling a locked-in state. We describe a very unusual case of fulminant neuropathy in a child who was previously exposed to vincristine. The clinical picture resembled brain death; however, electrodiagnostic studies led to the diagnosis of a peripheral neuropathy. Serial electrodiagnostic studies and pathologic findings confirmed demyelination.

Feelings of guilt in major depression. Conceptual and psychometric aspects

A new scale for the evaluation of feelings of guilt is described. Two types of guilt feeling were of potential interest: 'delusional' guilt or shame (experienced in relation to one's actions), and 'affective' guilt (a more general feeling of unworthiness). Reliability and validity analyses for the first (15-item) version of the scale were performed in three separate and contrasting clinical samples. The second and final (seven-item) version was tested in another sample of major depressives and in normal controls. The HRSD was used as a measure of severity throughout. The BDI and Widlöcher psychomotor retardation scale were also used as external criteria for the seven-item scale. Exploratory factor analysis of this sample yielded two factors--'cognitive/attitudinal' and 'mood/feeling'--of which only the first correlated with scores for psychomotor retardation. It is suggested that these two factors represent two forms of guilt, but that only the former is related to a putative dopaminergic disorder. Guilt scores and measures of severity were not correlated. It is suggested that feelings of guilt should be considered as a behavioural marker for a subtype of depression.

Manic and depressive symptoms in the elderly: their relationships to treatment outcome, cognition and motor symptoms

70 subjects aged over 65 were evaluated within 48 h of admission in order to ascertain the correlation between manic and depressive symptoms and cognitive disorder, multi-infarct changes, abnormal movements, and extrapyramidal signs. Manic symptoms were found to be more often correlated with multi-infarct changes, lower cognitive scores, disordered behaviour, and bad outcome. The meaning of these findings is discussed.