Chest
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A 42-year-old man was directly admitted to the ICU with respiratory failure and hypotension. Two weeks prior and just after returning from Bangladesh, he presented to a polyclinic with fever, right knee pain, and generalized aches, for which he received oral antibiotics. He was a farmer, had diabetes, never smoked, and consumed alcohol occasionally.
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Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an uncommon but progressive condition, and much of what we know about it comes from specialized disease registries. With expanding research into the diagnosis and treatment of PH, it is important to provide updated surveillance on the impact of this disease on hospitalizations and mortality. This study, which builds on previous PH surveillance of mortality and hospitalization, analyzed mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System and data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey between 2001 and 2010. ⋯ There have been significant declines in PH-associated mortality rates for those with pulmonary embolism and emphysema. Rates of hospitalization for PH have increased significantly for both men and women during the past decade; for those aged 85 years and older, hospitalization rates have nearly doubled. Continued surveillance helps us understand and address the evolving trends in hospitalization and mortality associated with PH and PH-associated conditions, especially regarding sex, age, and race/ethnicity disparities.
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Comparative Study
A Tuberculosis Antigen-stimulated CXCR3 Ligand Assay for the Diagnosis of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
The ligands for CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) recruit T-helper type 1 cells, which play a major role in cell-mediated immunity in TB. ⋯ TB antigen-stimulated assays of I-TAC and MIG may be useful surrogate markers in the diagnosis of active pulmonary TB.
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A patient undergoing radical extrapleural pneumonectomy for epithelioid malignant mesothelioma developed acute paraplegia postoperatively related to long-segment spinal cord ischemia. The usual area of concern for this complication is the T9 to T12 area where the artery of Adamkiewicz is most likely to originate. ⋯ Our hypothesis is variant mid-thoracic vascular anatomy. Previously unreported, to our knowledge, this should be understood as a rare complication of this surgery.