The Netherlands journal of medicine
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We report a patient with bronchial asthma who presented with pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, pneumoretroperitoneum, pneumorrhachis and extensive subcutaneous emphysema, after a period of coughing. Pathogenesis, diagnostic procedures and treatment of pneumomediastinum and its complications are discussed.
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We describe a 61-year-old male patient who was treated with allopurinol and developed fever, a skin rash, eosinophilia and severe renal and liver dysfunction. We discuss the allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome as a serious complication of the use of allopurinol, and briefly review the aetiology, prevention and treatment modalities.
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Case Reports
Takayasu's arteritis: a rare cause of cardiac death in a Caucasian teenage female patient.
A caucasian teenage Dutch schoolgirl with known chronic low visual acuity and albinism, presented with frank acute pulmonary oedema, died after 1 h of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation for bradyarrhythmia and cardiac arrest. Two weeks prior to presentation, during sport training, she complained of oppressive chest pain on exertion accompanied with vomiting without any other systemic symptoms. ⋯ Microscopic examination demonstrated cellular infiltration of the wall of the aorta and pulmonary trunk with formation of granulomas with multinucleated giant cells. These features are compatible with Takayasu's arteritis.
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The prevalence of reflux oesophagitis (RO) in the normally intellectual population is about 2%, while this condition in the intellectually disabled has an estimated prevalence of 10%. ⋯ In this group of Dutch intellectually disabled patients with IQ < 50 RO was diagnosed in about 6% (107 of 1687), mostly severe grades of oesophagitis. Several possible associated factors were significantly present. From non-specific reflux symptoms persistent vomiting was the most indicative factor. In this population the most effective treatment of RO was long-term omeprazole therapy.