Internal medicine
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Case Reports
A Case of Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Associated with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
We herein report a case of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) in a 47-year-old man. The patient exhibited recurring dyspnea and bloody sputum. Chest radiography showed bilateral diffuse infiltrative opacities without pleural effusion. ⋯ Laboratory and pathological findings ruled out the possibility of collagen diseases and vasculitis. Overnight polysomnography revealed concomitant severe obstructive SAS. Treatment with continuous positive-pressure ventilation and pharmacological therapy for DCM prevented recurrence of DAH.
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A 59-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with cirrhotic primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) 5 years earlier was admitted for severe jaundice (total bilirubin: 30.1 mg/dL). We suspected that her cirrhotic PBC had deteriorated acutely for some reason. ⋯ Histopathological findings revealed cirrhosis and submassive loss and necrosis of hepatocytes. Clinicians should consider the possibility of acute HEV infection as a trigger for acute PBC exacerbation.
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We herein report a case of presumed septic shock due to Actinotignum schaalii bacteremia with urinary tract infection. A 65-year-old Japanese man suffering from a fever was diagnosed with septic shock due to urinary tract infection. A urine sample was additionally incubated under 5% CO2 and anaerobic conditions after A. schaalii was identified in a blood culture, but A. schaalii was not detected in the urine culture. If Gram-positive rods are observed on Gram staining of a urine sample in symptomatic patients with a predisposing urogenital condition, 5% CO2 and an anaerobic culture of a urine sample should be performed immediately.
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Extravascular cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) defibrillators (CRT-Ds) are ideal for recurrent blood stream infections. Furthermore, CRT is useful for patients intolerant to right ventricular (RV) pacing. The case was a 65-year-old man with a CRT-D who presented with a blood stream infection. ⋯ After the operation, a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD) was placed. However, not all pacing is eligible for S-ICD screening. Combination therapy with an epicardial CRT device and S-ICD might be an alternate option for cardiac surgery cases.
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We treated a 51-year-old Japanese man with chronic hepatitis B (viral load 7.6 LC/mL, genotype C). Hepatitis B virus DNA and HBe antigen were undetectable during the administration of the nucleic acid analogs (NUCs) lamivudine and adefovir, although the concentration of HBs antigen (HBsAg) was 851.2 IU/mL. ⋯ During this time, HBsAg reached undetectable concentrations, and HBs antibody was detected and continued to be detectable during the three-year follow-up. These unprecedented findings suggest that IFN may contribute to the seroclearance of HBsAg in patients treated with NUCs.