Internal medicine
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Case Reports
Deterioration of Vocal Cord Paralysis after COVID-19 Infection in Multiple System Atrophy.
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that often causes vocal cord paralysis (VCP), Parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and autonomic dysfunction. VCP is the most fatal symptom that affects the prognosis of patients with MSA. ⋯ We herein present two cases of patients with MSA in whom VCP worsened after COVID-19 and this led to the need to perform emergency tracheostomies. As VCP may deteriorate after COVID-19 in patients with MSA, it is important to prevent COVID-19 in these patients and closely monitor such patients for any signs of VCP deterioration post-infection to improve their prognosis.
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A 37-year-old man with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) was admitted to our hospital with a liver volume of 8,000 cm3. Hepatic arterial embolization was performed using a microcoil but was ineffective. ⋯ At autopsy, the liver weighed 21.5 kg, and the entire liver had been replaced by cysts; in the few remaining areas of liver parenchyma, microscopic, small cysts of various sizes and fibrosis were evident, with only a few normal hepatocytes observed. Hepatic arterial branches developed; however, the portal vein could not be observed.
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Case Reports
A Case of Hereditary Coproporphyria in which the Patient's Course Improved after the Discontinuation of Givosiran.
Hereditary coproporphyria (HCP) is caused by a partial deficiency of coproporphyrinogen oxidase during heme biosynthesis. Givosiran is approved for the treatment of acute hepatic porphyria. ⋯ However, givosiran was discontinued after six months due to a decreased renal function. The patient's ALA and PBG levels remained within the normal ranges, and her HCP-related symptoms resolved more than 2 years after the discontinuation of givosiran.
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A 64-year-old Japanese woman presented with gross hematuria and was diagnosed with stage IVB cervical cancer. Renal dysfunction was observed following chemoradiation therapy, and a renal biopsy revealed renal thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) and tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), which are atypical features of radiation nephropathy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed wedge-shaped areas of high contrast, consistent with areas of high radiation dose in the kidneys, thus leading to the diagnosis of radiation nephropathy. This case underscores the importance of integrating clinical, pathological, and radiological findings for the diagnosis of radiation nephropathy, atypical renal biopsy findings, and a combination of TIN and renal TMA.