Internal medicine
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Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening disease with high mortality and rapidly progressive clinical manifestations1. Early detection and surgical management coupled with antibiotic treatment are crucial for the survival, and the patient survival is heavily dependent on clinical decisions2,3. However, it is not widely known that NF does not always follow a typical clinical course, and there have been no case reports of NF following an atypical clinical course. ⋯ We encountered a challenging case presenting with an atypical clinical course. We herein report a 31-year-old man who followed a deteriorating biphasic-like clinical course and presented with extensive NF and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome due to Group A Streptococcus. This case serves to inform physicians of the existence of NF with an atypical and deteriorating biphasic-like clinical course, emphasizing the need for a careful evaluation of the patient condition.
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Objective Although patients with neuroimmunological disorders often need to be treated with glucocorticoids and are at risk of developing glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, no research has focused on the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in such patients. Methods We compared the efficacy of denosumab and bisphosphonates in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in neuroimmunological diseases. In 57 patients with neuroimmunological disorders treated with corticosteroids (34 with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, 16 with myasthenia gravis, and 7 with others), we retrospectively studied the long-term effects of denosumab (n=23) and bisphosphonates (n=34) on spine and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. ⋯ During the follow-up period of up to 6 years, the increase in the lumbar spine and total hip BMD was greater in the denosumab group than in the bisphosphonate group (p<0.01). Insufficient bone fractures were observed in 2 (9%) of the 23 patients in the denosumab group and in 2 (6%) of the 34 patients in the bisphosphonate group (not significant). Conclusion Denosumab is more effective than bisphosphonates in increasing the BMD of patients with neuroimmunological disorders receiving glucocorticoids.
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Objective To determine whether nutritional status is related to the incidence of thrombosis and mortality in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods A total of 496 consecutive patients who were admitted and diagnosed with COVID-19 between April 2020 and March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) on admission was calculated as follows: 14.89×serum albumin (g/dL) +41.7×body mass index/22. ⋯ During hospitalization, the composite endpoint was observed in 32 patients. In the logistic regression analysis, a low GNRI was significantly associated with the composite endpoint adjusted using inverse probability of treatment weighting (odds ratio, 3.24; 95% confidence interval: 1.51-6.93, p<0.05). Conclusion Assessment of the GNRI provides useful information for predicting in-hospital thrombosis and mortality in COVID-19 patients.
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Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal-dominant vascular disorder characterized by intractable epistaxis, mucocutaneous telangiectasias, and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in multiple organs, including the lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract, brain, and spinal cord. We herein report a 50-year-old Japanese man with HHT who experienced recurrent epistaxis, telangiectasia in the cornea, apex of the tongue and fingers; hepatic AVM; and a poorly developed main arterial trunk in the right middle cerebral artery. A genetic analysis revealed a novel heterozygous mutation in the activin A receptor-like type 1 gene, with a frameshift mutation in NM_000020.3:c.826_836del (p. Ile276ProfsTer112).
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Cryoballoon ablation has been established as an effective method for pulmonary vein isolation and has recently been investigated for its efficacy of substrate modification on the left atrial roof area in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. We herein report the first successful case of left atrial posterior wall isolation including roof line ablation using cryoballoons in a patient with persistent atrial fibrillation, dextrocardia, and situs inversus. Cryoballoon ablation proved to be a safe and straightforward approach to create lasting lesions along the left atrial roof line and left atrial posterior wall, even under challenging anatomical conditions.