Internal medicine
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We treated a patient with an atypical presentation of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) with dural involvement as the initial clinical manifestation. A 37-year-old man had a dural lesion without lower respiratory tract or renal manifestations in the initial clinical course. ⋯ The diagnosis of WG was made based on the results of needle biopsy of the nasal polyps and the finding of positive circulating antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (c-ANCA). He achieved remission on daily prednisone and cyclophosphamide with the later addition of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim.
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Case Reports
Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage associated with proteinase 3-specific anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies.
A 31-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the management of progressive diffuse alveolar hemorrhage associated with renal dysfunction. Leukocytoclastic vasculitis was shown by skin biopsy and crescentic glomerulonephritis was also detected, in addition to positivity for proteinase 3-specific anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (PR3-ANCA). The patient was diagnosed as a rare case of PR3-ANCA-positive pulmonary-renal vasculitic syndrome without granulomatous lesions. There was a good response to combination therapy with steroids and cyclophosphamide.
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Review Case Reports
A diabetic case with hemoglobin J-Meerut and low HbA1C levels.
A diabetic patient with hemoglobin (Hb) J-Meerut and low HbA1C levels is reported. An automatic glycohemoglobin analyzer used for the determination of HbA1C revealed an abnormal peak of the peripheral blood obtained from a Japanese female with diabetes. ⋯ High performance liquid chromatography and isoelectric focusing indicated that her abnormal hemoglobin was Hb J-Meerut [alpha 120(H3)Ala-->Glu] and it accounted for 28.3% of the total hemoglobin. Abnormal hemoglobinemia should be considered when a major discrepancy between the levels of HbA1C and fasting plasma glucose is observed.
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Editorial Comment
Inappropriate hemoglobin A1c level, interference or bonus?
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Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a very rare complication of pulmonary tuberculosis. We herein describe a case of cavitary tuberculosis complicated with DIC. Rifampin was considered to deteriorate the clinical course of DIC in this case.