The American journal of the medical sciences
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Review Case Reports
An Unusual Case of Explosive Pleuritis without Mediastinal Shift.
Explosive pleuritis (EP) is an under-reported condition. Although there is no agreed-upon definition, generally, the term EP denotes a dramatic clinical and radiologic progression of pleural space inflammation in the setting of pneumonia. The pleural space inflammation leads to the formation of loculated complex pleural effusion or empyema, and pleural adhesion within a matter of hours, typically in less than 24 hours. ⋯ Streptococcal pneumonia is the most common cause of EP. Here we present a case and discuss the clinical, microbiologic, radiologic, and treatment aspects of EP. We also scrutinize the medical literature to compare the previously reported cases.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can progress to cardiovascular complications which are linked to higher in-hospital mortality rates. Infective endocarditis (IE) can develop in patients with recent COVID-19 infections, however, characterization of IE following COVID-19 infection has been lacking. To better characterize this disease, we performed a systematic review with descriptive analysis of the clinical features and outcomes of these patients. ⋯ Our systematic review provides a profile of clinical features and outcomes of patients with a prior COVID-19 infection diagnosis who subsequently developed IE. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that clinicians appreciate the possibility of IE as a unique complication of COVID-19 infection.
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Review Case Reports
Diffuse pulmonary lymphangiomatosis involving lungs and mediastinal soft tissue: a case report and literature review.
Diffuse pulmonary lymphangiomatosis (DPL) is rare in adults. It is characterized by abnormal proliferation, dilatation, and thickening of the lymphatic channels in the lungs, pleura, and mediastinal soft tissue. Here, we report a case of DPL in a young adult man with recurrent productive cough. ⋯ Radiologic features can suggest the diagnosis of DPL. Surgical biopsy with adequate section size is critical in the diagnosis. Propranolol might be an effective and safe therapeutic option for patients with DPL.
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Review Case Reports
Collapsing glomerulopathy in a patient with mixed connective tissue disease.
Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG) is a form of podocytopathy that is challenging to manage. CG can be idiopathic or associated with other conditions including autoimmune connective tissue diseases. In the setting of autoimmune connective tissue diseases, there are no current guidelines to guide therapy. ⋯ CG in the setting of autoimmune connective tissue diseases is more common in females and black patients. Response to therapy was inconsistent. Many patients progressed to dialysis despite use of various treatment modalities.