J Postgrad Med
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Therapies used to tide over acute crisis of COVID-19 infection may lower the immunity, which can lead to secondary infection or a reactivation of latent infection. We report a 75-years-old male patient who had suffered from severe COVID-19 infection three weeks earlier and who had been treated with corticosteroids and convalescent plasma along with other supportive therapies. At time of discharge he had developed leukopenia which worsened at 1-week follow up visit. ⋯ Both COVID-19 and cytomegalovirus are known to cause synergistic decrease in T cells and NK cells leading to immunosuppression. The patient made complete recovery with a course of intravenous ganciclovir and fluconazole. Persistent leukopenia in high risk and severely ill cases should give rise to a suspicion of COVID-19 and cytomegalovirus co-infection.
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Atypical presentations of supraventricular arrhythmias constitute a diagnostic challenge which are not frequently reported in literature. Swallowing-induced supraventricular arrhythmia (SI-SVA), which was first described in 1926, is an intriguing presentation of supraventricular tachycardia and occurs during a wet or solid swallow. A 67-year-old man presented to our outpatient clinic complaining from recurrent episodes of sensation of palpitations and short duration pressure on his chest while swallowing since the last 2 weeks. ⋯ The patient was successfully treated with amiodarone. The main cause of SI-SVA is not known. Cross-talk of nerves during the impulse propagation might be the underlying cause of this phenomenon.
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Citations and validation of work play a crucial and integral role in a researcher's career. Ranking systems of scientists, on the other hand, potentially scratch and expose the fallible egoistic human face of science, leading to an unhealthy milieu of competition rather than the uplifting one of motivation. We have attempted to highlight and bring to fore these factors in our brief viewpoint. We critically analyze the reasons why ranking systems of scientists, especially in the field of medicine, will shift the focus from advancement of science to advancement of "self."