Journal of medical case reports
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Sleep-related hypoventilation should be considered in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, because appropriate respiratory management during sleep is important for preventing elevation of PaCO2 levels. A nasal high-flow oxygen therapy system using a special nasal cannula can deliver suitably heated and humidified oxygen at up to 60 L/min. Since the oxygen concentration remains a constant independent of minute ventilation, this system is particularly useful in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who have hypercapnia. This is the first report of sleep-related hypoventilation with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease improving using a nasal high-flow oxygen therapy system. ⋯ Use of a nasal high-flow oxygen therapy system proved effective in delivering a prescribed concentration of oxygen from the time of acute exacerbation until returning home in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia and sleep-related hypoventilation. The nasal high-flow oxygen therapy system is currently used as a device to administer high concentrations of oxygen in many patients with type I respiratory failure, but may also be useful instead of a Venturi mask in patients like ours with type II respiratory failure, additionally providing some positive end-expiratory pressure.
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Case Reports
Cluster headache associated with a clinically non-functioning pituitary adenoma: a case report.
Cluster headache belongs to a group of primary headache entities: the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. Cluster headache is the most common variant. The headache is usually severe and it is also associated with autonomic symptoms. Secondary causes of cluster headache have been reported, such as intracranial artery aneurysms and tumors. The question of when to carry out neuroimaging in patients with cluster headache is yet unsettled. To the best of the author's knowledge, cluster headache associated with a clinically non-functioning pituitary adenoma (chromophobe adenoma) has not been described. This case report describes the case of a man with cluster headache where the evaluation showed a clinically non-functioning pituitary adenoma. ⋯ Tumors have been reported in patients with cluster headache whose clinical attacks are identical to genuine cluster headache. A clinically non-functioning pituitary adenoma can present as cluster headache. This case emphasizes the need of imaging procedures in patients with cluster headache. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging including the sella turcica should always be done in patients with cluster headache.
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Case Reports
Acetaminophen-induced anion gap metabolic acidosis secondary to 5-oxoproline: a case report.
5-oxoproline (pyroglutamic acid), an organic acid intermediate of the gamma-glutamyl cycle, is a rare cause of high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Acetaminophen and several other drugs have been implicated in the development of transient 5-oxoprolinemia in adults. We believe that reporting all cases of 5-oxoprolinemia will contribute to a better understanding of this disease. Here, we report the case of a patient who developed transient 5-oxoprolinemia following therapeutic acetaminophen use. ⋯ 5-oxoproline acidosis is an uncommon cause of high anion gap metabolic acidosis; however, it is likely that it is under-diagnosed as awareness of the condition remains low and testing can only be performed at specialized laboratories. The diagnosis should be suspected in cases of anion gap metabolic acidosis, particularly in patients with recent acetaminophen use in combination with sepsis, malnutrition, liver disease, pregnancy or renal failure. This case has particular interest in medicine, especially for the specialties of nephrology and orthopedics. We hope that it will add more information to the literature about this rare condition.
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Review Case Reports
Abnormal fingernail beds following carbon monoxide poisoning: a case report and review of the literature.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a very common cause of death in accidental, suicidal, or homicidal cases throughout the world. Fingernail bed manifestation is reported in survivors of carbon monoxide poisoning. ⋯ Worldwide, carbon monoxide poisoning is a potentially lethal condition that is preventable with educational programs and installation of carbon monoxide detectors in the home setting. Exposure to carbon monoxide frequently goes unrecognized until it is too late and causes silent death. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of fingernail bed manifestations in a survivor of carbon monoxide poisoning.
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Review Case Reports
Aeromonas sobria necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis in an immunocompromised patient: a case report and review of the literature.
Aeromonas veronii biovar sobria is a rare cause of bacteremia, with several studies indicating that this isolate may be of particular clinical significance since it is enterotoxin producing. A wide spectrum of infections has been associated with Aeromonas species in developing countries that include gastroenteritis, wound infections, septicemia and lung infections. This infection, caused by Aeromonas species, is usually more severe in immunocompromised than immunocompetent individuals. We here describe a case of soft tissue infection and severe sepsis due to Aeromonas sobria in an immunocompromised patient. ⋯ Our experience suggests that early recognition and aggressive medical and surgical therapy are determinants in the treatment of severe septicemia caused by an Aeromonas sobria in an immunocompromised patient.