Clinical medicine (London, England)
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Medical teams continue to treat many patients with COVID-19 infection. This disease can result in profound hypoxaemia that may necessitate intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation in those who are critically ill. This intervention carries risk to both patients and healthcare workers and utilises significant hospital resource for prolonged periods. ⋯ The prone position in conscious non-ventilated patients with COVID-19 infection may improve oxygenation in the short term and defer or prevent the need for intubation in some. However, clinicians must be aware that there is a small evidence base for this intervention currently. This review sets out evidence regarding the use of this technique to aid the decision making of frontline staff.
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Blood culture negative endocarditis (BCNE) accounts for up to 20% of infective endocarditis. While the most common cause of BCNE remains the initiation of antibiotics prior to culture, intracellular organisms such as Coxiella and Bartonella spp account for a significant proportion of cases. Identifying the infecting organism remains important to ensure optimal antimicrobial treatment. ⋯ Over half of patients with infective endocarditis now undergo early surgery and 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of excised tissue can be vitally important to secure a diagnosis. Molecular testing is likely to become a key tool in improving outcomes from BCNE and contribute to an improved understanding of the aetiology. We advocate modifying the Duke criteria to incorporate organisms identified on molecular testing, including 16S rRNA PCR, in particular from explanted tissue.
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We describe a case of an 82-year-old man who developed an anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and left ventricular thrombus while an inpatient following a diagnosis of severe COVID-19 infection (SARS-CoV-2). His D-dimer was significantly elevated at 12,525 ng/mL (normal range <243). ⋯ Clinicians should be aware of this possibility in such patients, with a severely prothrombotic state as a possible underlying aetiology. Further research is required to establish any causative link, pathophysiological mechanisms and whether modification to existing venous thromboembolism prophylaxis strategies may also reduce arterial thrombotic complications of severe COVID-19 infection.
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The hypoxic patient with a normal chest X-ray can be a diagnostic challenge. This case illustrates the rational diagnostic process and describes a relatively rare but important complication of cancer metastasis. Thrombotic microangiopathy, like lymphangitis carcinomatosa, may cause respiratory failure and is a poor prognostic finding. However, unlike lymphangitis carcinomatosa, it may not have specific findings on cross-sectional imaging.
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Parkinson's disease (PD) is diagnosed where bradykinesia occurs together with rigidity or tremor, in the presence of supporting features. The diagnosis is clinical, and attention should be paid to exclusion criteria indicating an alternative diagnosis and to 'red flag' features. There is no cure or disease-modifying treatment for PD, and the rate of progression is variable. ⋯ Around 10% of patients per year with refractory motor fluctuations may be eligible for advanced therapies, including deep-brain stimulation surgery. There is emerging evidence for the management of non-motor symptoms in PD, and the importance of multidisciplinary care. In this article, the evidence base for optimal diagnosis and management of PD is discussed.