Journal of investigative medicine high impact case reports
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J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep · Oct 2017
Use of Tachycardia in Patients With Submassive Pulmonary Emboli to Risk Stratify for Early Initiation of Thrombolytic Therapy: A Case Series Comparing Early Versus Late Thrombolytic Initiation.
Pulmonary embolism (PE) represents a prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with approximately 600 000 cases diagnosed annually. The mortality rate for untreated PE is as high as 30%. ⋯ Despite successes in identifying patients with "high-risk" PEs for aggressive thrombolytic interventions and "low-risk" PEs for outpatient anticoagulation, a significant lack of consensus exists regarding intervention modalities for PEs identified as "intermediate risk" or "submassive," defined as normotensive (systolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg) with acute RV dysfunction and myocardial injury. In this case series, we review the management and outcomes of 2 patients with submassive PEs and sustained tachycardia in the setting of normal blood pressures, and we address the need to recognize tachycardia as an ominous RV compensatory sign, indicative of impending hemodynamic collapse, that should lead to aggressive therapy with vascular intervention.
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Inhalation of cosmetic talc can lead to pulmonary foreign-body granulomatosis, though fewer than 10 cases of inhaled cosmetic talc-related pulmonary granulomatosis have been reported in adults. We report the case of a 64-year-old man with diffuse, bilateral pulmonary nodules and ground glass opacities associated with chronic inhalation of cosmetic talc. ⋯ After cessation of talc exposure, the patient demonstrated clinical and radiographic improvement without the use of corticosteroids. This case demonstrates that a conservative approach with cessation of exposure alone, without the use of corticosteroids, can be an effective therapy in cosmetic talc-related pulmonary granulomatosis.
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J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep · Apr 2017
Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis With Prolonged Glucosuria Associated With the Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Canagliflozin.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors improve glycemic control by a reversible inhibition of the sodium-glucose cotransporters in the renal proximal tubules resulting in increased urinary glucose. This unique mechanism, independent of insulin secretion and beta cell function, has made this class of medication desirable in patients with type 2 diabetes. However in May 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a safety warning pertaining to the development of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with the use of SGLT2 inhibitors. ⋯ In this article, we present a case of a 50-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes who developed euglycemic DKA after initiating therapy with canagliflozin. This case of DKA associated with SGLT2 inhibitor use was unique due to her hypoglycemic presentation and persistent glucosuria. SGLT2 inhibitors such as canagliflozin may predispose patients not only to diabetic ketoacidosis but also to prolonged glucosuria.
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J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep · Oct 2016
Combined Spinal-Epidural for Vaginal Delivery in a Parturient With Takayasu's Arteritis.
Takayasu's arteritis is a rare, progressive panendarteritis involving all layers of the arterial wall. This disease includes variable involvement of the aorta and its major branches. ⋯ Per literature review, a combined spinal-epidural technique for planned vaginal delivery has not been described for a laboring Takayasu patient. Our technique, utilizing intrathecal opioids and a low-dose local anesthetic-opioid epidural infusion, provided adequate analgesia while maintaining hemodynamic stability throughout labor augmentation and successful vaginal delivery.
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J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep · Apr 2016
Salmonella Typhi-Induced Septic Shock and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Previously Healthy Teenage Patient Treated With High-Dose Dexamethasone.
Typhoid fever is commonly characterized by fever and abdominal pain. Rare complications include intestinal hemorrhage, bowel perforation, delirium, obtundation, and septic shock. ⋯ High-dose dexamethasone treatment has reportedly decreased Salmonella Typhi mortality, but controlled studies specifically performed in children are lacking, and most reports of its use are over 30 years old and all have originated in developing countries. Providers should include Salmonella Typhi in the differential diagnosis of the pediatric patient with fever, severe abdominal pain, and enteritis, and be aware of its potentially severe complications and the limited data on safety and efficacy of adjunctive therapies that can be considered in addition to antibiotics.