Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Multilevel Community Engagement To Inform A Randomized Clinical Trial, Kirby L. Wycoff, Jabina G. Coleman, Christine M. Santoro, Leah L. Zullig, Niesha Darden, Porsche M. Holland, Jane F. Cruice, Shukriyyah Mitchell, Michelle Smith, Saleemah J. Mcneil, Sharon J. Herring

Counseling and Behavioral Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To explore how patients, community-based perinatal support professionals, and health system clinicians and staff perceived facilitators and barriers to implementation of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) designed to optimize Black maternal heart health.

METHODS: This article describes the formative work that we believed needed to occur before the start of the Change of H.E.A.R.T (Here for Equity, Advocacy, Reflection and Transformation) RCT. We used a qualitative, descriptive design and community-based, participatory approach, the latter of which allowed our team to intentionally focus on avoiding harm and equalizing power dynamics throughout the research process. Data were collected between November 2021 …

A Manual For Ultrasound Guided Intravenous Access: Allay Your Fears, Alleviate With Humor, Approach With Confidence, Michael Dong, Md

The Medicine Forum

“Hey, can you help get IV access on a patient? The nurses have tried many times already.”

If this message fills your heart with trepidation, it may be because you do not have a systematic approach to ultrasound guided intravenous catheter (IV) placement or any prior training in this procedure. At our institution, after failed nursing attempts, the responsibility for obtaining IV access may fall on the physician. Early in the year, this physician may be an intern who has limited experience with IV access, let alone ultrasound guided IV placement. They may have previously undergone a brief training course …

A Guide To Point Of Care Ultrasound Evaluation Of Pneumonia, Michael Dong, Md, Frances Mae West, Md, Rebecca Davis, Md, Jonathan Foster, Md, Jillian Cooper, Md

The Medicine Forum

A patient presenting with fever, hypoxia, productive cough, and leukocytosis can be diagnosed with pneumonia without any imaging findings. However, we often rely on X-ray and computed tomography (CT) imaging to support the clinical diagnosis. Ultrasound is an effective imaging modality for identifying pneumonia without delay and radiation risks.^1,2 A meta-analysis by Ye et al. in 2015 found that ultrasound diagnosis of pneumonia had a pooled sensitivity of 0.95 and a pooled specificity of 0.9, which is superior to X-ray imaging which had a pooled sensitivity of 0.77 and a similar pooled specificity of 0.9.³ This study used …

A Guide To Point Of Care Ultrasound Lung And Ivc Examination Of A Volume Overloaded Patient, Michael Dong, Md, Frances Mae West, Md, Jonathan Foster, Md, Rebecca Davis, Md, Jillian Cooper, Md

The Medicine Forum

A patient presents with dyspnea, hypoxia, and lower extremity edema. Their history is notable for recent high salt intake and non-compliance with diuretics, and their lungs have rales bilaterally. Clinically, we can diagnose a heart failure exacerbation with pulmonary edema. However, we often rely on X-ray and computed tomography (CT) imaging to support the clinical diagnosis and explore the etiology of the hypoxia and dyspnea to narrow the differential. Ultrasound is an effective modality for identifying pulmonary edema and pleural effusions while at the same time ruling out other etiologies such as pneumonia and pneumothorax. With bedside point of care …

A Guide To Point Of Care Ultrasound Examination Of A Pericardial Effusion, Michael Dong, Md, Frances Mae West, Md, Jillian Cooper, Md, Jonathan Foster, Md, Rebecca Davis, Md

The Medicine Forum

A patient presents with pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea, and a recent viral illness. They have no prior cardiac or pulmonary history. Their X-ray on admission demonstrates no pulmonary findings and an enlarged cardiac silhouette, and their EKG is low voltage with electrical alternans. Ultrasound is an effective modality for identifying pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade while at the same time evaluating for other causes, such as heart failure. Often patients with symptomatic pericardial ef fusion present with non-specific symptoms. While a “formal” transthoracic echocardiogram remains the gold standard for diagnosis, a bedside point of care ultrasound (POCUS) cardiac evaluation can …

A Guide To Point Of Care Ultrasound Examination Of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, Michael Dong, Md, Rebecca Davis, Md, Jonathan Foster, Md, Jillian Cooper, Md, Frances Mae West, Md

The Medicine Forum

A patient presents with dyspnea on exertion, orthopnea, and lower extremity edema. They have a prior history of coronary artery disease and reported episodes of chest pain three months ago. They did not seek medical evaluation at the time and have had no chest pain recently. In this setting, there is a high clinical suspicion of heart failure with concern for ischemic heart disease. The gold standard for diagnosis of heart failure is a formal transthoracic echocardiogram. Bedside point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is a tool that can provide essential information without delay in diagnosis.

A Case Of Suspected Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) Drug-Induced Liver Injury, Louis Kishfy, Md, Justin Bilello, Md, Monjur Ahmed, Md, Elizaveta Flerova, Md

The Medicine Forum

Amphetamines are a well-established cause of liver injury though the typical presentation is that of illicit drug abuse rather than liver injury occurring in a prescribed setting.¹ Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is one of the most commonly prescribed stimulant medications used for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The authors were only able to find a single case of lisdexamfetamine-related drug-induced liver injury (DILI) occurring in the pediatric population in their review of the literature. Here we present a case of suspected lisdexamfetamine DILI in an adult patient.

Helpful Or Harmful? A Case Report Of Nutritional Supplements Causing Drug-Induced Liver Injury, Amman Bhasin, Md, Phoebe Chun, Md, Justin Bilello, Md, Manju Ambelil, Md, Dina L. Halegoua-Demarzio, Md

The Medicine Forum

Herbal supplement-induced liver injury represents a growing concern in the body of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) literature, with recent studies in mainland China, Iceland, and the United States reporting estimated rates of herb/dietary supplement-induced liver injury (HILI) between 1.16-6.38 per 100,000 (Björnsson et al., 2013; Shen et al., 2019; Vega et al., 2017). Notably, a recent 2020 study demonstrated an increasing prevalence of hepatotoxicity secondary to herbal and dietary supplements in the US and worldwide (Zheng et al., 2020). Recognizing the hepatotoxicity of various supplements is crucial, given the increasing usage of dietary and herbal supplements and the lack of …

End-Stage Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction Resulting In Intestinal Pneumatosis, Justin Bilello, Md, Amman Bhasin, Md, Phoebe Chun, Md, Aaron Martin, Md

The Medicine Forum

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is a rare gastrointestinal motility disorder that presents with symptoms, physical exam, and imaging findings of mechanical bowel obstruction without an anatomical obstruction. Multiple etiologies, including enteric or extrinsic neuropathic dysfunction, myopathic dysfunction, or dysfunction of the interstitial cells of Cajal, cause CIPO’s pathogenesis. The presentation of CIPO may be idiopathic or caused by underlying diseases. The most common presentation is abdominal pain, bloating, and distension. Here, we present a patient with an end-stage case of CIPO who failed medical therapy. Her distension progressed over a decade, requiring emergency surgery due to intestinal pneumatosis.

A Case Presentation Of Pericarditis Associated With Haemophilus Influenzae Bacteremia, Risa Goldberg, Md, Harrison Bell, Md

The Medicine Forum

Acute pericarditis, or inflammation of the pericardial sac, is a clinical condition which can often be attributed to a variety of underlying etiologies, including infection, autoimmune disease, trauma, and malignancy. While viral infections are commonly implicated in the etiology of pericarditis, bacteria known to be associated with pericarditis include staphylococcus species, streptococcal species, tuberculosis, and in children, Haemophilus influenzae.¹ Here we present a rare case of pericarditis in an adult male patient which occurred in association with Haemophilus influenzae bacteremia.

A Case Of Bartonella Endocarditis And Torrential Aortic Regurgitation Leading To Cardiac Arrest, Brandon Pecchia, Md, Ms, Sawyer Kieffer, Md

The Medicine Forum

Infective endocarditis can be difficult to diagnose, especially when blood culture-negative. We describe a case of a patient who presented with signs and symptoms of new, acute decompensated heart failure who was found to have culture-negative endocarditis, a large, mobile aortic valve mass, and torrential aortic regurgitation. Although the patient remained clinically stable during early admission and was planned for surgical correction of the valvular pathology, he suffered abrupt clinical decompensation which resulted in cardiac arrest. Postmortem serologies were found to be positive for Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana.

An Educational Case For Applying The Alveolar- Arterial Gradient In Hypoxemia: An Underutilized And Underappreciated Clinical Tool, Chioma Nwonu, Do, Michael Dong, Md, Daniel Kramer, Md

The Medicine Forum

The Alveolar-arterial gradient, commonly known as the A-a gradient, measures the difference in the oxygen concentration in the alveoli and the arteries across the capillary membrane in the lung. In an ideal system, the A-a gradient would be zero because there would be perfect equilibrium as oxygen diffuses and equalizes across the alveolar and arterial sides of the capillary membrane. However, there is a physiologic A-a gradient because of the differences in perfusion and ventilation in the apical and basilar regions of the lungs. Because this relationship exists, the changes in the A-a gradient have clinical utility in guiding the …

Achenbach Syndrome: A Classic Presentation Of A Not-So-Common Condition, Brandon Pecchia, Md, Ms

The Medicine Forum

Also called “acute idiopathic blue finger” or “paroxysmal finger hematoma,” Achenbach syndrome is a benign collection of findings that is often mistaken for more serious conditions. Characteristically presenting with discrete unexplained bruising or discoloration of the volar aspect of one or two fingers, it is a diagnosis that physicians should include on their differential given its innocuous course and excellent outcomes, without need for invasive testing or intervention. The purpose of this case report therefore is to increase awareness of this rare condition, especially among emergency department physicians and internists, in order to minimize the incidence of unnecessary testing, procedures, …

From The Chief Residents, Tina Boortalary, Md, Justin Robbins, Md, Svenja Schneider, Md

The Medicine Forum

As your Chief Residents, we would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you on your incredible scholarly achievements over the past year. We have been impressed by the quality and diversity of your scholarly work. From interdisciplinary clinical research projects that have been submitted to journals across numerous subspecialties, to contributions to the Health Equity and Quality Improvement Summit, you have all demonstrated a passion for excellence and a commitment to advancing the field of medicine. We are grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside you and to have …

From The Editors, Harrison Bell, Md, Akash Patel, Do, Benjamin Tasevac, Md

The Medicine Forum

We are honored to present the 24th Annual edition of The Medicine Forum to the Jefferson community. Over the years, it has been remarkable to see the quality and diversity of projects submitted to this forum, and this year is no exception. The Medicine Forum aims to celebrate the scholarly activity among physicians in training at our institution. We hope that this year's edition will continue to honor this long standing tradition. Despite the uncertainties and stressors that are inherent to working in a hospital, our authors have found the time to produce scholarly work that will diversify and further …

From The Desk Of The Residency Program Director, Christopher Henry, Md, Facp

The Medicine Forum

It is my pleasure to introduce myself to you for the first time as Program Director, as I also introduce to you our latest edition of The Medicine Forum. Having done my residency training at Jefferson, I am so proud that the tradition of this journal has continued throughout the years despite new residents, new leadership, and new challenges both locally and globally. Our residents’ commitment to not only patient care, but also to scholarship and inquiry remains outstanding and impactful.

Tradition, coming from the Latin word “tradere”, means to transmit, to hand over, or to give for safekeeping; …

Table Of Contents: The Medicine Forum Volume 24, 2022-2023

The Medicine Forum

Table of Contents: The Medicine Forum Volume 24, 2022-2023

The Medicine Forum: Volume 24

The Medicine Forum

The Journal of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - Department of Internal Medicine, Volume 24, 2022-2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Case Reports
• Ultrasound Education

Steroid Responsive Idiopathic Calcitriol Induced Hypercalcemia: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Omar El Fadel, Anshel Kenkare, Jingjing Zhang

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic Calcitriol Induced Hypercalcemia is a rare cause of a common condition of hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia is most commonly the result of hyperparathyroidism and together with hypercalcemia of malignancy accounts for over 95% of cases. Idiopathic Calcitriol Induced Hypercalcemia can mimic hypercalcemia secondary to granulomatous diseases like sarcoidosis, but with apparent absences of both imaging and physical exam findings consistent with the disease. We report here a 51-year-old man who presented with recurrent nephrolithiasis, hypercalcemia, and acute kidney injury.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old man presented with severe back pain and mild hematuria. He had a history of recurrent nephrolithiasis over …

The Role Of Bispecific Antibodies In Relapsed Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A Systematic Review, Razwana Khanam, Omer S. Ashruf, Syed Hamza Bin Waqar, Zunairah Shah, Saba Batool, Rameesha Mehreen, Pranali Pachika, Zinath Roksana, Mohammad Ebad Ur Rehman, Faiz Anwer

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Multiple myeloma is a heterogeneous clonal malignant plasma cell disorder, which remains incurable despite the therapeutic armamentarium's evolution. Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) can bind simultaneously to the CD3 T-cell receptor and tumor antigen of myeloma cells, causing cell lysis. This systematic review of phase I/II/III clinical trials aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of BsAbs in relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). A thorough literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and major conference abstracts. A total of 18 phase I/II/III studies, including 1283 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Among the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeting agents across 13 studies, …

Covid-19 Related Biliary Injury: A Review Of Recent Literature, Sujani Yadlapati, Simone A. Jarrett, Daniel Baik, Adib Chaaya

COVID-19 Papers, Posters, and Presentations

Since its emergence in 2019, it has become apparent that coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection can result in multi systemic involvement. In addition to pulmonary symptoms, hepatobiliary involvement has been widely reported. Extent of hepatic involvement ranges from minor elevation in liver function tests (LFTs) to significant hepatocellular or cholestatic injury. In majority of cases, resolution of hepatic injury or improvement in LFTs is noted as patients recover from COVID-19 infection. However, severe biliary tract injury progressing to liver failure has been reported in patients requiring prolonged intensive care unit stay or mechanical ventilation. Due to the timing of its presentation, …

An Unusual Case Of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Associated With Mycobacterium Chimaera Or Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, Tejaswi Venigalla, Sheila Kalathil, Meena Bansal, Mark Morginstin, Vinicius Jorge, Patricia Perosio

Einstein Health Papers

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and very dangerous condition characterized by abnormal activation of the immune system, causing hemophagocytosis, inflammation, and potentially widespread organ damage. The primary (genetic) form, caused by mutations affecting lymphocyte cytotoxicity, is most commonly seen in children. Secondary HLH is commonly associated with infections, malignancies, and rheumatologic disorders. Most current information on diagnosis and treatment is based on pediatric populations. HLH is a disease that should be diagnosed and treated promptly, otherwise it is fatal. Treatment is directed at treating the triggering disorder, along with symptomatic treatment with dexamethasone and etoposide. We present a 56-year-old …

Impact Of End Stage Renal Disease On The Clinical Outcomes Of Diabetics Admitted For Heart Failure: Analysis Of National Inpatient Sample, Muhammad Usman Almani, Yaqi Zhang, Muhammed Hamza Arshad, Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Talha Ayub

Einstein Health Papers

Introduction: Patients with diabetes and heart failure (HF) can have varying outcomes depending on whether they also have End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). This study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients with diabetes and HF with and without ESRD.

Methods: Data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2016-2018 was analyzed to find hospitalizations for patients with HF as the main diagnosis and diabetes as a secondary diagnosis, with and without ESRD. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analysis was used to adjust for confounding factors.

Results: In the total cohort of 12215 patients with a principal diagnosis of heart failure …

Risk Of Coronary Artery Disease In Patients With Gout On Treatment With Colchicine: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Muhammad U Siddiqui, Joey Junarta, Swaminathan Sathyanarayanan, Kirpal Kochar, Waqas Ullah, D L Fischman

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Background: Colchicine has anti-inflammatory properties, but its utility in improving cardiovascular outcomes has been disputed. Here, we study the impact of colchicine on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with gout with and without coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Medline, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. Primary outcomes included myocardial infarction (MI), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Secondary outcomes included stroke and all-cause mortality.

Results: We included 4 observational studies comprising 10,026 patients with gout on treatment with colchicine. There was no significant difference in the …

The “Evolving” Role Of Intravascular Imaging In Myocardial Infarction With Nonobstructive Coronary Arteries, D L Fischman, Vaikom S. Mahadevan, Eric R. Bates

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Point And Counterpoint: Polatuzumab Vedotin In The Front-Line Therapy For Diffuse Large B- Cell Lymphoma, Colin Thomas, Sameep Thapa, Connor Mclaughlin, Molly Halloran, Porcu Pierluigi

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Functional Assessment Data: Current Status Of Federal Initiatives To Support Interoperability Among Post Acute Care Settings, Edgar Chou

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Health information needed along the transitions in care includes functional status such as self-care abilities assessments. Despite current federal efforts to support interoperability of functional status data, gaps still exist. Functional status assessments are included in data collection instruments widely used in four post acute care (PAC) settings, with each type of setting using a different standard instrument. These various instruments lack a shared standard for the content (meaning) of functional assessment items, necessitating mapping to a standard data terminology. Analysis indicates complete LOINC representation and incomplete SNOMED representation among functional status items and instruments. The new U.S. Core Data …

An Unexpected Case Of Non-Uremic Calciphylaxis In A Patient With Multiple Risk Factors, Shannon Nugent, Fred Karaisz, Maisa Elbadawi, Andrew Touati, Neda Nikbakht, Jason B. Lee, Hasan Arif

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

A 58-year-old woman with a history of morbid obesity, asthma, and prior warfarin use presented to the hospital with shortness of breath and a three-month history of painful, ulcerated ulcers with retiform purpura of her bilateral distal extremities. A punch biopsy specimen demonstrated focal necrosis and hyalinization of the adipose tissue with subtle arteriolar calcium deposition, findings consistent with calciphylaxis. We discuss the presentation of non-uremic calciphylaxis and review the risk factors, pathophysiology, and interdisciplinary management approach of this rare disease.

Comprehensive Review Of Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Kevan Josloff, Jacob Beiriger, Adnan Khan, Richard J. Gawel, Richard S. Kirby, Aaron Kendrick, Abhinav K. Rao, Roy Wang, Michelle Schafer, Margaret Pearce, Kashyap Chauhan, Yash B. Shah, Gregary D. Marhefka, Dina Halegoua-De Marzio

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a growing global phenomenon, and its damaging effects in terms of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk are becoming more apparent. NAFLD is estimated to affect around one quarter of the world population and is often comorbid with other metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and metabolic syndrome. In this review, we examine the current evidence describing the many ways that NAFLD itself increases CVD risk. We also discuss the emerging and complex biochemical relationship between NAFLD and its common comorbid conditions, and how they coalesce to increase CVD risk. With NAFLD's rising …

Cardiogenic Shock Due To Atrial Arrhythmia As The Initial Presentation Of Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis, Svenja M. Schneider, Kirpal Kochar, Max Ruge, Stefanie Marek-Iannucci, Tanuka Datta, Alexander Hajduczok, Waqas Ullah, Indranee Rajapreyar, Yevgeniy Brailovsky

Jefferson Hospital Staff Papers and Presentations

Atrial arrhythmias are common in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), with a prevalence of ≤80%. They are often not well tolerated. We describe 3 patients with decompensated heart failure and cardiogenic shock precipitated by atrial arrhythmias who ultimately received diagnoses of ATTR-CA. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)