Internal Medicine Commons^™

Noninvasive Testing And Surrogate Markers In Invasive Fungal Diseases., George R Thompson, David R Boulware, Nathan C Bahr, Cornelius J Clancy, Thomas S Harrison, Carol A Kauffman, Thuy Le, Marisa H Miceli, Eleftherios Mylonakis, M Hong Nguyen, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Thomas F Patterson, John R Perfect, Andrej Spec, Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis, Peter G Pappas

Journal Articles

Invasive fungal infections continue to increase as at-risk populations expand. The high associated morbidity and mortality with fungal diseases mandate the continued investigation of novel antifungal agents and diagnostic strategies that include surrogate biomarkers. Biologic markers of disease are useful prognostic indicators during clinical care, and their use in place of traditional survival end points may allow for more rapid conduct of clinical trials requiring fewer participants, decreased trial expense, and limited need for long-term follow-up. A number of fungal biomarkers have been developed and extensively evaluated in prospective clinical trials and small series. We examine the evidence for these …

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection In A Young Male: A Case Report, Irene Tchuente M.D.

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death worldwide. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on Coronary Artery Dissection due to the increasing number of young individuals without any cardiovascular risk factors presenting with chest pain. Many of these patients would also have elevated troponins and sometimes electrocardiogram changes suggestive of myocardial infarction. Many reported cases have been in women and only a handful of cases have been reported in men. Although some potential risk factors have been identified, more data is needed to support these hypotheses. Coronary Artery Dissection (CAD) mimics Acute Coronary Syndrome …

Management Of Right Sided Carcinoid Heart Failure, Ganesh Arun, Ismat Cheema, Lorrie Pennfield, Mohammed Raza, Erik Raborn, Ami Patel, Farhan Ali

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Carcinoid heart disease is a rare complication of an already rare disease. This issue is theorized to be secondary to released proinflammatory molecules that deposit on the surfaces of heart valves. These molecules are released from the carcinoid tumor itself and manifest symptoms based on liver, lung and brain function. The detection of 5-HIAA, a breakdown source of serotonin, is useful for diagnosis. These deposits occur most commonly on the endocardium of valvular cusps and cardiac chambers. This case presents a 48 year old woman with echo findings of right heart failure in the setting of a carcinoid tumor. It …

Cardiovascular Outcomes In Aortopathy: Gentac Registry Of Genetically Triggered Aortic Aneurysms And Related Conditions., Kathryn W Holmes, Sheila Markwardt, Kim A Eagle, Richard B Devereux, Jonathan W Weinsaft, Federico M Asch, Scott A Lemaire, Cheryl L Maslen, Howard K Song, Dianna M Milewicz, Siddharth K Prakash, Dongchuan Guo, Shaine A Morris, Reed E Pyeritz, Rita C Milewski, William J Ravekes, H C Dietz, Ralph V Shohet, Michael Silberbach, Mary J Roman

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: The GenTAC (Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Cardiovascular Conditions) Registry enrolled patients with genetic aortopathies between 2007 and 2016.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare age distribution and probability of elective surgery for proximal aortic aneurysm, any dissection surgery, and cardiovascular mortality among aortopathy etiologies.

METHODS: The GenTAC study had a retrospective/prospective design. Participants with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) with aneurysm (n = 879), Marfan syndrome (MFS) (n = 861), nonsyndromic heritable thoracic aortic disease (nsHTAD) (n = 378), Turner syndrome (TS) (n = 298), vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) (n = 149), and Loeys-Dietz syndrome …

Optimizing Oxygen Therapy, Gizam Gokalp, Ramez Massoud, Jopher Bernal, Guru Chinnaraj, Michael Delzoppo, Nicole Brenner

North Florida Division Research Day 2022

No abstract available.

Antimicrobial Stewardship Meets Transitions Of Care: Defining Length Of Therapy For Community-Acquired Pneumonia (Cap), Christopher Whitman, Sarah E. Moore Pharmd, Matthew Song Pharmd, Bcidp, Brian C. Bohn Pharmd, Bcidp, Ashley M. Wilde

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship efforts have traditionally focused on inpatient settings. Antibiotic prescribing at discharge is often an overlooked area of focus for antimicrobial stewardship programs. Discharge prescribing optimization is necessary to combat antibiotic overuse.

Methods: This was an observational, retrospective cohort study at a four–adult community hospital system. Four hundred adult patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia and discharged with antibiotics were included. The primary outcome was overall (inpatient and discharge) antibiotic length of therapy. The secondary outcome was percentage of patients discharged on a fluoroquinolone who had not received one in the hospital. Descriptive statistics were utilized.

Results: The …

Covid-19 Case Complicated With Organizing Pneumonia And Pneumothorax: Correspondence, Hammad A. Bhatti, Minh Q. Ho

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Diagnostic Accuracy Of Whole-Body 18f-Fdg Pet And 18f-Fdg Pet/Ct In Detecting Occult Malignancy In Patients With Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy, A Ali, R Alkilany, J Asif, B Basida, Z Al-Sagri, N Mahabadi, H Sarakbi

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are chronic, systemic autoimmune diseases that can cause muscle inflammation, weakness, and skin manifestations. Several studies have confirmed the association between IIMs and malignancy in adult population with varied frequency (4-42%), highest in patients with dermatomyositis. Detecting occult malignancy is a diagnostic challenge involving cost- and time-consuming methods. The (18)F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([(18)F] FDG-PET) role in this context has been studied in multiple studies.

Objectives The purpose of this study is to assess the diagnostic performance of whole-body 18F-FDG PET or 18F-FDG PET/CT for detection of occult malignancy in patients with IIMs.

Methods …

A Sailor’S Disease Presenting In Urban America With Red Spots On The Legs, John A. Buchan, Bruce H. Gray

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Sailors were often affected by nutritional deficiencies due to the absence of fresh foods on long voyages. One example is the development of scurvy from a lack of vitamin C ingestion. In modern society in which fresh food are available this disease is infrequently recognized. The following case describes a 62-year-old male who presented with “red spots” on his legs and a large area of ecchymosis on his thigh. After initial testing failed to elicit a cause, a dietary history revealed that the patient had a peculiar diet of only ice cream with a total avoidance of fruits and vegetables. …

Small Cell Carcinoma Of The Anal Canal: A Rare Entity, Shailesh Niroula, Ujjwal Jung Karki, Bipin Ghimire, Shrinjaya Thapa

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Neoplasm of anal canal are <5% of the malignancy of gastrointestinal tract. Majority of the cancers are squamous cell and adenocarcinoma. Primary small cell carcinoma of the anal canal is a very rare diagnosis with only handful of cases reported in literature. 66-year-old female with multiple co-morbidities presented with rectal pain. She had initially noticed hemorrhoids six months prior to presentation. CT abdomen and pelvis showed bilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy and diverticulosis. Patient then had colonoscopy which showed mass in the anal canal, initial biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma with basaloid features. Lymph node biopsy was also positive for metastatic cancer likely anal in origin. PET scan showed metastatic lesion in the lumbar vertebra. Review of slides was done before starting chemotherapy as component of small cell carcinoma was also seen. Due to diagnostic dilemma, patient was initially started on Carboplatin and Paclitaxel first cycle as it is effective against both squamous and small cell carcinoma. Repeat evaluation of the slides confirmed small cell cancer as the diagnosis and chemotherapy was changed to carboplatin and etoposide. Patient received 3 cycles of the carboplatin and etoposide after which atezolizumab was added. She received total of 6 cycles of the chemotherapy. Repeat PET scan showed partial favorable response. Due to rarity of the disease, there was significant delay in diagnosis of the cancer. Diagnosis of small cell carcinoma in the anal canal relies on neuroendocrine differentiation. There is no formal evidence-based recommendation regarding treatment. They are considered equivalent to pulmonary small cell carcinoma and treated in similar manner.

Aml: A Real Pain In The Sacrum, Markie Zimmer, Hazem Alakhras, Daniel Misra, Sara Aguinaga

Conference Presentation Abstracts

A 60 year old previously healthy female presented for evaluation of a painful sacral decubitus ulcer. In the initial workup, CBC showed leukocytosis of 51 with a monocytic differentiation and 55% blasts, macrocytic anemia of 4.6 Hgb, and thrombocytopenia of 32. She denied any classic B-type symptoms, but did have four days of fatigue and chronic night sweats, previously attributed to menopause. She had no evidence of bleeding, and was transfused appropriately, but had ongoing severe thrombocytopenia. Oncology was consulted and bone marrow biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia with monocytic differentiation. After initiation of antibiotic therapy for …

Pituitary Metastasis Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Faris Alkhouri, Joseph Salib, Jack Artinian

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Metastasis to other organs is also common. Of these, approximately 25% involve metastasis to the brain. In the brain, however, it is known that only 1% of brain metastasis involve the pituitary gland. In this report, we present a 70-year-old woman that was diagnosed with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) a year ago presenting with metastasis to the pituitary. A 70-year-old woman with past medical history of longstanding tobacco abuse, COPD, hypertension, and lung cancer (NSCLC stage IB in the upper right lobe diagnosed 1 year ago) presented to the emergency …

Hepatoid Adenocarcinoma Of Lung: A Rare And Challenging Tumor, Bipin Ghimire, Ashbina Pokharel, Samiksha Pandey, Ujjwal Jung Karki, Can Wang, Michael Stender

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) is an extremely rare extra-hepatic malignant tumor having hepatic features on pathology. Stomach is the most common site, and hepatoid adenocarcinoma of lung (HAL) accounts for 2.3 – 5% of all HACs. Less than 100 cases of HAL have been reported worldwide since its concept was put forward in 1990. A 63-year-old female presented to the ED with back pain. Initial evaluation revealed anemia (hemoglobin 6.7), hypercalcemia (12.1 mg/dl), GFR 54 mL/min. X-ray thoracic spine and chest showed two vertebral compression deformities and lytic lesions on multiple ribs. Initially, multiple myeloma was considered likely but further evaluation …

9-Month Course Of Refractory Anti-Nmda Receptor Encephalitis With Initial Negative Markers: Diagnostic And Therapeutic Challenges, Camilla Cascardo, Alexander Ismail, Francisco Davila, Nicole Marijanovich

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is a progressively debilitating, clinically heterogeneous, frequently fatal disease caused by autoantibodies directed against the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor that affects 1 in 1.5 million people each year. Risk of misdiagnosis or delayed treatment is high due to variable presentations and potential false negative results.

Merkle Cell Carcinoma While On Rituximab - Is It A Coincidence?, Bana Antonios, Emma Herrman, Mohammad Muhsin Chisti

Conference Presentation Abstracts

A 79-year old woman with history of relapsed Stage II, grade III follicular lymphoma was treated with four cycles of rituximab and bendamustine with an excellent response. She was subsequently placed on maintenance rituximab infusions every eight weeks. Six months later, she presented to the dermatology clinic with a newly raised erythematous papule on her left cheek. Excisional biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma which was resected with wide margins. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive skin malignancy, with a dramatic increase in incidence in the past few decades. It grows and metastasizes rapidly and diagnosis …

A Rare Case Of Segmental Arterial Mediolysis, Ashbina Pokharel, Lauren Reinhold, Ashbita Pokharel, Judith Bateman

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a rare vasculopathy of unknown etiology characterized by disruption of the arterial layer, which can result in vessel dissection, hemorrhage and ischemia. Literature review has demonstrated a varied presentation ranging from benign abdominal pain to life threatening hemorrhage. We report a case of 58 year old female with past medical history of deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism secondary to Protein C and S deficiency on Coumadin who presented with right flank pain for 3 days. Complete blood count and complete metabolic panel were within normal limits. CT scan of abdomen and MRI showed ischemia of segment …

A Case Of Acute Unilateral Adrenal Hemorrhage Associated With Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma, Batoul Nasser, Ramona Berghea

Conference Presentation Abstracts

The most common cancer that metastasizes to the adrenal glands is lung cancer. Adrenal hemorrhage due to metastasis of lung cancer is extremely rare and associated with unilateral adrenal hemorrhage, while bilateral adrenal hemorrhages are typically associated with cardiovascular diseases and systemic anticoagulant therapy. Our 55-year-old male with a past medical history significant for metastatic lung adenocarcinoma and coronary artery disease (CAD) presented with acute right upper quadrant abdominal and flank pain. On presentation, patient was in distress, with fatigue, weakness, pain with deep inspiration, nausea, and vomiting. Patient also had anemia (hemoglobin 11.2). A CTA of the abdomen and …

Cannabis And Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Case Report Exploring Potential Links, Fawaz Habba

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Emotional Distress Among Michigan Food Insecure Communities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Abiba Salahou, Deidre Hurse, Angela Gill, James F. Grogan

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Recurrent Myopericarditis Following Mrna-1273 Sars-Cov-2 Vaccination In A Patient With Previous Sars-Cov-2 Myopericarditis, Lauren Reinhold, Simon R. Dixon, Carl B. Lauter

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with myocarditis. The novel mRNA vaccines, BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, that encode the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein have shown to be a safe combatant to the pandemic. Myocarditis has become a rare, newly recognized complication of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations. The mechanism remains unknown, but multiple have been proposed. Case description: A 24-year-old healthy Caucasian female presented to the hospital with acute chest pain. The patient received her first dose of mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine two days prior to onset of symptoms. She reported sharp mid-sternal chest pain worse with inspiration and …