Internal Medicine Commons^™

Atypical Reactivation Of Varicella Zoster Virus Associated With Pancreatitis In A Heart Transplant Patient., Christine Shieh, Ashley Barnes, Drew Johnson, Ilya Danelich, Pharmd, Bcps, Bccp, Preethi Pirlamarla, Rene Alvarez, H. Todd Massey, Md, Mahek Shah

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis is rare following solid organ transplantation but is associated with high mortality. It has been most commonly reported following renal transplant but can occur with other solid organ transplantations. CASE REPORT A 46-year-old male who had an orthotopic heart transplant 6 months ago presented with a 3-week history of abdominal pain. The patient described it as intermittent, sharp, and stabbing, originating in the periumbilical area and radiating to the back. His lipase was elevated at 232 U/L. Given that the patient's symptoms and lipase were elevated to greater than three times the upper limit of normal, he …

Novel Use Of Fresh Frozen Plasma In Treating Hereditary Angioedema: A Success Story From Pakistan, Amber Sabeen Ahmed, Sidra Fayyaz

Section of Internal Medicine

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) due to a C1-esterase inhibitor(C1-INH) deficiency is a rare and potentially life-threatening disorder. It is characterized by an episodic and self-limiting increase in vascular permeability. The condition manifests itself as recurrent attacks of swelling in any part of the body. The angioedema can cause the involvement of the respiratory tract, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Laryngeal involvement can make the condition life-threatening. It does not respond well to conventional angioedema therapy of steroids, adrenaline, and antihistamines. The targeted therapy for HAE consists of plasma-derived or recombinant C1-INH, ecallantide, and icatibant or bradykinin receptor antagonist. In the absence of …

Out-Patient Neurological Disorders In Tanzania: Experience From A Private Institution In Dar Es Salaam, Philip Adebayo, Omar Aziz, Rose E. Mwakabatika, Mandela Makakala, Mugisha Clement, Shabbir Adamjee, Noureen Mushi, Ahmed Jusabani, Eric Aris

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background and introduction: Low and middle-income countries (LMIC) have a considerable burden of neurological disorders. Available profile of neurological disorders in our environment is biased towards neurological admissions. There is a paucity of data on out-patient neurological conditions in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: To determine the frequency and demographic data of neurological illnesses being managed at the adult out-patient neurology clinic of the Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam (AKHD).

Materials and methods: The electronic medical records of all cases with neurological diseases who presented to the adult neurology clinic of the AKHD between January 2018, and December 2019 were retrospectively …

Percutaneous Coil Embolization To Manage Pulmonary Artery Hemorrhage After Distal Endarterectomy, Chirantan Mangukia, Paul Forfia, Anjali Vaidya, Veronica Williams, Dmitry Niman, Parth Rali, Yoshiya Toyoda

Internal Medicine Resident Research

Selective pulmonary artery coil embolization can be a viable treatment option for acute pulmonary hemorrhage after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy.

Prevalence Of Risk Factors Of Acute Kidney Injury In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, Ainan Arshad, Ahmed Ayaz

Section of Internal Medicine

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of preventable risk factors of acute kidney injury in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. All patients admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi with diagnosis of acute kidney injury were included out of which 134 were selected via random sampling. Patients with existing CKD were excluded. Data was then collected retrospectively from medical records of these patients. Mean age was 60±11.7 years while mean serum creatinine on admission was 2.4±1.3 (mg/dl). Sepsis played a role in almost half of the patients [60 (45%)]. Other factors included diarrhoea [23 (17%)], …

Development, Expansion And Role Of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Post-Sepsis Immune Suppression, Tuqa Alkhateeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) numbers increase significantly in sepsis and are associated with high mortality rates. These myeloid cell precursors promote immunosuppression, especially in the late (post sepsis) stage. However, the mechanisms that underlie MDSC expansion and programming are not completely understood. To investigate these mechanisms, we used a cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis that progresses from an early/acute proinflammatory phase to a late/chronic immunosuppressive phase. Previous studies in our laboratory showed that microRNA (miR)-21 and miR-181b elevate levels of the transcription factor nuclear factor 1 (NFI-A) that promotes MDSC expansion. We report here that miR-21 …

Enrichment Strategy For Systemic Sclerosis Clinical Trials Targeting Skin Fibrosis: A Prospective, Multiethnic Cohort Study, Carina Mihai, Rucsandra Dobrota, Shervin Assassi, Maureen D Mayes, Oliver Distler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: The modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) is often used as a primary outcome measure in systemic sclerosis (SSc) randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Previous cohort studies with predominantly European Caucasian patients showed that setting an upper limit of mRSS as a selection criterion for RCTs leads effectively to enrichment with progressive patients. This study aimed to demonstrate this effect in an ethnically diverse cohort, rich in patients positive for anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies (Pol3).

METHODS: We selected from the Genetics versus Environment in Scleroderma Outcomes Study (GENISOS) cohort patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), who had mRSS of 7 or …

The Efficacy Of Different Type Of Phototherapy Light Devices For Neonatal Jaundice Treatment, Ismail Mohammad Hanafi

Student Works (2020-2029)

It has been reported that 60% of term neonates and 80% of the pre-terms develop jaundice in the first week of life and the proportion of jaundice in Malaysia is on the rise. As phototherapy light is the primary source of treatment for jaundice, it is crucial for hospital to have the best phototherapy light devices which can help to treat jaundice effectively. This would help to shorten neonate patient hospital stay, reduce staff workload as well as increasing treatment capacity of the hospital. Hospitals in Malaysia are using several type of phototherapy devices in their wards. The most commonly …

Reflections Of The Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Recall By The Fda And Repercussions On Healthcare, Michael Gillette, Addison Taylor, Djenita Butulija, Himabindu Kadiyala, Hani Jneid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Beginning in July of 2018, the FDA issued a voluntary recall regarding the presence of a contaminant found in the manufacturing of valsartan. What would ensue has become a largely unprecedented sequence of alarming events since the FDA began reporting public recalls, withdrawals and safety alerts on their website in 2016. Since then, the United States has been significantly impacted by drug recalls affecting angiotensin receptor blockers. This report arms clinicians with additional guidance and provides a framework for responding appropriately to future similar incidents and includes an overview of the angiotensin receptor blockers, and their effects and safety …

Qualitative Approach To Understanding Barriers To Delivering Difficult News In Sub Saharan Africa, Karishma Sharma, Jasmit Shah, Sayed Karar

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Communication, especially delivery of difficult news (DDN), remains a key part of clinical practice. Despite its importance, many medical providers lack the skill and ability to effectively DDN to their patients. Due to lack of data specific to sub-Saharan Africa and to help us develop an appropriate training tool for this geographical area, we sought to explore what challenges and barriers residents at our institution faced when they deliver difficult news to their patients.

Invasive Pulmonary Infection By Syncephalastrum Species: Two Case Reports And Review Of Literature, Memoona Irshad, Nosheen Nasir, Urooj Haider Hashmi, Joveria Farooqi, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Section of Internal Medicine

Background: Syncephalastrum species belong to the class Zygomycetes and order Mucorale. These are found in the environment and tropical soil, usually presenting as colonizers and rarely cause human infection. Syncephalastrum racemosum is a species of the genus Syncephalastrum and is the most commonly identified pathogen. Most cases are reported in immunocompromised individuals, such as patients on long term steroids, poorly controlled diabetes, or patients with malignancy.
Case presentation: We are describing two cases of rare fungal infection by Syncephalastrum species causing invasive pulmonary manifestation. Both patients had compromised immune status and presented with worsening dyspnea to the emergency room. Both …

A Fatal Case Of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (Pam) Complicated With Diabetes Insipidus (Di): A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Zain Mushtaq, Saad Bin Zafar Mahmood, Adil Aziz

Section of Internal Medicine

Naegleria fowleri is a highly infective free-living amoeba usually isolated from soil and fresh water and is primarily found to infect the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM as a cause of meningitis is often overlooked for other, more common causes of meningitis. Despite all the advances in antimicrobial therapy and supportive care systems, the mortality rate of this rare infection remains above 95% with the bulk of the cases being found in developed countries. We are presenting a case of a 44-year-old male with fever, worsening headache, and generalized weakness. Lumbar puncture showed a …

The Medicine Forum: Volume 21

The Medicine Forum

The Journal of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - Department of Internal Medicine, Volume 21, 2019-2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Clinical Images

Case Reports

• Cardiology
• Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Hematology and Oncology
• Infectious Disease
• Pulmonary Medicine

Literature Review

Editorial

Recurring Pleural Effusion Secondary To Walled-Off Pancreatic Necrosis, Adwait Mehta, Gabriel Aisenberg, Roy Tomas Davee, Eden Henry, Nicole Thomason

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Recurring, exudative, lymphocytic-predominant pleural effusions have not been previously reported in association with walled-off pancreatic necrosis. We present a case of chronic pancreatitis complicated by a large pancreatic fluid collection and recurrent pleural effusion. Endoscopic drainage of the walled-off pancreatic necrosis was the definitive treatment for both fluid collections.

A Mysterious Paratracheal Mass: Parathyroid Carcinoma., Qian Zhang, Khine S. Shan, Neethu Gopisetti, Md, Thomas Yoon, Iqra Iqbal

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism. We detail a 60-years-old gentleman who was otherwise healthy presented to the hospital due to acute encephalopathy. He was subsequently found to have parathyroid carcinoma as the cause of the acute encephalopathy with impressive serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels. The parathyroid carcinoma was later surgically resected with the diagnosis confirmed via pathology specimen. The patient was safely discharged from the hospital with recommendations of close routine outpatient followup.

Covid-19 And Stroke In Sub-Saharan Africa: Case Series From Dar Es Salaam, Philip Adebayo, Nadeem Kassam, Omar Aziz, Ahmed Jusabani, Samina Somji, Mugisha Clement

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Low and middle-income countries including those in sub-Saharan (SSA) Africa are experiencing a steady increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. To the best of our knowledge, reports of COVID-19 related strokes are scarce in SSA. The peculiar situation of stroke care in SSA makes COVID-19 associated stroke a bothersome entity as it adds other dynamics that tilt the prognostic balance. We present a case series of COVID -19 related stroke in 3 patients from Tanzania. We emphasized protected code stroke protocol.

Wellness Project Implementation Within Houston's Faith And Diabetes Initiative: A Mixed Methods Study, Rebecca Wells, Ellen D Breckenridge, Stephen H Linder

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Faith-based health promotion has shown promise for supporting healthy lifestyles, but has limited evidence of reaching scale or sustainability. In one recent such effort, volunteers from a diverse range of faith organizations were trained as peer educators to implement diabetes self-management education (DSME) classes within their communities. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with provision of these classes within six months of peer-educator training.

METHODS: This study used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to identify patterns from interviews, observations, attendance records, and organizational background information. Two research team members thematically coded interview transcripts …

A Fatal Rectus Sheath Hematoma After A Myasthenia Crisis Case Report, Robert G. Michaud, Lesley B. Gordon

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: Rectus sheath hematomas (RSH) generally occur due to damage to the inferior epigastric artery. They are rare causes of abdominal pain or acute blood loss anemia, but are an important diagnostic consideration because they can be cryptic and are potentially fatal.

Clinical Findings: An 85-year-old female who had been admitted to the hospital for 10 days with a myasthenia crisis was found to be abruptly hypotensive with a tender abdominal mass in the left lower quadrant subtly crossing midline. She was on prophylactic anticoagulation during her hospitalization.

Main diagnosis, therapeutics, interventions, and outcomes: The patient was initially stabilized with …

Is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Transmitted In Maine?, Eric J. Ray

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction:

Tickborne disease occurs worldwide with recent recognition of changes in tick vector distributions. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is already widespread across the United States; however, it is being monitored for introduction to non-endemic areas.

Clinical Findings:

A 65-year-old male with a history of psoriatic arthritis on adalimumab and local tick exposures but no known recent bites presented to the emergency department with fevers, myalgias, arthralgias, and a maculopapular rash of unclear etiology. Initial testing showed transaminitis, worsened chronic thrombocytopenia, and slight neutropenia with absolute neutrophil count 2,330 (reference value: 2,400-7,600 cells per µL); however, he was stable …

Thinking Outside The Box In Liver Tox, Kimberly Brizell, Geoffrey L. Goldsberry

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2020

DILI is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States. However, it is important to consider that the agent at play may not be common to the United States. We aim to highlight the importance of using a "global mindset" when treating international and frequent traveling patients, but also demonstrate the severe hepatotoxic risks associated with Nimesulide.