Vishesh Paul

A woman in her 60s developed acute onset headache, blurry vision and encephalopathy a few hours after rituximab infusion, given to treat granulomatosis with polyangiitis. CT scan showed oedema in the posterior circulation area suggesting the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, and an MRI confirmed it. After being treated with aggressive blood pressure control and other supportive measures, her symptoms improved over 3–4 days. This case highlights the need for awareness and early recognition of this rare but serious adverse effect of rituximab. CT scan can be helpful in diagnosis (also to rule out bleeding), but the MRI provides the most accurate diagnosis.

Francisella tularensis causes severe infections and is a Category A potential bioterrorism agent but its microbiological diagnosis can be challenging. The diagnosis of tularemia is limited by non-specific protean clinical symptoms that overlap with other infectious syndromes, the fastidious nature of Francisella tularensis, along with insensitivity and poor specificity of serology. Rapid, non-invasive diagnosis of tularemia by microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) next-generation sequencing (NGS) of plasma offers a means to overcome these limitations. The Karius Test™ (KT) detects and quantifies mcfDNA in molecules/µL (MPM) from >1400 organisms in plasma (performed at the CLIA certified/CAP accredited Karius laboratory). KT detections of Francisella tularensis were compiled from three medical centers with clinical review by healthcare providers. KT detected Francisella tularensis in four patients. All were adult males in whom the diagnosis was unexpected. The most common symptoms were fever and chest pain. White blood cell count neutrophilic predominance and abnormal chest X-ray findings were found in three cases. A broad infectious disease work-up was performed with the initiation of broad spectrum empiric antibiotics in all cases. KT was the first test to identify Francisella tularensis as the microbiological diagnosis with a time to diagnosis of 2.25 days (avg) +/- 0.5 from sample collection (one day from sample receipt in all cases), enabling narrowed, targeted antibiotic treatment. Francisella tularensis mcfDNA concentration was 1772 MPM (avg) +/- 1914. KT was the only test to establish the diagnosis in two cases; tularemia serologies were confirmatory in two cases, one of which had confirmatory culture from lymph node biopsy. Three patients were diagnosed with the pneumonic form of the illness and one with a visceral glandular form. Possible epidemiological exposures were identified in all cases. KT enabled rapid, non-invasive, plasma-based diagnosis of diverse clinical manifestations of invasive tularemia against a competing broad infectious and non-infectious differential diagnosis. Timely diagnosis enabled targeted narrowing of antibiotic therapy and successful treatment of pneumonic and glandular forms of the infection. All Authors: No reported disclosures

Despite all the advances in the treatment and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), COPD readmissions remain a major challenge nationwide. Increasing evidence suggests that palliative care involvement with a holistic approach towards end-of-life care can significantly improve outcomes related to the quality of life and survival for late-stage cancers and chronic progressive illnesses like COPD, chronic heart failure, and end-stage renal disease. Some studies have attempted to evaluate an association between the involvement of palliative care and readmission reduction, the effect of which remains elusive, especially with regards to COPD readmissions. This review examined the existing literature to analyze the relationship between palliative care involvement for COPD patients and its effect on COPD readmissions.

We report a case of a 53-year-old woman who presented initially with sepsis and later in her stay developed a severe and rapidly progressing hyperthermia after a decrease in oral baclofen dosage. Her fever peaked at 42.5^○C (108.5^○F), creating a broad differential diagnosis and complicating her initial sepsis diagnosis. When the oral baclofen dose was increased, the fevers resolved which confirmed the clinical diagnosis of baclofen withdrawal. Dose reductions of oral baclofen should be made gradually and with caution, and patients should be monitored for fevers as a possible symptom of baclofen withdrawal.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is predominantly a respiratory disease that often presents with fever, cough, dyspnea, and myalgia or fatigue. Digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain may accompany respiratory symptoms. However, gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding among COVID-19 patients is a rare and unusual presentation, since these patients are frequently hypercoagulable and are less likely to bleed and more likely to clot. In this report, we present a case of an 80-year-old male with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity who presented with GI bleed and was subsequently found to have COVID-19.

We report a case of a 68-year-old woman who presented with atypical chest pain and fluctuating neurological symptoms 4 weeks after cryoballoon ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation. Brain imaging showed multiple embolic infarcts, while the chest imaging revealed an abnormal connection between the posterior wall of the left atrium and the oesophagus. Based on her clinical presentation and the imaging findings, a diagnosis of left atrio-oesophageal fistula (AOF) was established. AOF carries a high mortality rate unless an urgent surgical repair is performed. Oesophageal instrumentation for an echocardiogram or endoscopy should be avoided as it can result in massive air embolus, causing stroke or death.

We report a case of a 53-year-old woman who presented initially with sepsis and later in her stay developed a severe and rapidly progressing hyperthermia after a decrease in oral baclofen dosage. Her fever peaked at 42.5^○C (108.5^○F), creating a broad differential diagnosis and complicating her initial sepsis diagnosis. When the oral baclofen dose was increased, the fevers resolved which confirmed the clinical diagnosis of baclofen withdrawal. Dose reductions of oral baclofen should be made gradually and with caution, and patients should be monitored for fevers as a possible symptom of baclofen withdrawal.

Fibrosing mediastinitis (FM) is a rare condition with extensive proliferation of fibrous tissue in the mediastinum usually happens few years after Histoplasma infection. FM usually occurs years later after presentation of Histoplasma infection, and usually what makes patients seek medical attention are symptoms from compression and occlusion of vital mediastinal structures, such as the central airways, superior vena cava, pulmonary arteries, and veins. Rarely, heart, pericardium, coronaries, and aorta are involved. We report a case of 39-year-old-male who was admitted with fever and cough. The patient’s condition worsened despite being on broad-spectrum antibiotics, with worsening encephalopathy and a new onset lower extremity weakness. Brain imaging showed multiple strokes suggestive of embolic event. CT chest/abdomen was suggestive of FM along with cavitary lung nodules and pneumomediastinum. Splenic and renal infarcts were also noted. Infective endocarditis was one of the top differential diagnosis due to multiple embolic infarcts, and hence a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was pursued. TEE showed a mass along with air bubbles entering the left atrium from the pulmonary vein. On re-evaluation of CT chest images, a fistula was seen extending from the mediastinum to the left main bronchus and the left upper pulmonary vein. This supported the diagnosis of FM with erosion of lymph node into the left main bronchus and left upper pulmonary artery, leading to fistula formation and subsequent systemic air embolization. The diagnosis of FM requires a multimodality approach, high clinical suspicion, and accurate history taking. Treatment mainly aims at managing the mechanical complications.

It has been well known for decades that prone positioning (PP) improves oxygenation. However, it has gained widespread acceptance only in the last few years since studies have shown significant survival benefit. Many centers have established prone ventilation in their treatment algorithm for mechanically ventilated patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Physiologically, PP should also benefit awake, non-intubated patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. However, proning in non-intubated (PINI) patients did not gain any momentum until a few months ago when the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic surged. A large number of sick patients overwhelmed the health care system, and many centers faced a dearth of ventilators. In addition, outcomes of patients placed on mechanical ventilation because of COVID-19 infection have been highly variable and often dismal. Hence, increased focus has shifted to using various strategies to prevent intubation, such as PINI. There is accumulating evidence that PINI is a low-risk intervention that can be performed even outside intensive care unit with minimal assistance and may prevent intubation in certain patients with ARDS. It can also be performed safely at smaller centers and, therefore, may reduce the patient transfer to larger institutions that are overwhelmed in the current crisis. We present a case series of 2 patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure who experienced significant improvements in oxygenation with PP. In addition, the physiology of PP is described, and concerns such as proning in obese and patient’s anxiety are addressed; an educational pamphlet that may be useful for both patients and health care providers is provided.

A 63-year-old white man with a history of rheumatoid arthritis on adalimumab was admitted to the hospital for left arm swelling and erythema. On physical examination, the patient was afebrile and non-toxic appearing and there was tense oedema of the left forearm. Initial laboratory work was unremarkable except for elevated inflammatory markers. MRI of the arm showed non-specific findings of inflammation. The patient was started on empiric antibiotics but did not improve. Given the patient’s immunosuppression, early consideration was given to fungal or mycobacterial causes. Initial serum fungal studies were negative and the patient was taken for diagnostic local incision and biopsy of the left volar forearm. Grocott’s methenamine silver and periodic acid–Schiff staining revealed fungal organisms resembling Histoplasma and intraoperative fungal cultures grew Histoplasma capsulatum confirming the diagnosis. The patient was treated with a 6-month course of itraconazole with improvement in his condition and eventual complete resolution.