Fotis Konstantinou

Objective: We wish to investigate whether there is a known connection between prostate cancer and glomerulonephritis. Methods: We present a case report of a patient whom we diagnosed with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis as a result of prostate cancer relapse. Results: In rare cases, prostate cancer is associated with crescentic glomerulonephritis. Conclusion: Every patient with cryptic glomerulonephritis should be screened for cancer.

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is the greatest public health concern of the year 2020. There are several worldwide reports of patients who have managed to recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection with negative PCR test results, that for unknown reasons convert back to positive PCR. We report a case of a patient in our hospital who developed positive PCR test results for SARS-CoV-2, after 4 consecutive results that were negative, along with a full-blown clinical syndrome of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Purpose: Cat-scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae infection and it commonly presents in children with a mild cutaneous lesion and adjacent lymphadenitis. It has rarely been observed that it can present as a disseminated infection, such as encephalitis or pneumonia. We present a case report of a 35-year old, immunocompetent, patient who suffered pneumonia and encephalitis, resulting from Bartonella henselae infection. We also present a review of the literature published regarding this rare complication. Methods: We’ve searched the literature in the databases of Pubmed and Google Scholar to find articles that report pulmonary presentations of cat-scratch disease. Results: We’ve found only 16 other reported similar cases with pulmonary involvement in cat-scratch disease. Conclusions: Pulmonary presentation in cat-scratch disease is an uncommon presentation of a common disease, and it should be ruled out, even in cases it seems unlikely.

IgA vasculitis, formerly known as Henoch–Schonlein purpura (HSP), is the most common form of systemic vasculitis in children and is characterized by inflammation of the small vessels with typical deposition of IgA immune complexes. It is a leukocytoclastic type of vasculitis and is characterized by a tetrad of clinical manifestations: non-thrombocytopenia or coagulopathy-induced palpable purpura, arthritis, or arthralgia, gastrointestinal, and renal involvement. The exact cause of IgA vasculitis is not known yet, although infections, vaccinations and insect bites have been implicated in the appearance of the disease. The main risk factors for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) are previous CDI, age > 65 years old, pharmacologic agents (antibiotics, PPIs, histamine-2 receptor antagonists, glucocorticoids, and chemotherapy), prior hospitalization, the presence of co-morbidities, especially inflammatory bowel diseases and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and immunosuppression. Oral vancomycin or fidaxomicin are the gold standard of the therapy, with metronidazole being an alternative choice. The purpose of this study was to describe a case of IgA vasculitis and Clostridioides difficile infection to see whether there is any association between the two distinct clinical entities. Herein, we describe a 17-year old patient with IgA vasculitis and bloody diarrhea due to Clostridioides difficile infection and we discuss the co-existence of these two pathological conditions. The patient presented to the hospital with diffuse abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and two episodes of bloody diarrhea. Stools tested positive for Clostridioides difficile toxins, while he remained afebrile with hs-CRP = 1.5 mg/dL (normal range < 0.5 mg/dL). Direct immunofluorescence from the extremities’ purplish eruption showed leukocytoclastic vasculitis with IgA deposition. Whether co-existence of the two above-mentioned distinct clinical entities is just a co-incidence or CDI is a triggering factor for IgA vasculitis remains to be elucidated in future large-scale studies.

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an immunologic disorder affecting large and medium size vessels, especially focusing on the external branches of the aorta. The most commonly affected vessel is the temporal artery, and it usually presents with headache in elderly patients. The participation of other vessels, such as the aorta, can result in serious, life-threatening complications. Case presentation: We present the case of a patient admitted to our hospital, diagnosed with GCA and pericardial effusion, which is a rare combination, with only a few case reports in the literature. Conclusion: Pericardial effusion in the context of GCA is rare but it can be dangerous, and by presenting such a case, we want to underline the importance of checking for extracranial involvement when GCA is suspected.