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Mazen Elias

Publications and source records attributed to Mazen Elias.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Eosinophilic pancreatic infiltration as a manifestation of lung carcinoma.

A 68-year-old man reported upper abdominal pain during the previous 3 months that worsened in the last 2 days. He had a history of lung squamous cell carcinoma for which he underwent right lung lobectomy 3 years earlier. Preliminary blood tests showed leucocytosis with marked eosinophilia. No evidence of recurrent malignancy was detected, but computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed an enlarged and edematous pancreas with hyperemia and infiltration of the peripancreatic fat. Fine needle aspiration from the lesion revealed inflammatory infiltration predominantly composed of eosinophils. The diagnosis of eosinophilic pancreatitis was suggested and the patient was placed on prednisone, but without any clinical or laboratory improvement. Two months later, the patient developed severe dyspnea, chylothorax, and acute renal failure. Cytologic studies of the pleural fluid revealed malignant cells from recurrent lung squamous cell carcinoma. The disease course was characterized by rapid deterioration and a fatal outcome. To the authors' knowledge, eosinophilic pancreatic infiltration as a manifestation of lung carcinoma has not been previously reported.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Bartonella quintana endocarditis in east Africa.

Bartonella quintana endocarditis is characterized by sub-acute evolution and severe valvular damage, and is associated with homelessness, alcoholism, and lice infestation. We present a case of B. quintana endocarditis in an Ethiopian immigrant without known risk factors for disease acquisition. This is the first case of B. quintana endocarditis reported from east Africa.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Serum antioxidant capacity and the risk of contrast medium nephropathy.

INTRODUCTION: The use of contrast medium can result in an acute reduction in renal function. The exact mechanism of this side effect is not yet fully understood. There is accumulating evidence that reactive oxygen species have a role in renal damage. Prophylactic administration of antioxidant drugs could prevent this reduction in renal function. We examined whether there is a correlation between the antioxidant capacity of the serum and the risk of contrast medium nephropathy. METHODS: We studied prospectively 193 patients with normal renal function who underwent cardiac catheterization. Serum haptoglobin, uric acid, albumin and the total antioxidant capacity were measured before the injection of contrast media. Serum urea and creatinine concentrations were measured before angiography and on days 3 and 7 following the procedure. RESULTS: Eleven patients developed mild renal failure. We compared the serum levels of antioxidant compounds of this group with the serum levels of these compounds in patients who did not develop renal damage. No statistical significant difference in the baseline levels of antioxidant species was found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: These prospective data indicate that among low-risk patients with normal renal function, baseline levels of antioxidant material did not predict the possible development of contrast medium nephropathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Splenic and mesenteric emboli in a patient with protruding aortic arch atheroma.

Protruding atheromas in the thoracic aorta are an important cause of embolic disease. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is the modality of choice for diagnosis of these lesions. We present a patient with splenic infarction in whom TEE revealed a large mobile atheroma in the aortic arch. A few hours following the disappearance of this mass from the aortic arch, the patient developed mesenteric artery embolism requiring subtotal small-bowel resection. We discuss the importance of the aortic arch as a source of peripheral emboli and the treatment modalities in these patients.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Cerebral syncope in a patient with spinal cord injury.

An 80-year-old patient suffering from traumatic paraplegia due to spinal cord compression was admitted due to recurrent orthostatic syncope. Tilt table testing revealed that the patient lost consciousness without hypotension. Doppler flow measurements of the middle cerebral arteries showed a significant decrease in diastolic velocity during syncope without systemic hypotension. Treatment with beta-blockers was highly effective. The patient suffered from cerebral blood flow disregulation probably due to abnormal baroreceptor responses triggered during orthostatic stress. This is the first reported case of a patient with spinal cord injury suffering from such an unusual cause of syncope.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗