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Biomedical subjects

R Safadi

Publications and source records attributed to R Safadi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Pseudo-normal osmolal and anion gaps following simultaneous ethanol and methanol ingestion.

Methanol, ethylene glycol, and isopropyl alcohol are associated with acute intoxication. The diagnosis is dependent upon high anion-gap metabolic acidosis, and an osmolal gap between the calculated and the measured osmolality. Normal anion gap has been reported in some cases of concomitant methanol and ethanol ingestion, where the high serum levels of ethanol inhibited the metabolism of methanol by alcohol dehydrogenase. The osmolal gap in these cases was higher than expected for methanol, and served as a constant marker for a metabolic derangement. Herewith, we present a patient who presented with normal osmolal and anion gaps 36 h after ethanol and methanol ingestion, yet progressively developing ocular toxicity. Normal anion and osmolal gaps should not rule out earlier methanol poisoning.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Normotensive scleroderma renal crisis: case report and review of the literature.

A 58 year old man presented with skin manifestations of scleroderma without systemic involvement. Within few weeks of oral corticosteroids and penicillamine therapy, rapidly progressive systemic sclerosis developed. The deterioration manifested by skin lesions, diffuse interstitial restrictive lung disease, acute renal failure with normal blood pressure values, and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia compatible with hemolytic uremic syndrome. Chronic renal failure developed and was treated by dialysis, but the patient died due to sepsis. The course of renal involvement was normotensive; antihypertensive therapy was not prescribed even once. The association of scleroderma renal crisis with normal blood pressure is probably a rare and ominous combination.

Blood Pressure Determination↗

Resistance to activated protein C: arterial thrombosis associated with autoimmune features.

A 27 year old woman presented with recurrent cerebrovascular strokes in the setting of an ill defined auto-immune disease responsive to corticosteroid therapy. Investigation for a hypercoagulable state revealed activated protein C resistance in the absence of protein C, protein S, or antithrombin III deficiency or anticardiolipin antibodies. Her parents and sibling did not demonstrate APC resistance. This case suggests that activated protein C resistance may be associated with arterial as well as venous thrombotic events and implies that resistance to activated protein C should also be considered in the evaluation of young adults with strokes.

Adult↗

Legionella feeleii pneumonia and pericarditis.

Legionella feeleii pneumonia has been described in seven cases, three of them being immunocompromised. We describe a case of L. feeleii pneumonia and pericarditis in a healthy man. Epidemiological survey was not conclusive. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previous descriptions of pericarditis caused by this organism.

Humans↗

Esophagitis is a major cause of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: The risk of death in patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal (UGI) hemorrhage increases with age. Our aims were to define the background characteristics, causes, course, and outcome in patients aged > or = 80 years admitted to hospital because of acute UGI bleeding (n = 115) in relation to patients aged 60-69 years admitted for the same reason (n = 133). METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal study with a nested case-control analysis was carried out. RESULTS: In the elderly patients there was a female preponderance and a significantly higher prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. By contrast, use of tobacco and alcohol, diabetes mellitus, and chronic liver disease were significantly commoner in the controls. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, anticoagulants, and corticosteroids was similar in the two groups. Esophagitis was the cause of bleeding in 21.1% of the elderly, as compared with 3.3% in the controls. The relative risk of developing esophagitis in the elderly was increased and was independent of gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, use of NSAIDs, aspirin, or corticosteroids, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and liver disease. (Adjusted odds ratio, 18.1; P = 0.0002). The rates of persistent or recurrent bleeding and emergency surgery to control bleeding were similar. However, the mortality in the elderly was higher (13 versus 6.1%; P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Age > or = 80 years is an independent determinant of esophagitis, a major cause of UGI bleeding in the elderly.

Age Factors↗

Renal failure, paraproteinemia, and lung squamous cell carcinoma.

A 66-year-old man presented with gastrointestinal symptoms and acute renal failure. He had paraproteinemia and tested positive for antinuclear antibodies. There was no evidence for autoimmune disorder or amyloidosis, and bone marrow biopsy was not consistent with multiple myeloma. Three months later he presented with diffuse lymphadenopathy and right lung mass, and lymph node histology revealed metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. This association of paraproteinemia and nonlymphatic neoplasia is unusual and still very rare. A review of the literature is presented.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the lung presenting as bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia.

A 44-year-old man presented with fever, dyspnea, and bilateral cavitary lung lesions. Following percutaneous transthoracic CT guided needle biopsy of the lung, a diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) was made and the patient was treated with corticosteroids. Despite a good initial response he developed new lung lesions within six months, associated with a lack of response to corticosteroids. Due to further deterioration and the development of Guillian-Barre' syndrome an open lung biopsy was performed and revealed T-cell rich, B-cell non Hodgkin's lymphoma with BOOP. We suggest that BOOP may be the presenting manifestation of primary lung lymphoma. We recommend that when BOOP has an atypical course or does not respond to corticosteroids open lung biopsy should be performed in order to exclude pulmonary lymphoma.

Adult↗

CT-guided biopsy of peripheral lung lesions associated with BOOP.

Diagnosis of Bronchitis Obliterans with Organizing Pneumonia (BOOP), has been carried out thus far by open lung biopsy, or by transbronchial biopsy. We report a patient who presented with fever, cough and dyspnea. A transthoracic CT-guided biopsy of a peripheral lesion resulted in the diagnosis of BOOP. The histological findings were also confirmed by a transbronchial biopsy. It is suggested that transthoracic CT-guided biopsy should be considered for the evaluation of peripheral lung lesion compatible with BOOP.

Adult↗

Hepatitis C-associated cryoglobulinemia presenting with pericardial effusion.

A 54-yr-old man underwent orthotopic liver transplantation for cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus and associated with cryoglobulinemia and proteinuria. Four months after transplantation, the patient was reinfected with hepatitis C virus and cryoglobulinemia recurred, accompanied by increasing proteinuria, ascites, and pleural and pericardial effusion. Serum cryoglobulins and pleural and pericardial effusion disappeared rapidly following treatment with ribavirin, whereas proteinuria remain unchanged. We believe that pericardial effusion is an unusual presentation of hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinemia.

Cryoglobulinemia↗

Salmonella infection and pneumonia in a patient with kyphoscoliosis.

Pulmonary involvement is an uncommon extraintestinal manifestation of salmonellosis. We describe a 30 year old man with mental retardation, presenting with salmonella gastroenteritis and bacteremia. An early pneumonia evolving in the clinical setting of severe kyphoscoliosis, suggests that hematogenous spread to the lungs may occur as a result of abnormalities of the chest wall.

Adult↗

A late retroperitoneal hematoma mimicking acute appendicitis--an unusual complication of coronary angioplasty.

Peripheral vascular complications following coronary angiography and angioplasty are well established. They consist of arterial bleeding, occlusion, false aneurysm, and a-v fistula. Bleeding and thrombosis are usually evident within the twelve hours after the procedure. A case of acute right lower quadrant abdominal pain five days following thrombolytic therapy and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty is presented. A computerized tomography was compatible with a periappendiceal inflammation, and the patient underwent laparotomy. A large retroperitoneal hematoma was the only positive finding on operation. A late complication of coronary angioplasty, such as retroperitoneal hematoma, presenting as an acute abdomen, should be a part of the differential diagnosis in such cases.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗