This case report presents a rare and intriguing clinical scenario involving a 63-year-old male with recurrent left-sided hydroureteronephrosis, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia presenting with fatigue, dyspnea, and weight loss. Laboratory findings revealed anemia, basophilic stippling, spherocytosis, and nucleated red blood cells on the peripheral blood smear, raising concerns for hemolysis. Concomitant iron deficiency anemia led to further investigations, revealing gastritis and a colonic mass.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrugada syndrome is an autosomal dominant channelopathy that usually affects healthy young males without apparent structural heart disease. It is associated with a spectrum of variable and dynamic clinical manifestations, high risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Our patient demonstrated transient and dynamic EKG changes of both type 1 (coved) and type 2 (saddleback) ST elevation, suggestive of the Brugada pattern that was associated with physical chest trauma and stressful situations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) are at high risk of developing arterial or venous thromboembolism and a state of systemic hypercoagulability. Libman-Sacks endocarditis (LSE) is a type of non-bacterial endocarditis usually seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. These vegetations dislodge easily and can cause profound neurological and systemic complications in the form of emboli.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTricuspid valve endocarditis is increasing in incidence owing to the prevalent use of intravenous substances. Although most patients respond well to intravenous antibiotics over the course of six weeks, some patients require surgical intervention. A multilayered approach to diagnosis with both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is recommended for optimal diagnosis and management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHyperammonemic encephalopathy (HE) refers to a clinical condition characterized by abrupt alteration in mental status (AMS) with markedly elevated plasma ammonia levels and frequently results in intractable coma and death. While hepatic cirrhosis is by far the most common etiology for hyperammonemia together with drugs such as valproic acid as well as urea cycle disorders, non-hepatic causes of hyperammonemia are rare and pose a clinical challenge. In this report, we describe a case of HE caused by obstructive urinary tract infection due to urease-producing bacteria in a 69-year-old man with two episodes of obstructive uropathy associated with AMS resolving with treatment with antibiotics and lactulose with normalization of ammonia level.
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