Publications by authors named "Brandon Wiggins"

Primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix is an uncommon malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common symptom is right lower abdominal pain, which could be indistinguishable from acute appendicitis. However, the clinical presentation is usually non-specific.

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Liver cirrhosis is commonly associated with coagulopathies, typically demonstrated by elevated prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, and partial thromboplastin time. In the setting of bleeding related to coagulopathies, oftentimes physicians try to reverse coagulopathy through a variety of methods including the use of vitamin K and fresh frozen plasma. Rarely, attempts at reversing coagulopathy are unsuccessful due to severe disease or factor inhibitors.

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Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that predominantly affects the small intestine and is related to antibodies created against gluten when the substance is ingested. It is uncommon comorbidity in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Myxedema is a severe form of hypothyroidism that is commonly related to new diagnoses, medication non-compliance, or malabsorption of thyroid supplementation that can have life-threatening associated conditions like heart failure and coma.

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Boerhaave syndrome (BS) is a rare gastrointestinal condition related to esophageal rupture that carries a high mortality rate without prompt medical attention. BS is commonly associated with repeated episodes of severe retching, straining, or vomiting. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious acute complication of diabetes, is characterized in part by laboratory findings of profound hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis.

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Article Synopsis
  • Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a frequently occurring reason for hospitalizations related to gastrointestinal issues in the U.S.
  • Common causes of AP include alcohol consumption, gallstones, high triglycerides, high calcium levels, autoimmune conditions, certain medications, and unidentified factors.
  • This case report highlights that rare tumors, specifically intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, can also lead to the development of AP.
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Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) typically presents with complications from pancytopenia, generalized weakness, and hemorrhagic findings, with a distinguishing feature being the associated predilection of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). APL is characterized by the halting of cellular differentiation in the promyelocyte stage, and balanced chromosomal translocation t(15;17) (q24;q21) that forms the promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor-α (PML-RARA) fusion protein present in 95% of cases. APL has a high rate of early mortality secondary to coagulopathy, lending to the imperative need to begin a differentiation agent as soon as the disease is suspected, with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) being the most common differentiation agent.

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Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG) is a rare variant of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) that commonly presents as nephrotic syndrome in patients. CG is almost always associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection but is rarely from other infectious sources such as parvovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, and SARS-CoV-2. CG has also been reported to be related to other etiologies such as genetic disorders, lupus, malignancy, and post-renal transplant but is exceedingly rare when related to hepatitis C virus (HCV).

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Pulmonary embolism is a previously uncharacterized complication of primary cutaneous gamma delta T-cell lymphoma (PCGDTL), a type of cutaneous T-cell receptor lymphoma that accounts for less than 1% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. We report the first documented case of bilateral pulmonary embolism in the setting of PCGDTL in a 30-year-old woman who presented with acute dyspnea.

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Colonoscopies have reduced colorectal cancer (CRC) burden in the United States, and their utility has expanded to include various diagnostic and therapeutic indications. Complications are seen in up to 1% and increase with age and polypectomy. As colonoscopies become widespread, specific populations seem to be at a much higher risk; notably patients with heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTD).

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X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a metabolic disorder characterized by endocrine and neurological degeneration. A rare and variegated entity in adults, diagnosis is often a significant challenge and can lead to extensive testing, including invasive procedures if clinical suspicion is not high. We present the case of a 46-year-old-male with neurological dysfunction that is uncommon in X-ALD with preserved adrenocortical function.

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