Erythema nodosum (EN) is a reactive inflammatory panniculitis, which has been associated with medications, infections, autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. It has rarely been associated with neoplasms. We present the case of a 61-year old woman who was admitted because 3-week history of painful erythematous subcutaneous nodules on the lower limbs clinically consistent with EN, which was confirmed by skin biopsy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicine (Baltimore)
October 2024
Giant exoplanets orbiting close to their host stars are unlikely to have formed in their present configurations. These 'hot Jupiter' planets are instead thought to have migrated inward from beyond the ice line and several viable migration channels have been proposed, including eccentricity excitation through angular-momentum exchange with a third body followed by tidally driven orbital circularization. The discovery of the extremely eccentric (e = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The long-term use of rituximab (RTX) has been gaining ground in the treatment of systemic autoimmune diseases. The adverse events (AEs) associated with its use different to infections are being reported.
Methods: A cohort of patients with SAIDs treated at a high-complexity center in Cali (southwestern Colombia) with follow-up from January 2008 to December 2022 were examined to search for potential AEs associated with prolonged use of RTX.
Background: The etiopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases is multifactorial, including hormonal factors. Remission of autoimmunity has been observed following treatment for concomitant hyperparathyroidism. Additionally, patients with autoimmune diseases have shown increased expression of parathyroid hormone receptor (PTH1R) and altered distribution of B cells subsets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Snake envenomation is a medical condition with high morbidity and mortality in southwestern Colombia.
Objectives: To describe the characteristics of the envenomation caused by Viperidae snakes view in a highly complex hospital in Southwestern Colombia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out.
Introduction: Opioids are widely used for pain management, and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) has been evidenced in some cases. We reported a patient with severe cerebral edema after initiating methadone and its complete resolution upon discontinuing the medication. Additionally, a review of the literature is made.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: is a Crotaline viperid species of Central America and Northern South America. The characteristics of its envenomation have not been well established. We present clinical characteristics of human cases evaluated and treated in a hospital in southwestern Colombia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis case illustrates the adverse cognitive and affective effects associated with the use of an intrauterine hormonal contraceptive, which could be confused with symptoms of early onset dementia. We present a case of a 42-year-old woman diagnosed with seronegative spondyloarthropathy who subsequently developed anxiety and depressive symptoms after the implantation of a Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine System (LNG-IUS). Three years later, she began to experience memory and attentional failures, refractory pain, and severe depression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGigantomastia is a rare entity characterized by diffuse and excessive breast enlargement. It mainly occurs during puberty and pregnancy as a consequence of hormonal fluctuations. We report an unusual case of gigantomastia in a 29-year-old woman with a history of personal and familiar autoimmune phenomena.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlucagon-like peptide one-receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) are drugs that differ in their pharmacological composition and homology to human GLP-1 and are used most frequently for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and weight loss. There are isolated reports of eosinophilic adverse reactions associated with GLP-1 RA. We present the case of a 42-year-old female patient who, after starting weekly subcutaneous semaglutide, developed eosinophilic fasciitis with favorable clinical evolution after the discontinuation of semaglutide and the initiation of immunosuppression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn Colombia, there are two species of bushmaster snakes, Lachesis acrochorda, which is distributed mainly in the west of the country (in the Choco region), and Lachesis muta in the southeast (in the Amazon and Orinoquia region), whose presence has been reduced due to the destruction of their habitats. Captive maintenance is challenging, making it difficult to obtain their venom for study and antivenom manufacturing. They are the largest vipers in the world.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Viruses are constantly changing as a result of mutations, and new viral variants are expected to appear over time. The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, is not excluded from this condition. Patients with some types of immunodeficiency have been reported to experience symptoms that vary from mild to severe, or even death, after being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Several laboratory techniques for anti double-stranded (ds) DNA detection in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are available, with variable diagnostic performance. We aimed to evaluate anti-dsDNA's diagnostic performance by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA).
Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective (2015 to 2020) study.
Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has become a worldwide pandemic since first discovered in 2019. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flare has been reported in the post-infectious period. In Colombia, the fourth pandemic wave started at the beginning of 2022 when we observed flare of 3 SLE patients during active infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a common disease that may appear as a separate entity from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), precede SLE development, or occur as a manifestation of this systemic disease. It has a complex pathophysiology that involves genetic, environmental, and immune-mediated factors creating a self-amplification pro-inflammatory cycle. CLE is characterized by prominent type I interferons (IFNs) inflammation which are considered as the first precursors of the inflammatory cascade generated within the pathophysiology of CLE.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn Colombia, South America, there is a subspecies of the South American rattlesnake , , a snake of the Viperidae family, whose presence has been reduced due to the destruction of its habitat. It is an enigmatic snake from the group of pit vipers, venomous, with large articulated front fangs, special designs on its body, and a characteristic rattle on its tail. Unlike in Brazil, the occurrence of human envenomation by in Colombia is very rare and contributes to less than 1% of envenomation caused by snakes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report a case of 65-year-old male patient with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) who was admitted to the hospital for autoimmune manifestations (including autoimmune hepatitis and autoantibody development) and exhibited subsequent clinical and paraclinical improvement after parathyroidectomy. By flow cytometry, the expression of PTH receptor 1 (PTHR1) on B lymphocytes of peripheral blood was documented to be higher than that in healthy controls. After parathyroidectomy, autoimmune manifestations improved, while PTH1R expression on B-lymphocytes increased.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRituximab is indicated in some patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Occasionally, this medication is required in chronic form to maintain control of the disease. We described two patients who developed lymphoid follicular hyperplasia (LFH) after multiple cycles of rituximab and evaluated the expression of B cell activating factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family (BAFF) and its receptors [BAFF-receptor (BAFF-R) and B cell maturation antigen (BCMA)], as possible factors related to lymphoid node enlargement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn Colombia, 317 species of snakes have been recognized, of which 51 (17%) have medical importance due to the toxicity of their venom. A total of 95% of envenomations are caused by snakes of the family Viperidae and 5% of the family Elapidae. The latter form of envenomation is mainly caused by snakes of the genus Micrurus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVenoms are products of specialized glands and serve many living organisms to immobilize and kill prey, start digestive processes and act as a defense mechanism. Venoms affect different cells, cellular structures and tissues, such as skin, nervous, hematological, digestive, excretory and immune systems, as well as the heart, among other structures. Components of both the innate and adaptive immune systems can be stimulated or suppressed.
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