Publications by authors named "Hafsa Faisal"

Article Synopsis
  • The text discusses Legionella infection, which can cause severe health issues ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to serious conditions like pneumonia and multi-organ failure, and may also be linked to rare blood disorders like immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
  • A case study is presented of a 53-year-old man who showed symptoms of pneumonia and severe low platelet count, which was later diagnosed as Legionella infection after positive urine antigen tests.
  • It emphasizes the importance of recognizing Legionella as a potential cause in patients with pneumonia and significant thrombocytopenia, as early detection can improve patient outcomes and prevent severe complications.
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Introduction: is an oncogenic driver, seen in around five per cent of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, which can be targeted with anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitors with great response rates. Disease flare refers to sudden rapid disease worsening on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) discontinuation, which is associated with shorter survival and worse outcomes. Here, we review cases previously published in the literature where patients developed disease flares, and contrast this with our patients who had prolonged survival despite TKI discontinuation.

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Acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenic purpura (AATP) is a rare bone marrow disorder characterized by either a marked decrease or a complete absence of megakaryocytes with the preservation of all other cell lines. To date, more than 60 cases of AATP have been reported in the literature. Due to the rarity of this disease, no standard treatment guidelines have been established, and therapy is based on a handful of case studies and expert opinions.

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Introduction: Controversies remain regarding the safety of tocilizumab in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In this study, we seek to describe the infectious complications after tocilizumab in COVID patients and determine the related risk factors.

Methods: A single-center retrospective observational study was conducted among adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted between 06/01/2020 and 12/31/2021 who received tocilizumab at our institution.

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Extramedullary and nonlymphoid organ involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is exceedingly rare, with only a few cases of bladder infiltration reported to date. Here, we present a case of a 71-year-old man with advanced-stage CLL who presented with gross hematuria initially thought to be secondary to a urinary tract infection. However, a cystoscopy with biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of extramedullary CLL with bladder involvement.

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Unlabelled: Acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (AAMT) is a rare disorder of the bone marrow characterized by a lack of megakaryocytes and preservation of other cell lines. It can occur due to an intrinsic stem cell defect or secondary to viral infections, autoimmune disorders, lymphoproliferative disorders or environmental toxins. With time, it can progress to aplastic anaemia (AA) and can have a poor prognosis.

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We present a 67-year-old man with complaints of confusion, chills, night sweats, and several days of poor oral intake. He had severe plasmacytosis on lab work, which initially raised concern for plasma cell leukemia. However, further workup led to the diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

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A 21-year-old previously healthy Caucasian female presented to the emergency department (ED) in the pre-COVID-19 era for evaluation of thrombocytopenia after a flu-like illness. The patient reported fever, cough, headache and myalgias for one week. She was on oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) for five years but discontinued one week ago.

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