Adult-Onset Still's Disease: Is This Truly a Diagnosis of Exclusion?

Adult-onset Still's Disease is a rare, idiopathic, inflammatory disorder characterized by arthralgia, evanescent, salmon-colored rash, and daily fevers as well as lymphadenopathy, pharyngitis, splenomegaly, myalgias, and serositis. The inciting etiology of this syndrome is unknown, though it has been hypothesized that infection triggers an autoimmune response. The Yamaguchi Criteria, the most sensitive and widely used diagnostic criteria, requires both a minimum set of criteria to be met as well other potential etiologies to be excluded.

Incidence, predictors and associated outcomes of rhabdomyolysis after kidney transplantation.

Background: There are several case reports of rhabdomyolysis (RM) in renal transplant recipients, but the actual incidence of this complication is not known. Most of the reported cases have been attributed to drug-drug interactions with calcineurin inhibitors, with the majority of interactions reported between cyclosporine and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins). Pharmacokinetic studies have demonstrated that cyclosporine increases statin drug levels, presumably via competitive inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4.

The impact of dental devices on neurostimulators.

Spinal cord stimulation has been a therapeutic option for chronic pain for over 40 years. The neurostimulator (NS) is a device consisting of three primary components: an electrode array configured either as a paddle or wire; an implantable pulse generator (IPG) consisting of a minicomputer, a transceiver/antenna, an electrical generator, and a battery; and insulated wiring connecting the electrode to the IPG. The electrode array can be implanted into the epidural space overlying the dorsal spinal cord or along a peripheral nerve.

Serial sonographic evaluation of Achilles tendons in patients taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

We performed a prospective study to determine if subclinical tendinopathy occurs in asymptomatic adults treated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Thirty-eight adults were enrolled. Serial ultrasounds of the Achilles tendons were performed.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome; a "CATASTROPHIC" case of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Less than 1% of patients with the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) can develop multiple, simultaneous organ-system thromboembolic disease, which is referred to as the catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (CAPS). Roughly one-half of these patients have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Factors known to precipitate CAPS include infection, surgery, trauma, neoplasia, anticoagulation withdrawal, obstetric complications, and SLE flares.