Publications by authors named "Jorge Cotter"

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a complex and long-term liver condition, primarily affecting women, and is marked by high levels of serum gamma globulins, the presence of circulating autoantibodies, and a genetic association. The disease can manifest in a variety of ways, ranging from mild or no symptoms to severe acute liver inflammation. AIH is often associated with other autoimmune disorders, such as primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and autoimmune thyroiditis.

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Emphysematous cystitis (EC) is a rare, life-threatening urinary tract infection (UTI) characterized by gas formation within the bladder wall and lumen. It predominantly occurs in patients with poorly controlled diabetes. We present a case of a 61-year-old male with poorly controlled diabetes and chronic alcoholism who was admitted in a comatose state due to severe septic shock secondary to EC.

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Background: Inflammation is a key element in the initiation and progression of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Understanding the impact of inflammatory molecules, as cytokines in PAD could help us to improve the prognosis of these patients. The main goal of this study was to compare the serum level of cytokines between patients with claudication to those with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI).

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Background: A pneumonic infiltrate might hide an occult lung cancer (LC). This awareness depends on each clinician personal experience, turning definitive LC diagnosis challenging and possibly delayed. In this study we aimed to develop a clinical score to better identify those cases.

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The main goal of this study was to assess whether the presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) correlates with increased inflammatory cell infiltration. An observational, single-centre, and prospective study was conducted from January 2018 to July 2022. Clinical characteristics and anthropometric measures were registered.

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Background: Peripheral artery disease is characterized by an intense inflammatory process that can be associated with a higher mortality rate, particularly in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). This study aims to compare the evolution of inflammatory markers between patients with claudication with those with CLTI at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Methods And Results: An observational, single-center, and prospective study was conducted.

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Inflammatory myopathies (IM) are the most treatable myopathies. Necrotizing autoimmune myositis is a distinct clinicopathologic entity that starts either acutely or subacutely. Autoimmunity is essencial in the pathogenesis of myositis and autoantibodies may be present in more than 50% of patients.

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Fahr syndrome is a rare neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by calcium deposition in the brain. It is usually associated with phosphocalcium metabolism disorders, like hypoparathyroidism, or with genetical predisposition, as seen in Fahr disease. Given the wide array of differential diagnoses medical awareness should be emphasized to prompt diagnosis and management.

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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease characterized by clinical heterogeneity with unpredictable course. Several disease endotypes have been identified, including SLE with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). We report a case of a pregnant woman with hypertension and proteinuria, diagnosed with APS, Libman-Sacks endocarditis that led to moderate to severe mitral valve insufficiency, and SLE.

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Listeriosis is a rare infection among the general population, with an estimated incidence in Europe of 0.49 cases per 100,000 habitants in 2021. During pregnancy, the incidence rises around ten times, peaking in the third trimester.

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Background: The loss of skeletal muscle is a prognostic factor in several diseases including in patients with chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI). Patients with CLTI also have a lower skeletal mass and area when compared to those with claudication. However, there are no currently available data regarding the histological characteristics of core muscles in patients with CLTI.

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The presence of pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) and hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) is associated with severe diseases. A 71-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of severe and persistent nausea, vomiting, and diffuse abdominal pain that had been present for one week. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed aeroportia and PI, suggesting intestinal ischemia.

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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a chronic illness that includes pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and many risk factors are associated. Anticoagulation therapy remains the cornerstone of venous thromboembolism management, and the duration of anticoagulation depends on the risk of venous thromboembolism. We report a case of a female with a combined heterozygosity of factor V Leiden and G20210A prothrombin gene mutation.

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Background: Several studies suggest that patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) have a higher cardiovascular risk than the general population. Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events and can be measured through carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). The objectives of this study were to characterize a sample of HIV-infected patients under HAART regarding cardiovascular risk, compare PWV values of this group with those of uninfected controls, and investigate predictors of PWV in the HIV-infected group.

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The prevalence of obesity has doubled, with a concomitant increase in cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to compare the characteristics of visceral, subcutaneous and peri-aortic adipose tissue determined with computed tomography (CT) scans and to correlate them with cardiovascular risk factors, anthropometric measures and medication. An observational and prospective study was conducted, and 177 subjects were included.

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Whipple's disease (WD) is caused by , frequently found in lamina propria's macrophages in the small intestine. It is a rare and chronic systemic infection, and the principal clinical manifestations are diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain, and arthralgia. The diagnosis is difficult mainly because of its rarity and should be considered in patients with arthralgias, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss after more common conditions have been excluded.

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Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and the condition is characterized by sore throat, fever, lymphadenopathy, and atypical lymphocytosis. These infections are common in early childhood, with a second peak occurring in late adolescence. EBV is spread by contact with oral secretions.

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(MP) is a common etiologic agent involved in community-acquired atypical bacterial pneumonia. In severe cases, can cause cavitated lung lesions. We describe the case of a 55-year-old male seen at the emergency department with complaints of cough, fever, dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, nausea, anorexia, asthenia, and night sweats.

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Carotid-cavernous fistulas are abnormal communications between the carotid arteries and the cavernous sinus. They can be spontaneous, which is rare, or acquired, most often post-traumatic. We describe the case of a 59-year-old woman with complaints of right-sided red eye and blurred vision that did not improve with antibiotic treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis, progressing to what appeared to be post-septal cellulitis.

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Quincke's disease is a very rare form of upper airway angioedema, and it is characterized by a well-localized edematous reaction. Its epidemiology is not documented due to the rarity of this condition. Causes include allergic reactions, infectious diseases, and trauma, among others.

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Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is characterized by a bilayered appearance of the myocardium with excessive trabeculations and deep intertrabecular recesses. Manifestations of this condition are widely variable, ranging from incidental findings in asymptomatic individuals to symptomatic heart failure, conduction abnormalities, tachyarrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. Heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, and systemic embolisms are the most frequent cardiovascular complications.

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Spinal cord infarction is a very rare event with a wide variety of symptoms at presentation. We describe the case of a 39-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with atypical chest pain. The initial investigations were non-diagnostic, and the patient was admitted for surveillance.

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Gastric cancer (GC) is a worldwide health condition of major concern, with gastric carcinoma with signet ring cell features being increasingly reported. A 61-year-old woman was admitted to the Emergency department with back pain, gastrointestinal complaints, and weight loss. A lumbar and hip computed tomography (CT) was performed and revealed multiple suspicious secondary bone lesions.

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A 37-year-old woman presented in the emergency room with abdominal pain and nausea for about three weeks. She had no known risk factors for venous thromboembolism beyond taking oral contraceptives as a regular medication. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed portal, superior mesenteric and splenic vein thrombosis.

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The differential diagnosis of abdominal pain ranges from benign to life-threatening conditions. This case report describes the importance of the differential diagnosis and a faster and more accurate diagnosis. A 75-year-old male presented to the emergency room (ER) with diffuse abdominal pain, associated nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever of 38.

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