Targeting cholesterol synthesis increases chemoimmuno-sensitivity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.

Background: Cholesterol plays an important role in cancer development, drug resistance and chemoimmuno-sensitivity. Statins, cholesterol lowering drugs, can induce apoptosis, but also negatively interfere with CD-20 and rituximab-mediated activity. Our goal is to identify the alternative targets that could reduce cholesterol levels but do not interfere with CD-20 in chemo immunotherapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Iron deficiency anemia related to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: response to treatment with bevacizumab.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare autosomal dominant condition associated with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) or telangiectasias of the pulmonary, gastrointestinal or hepatic circulations. The authors present a case of a 52-year-old woman with a known diagnosis of HHT who presented for evaluation of anemia. She had an extensive history of iron sucrose infusions, frequent blood transfusions and hospitalizations for anemia related to gastrointestinal bleeding and epistaxis.

Skin metastases in non-small cell lung cancer.

Skin metastasis associated with lung cancer is an uncommon manifestation and usually portends an aggressive clinical course. It can be either synchronous with the underlying malignancy or be the sign of recurrence. Solitary metastases can be treated with surgical resection or radiation therapy, but multiple lesions are usually treated with palliative chemotherapy.

Scar carcinoma of the lung: a historical perspective.

Lung scar carcinoma (SC) was first described by Friedrich in 1939 as a type of lung cancer that originates around peripheral scars in the lung. Scarring in the lung can result from a variety of infections, injuries, and lung diseases. Scars can also be due to repeated episodes of tumor necrosis and healing.

Postoperative bleeding in an elderly patient from acquired factor V inhibitor: rapid response to immunosuppressive therapy.

Acquired factor V inhibitor is a rare but potentially life-threatening hemorrhagic disorder caused by the development of autoantibodies directed against coagulation factor V. The management of acute bleeding and inhibitor eradication is the mainstay of the treatment. The authors report a case of a 79-year-old man who underwent right hip arthroplasty and postoperatively, when on Coumadin for deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis, developed bleeding from the surgical site with a hematoma and abnormal coagulation parameters.

Elevation of serum creatine phosphokinase in hospitalized patients.

Background: The clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with significant noncardiac and cardiac serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevations are not well described.

Methods: One hundred fifty-eight inpatients who had CPK elevation of >1000 IU/L were identified. One hundred thirty-seven patients whose CPK elevations could be attributed to either noncardiac or cardiac etiologies were included and analyzed for clinical characteristics, 30-day, 3-month, and 1-year all-cause mortality rates.

New onset atrial fibrillation developing in medical inpatients.

Background: The outcome of patients who develop new onset atrial fibrillation (AF) after admission to an Internal Medicine service for acute medical illnesses is unknown.

Methods: In a retrospective review, we compared patients in the study group: patients who were admitted to hospital for acute medical illnesses and subsequently developed new onset AF during hospitalization, with a control group 1: patients whose admitting diagnosis was new onset AF and a control group 2: patients who were admitted for acute medical illnesses and never developed AF. We analyzed clinical characteristics and all-cause mortality rate during the first 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year after admission.