Unusual cause of general malaise: a young woman with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

A young woman presented with general malaise in relation to the metabolic condition ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. Her ammonia level had risen to 229 µmol/L (normal range 0-59 µmol/L). She was treated using her emergency pack of intravenous medicines and made a complete response.

An unusually high troponin I result in association with Legionella infection.

A 77-year-old man presented himself with shortness of breath that was initially felt to be due to an acute coronary event, largely due to a very elevated troponin I result and his medical history. He subsequently showed evidence to suggest a significant pneumonia. The most likely candidate organism responsible, from the history and test results, appeared to be Legionella.

Melioidosis in a returning traveller.

A 66-year-old man returned to the UK from Thailand with a 2-week history of new confusion, hallucinations, fever with rigours and productive cough. He had not responded to (unspecified) antibiotic treatment in Thailand. On examination he was afebrile, with an abbreviated mental test score of 8/10 and no other findings on systemic examination.

Typhoid fever, complicated by myocarditis, in a traveller returning to the UK.

A 25-year-old male returning traveller presented with sudden onset chest pain. An ECG showed infero-lateral ischaemic changes, with an elevated troponin and inflammatory markers. An echocardiogram showed a normal size left ventricle, dynamic systolic function, structurally normal valves and no regional wall motion abnormality.

Senile cardiac amyloidosis: an underappreciated cause of heart failure.

This case presents a patient with biopsy-proven, wild-type transthyretin (TTR) senile amyloidosis. The case was that of a man in his early 70s who presented with gradually progressive symptoms and signs of heart failure. The recent history included an episode of severe pancreatitis secondary to cholelithiasis and subsequently (and incidentally) noted hepatomegaly and marked ascites.

Cardiac tumour masquerades as mid-life (menopause) event.

Atrial myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumours encountered. Their detection may be incidental, owing to embolic events, intracardiac obstructive features or in some cases, non-specific constitutional symptoms. We describe a middle-aged woman attributing constitutional symptoms to menopause, but later determined to be due to an atrial myxoma.

Stroke mimic: an interesting case of repetitive conversion disorder.

Stroke mimics can account for up to 5% of all acute stroke presentations.They are more frequent in those under 50 years of age, with some estimates of prevalence as high as 21% of acute stroke presentations in this age group. We describe a case of repetitive stroke mimic episodes, the recognised associated precipitants, diagnostic clues and management.

An unusual cause of a pulmonary opacity in a visitor to the UK.

A 64-year-old man, resident in Arizona for 3 years, presented with a week-long history of a dry cough and 'flu-like symptoms'. He had recently been renovating his house. A chest radiograph showed a left mid-zone opacity.

Massive calcium channel blocker overdose: intravenous insulin and glucose as a therapy.

We describe a case of massive overdosage with cardiac medications that proved resistant to conventional support, including fluid replacement, inotropes, mechanical ventilation, cardiac pacing and haemofiltration. The use of a high-dose insulin and glucose infusion proved to be beneficial in the acute management although the patient has been left with significant impairment of cardiac function.

Undiagnosed phaeochromocytoma masquerading as eclampsia.

The authors report the case of a previously well 34-year-old woman presenting with a hypertensive crises and a grand-mal seizure following elective caesarean section. Initial treatment of extreme hypertension, of a presumed eclamptic aetiology, with magnesium and labetalol was complicated by intermittent profound hypotensive episodes. This was accompanied by severe biventricular failure and fluctuating systemic vascular resistance.

Development and potential role of type-2 sodium-glucose transporter inhibitors for management of type 2 diabetes.

There is a recognized need for new treatment options for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recovery of glucose from the glomerular filtrate represents an important mechanism in maintaining glucose homeostasis and represents a novel target for the management of T2DM. Recovery of glucose from the glomerular filtrate is executed principally by the type 2 sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT2).

Two cases of massive mitral annular calcification mimicking left atrial neoplasms.

The authors describe two cases of massive mitral annular calcification, initially picked up on echocardiography and suspected of being neoplastic. Subsequent evaluation by CT scanning confirmed the location, aetiology, structure and diagnosis. Both cases demonstrated large masses, with calcification of varying density.

The dilemma of an incidental preoperative electrocardiogram showing a Brugada phenotype.

A Brugada pattern on routine electrocardiography is one of several features that can indicate the potential for life threatening rhythm disturbances. The authors describe such a scenario in an asymptomatic 38-year-old woman who required significant surgery under anaesthesia. The diagnosis and possible management routes are outlined with an emphasis on the incumbent psychosocial and familial issues that are encountered.

Old men and thickened hearts.

The case of a patient with confirmed amyloid, initially believed to be light chain (AL) type, whose diagnosis was clouded by an atypical gastrointestinal tract system presentation and a concomitant haematological condition, is presented. Duodenal biopsy samples subsequently stained positive for transthyretin and the diagnosis was revised to senile systemic amyloidosis. The patient was managed medically and remains alive more than 2 years after the diagnosis was formally established.

Electrocardiograph abnormalities revealed during laparoscopy.

This brief case presents a well patient in whom an electrocardiograph abnormality consistent with an accessory pathway was found during a routine procedure. We present the electrocardiographs, explain the underlying condition, and consider why the abnormality was revealed in this manner.

Streptococcus sanguis endocarditis associated with colonic carcinoma.

Infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus bovis is known to be associated with colorectal malignancy. Other less common streptococci, specifically Streptococcus sanguis, can be similarly associated with gastrointestinal carcinoma. We present a case of disseminated colorectal carcinoma occurring after a confirmed S sanguis endocarditis, that required mitral valve surgery.

Hypocalcaemia, long QT interval and atrial arrhythmias.

Calcium has diverse roles in neuromuscular mechanisms. Within the cardiovascular system, hypocalcaemia is known to both impair myocardial contractility and prolong the QT interval, predisposing to ventricular arrhythmias. We present a case of chronic hypocalcaemia with prolonged QT interval associated with an atrial arrhythmia.

Post-traumatic dizziness.

Following an episode of syncope, a 42-year-old woman was referred to exclude a cardiac cause. This primary event was determined to be a straightforward case of vasovagal syncope, resulting in mild head trauma. Following this, the patient was left with symptoms of dizziness and a subjective "muzzy" sensation.

High output heart failure caused by extensive arteriovenous malformation: problems and pregnancy.

ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION (AVM) OCCURRING IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOFT TISSUE AND SKELETAL HYPERTROPHY FORMS THE BASIS OF THE PARKES WEBER SYNDROME: a rare congenital angio-osteohypertrophy condition with no obvious racial, gender or geographic preference. Usually in the lower limbs, the AVM can result in a dilated cardiomyopathy due to a high output cardiac state. We describe the case of a 21-year-old woman with an extensive AVM affecting one leg, which included the pelvic vasculature.

Paradoxical coronary emboli following a long-haul airline flight.

A 33-year-old man presented with an acute myocardial infarction (MI) after a recent long-haul flight. Angiography revealed thrombus in the right and circumflex coronary artery but no underlying atherosclerosis. Echocardiography revealed the presence of an atrial septal defect (ASD).