Utility of Coronary Calcium Scoring (CCS) in Connective Tissue Disorders (CTDs) for the Evaluation of Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis - A Systematic Review.

Objective: To assess the current state of knowledge for the utility of coronary calcium scoring (CCS) in connective tissue disorders (CTDs) as it relates to the presence and quantification of coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a literature search via PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Review retrieved 1019 studies (since database inception on May 7, 2018) from which 121 manuscripts were eligible for review. Inclusion criteria consisted of studies that investigated CCS in adults with respective CTDs.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) with Acute Nephritis, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody- (ANCA-) Associated Vasculitis, and Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP): A Rare Case Report with Literature Review.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a potentially fatal disorder that requires urgent identification and treatment. The association of TTP with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and vasculitis has been reported, however, never simultaneously. A 33-year-old woman with a history of SLE presented with acute abdominal pain, fever, arthralgias, and skin rash.

The Central Nervous System Effects and Mimicry of Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID): A Case Report with Literature Review.

There is a scarceness of information on the central nervous system effects of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). A 30-year-old woman with a history of recurrent upper respiratory infections, vitiligo, and immune thrombocytopenic purpura presented with right-sided numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the thoracic spine revealed a signal hyperintensity.

Rheumatoid Meningoencephalitis: A Feared Condition in the Era of TNF Blockers.

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is uncommon, and most of the times, it is secondary to vasculitic processes or extra-articular rheumatoid nodules. Meningeal involvement is extremely rare. In the literature, there are a few case reports, series, and retrospective studies which have demonstrated the association of rheumatoid (aseptic) meningoencephalitis after starting tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors.

A Case of Gastric Metastatic Melanoma 15 Years after the Initial Diagnosis of Cutaneous Melanoma.

Melanoma is the most common cancer to metastasize to the gastrointestinal tract; however, metastasis to the stomach is a rare occurrence. We present the case of a patient with a history of melanoma of the chest wall 15 years prior to presentation who initially presented to the hospital with sepsis but was later found to have metastatic melanoma in the gastric cardia. This case illustrates the rare occurrence of metastatic melanoma to the stomach which occurred 15 years after the initial skin diagnosis of melanoma was made, its endoscopic appearance, and how the nonspecific symptoms frequently lead to a delayed diagnosis or one that is not made at all until after autopsy.