Chylothorax as an unusual manifestation of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis: a case report.

Background: Amyloidosis is a multi-organ disease of emerging significance in the field of cardiology. Chylothorax, a specific form of pleural effusion characterized by lymphatic fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity, is an extremely rare manifestation of amyloidosis. Notably, only five cases of chylothorax related to cardiac amyloidosis have been reported worldwide, all in amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis.

Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of Clostridium septicum aortitis.

Background: Clostridium septicum bacteremia is often associated with occult malignancies (approximately 80%), especially of the right colon. Furthermore, inflammation of the aortic wall can rapidly lead to aneurysm induction through bacterial seeding into atheromatous lesions with consecutive life-threatening rupture. We summarize all published data on this rare and lethal disease to evaluate therapeutic approaches and give valid treatment recommendations because there are no guidelines.

Diverticulitis in immunosuppressed patients: A fatal outcome requiring a new approach?

Background: Diagnosis and treatment of diverticulitis in immunosuppressed patients are more challenging than in immunocompetent patients, as maintenance immunosuppressive therapies may mask symptoms or impair the patient's ability to counteract the local and systemic infective sequelae of diverticulitis. The purpose of this study was to compare the in-hospital mortality and morbidity due to diverticulitis in immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients and identify risk factors for lethal outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive in-patients who received treatment for colonic diverticulitis at our institution between April 2008 and April 2014.