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Gates Glud posted an update 2 days, 10 hours ago
Good syndrome (GS) is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome seen before or after diagnosis of thymoma, and its treatment, and is characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia. Rarely, pure white cell aplasia (PWCA) can also be seen which can present as recurrent neutropenia. We describe a 64-year-old man with recurrent sinus infections and previous thymectomy for stage 1 type B2 thymoma presenting with chronic diarrhea and recurrent neutropenia necessitating serial hospitalizations despite repeated antimicrobial treatment. Immunoglobulin levels, including IgM, IgA, IgD, and IgE were undetectable. Flow cytometry also showed absent B cells. Patient was initiated on immunoglobulin replacement therapy with consequent significant clinical improvement. Despite thymectomy, patients can develop thymoma-associated paraneoplastic syndromes, including GS.Nocardiosis is an infection caused by the gram-positive bacterium Nocardia, which typically manifests as an isolated pulmonary or systemic disease. Of note, Nocardia has a predilection for the central nervous system (CNS) involvement, which is more commonly seen in systemic nocardiosis rather than as an isolated CNS infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the estimated incidence of nocardiosis is only 500 to1000 cases in the USA every year, with cases mostly found in immunocompromised people, although infection in the immunocompetent may also occur. Here, we present a case of an immunocompromised patient who presented with neurologic symptoms and intracranial lesions initially concerning metastatic disease. Upon further investigation, the patient was found to have CNS nocardiosis with bacteremia. This is an extremely rare presentation given the lack of concurrent pulmonary and cutaneous involvement. The insidious onset and rarity of nocardiosis can result in a delayed or missed diagnosis. Early recognition is crucial as this is a potentially life-threatening illness. After obtaining adequate culture specimens, empiric treatment must be started expeditiously, keeping in mind the diversity of the Nocardia species and their antimicrobial resistance patterns.Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis are a major cause of hospitalization and cause high mortality. Several risk factors, such as smoking, immobilization, cancer, trauma, OCPs, pregnancy, and surgery, have already been identified. The diagnosis of PE can sometimes rely on high clinical suspicion. We report a case of a young 31-year-old male with no known risk factors, who developed a PE after 5 months of clomiphene therapy.Bile cast nephropathy (BCN) is a rare form of acute kidney injury (AKI) that occurs in the setting of hyperbilirubinemia. We present the case of a 67 year-old male with severe kidney injury who was found to have obstructive cholestasis. By way of this report, we aim to expand upon the existing literature and showcase the importance of timely endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) in this setting, in order to prevent irreversible kidney damage.Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) is one of the nonatherosclerotic causes of Acute Coronary Syndrome. It’s extremely rare for SCAD to present in an asymptomatic male, with incidental finding of Left Ventricular (LV) thrombus on echocardiogram. This report presents the case of a 36-year-old male with such an atypical presentation of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection with Left Ventricular apical thrombus as a complication. The patient received successful medical management, with excellent clinical outcomes. This case highlights the importance of an early recognition and treatment strategy for both conditions using medical therapy.Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an inflammatory skin condition that is often misdiagnosed as a necrotizing infection. This diagnosis must be considered in any patient with underlying systemic disease who presents with large ulcerating lesions that are unresponsive to antibiotics. Early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach to treatment are crucial to achieving improvement in quality of life and minimizing cosmetic morbidity. .Mitral valve infective endocarditis, without aortic involvement, is a rare cause of complete heart block. It is thought that infections placed close to the conductive system of the heart may drive a conduction block. We found six cases in the literature, via searching PubMed, of mitral valve infective endocarditis with complete heart block and no aortic involvement. We report a case of complete heart block with a junctional escape rhythm in a patient with a Staphylococcus Aureus vegetation on a native mitral valve only.A 33-year-old previously healthy man from Mexico who presented with massive hemoptysis, fevers, chills and found to have cavitary lesions in the right upper lobe of lung was highly suspicious for tuberculosis. The patient was treated with vancomycin, ceftriaxone, azithromycin and placed on isolation for suspected tuberculosis. Sputum AFB stains were negative and blood cultures grew Group A Streptococcus [GAS]. Antibiotics were narrowed down to ampicillin-sulbactam and the patient was discharged with significant clinical improvement. learn more Strep A pyogenes is a rare cause of cavitary hemorrhagic pneumonia but is associated with high mortality. Clinical suspicion and early diagnosis are crucial in saving the patient.A Killian-Jamieson diverticulum is a ‘false’ diverticulum on the lateral side of the proximal cervical esophagus. They are much rarer than Zenker diverticula and can be difficult to diagnose. They are best visualized using fluoroscopy studies, however, the workup for patients admitted with dysphagia can be sometimes extensive and unnecessary, leading to costly hospital stays, longer admissions and exposure to excessive radiation. Herein, we present a patient previously diagnosed with a Killian Jamieson diverticulum, who presented with worsening dysphagia, odynophagia and neck swelling, and was found to have an unusual inferior extension of the diverticulum. This paper will recognize the role of fluoroscopy in diagnosing diverticula and identifying causes of dysphagia, and to also recognize the use of American College of Radiology ‘ACR’ Appropriateness Criteria to minimize unnecessary studies.