scholarly journals Myxedema Coma in a Pediatric Patient with Down Syndrome

2019 ◽  
Vol 09 (01) ◽  
pp. 070-073
Author(s):  
Chhaya A. Divecha ◽  
Milind S. Tullu ◽  
Chandrahas T. Deshmukh ◽  
Sunil Karande

AbstractMyxedema coma due to severe/long standing hypothyroidism is a known fatal endocrine emergency but is rare in children and unreported in pediatric Down syndrome. It mimics other conditions in the emergency room, making the diagnosis challenging. We present a 10-year-old-male child with global developmental delay and Down syndrome phenotype, admitted for altered sensorium subsequent to a febrile illness. The presence of myxedematous changes on clinical examination, on a background of altered sensorium and hypothermia, led to suspicion of myxedema coma, confirmed by laboratory testing. Due to nonavailability of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) was administered through nasogastric tube after an endocrine consult. Despite initial recovery in terms of improved consciousness, the child ultimately succumbed to refractory shock and terminal ventricular tachycardia. Our case highlights the need to consider myxedema coma as a differential diagnosis for altered mental status in the emergency room and use of screening tools for effective selection of patients.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-88
Author(s):  
Olita Shilpakar ◽  
Bibek Rajbhandari ◽  
Bipin Karki

Wild honey is consumed in many parts of the world as an alternative source of medicine with the belief of reducing cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and many other ailments. However, intoxication secondary to consumption of wild honey produced from the nectar of a few species rhododendrons has been encountered due to a toxin known as grayanotoxin. It is a sodium channel toxin causing symptoms like bradycardia, arrhythmias, hypotension, sweating, dizziness and altered sensorium. We report a case of a 58 year old man who presented to the emergency room following ingestion of wild honey with bradycardia, hypotension and altered mental status. Keywords: bradycardia; grayanotoxin; hypotension; wild honey poisoning.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A240-A240
Author(s):  
Nisha Patel ◽  
Timothy Morgenthaler ◽  
Julie Baughn

Abstract Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 50–79% of children with Down Syndrome (CDS) prompting the development of guidelines to increase early detection of OSA. Cross-sectional survey based data shows that CDS have higher rates of bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety, night waking and parasomnias, which are also under-recognized. However, due to increased survival of CDS it may be that OSA treated in childhood returns or worsens, or that CDS may develop other sleep disorders as their life experience and exposure to comorbidities expands. Little is known about sleep disorders across the life span of CDS and screening guidelines leave a gap beyond early childhood. We determined to enhance understanding of respiratory and non-respiratory sleep disorders in a community population of CDS. Methods A retrospective population based observational study of CDS born between 1995–2011 was performed using the Rochester Epidemiology Project database. Medical records from all encounters through July 2020 were reviewed to identify sleep disorders. Sleep diagnoses, sleep test results, and treatments aimed at sleep disorders were recorded. Results 94 CDS were identified with 85 providing consent for research. 54 out of 85 individuals were diagnosed with OSA with 26 diagnosed prior to age 4 and 25 undergoing polysomnography prior to treatment. 26 individuals underwent polysomnography following surgery of which 16 continued to have clinically significant OSA requiring further treatment with secondary surgery, CPAP or anti-inflammatory therapy. Other sleep disorders observed included insomnia (n=16), restless leg syndrome (n=7), periodic limb movement disorder (n=10), idiopathic hypersomnia (n=1), nightmares (n=1), nocturnal enuresis (n=1), bruxism (n=1) and delayed sleep phase disorder (n=1). Most non-OSA sleep disorders were diagnosed during OSA evaluation by sleep medicine providers. However, many children were on melatonin without a formal sleep disorder diagnosis. Conclusion Both OSA and other sleep disorders remain under-diagnosed in CDS. This may be due to lack of validated screening tools that can be administered at the primary care level. Screening recommendations should consider the longitudinal nature of OSA in CDS and the presence of non-respiratory sleep disorders. Adenotonsillectomy is not as effective in CDS and postsurgical polysomnography is warranted along with long term follow-up to assess for further treatment needs. Support (if any):


Author(s):  
Lauren M. Segal ◽  
Angela Walker ◽  
Eric Marmor ◽  
Errol Stern ◽  
Mark Levental ◽  
...  

A 29-year-old woman was found lying unconscious in the shower. There was a two-day history of headache and dizziness. In the emergency room, she was initially stuporous (Glasgow Coma Scale 10/15), afebrile, bradycardic and hypertensive. She exhibited roving, conjugate eye movements, left facial paresis (including frontalis), left ptosis, diffuse hypotonia, extensor plantar responses bilaterally and a 1.5 cm warm, fluctuant mass with surrounding erythema behind the left ear (Figure 1). Otoscopy revealed a bulge in the posterior wall of the left external auditory canal.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. e0026
Author(s):  
Klaus Rose ◽  
◽  
Oishi Tanjinatus ◽  
Jane Grant-Kels ◽  
Earl B. Ettienne ◽  
...  

We read with interest the report about four minors who were diagnosed late with non-COVID-19 diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. We would like to emphasize that, firstly, such delays are not limited to minors, and secondly, that also in minors should we distinguish the administrative and the physiological meanings of the term “child” and hence distinguish administratively defined “children” who bodily are already mature from those young patients who bodily are indeed still children. The 16-year-old patient that was presented to the emergency room with endocarditis was bodily no longer a child, although administratively and probably also psychologically, due to his Down syndrome, he was still a child. Two of the other patients, one with hemolytic anemia (2.5 years old) and one with Ewing sarcoma (4 years old), were still pre-pubertal children, while the 13-year-old minor with a septic hip was already adolescent. The author of the cited paper works in a pediatric department and reports those patients that he has seen during his work. However, in our view there is nothing specifically pediatric in his observations. Several recent papers discuss delays of diagnosis and treatment of non-COVID-19 diseases during the pandemic, including head and neck cancer, appendicitis, heart failure and septicemia, pulmonary thromboembolism,6 pyelonephritis, and cancer in general.8 Some patients in these papers are administratively still “children,” some are adults, and appendicitis is discussed in both.3,4 The delay the COVID-19 pandemic has caused in the timely diagnosis of various diseases is not a “pediatric” challenge, but a challenge for medicine in general.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A971-A972
Author(s):  
Yumna Hamid ◽  
Steven Douedi ◽  
Johnathan Nold ◽  
Raquel Kristin Ong ◽  
Jennifer Cheng ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Myxedema coma is a severe manifestation of hypothyroidism that typicallypresents with altered mental status and requires close monitoring in the intensive care unit dueto 30-60% mortality rate. Clinical Case: A 56 year old white male with type 1 diabetes with recurrent DKA, polysubstanceabuse, Bipolar disorder on lithium and post surgical hypothyroidism presented due to change inmental status after being brought in by sister. Patient was found to be lethargic with confusionthat worsened over the last week. The patient was admitted several times in the past monthsecondary to pneumonia, sepsis, and recurrent DKA. On physical examination, he found to have lethargy, macroglossia, hyporeflexia, and periorbitaledema. Patient had acute respiratory failure with metabolic encephalopathy, bradycardia,tachypnea, severe hyperglycemia, hypotension of 77/51, tachypnea of 31 breaths per minuteand hyponatremia. Laboratory findings showed T4 levels 2.87(n=5.28-9.87ug/dL) withundetectable FT4 and elevated TSH (>50, n=0.300-4.500uIU/mL). Electrolyte panel showedhyponatremia (133, n=136-145mmol/L), hyperglycemia up to 532mg/dL and lithium levels werewithin normal limits (n=0.5-1.5 mmol/L). Urine drug screen was positive for cocaine. A CT scanof the head was negative. His myxedema score was diagnostic (>60). The patient wasdiagnosed with myxedema coma and admitted to the ICU. Patient was treated with IV LT4 400mcg, LT3 10mcg and hydrocortisone 100mg and started onIV LT4 100mcg daily, LT3 2.5mcg daily and hydrocortisone 100mg Q8 hours. There was wideglycemic variation from 46-532 mg/dL on POCT. The patient improved clinically, with resolutionof lethargy, confusion, fatigue, improved appetite, and improved lab work of FT3 2.30 (n=2.28-3.96pg/mL), FT4 at 0.76 (n=0.50-1.26ng/dL) and was downgraded from the ICU. On hospitalday four, he was transitioned to oral levothyroxine and discharged home. Conclusion: It is important to diagnose early and promptly manage decompensatedhypothyroidism in the setting of other comorbidities such as hyperglycemia in diabetes andpolysubstance abuse. The cocaine in the system may cause tachypnea and tachycardia. Manyconditions may have altered mental status, but with a history of hypothyroidism, Myxedemacoma should be on the differential due to its high mortality rate.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (s1) ◽  
pp. 45-45
Author(s):  
Laura Adang ◽  
Francesco Gavazzi ◽  
Valentina De Giorgis ◽  
Micaela De Simone ◽  
Elisa Fazzi ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: A mimic of congenital infections and a rare genetic cause of interferon overproduction, Aicardi Goutières Syndrome (AGS) results in significant neurologic disability. AGS is caused by pathogenic changes in the intracellular nucleic acid sensing machinery (TREX1, RNASEH2A, RNASEH2B, RNASEH2C, SAMHD1, ADAR1, and IFIH1). All affected individuals exhibit neurologic impairment: from mild spastic paraparesis to severe tetraparesis and global developmental delay. We hypothesize that genotype influences the heterogeneous developmental trajectory found in AGS. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: To characterize this spectrum, age and symptoms at presentation and longitudinal developmental skill acquisition was collected from an international cohort of children (n=88) with genetically confirmed AGS. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We found that individuals present at variable ages, with the largest range in SAMHD1, ADAR, and IFIH1. There are 3 clusters of symptoms at presentation: altered mental status (irritability or lethargy), systemic inflammatory symptoms, and acute neurologic symptoms, with variability across all genotypes. By creating Kaplan-Meier curves for developmental milestones, we were able to create genotype-based developmental trajectories for the children affected by the 5 most common genotypes: TREX1, IFIH1, SAMHD1, ADAR, and RNASEH2B. Individuals with AGS secondary to TREX1 were the most severely affected, significantly less likely to reach milestones compared to the other genotypes, including head control, sitting, and nonspecific mama/dada (p-value <0.005). Individuals affected by SAMHD1, IFIH1, and ADAR collectively attained the most advanced milestones, with 44% of the population achieving a minimum of a single word and 31% able to walk independently. Three retrospective scales were also applied: Gross Motor Function Classification System, Manual Ability Classification Scale, and Communication Function Classification System. Within each genotypic cohort, there was pronounced heterogeneity. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Our results demonstrate the influence of genotype on early development, but also suggest the importance of other unidentified variables. These results underscore the need for deep phenotyping to better characterize subcohorts within the AGS population.


2007 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 212-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
TJ Marrie ◽  
JQ Huang

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors that allow patients with community-acquired pneumonia who are at high risk of mortality (risk classes IV and V) to be treated at home.DESIGN: A prospective, observational study.SETTING: Six hospitals and one free-standing emergency room in Edmonton, Alberta.PARTICIPANTS: The present study included 2354 patients in risk classes IV and V who had a diagnosis of pneumonia made by an emergency room physician or an internist.MEASUREMENTS: Symptoms, signs and laboratory findings, as well as outcome measures of length of stay and mortality.RESULTS: Of the total study group, 319 of the patients (13.5%) were treated on an ambulatory basis. Factors predictive of admission were definite or possible pneumonia on chest radiograph as read by a radiologist, functional impairment, altered mental status, substance abuse, psychiatric disorder, abnormal white blood cell count, abnormal lymphocyte count, oxygen saturation less than 90% and antibiotic administration in the week before admission. If chest pain was present, admission was less likely. Only two of the 319 patients required subsequent admission (both had positive blood cultures) and only two died.CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of patients in risk classes IV and V can be safely treated at home. Factors that help clinicians to select this subset of patients are discussed.


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