scholarly journals O02 Persistent non-fulminant COVID-19 infection in a GPA patient on rituximab

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gurpreet Kaur ◽  
Alaeldin Nour ◽  
Kehinde Sunmboye

Abstract Case report - Introduction Based on initial clinical data, it was suggested that patients with vasculitis who were immunosuppressed, would have a more severe COVID-19 infection. Here we present a case of a young 26-year old lady with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) on rituximab who developed COVID-19 infection while on active GPA treatment. Her COVID-19 infection confirmed on PCR serology, has been protracted but non-fulminant. She did not require mechanical respiratory support. At the same time her GPA remained active and worsened requiring further immunosuppression after she developed mild pulmonary haemorrhage. She is currently still receiving vasculitis treatment. Case report - Case description A 26-year-old lady with a background history of obstructive sleep apnoea and fibromyalgia was diagnosed with ENT-limited GPA in 2017. She was initially treated with azathioprine then methotrexate, and later switched to Rituximab in 2018 after she developed organ-threatening manifestations with bilateral hearing loss. She was stable on periodic infusions of rituximab at 6 to 9-monthly intervals and did not develop other organ-threatening features. She had been given one dose of rituximab for a flare of her GPA. In between rituximab doses, she was admitted with acute COVID-19 infection with related pneumonia and treated with antibiotics, fluids, and oxygen. Shortly after discharge, she was readmitted with worsening symptoms of non-resolving COVID-19 pneumonia which was evident on chest x-ray and levofloxacin treatment was initiated. Her condition improved and she was discharged. No mechanical respiratory support was required. She had her 2nd dose of rituximab after it had been delayed by about 2 weeks. She had been afebrile after the acute COVID-19 infection and her persistent positive results were explained as related viral shedding over a period of 8 weeks. One week later, she represented to hospital with fever, cough and shortness of breath, and her blood results showed a remarkable rise in inflammatory markers, including a CRP of 242. She was treated for non-resolving COVID-19 pneumonitis with worsening chest x-ray features. After hospital discharge, her GPA continued to flare with persistent epistaxis with nasal crusting. She also had worsening inflammatory arthritis with purpuric rash on her legs. An ENT review confirmed nasal septum perforation, but no renal involvement was found. Additional cyclophosphamide was commenced via the day-case unit. Her SARS-CoV-2 serology was negative prior to commencing cyclophosphamide. She is now SARS-CoV-2 positive after two doses of cyclophosphamide, but she is afebrile and stable. Case report – Discussion COVID-19 infection carries a high mortality rate in patients with multiple co-morbidities, but recent literature suggests that patients on immunosuppressants may not actually have fulminant COVID-19 disease. This case illustrates the challenges of treating active vasculitis in the context of ongoing COVID-19 infection. Her vasculitis remained active requiring escalation of immunosuppression with caution, while she was concomitantly fighting SARS-CoV-2 and superadded bacterial infection. A similar case has been published by Guilpain et al of a 52-year-old woman with PR3-ANCA vasculitis on maintenance therapy with rituximab and low-dose prednisone who developed COVID-19 infection. They reported milder evolution of COVID-19 infection in comparison with previous reports. It is now well known that some disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as tocilizumab, hydroxychloroquine and tofacitinib could suppress the cytokine profile seen in severe COVID-19 infection. In addition, several case reports have even reported possible protective effect of immunosuppressants against severe complications of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatological and non-rheumatological conditions. Another complexity in this case was monitoring the disease progression, since both COVID-19 and GPA can have similar findings on chest CT scan of ground glass opacity. In order to better understand the role of immunosuppressants in rheumatological patients with COVID-19 infection, more data is required, currently European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) is collecting data to monitor and report outcomes of COVID-19 in adult and paediatric population, this will provide invaluable insight for Rheumatologists.       Case report - Key learning points  This case poses a challenge for Rheumatologists in managing a patient with active vasculitis and concomitant COVID-19 infection due to limited data available literature. It has also stressed the importance of working in a multidisciplinary team when managing such complex patients. Importance of continuous surveillance of patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy is advised due to possible increased risk to SARS-CoV-2.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1598
Author(s):  
Natesh Ganesan ◽  
Sachin Vidyasagar ◽  
Anbumaran Parivakkam Mani ◽  
Gangadharan Vadivelu

Tuberculous lymphadenitis is the most common presentation of extra pulmonary tuberculosis EPTB. Clinical and radiological presentation of disease may vary and differential diagnosis includes both benign and malignant conditions such as lymphomas and sarcoidosis. We present two case reports of tuberculous lymphadenitis with varied presentation. In case report Ⅰ, patient had undergone splenectomy due to traumatic splenic rupture had classical symptoms of tuberculosis, chest X-ray, CT thorax showed mediastinal and cervical lymphadenopathy. FNAC showed a picture of granulomatous lesion. In case report ⅠⅠ patient came with complaints of abdominal pain in hypochondriac region. CT and USG abdomen showed multiple enlarged retroperitoneal lymph nodes which led to a provisional diagnosis of lymphoma after which lymph node biopsy showed a granulomatous picture. This case report stresses the importance of early and quick diagnosis of tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients and highlights the risk of misdiagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis with other benign and malignant causes of lymphadenopathy and the importance of humoral mediated immunity in tuberculosis.


Author(s):  
Akın Çinkooğlu ◽  
Selen Bayraktaroğlu ◽  
Naim Ceylan ◽  
Recep Savaş

Abstract Background There is no consensus on the imaging modality to be used in the diagnosis and management of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to make a comparison between computed tomography (CT) and chest X-ray (CXR) through a scoring system that can be beneficial to the clinicians in making the triage of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia at their initial presentation to the hospital. Results Patients with a negative CXR (30.1%) had significantly lower computed tomography score (CTS) (p < 0.001). Among the lung zones where the only infiltration pattern was ground glass opacity (GGO) on CT images, the ratio of abnormality seen on CXRs was 21.6%. The cut-off value of X-ray score (XRS) to distinguish the patients who needed intensive care at follow-up (n = 12) was 6 (AUC = 0.933, 95% CI = 0.886–0.979, 100% sensitivity, 81% specificity). Conclusions Computed tomography is more effective in the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia at the initial presentation due to the ease detection of GGOs. However, a baseline CXR taken after admission to the hospital can be valuable in predicting patients to be monitored in the intensive care units.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumin Jo ◽  
Jagyung Hwang ◽  
Jieun Lee ◽  
Hansol Kang ◽  
Boohwi Hong

Abstract Background Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a rare, life-threatening condition that can present as a spectrum of nonspecific symptoms, ranging from cough, dyspnea, and hemoptysis to severe hypoxemic respiratory failure. Perioperative DAH is frequently caused by negative pressure pulmonary edema resulting from acute airway obstruction, such as laryngospasm, although hemorrhage itself is rare. Case presentation This case report describes an unexpected hemoptysis following monitored anesthesia care for vertebroplasty. A 68-year-old Asian woman, with a compression fracture of the third lumbar vertebra was admitted for vertebroplasty. There were no noticeable events during the procedure. After the procedure, the patient was transferred to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), at which sudden hemoptysis occurred. The suspected airway obstruction may have developed during transfer or immediate arrive in PACU. In postoperative chest x-ray, newly formed perihilar consolidation observed in both lung fields. The patients was transferred to a tertiary medical institution for further evaluation. She diagnosed with DAH for hemoptysis, new pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-ray and anemia. The patient received supportive care and discharged without further events. Conclusions Short duration of airway obstruction may cause DAH, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of postoperative hemoptysis of unknown etiology.


2001 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-112
Author(s):  
Jon Matthews ◽  
Giles W Beck ◽  
Douglas M G Bowley ◽  
Andrew N Kingsnorth

AbstractThe case of a 31 year old male presenting as an emergency with a recurrent colonic volvulus is described. A chest X-ray on admission to hospital showed the presence of hepato-diaphragmatic interposition of the colon, Chilaiditi’s Sign, which is known to be a risk factor for colonic volvulus. This is only the fourth reported case of colonic volvulus in association with Chilaiditi’s Syndrome and the first with recurrent colonic volvulus. The optimal treatment for recurrent volvulus in patients with risk factors such as Chilaiditi’s Syndrome or megacolon is also discussed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Mansella ◽  
Roland Bingisser ◽  
Christian H. Nickel

Blunt trauma is the most common mechanism of injury in patients with pneumomediastinum and may occur in up to 10% of patients with severe blunt thoracic and cervical trauma. In this case report we present a 24-year-old man with pneumomediastinum due to blunt chest trauma after jumping from a bridge into a river. He complained of persistent retrosternal pain with exacerbation during deep inspiration. Physical examination showed only a slight tenderness of the sternum and the extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (e-FAST) was normal. Pneumomediastinum was suspected by chest X-ray and confirmed by computed tomography, which showed a lung contusion as probable cause of the pneumomediastinum due to the “Mackling effect.” Sonographic findings consistent with pneumomediastinum, like the “air gap” sign, are helpful for quick bedside diagnosis, but the diagnostic criteria are not yet as well established as for pneumothorax. This present case shows that despite minimal findings in physical examination and a normal e-FAST a pneumomediastinum is still possible in a patient with chest pain after blunt chest trauma. Therefore, pneumomediastinum should always be considered to prevent missing major aerodigestive injuries, which can be associated with a high mortality rate.


1988 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 451-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail L. Woods ◽  
J. Calvin Davis ◽  
William P. Vaughan

AbstractFour bone marrow transplant recipients consecutively occupying the same room on our Oncology-Hematology Special Care Unit (OHSCU) became colonized with Chaetomium species between January and April, 1987. These patients, aged 27 to 43 years, were immunocompromised as a result of intensive chemotherapy, and were consequently at increased risk for development of invasive fungal infection. At the time of Chaetomium colonization, all patients were febrile, two had transient new infiltrates on chest x-ray, and three were receiving amphotericin B therapy. Subsequent environmental cultures revealed Chaetomium contamination of the OHSCU air-handling system, including the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters in seven of the nine rooms comprising the unit. Because fungal colonization of HEPA filters used to create a “protective environment” for immunocompromised patients can occur and can serve as a source for patient infections, guidelines concerning proper surveillance of these HEPA filters should be established. We suggest that before a new patient enters a “protected” room, the clean side of the HEPA filter should be cultured. If fungi are recovered from that culture, we would recommend changing the filter.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-183
Author(s):  
Lucio Brugioni ◽  
Francesca De Niederhausern ◽  
Chiara Gozzi ◽  
Pietro Martella ◽  
Elisa Romagnoli ◽  
...  

Pericarditis and spontaneous pneumomediastinum are among the pathologies that are in differential diagnoses when a patient describes dorsal irradiated chest pain: if the patient is young, male, and long-limbed, it is necessary to exclude an acute aortic syndrome firstly. We present the case of a young man who arrived at the Emergency Department for chest pain: an echocardiogram performed an immediate diagnosis of pericarditis. However, if the patient had performed a chest X-ray, this would have enabled the observation of pneumomediastinum, allowing a correct diagnosis of pneumomediastinum and treatment. The purpose of this report is to highlight the importance of the diagnostic process.


Author(s):  
Valentina Vespro ◽  
Maria Carmela Andrisani ◽  
Stefano Fusco ◽  
Letizia Di Meglio ◽  
Guido Plensich ◽  
...  

AbstractTo describe radiographic key patterns on Chest X-ray (CXR) in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, assessing the prevalence of radiographic signs of interstitial pneumonia. To evaluate pattern variation between a baseline and a follow-up CXR. 1117 patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection were retrospectively enrolled from four centers in Lombardy region. All patients underwent a CXR at presentation. Follow-up CXR was performed when clinically indicated. Two radiologists in each center reviewed images and classified them as suggestive or not for interstitial pneumonia, recording the presence of ground-glass opacity (GGO), reticular pattern or consolidation and their distribution. Pearson’s χ2 test for categorical variables and McNemar test (χ2 for paired data) were performed. Patients mean age 63.3 years, 767 were males (65.5%). The main result is the large proportion of positive CXR in COVID-19 patients. Baseline CXR was positive in 940 patients (80.3%), with significant differences in age and sex distribution between patients with positive and negative CXR. 382 patients underwent a follow-up CXR. The most frequent pattern on baseline CXR was the GGO (66.1%), on follow-up was consolidation (53.4%). The most common distributions were peripheral and middle-lower lung zone. We described key-patterns and their distribution on CXR in a large cohort of COVID-19 patients: GGO was the most frequent finding on baseline CXR, while we found an increase in the proportion of lung consolidation on follow-up CXR. CXR proved to be a reliable tool in our cohort obtaining positive results in 80.3% of the baseline cases.


Case reports ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-69
Author(s):  
María Fernanda Ochoa-Ariza ◽  
Jorge Luis Trejos-Caballero ◽  
Cristian Mauricio Parra-Gelves ◽  
Marly Esperanza Camargo-Lozada ◽  
Marlon Adrián Laguado-Nieto

Introduction: Pneumomediastinum is defined as the presence of air in the mediastinal cavity. This is a rare disease caused by surgical procedures, trauma or spontaneous scape of air from the lungs; asthma is a frequently associated factor. It has extensive differential diagnoses due to its symptoms and clinical signs.Case presentation: A 17-year-old female patient presented with respiratory symptoms for 2 days, dyspnea, chest pain radiated to the neck and shoulders, right supraclavicular subcutaneous emphysema, wheezing in both lung fields, tachycardia and tachypnea. On admission, laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis and neutrophilia, and chest X-ray showed subcutaneous emphysema in the right supraclavicular region. Diagnosis of pneumomediastinum was confirmed through a CT scan of the chest. The patient was admitted for treatment with satisfactory evolution.Discussion: Pneumomediastinum occurs mainly in young patients with asthma, and is associated with its exacerbation. This condition can cause other complications such as pneumopericardium, as in this case. The course of the disease is usually benign and has a good prognosis.Conclusion: Because of its presentation, pneumomediastinum requires clinical suspicion to guide the diagnosis and treatment. In this context, imaging is fundamental.


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