scholarly journals Neuroendocrine Tumour of the Lung: A Diagnostic Challenge

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Nur Hidayah Bahrom ◽  
Anis Safura Ramli ◽  
Nor Suraya Samsudin ◽  
Norliana Dalila Mohamad Ali ◽  
Nor Salmah Bakar

This is a case of a 62-year-old Indian man who was diagnosed with a rare type of lung neuroendocrine tumour (NET) of atypical carcinoid (AC) subtype which comprise only 0.1%–0.2% of pulmonary neoplasms. He initially presented to a private hospital in May 2018 with a 6-month history of chronic productive cough and haemoptysis. Chest X-Ray (CXR), CT scan, bronchoscopy, biopsy and broncho-alveolar lavage were conducted. At this stage, imaging and histopathological investigations were negative for malignancy. Diagnosis of bronchiectasis was made and he was treated with antibiotic and tranexamic acid. Due to financial difficulties, his care was transferred to a university respiratory clinic in June 2018. His condition was monitored with CXR at every visit and treatment with tranexamic acid was continued for 6 months. However, due to persistent haemoptysis, he presented to the university primary care clinic in Dec 2018. Investigations were repeated in January 2019 where his CXR showed increased opacity of the left retrocardiac region and CT scan revealed a left lower lobe endobronchial mass causing collapse with mediastinal lymphadenopathy suggestive of malignancy. Bronchoscopy, biopsy and histopathology confirmed the presence of NET. Although the Ki-67 index was low, the mitotic count, presence of necrosis and evidence of liver metastases favoured the diagnosis of AC. A positron emission tomography Ga-68 DONATOC scan showed evidence of somatostatin receptor avid known primary malignancy in the lungs with suspicions of liver metastasis. He was subsequently referred to the oncology team and chemotherapy was initiated. This case highlights the challenge in diagnosis and management of patients with AC. Physicians ought to be vigilant and have a high index of suspicion in patients who present with persistent symptoms on multiple visits. Early diagnosis of NET would prevent metastasis and provide better prognosis. Continuous follow-up shared care between primary care and secondary care physicians is also essential to provide ongoing psychosocial support for patients with NET, especially those with metastatic disease.

PEDIATRICS ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 137 (Supplement 3) ◽  
pp. 93A-93A
Author(s):  
Lwbba Chait ◽  
Angeliki Makri ◽  
Rawan Nahas ◽  
Gwen Raphan

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272110350
Author(s):  
Pasitpon Vatcharavongvan ◽  
Viwat Puttawanchai

Background Most older adults with comorbidities in primary care clinics use multiple medications and are at risk of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescription. Objective This study examined the prevalence of polypharmacy and PIMs using Thai criteria for PIMs. Methods This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Data were collected from electronic medical records in a primary care clinic in 2018. Samples were patients aged ≥65 years old with at least 1 prescription. Variables included age, gender, comorbidities, and medications. The list of risk drugs for Thai elderly version 2 was the criteria for PIMs. The prevalence of polypharmacy and PIMs were calculated, and multiple logistic regression was conducted to examine associations between variables and PIMs. Results Of 2806 patients, 27.5% and 43.7% used ≥5 medications and PIMs, respectively. Of 10 290 prescriptions, 47% had at least 1 PIM. The top 3 PIMs were anticholinergics, proton-pump inhibitors, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Polypharmacy and dyspepsia were associated with PIM prescriptions (adjusted odds ratio 2.48 [95% confident interval or 95% CI 2.07-2.96] and 3.88 [95% CI 2.65-5.68], respectively). Conclusion Prescriptions with PIMs were high in the primary care clinic. Describing unnecessary medications is crucial to prevent negative health outcomes from PIMs. Computer-based clinical decision support, pharmacy-led interventions, and patient-specific drug recommendations are promising interventions to reduce PIMs in a primary care setting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S200-S200
Author(s):  
Michael Hansen ◽  
Barbara Trautner ◽  
Roger Zoorob ◽  
George Germanos ◽  
Osvaldo Alquicira ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Use of antibiotics without a prescription (non-prescription use) contributes to antimicrobial resistance. Non-prescription use includes obtaining and taking antibiotics without a prescription, taking another person’s antibiotics, or taking one’s own stored antibiotics. We conducted a quantitative survey focusing on the factors that impact patients’ decisions to use non-prescription antibiotics. Methods We surveyed patients visiting public safety net primary care clinics and private emergency departments in a racially/ethnically diverse urban area. Surveys were read aloud to patients in Spanish and English. Survey domains included patients’ perspectives on which syndromes require antibiotic treatment, their perceptions of health care, and their access to antibiotics without a prescription. Results We interviewed 190 patients, 122 from emergency departments (64%), and 68 from primary care clinics (36%). Overall, 44% reported non-prescription antibiotic use within the past 12 months. Non-prescription use was higher among primary care clinic patients (63%) than the emergency department patients (39%, p = 0.002). The majority felt that antibiotics would be needed for bronchitis (78%) while few felt antibiotics would be needed for diarrhea (30%) (Figure 1). The most common situation identified “in which respondents would consider taking antibiotics without contacting a healthcare provider was “got better by taking this antibiotic before” (Figure 2). Primary care patients were more likely to obtain antibiotics without prescription from another country than emergency department patients (27% vs. 13%, P=0.03). Also, primary care patients were more likely to report obstacles to seeking a doctor’s care, such as the inability to take time off from work or transportation difficulties, but these comparisons were not statistically significant. Figure 1. Patients’ agreement that antibiotics would be needed varied by symptom/syndrome. Figure 2. Situations that lead to non-prescription antibiotic use impacted the two clinical populations differently Conclusion Non-prescription antibiotic use is a widespread problem in the two very different healthcare systems we included in this study, although factors underlying this practice differ by patient population. Better understanding of the factors driving non-prescription antibiotic use is essential to designing patient-focused interventions to decrease this unsafe practice. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Danelly Rodríguez ◽  
Emmeline Ayers ◽  
Erica F. Weiss ◽  
Joe Verghese

Background: Very few studies have explored the utility of subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) in primary care settings. Objective: We aim to investigate associations between SCCs (item-level), objective cognitive function (across domains and global), and mood in a diverse primary care population, including subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: We studied 199 (75.9%females; 57.8%Hispanics; 42.2%African Americans) older adults (mean age 72.5 years) with memory concerns at a primary care clinic. A five-item SCC questionnaire, and objective cognitive assessments, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Geriatric Depression Scale, were administered. Results: Logistic regression analyses showed associations between SCC score and depressive symptoms. A memory-specific (“memory worsening”) SCC predicted scores on the MoCA (p = 0.005) in Hispanics. Conclusion: SCCs are strongly linked to depressive symptoms in African Americans and Hispanics in a primary care setting; a specific type of SCC is related to global cognitive function in Hispanics.


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