Sir William Osler's fatal trip to Scotland: “Mrs M” and the University Grants Committee

On 23 September 1919, Sir William Osler, after a telephone call from his friend Dyson Perrins, went to Glasgow where he saw a 40-year-old woman, Bethia Fulton Martin, in consultation with three local physicians. Osler called it “one of those remarkable Erythema cases (all sorts of skin lesions and three months on and off consolidation of both lower lobes).” Mrs Martin died 114 days later; her death certificate listed “angioneurotic oedema with chronic nephritis” and “tuberculous enlargement of the mediastinal lymph nodes.” Osler died 18 days before Mrs Martin of complications from a respiratory infection acquired on his way home from Scotland. We discuss factors that possibly prompted Osler to go to Scotland, including his role with the newly formed University Grants Committee, and the differential diagnosis of the case, which is mainly between systemic lupus erythematosus and Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Anesthesia for Urgent Surgery in a Patient with Angioneurotic Oedema: A Case Report

Hereditary angioneurotic oedema is an autosomal dominant disease associated with serum deficiency of functional C1-inhibitor. It is characterized by periodic swelling of subcutaneous tissues, abdominal viscera and upper airways. Lethal acute episodes of oedema can occur during anaesthesia and surgery. It is essential to prepare such patients before surgery. This article describes a case and the various preventive measures used to avoid acute episodes during anaesthesia for urgent surgery for mesenteric ischemia. In emergency situations where C1 inhibitor concentrate is not available, fresh frozen plasma (FFP) can be used as an alternative, as it also contains C1 inhibitor, corticosteroids, antihistamines, and epinephrine can be useful adjuncts but typically are not efficacious in aborting acute attacks. Prophylactic management involves long-term use of attenuated androgens or antifibrinolytic agents (Tranexamic acid).Their various indications are discussed.

Age Characteristics and Concomitant Diseases in Patients with Angioedema

BACKGROUND: Angioneurotic oedema (AE) is an unpredictable and dangerous disease directly threatening the patient's life due to a sudden onset of upper respiratory tract obstruction. The disease is associated with various causes and triggering factors, but little is known about the conditions that accompany AE. AIM: The study aims to determine the age-specificities and the spectrum of concomitant diseases in patients with AE. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The subjects of observation were 88 patients (53 women and 35 men) with angioneurotic oedema who underwent diagnostics and treatment in the Department of Occupational Diseases and Clinical Allergology of University hospital “Saint George”-Plovdiv. RESULTS: The highest level of disease prevalence was found in the age group over 50 years, both in males (45.71%) and females (54.72%). We found that the most often concomitant diseases in our patients with AE are cardiovascular (33%). On second place are the patients with other accompanying conditions outside of the target groups (27.3%). Patients with AE and autoimmune thyroiditis were 14.8%, and those with AE and skeletal-muscle disorders-10.2%. Given the role of hereditary factors in this disease, the profession of the patients is considered insignificant. CONCLUSION: Angioedema occurs in all age groups, but half of the cases are in people over 50 years of age. The most common concomitant diseases in angioedema are cardiovascular diseases.

Rheumatological emergencies

This chapter details rheumatological emergencies, including acute monoarthritis, septic arthritis, crystal arthropathy, polyarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative arthritides (spondyloarthropathies), reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, enteropathic arthritis, infections, vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Wegener’s granulomatosus and microscopic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), cryoglobulinaemia, giant cell (temporal) arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), back pain, prolapsed intervertebral disc, and C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency (angioneurotic oedema).