Long COVID Syndrome Presenting as Hyperferritenemia Associated Toxic Encephalopathy in a Deferoxamine Compliant Patient of Beta Thalassemia

Ferritin overload is a frequent problem encountered in patients with beta thalassemia amounting to various complications. One of rare but important complication of ferritin overload is ferritin overload induced toxic encephalopathy. Serum ferritin has been recognised as a important marker of inflammation and cytokine storm in COVID19.We present a case of Long COVID syndrome presenting as toxic encephalopathy in a case of beta thalassemia in spite of the patient being compliant to desferroxamine therapy.This report highlights the synergistic effect of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. 2(SARS CoV 2) mediated neuroinflammation through direct viral invasion and the release of inflammatory cytokines including ferritin resulting in toxic encephalopathy in a beta thalassemia major patient who was already prone to develop hyperferritenemia.Ferritin functions as a pro-inflammatory cytokine and it’s level increases in both thalassemia and COVID-19 and the index case presented here had both the conditions predisoposing him to develop toxic encephalopathy even after being compliant to deferoxamine therapy. It is important to recognise and treat this condition in order to prevent mortality and morbidity in patients of beta thalassemia who contract COVID19.

Acute liver failure caused by Amanita verna: a case series and review of the literature

Background Amanita verna is one of the most harmful wild fungi in China. Amanita verna poisoning occurs every year, and the mortality is as high as 50%. However, its clinical manifestations are complex and diverse. Case presentation In March 2019, three patients took a large amount of Amanita, and one of them received liver transplantation in Zhongshan hospital, Sun Yat-sen University. All patients had vomiting and diarrhea 8–12 h after eating wild mushrooms (Amanita). The patients were initially diagnosed with Amanita poisoning. One case (case 3) was complicated and diagnosed as mushroom poisoning (fatal Amanita), toxic hepatitis, acute liver failure, toxic encephalopathy, hemorrhagic colitis, toxic myocarditis, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and pregnancy. The general clinical data of all patients were recorded, who received early treatment such as hemodialysis, artificial liver plasma exchange, hormone shock and anti-infection. One case (case 1) recovered smoothly after liver transplantation, and the indexes of liver, kidney, coagulation function and infection were improved. The other two cases died of intracerebral hemorrhage. Conclusion Liver transplantation is an effective method for the treatment of acute liver failure caused by mushroom poisoning and can improve the survival rate of patients with toxic liver failure.

Carbon monoxide: modern concepts to the treatment of acute poisonings (literature review)

Introduction. Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of the most common causes of chemical injuries and the main toxic factor in the people death in fires. The mechanism of the toxic effect of CO, associated with the formation of carboxyhemoglobin and the development of hypoxia, determines the rapid development of the clinical picture of acute intoxication and the need for emergency first aid and medical care to the poisoned. Material and methods. Literature sources, summarized in the bibliographic databases eLIBRARY.RU, PubMed and Scopus, were the material for analysis. Results. First aid is based on quickly removing the victim from the fire zone or other area with a high concentration of CO and providing him with oxygen as soon as possible. During medical evacuation, it is necessary to carry out continuous inhalation of 80-100% oxygen, to ensure rest and warmth of the victim. In the emergency department of the hospital, oxygen inhalation and maintenance therapy should be continued, clinical and laboratory diagnostic measures aimed at assessing the severity of intoxication, identifying complications and concomitant pathology should be performed. In the case of severe CO poisoning, medical care continues to be provided to the victims in the intensive care unit or in the oxygen-barotherapy unit. The main antidote for CO poisoning is oxygen, which can be used in two versions - normobaric or hyperbaric oxygenation. As a pharmacological antidote to CO, zinc bisvinylimidazole diacetate (acizol) which can accelerate the breakdown of carboxyhemoglobin, improve the oxygen-binding and gas-transport properties of blood, as well as the dissociation of oxyhemoglobin in tissues is used. Along with antidotes, an important role in the treatment of CO poisoning is played by pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy aimed at the prevention and treatment of toxic encephalopathy, brain edema, cognitive dysfunction, toxic myocardiodystrophy and arrhythmia, prevention of pneumonia, correction of the acid-base state, compensation of the energy needs of the body, etc. Conclusion. Further improvement of existing means and methods for the treatment of intoxication, the development and introduction of new antidots into medical practice will increase the effectiveness of therapeutic measures, reduce the number of deaths and disabilities after acute poisoning with carbon monoxide.

A Case Report on Korean Medical Treatment for a Patient with Quadriplegia and Impaired Cognition as Neurological Sequelae after Ingestion of Herbicides

This study is a case report of Korean medicine treatment for a patient with quadriplegia and impaired cognition as neurological sequelae after ingestion of herbicides. A 59-year-old man with toxic encephalopathy and hypoxic encephalopathy after the ingestion of herbicides was treated with acupuncture, Hyulbuchuko-tang mixed with Ondam-tang-gami (血府逐瘀湯合溫膽湯加味), cupping, moxibustion, and rehabilitation. Clinical symptoms were measured with the Manual Muscle Test (MMT), Korean Mini Mental Status Exam (K-MMSE), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). After three months of treatment, clinical symptoms improved. The motor function improved (MMT on both sides, Gr. 3+F/4G →Gr. 4-G~4G/4+G), cognition improved (K-MMSE, 13→21), and ADL (Activities of Daily Living) scores also improved (FIM 41→74; MBI 20→63). Korean medical treatment could effectively treat neurological sequelae after ingestion of herbicides in this case.

Otoneurological presentations of COVID-19

COVID-19 usually begins with respiratory symptoms but may also cause neurological disturbances by direct (viral invasion) or indirect (immune-mediated) mechanism. Common neurological injury described in the literature include infectious toxic encephalopathy, viral encephalitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. We present two cases diagnosed with COVID-19 who presented with isolated neurological deficit along facial nerve and vestibular nerve. Both recovered with medical management and rehabilitative exercises. Isolated neurological impairment in otorhinolaryngological practice may be the primary presentation or delayed feature of COVID-19.

Pharmacogenetics of the Central Nervous System—Toxicity and Relapse Affecting the CNS in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Despite improving cure rates in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), therapeutic side effects and relapse are ongoing challenges. These can also affect the central nervous system (CNS). Our aim was to identify germline gene polymorphisms that influence the risk of CNS events. Sixty single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 20 genes were genotyped in a Hungarian non-matched ALL cohort of 36 cases with chemotherapy related acute toxic encephalopathy (ATE) and 544 controls. Five significant SNPs were further analyzed in an extended Austrian-Czech-NOPHO cohort (n = 107 cases, n = 211 controls) but none of the associations could be validated. Overall populations including all nations’ matched cohorts for ATE (n = 426) with seizure subgroup (n = 133) and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES, n = 251) were analyzed, as well. We found that patients with ABCB1 rs1045642, rs1128503 or rs2032582 TT genotypes were more prone to have seizures but those with rs1045642 TT developed PRES less frequently. The same SNPs were also examined in relation to ALL relapse on a case-control matched cohort of 320 patients from all groups. Those with rs1128503 CC or rs2032582 GG genotypes showed higher incidence of CNS relapse. Our results suggest that blood-brain-barrier drug transporter gene-polymorphisms might have an inverse association with seizures and CNS relapse.