Adverse events associated with testosterone administration.

BACKGROUND: Testosterone supplementation has been shown to increase muscle mass and strength in healthy older men. The safety and efficacy of testosterone treatment in older men who have limitations in mobility have not been studied. METHODS: Community-dwelling men, 65 years of age or older, with limitations in mobility and a total serum testosterone level of 100 to 350 ng per deciliter (3.5 to 12.1 nmol per liter) or a free serum testosterone level of less than 50 pg per milliliter (173 pmol per liter) were randomly assigned to receive placebo gel or testosterone gel, to be applied daily for 6 months. Adverse events were categorized with the use of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities classification. The data and safety monitoring board recommended that the trial be discontinued early because there was a significantly higher rate of adverse cardiovascular events in the testosterone group than in the placebo group. RESULTS: A total of 209 men (mean age, 74 years) were enrolled at the time the trial was terminated. At baseline, there was a high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity among the participants. During the course of the study, the testosterone group had higher rates of cardiac, respiratory, and dermatologic events than did the placebo group. A total of 23 subjects in the testosterone group, as compared with 5 in the placebo group, had cardiovascular-related adverse events. The relative risk of a cardiovascular-related adverse event remained constant throughout the 6-month treatment period. As compared with the placebo group, the testosterone group had significantly greater improvements in leg-press and chest-press strength and in stair climbing while carrying a load. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of older men with limitations in mobility and a high prevalence of chronic disease, the application of a testosterone gel was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events. The small size of the trial and the unique population prevent broader inferences from being made about the safety of testosterone therapy. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00240981.)

Active 46-year-old man with right-sided visual loss and no family history of stroke · Dx?

A 46-year-old man presented to the emergency department with sudden-onset right-sided visual loss. He had a history of asthma, but no family history of hypercoagulability, deep vein thrombosis, or stroke. The patient had an active lifestyle that included scuba diving, mountain biking, and hockey (coaching and playing). The physical examination revealed a right homonymous upper quadrantanopia. The neurologic examination was within normal limits, except for the visual deficit and unequal pupil size. A computerized tomography scan of the patient's head did not reveal any lesions.

Review of Hypoglycemia in the Older Adult: Clinical Implications and Management.

The aging of the population is a worldwide phenomenon. The prevalence of diabetes rises with increasing age, so the personal and financial costs of diabetes in the aging population have become significant burdens. In 2012, 104 billion (59%) of the estimated $176 billion in United States healthcare expenditures attributable to diabetes were utilized by patients older than 65 years of age [American Diabetes Association (1)]. With improvement in diabetes management and better glycemic control in the general population, there is an increase in the prevalence of hypoglycemia, which is the complication of the treatment of diabetes. Older adults with diabetes have a higher risk for hypoglycemia due to altered adaptive physiologic responses to low glucose levels. These patients also have comorbidities, such as cognitive and functional loss, that interfere with prompt identification and/or appropriate treatment of hypoglycemia. Older adults who suffer from hypoglycemia also have increased risk for falls, fall-related fractures, seizures and comas and exacerbation of chronic conditions, such as cognitive dysfunction and cardiac events. Thus, hypoglycemia in the older adult must be proactively avoided to decrease significant morbidity and mortality. Education of the patients and caregivers is important in prevention and treatment of hypoglycemia. In this article, we discuss the important aspects and unique challenges pertaining to hypoglycemia in older population. We also highlight the risks, consequences and prevention and management strategies for hypoglycemia that can be used by healthcare providers caring for older populations.

Presentation and outcomes among patients with isolated myeloid sarcoma: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database analysis.

Isolated myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a rare extramedullary presentation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Little is known about MS outcomes due to its rarity. A population-based analysis of MS using the Survival, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was performed. We identified 345 patients, aged 15 or older, diagnosed with isolated MS between 1973 and 2010. Overall survival (OS) was calculated and compared between MS and non-MS AML using the log-rank test. Survival was also evaluated based upon the primary site of disease presentation. The 3-year survival rate for MS (0.319; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.267-0.371) was greater than for non-MS AML (0.172; 95% CI: 0.168-0.175). There was variation in survival based on the site of involvement. The survival rates for isolated MS involving the pelvis/genitourinary organs, eyes/gonads and gastrointestinal mucosa appeared to be slightly improved when compared to primary sites of soft tissues, lymphatic/hematopoietic tissues or nervous system.

Wide complex ventricular tachycardia presenting sign of metastatic pleural mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon neoplasm of serosal surfaces, such as the pleura, the peritoneum, less frequently pericardium and tunica vaginalis. It usually spreads locally to the lungs and mediastinum. We describe a case of malignant mesothelioma with metastasis to the heart. The patient presented with syncope, chest pain and light-headedness. He was found to have wide complex ventricular tachycardia (Vtach). He was cardioverted and then noted to have multiple (more than 20) similar episodes during the hospital course. He was treated with multiple antiarrhythmic medications. A CT scan of the chest revealed a circumferential rind of soft tissue in the right hemithorax and invasion of the pericardium. The repeated Vtach episodes were secondary to the metastasis of the pericardium. Oncology was involved and as there were no further treatment options available, the patient was discharged home with hospice care. The disease is a huge economic burden and early recognition can lead to better outcomes.

Altered mental status and fever.

West Nile virus (WNV) is still the most common cause of neuroinvasive arboviral disease in the USA with a case death of 10-30%. We are reporting a case of a 61-year-old woman with a history of Crohn's disease, fibromyalgia treated with chronic steroid therapy that presented with a day history of fever, confusion and lethargy. She had a lumbar puncture which was notable for lymphocytosis and was positive for WNV. She initially was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, which were subsequently discontinued when the diagnosis of WNV neuroinvasive disease (WNND) was made. A high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose WNND, and this should be suspected in elderly immunocompromised patient presenting with altered mental status and lumbar puncture suggestive of aseptic meningitis. Recent study has showed that there is genetic variation in the interferon response pathway which is associated with both risk for symptomatic WNV infection and disease progression.

Hyperuricemic renal failure in nonhematologic solid tumors: a case report and review of the literature.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncologic emergency that is caused by massive tumor cell lysis. It is commonly associated with hematological cancers like leukemia and lymphoma and uncommonly with solid nonhematologic tumors as well. However, spontaneous tumor lysis syndrome (STLS) without any cytotoxic chemotherapy rarely occurs in solid tumors. We describe a case of STLS in a metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown primary and review the literature of STLS in solid non-hematologic tumors to identify various risk factors for pathogenesis of this entity.

Clinical meaningfulness of the changes in muscle performance and physical function associated with testosterone administration in older men with mobility limitation.

CONTEXT: Testosterone in Older Men with Mobility Limitations Trial determined the effects of testosterone on muscle performance and physical function in older men with mobility limitation. Trial's Data and Safety Monitoring Board recommended enrollment cessation due to increased frequency of adverse events in testosterone arm. The changes in muscle performance and physical function were evaluated in relation to participant's perception of change. METHODS: Men aged 65 years and older, with mobility limitation, total testosterone 100-350 ng/dL, or free testosterone less than 50 pg/mL, were randomized to placebo or 10 g testosterone gel daily for 6 months. Primary outcome was leg-press strength. Secondary outcomes included chest-press strength, stair-climb, 40-m walk, muscle mass, physical activity, self-reported function, and fatigue. Proportions of participants exceeding minimally important difference in study arms were compared. RESULTS: Of 209 randomized participants, 165 had follow-up efficacy measures. Mean (SD) age was 74 (5.4) years and short physical performance battery score 7.7 (1.4). Testosterone arm exhibited greater improvements in leg-press strength, chest-press strength and power, and loaded stair-climb than placebo. Compared with placebo, significantly greater proportion of men receiving testosterone improved their leg-press and chest-press strengths (43% vs 18%, p = .01) and stair-climbing power (28% vs 10%, p = .03) more than minimally important difference. Increases in leg-press strength and stair-climbing power were associated with changes in testosterone levels and muscle mass. Physical activity, walking speed, self-reported function, and fatigue did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone administration in older men with mobility limitation was associated with patient-important improvements in muscle strength and stair-climbing power. Improvements in muscle strength and only some physical function measures should be weighed against the risk of adverse events in this population.