Role of C-Reactive Protein in Discrimination between Transudative and Exudative Pleural Effusions.

BACKGROUND: There is still no wide agreement regarding the efficacy of the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRPs), pleural fluid levels of CRP (CRPpf), and their ratio (CRPr) in the discrimination between transudative (Tr) and exudative (Ex) pleural effusions (PEs). Most of the previous studies were conducted on small cohorts, and the role of CRPs in the CRPpf gradient (CRPg) in this discrimination has not been previously reported. The present study aims to assess the diagnostic efficacy of CRPs, CRPpf, CRPg, and CRPr in the discrimination between TrPE and ExPE in a relatively large cohort of patients with PE. METHODS: The study population included 492 patients with PE, 210 of them with TrPE and 282 with ExPE. The levels of CRPs and CRPpf were measured, and the CRPg and CRPr were calculated. The values are presented as mean ± SD. RESULTS: The mean levels of CRPs, CRPpf, CRPg, and CRPr of the TrPEs were 11.3 ± 5.7 mg/L, 4.6 ± 2.8 mg/L, 6.7 ± 3.9 mg/L, and 0.40 ± 0.14, respectively, and for the ExPEs, they were 140.5 ± 112.8 mg/L, 52.8 ± 53.2 mg/L, 87.2 ± 72.4 mg/L, and 0.37 ± 0.15, respectively. The levels of CRPs, CRPpf, and CRPg were significantly higher in the ExPEs than in the TrPEs (p < 0.0001). No significant difference was found between the two groups for the levels of CRPr (p = 0.15). The best cut-off value calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for discriminating TrPE from ExPE was for CRPs, 20.5 mg/L with area under the curve (AUC) = 97% and p < 0.0001; for CRPpf, 9.9 mg/L with AUC = 95% and p < 0.0001; and for CRPg, 13.6 mg/L with AUC = 96% and p < 0.0001. CONCLUSION: CRPs, CRPpf, and CRPg are strong markers for discrimination between TrPE and ExPE, while CRPr has no role in this discrimination.

Crohn's Disease with Atypical Extra-Intestinal Manifestations Developing Under Treatment with Vedolizumab.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the GI tract, which is frequently associated with extra-intestinal manifestations. Pulmonary parenchymal disease is very uncommon and usually considered to be debilitating and harder to diagnose. Pulmonary granulomas are rarely described in the literature as a complication of Crohn's disease. Here, we present a patient with Crohn's disease exacerbation who developed granulomatous lung disease under treatment with vedolizumab. Our case may add evidence to the emerging theory that gut-selective biologic agents could lead to upregulation of some pro-inflammatory factors leading to the evolution of pulmonary disease. LEARNING POINTS: Pulmonary parenchymal diseases are rare in Crohn's disease but they can be debilitating and life-threatening as they are usually tardily diagnosed; awareness of this association is of high value and could potentially shorten the time to a definite diagnosis.Pulmonary manifestations of Crohn's disease could be subclinical without any respiratory complaints and not diagnosed with conventional imaging modalities such as chest x-ray.Gut-selective biologic agents could lead to the emergence of extra-intestinal manifestations due to upregulation of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Diagnostic Value of C-Reactive Protein in Discrimination between Uncomplicated and Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion.

OBJECTIVES: The role of serum C-reactive protein (CRPs) and pleural fluid CRP (CRPpf) in discriminating uncomplicated parapneumonic effusion (UCPPE) from complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE) is yet to be validated since most of the previous studies were on small cohorts and with variable results. The role of CRPs and CRPpf gradient (CRPg) and of their ratio (CRPr) in this discrimination has not been previously reported. The study aims to assess the diagnostic efficacy of CRPs, CRPpf, CRPr, and CRPg in discriminating UCPPE from CPPE in a relatively large cohort. METHODS: The study population included 146 patients with PPE, 86 with UCPPE and 60 with CPPE. Levels of CRPs and CRPpf were measured, and the CRPg and CRPr were calculated. The values are presented as mean ± SD. RESULTS: Mean levels of CRPs, CRPpf, CRPg, and CRPr of the UCPPE group were 145.3 ± 67.6 mg/L, 58.5 ± 38.5 mg/L, 86.8 ± 37.3 mg/L, and 0.39 ± 0.11, respectively, and for the CPPE group were 302.2 ± 75.6 mg/L, 112 ± 65 mg/L, 188.3 ± 62.3 mg/L, and 0.36 ± 0.19, respectively. Levels of CRPs, CRPpf, and CRPg were significantly higher in the CPPE than in the UCPPE group (p < 0.0001). No significant difference was found between the two groups for levels of CRPr (p = 0.26). The best cut-off value calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for discriminating UCPPE from CPPE was for CRPs, 211.5 mg/L with area under the curve (AUC) = 94% and p < 0.0001, for CRPpf, 90.5 mg/L with AUC = 76.3% and p < 0.0001, and for CRPg, 142 mg/L with AUC = 91% and p < 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: CRPs, CRPpf, and CRPg are strong markers for discrimination between UCPPE and CPPE, while CRPr has no role in this discrimination.

Delirium induced by levofloxacin.

Delirium is the most frequent complication of hospitalization for elders and a potentially devastating problem. It is accompanied by high morbidity and mortality rate, and despite sensitive methods for its detection, delirium often is unrecognized and is missed by clinicians in up to 70% of delirious patients. Medications are considered one of the most common causes of delirium with sedatives, narcotics, dihydroperidines, antihistamines, and anticholinergics are most often implicated in its causation. Antibiotic-induced delirium has been infrequently reported where cephalosporins and macrolides are implicated in the majority of cases published. Delirium associated with fluoroquinolones has rarely been reported, and to the best of our knowledge only eight cases of levofloxacin-induced delirium have been described until yet in the medical literature, two of which from our medical ward. We describe another case of delirium associated with levofloxacin treatment in an elderly patient who was hospitalized in our medical ward for acute bronchitis. Description of three cases of levofloxacin-induced delirium from one medical ward (ours) and the other six from the rest of the world reflects the extreme under-recognition and under-diagnosis of drug-induced delirium generally, and levofloxacin-induced delirium specifically by physicians world-wide. It also seems likely that this severe and potentially fetal adverse effect of levofloxacin is much more common than previously reported. The present case and the other previously reported emphasize the urgent need of much more awareness by physicians to the occurrence of this serious but preventable and potentially reversible CNS complication of levofloxacin.

Acute Delirium Associated With Levofloxacin.

Delirium is considered as the most common complication afflicting hospitalized elderly patients, accompanied by high morbidity and mortality rate; and despite its high prevalence, it often remains unrecognized. Drug-induced delirium is a well-known entity with sedatives, narcotics and anticholinergics most often implicated in its causation. Delirium attributed to antibiotics, mainly cephalosporins and macrolids, has been infrequently reported, and until yet only seven cases of levofloxacin-induced delirium have been described in the medical literature. We describe another case of delirium associated with levofloxacin in an elderly patient who was hospitalized in our medical ward for pneumonia. The present case and the other cases previously reported should raise the awareness of physicians to this serious, underestimated, and underdiagnosed adverse effect of a commonly used antibiotic, levofloxacin.