A curious case of expanded dengue syndrome.

Dengue fever (DF) primarily presents with fever, headache, malaise, bleeding manifestations and haemoconcentration. World Health Organization (WHO) classifies DF according to levels of severity: (a) without warning signs; (b) with warning signs, such as abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, fluid accumulation, mucosal bleeding, lethargy, liver enlargement, increasing haematocrit and thrombocytopenia; and (c) severe dengue with severe plasma leakage, severe bleeding or organ failure. Atypical clinical presentations of DF are defined as expanded dengue syndrome: this includes renal, cardiac, hepatic or cerebral damage. We report such a severe case where a young man developed acute kidney injury, acute fulminant liver failure and acute pancreatitis secondary to DF, but recovered.

Pulse oximetry: why oxygen saturation is still not a part of standard pediatric guidelines in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs).

BACKGROUND: With the high frequency of acute respiratory infections in children worldwide, particularly so in low-resource countries, the development of effective diagnostic support is crucial. While pulse oximetry has been found to be an acceptable method of hypoxemia detection, improving clinical decision making and efficient referral, many healthcare set ups in low- and middle-income countries have not been able to implement pulse oximetry into their practice. MAIN BODY: A review of past pulse oximetry implementation attempts in low- and middle-income countries proposes the barriers and potential solutions for complete integration in the healthcare systems. The addition of pulse oximetry into WHO health guidelines would prove to improve detection of respiratory distress and ensuing therapeutic measures. Incorporation is limited by the cost and unavailability of pulse oximeters, and subsequent oxygen accessibility. This restriction is compounded by the lack of trained personnel, and healthcare provider misconceptions. These hurdles can be combated by focus on low-cost devices, and cooperation at national levels for development in healthcare infrastructure, resource transport, and oxygen delivery systems. CONCLUSION: The implementation of pulse oximetry shows promise to improve child morbidity and mortality from pneumonia in low- and middle-income countries. Steady measures taken to improve access to pulse oximeters and oxygen supplies, along with enhanced medical provider training are encouraging steps to thorough pulse oximetry integration.

Streptococcus mutans carriage in the saliva of mothers and its association with dental caries and Streptococcus mutans carriage in the saliva of children between 6 and 30 months old in a low-income setting in Karachi, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood caries poses a significant health issue in children under 6 years old. It is determined that Streptococcus mutans is a primary etiological agent, likely to be transferred through maternal contact. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association of maternal S. mutans counts with S. mutans counts in their children between 6 and 30 months of age, and to determine the maternal and child DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) indices. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan. A sample of 193 dyads of mother-children (6-30 months of age) was selected via purposive sampling. Saliva samples of the dyads were collected to assess S. mutans count. Caries assessment was performed for both using the DMFT index. A pretested questionnaire was used. The association of bottle-feeding, oral hygiene measures, and other factors with S. mutans counts in children were also explored. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression model at a 5% level of significance was applied using STATA version 12.0. RESULTS: Out of 193 children, 109 (56.47%) were males and 84 (43.52%) were females. The mean age of mothers and children was 29.4 ± 6.2 years and 19.54 ± 6.8 months, respectively. Maternal S. mutans counts were not statistically associated with child's S. mutans counts (Mean child's S. mutans count ratio: 1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1, 1.01; p = .882). Compared with children who were breastfed, S. mutans counts were higher in children who were bottle-fed (mean S. mutans count ratio= 4.85 [95% CI: 1.53, 15.41], p = .007). Age of mother and present caries status of mothers was significantly associated with the child's S. mutans count. CONCLUSION: No association between maternal S. mutans and child S. mutans was observed. However, maternal age, children who were breastfed, children who did not use pacifiers, and children with mothers who did not have caries, exhibited low S. mutans counts in their saliva.

Association of resolvin level in pregnant women with preeclampsia and metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Preeclampsia (PE) and Metabolic syndrome (MetS) are multifactorial conditions and are major causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Both conditions are pro-inflammatory and can be causative factor for vascular damage. Anti-inflammatory mediators such as Resolvin also called resolution-phase interaction products may help to reduce the effect. Therefore, this study aimed to measure the serum Resolvin level in mild pre-eclamptic women with and without metabolic syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 293 pregnant females were recruited in this case control study. They were grouped as: Group A [pre-eclamptic patients with MetS (n = 140)] and Group B [pre-eclamptic patients without MetS (n = 153)]. Preeclampsia was diagnosed according to the ACOG criteria and metabolic syndrome according the NCEP-ATP III guidelines. Anthropometric data, lipid profile, Resolvin, VEGFR and PlGF levels were tested as per manufacturer's guidelines. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 23. In all instances, a p value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: All females were aged matched so no difference was observed in any group. Blood pressure and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in Group A; whereas VEGFR and PlGF were lower as compared to Group B. Higher Resolvin levels were observed in Group A subjects as compared to Group B [105.19 ± 42.29 pg/ml; 46.74 ± 20.16 pg/ml; p < 0.01 respectively]. Resolvin levels were found to have a weak correlation with BMI (r = 0.264; p = 0.11), while a positive strong correlation with systolic BP (r = 0.722; p < 0.001), diastolic BP (r = 0.664; p < 0.001) and a negative correlation with VEGFR (r = -0.639; p < 0.01) and PlGF (r = -0.523; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Higher resolvin levels were observed in PE subjects with metabolic syndrome and showed a significant strong positive correlation with blood pressure. Further longitudinal studies are required to identify the causal link.

Severe takotsubo cardiomyopathy following orthotopic liver transplantation: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: Acute decompensated heart failure is a known complication following orthotopic liver transplant. Among those, there are some cases of takostubo type cardiomyopathy (TC), commonly referred to as "broken heart syndrome". While the exact mechanism of TC is unknown, it frequently proceeds a physical or emotional stressor. Here we present a series of seven cases of TC following orthotopic liver transplant. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 454 patients were identified as having post-operative cardiac dysfunction in the setting of orthotopic liver transplantation. Of those, seven were identified as having TC based on apical ballooning, acute heart failure without evidence of coronary artery disease. All seven underwent pre-operative cardiac evaluation per protocol. Extensive chart review was performed on the seven patients to identify pre and post-operative qualities. RESULTS: At this single institution, TC affected 7/454 patients, reflecting an incidence of 1.5% over the eight year study period. Of the seven patients affected, one expired. Patients represented a mix of emergent and scheduled transplantation in the setting of end stage liver disease (ESLD). Patients had a mix of etiologies related to their ELSD including hepatitis C, alcoholic cirrhosis, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. DISCUSSION: It is important to recognize TC as a potential complication following liver transplantation so as to detect cases earlier in the disease course and begin early goal-directed care.

Enterococcus gallinarum Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in an HCV Cirrhotic.

We present the case of a 60-year-old Caucasian male with history of hepatitis C viral cirrhosis with portosystemic encephalopathy and ascites with evidence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) with absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 944 cells/µL blood. Despite adequate treatment, the abdominal pain and elevated creatinine continued to persist. Initial ascites fluid cultures returned back positive for growth of Enterococcus gallinarum. Empiric antibiotics were then substituted with ampicillin/sulbactam. Our case of Enterococcus gallinarum causing SBP is only the seventh case reported in the literature to date.

Treatment of levator ani syndrome with cyclobenzaprine.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of levator ani syndrome (LAS) that was successfully treated with cyclobenzaprine. CASE SUMMARY: A 26-year-old male presented with a 3-week history of severe, intermittent, aching anorectal pain that would last for 30-60 minutes per episode and occurred between 1 and 3 times per day. The pain was aggravated by squatting, with no alleviating factors. Physical examination revealed no prostate tenderness, lesions, hemorrhoids, or fissures and rectal tone was intact. The patient had moderate posterior rectal tenderness. After a standard workup, he was diagnosed with LAS and treated with oral cyclobenzaprine 5 mg 3 times daily for 7 days. The patient experienced resolution of his symptoms after 3 days of treatment and remained symptom-free 6 months after completion of therapy. The only reported adverse effect was mild drowsiness, which resolved after discontinuation of the cyclobenzaprine. DISCUSSION: A review of the literature via StatRef (April 1965-December 2011), Ovid (April 1965-December 2011), and MEDLINE (April 1965-December 2011) reveals that existing treatment options for LAS have been limited to levator massage, sitz baths, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, diazepam, biofeed-back, botulinum toxin, steroid injections, and electrogalvanic stimulation, all of which offer minimal support. Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant; however, its mechanism of action is unclear. It is thought to influence the α and γ motor neurons in the central nervous system, which leads to the attenuation of muscle spasm. To our knowledge, cyclobenzaprine has not been reported as a treatment for LAS. In our patient, however, the clinical efficacy of cyclobenzaprine was clearly apparent. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclobenzaprine effectively treated our patient's LAS. Given that cyclobenzaprine is safe, inexpensive, and shown to be effective in our case study, we believe it warrants further investigation as a first-line treatment option for LAS.