Infected Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Fistula with Distant Explosive Pleuritis: A Rare Phenomenon.

BACKGROUND The management of patients with end-stage kidney disease can be accomplished with hemodialysis via a surgically created arteriovenous fistula. An arteriovenous fistula has an advantage because of the ability to serve as permanent access for hemodialysis over several months to years; however, it has a disadvantage because of its associated vascular and infectious complications. An infectious complication such as explosive pleuritis, which is usually due to respiratory infections, in the setting of an infected arteriovenous fistula site infection, is extremely rare. CASE REPORT A 36-year-old man with a past medical history of IgA nephropathy on hemodialysis with a left forearm arteriovenous fistula presented to the Emergency Department because of left flank pain. Despite no recent history or evidence of a respiratory tract infection, he developed explosive pleuritis within 48 h. The presence of Group A Streptococcus at the arteriovenous fistula site coincided with Streptococcus pyogenes infection. The pleural effusion was drained and he was treated with antibiotics. He recovered and was eventually discharged home. CONCLUSIONS Explosive pleuritis, although less frequent, is almost always secondary to respiratory tract infections. An arteriovenous fistula site infection may be the source of infection of an internal organ if no apparent source is identified.

COVID-19: The Case of Three Patients with the Same Diagnosis but Different Clinical and Laboratory Features.

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that causes COVID-19, which has been responsible for the pandemic that was declared in early 2020. Its pathological effect is majorly in the respiratory tract, but its full pathogenicity remains a mystery. Symptoms associated with COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some patients develop other symptoms like diarrhea. However, it is possible for other organs to be affected including the central nervous system, liver, and blood cells. The purpose of this case series is to unravel other factors associated with this disease, so we report three cases of COVID-19 that were hospitalized during the pandemic.

Glycine receptors contribute to hypnosis induced by ethanol.

BACKGROUND: Glycine is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult central nervous system (CNS), and its receptors (GlyRs) are well known for their effects in the spinal cord and the lower brainstem. Accumulating evidence indicates that GlyRs are more widely distributed in the CNS, including many supraspinal regions. Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that ethanol potentiates the function of these brain GlyRs, yet the behavioral role of the brain GlyRs has not been well explored. METHODS: Experiments were conducted in rats. The loss of righting reflex (LORR) was used as a marker of the hypnotic state. We compared the LORR induced by systematic administration of ethanol and of ketamine in the absence and presence of the selective glycine receptor antagonist strychnine. Ketamine is a general anesthetic that does not affect GlyRs. RESULTS: Systemically administered (by intraperitoneal injection) ethanol and ketamine dose-dependently induced LORR in rats. Furthermore, systemically administered (by subcutaneous injection) strychnine dose-dependently reduced the percentage of rats exhibiting LORR induced by ethanol, increased the onset time, and decreased the duration of LORR. Strychnine had no effect, however, on the LORR induced by ketamine. CONCLUSIONS: Given that hypnosis is caused by neuronal depression in upper brain areas, we therefore conclude that brain GlyRs contribute at least in part to the hypnosis induced by ethanol.