Herb-Induced Liver Injury by Cimicifuga racemosa and Thuja occidentalis Herbal Medications for Fertility.

Herb-induced liver injury (HILI) is often an underreported sequela for many herbal remedies due to the lack of safety measurements involving these supplements. Cimicifuga racemosa and Thuja occidentalis are two herbal medications commonly used by women for fertility purposes. Many herbal preparations of these two supplements do not specify the risks behind their individual usage. We present a case of a 40-year-old woman who developed acute liver injury after concomitant use of these two products assessed for causality using the updated RUCAM. Upon a detailed investigation, the patient did not have evidence of underlying liver disease or any other risk factors to explain her presentation. After discontinuation of both herbal supplements, the patient had complete resolution of her symptoms and a significant improvement of transaminitis. This report highlights the importance of potential risk of hepatotoxicity induced by concomitant use of Cimicifuga racemosa and Thuja occidentalis.

Disseminated Cryptococcal Disease in a Patient With Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance and Polycythemia Vera: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection caused by Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans. It affects both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hosts. Disseminated cryptococcal infection is rare in immunocompetent patients, but the cryptococcal disease's neurological sequelae may be more prominent in this group. We present a case of a 58-year-old male patient with medical comorbidities of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and polycythemia vera. The patient presented with gradual worsening of mental status over one week. He was found to have Cryptococcus neoformans meningoencephalitis and fungemia. The patient received two weeks of liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB) and flucytosine with excellent clinical response. He was discharged on high dose fluconazole, and he returned to the hospital in one week with new-onset hemiplegia and cryptococcomas on imaging. Prolonged intravenous (IV) treatment of six weeks duration resulted in significant clinical improvement and disease-free state at two years follow-up. This article aims to stress the importance of individualized prolonged IV treatment with liposomal amphotericin B and flucytosine despite good initial response in patients with polycythemia vera and MGUS. This is the first reported case of cryptococcal disease, to the best of our knowledge, in a patient with MGUS and the third case of cryptococcal infection in patients with polycythemia vera in a non-HIV non-transplant state. Prolonged individualized IV treatment should be considered in immunocompetent patients with the above conditions, as this condition, if not adequately treated and relapses, lead to high morbidity and mortality.

A Microbiologist's Mexico Trip Ends with Multiple Tiny Ring-Like Pelvic Abscesses.

BACKGROUND Iliacus muscle abscess is a rare condition that frequently presents with nonspecific clinical symptoms. Abscesses in the iliacus muscle can arise from contiguous spread from adjacent structures or from distant sites via hematogenous or lymphatic routes. CASE REPORT We report a case of iliacus muscle abscess in a 22-year-old female microbiologist who presented to the emergency department with severe back pain and lower-extremity weakness after returning from a trip to Mexico. She was found to have urinary tract infection due to Salmonella. The patient was found to have left iliacus muscle abscess and septic arthritis of the sacroiliac joint. She was initially treated with piperacillin-tazobactam, vancomycin, and metronidazole, which were later switched to intravenous ceftriaxone and oral levofloxacin. She was successfully treated with antibiotics, with a complete resolution of the multiple tiny abscesses. CONCLUSIONS Iliacus muscle abscess presents with nonspecific symptoms that can mimic neurologic diseases such as spinal cord compression. A high index of suspicion is required to make an early diagnosis and initiate prompt treatment with antibiotics and abscess drainage, if accessible. A detailed history is essential to assess risk factors and establish likely causative organisms. Delay in treatment can lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality. Long-term follow-up is crucial, as the incidence of relapse is high.

Adenocarcinoma of Lung and Bronchial Carcinoid Presenting as Double Synchronous Primary Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Recent advances in imaging techniques led to an increase in the incidence of synchronous and metachronous primary lung cancers due to early detection. Management of these patients is challenging and prognosis depends on the stage of the tumor at initial diagnosis and histological type. A 68-year-old African American male patient with medical history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus presented to our emergency department with right sided chest pain, worsening dyspnea and dry cough of 2-week duration. He also reported significant weight loss and was a smoker with 25 pack-years smoking history. Chest radiology showed a large right pleural effusion. Subsequent thoracentesis and fluid analysis revealed a lymphocytic exudate. Patient underwent bronchoscopy with findings of an endobronchial lesion in the left lower bronchus. Microscopic analysis of the biopsy specimen showed a well differentiated carcinoid. It was decided to proceed with VATS and pleural biopsy as part of workup for unexplained exudative pleural effusion. Multiple pleural nodules were detected during the procedure and biopsy of these nodules revealed adenocarcinoma of lung. He was evaluated by Oncology and underwent palliative chemotherapy. The association of carcinoid with adenocarcinoma of lung was infrequently reported in the past. This case also highlights the importance of additional diagnostic workup for primary when the diagnosed malignancy does not explain the clinical presentation.

Intensity of Vasopressor Therapy for Septic Shock and the Risk of In-Hospital Death.

CONTEXT: Given the high mortality of 30%-60% associated with septic shock, distinguishing which patients do or do not have a reasonable chance of surviving with aggressive treatment could help clinicians and families make informed decisions. OBJECTIVES: To determine if intensity of vasopressor therapy accurately predicts in-hospital death. METHODS: This observational cohort study analyzed in-hospital mortality as a function of intensity of vasopressor therapy in a consecutive series of adults with septic shock treated over a four-year period. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis assessed the overall strength of the intensity-mortality relationship. RESULTS: A total of 808 patients with septic shock experienced an in-hospital death rate of 41.0% (331/808; 95% CI, 38.5%-44.5%). The greater the peak number of vasopressors required, the higher the death rate, which reached 92.3% (12/13; 95% CI, 79.4%-100.0%) when three different pressors were being infused at full dose. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that number of simultaneous vasopressors and vasopressor dose load performed equally well in predicting death or survival. CONCLUSION: When a standard full dose of a vasopressor fails to normalize blood pressure in a patient with septic shock, escalation begins to yield diminishing returns as the dose and multiplicity of agents approach practical upper limits. Although it is not possible to specify a precise cutoff for limiting vs. intensifying therapy, a mortality of 80% or higher-characterized by two or more concurrent vasopressors at full dose-should prompt shared decision making with the patient's family.

Anemia, intractable vomiting, chronic diarrhea, and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic secretion: a diagnostic dilemma: Disseminated strongyloidosis in a patient with newly diagnosed HTLV infection-case report and review of literature.

RATIONALE: Strongyloidiasis hyperinfection and disseminated disease have high mortality rates due to several complications and early detection of Strongyloides infection is therefore prudent. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 37-year-old male patient came with chronic diarrhea, intractable vomiting and was found to have hyponatremia, and anemia on the initial laboratory tests. DIAGNOSES: Further work up revealed syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic secretion to be the cause of the hyponatremia in addition to gastrointestinal loses. His hospital course was complicated by persistent hyponatremia and later development of partial small bowel obstruction. INTERVENTIONS: Considering his symptoms we had a suspicion of small bowel pathology for which he underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopywith biopsies that revealed strongyloidosis as the cause of his symptoms. He was also found to have human T-cell lymphotropic virus infection, likely contributing to the disseminated disease. OUTCOMES: He was started on ivermectin with complete resolution of symptoms and improvement of hyponatremia. LESSONS: It is very important to suspect Strongyloides infection in a patient presenting with syndrome ofinappropriate antidiuretic secretion as hyperinfection and disseminated disease can be life threatening without antihelmintic therapy.

Newer developments in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the era of anti-fibrotic medications.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common interstitial lung disease with a fatal prognosis. Over the last decade, the concepts in pathobiology of pulmonary fibrosis have shifted from a model of chronic inflammation to dysregulated fibroproliferative repair in genetically predisposed patients. Although new breakthrough treatments are now available that slow the progression of the disease, several newer anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic drugs are under investigation. Patients with IPF often have coexistent conditions; prompt detection and interventions of which may improve the overall outcome of patients with IPF. Here, we summarize the present understanding of pathogenesis of IPF and treatment options for IPF in the current landscape of new anti-fibrotic treatment options.