Virus and Autoimmunity: Can SARS-CoV-2 Trigger Large Vessel Vasculitis?

Introduction: Viral infections can induce autoimmune diseases in susceptible patients. SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with the development of rheumatic disease, especially small vessel vasculitis and arthritis. Typically, onset occurs days to weeks after the antigenic challenge and in patients with mild COVID-19. We report a case of large vessel vasculitis (LVV) temporally related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Case description: An otherwise healthy 19-year-old woman presented with fatigue, malaise, and chest and low back pain. The symptoms had begun 5 weeks earlier and 1 month after mild SARS-CoV-2 infection. Serological work-up revealed a marked proinflammatory state and anaemia without signs of infectious or autoimmune disease. Computerized tomography revealed thickening and blurring of the perivascular fat of the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta, progressing along the proximal iliac and renal arteries. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography confirmed inflammatory activity. Symptoms and laboratory values normalized after prednisolone treatment. Discussion: Recent SARS-CoV-2 infection may be a trigger for LVV, including Takayasu arteritis, as well as other rheumatic diseases. A prompt and thorough differential diagnosis is essential to exclude aortitis and LVV mimickers. Moreover, physicians should be aware of the potential spectrum of systemic and autoimmune diseases that could be precipitated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. This will allow timely diagnosis and treatment, with significant improvement in prognosis. LEARNING POINTS: SARS-CoV-2 infection can trigger large vessel vasculitis and other rheumatic diseases.Awareness of the association between COVID-19 and autoimmune phenomena allows for timely diagnosis and treatment with significant improvements in prognosis.Vasculitis and other autoimmune diseases should be kept in mind in patients who develop proinflammatory states days to weeks after an initial antigenic challenge.

Essential thrombocythemia - a predisponent factor for stroke.

The essential thrombocythemia is one of the seven described forms of myeloproliferative neoplasms. It is characterized by megakaryocytic hyperplasia with consequent thrombocytosis maintained in the peripheral blood, favoring the occurrence of thrombo-hemorrhagic phenomena. We present the case of an 81-year-old woman with a history of ischemic stroke in the context of a sustained thrombocytosis, which led to a spinal study and a search for the V617F mutation in the JAK2 gene, which was positive. The patient started cytoreductive therapy with hydroxyurea with favorable current evolution.

Essential thrombocythemia - a predisponent factor for stroke

SUMMARY The essential thrombocythemia is one of the seven described forms of myeloproliferative neoplasms. It is characterized by megakaryocytic hyperplasia with consequent thrombocytosis maintained in the peripheral blood, favoring the occurrence of thrombo-hemorrhagic phenomena. We present the case of an 81-year-old woman with a history of ischemic stroke in the context of a sustained thrombocytosis, which led to a spinal study and a search for the V617F mutation in the JAK2 gene, which was positive. The patient started cytoreductive therapy with hydroxyurea with favorable current evolution.

Obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: There is convincing evidence that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly associated with impaired glucose metabolism. OBJECTIVES: Analyze the prevalence of OSA in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Evaluate the influence of OSA on glycemic control. METHODS: The adult patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) followed in the department of internal medicine were referred to our Sleep Unit. A home respiratory polygraphy was then performed on all patients with body mass index (BMI) <40 kg/m(2). The glycemic control was assessed by the value of glycated hemoglobin (Hba1c) in the previous 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 46 patients were studied (20 men and 26 women), the mean age was 50±15 years and mean BMI was 28.6±4.9 kg/m(2). The mean Hba1c was 8.3±1.2. Twenty three patients had type 2 DM and 23 patients had type 1 DM. Twenty nine patients (63.0%) had OSA and 8.7% had severe OSA (AHI>30/h). The mean CT90 was 5.3±12.5 and the mean AHI was 13.6±18.3. The mean AHI was similar between type 1 and type 2 DM (15.7±24.5 Vs 11.6±8.9; p=0.46). The AHI was not correlated with the BMI. Type 2 DM patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1c>7.5%) had a significantly higher mean AHI (14.3±9.0 vs 6.4±6.2; p=0.038). This difference did not remain significant after adjustment for BMI (p=0.151). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of OSA in type 1 DM is similar to that found in type 2 DM. We note the high prevalence of OSA in younger patients with type 1 DM.

[The diagnostic challenge of a rare pulmonary neoplasm]. / O desafio diagnóstico de uma neoplasia pulmonar rara.

Primary pulmonary sarcomas account for less than 0.5% of all thoracic neoplasms. They're aggressive tumors arising in mesenchymal cells from the bronchial walls, vessels or pulmonary interstitium. The authors present a patient in which the diagnostic pathway ended with the diagnosis of a primary pulmonary leiomyosarcoma. This case was a true challenge, illustrative of the difficulty associated with this type of neoplasm, but also regarding its aggressiveness, considering its rapid and fatal progression.