A case report of left circumflex stent infection and mycotic aneurysm: a rare but life-threatening complication of percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Coronary stent infections are an uncommon but deadly complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. Mortality remains as high as 40-60% even with adequate treatment. We report such an interesting case of left circumflex stent (LCX) infection and mycotic aneurysm that was successfully managed with antibiotics and surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: A middle-aged man who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to the left circumflex artery four weeks prior was referred as a case of pyrexia of unknown origin, not responding to antibiotics, and colchicine started for suspected Dressler syndrome. Although the inflammatory markers were elevated, the results of the blood culture did not show any growth. Echocardiography showed a doubtful echogenic structure in the left atrioventricular groove and mild pericardial effusion, and a stent infection was suspected. PET scan showed focal metabolic activity in the region of the LCX stent, with metabolically active supraclavicular and paratracheal lymph nodes, and a coronary angiogram revealed an aneurysm arising distal to the stented LCX. A diagnosis of stent infection and associated mycotic aneurysm was made, and the patient underwent surgery which included aneurysm repair, stent retrieval, and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) to the major and terminal OM. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged without complications. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to investigate the possibility of coronary stent infection in individuals experiencing prolonged fever following PCI. PET scans and coronary angiograms can aid in diagnosis when echocardiograms are inconclusive. Adequate antibiotic therapy and timely surgery are crucial for successfully managing coronary stent infections.

Outcomes of ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction without Standard Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors - Newer Insights from a Prospective Registry in India.

Objectives: Patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs; dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and smoking) are reported to have a worse clinical outcome compared to those with SMuRFs. However, robust prospective data and low-and middle-income country perspective are lacking. We aimed to study the patients with first STEMI and assess the influence of SMuRFs on clinical outcomes by comparing the patients with and without SMuRFs. Methods: We included all consecutive STEMI patients without prior coronary artery disease enrolled in the Madras Medical College STEMI Registry from September 2018 to October 2019. We collected baseline clinical characteristics, revascularisation strategies and clinical outcome. We analysed suboptimal self-reported sleep duration as a 5th extended SMuRF (eSMuRF). Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital complications and one-year all-cause mortality. Results: Among 2,379 patients, 605 patients (25.4%) were SMuRF-less. More women were SMuRF-less than men (27.1% vs 22.1%; P = 0.012). SMuRF-less patients were older (57.44 ± 13.95 vs 55.68 ± 11.74; P < 0.001), more often former tobacco users (10.4% vs 5.0%; P < 0.001), with more anterior wall MI (62.6% vs 52.1%; P = 0.032). The primary outcome [in-hospital mortality (10.7% vs 11.3%; P = 0.72)] and secondary outcomes [in-hospital complications (29.1% vs 31.7%; P = 0.23) and one-year all-cause mortality (22.3% vs 22.7%; P = 0.85)] were similar in both groups. Addition of suboptimal self-reported sleep duration as a 5th eSMuRF yielded similar results. Conclusions: 25% of first STEMI patients were SMuRF-less. Clinical outcomes of patients without SMuRFs were similar to those with SMuRFs. Suboptimal sleep duration did not account for the risk associated with the SMuRF-less status.

Primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the anterior mediastinum presenting with trepopnea.

We report the case of an elderly man who had visited many physicians with breathlessness and was treated in an outpatient care. The cause of breathlessness was not evaluated, which turned out to be a slow-growing tumour in the mediastinum. Later, we diagnosed it to be a case of neuroendocrine carcinoma arising from the anterior mediastinum. The patient had succumbed to death because of the delayed diagnosis. A simple chest X-ray could have helped to make an early diagnosis. This case is reported with the intention to bring into light the effect of delayed diagnosis of a rare disease presenting with a very common symptom.

Ciprofloxacin-induced generalised non-bullous fixed drug eruption.

Ciprofloxacin, a very common antibiotic used in our day-to-day practice can cause adverse cutaneous reactions in 1-2% of patients. Photosensitivity, urticaria and maculopapular rash are the usual skin reactions. Fixed drug eruption (FDE) is an uncommon side effect of ciprofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin-induced generalised bullous FDEs have been very rarely reported in the literature. We report one such case of a young man who developed generalised non-bullous FDEs after treatment with ciprofloxacin.

How safe is Celecoxib for Asian-Indian patients with rheumatic diseases?

BACKGROUND: Cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors have been the target of severe criticism, more so following the withdrawal of Rofecoxib. Post-marketing surveillance of Celecoxib in Asian Indians, who are predisposed to premature athero-thrombotic events, has not been studied. AIMS: To study the adverse effects of Celecoxib and compare them with those of other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in an Asian Indian cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review with convenience sampling of patients on NSAIDs (at least five tablets a week, for at least 3 months prior to the study), attending the Rheumatology clinic of a tertiary care institution in south India between June 2004 and November 2004. Those with pre-existing heart disease, hypertension, thrombo-embolic disease, peptic ulcer and patients on corticosteroids were excluded. All the recorded adverse events were noted and compared between the Celecoxib and non-selective NSAID users. Univariate analysis using Chi-square test was performed. RESULTS: Of the 1387 patients included, 915 were on Celecoxib. In the NSAID group, 204 had used multiple NSAIDs in sequence. Of the Celecoxib users, 164 had switched over to an NSAID during the study period. New onset of hypertension was significantly higher in the Celecoxib users as compared to non-selective NSAID users (3.06% vs. 1.27%, P = 0.04). However, those who had switched over to NSAIDs did not show this trend. NSAID users, on the other hand, had significant gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity (2.54% vs. 0.327%, P = 0.001). A significant number of Celecoxib users who switched over to NSAIDs also developed GI toxicity (6.1% vs. 1.21%, P = 0.018) over a shorter time span, as compared to the continuous NSAID users. Multiple NSAID users had higher adverse events (6.37% vs. 2.23%, P = 0.023) as compared to single NSAID users. CONCLUSION: Celecoxib significantly increased the incidence of new onset hypertension in this cohort of Indian patients with rheumatic diseases. No thromboembolic events were documented.