Retinal lipemia as expression of hyperchylomicronemia syndrome.

CASE DESCRIPTION: Case of lipemia retinalis secondary to hyperchylomicronemia in a 40-year-old man with a history of total body irradiation and immunosuppressive treatment that was attended in this hospital due to decreased visual acuity and abdominal pain. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Hyperchylomicronemia caused the development of acute pancreatitis and lipemia retinalis. The latter is an infrequent ocular manifestation that reflects excessive triglyceride blood levels in the organism (>2,000 mg/dL). Lipemia retinalis is characterized by the accumulation of chylomicrons in the retinal vessels, which gives them a white and creamy appearance in direct retinal ophthalmoscopy. The initial clinical suspicion of hyperchylomicronemia was based on the visualization of the supernatant in the analytical tube. TREATMENT AND RESULT: In the absence of definitive biochemical results, and owing to the need for special processing of the sample, lipid-lowering treatment and serum therapy were established after ophthalmological confirmation of lipemia retinalis, with subsequent full recovery of visual acuity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Given the initial difficulty to determine the accurate triglyceride levels in this kind of patient, early visualization of milky-colored retinal vessels on a salmon-colored eye fundus can help develop an early clinical suspicion of severe hyperchylomicronemia and contribute to limit the severity of complications.

Retinal lipemia as expression of hyperchylomicronemia syndrome / Lipemia retinalis como manifestación de un síndrome de hiperquilomicronemia

Abstract Case description: Case of lipemia retinalis secondary to hyperchylomicronemia in a 40-year-old man with a history of total body irradiation and immunosuppressive treatment that was attended in this hospital due to decreased visual acuity and abdominal pain. Clinical findings: Hyperchylomicronemia caused the development of acute pancreatitis and lipemia retinalis. The latter is an infrequent ocular manifestation that reflects excessive triglyceride blood levels in the organism (>2,000 mg/dL). Lipemia retinalis is characterized by the accumulation of chylomicrons in the retinal vessels, which gives them a white and creamy appearance in direct retinal ophthalmoscopy. The initial clinical suspicion of hyperchylomicronemia was based on the visualization of the supernatant in the analytical tube. Treatment and result: In the absence of definitive biochemical results, and owing to the need for special processing of the sample, lipid-lowering treatment and serum therapy were established after ophthalmological confirmation of lipemia retinalis, with subsequent full recovery of visual acuity. Clinical relevance: Given the initial difficulty to determine the accurate triglyceride levels in this kind of patient, early visualization of milky-colored retinal vessels on a salmon-colored eye fundus can help develop an early clinical suspicion of severe hyperchylomicronemia and contribute to limit the severity of complications.

Resumen Descripción del caso: Caso de lipemia retinalis secundaria a hiperquilomicronemia en varón de 40 años con antecedentes de irradiación corporal total y medicación inmunosupresora que acude al hospital por disminución de agudeza visual y dolor abdominal. Hallazgos clínicos: La hiperquilomicronemia contribuyó al desarrollo de pancreatitis aguda y lipemia retinalis. Esta última es una manifestación ocular infrecuente que refleja unos parámetros excesivos de triglicéridos en el organismo (>2,000 mg/dL). La Lipemia Retinalis consiste en la acumulación de quilomicrones en los vasos retinianos lo que les confiere un aspecto blanco y cremoso en la oftalmoscopia retiniana directa. La sospecha clínica inicial de hiperquilomicronemia se produjo por la visualización de sobrenadante en el tubo analítico. Tratamiento y resultado: Sin tener resultados definitivos bioquímicos, por necesidad de procesamiento especial de la muestra, se instauró tratamiento hipolipemiante y sueroterapia tras la confirmación oftalmológica de Lipemia Retinalis con recuperación total de la agudeza visual. Relevancia clínica: Dada la dificultad inicial para determinar las cifras reales de triglicéridos en este tipo de pacientes, la visualización precoz de vasos retinianos de color lechoso sobre lecho de color asalmonado en el fondo de ojo puede ser de ayuda para elaborar una sospecha clínica temprana de hiperquilomicronemia severa que contribuya a limitar la gravedad de las complicaciones.

Síndrome de la vena cava superior asociado al cable de marcapasos / Superior vena cava syndrome related to a pacemaker cable

El síndrome de vena cava superior (SVCS) es una afectación poco común causada normalmentepor neoplasias aunque, en un 20% de casos, su etiología obedece a otrascausas: mediastinitis fibrosantes crónicas, tanto infecciosas como postradiación (42-70%) y trombosis venosa (6-27%). El SVCS tiene una prevalencia de 0,03% a 0,4%pero, debido al número creciente de pacientes a quienes se implantan catéteres intravenosos(marcapasos y desfibriladores), está aumentando de manera espectacular. Sepresenta el caso clínico de una paciente con SVCS asociado a cable de marcapasos,cuya importancia radica en su detección y diagnóstico. Se destaca la importancia dela imagen física y se revisa las pautas diagnósticas y terapéuticas. [Emergencias2009;21:151-153](AU)

Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is a rare disorder usually caused by a neoplasm, although other causes areinvolved in about 20% of cases. Such other causes are chronic fibrosing mediastinitis due to infection or radiation(42%-70%) and venous thrombosis (6%-27%). The prevalence of SVCS ranges from 0.03% to 0.4% but, becauseintravenous catheters (for pacemakers and defibrillators) are being implanted in a growing number of patients, thefrequency is rising spectacularly. We report the case of a woman with SVCS related to a pacemaker cable. Interestingfeatures of the case include the manner of detection and diagnosis. We emphasize the importance of physicalappearance and the diagnostic and therapeutic measures to take. [Emergencias 2009;21:151-153](AU)

Fatal Aspergillus myocarditis following short-term corticosteroid therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A 58-y-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was admitted for treatment of an acute exacerbation of his illness. The patient's condition initially improved after therapy with oxygen, bronchodilators, antibiotic and methylprednisolone (40 mg every 8 h) was started. Soon afterwards, however, the patient's clinical status deteriorated and he died on the fifth hospital day. Post-mortem examination revealed unsuspected, isolated fungal myocarditis. The fungus was later identified as Aspergillus by indirect immunofluorescence. To our knowledge, this is the first case of fatal Aspergillus myocarditis related to short-term (< 1 week) steroid therapy in a COPD patient. We believe that this case provides further evidence to support the possibility of life-threatening infections in COPD patients who receive even a short course of corticosteroid treatment.