Primary pulmonary synovial sarcoma: A case report and review of literature.

Primary pulmonary synovial sarcoma is a very rare, but highly aggressive tumor. Metastatic pulmonary sarcoma due to hematogenous dissemination is much more common. Hence why in any case of pulmonary sarcoma, whole body survey is necessary to exclude a primary tumor elsewhere. No clinical or radiological presentations are specific for pulmonary sarcoma hence; it is often confused with bronchogenic carcinoma. On the other hand, image-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is very much helpful in diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma, whereas, it may be inclusive in cases pulmonary sarcomas including primary synovial sarcoma, especially in cases of huge pulmonary masses. So why image-guided tru-cut core biopsy or open lung biopsy and their histopathological examination, supplemented by immunohistochemistry are preferable for the tissue diagnosis of pulmonary synovial sarcoma, although FNAC and immunocytochemistry may be used for the diagnosis. Surgical resection is treatment of choice, if it is not possible, palliative chemotherapy may be an option. Here, we report a rare case of primary synovial sarcoma which occupied almost whole of the right hemithorax in a 60-year-old male farmer.

Evaluation of correlation of BODE index with health-related quality of life among patients with stable COPD attending a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive deterioration of respiratory function along with systemic effects which have a great impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Classification of severity of airflow limitation in COPD does not represent the clinical consequences of COPD. Hence, combined COPD assessment should be preferred. BODE index (Body mass index, Airflow obstruction, Dyspnea and Exercise capacity) has recently been proposed to provide useful prognostic information. OBJECTIVES: To find out correlations between the BODE index and HRQoL, and between GOLD classification of COPD severity and HRQoL in stable COPD patients, and to compare between these two correlations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A longitudinal observational study was carried out with 114 stable COPD patients recruited over 10 months at the outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata, India. Patients were classified according to GOLD classification of severity of airflow limitation after performing spirometry. BODE index was calculated for each patient. Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to assess the HRQoL. RESULTS: BODE scores were categorized into four quartiles, quartile one to four with scores of 0-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-10, respectively. Higher BODE quartiles were associated with higher total SGRQ scores and SGRQ subscale scores (symptom, activity and impact). Very strong correlations were found between BODE quartiles and total SGRQ scores (P = 0.914; P < 0.01). In contrast, GOLD classes showed moderate correlation with total SGRQ scores (P = 0.590; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: BODE index was strongly correlated with the HRQoL in stable COPD patients and it was better than GOLD classes of COPD severity to reflect the health status in patients with stable COPD.

Isoniazid-induced flu-like syndrome: A rare side effect.

Drug-induced flu-like syndrome is very rare. It is mainly produced by rifampicin. We report a case of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) that developed isoniazid-induced flu-like syndrome, but could be cured with a modified regimen replacing isoniazid with levofloxacin. A 10-year-old girl with PTB was treated with isoniazid (H), rifampicin (R), ethambutol (E), and pyrazinamide (Z). She developed features of flu from the sixth day. Symptoms recurred everyday within 1 h of drug ingestion and subsided automatically by next 12 h. After admission, HREZ were continued. She developed symptoms of flu after 1 h of drug ingestion. Antitubercular therapy (ATT) was stopped and symptoms subsided automatically. Individual drug was started one by one after three days. Severe symptoms of flu developed after taking isoniazid, while other drugs were tolerated well. Levofloxacin was used as an alternative to isoniazid. She was cured after 6 months of chemotherapy. Isoniazid can possibly cause flu-like syndrome and the treating physician should be aware of this possible side effect when using ATT.

Atypical Presentation of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis: An Unusual Cause of Difficult-to-Treat Asthma.

Allergic Bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) commonly presents with persistently uncontrolled asthma, despite of the therapy with highest possible anti-asthma medications. Most common cause of ABPA is Aspergillus fumigates. Hence, ABPA is one of the important differential diagnoses of difficult-to-treat asthma. Atypical presentation of ABPA misleads the diagnosis and asthma remains uncontrolled. Here we present such a case of 28-year-old non-smoker, normotensive male office worker who presented with persistent cough with scanty white, mucoid expectoration and gradually progressive breathlessness with bilateral crackles for last two years. Diagnosis of asthma was made based on clinical evidences and spirometry. Anti-asthma treatment was started and gradually stepped up. Further evaluation was done due to lack of clinical improvement, and diagnosis of ABPA was made from bilateral reticulonodular lesions on HRCT thorax, increased levels of serum IgE and Aspergillus fumigates specific IgE, and positive aspergillin skin test. Oral prednisolone and itraconazole were started with anti-asthma medications.

Rare association of eventration of left hemidiaphragm with ipsilateral thyroid agenesis.

Eventration is a well-known congenital malformation of the diaphragm, usually asymptomatic and diagnosed incidentally on chest radiography. It is sometimes associated with a number of other congenital syndromes and anomalies. We report a rare case of eventration of left hemidiaphragm associated with gastric volvulus, ipsilateral thyroid agenesis and microphthalmia.

Unilateral pulmonary agenesis presenting in adulthood.

Agenesis of lung,a rare congenital anomaly,may present in adult life with features of recurrent chest infections and radiologically may mimic many common conditions presenting as opaque hemithorax with ipsilateral shifting of mediastinum.Here, a case of a young man presenting with frequent attacks of cough expectoration and progressive dyspnoea since childhood,proved to be a case of left pulmonary agenesis on CT scan and bronchoscopy, is to be discussed.