Clinical experience with Tolvaptan outpatient use. Cost and effectiveness in 9 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Tolvaptan introduction has constituted the main therapeutic novelty in the management of hyponatremia in recent years. OBJECTIVE: To describe the experience with this drug at Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, Spain. METHOD: Retrospective, observational study of tolvaptan outpatient use in a tertiary care hospital from March 2014 to August 2017. RESULTS: A total of 9 patients were treated with tolvaptan in the outpatient setting. Eunatremia was reached in 24 h by 23.1%. After tolvaptan administration, a reduction in days of hospitalization was recorded (361 vs. 70; p = 0.007), especially in those days of hospitalization that were attributable to hyponatremia (306 vs. 49; p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term use of tolvaptan appears to be safe and is associated with a decrease in days of hospitalization.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La introducción de tolvaptan ha supuesto la principal novedad en el tratamiento de la hiponatremia en los últimos años. OBJETIVO: Describir la experiencia con tolvaptan en el Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, España. MÉTODO: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de utilización ambulatoria de tolvaptan en un hospital de tercer nivel, de marzo de 2014 a agosto de 2017. RESULTADOS: Fueron tratados con tolvaptan de forma ambulatoria nueve pacientes, 23.1 % alcanzó eunatremia en 24 horas. Posterior a la administración de tolvaptan se registró reducción en días de hospitalización (361 versus 70, p = 0.007), especialmente por hiponatremia (306 versus 49, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONES: El uso a largo plazo de tolvaptan parece ser seguro y se relaciona con descenso en los días de hospitalización.

Experiencia clínica con el uso ambulatorio de tolvaptan. Costes y efectividad en nueve casos / Clinical experience with Tolvaptan outpatient use. Cost and effectiveness in 9 cases

Resumen Introducción: La introducción de tolvaptan ha supuesto la principal novedad en el tratamiento de la hiponatremia en los últimos años. Objetivo: Describir la experiencia con tolvaptan en el Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, España. Método: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de utilización ambulatoria de tolvaptan en un hospital de tercer nivel, de marzo de 2014 a agosto de 2017. Resultados: Fueron tratados con tolvaptan de forma ambulatoria nueve pacientes, 23.1 % alcanzó eunatremia en 24 horas. Posterior a la administración de tolvaptan se registró reducción en días de hospitalización (361 versus 70, p = 0.007), especialmente por hiponatremia (306 versus 49, p = 0.009). Conclusiones: El uso a largo plazo de tolvaptan parece ser seguro y se relaciona con descenso en los días de hospitalización.

Abstract Introduction: Tolvaptan introduction has constituted the main therapeutic novelty in the management of hyponatremia in recent years. Objective: To describe the experience with this drug at Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, Spain. Method: Retrospective, observational study of tolvaptan outpatient use in a tertiary care hospital from March 2014 to August 2017. Results: A total of 9 patients were treated with tolvaptan in the outpatient setting. Eunatremia was reached in 24 h by 23.1%. After tolvaptan administration, a reduction in days of hospitalization was recorded (361 vs. 70; p = 0.007), especially in those days of hospitalization that were attributable to hyponatremia (306 vs. 49; p = 0.009). Conclusions: Long-term use of tolvaptan appears to be safe and is associated with a decrease in days of hospitalization.

Spontaneous remission of acromegaly: apoplexy mimicking meningitis or meningitis as a cause of apoplexy?

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but potentially life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by ischemic infarction or hemorrhage into a pituitary tumor. The diagnosis of pituitary tumor apoplexy is frequently complicated because of the nonspecific nature of its signs and symptoms, which can mimic different neurological processes, including meningitis. Several factors have been associated with apoplexy, such as dopamine agonists, radiotherapy, or head trauma, but meningitis is a rarely reported cause. We describe the case of a 51-year-old woman with acromegaly due to a pituitary macroadenoma. Before surgical treatment, she arrived at Emergency with fever, nausea, vomiting and meningismus. Symptoms and laboratory tests suggested bacterial meningitis, and antibiotic therapy was initiated, with quick improvement. A computerized tomography (CT) scan at admission did not reveal any change in pituitary adenoma, but a few weeks later, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed data of pituitary apoplexy with complete disappearance of the adenoma. Currently, her acromegaly is cured, but she developed hypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus following apoplexy. We question whether she really experienced meningitis leading to apoplexy or whether apoplexy was misinterpreted as meningitis. In conclusion, the relationship between meningitis and pituitary apoplexy may be bidirectional. Apoplexy can mimic viral or bacterial meningitis, but meningitis might cause apoplexy, as well. This fact highlights the importance of differential diagnosis when evaluating patients with pituitary adenomas and acute neurological symptoms.

Spontaneous remission of acromegaly: apoplexy mimicking meningitis or meningitis as a cause of apoplexy? / Remissão espontânea da acromegalia: meningite simulando apoplexia ou meningite como causa da apoplexia?

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but potentially life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by ischemic infarction or hemorrhage into a pituitary tumor. The diagnosis of pituitary tumor apoplexy is frequently complicated because of the nonspecific nature of its signs and symptoms, which can mimic different neurological processes, including meningitis. Several factors have been associated with apoplexy, such as dopamine agonists, radiotherapy, or head trauma, but meningitis is a rarely reported cause. We describe the case of a 51-year-old woman with acromegaly due to a pituitary macroadenoma. Before surgical treatment, she arrived at Emergency with fever, nausea, vomiting and meningismus. Symptoms and laboratory tests suggested bacterial meningitis, and antibiotic therapy was initiated, with quick improvement. A computerized tomography (CT) scan at admission did not reveal any change in pituitary adenoma, but a few weeks later, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed data of pituitary apoplexy with complete disappearance of the adenoma. Currently, her acromegaly is cured, but she developed hypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus following apoplexy. We question whether she really experienced meningitis leading to apoplexy or whether apoplexy was misinterpreted as meningitis. In conclusion, the relationship between meningitis and pituitary apoplexy may be bidirectional. Apoplexy can mimic viral or bacterial meningitis, but meningitis might cause apoplexy, as well. This fact highlights the importance of differential diagnosis when evaluating patients with pituitary adenomas and acute neurological symptoms.

A apoplexia é uma síndrome clínica rara, mas potencialmente fatal, caracterizada por infarto isquêmico ou hemorragia em um tumor pituitário. O diagnóstico de apoplexia de tumor pituitário é frequentemente complicado pela natureza inespecífica dos seus sinais e sintomas, que podem simular diferentes processos neurológicos, incluindo a meningite. Vários fatores estão associados com a apoplexia, como o uso de agonistas dopaminérgicos, radioterapia ou trauma da cabeça, mas a meningite foi raramente relatada. Descrevemos o caso de uma mulher de 51 anos de idade com acromegalia por um macroadenoma pituitário. Antes do tratamento cirúrgico, ela foi trazida ao pronto-socorro com febre, náusea, vômitos e meningismo. Os sintomas e análises laboratoriais sugeriram meningite bacteriana e o tratamento com antibióticos foi iniciado, com melhora rápida dos sintomas. Uma tomografia computadorizada (CT) na admissão ao hospital não revelou nenhuma alteração no adenoma pituitário, mas algumas semanas depois uma ressonância magnética (MRI) mostrou informações de apoplexia pituitária, com desaparecimento completo do adenoma. Atualmente, a acromegalia está curada, mas ela desenvolveu hipopituitarismo e diabetes insipidus depois da apoplexia. Questionamo-nos se a paciente realmente apresentou meningite que levou à apoplexia ou se a apoplexia foi mal interpretada como sendo meningite. A relação entre a meningite e a apoplexia pode ser bidirecional. A apoplexia pode simular a meningite viral ou bacteriana, mas a meningite também pode causar apoplexia. Esse fato enfatiza a importância do diagnóstico diferencial ao se avaliar pacientes com adenomas pituitários e sintomas neurológicos.