A Case Report of Lumbar Abscess in a Transplant Recipient: Is It Always What It Seems?

The percentage of solid organ transplant recipients who develop extrapulmonary or disseminated tuberculosis (TB) is higher than the general population. In countries where the disease is endemic, TB should always be considered a diagnostic possibility, and extrapulmonary disease should also be considered. We present the case of a kidney transplant patient who initially presented for an abscess in the left dorsolateral region and was ultimately diagnosed with pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. With the initiation of antibacillary treatment, a drug interaction with immunosuppressants was verified, and rifampicin was maintained at a minimum dose with other antibacillary drugs at full dose, subsequently showing an improvement in the clinical picture. The adverse effects of TB treatment present great difficulty owing to the interactions of antibacillary drugs with immunosuppressants. Most patients with conventional treatment can be cured, so prompt diagnosis and treatment are important.

Niveles de testosterona libre en pacientes del sexo masculino con diabetes mellitus tipo 2

Los niveles disminuidos de testosterona están asociados con esterilidad e impotencia sexual. El objetivo del presente estudio fue investigar la relación entre diabetes mellitus (DM) tipo 2 con los niveles de testosterona libre y si ésta se correlaciona con la HbA1c y IMC. Se analizó las concentraciones séricas de testosterona libre en 10 varones con un índice de masa corporal (IMC) medio de 27,4 kg/m², edad media 46,4 años, provenientes de zonas urbanas, que asisten a la Tercera Cátedra de Clínica Médica y el Programa Nacional de Diabetes. Las concentraciones promedio de testosterona libre fueron menores a los rangos considerados normales: 10,29 mg/dL vs 13-35 mg/dL. El valor promedio de HbA1c fue 6,43%. No se encontró correlación entre el IMC y la testosterona libre. Se deduce en esta serie de casos que los pacientes diabéticos tienen niveles reducidos testosterona libre y que la misma no se correlaciona con la HbA1c ni el IMC.

Decreased testosterone levels are associated with sterility and sexual impotence. The objective of this study was to study the relation between type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and levels of free testosterone and also whether this relation is correlated to HbA1c and body mass index (BMI). The free testosterone serum concentrations of 10 men with a medium BMI of 27.4 kg/m², mean age of 46.4 years from urban zones that attended the Third Chair of Medical Clinic and the National Program of Diabetes were analyzed. The mean concentrations of free testosterone were lower than the range considered normal: 10.29 mg/dL vs 13-35 mg/dL. The mean value of HbA1c was 6.43%. A correlation between BMI and free testosterone was not found. It is concluded that these diabetic patients have reduced free testosterone levels and these are not correlated to either HbA1c or BMI.