Association between smoking status and inpatient outcomes of acute cholangitis in the United States: a propensity matched analysis.

Background: Acute cholangitis (AC) is an infection of the biliary tract superimposed on stasis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of smoking on inpatient outcomes of AC. Methods: We identified primary AC hospitalizations using the National Inpatient Sample database (2017-2020). Using a 1:1 matching method, we created a matched comparison cohort of AC patients who were non-smokers, based on demographics, hospital characteristics and comorbidities. Results: We matched 3960 smoker patients with 3960 non-smoker patients within the AC population. Non-smokers were older than smokers (70 vs. 59 years, P<0.001). Smokers had a stronger association with bile duct calculi (74.37% vs. 69.29%, P<0.001) and other bile duct disorders (clots, parasites, extrinsic compression and other rare disorders) (6.82% vs. 5.05%, P=0.011). No significant difference in inpatient mortality, median length of stay (LOS), or median inpatient cost (MIC) was found between the matched cohorts (P>0.05). However, smoking was associated with higher odds of complications, including sepsis without shock (0.88% vs. 0.51%, P=0.042), sepsis with shock (1.26% vs. 0.51%, P<0.001), biliary pancreatitis (6.57% vs. 4.42%, P<0.001) and myocardial infarction (6.19% vs. 3.54%, P<0.001), as well as a greater need for inpatient endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (72.85% vs. 63.76%, P<0.001) and early ERCP (50.76% vs. 42.32%, P<0.001) compared to non-smokers. Conclusions: This study found no difference in mortality, LOS, or MIC in acute cholangitis-related hospitalizations associated with smoking. However, smoking was associated with a higher risk of complications and a greater need for ERCP and early ERCP.

Increasing inpatient mortality of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding results in significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. This study aimed to evaluate inpatient outcomes of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) during the year 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Inpatient Sample databases were used to identify NVUGIB-related hospitalizations. Outcomes of interest for the year 2019 were compared to 2020 and included inpatient mortality, length of stay, mean inpatient cost, odds of getting esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), mean time to EGD, early EGD (within 1 day of hospitalization), endoscopic intervention for hemostasis, and the odds of developing complications. NVUGIB-related hospitalizations increased by 8.1% in 2020. NVUGIB-related hospitalizations in 2020 were also associated with an 11.1% higher mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.11, confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.17, P < 0.01), 0.15-day longer mean time to EGD (aOR = 0.15, CI = 0.08-0.24, P < 0.01), 4% lower odds of getting an EGD (aOR = 0.96, CI = 0.93-0.99, P = 0.02), 8% lower odds of getting an early EGD (aOR = 0.92, CI = 0.89-0.96, P < 0.01), and $6340 higher mean inpatient cost (aOR = 6340, CI = 1762-10919, P = 0.01) compared to 2019. We conclude that there was an increase in NVUGIB-related hospitalizations and mortality in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic started.

A Case of Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Secondary to Atypical Amniotic Fluid Embolism.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a noncardiogenic pulmonary edema that leads to acute respiratory distress. It remains one of the major diagnoses requiring ICU admission and mechanical ventilation. We present a case of a 25-year-old gravida 3 para 2 female who was admitted for uncomplicated 38-week pregnancy and delivered a healthy male infant but developed acute onset dyspnea six hours after vaginal delivery. She required mechanical ventilation four hours after the onset of respiratory distress and had to be transferred to a higher level facility for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) within 24 hours of the symptom onset. She was diagnosed with severe ARDS. Even though she missed the other typical feature of amniotic fluid embolism, atypical amniotic fluid embolism remained the most likely explanation for her symptoms after the other causes of ARDS were excluded.

Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) Diagnosis Missed in the Context of Asthma Exacerbation Due to Medication Nonadherence.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) results from a hypersensitivity reaction to Aspergillus fumigatus colonization of airways in patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. Our patient is a 47-year-old female with a history of asthma and nonadherence to medications who presented with frequent asthma exacerbations. She required intubation three times within six months, labeled as asthma exacerbation due to nonadherence to medications until she was finally diagnosed with and successfully treated for ABPA. She was tested for ABPA very late as the medication nonadherence was thought to be the sole cause of repeated asthma exacerbations during previous hospitalizations. This case illustrates the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for ABPA in recurrent asthma exacerbation even in the setting of medical nonadherence.

Organizing Pneumonia as First Manifestation of Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a multisystem autoimmune inflammatory disease that typically presents as a case of arthritis that can later progress to involve multiple organs. Interstitial lung disease is one of the many extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. We discuss a case of rheumatoid arthritis that presented with interstitial lung disease prior to the development of arthritis along with the discussion of novel anti-carbamylated protein antibody as a serological marker for the diagnosis of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

Traumatic Macroglossia in a Patient With Rett Syndrome.

Traumatic macroglossia is a rare condition characterized by a sudden edematous swelling of the tongue due to trauma that can progress into upper airway obstruction and asphyxia. We are presenting a case of a 20-year-old female with medical history significant for Rett syndrome who developed severe tongue swelling after multiple attempts of intubation secondary to low Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) from a high dose of benzodiazepines. Traumatic macroglossia in this case was worsened further by uncontrolled bruxism. Multiple approaches were made to control the situation including placement of bite block, use of paralytics, and steroids. Multiple cases were reported about traumatic macroglossia but our case was unique in the sense that our patient did not respond well to conservative medical therapy and surgical approach was not possible as it was set to be done in a tertiary center; however, transferring the patient was not possible with the COVID-19 pandemic as hospitals were on diversion.

An Important Association With Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed: A Case of Heyde Syndrome.

The association between aortic stenosis and angiodysplastic gastrointestinal bleed is known as Heyde syndrome. It was first described in 1958 and has since received further medical attention. We present a case of an 86-year-old lady with a history of severe aortic stenosis that was admitted with gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to colonic angiodysplasia. A review of the literature showed mixed opinions with respect to the idea of causation versus coincidence; both theories are valid. However, studies that supported causation had a bigger study population and overall seem to be more plausible.

A Case Report of Successful Medical Management of Emphysematous Gastritis With Portal Venous Air.

Emphysematous gastritis is an uncommon yet life-threatening condition characterized by air in the gastric wall. It requires clinical and radiological findings for its diagnosis. Management is done either medically or surgically and requires early intervention with bowel rest, proton pump inhibitors, and antibiotics with or without gastrectomy secondary to the high mortality associated with the condition. We present a case of a 55-year-old male who responded well to medical therapy without the need for surgical intervention.

Elevated Procalcitonin Levels in a Patient With Diabetic Ketoacidosis in the Absence of Infection.

Bacterial infections are one of the major precipitating factors in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Procalcitonin (PCT) is highly specific in identifying bacteria sepsis, but PCT may be elevated in patients who do not have sepsis. Here, we report a 25-year-old patient admitted to the ICU for DKA. Initial laboratory investigation showed elevated PCT of 0.87 ng/ml and reached a concentration of 15.88 ng/ml on the second day of admission. PCT levels trended down to 4.7 ng/ml by the third day of admission. This case report shows PCT levels can be increased in patients with DKA even in the absence of infection and PCT levels decrease with clinical improvement of DKA without administration of antibiotics.

Bullous Pemphigoid Mimicking Cellulitis.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most prevalent autoimmune blistering skin disease in the Western world affecting mainly the elderly population. The diagnosis is based on clinical assessment along with specific immunopathologic findings on skin biopsy. Risk factors include genetic factors, environmental exposures, and several infections including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Helicobacter pylori, Toxoplasma gondi, and cytomegalovirus. A variety of drugs have been associated with BP including but not limited to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, loop diuretics, spironolactone, and neuroleptics. Associated neurologic disorders (dementia, Parkinson's disease, bipolar disorder, previous stroke history, and multiple sclerosis) have also been described. Common clinical presentation consists of extremely pruritic inflammatory plaques that resemble eczematous dermatitis or urticaria, followed by formation of tense bullae with subsequent erosions. Typical distribution involves the trunk and extremities. Mucosa is typically spared affecting only 10% to 30% of patients. Several unusual clinical presentations of BP have been described such as nonbullous forms with erythematous excoriated papules, plaques, and nodules. Other reported findings include urticarial lesions, prurigo-like nodules, multiple small vesicles resembling dermatitis herpetiformis or pompholyx, vegetating and purulent lesions localized in intertriginous areas, and even exfoliative erythroderma. Recognition and management of such cases can present a diagnostic challenge to clinicians. In this article, we describe another variant which to our knowledge is the first case to present with a cellulitis-like presentation in a patient with a known history of BP.