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An accurate and timely diagnosis of dumping syndrome after gastric and oesophageal surgery is often difficult. A delay in making this diagnosis and instituting therapy can result in significant morbidity and avoidable complications. As bariatric surgery becomes more prevalent, the importance of a timely diagnosis of dumping syndrome is increasing. We present a case of a 77-year-old man who was admitted into the intensive care unit with a reduced conscious state secondary to hypoglycemia. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with late dumping syndrome in the context of an Ivor Lewis procedure seven years prior. Despite having a history of recurrent neuroglycopenic symptoms, there was a delay in diagnosis as dumping syndrome had not previously been considered until this admission. After confirmation of the diagnosis, the patient was commenced on dietary adjustments and acarbose, with a resolution of post-prandial hypoglycaemia. The authors discuss dietary and pharmacological therapy to manage hypoglycaemia associated with dumping syndrome.
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Hyponatremia is a common complication in COVID-19-positive patients and is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Several cases of COVID-19-related hyponatremia secondary to the Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH) have been reported in the literature, which might suggest that SIADH is almost always the underlying cause of hyponatremia in COVID-19 infections. However, COVID-19-related hyponatremia can have diverse underlying etiologies, similar to hyponatremia in non-COVID-19 patients, and requires a thorough assessment to reach a correct diagnosis and implement appropriate management.
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Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease should be considered in any case of rapid neuropsychiatric decline. While neuropathological examination of a brain biopsy specimen remains the only definitive diagnostic method and real-time quaking-induced conversion tests have simplified premortem diagnosis, careful evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging can provide readily accessible clues.
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OBJECTIVE: Optimal diagnostic criteria for the 4-mg intravenous dexamethasone suppression test (IVDST) in patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS), compared with normal subjects, have not been established. We evaluated the performance of the 4-mg IVDST for differentiating CS from normal subjects and to define the responses in CS of various aetiologies. DESIGN, SUBJECTS, MEASUREMENTS: Thirty-two control subjects [normal and overweight/obese participants with or without type 2 diabetes) were prospectively studied, and data from 66 patients with Cushing's disease (CD), three with ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS), 14 with adrenal Cushing's (AC)] and 15 with low probability of CS (LPC) from three tertiary hospitals were retrospectively evaluated. Dexamethasone was infused at 1 mg/h for 4 h. Plasma cortisol and ACTH were measured at -60 min (baseline), -5 min, +3 h, +4 h, +5 h and at +23 and +23.5 h on Day 2. RESULTS: Control subjects (including those with type 2 diabetes) exhibited a marked suppression of cortisol which was maintained until Day 2. Two of 15 patients with LPC had Day 2 cortisol results that overlapped with CS. Patients with CD demonstrated partial suppression, with rebound hypercortisolism on Day 2. Patients with AC and EAS did not suppress cortisol levels. Day 2 cortisol level of >130 nmol/l (or >20% of the baseline) diagnosed CS with 100% sensitivity and 96% specificity. CONCLUSION: While the IVDST allowed complete discrimination between control subjects and CS, 13% of LPC overlapped with CS. Given the small number of EAS, no conclusion can be drawn regarding the utility of this test in the differential diagnosis of CS.