Clinical Case of the Month: A 57-Year-Old Man with an Axillary Mass.

A 57-year-old man presented to the surgical oncology clinic with a mildly tender mass under his right arm. Four years prior, the patient had a melanoma removed from his right shoulder along with an ipsilateral right axillary sentinel lymph sampling. Computed tomography (CT) scan was negative for metastatic disease at that time. The patient did not undergo completion axillary node dissection and was lost to follow-up. The patient was originally from Australia, did not tan but reported multiple sunburns before age 18. He was of Irish ancestry. He denied weight gain, fever, fatigue, anorexia, or night sweats. The patient had a medical history of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, gout, melanoma, and benign prostatic hypertrophy. His surgical history included an appendectomy and a facial laceration repair. His brother died at 16 years old from leukemia and his mother died from colon cancer. He consumed 3 alcoholic beverages per day and denied tobacco or illicit drug use. On physical exam, the patient's temperature was 98.8° Fahrenheit, heart rate of 73 beats / minute, blood pressure of 121 / 59 mm Hg, respiratory rate of 18 / min. He appeared to be healthy and in no apparent distress. Cardiovascular, respiratory, breast, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and neurological exam were unremarkable. His right axillary lymph node exam revealed a firm mass roughly 2.5 cm tall by 1.5 cm wide. This mass was biopsied and findings were consistent with metastatic melanoma. CT scan revealed small volume mediastinal adenopathy and a 4.5 cm right axillary mass. There was a 4.7 cm lesion within the anterior left lower lobe of the liver and periportal node conglomerate measuring 3.9 cm consistent with metastatic disease (Figure 1). He was negative for the BRAF V600E mutation. The patient was consented for treatment with combination immune checkpoint inhibition with ipilimumab and nivolumab. After two cycles the patient showed good response, but temporarily stopped treatment after complications related to a ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. He developed mild pneumonitis felt to be related to nivolumab, and recovered after a short course of glucocorticosteroids. Restaging CT scans were ordered after two cycles of therapy (Figure 2), which showed decrease in the size of the axillary and hepatic metastases. At six months, CT scans showed continued durable response (Figure 3).

Approach to skin and soft tissue infections in non-HIV immunocompromised hosts.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Skin and soft tissue infections are frequent contributors to morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised host. This article reviews the changing epidemiology and clinical manifestations of the most common cutaneous pathogens in non-HIV immunocompromised hosts, including patients with solid organ transplants, stem cell transplants, solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, and receiving chronic immunosuppressive therapy for inflammatory disorders. RECENT FINDINGS: Defects in the innate or adaptive immune response can predispose the immunocompromised host to certain cutaneous infections in a predictive fashion. Cutaneous lesions in patients with neutrophil defects are commonly due to bacteria, Candida, or invasive molds. Skin lesions in patients with cellular or humoral immunodeficiencies can be due to encapsulated bacteria, Nocardia, mycobacteria, endemic fungal infections, herpesviruses, or parasites. Skin lesions may reflect primary inoculation or, more commonly, disseminated infection. Tissue samples for microscopy, culture, and histopathology are critical to making an accurate diagnosis given the nonspecific and heterogeneous appearance of these skin lesions due to a blunted immune response. SUMMARY: As the population of non-HIV immunosuppressed hosts expands with advances in medical therapies, the frequency and variety of cutaneous diseases in these hosts will increase.

ECG Of The Month: Mental Disturbance for 4 days.

A family brought their 61-year-old mother to the emergency department because for 4 days she had been confused, incoherent, and somnolent. She also had dysphagia, dysarthria, diplopia, and had fallen out of bed. She had been in the hospital 3 weeks earlier for atrial fibrillation and an exacerbation of congestive heart failure. She also carried a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and used an albuterol inhaler. She was obese (BMI of 45); and had adult-onset diabetes mellitus. She had a 43 pack-year history of cigarette smoking but had recently quit. Soon after arriving in the emergency department, she had an ECG (Figure);.

Clinical Case of the Month: Group G Streptococcal Bacteremia Secondary to a Burn Wound Infection.

A 61-year-old man presented to the emergency department with second degree burns along his right arm and hand. He reported that his knees suddenly gave out while holding a pot of soup resulting in the scalding liquid spilling over his arm. His medical history is significant for alcohol abuse, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, chronic knee instability, and degenerative joint disease of the spine.

Clinical Case of the Month: A 64 Year-Old Woman Presenting With Fever, Confusion, Ophthalmoplegia and Pneumonia.

Legionella pneumophila is a major cause of atypical community-acquired pneumonia, which is commonly severe enough to require hospitalization. Though primarily a respiratory infection, Legionellosis involves the central nervous system (CNS) in up to 50% of patients, and diagnosis can be obscured by the absence of obvious respiratory symptomatology. A reversible diffuse encephalopathy is the most common neurologic complication, but focal CNS involvement can sometimes be the initial presentation. We report a case of a woman infected with Legionella pneumophila presenting with vague symptomatology and focal neurologic findings. This report highlights the challenges of early recognition of Legionella infection when neurologic symptoms predominate.

Clinical Case of the Month:A 54 Year-Old Woman With Fever and Chills of Four-Days Duration.

CASE REPORT: A 54 year-old woman with diabetes mellitus type two and end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis presented to the emergency department with a four day history of generalized malaise, fever, and chills. Her symptoms were also associated with occasional dyspnea without a cough. She reported intermittent chronic diarrhea with hemodialysis which was currently unchanged. On the day of admission, she could not tolerate hemodialysis due to her symptoms. Over the past year she admitted to night sweats and a 40 pound weight loss. She denied having palpitations, chest pain, hemoptysis, lymph node swelling, sick contacts, or recent travel. The remainder of the review of systems was negative.

Clinical Case Of the Month: A 35 Year Old Woman with Abdominal Pain.

A 35 year old woman with past medical history of hypertension presented to the emergency department with chief complaint of severe abdominal pain for one week. The abdominal pain was located in the epigastrium and described as "cramping" and "intermittent". The pain intensity was quantified initially as 6 out of 10 on the pain scale. As the week progressed the pain became constant and radiated to the back. The intensity of the abdominal pain increased to 10 out of 10. The patient reported some relief from her pain while lying in the prone position. Initially the pain was associated with loose stools for several days. The loose stools resolved spontaneously and then the patient began to experience nausea and vomiting. Her medications included lisinopril-hydrochlorothiazide which she had been taking for the past five months. She had no history of alcohol, tobacco or illicit drug use.

Clinical Case of the Month: A 56-Year-Old Man with Sudden Onset Abdominal Pain.

Acute abdominal pain is one of the most common presentations encountered in the emergency department (ED). The differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain is extensive and identifying the underlying etiology can be challenging. Spontaneous renal artery thrombosis is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain. We review a case of acute presentation of renal artery thrombosis in a patient without risk factors for thromboembolism, and highlight the importance of considering this rare cause of abdominal pain.

Clinical Case of the Month: PERSISTENT HYPERTENSION IN A YOUNG WOMAN: A CLASSIC PRESENTATION OF CONN'S SYNDROME.

Primary aldosteronism PA is a secondary cause of hypertension that is often missed due to inadequate clinical evaluation and the lack of classically described laboratory abnormalities. Based on guidelines from the Endocrine Society, primary aldosteronism should be suspected in young patients with moderate to severe hypertension, patients with hypertension and coexisting hypokalemia, any patient with hypertension and an incidental adrenal adenoma, and hypertension in the setting of a significant family history of early onset hypertension or cerebral vascular accident in a first degree relative less than 40 years of age.1 In previous years, primary aldosteronism was attributed to less than one percent of all causes of secondary hypertension. However, recent research and increased utilization of aldosterone plasma renin ratio ARR as a method for screening has led to the understanding that majority of patients with PA are not hypokalemic, and the current literature now places the incidence of PA between 5-13 percent. Additionally, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated inflammatory, fibrotic, and remodeling effects on the cardiovascular and renal tissue that appear to be independent of PA- induced hypertension. Therefore a high suspicion for PA must be incorporated into evaluation of hypertensive patients, as diagnosis and subsequent treatment not only improves blood pressure control, but also acts to diminish cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Here we present a case of a young woman with a seven-year history of hypertension prior to receiving a diagnosis of Conn's Syndrome.

Clinical Case of the Month: A 49 Year-Old Man Who Presents with Left Sided Weakness: An Update on Ischemic Stroke.

A 49 year-old man with a past medical history significant for essential hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease status post percutaneous coronary intervention and stent placement in the right coronary artery in 2010 presented for evaluation of left hemiplegia. He was feeling well until three hours prior to presentation, at which time he fell while walking from his bedroom into the kitchen. After falling, he noticed that his left upper and lower extremities felt weak. He denied any symptoms preceding the fall or any loss of consciousness. On initial exam, the temperature was 99°F, the pulse was 93 beats per minute, the blood pressure was 191/100 mmHg, the respiratory rate was 22 breaths per minute, and the oxygen saturation was 100% while breathing room air. His neurological exam revealed diminished strength in the left upper extremity: 4/5 arm abduction and adduction of the left shoulder; 4/5 elbow and wrist extension and flexion; and 4/5 extension, abduction, and adduction of the digits. The patient also exhibited slight left upper extremity pronator drift. The strength was also diminished in the left lower extremity: 2/5 hip flexion, extension, and rotation; 3/5 knee flexion and extension; and 3/5 ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. Initial NIH stroke scale score was 5, otherwise, there were no focal neurological deficits and the remainder of his exam was unremarkable. Initial computed tomography (CT) of the head was negative for any acute intracranial hemorrhage or infarct. A subsequent CT cerebral perfusion scan (Figure 1) was notable for areas of ischemia in the right cingulate gyrus as well as the medial frontal and parietal lobes. CT angiogram of the neck revealed bilateral atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid arteries; however, there was no evidence of any flow-limiting stenosis.

CLINICAL CASE OF THE MONTH: A Review of Situs Inversus and Dextrocardia.

A 21-year-old woman at 25 weeks gestation presented to the emergency department with chief complaints of decreased appetite for one week, fever, runny and stuffy nose, and generalized muscle pains.

Clinical Case of the Month: Hypereosinophilia in a Young Woman with a History of Childhood Asthma.

Hypereosinophillia is a rare clinical entity. It is associated with a wide differential diagnosis including neoplasm, infection, and allergic etiologies. Clinicians should have a well defined approach to hypereosinophilia in order to find treatable causes. We present a case of hypereosinophillia caused by parasitic infection with Toxocara canis. We also review epidemiology, transmission, microbiology, and management of Toxocara canis.

Clinical Case of the Month: A 48-Year-Old Man With Fever and Abdominal Pain of One Day Duration.

A 48-year-old man residing in a mental health department inpatient program with a history of schizoaffective disorder presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of fever and intense abdominal pain for one day. The patient stated he initially fell in the shower and afterwards experienced back pain. He was transferred to an acute care unit within the facility for further evaluation. The facility physician noted that the patient had a mild temperature elevation and abdominal rigidity on exam. At that time, he was given two doses of benztropine intramuscularly, and transferred to our hospital for further evaluation. The patient exhibited fever, diffuse abdominal pain and a nonproductive cough, but denied chills, dysuria, urinary frequency, hematuria, weakness, diarrhea, melena or hematochezia. He did have a one-week history of constipation for which he was given sodium phosphate enemas, magnesium citrate and docusate sodium, eventually resulting in a bowel movement. He also complained of new onset dysphagia. There were no recent changes to his medications, which included clonazepam, divalproex sodium extended release, olanzapine and risperidone. He denied use of tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs.

Skin, soft tissue and systemic bacterial infections following aquatic injuries and exposures.

: Bacterial infections following aquatic injuries occur commonly in fishermen and vacationers after freshwater and saltwater exposures. Internet search engines were queried with the key words to describe the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic and treatment strategies and outcomes of both the superficial and the deeper invasive infections caused by more common, newly emerging and unusual aquatic bacterial pathogens. Main findings included the following: (1) aquatic injuries often result in gram-negative polymicrobial infections with marine bacteria; (2) most marine bacteria are resistant to 1st- and 2nd-generation penicillins and cephalosporins; (3) nontuberculous, mycobacterial infections should be considered in late-onset, culture-negative and antibiotic-resistant marine infections; (4) superficial marine infections and pre-existing wounds exposed to seawater may result in deeply invasive infections and sepsis in immunocompromised patients. With the exception of minor marine wounds demonstrating localized cellulitis, most other marine infections and all gram-negative and mycobacterial marine infections will require therapy with antibiotic combinations.

Clinical Case of the Month: A 49-Year-Old Man with Fever, Headache and Leg Weakness.

A 49-year-old man with an unremarkable past medical history presented to an outside hospital with a five-day history of fever, left leg weakness, myalgia and headache. The patient reported that the illness started as a fever and sore throat and he was originally diagnosed with streptococcal pharyngitis and prescribed antibiotics. The day after his initial diagnosis, his fever had progressed to include a headache, myalgia, a rash on his upper torso and right shoulder and sudden-onset left leg weakness with preserved sensation. With progressively worsening symptoms, he eventually presented to a local emergency department (ED), five days after his symptoms first started. He was experiencing continued left leg weakness, an inability to ambulate, persistent fevers to 103ºF, muscle aches, an intense band-like headache and confusion. The patient denied neck stiffness, photophobia, loss of sensation or any additional muscle weakness. He denied any recent travel aside from work, any sick contacts, recent tick/insect bites, history of sexually transmitted diseases or contact with animals. He reported no history of illicit drug use as well as no recent weight loss, trauma or radiation exposure. The patient had approximately a 10-pack-year tobacco smoking history. For the last ten years he drank about a six-pack of beer daily while onshore (roughly two weeks out of every month). He works on an offshore oil platform. He was not taking any home medications besides his recently prescribed antibiotics. He lived alone at home in a moderately rural area of South Louisiana. His family history was non-contributory.

Clinical case of the month: a 22-year-old man with AIDS presenting with shortness of breath and an oral lesion.

Since the development of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the incidence and mortality associated with Kaposi sarcoma (KS) have been reduced, although not eliminated. Clinical presentations of KS range from simple skin involvement to disseminated disease, including involvement of the oral cavity and viscera, which portends a more ominous prognosis. Multiple case reports and data from clinical trials indicate that administration of systemic corticosteroids may aggravate KS. We present a case of disseminated KS following administration of prednisone for presumed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) associated with fungal pneumonia in an HIV-infected individual. The discussion that follows outlines the pathophysiology and clinical presentations associated with KS and existing data for the role of corticosteroids in promoting KS progression.

Clinical Case of the Month. A 44-Year-Old HIV-Infected Man With Righ-Shoulder Swelling.

Immunocompromised patients are susceptible to various joint infections with less-common pathogens, such as mycobacterium. Physicians should have a low threshold to investigate the cause of an arthropathy further. An aspiration of the effusion is usually warranted to identify the possible pathogen and target treatment. We report an unusual presentation of a human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient with a chronic effusion arthropathy of his right shoulder due to Mycobacterium kansasii. We review the risk factors, transmission, clinical manifestations, and management of Mycobacterium kansasii.