Recent Outpatient Services in General Internal Medicine: 6.4% of Symptomatic Patients Were Post-Acute COVID-19.

PURPOSE: It is important to understand how COVID-19 is affecting general outpatient services, since hospitals see a wide variety of patients. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and clinical picture of COVID-19 in general outpatient services. Currently, the diagnosis of COVID-19 depends strongly on the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. However, since the sensitivity of PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 is not high enough to assure confidence. On the other hand, the SARS-CoV-2 antibody (Ab) test is highly sensitive after 2 weeks of symptom onset, and might complement the PCR test. Therefore, we measured Ab in addition to PCR to obtain a more accurate clinical profile of COVID-19, which might be helpful in building future practice strategies. PATIENTS: The study patients were those who visited our department for the first time between November 2020 and March 2021 and fulfilled the enrolment criteria. METHODS: All patients underwent total SARS-CoV-2 Ab testing, and PCR tests were performed in only some of them; patients were classified according to the performance of PCR tests for comparisons. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients who underwent Ab testing during the study period were eligible for study enrolment, and the PCR test was performed in 40 of them. Only one patient was diagnosed with acute stage COVID-19 based on a positive PCR test. Antibodies were positive in six (6.4%) of the 94 patients. Five of the six Ab-positive patients were negative for PCR, and the test was not performed in the sixth patient. All the six patients had prior symptoms suggestive of infection, and respiratory symptoms were more noticeable than fever. The Ab positivity rate was significantly higher than published data. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 is not rare in general outpatient services and can be missed based on PCR tests alone. The diagnosis should be made from a comprehensive perspective.

Exacerbation of Ulcerative Colitis with Tocilizumab: A Report of Two Cases, One with Takayasu Arteritis and the Other with Relapsing Polychondritis.

Tocilizumab (TCZ), a biologic that blocks the signal transduction of interleukin-6, has been used for the treatment of various autoimmune diseases. Many of these cases are sometimes complicated by ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the effect of TCZ on UC is unclear. We experienced two cases with concomitant UC that were treated with TCZ, one for Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and the other for relapsing polychondritis (RP). TCZ did not improve UC in either of these cases. TCZ might have adverse effects on the intestinal tract, since interleukin-6 signaling plays an important role in intestinal epithelium maintenance. Treatment with TCZ should therefore be carefully provided in patients complicated with UC.

[Examination of Patients with Malignant Obstruction Treated with Chemotherapy after Ileo/Coleostomy].

Management for obstructive cancer of the colon diverges into many ways. The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment course of patients with malignant obstruction after ileo/coleostomy. Thirty-six patients with malignant obstruction who underwent ileo/coleostomy in our hospital from May 2012 to January 2016were enrolled in the study. Clinical outcomes were the period before treatment initiation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, primary lesion resection, and death, and these were retrospectively analyzed. Although 9 stomal complications occurred, no case experienced a delayed treatment start. However, patients with perioperative complications, sepsis due to the tumor, pneumonia, cerebral infractions, and ileus needed a long recovery period before treatment initiation. Patients who need ileo/coleostomy must be considered for performance status and ways to decrease perioperative complications to prevent stomal complications from chemo/radiotherapy.

[A Case of Laparoscopic Resection of Sigmoid Colon Cancer Complicated by an Iliopsoas Abscess Preceded by Abscess Drainage].

For colon cancer complicated by iliopsoas abscess, it is unclear whether surgery should be performed prior to abscess drainage. We were able to perform laparoscopic sigmoid resection safely after first draining the abscess. We believed it would be beneficial to avoid surgery in the presence of abscess and inflammation, and the minimally invasive operation was performed after improvements of the patient's general status and inflammation.

[Examination of the Usefulness of Palliative Self-Expanding Metallic Stents in Patients with Malignant Colorectal Obstruction].

Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are a useful palliative option in malignant colorectal obstruction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of SEMS used for palliation. Patients with malignant colorectal obstruction who underwent SEMS insertion in our hospital from April 2014 to March 2015 were enrolled in the study. Clinical outcomes and complications of palliative SEMS insertion were retrospectively analyzed. Nine patients were enrolled in the palliative SEMS group. The success rate was 100%, while the complication rate was 11%. Successful SEMS insertion may enable oral intake in a few days, but 3 patients required up to several weeks to resume oral intake. Palliative SEMS are effective and beneficial for malignant colorectal obstruction.

[Two Cases of Bleeding Advanced Gastric Cancer Treated with Palliative Radiation Therapy].

Case 1: A man in his 70's was being treated with chemotherapy for unresectable advanced gastric cancer. Blood transfusion, endoscopic intervention including argon plasma coagulation, and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) were all used to treat repeated tumor bleeding causing anemia, but controlling the bleeding was difficult. In order to control the hemorrhage, radiation therapy of 31 Gy/10 Fr to the cancer was administered. After receiving radiation therapy, the anemia stopped. Case 2: A man in his 70's considered an operation for advanced gastric cancer, but his cardiac performance was poor and it was impossible to perform an operation. We conducted radiation therapy of 39 Gy/13 Fr for the purpose of preventing bleeding from gastric cancer. After receiving radiation therapy, the anemia stopped. We believe that radiation therapy is effective to stop bleeding from gastric cancer.

[A Case of Disseminated Carcinomatosis of the Bone Marrow with Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Caused by Cecal Cancer Successfully Treated with mFOLFOX6].

Disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow is often accompanied by disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome (DIC). This condition is rarely caused by colorectal cancer, and there are no established therapies. OUR CASE: A 66-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of DIC. She had been diagnosed with cecal cancer and multiple metastases of the lymph nodes, liver, and bone. She was diagnosed with disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow and treated with systemic chemotherapy by modified FOLFOX6 (mFOLFOX6). Subsequently, the DIC rapidly resolved, and she was discharged from the hospital.

[A Case of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in the Fat Replacement of the Pancreatic Body and Tail].

A 56 year-old woman with obesity (BMI3 2) and diabetes mellitus was diagnosed with right renal cell carcinoma. She underwent right nephrectomy 1 year ago. Seven months after surgery, CT revealed a rapidly growing mass near the spleen. The mass showed slight accumulation of FDG (SUVmax=2.4) on PET-CT. Since the lesion grew rapidly and was not enhanced in the early phase of enhanced CT, we diagnosed pancreatic cancer. Distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed. The final pathological diagnosis was invasive ductal carcinoma in the fat replacement of the pancreatic body and tail. Postoperatively, the patient had no complications such as pancreatic fistula or aggravation of glucose intolerance. She received postoperative chemotherapy with gemcitabine. Since she developed pulmonary artery thrombosis, postoperative chemotherapy was interrupted after 8 courses. Thirty-two months after the surgery, she was still living without any recurrence. Acinar cells were absent in the fat replacement of the pancreas, but the pancreatic duct cells were still present. There was carcinoma in situ in the main pancreatic duct surrounding chronic inflammation. Fat replacement itself could be potentially precursor of the pancreatic cancer.

[A case of metastatic colorectal cancer that reduced in size after re-challenging with an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody].

A 58-year-old woman was confirmed as having multiple liver metastases after undergoing a high anterior resection for a sigmoid colon tumor. She was administered bevacizumab+FOLFOX as the first regimen and bevacizumab+FOLFIRI and S-1 and irinotecan (IRIS)therapy as the second regimen. During this treatment she also underwent hepatectomy 3 times and radiofrequency ablation once. She was administered panitumumab+irinotecan as the third regimen and, due to the presence of multiple pulmonary metastases, was subsequently considered to have had a partial response (PR). Because she subsequently developed progressive disease (PD), she received the fourth regimen as part of a clinical trial (TAS102) in another hospital. Cetuximab+irinotecan was administered as the fifth regimen after PD and the tumor was found to have reduced in size by 23%upon computed tomography (CT) 2 months later. Although stable disease (SD) was achieved, she was subsequently administered regorafenib for 8 months as a sixth regimen after the disease progressed a second time. In some cases of KRAS wild type metastatic colorectal cancer, re-challenging with an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody seems to be an effective strategy for reducing tumor mass.