Yellow nail syndrome and adnexal tumour: causal or casual association?

The yellow nail syndrome is an uncommon condition characterised by dystrophic nails, pulmonary disturbances and lymph oedema. In Brazil as well as in India, this syndrome has been scarcely described, at least in part due to diagnosis pitfalls related with darker skin pigmentation. A case of adnexal malignancy developing several decades after initial signs of yellow nail syndrome is reported in a 61-year-old Brazilian female admitted for evaluation of peripheral oedema. She reported recurrent sinusitis and bronchitis, and three antecedent pneumonias. Physical examination showed yellow thickened nails and lower limb oedema, and a painless huge adnexal mass. Diverse tumours have been described associated with yellow nail syndrome; however, associations can also occur by chance. The present report attempts to raise the awareness about casual co-existence of malignancy and the syndrome.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brasilia periphery: a diagnostic challenge.

BACKGROUND: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an emerging rodent-borne disease in the American continent, characterized by acute respiratory distress and a high case-fatality ratio. The present work describes a case of HPS, with favorable outcome, whose initial features were mistaken for leptospirosis or other less severe acute infections. METHODOLOGY: The case of a 32-year-old male with an uneventful course of HPS is reported. He was inadvertently infected at work by exposure to a rodent-contaminated environment in Brasília, Federal District vicinity, during May 2008. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Fever, headache and myalgia after exposure to a rodent-contaminated environment raised clinical suspicion. Non-cardiac pulmonary edema, hydrothorax, neutrophilia with band forms 26%, high hematocrit, thrombocytopenia, and elevated liver enzymes were observed. Leptospirosis and dengue were the main differential diagnoses because both pathogens are endemic in the area. Hantavirus IgM antibody-capture ELISA was positive, while tests for dengue, leptospirosis and yellow fever were negative. The prognosis for HPS is ominous and misdiagnoses may increase mortality. Better chances of survival depend on prompt intensive care support. Reports of moderate or less typical cases can raise the suspicion index among primary care and hospital-based physicians about this uncommon but severe condition that often affects previously healthy young individuals from developing countries, and subjects who interact with rodent-infested environments in North America. High awareness of HPS allowed successful management of the patient, even before establishing the diagnosis, by serological tests at the reference laboratory of the Ministry of Health. Clinical suspicion favored warning local health authorities about a new case of HPS.

Coexistence of prostate cancer, gynecomastia, renal failure, melanonychia, and wrist lump.

Although prostate cancer is among the most frequent malignancies in the elderly, this tumor may be under-reported, and it seems that its socioeconomic burden is not well-estimated. Chronic urinary obstruction caused by the cancer may cause renal failure, with hemorrhagic tendency, neurologic disturbances, cutaneous disorders, and diverse fingernail changes. Black or brown nail pigmentation has been associated with benign and malignant conditions, including antineoplastic drugs' side effects, subungual metastases, and melanoma. Metastasis of fingernail melanoma can affect lymph nodes from the wrist to elbow and axillary regions. Coexistent melanonychia and wrist lump, mimicking melanoma with sentinel lymph node is reported. It is recommended to consider the differential diagnosis of nail changes due to chronic renal failure.

Morbid obesity in an adolescent with Prader-Willi syndrome.

Prader-Willi syndrome is an uncommon multisystem genetic disorder caused by defects of chromosome 15 (15qll-ql3), often due to deletions or uniparental disomy The syndrome is characterized by neonatal hypotonia, dysmorphic facial features, short stature, motor and mental disabilities, behavioral changes, hyperphagia, precocious obesity and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. We present a 17 year-old woman, with a previous genetic diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome and BMI of 74 Kg/m(2), that was admitted in anasarca, with marked cyanosis, dyspnea and oliguria. She presented high levels of blood urea, creatinine and aminotransferases, in addition to hyperkalemia and hyperuricemia. She had been in regular use of fluoxetine during the last six months, and evolved with severe high blood pressure and respiratory failure, which needed intensive care support. Moreover, sequels and clear signs of recent self-injuries were observed in her trunk, forearms and hands. The findings of morbid obesity, anasarca, self-injury, hyperuricemia and hypoxemia in Prader-Willi syndrome are emphasized.

Morbid obesity in an adolescent with Prader-Willi syndrome / Obesidad mórbida en una adolescente con síndrome de Prader-Willi

Prader- Willi syndrome is an uncommon multisystem genetic disorder caused by defects of chromosome 15 (15qll-ql3), often due to deletions or uniparental disomy The syndrome is characterized by neonatal hypotonia, dysmorphic facial features, short stature, motor and mental disabilities, behavioral changes, hyperphagia, precocious obesity and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. We present a 17 year-old woman, with a previous genetic diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome and BMI of 74 Kg/m², that was admitted in anasarca, with marked cyanosis, dyspnea and oliguria. She presented high levels ofblood urea, creatinine and aminotransferases, in addition to hyperkalemia and hyperuricemia. She had been in regular use of fluoxetine during the last six months, and evolved with severe high bloodpressure and respiratory failure, which needed intensive care support. Moreover, sequéis and clear signs of recent selfinjuries were observed in her trunk, forearms and hands. The findings of morbid obesity, anasarca, self-injury, hyperuricemia and hypoxemia in Prader- Willi syndrome are emphasized.

El síndrome de Prader-Willi es un desorden multisistémico infrecuente causado por defectos genéticos del cromosoma 15 (15qll-ql3), debido a deleciones o disomía uniparental. Se caracteriza por hipotonía neonatal, dismorfias faciales, baja estatura, incapacidades motoras y mentales, problemas conductuales, hiperfagia, obesidad precoz e hipogonadismo hipogonadotrófico. Presentamos una mujer de 17 años, con IMC de 74 Kg/m² con diagnóstico genético previo del síndrome que ingresó con anasarca, intensa cianosis, disnea y oliguria. Presentaba elevación plasmática de urea, creatinina y aminotransferasas, asociadas con hiperkalemia e hiperuricemia. Había utilizado regularmente ñuoxetina durante los seis meses precedentes y evolucionó con hipertensión arterial severa e insuficiencia respiratoria, que requirieron de cuidados intensivos. Además, se constataron cicatrices y claras señales de automutilación reciente en su tronco, antebrazos y manos. Se destacan los hallazgos de obesidad mórbida, anasarca, automutilación, hiperuricemia e hipoxemia en el síndrome de Prader-Willi.