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Clonus is a series of involuntary, rhythmic, muscular contractions, and relaxations. It may be caused by interruption of the upper motor neuron fibers such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, or by metabolic alterations such as severe hepatic failure or serotonin syndrome. We present a video case of impressive left ankle clonus in a patient with old right middle cerebral artery stroke.
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IgG deficiency can predispose to recurrent pyogenic infections. The association of IgG deficiency with Clostridium difficile infection has been infrequently reported in the literature. We present a case of a middle-age woman with multiple hospitalizations for recurrent C. difficile in a short span of time which prompted consideration of a possible fecal transplant. On evaluation, she was found to have low total IgG, with subclass analysis revealing low IgG1 and IgG3. She was started on monthly infusions of immunoglobulins and one year after her last episode of C. difficile she has not had any recurrence. The role of immunoglobulin infusion in the treatment of recurrent C. difficile is controversial, with some studies revealing no clear evidence of benefit. Our case report suggests that the patients who have underlying IgG deficiency may benefit from immunoglobulin, as this can significantly reduce the incidence of recurrent infections and hence save the healthcare costs.
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A 62-year-old male with past medical history of benign prostatic hyperplasia presented to the emergency department with complaints of decreased urinary flow, inability to fully empty his bladder, and gross hematuria. Physical examination was unremarkable. Urinalysis revealed large amount of blood and more than 700 white blood cells suggesting a urinary tract infection. Urine culture grew group D Salmonella greater than 100,000 colony-forming units per mL. He was prescribed 6 weeks of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and had resolution of symptoms. Retrospectively, he reported a 3-day history of watery diarrhea about a week prior to onset of urinary symptoms that was presumed to be the hematogenous source in this case. Urinary tract infection from nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is rare and is usually associated with immunosuppression, chronic diseases, such as diabetes or structural abnormalities of the genitourinary tract. Genitourinary tract abnormalities previously reported in the literature that predispose to nontyphoidal Salmonella urinary tract infection include nephrolithiasis, chronic pyelonephritis, retrovesicular fistula, urethrorectal fistula, hydrocele, and post-TURP. We present an exceedingly uncommon case of 62-year-old male with group D Salmonella urinary tract infection predisposed by his history of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
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BACKGROUND: Jugulotympanic paraganglioma generally presents in the 5th or 6th decades of life with tinnitus and hearing loss. In this manuscript, we present a rare case of jugulotympanic paraganglioma presenting in the 9th decade with vertigo as the most bothersome symptom. CASE REPORT: An 83-year-old woman presented with worsening episodes of dizziness of a few months duration. She also complained of tinnitus and hearing loss, more severe on the left side. Examination revealed a red bulging left-sided tympanic membrane, conductive hearing loss, and a bruit at the base of the skull. Dix-Hallpike test was negative. CT head and MRI brain revealed findings consistent with a large left-sided jugulotympanic paraganglioma, which was found to be hormonally inactive on laboratory tests. The patient underwent treatment with radiotherapy, which resulted in partial improvement of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Jugulotympanic paraganglioma may manifest in the elderly with the chief complaint of intermittent vertigo, as in our case. A red bulging mass on otoscopy raises the suspicion, necessitating further investigations, including CT and MRI.
