Mycobacterial spindle cell pseudotumor of the spinal cord: Case report and literature review.

We report the first description of spinal cord mycobacterial spindle cell pseudotumor. A patient with newly diagnosed advanced HIV presented with recent-onset bilateral leg weakness and was found to have a hypermetabolic spinal cord mass on structural and molecular imaging. Biopsy and cultures from blood and cerebrospinal fluid confirmed spindle cell pseudotumor due to Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare. Despite control of HIV and initial reduction in pseudotumor volume on antiretrovirals and antimycobacterials (azithromycin, ethambutol, rifampin/rifabutin), he ultimately experienced progressive leg weakness due to pseudotumor re-expansion. Here, we review literature and discuss multidisciplinary diagnosis, monitoring and management challenges, including immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

Discharge to post-acute care and other predictors of prolonged length of stay during the initial COVID-19 surge: a single site analysis.

BACKGROUND: During the initial surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), health-care utilization fluctuated dramatically, straining acute hospital capacity across the USA and potentially contributing to excess mortality. METHODS: This was an observational retrospective study of patients with COVID-19 admitted to a large US urban academic medical center during a 12-week COVID-19 surge in the Spring of 2020. We describe patterns in length of stay (LOS) over time. Our outcome of interest was prolonged LOS (PLOS), which we defined as 7 or more days. We performed univariate analyses of patient characteristics, clinical outcomes and discharge disposition to evaluate the association of each variable with PLOS and developed a final multivariate model via backward elimination, wherein all variables with a P-value above 0.05 were eliminated in a stepwise fashion. RESULTS: The cohort included 1366 patients, of whom 13% died and 29% were readmitted within 30 days. The LOS (mean: 12.6) fell over time (P < 0.0001). Predictors of PLOS included discharge to a post-acute care (PAC) facility (odds ratio [OR]: 11.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6-54.0), uninsured status (OR 3.2, CI 1.1-9.1) and requiring intensive care and intubation (OR 18.4, CI 11.5-29.6). Patients had a higher readmission rate if discharged to PAC facilities (40%) or home with home health agency (HHA) services (38%) as compared to patients discharged home without HHA services (26%) (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during a US COVID-19 surge had a PLOS and high readmission rate. Lack of insurance, an intensive care unit stay and a decision to discharge to a PAC facility were associated with a PLOS. Efforts to decrease LOS and optimize hospital capacity during COVID-19 surges may benefit from focusing on increasing PAC and HHA capacity and resources.

A 66-Year-Old Man with Fever and Confusion.

A 66-Year-Old Man with Fever and ConfusionA 66-year-old man with Parkinson's disease and hypertension presented to the ED with fever and confusion after returning to the U.S. from Cambodia. He was febrile with diaphoresis and rigors. What was the diagnosis?