From the Gut to the Heart: A Rare Case of Salmonella dublin Pericarditis.

BACKGROUND Salmonella infections manifest typically as self-limiting gastroenteritis after the consumption of contaminated food. Extra-intestinal manifestations of Salmonella infections such as pericarditis are rare and are usually seen in severely immunocompromised individuals. Prior case reports suggest high rates of morbidity and mortality associated with Salmonella pericarditis. Here, we present a rare case of Salmonella dublin pericarditis. CASE REPORT A 45-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department reporting chest pressure and shortness of breath. An echocardiogram showed a large pericardial effusion without tamponade physiology. Pericardial window was performed, with removal of 700 cubic centimeters of bloody fluid, with presence of fibrinous debris in the pericardial cavity. A pericardial biopsy showed chronic pericarditis, and a lymph node biopsy was negative for malignancy. Antinuclear antibody (ANA), Lyme antibodies, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing were negative. Tissue culture revealed Salmonella species. Subsequent blood cultures grew Salmonella spp. Further history-taking revealed frequent travel and recent treatment with steroids for suspected Bell's palsy. Initially, the patient was treated with ceftriaxone, which was switched to ciprofloxacin after susceptibility testing revealed ceftriaxone resistance. Final identification of the organism revealed Salmonella dublin. The patient was discharged on colchicine, ibuprofen, and a 4-week course of ciprofloxacin. Outpatient follow-up showed improvement in inflammatory markers and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates the rarity of Salmonella-associated pericarditis, the importance of assessing a patient's risk factors, and obtaining an extensive history when searching for an etiology of pericarditis. Investigation into why a patient was susceptible to an infection with this organism should include medication assessment and age-appropriate cancer screening. Prompt identification and treatment of the offending organism can help prevent mortality.

Coronary Subclavian Steal Syndrome in a 73-Year-Old Woman Presenting with Angiographically Confirmed Subclavian Artery Stenosis Proximal to the Left Internal Mammary.

BACKGROUND Coronary subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS) is an uncommon condition in which a high-grade stenosis of the subclavian artery proximal to an internal mammary artery bypass graft results in retrograde blood flow of the bypass graft. This report is of CSSS in a 73-year-old woman who presented with ventricular tachycardia and angiographically confirmed subclavian artery stenosis proximal to the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) bypass graft 3 years following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). CASE REPORT The patient was a 73-year-old woman with a past medical history of multivessel coronary artery disease, found on preoperative evaluation. She underwent 2 vessel CABG in 2018. She was found to have ischemic cardiomyopathy, ejection fraction of 30% to 35% despite revascularization, and an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD). Three years following uncomplicated CABG, the patient presented with angina and sustained ventricular tachycardia; ICD therapy was unsuccessful. Ischemia was the etiology of the sustained ventricular tachycardia, and the patient underwent cardiac catheterization, demonstrating high-grade subclavian artery stenosis proximal to the LIMA bypass graft. Intervention of the 80% lesion of the native left anterior descending artery was done with placement of a 2.75×16-mm drug-eluting stent. The patient responded well to treatment, with no subsequent ventricular tachycardia on outpatient follow-up. CONCLUSIONS This report has shown that in patients who present with symptoms of acute coronary syndrome and a history of CABG involving the LIMA, the possibility of CSSS should be considered and investigated by coronary artery imaging so that diagnosis and management are not delayed.