Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a systemic small vessel vasculitis but it is rare to see life-threatening diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) in MPA as an initial presentation. MPA more commonly presents with renal involvement and develops pulmonary manifestations later in the disease course. Our patient is a 77year-old female with a recent history of recovered COVID-19 infection who presented with sudden onset fever, dyspnea, and hemoptysis for three days. She was diagnosed with MPA because of the new-onset DAH, a strongly positive myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibody, and the low likelihood of another etiology. The patient was treated with pulse-dose steroids and plasmapheresis while being on mechanical ventilation. This case highlights the importance of the prompt recognition of DAH as an initial presentation of MPA and illustrates the possible role of COVID-19 in inciting autoimmune conditions.
We present a case of transfusion-related acute lung injury as a complication of convalescent plasma transfusion in a patient who presented with COVID-19–related severe acute respiratory syndrome. Despite treatment with tocilizumab, remdesivir, and intravenous steroids, worsening dyspnea prompted adjunctive treatment with convalescent plasma. Two hours after completion of the plasma transfusion, the patient developed hypoxia-induced cardiac arrest secondary to transfusion-related acute lung injury. This case sheds light on life-threatening transfusion reactions and emphasizes the need to investigate post-transfusion monitoring protocols as well as the possible role of surveillance equipment.
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) have long been associated with angioedema and cough. These complications are thought to be related to an increase in bradykinin levels. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) such as losartan, however, are not known to increase bradykinin levels and, therefore, this complication is not as widely recognized. However, there is a significant proportion of patients who develop angioedema on ARB medications after previous episodes of angioedema on ACE-I. Though there is increasing literature to support that the patients may develop angioedema while taking ARBs such as losartan, a dose-dependent nature has not been well documented. We present a patient with a 20-year history of losartan use who developed angioedema suddenly after an increase in dosage. A dose-dependent relationship between ARBs and angioedema has not been well documented and this is the first documented case of angioedema presenting in a dose-dependent manner with losartan use. We hope that our case will bring awareness to the potential dose-dependent relationship between losartan and angioedema in order to aid clinicians when titrating ARB medications in order to expediently diagnose the fatal side-effect of angioedema and to encourage further research.
Hypercoagulability has been found in patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) and has been identified as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Herein, we report the challenge in managing a patient presenting with a 5 day history of COVID-19 diagnosis, complicated by deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and ischemic stroke in the setting of atrial septal aneurysm, presumed patent foramen ovale and paradoxical embolism, identified to have clots in transit on echocardiogram. The application of anticoagulation was felt to be high risk. The patient was transferred to a tertiary facility where the patient underwent thrombus aspiration and was eventually complicated by hemorrhagic conversion of the stroke.
We present a case of severe symptomatic hyponatremia (94 mEq/L) in a male patient who presented with nausea, vomiting, and multiple falls. The patient was found with symptomatic hypo-osmolar hypovolemic hyponatremia secondary to volume loss from vomiting, diuretic use, and consumption of solute-free water. To manage such a severely hyponatremic patient, concomitant 3% hypertonic saline and DDAVP were initiated with successful slow and sustained correction of sodium without complications of osmotic demyelination syndrome.
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