Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and cardio-oncological assessment in patients undertaking highly toxic chemotherapy and/or chest radiotherapy in a high-complexity hospital.Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was carried out between January 1st, 2017 and December 31st, 2019. The medical records of patients with solid or hematological neoplasms were reviewed. Descriptive information was obtained on demographic characteristics, chemotherapeutic agents, prechemotherapy cardiovascular (CV) evaluation, and CV outcomes. The risk of complications was assessed using the Mayo Clinic risk score.Results: A total of 499 patients were included, the most common neoplasm was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (21.6%), followed by breast cancer (19.4%). A very high risk of cardiotoxicity was present in 44.1% and 90% were not evaluated by cardiology. Pre-chemotherapy echocardiography was obtained in 65%, but only 19.4% underwent echocardiographic control after finishing chemotherapy. The most frequent CV outcomes were chemotherapy-related systolic dysfunction (4.4%) and rhythm disturbances (2.8%), with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter being the most frequent arrhythmias.Conclusion: Despite the recognized CV toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs, the majority of patients receiving highly toxic regimens at high risk of CV complications are not previously evaluated by a cardiologist and the CV workup was not routinely used in our study. The implementation of cardio-oncology programs will facilitate the identification of high-risk patients, aiming to detect and treat complications early.
Abdominal actinomycosis is a chronic, granulomatous, and indolent disease produced by Actinomyces spp., a gram-positive filamentous bacillus, anaerobic, commensal in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and pelvic mucosa. Diagnosis is usually difficult and delayed due to its insidious presentation. It can simulate different neoplastic, inflammatory as well as infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, nocardiosis, or mycosis. In most cases, the diagnosis is made postoperatively with the histopathological report, and only 10% of them are diagnosed preoperatively. We present two cases of abdominopelvic actinomycosis simulating advanced ovarian neoplasia.
Case series Patients: Female, 60-year-old • Female, 73-year-old Final Diagnosis: Acquired heamophilia Symptoms: Bleeding Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Hematology Objective: Rare disease Background: Acquired hemophilia is a bleeding disorder mediated by an autoimmune process, in which antibodies against clotting factors are developed. This is a rarely suspected complex condition in which the initial manifestations are spontaneous bleeding in the skin, soft tissues, and mucosa in patients with no known history of bleeding disorders. Most of the cases are idiopathic (50%), but it can be associated with autoimmune diseases, malignancy, pregnancy, and medications. The most frequent type is mediated by inhibitors against factor VIII, followed by coagulation factor IX and XI. It is a disease with high morbidity and mortality rates without adequate treatment. Diagnosis is based on the detection of low concentrations of clotting factors and the presence of an inhibitor. Case Reports: We present 2 cases of patients with spontaneous bleeding in whom the diagnosis of idiopathic acquired hemophilia A was made, an extensive malignancy study was performed that was negative, and the presence of autoimmunity markers (positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA)) was observed, without any another sign of autoimmune disease. They received immunosuppressive therapy with bleeding control and inhibitor eradication. Conclusions: Acquired hemophilia A is a rare but potentially lethal disease, representing a medical challenge from its diagnosis to its treatment. An early recognition and treatment are fundamental because delays are associated with adverse outcomes. Optimal management includes the workup and treatment for an underlying disease, use of “bypass” agents when active bleeding presents, and inhibitor titer eradication through immunosuppressants drugs. With the present cases, we highlight the importance of considering acquired hemophilia A in older patients with similar symptoms, to achieve early diagnosis and treatment.
Adrenal gland infection is a clinical entity of great importance, but it is a largely unrecognized pathology. Immunosuppressed individuals are at a higher risk of presentation. Herein, we describe a young female patient, recently diagnosed with HIV, who presented with severe sepsis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, associated with a left adrenal abscess. She was initially treated with antibiotics; however, due to the persistence of the systemic inflammatory response and bacteremia, endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage was performed. This procedure was successful in resolving the clinical situation. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided adrenal gland drainage can be a safe, efficacious, and minimally invasive option for managing antibiotic-refractory adrenal abscesses in immunosuppressed patients.
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