Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a poorly understood complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). We identified 15 patients diagnosed with OP following HSCT and described their clinical course. CT chest findings were remarkable for multifocal infiltrates that were predominantly consolidating or ground glass opacities. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed on 14 patients with five having lymphocytosis (> 25% lymphocytes), three with eosinophilia (> 5% eosinophils), three with neutrophilia (> 30% neutrophils), and three with normal cell counts. Flow cytometry was analyzed on BAL fluid in 13 patients with 11 having a CD4/CD8 of < 0.9. Initial treatment with 0.3-1.0 mg/kg prednisone resulted in improvement in symptoms, in radiographic findings, and in pulmonary function testing for the majority of patients. Six patients had recurrence of OP after completing treatment. Eleven patients had evidence of extra-pulmonary graft-versus-host disease prior to diagnosis of OP, and seven patients were diagnosed with an upper respiratory tract infection (URI) within 8 weeks of OP diagnosis. Most patients respond well to prednisone with significant improvement in pulmonary function, but risk of recurrence is high after cessation of steroid treatment. Risk factors for the development of OP may include prior URI.
We report a case of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) encephalitis in a neutropenic patient who had undergone chemotherapy induction for acute myelogenous leukemia while on broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. The patient displayed symptoms of confusion, amnesia, and lethargy. Diagnosis was made via polymerase chain reaction analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. Electroencephalogram and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were unremarkable. Following diagnosis, the patient was successfully treated with ganciclovir. HHV-6 encephalitis should be considered in immunocompromised patients who become encephalopathic.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the major causes of bleeding peptic ulcer disease, which is associated with serious complications; therefore, the eradication of H. pylori is essential to prevent these devastating complications. Post-treatment follow-up is crucial to guarantee the eradication of the organism and may be conducted via the urea breath test, the stool antigen test, or a gastric biopsy. Acute massive upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding is one of the most common complications of peptic ulcer disease. Aggressive treatment with early endoscopic hemostasis is essential for a favorable outcome. Recurrent massive nonvariceal UGI bleeding remains a challenge. Optimal management requires a multidisciplinary team of skilled endoscopists, intensivists, experienced UGI surgeons, and interventional radiologists. Endoscopy is the first-line treatment after hemodynamic stability is achieved. The role of early elective surgery or angiographic embolization in selected high-risk patients to prevent re-bleeding remains controversial.
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