Herb-induced liver injury (HILI) is often an underreported sequela for many herbal remedies due to the lack of safety measurements involving these supplements. Cimicifuga racemosa and Thuja occidentalis are two herbal medications commonly used by women for fertility purposes. Many herbal preparations of these two supplements do not specify the risks behind their individual usage. We present a case of a 40-year-old woman who developed acute liver injury after concomitant use of these two products assessed for causality using the updated RUCAM. Upon a detailed investigation, the patient did not have evidence of underlying liver disease or any other risk factors to explain her presentation. After discontinuation of both herbal supplements, the patient had complete resolution of her symptoms and a significant improvement of transaminitis. This report highlights the importance of potential risk of hepatotoxicity induced by concomitant use of Cimicifuga racemosa and Thuja occidentalis.
Background Non-islet cell tumor-induced hypoglycemia (NICTH) is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome which can cause recurrent hypoglycemia. There is no clear standard of care for management of hypoglycemia. Often, these patients have high morbidity and therefore surgical tumor resection is not always possible. Clinical case: This is the case of a 69 year-old male presenting with altered mental status in the context of hypoglycemia without clear etiology with an initial serum glucose level of 32 mg/dL (normal range 60-100 mg/dL) which quickly corrected after administration of intravenous glucose. He was found to have a large bowel obstruction with CT abdomen revealing an underlying neoplasm. Biopsy of suspected lesion on colonoscopy revealed colorectal adenocarcinoma. Repeated episodes of hypoglycemia complicated by seizures required inpatient management. Workup included serum insulin level which resulted in suppressed level (<1. 0 uU/mL, normal range 1.9-23. 0 uU/mL), low c-peptide level (0.1 ng/mL, normal range 1.1-4.4 ng/mL), low beta hydroxybutyrate level (0. 07 mmol/L, normal level <0.3 mmol/L), cortisol level of 43.7 mcg/dL, undetectable insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) level (<10 ng/mL, normal range 59-230 ng/mL) and low insulin like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) level (66 ng/mL, normal range 333 - 967 ng/mL). IGF2: IGF1 ratio was 66 (ratio >10 is indicative for diagnosis of non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia). Due to extremely poor oral intake and recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia despite continuous dextrose infusion, the patient was started on 20 mg prednisone daily. Eventually, 40 mg of intravenous methylprednisolone in addition to dextrose infusion was needed as maintenance therapy effectively preventing hypoglycemia. Given his poor functional status, the surgical and oncology team decided he was no longer a surgical or chemotherapy candidate. Eventually, palliative medicine was consulted and the patient was transitioned to comfort care with a plan for outpatient hospice. Conclusion NICTH should be suspected in any patient with hypoglycemia without clear etiology, especially if there are suggestions to NICTH such as known malignancy or newly diagnosed mass. Once NICTH is identified and a primary tumor is found, complete tumor resection represents ideal management, however, not always attainable. In such cases, dextrose infusion might be insufficient to prevent hypoglycemia and is not always the preferred option given the required long-term venous access. In these circumstances, early high dose glucocorticoids are safe and appear to successfully prevent hypoglycemic events. Presentation: Saturday, June 11, 2022 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Objective: To describe the state of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in minority adults in the South Bronx, and their experience with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Introduction: In a recent analysis of data from the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange Registry, one notable finding was the difference in metabolic control and use of diabetes technology in patients of different socioeconomic status and racial/ethnic backgrounds. With limited data available on Hispanic and Black patients, we sought to examine the use of and experience with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in our hospital system, which primarily serves a low-income, minority population in the South Bronx. Methods: 68 adults with T1D who attended the Endocrinology clinic at our hospital from 2017 to 2019 were identified. Patients were contacted by telephone to complete a questionnaire regarding CGM use and satisfaction. A retrospective chart review was conducted to obtain additional demographic and clinical information. Results: Out of 68 patients with T1D in the hospital database who were contacted, 47 patients completed the questionnaire. The age range was 23 to 63 years. 42.6% were male. 59.6% were Hispanic, 19.1% Black/African American (AA), 4.3% Caucasian, and 17% not specified. 87.2% had public insurance. Overall, 48.9% of patients were actively using CGM, 19.1% had discontinued use of CGM, and 31.9% had never used CGM. In Hispanic patients using CGM, mean HbA1C was 8.2% compared to 10.1% in Hispanic non-users. In Black/AA patients using CGM, mean HbA1C was 9.2% compared to 9.9% in Black/AA non-users. Hospitalizations for acute diabetes complications were lower in CGM users (4.3%) compared to non-CGM users (16.7%). Among active CGM users, 74% rated their satisfaction as “extremely satisfied” or “very satisfied.” Perceived benefits included the prevention of hypoglycemia and awareness of inappropriate food intake. Discussion: Our study population, mainly comprised of Hispanic and Black T1D adults, showed a higher CGM utilization rate than previously reported. After stratification by socioeconomic status, CGM utilization was reported to be as low as 16% in Hispanic and 10% in Black patients with household income <$50,000/year in the T1D Exchange Registry. By comparison, 49% of our studied population possessing similar demographics was actively using CGM. This study demonstrated that CGM acceptance was high in this largely minority, low-income population in the South Bronx, and was associated with lower A1C levels, high degree of patient satisfaction and reduction in diabetes-related hospitalizations. However, glycemic control remained suboptimal overall despite CGM access. Additional strategies to optimize the utility of CGM are needed to improve clinical outcomes such as HbA1C levels in minority T1D patients.
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