Achromobacter xylosoxidans is a Gram-negative bacillus that is known to cause nosocomial infections, primarily in patients with hematological malignancies. The most common primary manifestation is bacteremia. We report a novel case of primary A. xylosoxidans infection presenting as a cavitary lung lesion with associated pneumonia in a lung cancer patient who showed no evidence of malignant disease progression after radiation therapy. Our patient was initially admitted for acute hypoxic respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Initial computed tomography (CT) revealed a cavitary lesion in the right upper lobe of the lung. Diagnostic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and was negative for infectious etiologies including tuberculosis (TB) and fungal infections. Cytology was also negative for malignancy. However, the bacterial culture grew A. xylosoxidans. Antimicrobial therapy was initiated based on culture susceptibilities and the patient showed significant improvement in oxygen requirements. Due to poor functional status, the palliative care route was pursued and mechanical ventilation weaning was not performed. Cavitary pulmonary infections secondary to A. xylosoxidans are rarely reported in the medical literature. After conducting a thorough PubMed database search of the medical literature, we believe this is the first case of A. xylosoxidans infection manifesting as a cavitary lung lesion with associated pneumonia in a lung cancer patient.
Synovial sarcomas are rare malignant tumors that originate from primitive pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells that look similar to the developing synovium, but are histologically unrelated to it. Sarcomas commonly metastasize to the lungs and surrounding pleura, with a documented incidence as high as 85% for pleural-based metastases. The incidence of spontaneous pneumothorax in patients with sarcomas is only 1.9%, with synovial sarcoma being the third most common type of sarcoma associated with pneumothorax. While surgical resection is usually the treatment for localized primary synovial cell sarcoma, metastatic disease requires systemic therapy, mainly chemotherapy. Failure of chemotherapy calls for the use of targeted therapeutic agents such as pazopanib. Pazopanib has been linked to the incidence of spontaneous pneumothorax in previous case studies. However, primary research fails to establish a statistically significant causal association. Research shows that pneumothorax can result from lung metastases independent of therapeutic side effects. We report a case of synovial sarcoma of trapezius origin with secondary lung metastases, and development of pneumothorax after pazopanib treatment. We discuss the incidence of pneumothorax as a medication side effect versus independent effect of natural disease progression, and how this plays role in deciding when to continue using a medication in the face of complications.
Background Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is common in people living with HIV (PLWH). Healthcare providers sometimes prescribe opioids to control pain, which may lead to opioid misuse. An interdisciplinary approach that includes physical therapy has been successful in managing MSK pain in various healthcare settings. Therefore, we sought to find the impact of recruiting a physical therapist (PT), on the number of opioid prescriptions and physical therapy referrals made by physicians in training to manage MSK pain in PLWH. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients seen by Internal Medicine physicians in training in an HIV clinic in Detroit, before (2017) and after (2018) recruiting a PT to the healthcare team, and collected demographic and clinical data. We also surveyed the trainees to assess how the PT addition influenced their learning. IRB waiver was obtained. Results Results showed that of all PLWH seen at the clinic, 28/249 (11%) and 37/178 (21%) had chronic MSK pain in the 2017 and 2018 datasets, respectively. In 2017, all 28 patients with MSK pain were prescribed opioids. This decreased in 2018 after the PT addition (10/37 patients; p<0.0001). The number of physical therapy referrals significantly increased after the PT addition (2017: 5/28 patients; 2018: 17/37 patients; p=0.03). Trainees felt that the PT helped improve their examination skills and develop a treatment plan for patients. Conclusions The addition of a PT encouraged physicians in training to utilize non-opioid management of MSK pain in PLWH, and enhanced their learning experience, as perceived by the trainees.
Background Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is common in HIV patients in the ambulatory setting. Healthcare providers tend to prescribe opioids to control MSK pain in HIV patients, which increases the risk of opioid misuse. An interdisciplinary approach that includes physical therapy has been successful in managing MSK pain in various healthcare settings. Therefore, we sought to find the impact of recruiting a physical therapist (PT), on the number of opioid prescriptions and physical therapy referrals made by resident physicians to manage MSK pain in HIV patients. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients seen by Internal Medicine (IM) residents in an HIV clinic in Detroit, before (01/17-05/17; 2017 dataset) and after (01/18-05/18; 2018 dataset) recruiting a physical therapist to the healthcare team. We collected demographic and clinical data from both datasets. We also surveyed the residents to assess how the PT addition influenced their comfort and knowledge in treating MSK pain in HIV patients. IRB waiver was obtained. Results Results showed that of all HIV patients seen at the clinic, 28/249 (11%) and 37/178 (21%) had chronic MSK pain in the 2017 and 2018 datasets, respectively. In 2017, all 28 patients with MSK pain were prescribed opioids. This number significantly decreased in 2018 after the PT addition (10/37 patients; p< 0.0001). Moreover, the number of physical therapy referrals made by residents significantly increased after the PT addition (2017: 5/28 patients; 2018: 17/37 patients; p=0.03). Residents also recommended non-opioid interventions including orthopedics referrals (7/37 patients), braces/orthotics (3/37 patients) and non-opioid analgesics (26/37 patients) to patients after the PT addition. Survey responses showed that 7/9 residents (78%) felt that the physical therapist was helpful in improving their examination skills or developing a treatment plan for patients. The effect of recruiting a physical therapist on the number of opioid prescriptions and physical therapy referrals made by resident physicians Conclusion In conclusion, our results show that the addition of a physical therapist to the team encourages physicians to utilize non-opioid management of MSK pain in HIV patients. We also find that physicians are satisfied with taking an interdisciplinary approach to pain management in HIV patients. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures
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