Use of Plasmapheresis and Immunosuppressants to Treat Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage in a Patient with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a systemic granulomatous inflammatory disease characterized by small-to-medium vessel vasculitis due to Central Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (C-ANCA). GPA commonly involves the lungs and the kidneys. Among the pulmonary manifestations, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DHA) is a rare presentation of GPA that can present with hemoptysis leading to acute onset of anemia and hemodynamic instability. An active diagnostic workup including serologic titer of C-ANCA, imaging, intensive care, and aggressive immunosuppression is the key to DAH management. We report a case of DAH secondary to GPA that presented with hemoptysis leading to severe anemia, initially resuscitated symptomatically and started on plasmapheresis with pulse steroids and cyclophosphamide. Timely diagnosis and management led to a remarkable recovery of the pulmonary symptoms and imaging findings of DAH

Cardiovascular Outcomes of Transradial Versus Transfemoral Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in End-Stage Renal Disease: A Regression-Based Comparison

Background: Limited data is available on the comparison of outcomes of transradial (TR) and transfemoral (TF) access for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with end-stage stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: Online databases were queried to compare cardiovascular outcomes among TR. and TF in ESRD patients. The outcomes assessed included differences in mortality, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI), bleeding, transfusion, and periprocedural cardiogenic shock (CS). Unadjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated using a random-effect effect model. Results: A total of 6 studies including 7,607 patients (TR-PCI = 1,288; TF-PCI = 6,319) were included. The overall mean age was 67.7 years, while the mean age for TR-PCI and TF-PCI was 69.7 years and 67.9 years, respectively. TR-PCI was associated with lower incidence of mortality (OR 0.46 95 % CI 0.30-0.70, p \u3c 0.05, I2 0.00 %), bleeding (OR 0.45 95 % CI 0.29, 0.68, p \u3c 0.05, I2 3.48 %), and transfusion requirement (OR 0.52 95 % CI 0.40, 0.67, p \u3c 0.05, I2 0.00 %) (Fig. 1). There were no differences among TR-PCI and TF-PCI for periprocedural MI, periprocedural CS, and CVA outcomes. Conclusion: TR access was associated with lower mortality, bleeding, and transfusion requirement as compared to TF access in patients with ESRD undergoing PCI

Use of Plasmapheresis and Immunosuppressants to Treat Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage in a Patient with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a systemic granulomatous inflammatory disease characterized by small-to-medium vessel vasculitis due to Central Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (C-ANCA). GPA commonly involves the lungs and the kidneys. Among the pulmonary manifestations, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DHA) is a rare presentation of GPA that can present with hemoptysis leading to acute onset of anemia and hemodynamic instability. An active diagnostic workup including serologic titer of C-ANCA, imaging, intensive care, and aggressive immunosuppression is the key to DAH management. We report a case of DAH secondary to GPA that presented with hemoptysis leading to severe anemia, initially resuscitated symptomatically and started on plasmapheresis with pulse steroids and cyclophosphamide. Timely diagnosis and management led to a remarkable recovery of the pulmonary symptoms and imaging findings of DAH

Diagnosis and Management of Lemierre’s Syndrome Presented with Multifocal Pneumonia and Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

A 27-year-old female patient initially presented with fever, myalgia, sore throat that progressed to multifocal pneumonia, and cerebral sinus venous thrombosis. A combination of upper respiratory symptoms with tooth infection, positive blood culture for Fusobacterium nucleatum, computed tomography (CT) chest finding of multifocal pneumonia, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) finding of internal jugular vein thrombosis (IJVT) and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) suggested Lemierre syndrome. The patient was managed with fluids, antibiotics, and anticoagulants. The patient survived and discharged from the hospital. The patient’s symptoms improved at 2 months of follow-up

Comparison of left atrial appendage parameters using computed tomography vs. transesophageal echocardiography for watchman device implantation: a systematic review & meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inaccurate sizing of left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion devices is associated with increased stroke risk. We compared the LAA size to implant the Watchman device assessed by computed tomography (CT) to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). METHODS: Databases were searched to identify studies comparing LAA anatomical measurements and procedural outcomes across imaging modalities for the Watchman device implantation. RESULTS: Seven studies were included in the analysis (242 patients on TEE, and 232 on CT). The LAA orifice was larger when sized with CT compared to TEE (CT mean vs TEE SMD 0.30 mm, 95%CI 0.09-0.51 mm, P \u3c 0.01; and CT max vs TEE SMD 0.69 mm, 95%CI 0.51-0.87 mm, P \u3c 0.001). Additionally, CT, including CT-based 3-dimensional models, had higher odds of predicting correct device size compared to TEE (OR 1.64; 95%CI 1.05-2.56; P = 0.03). CT resulted in a lower fluoroscopy time vs TEE (SMD -0.78 min, 95% CI -1.39 to -0.18, P = 0.012). No significant differences were found in device clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: Compared to TEE, CT resulted in larger LAA orifice measurements, improved odds of predicting correct device size, and reduced fluoroscopy time in patients undergoing LAA occlusion with the Watchman device. There were no significant differences in other procedural outcomes