Irish journal of medical science
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Review Case Reports
Novel antibody associations in immune-mediated necrotising myopathy without inflammation.
The patient presenting with proximal muscle weakness, elevated serum creatinine kinase and myopathic electromyography and biopsy findings has a wide differential diagnosis that includes toxic, autoimmune, paraneoplastic and congenital myopathies. Autoimmune myopathies are important to identify because they may respond to immunosuppressive therapies. ⋯ The identification of myositis-specific antibodies is important because they are associated with distinct clinical phenotypes and may guide the physician in terms of treatment strategies.
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Review Case Reports
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) associated with liquorice consumption.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a medical emergency but prompt recognition, early institution of supportive care and identifying and removing potential triggers are associated with a good clinical outcome. We report an unusual case of PRES associated with liquorice consumption. ⋯ Liquorice contains a biologically active compound glycyrrhizic acid which inhibits 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Excessive liquorice consumption can cause mineralocorticoid excess and has been recently reported to cause PRES. We propose that in the absence of other triggers, frequent liquorice consumption precipitated the development of PRES in our patient and should be considered as a possible cause of this condition.
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Review Case Reports
Fatal primary cutaneous cryptococcosis: case report and review of published literature.
Cryptococcus is an opportunistic yeast with a worldwide distribution that primarily causes significant infections in immunocompromised individuals, generally by affecting the respiratory tract. But primary cutaneous cryptococcosis (PCC) without systemic infection is rare. We report a case of PCC in a patient with nephrotic syndrome. ⋯ Cryptococcus is crucial to be considered in the differential diagnosis of subcutaneous necrosis in any patient on immunosuppressive therapy.