Internal medicine
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Review Case Reports
Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy with Solitary Immunoglobulin A Deposition: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature.
A 63-year-old man with an 8-year history of proteinuria was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, and a renal biopsy was performed. Light and electron microscopic analyses showed classic features of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). ⋯ The combined use of corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitor was noticeably effective in reducing proteinuria and improving edema in the current case. Two additional rare cases of IMN with solitary IgA deposition were reviewed, and long-term surveillance is still warranted to characterize its clinicopathological features and outcome.
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Case Reports
Usefulness of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Patient with Cardiac Involvement of Systemic Sclerosis.
A 72-year-old Japanese woman with systemic sclerosis was admitted to our hospital because of symptoms of heart failure. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging had shown that extensive myocardial fibrosis secondary to systemic sclerosis was the main cause of heart failure. ⋯ It was suggested that the progression of fibrosis to the AV node caused complete AV block. This case report has clinical implications in highlighting the fact that CMR is useful for not only evaluating the present pathophysiology but also predicting future adverse events in patients with systemic sclerosis.
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Case Reports
Nephrotic Syndrome and Atypical Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome in a Patient with Parkinson's Disease.
A 59-year-old man with advanced Parkinson's disease treated using levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) presented with leg edema, hypoalbuminemia, and proteinuria at 1 year after the treatment. He subsequently developed a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, and brain magnetic resonance imaging indicated vasogenic edema in the white matter of the left frontal subcortex. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is the first case report of NS and atypical PRES in patients with Parkinson's disease. Patients being treated with LCIG should be closely monitored for NS.
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An 89-year-old woman underwent examinations for leg edema. Blood tests indicated low nutrition and low pancreatic enzymes, and a stool examination indicated fatty stool. Computed tomography showed pleural effusion, ascites, and cystic lesions in the pancreatic head and mural nodules within the cysts. ⋯ The patient did not wish to undergo surgery. Therefore, diuretics, component nutrients, and pancreatic exocrine replacement therapy using pancrelipase were initiated. After starting treatment, her leg edema, pleural effusion, and ascites disappeared, and her activities of daily living improved markedly.
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Chylous ascites (CA) is the accumulation of fluid with a high triglyceride content in the peritoneal cavity. Only two cases in the literature have reported CA with hyperthyroidism. A 28-year-old previously healthy woman presented with gradual-onset abdominal swelling, exertional dyspnea, and diarrhea. ⋯ The ascitic fluid was milky with elevated triglyceride levels. Treatment with anti-thyroid therapy and diuretics improved all symptoms, and the free triiodothyronine (T3) level normalized after five days. Hyperthyroidism and heart failure should be considered as reversible causes of CA.