Internal medicine
-
A 70-year-old man with diabetes was treated with a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. He developed vomiting and epigastric pain and was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Computed tomography (CT) revealed mediastinal emphysema. ⋯ DKA combined with mediastinal emphysema is known as Hamman syndrome. There have been no reports of Hamman syndrome in elderly patients with diabetes caused by SGLT2 inhibitors. His symptoms mimicked the course of Boerhaave syndrome, and such cases have a high risk of misdiagnosis.
-
A 47-year-old man who presented with scalp hair loss was transferred to our dialysis facility 3 months after hemodialysis initiation. He noticed systemic hair loss one month after the initiation of dialysis. ⋯ His hair loss was completely ameliorated for the next five months. We speculated that κ-opioid receptor activation by nalfurafine caused blood capillary regression around the hair follicles, leading to cessation of hair growth and subsequent hair fallout.
-
Among causes of liver failure, liver failure due to lymphocytic infiltration is rare. Unlike typical liver failure, some cases present with severe lactic acidosis and a poor prognosis. ⋯ We further discuss the characteristics of similar cases in the literature, suggesting that intrahepatic infiltration by hematological malignant cells should be considered as a differential diagnosis in the presence of severe lactic acidosis and liver failure. This study underscores the importance of early recognition and serves as a reference for future cases.
-
A 75-year-old woman visited to our hospital with liver dysfunction. The patient's liver function was normal. She had been treated with tocilizumab for rheumatoid arthritis for two years. ⋯ The cessation of tocilizumab and phlebotomy improved the liver function. We believe that tocilizumab induced iron accumulation. We should be aware of the possibility that tocilizumab induces iron overload in susceptible patients and monitor iron status in patients treated with tocilizumab.