Internal medicine
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Mesalazine-induced pericarditis is rare, and most cases occur at the time of treatment initiation. A 30-year-old man with ulcerative colitis who had experienced remission for 2 years with mesalazine 2,000 mg/day subsequently experienced relapse. ⋯ Chest radiography revealed marked cardiac dilation (cardiothoracic ratio, 63%) and echocardiography revealed pericardial effusion. Adverse events associated with mesalazine should be carefully monitored, not only at the time of treatment initiation but also after dose escalation.
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A 59-year-old woman presented with multiple mediastinal masses 6 months after post-thymectomy for type B2 thymoma. A diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma (SmCC) via a computed tomography-guided biopsy and fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography revealed no primary lesions outside the anterior mediastinum. ⋯ She was treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel to achieve complete response. This case highlights the importance of a re-biopsy to guide appropriate treatment in cases of rapid progression during the course of thymoma.
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Traditionally, leptomeningitis (LM) has been considered untreatable and terminal, but the development of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has significantly improved the prognosis of patients with EGFR mutations. However, non-LM lesions occasionally progress or recur, even when the LM is successfully controlled with EGFR-TKIs, and treatment of such cases remains unclear. We herein report a patient with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who was treated with an EGFR-TKI for LM and cytotoxic chemotherapy for EGFR-TKI-resistant pulmonary lesions. The patient survived for almost four years after the diagnosis of LM, suggesting that this treatment may be beneficial in advanced NSCLC with EGFR-TKI-sensitive LM and EGFR-TKI-resistant extracranial lesions.
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There are no clear strategies for non-insulin-dependent slowly progressive type 1 diabetes mellitus (SPIDDM). We herein report a 25-year-old man with SPIDDM in whom appropriate diet therapy and exercise improved the initial insulin secretion without medication. ⋯ These improvements were maintained over five years with continuous lifestyle interventions. Patients with non-insulin-dependent SPIDDM may recover and retain their insulin secretion through lifestyle interventions.
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A 74-year-old woman presented with sudden dyspnea 22 h after orthopedic surgery. Echocardiography revealed significant right ventricular dilatation, suggesting the development of acute pulmonary embolism. ⋯ After administration, her hemodynamic status improved promptly, and she soon showed normotension. The current case suggests the possibility of high-dose methylprednisolone for hemodynamic improvement in FES.