Internal medicine
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A 74-year-old woman presented to our hospital with syncope after a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Upon admission, she passed out, and an 8 second sinus arrest was detected during telemetry monitoring. ⋯ The head-up tilt test revealed a vasodepressor reflex syncope. The need for permanent pacemakers in patients with syncope following COVID-19 therefore remains controversial.
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Objective The daily step count is associated with mortality in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, the factors associated with this phenomenon are not yet fully understood. We therefore clarified its association with clinical parameters. ⋯ The daily step count, ESMCSA, and 6MWD were lower in patients with sarcopenia than in those without sarcopenia. Conclusion A lower daily step count was associated with a smaller erector spinae muscle area and sarcopenia in patients with IPF. Further studies are warranted to confirm the importance of physical therapy for muscle strengthening in patients with IPF.
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Case Reports
Multiple Retroperitoneal Abscesses Caused by Citrobacter koseri are Associated with a Poor Prognosis: A Case Report.
Citrobacter koseri causes opportunistic infections in various organs. We herein report an 84-year-old man with diabetes mellitus who presented to our hospital with left hip pain and walking difficulty. ⋯ Despite daily cleaning of the wound and antimicrobial therapy (with surgical drainage), the patient developed repeated pneumonia and small bowel hemorrhaging caused by disseminated intravascular coagulation and died on day 65 of hospitalization. Overall, retroperitoneal abscesses caused by C. koseri are rare, and multiple abscesses may show a poor prognosis.
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Review Case Reports
Lethal Arrhythmia Induced by Severe Hypokalemia with Primary Aldosteronism: A Case Report and Literature Review.
A 26-year-old woman experienced sudden loss of consciousness with respiratory arrest while engaged in a heated conversation shortly after consuming a carbohydrate-rich meal; she was resuscitated immediately. Severe hypokalemia became evident and was deemed to have caused lethal arrhythmia. ⋯ Primary aldosteronism is frequently complicated by hypokalemia; however, hypokalemia-induced lethal arrhythmias are rare. Clinicians should recognize that primary aldosteronism can potentially cause sudden death in apparently healthy individuals; hence, an early diagnosis and proper treatment are critical.