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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We herein report a 52-year-old woman with anti-aquaporin 4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) who was successfully treated with tocilizumab, a humanized anti-human interleukin (IL)-6 receptor monoclonal antibody. This is the first report of a case of coexisting NMOSD and iMCD. IL-6 is involved in the pathogenesis of both NMOSD and iMCD, and tocilizumab is effective against both diseases. By treating the patient with tocilizumab, the lung lesions due to iMCD improved, and the neurological symptoms of NMOSD did not recur.
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A 50-year-old man presented to our hospital with a fever, edema, and a rash. The clinical diagnosis was renal dysfunction, nephrotic syndrome, and syphilis. The patient was treated with benzylpenicillin, and his symptoms improved. ⋯ Recently, neuron-derived neurotrophic factor (NDNF) was reported to be an antigen corresponding to syphilis-associated MN. In the present patient, immunofluorescence staining and immunoelectron microscopy revealed granular NDNF-positive findings within subepithelial deposits, suggesting the presence of NDNF-IgG immune complexes. Although the mechanism by which NDNF serves as a target antigen remains unclear, NDNF was found to colocalize within subepithelial immune complexes in syphilis-associated MN.
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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.
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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.