Internal medicine
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Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder of the vasculature, characterized by epistaxis, telangiectasia and arteriovenous malformations in multiple organs. We herein report a 49-year-old woman with a history of early-onset myocardial infarction and intracranial aneurysms, in whom we incidentally detected multiple hepatic vascular abnormalities. ⋯ Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel pathogenic variant in SMAD4, a relatively rare causative gene for HHT. This case highlights the fact that HHT patients may present with asymptomatic liver lesions.
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A 79-year-old man was admitted with worsening cough, dyspnea, and increased ground-glass opacity on chest computed tomography (CT). He had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis given the absence of an identifiable cause of interstitial pneumonia, chest CT findings, and absence of lymphocytosis in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. ⋯ A re-evaluation with BAL showed lymphocytosis, and clinical improvement with antigen avoidance confirmed the diagnosis of fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP). A re-evaluation with BAL at disease deterioration after possible exposure to inciting antigen can facilitate a correct fHP diagnosis.
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A 56-year-old man presented with right-sided headache and ptosis accompanied by a facial skin rash. He was diagnosed with herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). Despite acyclovir and steroid therapy, the ocular symptoms worsened. ⋯ The effects of re-administration of intravenous acyclovir and steroid pulse therapy were limited. Laser irradiation of the stellate ganglion (SGL) and high-dose oral prednisolone therapy were effective. Our experience suggests the efficacy of early multimodal treatment, including SGL, in treating ocular symptoms associated with HZO.
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We herein report a case of ovarian cancer recurrence detected every time with symptoms of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome. A 46-year-old woman who had a history of ovarian cancer 9 months earlier developed joint pain along with pitting edema in both hands and was diagnosed with RS3PE syndrome. Two and four years after initial surgery for ovarian cancer, symptoms of RS3PE syndrome appeared, and a recurrent site was detected. With resection of the relapsed sites and increased maintenance dose of methylprednisolone, these symptoms improved within a month.
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A 70-year-old man was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein invasion and lung metastases, for which atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (ATZ/BEV) was initiated. After two months, computed tomography revealed tumor growth accompanied by ascites, right ventricular invasion, exacerbation of the lung metastases, and main portal vein invasion. ⋯ The tumor growth was considered to reflect pseudoprogression, which is difficult to distinguish from hyperprogression. We herein report a remarkable HCC case of pseudoprogression on ATZ/BEV.