-
Clinical Case Reports Apr 2024Fanconi anemia with Mitomycin C sensitivity is a rare, complex hematological condition. Our case study emphasizes the significance of early diagnosis, appropriate...
KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE
Fanconi anemia with Mitomycin C sensitivity is a rare, complex hematological condition. Our case study emphasizes the significance of early diagnosis, appropriate genetic testing, and cautious use of chemotherapeutic agents.
ABSTRACT
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, congenital anomalies, and predisposition to cancer. Here, we present the case of a 6-year-old boy with a known diagnosis of Fanconi anemia who exhibited sensitivity to Mitomycin C. The patient had a history of recurrent blood transfusions due to anemia and was referred to our institution following worsening symptoms, including pallor, swelling in limbs, and respiratory distress. Physical examination revealed characteristic features of FA such as mesomelia, low-set ears, hyperpigmented macules, microcephaly, micropthalmos, and thumb hypoplasia. Imaging studies demonstrated bilateral radial hypoplasia and congenital agenesis of the left kidney. Laboratory investigations revealed pancytopenia, aberrant liver function tests, and elevated inflammatory markers. Importantly, the patient exhibited sensitivity to Mitomycin C, highlighting the necessity for caution in selecting chemotherapeutic agents in FA patients. This case underscores the importance of early recognition, comprehensive evaluation, and tailored management strategies of patients with Fanconi anemia to optimize outcomes and minimize complications.
PubMed: 38550724
DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8711 -
Cureus Feb 2024Infective endocarditis (IE) is a widespread condition marked by the infection of native or prosthetic heart valves, the endocardial surface, or an indwelling cardiac...
Infective endocarditis (IE) is a widespread condition marked by the infection of native or prosthetic heart valves, the endocardial surface, or an indwelling cardiac device. While native-valve IE is uncommon, patients with IE represent a diverse spectrum. Some respond well to treatment with few complications, while others face severe complications and an increased risk of mortality. Various factors contribute to this outcome, including delayed diagnosis, underlying health conditions like immunocompromised status or chronic diseases, and intravenous drug use. The most prevalent causes of IE are typically streptococci and staphylococci. IE attributed to species is an exceptionally rare phenomenon, especially in individuals lacking conventional risk factors. This report presents a distinctive case involving endocarditis in a 63-year-old female with a medical history encompassing intracranial aneurysm, hypothyroidism, and alcoholic cirrhosis. The patient's initial symptoms included shortness of breath, neck pain, and generalized weakness. Despite an initial focus on mild flu-like symptoms and a suspected urinary tract infection, subsequent evaluation unveiled pancytopenia and positive blood cultures for , culminating in the diagnosis of mitral valve endocarditis. This intricate clinical scenario, replete with numerous complications, underscores the significance of considering unusual pathogens in atypical presentations of IE. It prompts further exploration into the underlying mechanisms contributing to such infrequent occurrences.
PubMed: 38544627
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54970 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe endemic disease with a fatal outcome if left untreated. The symptoms of patients are diverse and atypical. Against the background...
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe endemic disease with a fatal outcome if left untreated. The symptoms of patients are diverse and atypical. Against the background of anemia and pancytopenia, the condition of the patients gradually worsens with marked cachexia. Through sharing our experience, we aim to draw attention to this deadly disease. Clinical and laboratory data for 58 patients with VL treated over a forty-five-year period are presented. The diagnosis was established within a duration of 1 to 28 months of illness. Continuous fever (38-42 °C), splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, severe anemia (decreased hemoglobin to lowest values of 31 g/L), leucopenia (lowest values of leucocytes et 0.5 g/L), and thrombocytopenia (reduced thrombocyte count to 29 g/L) were observed. The diagnosis was made on the basis of microscopic evidence of amastigote forms in bone marrow smears and serological tests. The patients were treated with Glucantime for 17 to 21 days. Relapses were observed in seven patients (12.1%) and fatal outcome was observed in two patients (3.5%) during treatment, who developed acute respiratory and cardiovascular failure. In Bulgaria, Visceral leishmaniasis is primarily endemic in the southern regions and should be suspected not only in patients who have returned from tropical and subtropical countries, but also in those who have not traveled abroad. The challenges associated with VL stem from delayed diagnosis of patients, as this disease remains unrecognized by physicians.
PubMed: 38535548
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13030205 -
Oxford Medical Case Reports Mar 2024We treated a 78-year-old Japanese man with gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The patient received three courses of chemotherapy and involved-field local radiation...
We treated a 78-year-old Japanese man with gastric diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The patient received three courses of chemotherapy and involved-field local radiation therapy to the stomach. Three years after chemotherapy, the patient become sick with anorexia and pancytopenia. He was cachexic, however, levels of vitamin B12, folate, zinc, and copper were normal. His bone marrow revealed focal eosinophilic deposit characterized by mixture of vivid atrophic fatty cells, which was pathologically diagnosed as gelatinous bone marrow. The patient's gelatinous marrow was characterized by CD68-stained vivid atrophic fatty tissue. We found that this finding is a possible alternative marker for gelatinous marrow.
PubMed: 38532751
DOI: 10.1093/omcr/omae013 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2024Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease commonly characterized by histiocyte infiltration in multiple organs, such as the liver,...
BACKGROUND
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease commonly characterized by histiocyte infiltration in multiple organs, such as the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, and central nervous system. The clinical features of HLH include fever, splenomegaly, cytopenia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypofibrinogenemia, and elevated blood ferritin levels. HLH is categorized as either primary or secondary. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines may occasionally trigger secondary HLH, which is related to hyperinflammatory syndrome.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 58-year-old woman, previously diagnosed with Graves' disease, presented with cognitive decline 2 weeks after receiving the first dose of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. Brain MRI revealed a hyperintense lesion on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images in the bilateral subcortical white matter and right periventricular area. Vaccination-associated acute disseminated encephalomyelitis was suspected and methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) were administered. From the 5th day of IVIg administration, the patient developed fever and pancytopenia. In the findings of bone marrow biopsy, hemophagocytosis was not observed; however, six of the eight diagnostic criteria for HLH-2004 were met, raising the possibility of HLH. Although there was no definitive method to confirm causality, considering the temporal sequence, suspicion arose regarding vaccine-induced HLH. Splenectomy was considered for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes; however, the patient died on the 28th day of hospitalization owing to multiple organ failure.
CONCLUSION
To date, 23 cases of COVID-19 vaccine-related HLH have been reported. Additionally, HLH in COVID-19 patients has been reported in various case reports. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of central nervous system involvement in HLH related to any type of COVID-19 vaccine. This case suggests that even when there are no systemic symptoms after COVID-19 vaccination, HLH should be considered as a differential diagnosis if brain lesions are suggestive of CNS demyelinating disease.
PubMed: 38529033
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1363072 -
South African Medical Journal =... Dec 2023A 45-year-old female presented with unprovoked recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), in unusual sites, and pancytopenia, posing a complex diagnostic challenge. Work-up...
A 45-year-old female presented with unprovoked recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), in unusual sites, and pancytopenia, posing a complex diagnostic challenge. Work-up for inherited thrombophilia, antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) and paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria were unremarkable. Investigations revealed autoimmune thyroid disease, and a mixed iron/vitamin B12 deficiency due to pernicious anaemia and resultant atrophic gastritis. Hyperhomocysteinaemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency was identified as a potential contributor to her recurrent VTE. This case highlights the unusual initial presentation of autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 3B (APS-3B) with recurrent thromboembolism, and emphasises the importance of considering hyperhomocysteinaemia in unprovoked and atypical VTE cases.
Topics: Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Venous Thromboembolism; Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune; South Africa; Venous Thrombosis; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency
PubMed: 38525624
DOI: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i1.1477 -
Case Reports in Rheumatology 2024Methotrexate is a first-line disease modifying antirheumatic drug used for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Bone marrow suppression is a common adverse reaction...
Methotrexate is a first-line disease modifying antirheumatic drug used for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Bone marrow suppression is a common adverse reaction of methotrexate following its long-term use. However, low dose methotrexate is rarely associated with life-threatening bone marrow suppression. This case represents an atypical presentation of acute bone marrow suppression shortly after initiating treatment with low-dose methotrexate. A 76-year-old male patient presented with oral ulcers, poor oral intake, and acute kidney injury within 3 weeks of initiating 15 mg weekly of methotrexate for seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. Complete blood count was suggestive of pancytopenia with hemoglobin of 10.8 g/dL, total white cell count 3.36 (1000/uL) (absolute neutrophil count 490 micro/L), platelets 19,000, serum albumin 3.1 g/dL, ESR elevated at 83 mm/hr, CRP elevated at 86.6 mg/L, and ferritin mildly elevated at 625 ng/mL. Peripheral blood smear showed signs of bone marrow suppression but no signs of hemolysis or inflammation. Serum methotrexate levels were minimally detectable at 0.05 umol/L. Methotrexate was held, within 48 hours of admission; his WBC dropped to 1.48, Hgb 9.9, and platelets 15,000. ANC reached a nadir of 220. He was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics, high-dose folic acid, fluconazole for oral thrush, and intravenous bicarbonate and leucovorin supplementation, dosed at PO 20 mg daily. On day 7, his blood count showed improvement along with improvement in his symptoms. The patient was discharged home on day 8 of hospitalization and upon one month follow-up in rheumatology clinic, his complete blood count had normalized. This case highlights multiple risk factors that triggered pancytopenia in our elderly patient, resulting in acute methotrexate toxicity.
PubMed: 38523896
DOI: 10.1155/2024/7693602 -
Revista Do Instituto de Medicina... 2024Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is the primary therapeutic option for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP). Gastrointestinal symptoms and cutaneous rash are...
Myelotoxicity and kidney dysfunction related to the use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for the treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: a case report of severe adverse events with a common drug.
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is the primary therapeutic option for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP). Gastrointestinal symptoms and cutaneous rash are common side effects, with hyperkalemia being uncommon in patients without kidney dysfunction, and myelotoxicity being even rarer. We present the case of a male patient with hypertension and a recent diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, undergoing rituximab treatment for two months. He was admitted to the intensive care unit due to dyspnea, tachypnea, and pleuritic pain, requiring mechanical ventilation. Chest computed tomography showed bilateral and multilobed ground-glass opacities, compromising more than 80% of the lung parenchyma. Pulmonary tuberculosis and COVID-19 were ruled out. An angiotomography and Doppler ultrasound revealed an extensive pulmonary thrombus and deep venous thrombosis. Empiric treatment with TMP-SMX for PCP was initiated, but within four days, the patient experienced metabolic acidosis and severe hyperkalemia, necessitating hemodialysis. He also presented with progressive pancytopenia and critical levels of leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. The hypothesis of TMP-SMX-induced myelotoxicity was suspected. Considering the unavailability of an alternative treatment, it was opted to continue TMP-SMX and initiate a granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor. However, the patient maintained medullary deterioration, becoming refractory to the transfusion of blood derivates. On the 17th day of treatment, a clinical decision was made to suspend TMP-SMX, leading to improvements within 48 hours in marrow and kidney functions, metabolic acidosis, and hyperkalemia. Despite all efforts, the patient died after 35 days of hospitalization due to hospital-acquired infections. This case highlights the importance of clinicians recognizing potential myelotoxicity with TMP-SMX and promptly discontinuing the drug if necessary.
Topics: Humans; Male; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis; Hyperkalemia; Pneumocystis carinii; Acidosis; Kidney; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 38511807
DOI: 10.1590/S1678-9946202466018 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024The study aims to report a rare case of a novel homozygous variant in the LRBA gene, originating from uniparental disomy of paternal origin. This case contributes new...
OBJECTIVE
The study aims to report a rare case of a novel homozygous variant in the LRBA gene, originating from uniparental disomy of paternal origin. This case contributes new clinical data to the LRBA gene variant database.
METHODS
The study details the case of a 2-year-old child diagnosed in May 2023 at our center with a homozygous LRBA gene variant. Detailed clinical data of the patient were collected, including whole-exome sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with parental genetic verification.
RESULTS
The child presented with recurrent respiratory infections and chronic neutropenia, progressing to pancytopenia. Imaging showed splenomegaly and enlarged lymph nodes in the axillary and abdominal regions. Peripheral blood lymphocyte count revealed reduced B cells and NK cells. Elevated cytokine levels of IFN-α and IFN-r were observed. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a nonsense homozygous variant in the LRBA gene, specifically c.2584C>T (p.Gln862Ter). The father exhibited a heterozygous variant at this locus, while no variant was found in the mother. Sample analysis indicated characteristics of uniparental disomy. According to the guidelines of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), this variant is preliminarily classified as "Likely pathogenic". Currently, there are no reports in academic literature regarding this specific variant site.
CONCLUSION
LRBA gene variants can lead to a rare inborn error of immunity disease. The c.2584C>T (p.Gln862Ter) variant in exon 22 of the LRBA gene is a newly identified pathogenic variant, and the homozygous variant caused by uniparental disomy is exceedingly rare. This case represents the second global report of an LRBA gene function loss due to uniparental disomy abnormalities.
Topics: Humans; Child, Preschool; Uniparental Disomy; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Homozygote; Phenotype; Biomarkers; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
PubMed: 38504982
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1351076 -
Cureus Feb 2024Multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) is a poorly understood, heterogeneous lymphoproliferative disorder with benign hyperplastic lymph nodes and systemic inflammatory...
Multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) is a poorly understood, heterogeneous lymphoproliferative disorder with benign hyperplastic lymph nodes and systemic inflammatory symptoms. Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) may be associated with MCD, whether or not the patient is infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A 74-year-old man presented with anaemia, thrombocytopenia and bilateral axillary adenomegaly of unknown origin. The patient was admitted to the hospital two years ago with clinical signs of weight loss, asthenia, anorexia and a maculopapular rash on the trunk and back. Blood analysis showed pancytopenia (haemoglobin 7.7 g/dL, leucocytes 2.55 x 10/L and platelets 41 x 10/L), elevated acute phase reactants (such as C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ferritin and fibrinogen), hypoalbuminemia and hypergammaglobulinemia, and HIV serology was negative. Thoracic, abdominal and pelvic axial tomography showed generalised lymphadenopathy. The bone marrow biopsy showed only reactive changes, and the histology of an excisional biopsy of the adenopathy was consistent with the plasmablastic variant of MCD associated with HHV-8. The HHV-8 viral load was 3.8 x 10 copies/mL (4.5 log). He was started on prednisolone 60 mg/day and rituximab. He had a poor response to therapy, despite a reduction in the HHV-8 viral load, with clinical deterioration, transfusion-dependent anaemia and progression to multi-organ dysfunction leading to death three weeks after starting treatment. Our patient had a fulminant course of MCD despite treatment with rituximab. Further studies are needed to validate the different treatment modalities and to better understand the prognosis of this disease.
PubMed: 38500919
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54350