AdDRESSing the Causes of Rash
Conclusion: DRESS syndrome is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition with an estimated mortality rate of 10 percent. Suspicion must be high because it may present as a spectrum of nonspecific clinical and laboratory findings.Tags: rash, tox cave, DRESS, DRESS syndrome, RegiSCAR, hepatitis, myocarditis, myositisPublished: 8/7/2014 2:50:00 PM (Source: The Tox Cave)
Source: The Tox Cave - August 7, 2014 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs
AdDRESSing the Causes of Rash
Conclusion: DRESS syndrome is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition with an estimated mortality rate of 10 percent. Suspicion must be high because it may present as a spectrum of nonspecific clinical and laboratory findings.Tags: rash, tox cave, DRESS, DRESS syndrome, RegiSCAR, hepatitis, myocarditis, myositisPublished: 8/7/2014 2:50:00 PM (Source: The Tox Cave)
Source: The Tox Cave - August 7, 2014 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs
Did chemotherapy change your body?
A week or so ago, I had asked a doctor about change in your body due to chemotherapy. A friend and I had the same discussion yesterday. Does chemotherapy change a person's body in more ways than we think?I am talking about food and medications to be specific.Before chemotherapy, I enjoyed all kinds of seafood - preferably cold ocean water seafood to be precise. Shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters, scallops, cod, haddock, hake, salmon, calamari (octopus), and more. I never turned it down. Now I hate shrimp. I won't eat them. I can't stand them.More importantly are medical allergies. Before chemo, I was told I was allergic to am...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - July 26, 2014 Category: Cancer Tags: allergens changes chemotherapy reactions Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 64-year-old man with knee osteoarthritis
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 64-year-old man is evaluated for a 2-year history of knee osteoarthritis. He has bilateral knee pain that worsens with walking. He has tried topical therapies, physical therapy, and acetaminophen, none of which has provided relief. The patient also has peripheral vascular disease, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Medications are hydrochlorothiazide, pravastatin, and a daily aspirin.
On physical examination, temperature is 37.0 °C (98.6 °F), blood pressure is 116/76 mm Hg, pulse rate is 60/min, and respirati...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - July 12, 2014 Category: Journals (General) Authors: mksap Tags: Meds Rheumatology Source Type: blogs
RA meningitis as stroke mimic
Bourgeois P et al. Rheumatoid arthritis presenting with stroke like episodes. Neurology 2014; 82: 1564-5. 70 yo male presented with series of TIA like events over ten days consisting of right leg more than arm weakness. He had poorly controlled RA. MRI was negative for brain parenchyma but there was enhancement of meninges and pachymeningitis. Meningeal biopsy was positive and patient was successfully treated by Solumedrol 1 gram per day followed by 1 mg/kg/day prednisone, tapered over months with no recurrence. Other reported presentations of RA meningiti...
Source: neurologyminutiae - May 17, 2014 Category: Neurologists Source Type: blogs
Uveomeningeal syndromes: ABRA (Amyloid beta related angiitis )
This reported case had uveomeningeal findings clinically and on MRI. Diagnosis by biopsy aND MAY BE AUTOIMMUNE AND RESPOND TO IMMUNOTHERAPY IN THIS CASE PREDNISONE 60/ DAY AND CELLCEPT 1500 BID RESULTED IN IMPROVEMENTSEPARATE ARTICLENeurology 2013; 81: 1596-1603ABRA characteristics of patients: Authors from Mayo compared 78 patients, 40 with CAA (no inflammation) and 28 with granulomatous vasculitis (ABRA) , 10 with CAA related inflammation, and 118 matched patients with PCNSV with AB seen over 25 years. ABRA patients were older, had more altered cognition, seizures and spells, gado positive l...
Source: neurologyminutiae - April 4, 2014 Category: Neurologists Source Type: blogs
Alcohol - A Blessing and A Curse
I did it *again*! I think it's been less than a year since last time. We went to a really nice dinner with four other couples that are Mark's friends from work, and I was having a BLAST! Everyone was talking, in a great mood, laughing, it was just awesome. Plus - I'm not around people very often and I'm an over extravert, so being around people energizes me, opposed to introverts who need to rest after socialization.But here is the problem. I have practically zero tolerance to alcohol. I can drink light beer or perhaps two glasses of wine, and that is where I should stop. I'm ...
Source: bipolar.and.me - March 11, 2014 Category: Mental Illness Source Type: blogs
Simple Enough Goals You Would Think
I just got over being sick, or at least am much better. Stupid asthma and bronchitis! My doctor put me on prednisone, a steroid. All the side effects he said I would have, it turned out to be completely opposite. He said I would feel cranked up, but I felt extremely weak. Not cranky like he said, but a bit more aggressive than normal. And these weird hot flash sensations. Not looking forward to menopause, that was uncomfortable!My mood seems to be better. I took myself down from 80mg of Latuda to 40 because I was wondering if that had increased my appetite so drastically. I have probably gained 15-20 pounds now and really,...
Source: bipolar.and.me - March 7, 2014 Category: Mental Illness Source Type: blogs
Healthcare Update Satellite — 02-13-2014
More medical news from around the web on my other blog at DrWhiteCoat.com.
No more “putting it on my account.” Due to cuts in payments from Medicare and Medicaid and expenses for treating uninsured patients, Hutchinson Hospital in Kansas will require payment for emergency department services, radiology, and outpatient surgery services before services are rendered.
Emergency department patients will still get screened, but apparently won’t receive non-emergency treatment if a partial payment isn’t made.
Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center has implemented the same type of system – along wit...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - February 13, 2014 Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: WhiteCoat Tags: Healthcare Update Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 70-year-old man with night sweats, weight loss, and cough
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 70-year-old man is evaluated for a 3-month history of night sweats, weight loss, and increasing cough. He is a retired miner, and his medical history is significant for a diagnosis of pulmonary silicosis made 15 years ago based on exposure history and characteristic chest radiographic findings. He is a lifelong nonsmoker.
On physical examination, temperature is 37.9 °C (100.2 °F), blood pressure is 120/65 mm Hg, pulse rate is 84/min, and respiration rate is 22/min. Pulmonary examination reveals diffuse inspi...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - December 21, 2013 Category: Family Physicians Tags: Conditions Infectious disease Pulmonology Source Type: blogs
ASH 2013 - Maintenance Matters
This study confirms again that they are correct - Rd thoroughly trounces MPT.
For those of us seniors with access to Revlimid, though, this study clearly demonstrates the advantage of Revlimid maintenance after initial therapy. It studied 1,623 newly-diagnosed myeloma patients over age 65 or ineligible for transplant, in three study arms: (A) Rd until disease progression; (B) Rd for 72 weeks or progression; and (C) MPT for 72 weeks or progression.
Some results for patients on continuous Rd versus those on 72-week Rd:
Median progression-free survival: 26 months versus 21 months.
Four-year overall survival: 59% ver...
Source: Myeloma Hope - December 11, 2013 Category: Cancer Source Type: blogs
Precision Oncology: Interview with Presage Biosciences Founder Dr. James Olson
As the costs of sequencing and drug testing continue to be driven down, we’ll increasingly see technologies that take into account differences between people and even within people. The hope is that this will lead to ultra-personalized medicine. One of the most anticipated use cases is in oncology because there is even a level of heterogeneity within the same solid tumor, leading to drug ineffectiveness or even resistance. Presage Biosciences is one company that hopes to pioneer this personalized and data-driven approach, which they call ” precision oncology.” We had the opportunity to interview its fou...
Source: Medgadget - December 3, 2013 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Shiv Gaglani Tags: Medgadget Exclusive Oncology Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 56-year-old woman with Sjögren syndrome
A 56-year-old woman is evaluated during a follow-up visit for a 6-year history of Sjögren syndrome treated with low-dose hydroxychloroquine and cyclosporine eyedrops. She has had two episodes of cutaneous vasculitis, which resolved with corticosteroids.
On physical examination, temperature is 36.4 °C (97.6 °F), blood pressure is 116/64 mm Hg, pulse rate is 72/min, and respiration rate is 18/min. Oral mucous membranes are dry. There is a new firm, left parotid gland enlargement without tenderness or warmth, reported by the patient to be progressive over several months, with asymmetry of the parotid glands.
Laboratory stu...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - October 5, 2013 Category: Family Physicians Tags: Conditions Cancer Rheumatology Source Type: blogs
Medical Mispronunciations and Misspelled Words: The Definitive List.
Hearing medical mispronunciations and seeing misspelled words are an under appreciated joy of working in healthcare. Physicians often forget just how alien the language of medicine is to people who don't live it everyday. The best part about being a physician is not helping people recover from critical illness. The best part is not about listening and understanding with compassion and empathy. Nope, the best part about being a physician is hearing patients and other healthcare providers butcher the language of medicine and experiencing great entertainment in the process. Doctors c...
Source: The Happy Hospitalist - October 2, 2013 Category: Internists and Doctors of Medicine Authors: Tamer Mahrous Source Type: blogs
What RA does
As I approach my one year anniversary of being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia (because I didn't have enough ailments prior to then), I can reflect back. Although my mother has had RA for more than 20 years and I thought I was fairly educated on the subject, its different when you are the one living with the disease. To be fair, I will say I had long since moved out of my parent's house when my mother was diagnosed so I was exposed to less of the day to day issues. For many of those years, I was busy with a career which involved lots of travel and pressures. But now that it is affecting me, I find I ha...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - September 3, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: fibromyalgia side effects medical treatment rheumatoid arthritis Source Type: blogs
