Culture-Negative Endocarditis Complicated by Cerebral Abscesses Due to Streptococcus gordonii: A Diagnostic Odyssey.

Endocarditis is a serious diagnostic entity that carries a high rate of morbidity and mortality, with complications including heart failure, septic embolization, brain abscesses, and stroke. Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) represents a particularly challenging clinical scenario where the causative organism is undetectable, either due to being difficult to culture or due to the empiric administration of antimicrobial agents. This entity generally results in delayed diagnosis and treatment of endocarditis, with a potential increase in the rate of complications.

A Case Report of Brugada Syndrome Associated With Physical Trauma.

Brugada syndrome is an autosomal dominant channelopathy that usually affects healthy young males without apparent structural heart disease. It is associated with a spectrum of variable and dynamic clinical manifestations, high risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Our patient demonstrated transient and dynamic EKG changes of both type 1 (coved) and type 2 (saddleback) ST elevation, suggestive of the Brugada pattern that was associated with physical chest trauma and stressful situations.

Effect of duration of sodium valproate therapy on bone mineral density and vitamin D levels.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of prolonged sodium valproate use on bone mineral density (BMD) and Vitamin D levels in pediatric epilepsy patients.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted at the Epilepsy Clinic of Niloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, India, 50 pediatric patients (aged 4-10 years) were recruited. The cohort comprised 30 epilepsy patients on sodium valproate treatment (cases) and 20 healthy siblings without epilepsy or valproate use (controls).