Investigating mortality trends and disparities in tricuspid valve disorder: a U.S. nationwide study from 1999 to 2023.

Tricuspid valve disorder (TVD), a critical aspect of valvular heart disease (VHD), significantly impacts cardiovascular health, yet its mortality trends are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate demographic and geographic disparities in TVD-related mortality across the United States from 1999 to 2023. Using data from the CDC WONDER database, death certificates were analyzed to identify TVD-related fatalities, and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were calculated per 1,000,000 individuals.

Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis Mimicking Infective Endocarditis: A Case Report.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a rare systemic disease that causes necrotizing granulomatous inflammation of small- and medium-sized blood vessels. We present the case of a 46-year-old male with medical history significant for chronic sinusitis, prior history of drug abuse, and a recent tooth infection. He was suspected to have infective endocarditis, but further workup revealed diagnostic findings of granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Fat Pulmonary Embolism With Crazy-Paving Pattern Opacities and Pneumothorax: A Rare Complication of Liposuction.

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a rare multiorgan disease caused by microvascular obstruction by fat globules and free fatty acid-mediated endothelial injury leading to pro-inflammatory cytokine release. We present a rare case of a 54-year-old woman who underwent elective aesthetic liposuction and developed FES and pneumothorax within 12 hours of the procedure.

The Role of Vitamin D Supplementation Before Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Preventing Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Vitamin D Deficiency or Insufficiency: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This study aims to evaluate the role of preoperative vitamin D supplementation before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in vitamin D deficient or insufficient patients. Three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprising 448 subjects were selected after a detailed search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, and Embase in December 2022. Analysis was run using RevMan (version 5.

A Rare Case of Postpartum Panhypopituitarism Without Imaging Evidence of Sheehan's Syndrome.

We present a case of a 35-year-old female with type 2 diabetes mellitus who delivered a female neonate via normal vaginal delivery without any peripartum complication and minimal blood loss. The patient developed features of panhypopituitarism in the post-partum period with imaging with CT and MRI showing unremarkable pituitary gland. This is a rare presentation of post-partum panhypopituitarism with normal imaging studies.

COVID-19 and Bradyarrhythmias: A Case Report With Literature Review.

We report a case of a 51-year-old male with no past medical history who was admitted for acute hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19. During his hospitalization, the patient developed sinus bradycardia and frequent sinus pauses were observed on telemetry. No other cause of his bradyarrhythmia was identified except for his COVID-19 infection.

Post-Paracentesis Hemoperitoneum From a Bleeding Mesenteric Varix: A Case Report on a Rare Presentation.

We report a case of a 53-year-old male with decompensated liver cirrhosis secondary to alcohol abuse and hepatitis C infection who was admitted for hemorrhagic shock secondary to upper GI bleed. He underwent a therapeutic paracentesis 17 days after admission with the removal of 6 L of ascitic fluid. The patient became hemodynamically unstable after paracentesis and an acute drop in his hemoglobin was noted.

Sternoclavicular Joint Septic Arthritis and Anterior Mediastinal Mass in a Young Athlete: Possible Immune-modulatory Effect of Growth Hormone.

Septic arthritis of sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) is a rare disease, however, not uncommon in patients who abuse intravenous drugs. It can present with a wide range of manifestations that can pose diagnostic challenges, which can result in a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Over the last few decades, there is a surge in the use of nonprescription recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) by the young healthy population and athletes for its purported ergogenic effects.

Development of Central Nervous System Vasculitis in a Patient with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia: A Rare Presentation with Poor Prognosis.

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by the presence of monoclonal immunoglobulin M in serum. WM may present with neurologic complications involving the peripheral and central nervous systems (CNS) though CNS complications associated with WM are rare. We present a case of a 72-year-old male with an 18-month history of WM who experienced neurologic and constitutional symptoms indicative of WM progression over a three-week period while on rituximab maintenance therapy.

Nitrofurantoin-associated Acute Pulmonary Toxicity Mimicking Severe Sepsis with Significantly Elevated Procalcitonin.

Nitrofurantoin is a commonly used treatment for urinary tract infections with a risk for pulmonary toxicity. We report a case of a 48-year-old woman on a prophylactic regimen of nitrofurantoin who exhibited classic signs of bacterial sepsis including elevated procalcitonin (PCL) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels two days post-nephrolithotripsy. The microbial analysis did not reveal an infectious cause for the initial symptoms and, subsequently, the patient developed a dry cough, fever, chills, and transient hypoxemia requiring supplemental oxygen.

Mediastinal recurrence after curative resection of colon cancer: A case report and review of literature.

Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common and significant causes of cancer-related death. Metastasis to mediastinal lymph nodes and/or pleura without liver or lung involvement is an atypical pattern of colon cancer metastasis. A 70-year-old male underwent curative right side hemicolectomy and omentectomy for ascending colon cancer followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Complicating Dengue and Plasmodium vivax Coinfection.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare disorder. Dysfunction of cytotoxic T and natural killer (NK) cells causes uncontrolled activity of lymphocytes and histiocytes which leads to HLH. Infections, malignancies, and autoimmune disorders are associated with development of HLH.