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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused a global health crisis. COVID-19 can have a multifaceted presentation. A wide range of complications and outcomes can emerge based on the severity and comorbidities of the infected patient.  We report a 42-year-old male with past medical history of CML on Dasatinib (in Major Molecular Response) who was diagnosed with COVID-19 and developed pancytopenia. Our case and review of available reports add to the limited literature available regarding COVID-19 in CML.

We present the case of a patient with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and hypoventilation syndrome who had hydrocephalus and acquired aqueduct stenosis. A link between these conditions in our patient is postulated. We discuss the mechanisms through which this might have occurred and the potential problems which might arise in applying non-invasive ventilation to a patient with hydrocephalus.

Gitelman syndrome (GS) is a hereditary renal tubulopathy caused by mutations in the SLC12A3 gene which encodes the thiazide-sensitive apical sodium-chloride cotransporter. GS is characterized by hypokalaemia, hypomagnesaemia and metabolic alkalosis. Treatment is based on potassium and magnesium replacement ad eternum. We present the case of a young man with palpitations and persistent hypokalaemia, who was diagnosed with GS. Genetic testing revealed 2 mutations in the gene SLC12A3 of combined heterozygosity, both considered pathological. Interestingly, 1 of these mutations was not yet described in the literature or in the reviewed databases. We also discuss the clinical approach and the specificities of managing this rare hereditary renal tubulopathy.

Ceftriaxone is a widely used antibiotic regarded as safe and effective. Drug-induced agranulocytosis is a life-threatening adverse reaction and few reports related to ceftriaxone were found in a review of the literature. The authors present a case of ceftriaxone-induced agranulocytosis, in which a brain abscess was diagnosed and ceftriaxone was commenced. Neutropenic fever occurred on the 29th day of therapy with a cumulative dose of 116 g ceftriaxone and a neutrophil nadir of 0.1×10⁹/l. Ceftriaxone was withheld, filgrastim was administered for 3 days and neutrophil normalization was achieved. Although rare, ceftriaxone-induced agranulocytosis may occur in patients on a long course of ceftriaxone therapy. Prompt recognition and drug withdrawal are required.

A 57-year-old woman with Crohn's disease (ulcerative proctitis) treated with mesalazine (5-ASA) developed worsening respiratory distress and cough. The lack of response to antibiotics and the results of bronchoalveolar lavage led to the diagnosis of mesalazine-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an infrequent entity. Symptoms improved after discontinuation of mesalazine and the administration of corticosteroid therapy. The authors discuss the diagnosis and management of this rare condition.

Haemoptysis is the expectoration of blood originating from the respiratory tract and occurs secondary to infection, malignancy, bronchiectasis or vascular disease. Its severity varies from minimal blood-streaked sputum to life-threatening haemorrhage. Therefore, prompt evaluation of the cause of the haemoptysis and its severity, and timely management are crucial. Although there is still no effective therapy for haemoptysis apart from treating the cause, inhaled tranexamic acid (TXA) might have a potential role in controlling non-massive haemoptysis. Here, we present a case of non-massive haemoptysis in a COPD patient with bronchiectasis on rivaroxaban for atrial fibrillation who responded to inhaled TXA following a failed trial of the oral formulation.

Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs) is an ever more common treatment modality in selected patients. Device erosion is a rare but often fatal complication of this therapy, which usually presents early in the post-procedure course. We describe the case of a patient presenting with chest pain and shock in whom early recognition and intervention prevented a negative outcome. Awareness of this potentially lethal complication is important as the population of patients undergoing percutaneous procedures for structural heart disease continues to grow.

Pyogenic ventriculitis is an infection of the cerebral ventricles usually associated with neurosurgery or head trauma. There are less than 10 reported cases of community-acquired pyogenic ventriculitis in adults. We present the case of a 71-year-old man with a medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hospitalized due to urosepsis caused by E. coli. Because he had a fluctuant level of consciousness, he underwent magnetic resonance imaging that diagnosed pyogenic ventriculitis. He was treated with ceftriaxone 2 g 12/12h for a total of 6 weeks and recovered without neurological deficits. Pyogenic ventriculitis is a clinical challenge due to its rarity, atypical presentation and variety of aetiological microorganisms.

Prostate cancer is the most frequent malignancy seen in males, with about 15% of cases showing metastatic disease at diagnosis, most commonly in bones (vertebrae, ribs, long bones). However, peritoneal metastasis with malignant ascites is extremely rare and may be overlooked by physicians. We report the case of a 77-year-old man presenting with symptoms of abdominal distension, nausea and weight loss. Abdominal ultrasound and computerised tomography confirmed ascites, peritoneal carcinomatosis and an enlarged prostate. Serum and ascitic prostatic-specific antigen were both elevated. Prostate biopsy identified a prostate adenocarcinoma, while biopsy of a peritoneal implant identified a prostate cancer metastasis, which responded well to hormonal therapy.

Calcium elevation, Renal dysfunction, Anaemia and Bone disease (CRAB criteria) are usually seen in multiple myeloma (MM). We report a unique case of lymphoma with all the features of CRAB criteria. We describe a 59-year-old patient who presented with confusion, severe back pain, fatigue and constipation and was found to have hypercalcaemia, kidney dysfunction, anaemia and multiple osteolytic lesions. Physical examination and imaging did not reveal any enlarged lymph nodes. Work-up for MM (serum protein electrophoresis, serum immunofixation, bone marrow biopsy) was negative. The patient was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma based on a pelvic mass biopsy. Hence, our case report suggests that CRAB criteria are not pathognomonic of MM and that in the appropriate clinical scenario, lymphoma is a possible diagnosis.

Introduction: Primary malignant mesothelioma of the liver is an extremely rare cancer, with only 16 cases reported in the literature so far. Diagnosis is challenging due to morphological similarity with common liver cancers and the extreme rarity of the condition.

Case description: We present the case of a 70-year-old man who was found to have an incidental liver mass which was diagnosed as primary malignant mesothelioma of the liver.

Conclusion: Our report describes the presentation of this rare liver malignancy and the challenges associated with diagnosis and treatment.

Despite a classical presentation of dermatomyositis, a patient with ovarian cancer had several uncommon features: (i) unexpected onset of dermatomyositis in spite of cancer remission, (ii) development of Evans’ syndrome and subcutaneous edema, and (iii) dysphagia. We discuss the occurrence of these clinical situations as well as the treatments.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with either a balloon-expandable or a self-expandable transcatheter heart valve (THV) is an approved therapy for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and high or intermediate surgical risk. Here we present a case of severe valve frame infolding of a CoreValve Evolut PRO^® self-expandable THV (Medtronic Inc.), which was restored to optimal geometry with balloon post-dilation.

Introduction: We tested the MyPredi^TM e-platform which is dedicated to the automated, intelligent detection of situations posing a risk of decompensation in geriatric patients.

Objective: The goal was to validate the technological choices, to consolidate the system and to test the robustness of the MyPredi^TM e-platform through daily use.

Results: The telemedicine solution took 3,552 measurements for a hospitalized patient during her stay, with an average of 237 measurements per day, and issued 32 alerts, with an average of 2 alerts per day. The main risk was heart failure which generated the most alerts (n=13). The platform had 100% sensitivity for all geriatric risks, and had very satisfactory positive and negative predictive values.

Conclusion: The present experiment validates the technological choices, the tools and the solutions developed.

The triad of diabetic ketoacidosis, acute pancreatitis and hypertriglyceridemia is a rare phenomenon, with mortality rates of up to 80%. A unique characteristic of the described case is the co-occurrence of non-immune haemolytic anaemia (NIHA) with the complex triad. It is suggested that this presentation is secondary to hyperlipidemia which leads to increased fragility of erythrocytes due to destabilization of red cell membranes.
Supportive treatment with intravenous insulin and blood transfusions is the cornerstone of treatment.