We herein report the case of a 63-year-old man who presented with a 3-month history of a cutaneous nodular lesion of his jaw, low grade fever, lethargy and progressive cognitive impairment. He had a 30-year history of multiple sclerosis and had been treated with fingolimod for the previous 2 years. Laboratory data revealed CD4 lymphocytopenia and a tissue culture of the skin nodule was positive for Cryptococcus neoformans. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum cryptococcal antigen tests were also positive and we diagnosed him to have disseminated cryptococcosis. This dissemination might be associated with fingolimod-induced CD4 lymphocytopenia. The risk of an opportunistic infection should therefore be considered when encountering fingolimod-treated patients.
We diagnosed postpartum eclampsia with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in a 35-year-old woman who began experiencing headaches after delivery. Cervical MR angiography (MRA) suggested concomitant vertebral artery (VA) dissection. Antiplatelet therapy was not indicated. Each episode resolved spontaneously. The patient subsequently developed sudden onset of thunderclap headache. She experienced a tonicoclonic seizure in the outpatient clinic. On the basis of clinical course and MRI, we diagnosed postpartum eclampsia with PRES. Antiplatelet therapy was not indicated, as there were no signs of stroke. Antiepileptic and antihypertensive medicines were used for a short term to control seizure and blood pressure. Subsequent MRI 17 days after discharge showed resolution of the abnormal signals, but the intramural heme signals became apparent on the dissecting segment of VA. Subsequent MRI after 3 months indicated resolution of arterial dissection. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the third report of postpartum cervicocephalic artery dissection with PRES in the literature.
Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma, nasal type is a condition that has poor prognosis. Accurate diagnosis of lymphoma is made by pathological findings. We report a case of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type affecting the lung and liver and which was difficult to diagnose because of negative biopsy results from multiple sites. A 39-year-old man who had dry cough and fever for 1 month was referred to our hospital. He had pancytopenia and elevated serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and soluble interleukin-2 receptor. Hepatosplenomegaly and multiple lung nodules were found on imaging study. Specimens of bronchoscopic lung, percutaneous liver, bone marrow and random skin biopsies were all negative. Open lung biopsy was not definitive. Unfortunately, disease progression was rapid and fatal before results of pleural fluid cytology and a second liver biopsy showed extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type. This report focused on diagnostic planning for rapidly progressive extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type.
Postcardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) is a rare condition that is considered to have a trauma-induced autoimmune mechanism triggered by damage to pericardial and/or pleural tissues. We report a case of PCIS accompanied by systemic oedema after thymectomy. A 73-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for dyspnoea and oedema, 9 months after thymectomy. Evaluation revealed the presence of pericardial effusion, pleural effusion and systemic oedema. Differential diagnosis included constrictive pericarditis (secondary to tuberculosis), serositis caused by collagen disease and malignancy. Detailed investigations led to the diagnosis of PCIS, which was successfully treated with prednisolone. This report focuses on the diagnostic approach to PCIS. Since it took time to make a final diagnosis in our patient, we analysed several past case reports and series to determine the cause of the delay in diagnosis.
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