Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is an idiosyncratic severe cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR) characterized by a skin rash with systemic involvement (e.g., hematological, solid organ abnormalities). Various medications, most commonly anticonvulsants (carbamazepine, phenytoin), antibiotics (vancomycin, amoxicillin), and sulfa drugs (dapsone, sulfasalazine), have been implicated. We report a case of a 75-year-old man with pulmonary tuberculosis under anti-tubercular treatment (ATT Category 1 as per the national guidelines of Nepal) presenting with rash, fever, liver dysfunction, and eosinophilia, a combination of features suggestive of DRESS. According to the national tuberculosis (TB) survey of 2018-2019, over 117,000 people in Nepal were living with TB, including 69,000 newly diagnosed people. In third-world countries, such as Nepal, with a high TB prevalence, and the Southeast Asian region (with a huge percentage of the global burden of TB incidence), the risk of life-threatening adverse drug reactions during ATT is high. However, a good response is seen if it is recognized early and on stopping ATT and receiving a course of steroids and emollients.
Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is caused by a sudden increase in pressure in the pituitary region due to acute hemorrhage, infarction or necrosis. PA can also be caused by restricting blood supply to the nerve due to compression of the internal carotid artery. Acute third cranial nerve palsy (third CN) secondary to PA is a rare medical emergency caused by bleeding within a growing mass within the sella turcica. We presented two cases of PA with isolated third CN palsy treated with transsphenoidal pituitary decompression. PA is therefore an important differential diagnosis to consider in patients with isolated third nerve palsy. The prognosis for isolated third nerve palsy in PA appeared successful, with variable recovery from medical and surgical intervention.
Takayasu's arteritis is a chronic granulomatous large-vessel vasculitis condition that affects the large and medium-sized arteries, primarily the heart and its major vessels. The first symptoms and indicators of Takayasu arteritis differ because the afflicted arteries are heterogeneous. Furthermore, vascular lesions might be difficult to identify at first, further complicating diagnosis. Takayasu arteritis presenting as epileptic seizures is rare. Here, we discuss a 20-year-old female who presented with a brief period of unresponsiveness, followed by a tonic stiffening, limb jerks, a postictal period of fatigue, and temporal memory loss. During the acute phase of Takayasu arteritis, high-dose glucocorticoid therapy and immunosuppressive therapy were used to control inflammatory reactions. Her symptoms gradually improved, and she was discharged from the hospital after serial monitoring; her follow-up visits revealed no recurrence.
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