Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been shown to have important effects on the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) via local paracrine influences on the vascular bed. We compared a cohort of asymptomatic patients with Type II Diabetes (DM) without known CAD to an age and gender matched group of asymptomatic patients without DM from the CTRAD study in which patients underwent a cardiac computed tomography angiogram (CTA), for early detection of CAD. Mean EAT volumes of 118.6 ± 43.0 and 70.0 ± 44.0 cm3 were found in the DM and non-DM groups respectively. When stratified by presence and severity of CAD, it was found that in the DM (p=0.003) and non-DM groups (p<0.001) there was a statistically significant increase in EAT volume as the patients were found to have increasingly severe CAD. After adjusting for age, race, gender, DM, hypertension, insulin use, BMI, and coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, the presence of >120 cm3 of EAT was found to be highly correlated with the presence of significant CAD (Adjusted Odds Ratio 4.47, 95% CI (1.35–14.82)). We found that not only is EAT volume an independent predictor of CAD, but that an increasing volume of EAT predicted increasing severity of CAD even after adjustment for CAC score.

Atypical antipsychotics are very widely used for various psychiatric ailments because of their less extrapyramidal side effects. Various reports of disturbances in glucose metabolism in the form of new onset diabetes mellitus, exacerbation of preexisting diabetes mellitus, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar nonketotic coma, acute pancreatitis, and increased adiposity have been reported. We present a case of new onset diabetic ketoacidosis in a patient without a history of glucose intolerance who was being treated with olanzapine for bipolar disorder. He presented in hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar, hyperketotic state with hyperkalemia, and peaked T waves on electrocardiogram. He was treated with vigorous intravenous hydration, insulin, and kaexylate which stabilized his metabolic profile. He was discontinued off of his olanzapine and started on resperidol for his bipolar disorder. Over the course of 6 months, the patient was discontinued off of his insulin and has been doing well on his follow-up appointments. This case highlights the necessity of close blood glucose monitoring of patient on atypical antipsychotic medications irrespective of their diabetic status.

Congenital lung agenesis is an extremely rare condition with an estimated prevalence of 34 in 1,000,000 live births. It is often associated with other congenital malformations of the skeletal, cardiovascular, urogenital, and gastrointestinal systems. We discuss the case of a 5-month-old who presented with increasing stridor over 1 month. Imaging revealed right lung agenesis, complete dextromalposition of heart, and compression of distal trachea. An intrathoracic saline tissue expander was placed which marked improved distal tracheal stenosis. In patients who are symptomatic it becomes imperative to perform surgeries to increase survival as was the case in this patient.

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