Elie Gertner

Continuing warfarin therapy is superior to interrupting warfarin with or without bridging anticoagulation therapy in patients undergoing pacemaker and defibrillator implantation

BACKGROUND Current guidelines recommend stopping oral anticoagulation and starting bridging anticoagulation with intravenous heparin or subcutaneous enoxaparin when implanting a pacemaker or defibrillator in patients at moderate or high risk for thromboembolic events. A limited body of literature suggests that device surgery without cessation of oral anticoagulation may be feasible. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of device surgery in orally anticoagulated patients without interrupting warfarin therapy. METHODS We performed a retrospective study of 459 consecutive patients on chronic warfarin therapy who underwent device surgery from April 2004 to September 2008. Warfarin was continued in 222 patients during the perioperative period. Warfarin was temporarily held and bridging therapy administered in 123 patients. Warfarin was temporarily held without bridging therapy in 114 patients. RESULTS There were no significant differences with regard to age, sex, or risk factors for thromboembolism in the three groups. Patients who continued taking warfarin had a lower incidence of pocket hematoma (P = .004) and a shorter hospital stay (P <.0001) than did patients in the bridging group. Holding warfarin without bridging is associated with a higher incidence of transient ischemic attacks (P = .01). CONCLUSION Temporarily interrupting anticoagulation is associated with increased thromboembolic events, whereas cessation of warfarin with bridging anticoagulation is associated with a higher rate of pocket hematoma and a longer hospital stay. Continuing warfarin with a therapeutic international normalized ratio appears to be a safe and cost-effective approach when implanting a pacemaker or defibrillator in patients with moderate to high thromboembolic risk.

Safety of Arthrocentesis and Joint Injection in Patients Receiving Anticoagulation at Therapeutic Levels

BACKGROUND Arthrocentesis and joint injections are commonly performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications. Because of safety concerns, there is often reluctance to perform these procedures in patients who are receiving anticoagulation at therapeutic levels. This study was undertaken to determine the safety of arthrocentesis and joint injection performed by physicians from different disciplines in patients who are anticoagulated. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of 640 arthrocentesis and joint injection procedures performed in 514 anticoagulated patients between 2001 and 2009. We assessed the incidence of early and late clinically significant bleeding in or around a joint, infection, and procedure-related pain. We further compared the incidence of these complications in 456 procedures performed in patients with an international normalized ratio 2.0 or greater and 184 procedures performed in patients with an international normalized ratio less than 2.0. RESULTS Only 1 procedure (0.2%) resulted in early, significant, clinical bleeding in the fully anticoagulated group. There was no statistically significant difference in early and late complications between patients who had procedures performed with an international normalized ratio 2.0 or greater and those whose anticoagulation was adjusted to an international normalized ratio less than 2.0. CONCLUSION Arthrocentesis and joint injections in patients receiving chronic warfarin therapy with therapeutic international normalized ratio are safe procedures. There does not seem to be a need for reducing the level of anticoagulation before procedures in these patients.

Anakinra for the treatment of acute severe gout in critically ill patients

OBJECTIVES To report on the efficacy and safety of anakinra for treatment of acute gouty arthritis in medically complex, critically ill patients. METHODS Retrospective chart review of 13 critically ill hospitalized patients treated with anakinra for 20 episodes of acute gouty arthritis between 2009 and 2014 at a single health plan and institution (HealthPartners Medical Group and Regions Hospital) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Data was obtained on baseline characteristics, medical comorbidities, reason for hospitalization, prior gout treatment, reason for choosing anakinra over standard therapy, anakinra dosing, response to treatment, and adverse outcomes. RESULTS A total of 10 patients were in the Intensive Care Unit, 1 was in the Burn Unit for extensive 3rd degree burns, 1 was critically ill with a new diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, and 1 was critically ill in isolation with active disseminated multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Of these patients, 85% had active infections and 92% had renal insufficiency. All patients had a significant response to anakinra treatment: 50% (10/20 episodes) within 24h, an additional 40% (8/20 episodes) by 48h, and the remaining 10% (2/20 episodes) by 72h. Anakinra was well tolerated with only 1 case of leukopenia and 1 possible infectious complication. CONCLUSIONS Anakinra is a safe and efficacious treatment for acute gouty arthritis in medically complex, critically ill patients when standard treatment modalities cannot be used.

Rheumatic manifestations of scurvy: a report of three recent cases in a major urban center and a review.

OBJECTIVES To report 3 cases of scurvy seen in a large urban medical center over a 6-month period, referred for evaluation of rheumatologic symptoms and findings in the presence of elevated inflammatory markers. The relevant literature is reviewed and unusual manifestations highlighted. METHODS Descriptive case reports of 3 patients ultimately diagnosed with scurvy and a review of the relevant literature with an emphasis on rheumatologic manifestations (PubMed search, 1965 through August 2009). RESULTS Three patients presented with symptoms including fatigue, purpuric rash, synovitis with effusion, anemia, and markedly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels. One patient presented with severe pulmonary hypertension. Careful nutritional history revealed a diet deficient in vitamin C. Examination revealed hemarthrosis, skin findings characteristic of scurvy, and deficiency in vitamin C on laboratory analysis. Symptoms resolved with vitamin C supplementation. Characteristics and frequency of rheumatologic manifestations are reviewed. CONCLUSIONS While scurvy is usually described in poorer countries, individuals who have psychiatric disorders, or alcoholics with poor nutrition, it can occur even in otherwise normal populations in affluent countries. Such patients often present to rheumatologists with rheumatologic symptoms and awareness of the disease is necessary to make the proper diagnosis.

Guidelines for treatment of Susac syndrome – An update:

Susac syndrome is an immune-mediated, pauci-inflammatory, ischemia-producing, occlusive microvascular endotheliopathy/basement membranopathy that affects the brain, retina, and inner ear. Treatment of Susac syndrome is particularly challenging. The organs involved can easily become irreversibly damaged, and the window of opportunity to protect them is often short. Optimal outcome requires rapid and complete disease suppression. Adding to the challenge is the absence of objective biomarkers of disease activity and the great variability in presentation, timing and extent of peak severity, duration of peak severity, and natural disease course. There have been no randomized controlled trials or prospective treatment studies. We offer treatment guidelines based on cumulative clinical experience and a large cohort of patients followed longitudinally in a comprehensive database project. These guidelines state our preferences but do allow flexibility and discuss other options. The guidelines also serve as an initial step in the planning of prospective treatment studies, future consensus-based recommendations, and future randomized controlled trials.

A 45-year-old man with flank pain and inability to ejaculate

The patient developed left-sided flank pain in April 2010. He was evaluated in the emergency department when the pain had persisted for 3 weeks. He reported worsening of the pain in the evening and difficulty with ejaculation since the pain began: “I get a knot in my side,” then “I can’t ejaculate.” He also reported associated low back pain and increased pain with bending to his left. His general physical examination was unremarkable. Urine analysis demonstrated 30 mg/dl protein, 10 mg/dl ketones, 8 mg/dl urobilinogen (reference value 2.0), 8 red blood cells/ high-power field (hpf), 2 white blood cells/hpf, and mucous. He was prescribed ibuprofen for abdominal pain and was advised to follow up with his primary care provider. The pain persisted. He saw his primary provider in July with worsening epigastric and left-sided abdominal and flank pain. By this time, he had decreased appetite, early satiety, and weight loss of 22 pounds. His primary provider ordered a computed tomographic (CT) scan of his abdomen and pelvis, which demonstrated a rind of soft tissue in the retroperitoneum surrounding the aorta and inferior vena cava and wall thickening of the sigmoid colon and rectum. A biopsy of the mass was done by interventional radiology at another hospital. Since his pain was unrelieved by acetaminophen/hydrocodone, he was admitted to our hospital for further evaluation and pain control. He did not know the results of the biopsy. Medical History He had been relatively healthy prior to the onset of illness in April. Atheromatous calcification of the aorta with mild ectasia inferiorly measuring up to 2.3 cm in diameter was noted incidentally on a CT scan obtained to evaluate for ureteral calculi in September 2008. He had a remote history of gonorrhea and chlamydia infections, which were treated. He had been seen in the emergency department for right testicular pain following trauma at age 35 years and left testicular pain without clear etiology at ages 40 and 43 years. The first episode of left testicular pain was attributed to epididymitis. The second was attributed to suspected passage of a ureteral calculus.