Mitanshu Shah

Transient Psychotic Episode Induced by Helicobacter pylori Triple Therapy Treatment.

The term ‘antibiomania’ refers to manic episodes that occur after a patient starts taking antibiotics. We report the case of a 49-year-old male who developed acute psychosis secondary to initiation of triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication. Unlike with proton pump inhibitors, there have been several reported cases of central nervous system side effects and psychiatric consequences due to amoxicillin, however evidence points to clarithromycin as the likely culprit. On average onset of symptoms occurred within 1–5 days of initiating therapy. In all cases, symptoms resolved upon cessation of clarithromycin, mostly within 1–3 days. Unfortunately, the mechanism through which clarithromycin causes neurotoxicity remains unclear. Clinicians should be cognizant of psychiatric side effects secondary to clarithromycin, and discontinuation should be prompt for rapid recovery of mental status.

Blastocystis hominis and Endolimax nana Co-Infection Resulting in Chronic Diarrhea in an Immunocompetent Male.

Blastocystis hominis and Endolimax nana exist as two separate parasitic organisms; however co-infection with the two individual parasites has been well documented. Although often symptomatic in immunocompromised individuals, the pathogenicity of the organisms in immunocompetent subjects causing gastrointestinal symptoms has been debated, with studies revealing mixed results. Clinically, both B. hominis and E. nana infection may result in acute or chronic diarrhea, generalized abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, flatulence and anorexia. We report the case of a 24-year-old immunocompetent male presenting with chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain secondary to B. hominis and E. nana treated with metronidazole, resulting in symptom resolution and eradication of the organisms. Our case illustrates that clinicians should be cognizant of both B. hominis and E. nana infection as a cause of chronic diarrhea in an immunocompetent host. Such awareness will aid in a timely diagnosis and possible parasitic eradication with resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Inappropriate Use of Gastric Acid Suppression Therapy in Hospitalized Patients with Clostridium difficile—Associated Diarrhea: A Ten-Year Retrospective Analysis

Purpose. The incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) has steadily increased over the past decade. A multitude of factors for this rise in incidence of CDAD have been postulated, including the increased use of gastric acid suppression therapy (GAST). Despite the presence of practice guidelines for use of GAST, studies have demonstrated widespread inappropriate use of GAST in hospitalized patients. We performed a retrospective analysis of inpatients with CDAD, with special emphasis placed on determining the appropriateness of GAST. Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted at a multidisciplinary teaching hospital on inpatients with CDAD over a 10-year period. We assessed the use of GAST in the cases of CDAD. Data collection focused on the appropriate administration of GAST as defined by standard practice guidelines. Results. An inappropriate indication for GAST was not apparent in a majority (69.4%) of patients with CDAD. The inappropriate use of GAST was more prevalent in medical (86.1%) than on surgical services (13.9%) (P < 0.001). There were more cases (67.6%) of inappropriate use of GAST in noncritical care than in critical care areas (37.4%) (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Our study found that an inappropriate use of inpatient GAST in patients with CDAD was nearly 70 percent. Reduction of inappropriate use of GAST may be an additional approach to reduce the risk of CDAD and significantly decrease patient morbidity and healthcare costs.

Lower extremity cutaneous lesions as the initial presentation of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon.

Cutaneous metastases from colorectal cancers are rare and are usually present on the abdominal wall or previous surgical incision sites. Remote cutaneous lesions have been reported, however, often occur in the setting of widespread metastatic disease including other visceral secondaries. We present a case of lower extremity cutaneous metastases as the first sign of metastatic disease in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the colon. This case illustrates that new skin lesions may be the initial presentation of metastatic disease in a patient with a history of cancer.

A solid organising cryptogenic liver abscess and its association with a colonic tubullovillous adenoma

Cryptogenic liver abscess (CLA) is a well-known disease entity that has puzzled clinicians for centuries. With the advancement of diagnostic modalities, comes the decreasing incidence of liver abscess labelled as ‘cryptogenic’ in nature. Colonic diseases have been identified as a possible underlying condition found in patients with liver abscesses. Although rare, tubullovillous adenomas have been implicated as one of the colonic causes of a CLA. We present a case of a CLA in a 53-year-old man with a potentially associated tubullovillous adenoma found via colonoscopy.

Direct liver invasion from a gastric adenocarcinoma as an initial presentation of extranodal tumor spread.

Gastric cancer often carries a poor prognosis, with an estimated 740,000 deaths from the malignancy occurring yearly worldwide (Dicken et al., 2005). The mortality of disease is largely dependent on the extent of tumor spread, as gastric cancer has a predilection to metastasize to other visceral secondaries via hematogenous and lymphatic dissemination. Direct invasion of a gastric adenocarcinoma to adjacent organs secondary to gastric wall perforation does occur; however, it is often present in the setting of advanced disease. Rarely does direct tumor invasion to adjacent organs from a gastric adenocarcinoma present as the initial manifestation of extranodal tumor spread. We present a case of a 40-year-old male with direct tumor extension to the liver as an initial presentation of extranodal tumor spread from a gastric adenocarcinoma. Clinicians should be aware of such an occurrence, as treatment modalities in direct liver extension from a gastric adenocarcinoma vary and may be directed towards palliation rather than curative intent.

Toxic megacolon from fulminant Clostridium difficile infection induced by topical silver sulphadiazine

Pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon (TM) are well-known complications of Clostridium difficile infections. Systemic antibiotic is considered as the major risk factor for the development of C difficile colitis. However, topical antibiotics are rarely associated with the infection. As previously thought, the use of topical antibiotic is capable of systemic absorption in damaged and denuded skin; sufficient enough to suppress the normal bowel flora. Here, we present an unusual case of TM from C difficile infection induced by topical silver sulphadiazine in a 60-year-old man with immune-bullous pemphigus vulgaris. The diagnosis is further complicated by the absence of diarrhoea as the initial presentation. Despite adequate medical and surgical intervention, the patient had an unfavourable outcome.