Penchala Mittadodla

Pulmonary Tuberculosis in a Patient with Cystic Fibrosis

Context: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection is rarely seen in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Case Report: We report a 24-year-old CF patient with fever, cough, hemoptysis, and weight loss of 1week duration prior to admission. Past sputum cultures grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The patient was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics based on previous culture data, but failed to improve. Chest radiograph and computed tomography (CT) chest revealed chronic collapse of the anterior subsegment of right upper lobe and multiple bilateral cavitary lesions which were worse compared to prior films. MTB was suspected and was confirmed by positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears and cultures. After receiving first-line antituberculous drugs, the patient′s condition markedly improved. Conclusion: MTB is an infrequent finding, but considered a potential pathogen in CF patients, and may lead to serious pulmonary complications if there is a delay in diagnosis and treatment.

The Impact of Vaccination on Influenza-Related Respiratory Failure and Mortality in Hospitalized Elderly Patients Over the 2013-2014 Season

Background : Seasonal Influenza (“the flu”) is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Yearly influenza vaccination is considered to be protective against illness and/or severity of illness and is recommended by CDC for all individuals > 6 months of age. However, the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in older individuals has come under question. Objectives : To describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients admitted to an academic tertiary care Veterans Administration hospital with influenza during the 2013-2014 influenza season and determine the impact, if any, of prior influenza vaccination upon patient outcomes. Methods : Medical electronic records were searched for all patients admitted to the Little Rock Veterans Administration Hospital with proven influenza during the 2013-2014 influenza season. Cohorts of vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients were then compared to determine the impact of prior influenza vaccination upon respiratory-failure and mortality. Results : Seventy patients met selection criteria. Mean age was 66 years. Sixty-four (91%) patients had at least one underlying co-morbid condition; these conditions included COPD, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and cancer. 60/70 (85%) tested positive for Influenza A, and 43 tested positive for H1N1. Oseltamivir was initiated in 55 (78%) patients. Forty-four percent of the patients had been vaccinated. When separated by vaccination status, those who had been vaccinated had higher rates of ICU admission, need for mechanical or non-invasive ventilation, and mortality. All but mortality reached statistical significance. Conclusion : The data suggest that there was no protective effect from prior vaccination in preventing hospital admission, respiratory failure, and mortality in this population of older men admitted to the hospital with influenza.

Tuberculosis reinfection in a pregnant cystic fibrosis patient

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a multisystem disease predominantly affecting the airways and predisposing patients to recurrent infections with various multidrug resistant organisms. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection is rarely seen, but considered a potential pathogen in CF patients. We report a 26 year old pregnant CF patient on Ivacaftor who was admitted with symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis. Three years prior to the current admission, she had completed four drug anti- MTB therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis and was considered cured as her sputum cultures after six months of treatment were negative. Genotype analysis revealed the current MTB strain to be different from the strain causing the previous infection. After receiving first line anti-tuberculous regimen for nine months, the patients condition markedly improved culminating in an uneventful pregnancy and delivery. To our knowledge, this is the only reported case of reinfection tuberculosis in a CF patient.

A rare cause of pulmonary edema in the postoperative period

With the increasing longevity of the population, the annual rates of hip arthroplasties performed have been steadily increasing over the past decade. Given the presence of medical comorbidities in the older patients, the peri-operative care of these individuals requires multi-specialty care, now more than ever. Hip arthroplasty is generally well tolerated, with early mortality after the procedure being <1%. Bone cement implantation syndrome (BCIS) is an entity that is occasionally encountered during or after the surgery. It is characterized by hypoxemia, hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest leading to death, in severe cases. We report a case of a middle-aged female who developed refractory hypotension and pulmonary edema while undergoing hemiarthroplasty for a pathological femoral neck fracture and experienced cardiac arrest in the immediate postoperative period. Critical care physicians must familiarize themselves with promptly diagnosing and managing BCIS.