Qiang Nai

Convulsive Syncope Induced by Ventricular Arrhythmia Masquerading as Epileptic Seizures: Case Report and Literature Review

It is important but difficult to distinguish convulsive syncope from epileptic seizure in many patients. We report a case of a man who presented to emergency department after several witnessed seizure-like episodes. He had a previous medical history of systolic heart failure and automated implantable converter defibrillator (AICD) in situ. The differential diagnoses raised were epileptic seizures and convulsive syncope secondary to cardiac arrhythmia. Subsequent AICD interrogation revealed ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation (v-tach/fib). Since convulsive syncope and epileptic seizure share many similar clinical features, early diagnosis is critical for choosing the appropriate management and preventing sudden cardiac death in patients with presumed epileptic seizure.

How Early Can Pancreatic Cancer Be Recognized? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

The early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are often very vague. They may precede the diagnosis by years and go unrecognized. This makes pancreatic cancer one of the cancers with the worst survival rates. The progression rate of the early phase might be slower than previously thought. Here, we report a case where symptoms, including thromboembolism and new-onset diabetes mellitus, preceded the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer by 6 years or longer. The awareness of the early symptoms of pancreatic cancer is required for being vigilant and further diagnostic tests. A simple clinical model utilizing certain risk factors and symptoms for pancreatic cancer will help stratify the patients for further screening tests.

A rare case of orthostatic headache due to spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Headache is one of the most common clinical entities, and has a long list of differential diagnoses; however, one of the more uncommon causes of postural headache is spontaneous intracranial hypotension. It is important that clinicians be aware of this condition, as it is often overlooked, leading to invasive and unnecessary diagnostic testing. A good history and physical exam, paired with an MRI of the brain is sufficient to make the diagnosis of SIH, relieve the symptomology of the patient in a quick and efficient manner, and avoid costly invasive procedures.

Hyperhomocysteinemia Association With Transient Global Amnesia: A Rare Case Report.

Context: Transient global amnesia (TGA) is an intriguing condition that classically presents with an abrupt onset of temporary complete anterograde amnesia and partial retrograde amnesia. Most individuals who experience such a form of amnesia usually have only one attack but recurrent attacks are possible. Most attacks last for a few minutes or few hours and the ability to lay down new memories may also be affected but gradually improves, leaving only a dense amnestic gap for the duration of the episode. There has been some discussion about the etiology behind TGA; however, there has yet to be a consensus with regard to any significant association. Case Report: We report the case of a 65-year-old male presenting with a sudden onset of memory loss that is typical of TGA and who was found to have elevated homocysteine levels. There has only been one other case previously reported that discussed a possible correlation between hyperhomocysteinemia and TGA. It is yet to be determined if increased homocysteine level is a significant risk factor for attacks of TGA. Conclusion: Although it was first described more than half a century ago, it can still be misdiagnosed frequently as many physicians are not familiar with this condition. Furthermore, there are quite a few medical conditions that may cause sudden memory impairment, such as epilepsy and stroke, which make it difficult to distinguish them from this form of amnesia. The knowledge of these clinical identities is necessary for a high index of suspicion, which may lead to a meticulous medical evaluation as required for proper diagnosis.

A Rare Case of Pancreatic Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis remains a major public health concern, although it has reportedly shown a decline in prevalence both in the United States and abroad in recent years. The focus on diagnosing and treating tuberculosis is on pulmonary tuberculosis. Meanwhile, pancreatic tuberculosis remains exceedingly rare, accounting for less than 5% (Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf), 2014;2:154-157) of all tuberculosis cases in the developing world. A literature review shows that the head is primarily affected in pancreatic tuberculosis (Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf), 2014;2:154-157).

Multiple Myeloma and Atopic Eczema in an Adult

Multiple myeloma is the fourteenth cause of cancer-related death. The symptoms of myeloma are mostly nonspecific, and there is significant delay between the first symptoms and diagnosis of myeloma. Atopic eczema is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with dysregulation of the immune system. It generally develops in early childhood but can also occur in adults. Eczema is associated with a variety of hematological and solid malignancies, and possibly multiple myeloma. We report a patient with eczema that developed 5 years before the diagnosis of multiple myeloma but was mistaken for psoriasis.