Sidharth Sharma

Clinical profile of patients having pulmonary tuberculosis and renal amyloidosis.

Objectives: This study was planned to define the clinical profile of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients having renal amyloidosis, to identify the factors responsible for development of amyloidosis, to detect the time period between onset of amyloidosis and PTB, and analyze clinical features of amyloidosis in PTB patients for early diagnosis and timely assessment. Materials and Methods: Patients of PTB having pedal edema, proteinuria, and grossly diseased kidneys on ultrasound abdomen were subjected to renal biopsy and appropriate biochemical investigations. Clinical profile of biopsy proven amyloidosis cases was analyzed. Results: There were 43 patients (32 males, 11 females, age range 20–65 years) having PTB with pedal edema, proteinuria, and renal medical disease on abdominal ultrasound where amyloidosis was confirmed by renal biopsy. The total duration of illness ranged from two months to seven years (mean 2.25 years) and was less than five years in 93% patients. All patients had significant proteinuria. Nephrotic syndrome was seen in 23, hypertension in 19, hypoalbuminemia in 33, hypercholesterolemia in 29, and deranged renal functions in 32 patients. Ninety percent patients had moderate to far advanced pulmonary lesions on chest radiography with smear positivity in 21 patients. Conclusions: Renal amyloidosis is an important complication of PTB and should be suspected clinically in patients presenting with a triad of pedal edema, proteinuria, and medical renal disease on ultrasound. Contrary to general belief, renal amyloidosis may occur in PTB patients having disease for relatively shorter duration, and even if adequately treated.

A case of pulmonary carcinoid tumor with concomitant tuberculosis

The simultaneous occurrence of pulmonary carcinoid tumor and tuberculosis is very rare. A case of pulmonary carcinoid tumor is described in a 35-year-old male patient who had concomitant ipsilateral pulmonary tuberculosis. The importance of dual pathological diagnosis in clinical practice is also emphasized.

Diphenylhydantoin (phenytoin)-induced chronic pulmonary disease.

Drug-induced respiratory diseases are difficult to diagnose and therefore usually not identified, probably underestimated and under-reported. We report a case of diphenylhydantoin/phenytoin-induced chronic pulmonary disease in a 62-year-old male patient presenting with progressive dyspnea, eosinophilia, and pulmonary abnormalities. The importance of drug history in clinical history-taking and early diagnosis of drug-induced respiratory diseases is emphasized so as to prevent permanent pulmonary damage.

Primary pulmonary adenoid cystic carcinoma diagnosed by transthoracic fine needle aspiration cytology

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon tumor that very rarely affects the lower respiratory tract and lung parenchyma. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of primary pulmonary ACC has been rarely described. We report here a 32 year-old female with peripheral ACC, diagnosed by percutaneous transthoracic FNAC. The cytological diagnosis was further confirmed by histological examination of the biopsy specimen.

Transfusion related acute lung injury

Sir, Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is an uncommon, probably underrecognized complication of transfusion of plasma-containing blood components, which is characterized by acute respiratory distress. It is a clinical diagnosis and may be diagnosed when acute lung injury (ALI) occurs during or within six hours of transfusion in a patient without pre-existing ALI, in the absence of temporally related alternative risk factors for ALI (e.g., sepsis, shock, cardiac failure, etc.).[1] This communication discusses a case of TRALI in a middle-aged woman. A 52-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of inoperable carcinoma of the uterine cervix, received whole blood transfusion, in view of severe anemia. Before blood transfusion, she was alert, oriented, with no cardiorespiratory abnormality on clinicoradiological evaluation. Her vital parameters were normal and total leukocyte count was 8700/mm3 with normal blood biochemistry. After receiving approximately 200 ml of blood for over two hours, she complained of breathlessness, which progressively increased over the next 20 minutes. On examination she was febrile, tachypneic (respiratory rate 32/minute), slightly cyanotic, with a pulse rate of 120/minute, blood pressure 90/60 mmHg, and SpO2 68%. The jugular venous pressure (JVP) was normal and chest auscultation revealed bilateral basal fine inspiratory crackles with normal breath sounds. Sinus tachycardia was noted on an electrocardiogram (ECG). An urgent X-ray chest showed bilateral patchy infiltrates in the mid- and lower zones with normal heart size, suggestive of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Echocardiography also ruled out cardiogenic dysfunction. Hematological investigations at this stage showed a total leukocyte count of 3200/mm3, with no evidence of any hemolytic process. In the absence of other mechanisms to explain ALI, a diagnosis of TRALI was made. The blood transfusion was stopped immediately and she was managed with oxygen therapy and intravenous fluids that resulted in a gradual improvement of dyspnea and oxygen saturation. She became completely chest asymptomatic after three days, with a normal chest X-ray. The reported incidence of TRALI in medical literature is one in 5000 transfusions and this may actually be much higher as TRALI is usually an underrecognized and underreported entity.[2] TRALI has been associated with antibodies to WBCs in transfused blood components. Less frequently, it has been associated with leukocyte antibodies in the transfusion recipient. It has also been linked to the infusion of biologically-active lipids in stored cellular blood components.[3] A mild form of TRALI can present with dyspnea and fever, while more severe forms can have severe respiratory distress that can quickly progress to respiratory failure. Other features include hypotension, frothy endotracheal secretions, and so on. Transient leucopenia, as noted in our patient, is occasionally observed and is believed to be due to the sequestration of leukocytes in pulmonary circulation. It is important to distinguish TRALI from volume overload, as the treatment of the two conditions is markedly different. Diuretics are contraindicated in TRALI and there is no role for steroids also. Severe forms of TRALI may require mechanical ventilation.[3] Suspected cases of TRALI should be reported to the blood bank, to permit evaluation and deferral of high-risk donors, especially multiparous females. TRALI can be best prevented by avoiding unnecessary blood-product transfusions in selected populations.

Massive haemothorax in asymptomatic pseudocyst pancreas.

The case of a 35-year old man who presented with massive left sided haemothorax as a complication of an asymtomatic pancreatic pseudocyst is descibed. The diagnosis was confirmed by very high amylase content of the pleural fluid. The complications of pancreatitis and pancreatic pseudocyst are also briefly discussed. Haemothorax represents an unusual pulmonary complication of pseudocyst pancreas and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pleural fluid collection in pancreatitis.