תוצאת חיפוש

Q Fever Endocarditis and Bicuspid Aortic Valve

Ora Shovman, Jacob George, Yehuda Shoenfeld

Medial Dept. B and Autoimmune Disease Research Unit, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer and Sackler of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

Q fever is caused by the rickettsia Coxiella burnetti, an obligate intracellular bacterium acquired by inhalation of infected dust from subclinically infected animals. Q fever may be acute or chronic; the chronic form mostly presents as endocarditis. Immunocompromised states and underlying heart disease are the most important risk factors. Usually the symptoms of Q fever endocarditis are nonspecific and diagnosis is often established very late. New criteria for diagnosis include a single blood culture positive for Coxiella burnetti, positive Q fever serology and characteristic echocardiographic studies. We describe a 49-year-old man with bicuspid aortic valve admitted with fever, weight loss and a new heart murmur. The diagnosis of Q fever endocarditis was established by positive Q fever serology, and an echocardiogram showing vegetations and valvular dysfunction. This case suggests that Q fever endocarditis should be considered in patients with "sterile" endocarditis.

Effect of Chlorocresol VS Caffeine on Muscle Contracture in Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptible Patients

R. Ben-Abraham, R.M. Krivosic-Horber, G. Haudcoeur, A. Perel, P.J. Adnet

Dept. of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University; and Dept. d'Anesthesie-Reanimation Chirurgicale, Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Hospitaliere, et Service des Urgence, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Lille Cedex, France

The phenotype of susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia (MHS); can only be detected reliably by the in vitro caffeine-halothane contracture test (CHCT). Enhanced sensitivity of the calcium-induced calcium release mechanism is responsible for the exaggerated contracture response of skeletal muscle fibers from MHS patients to halothane and caffeine. Chlorocresol was demonstrated to be a potent activator of Ca++release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. This effect is probably mediated through action on a ryanodine sensitive Ca++ release channel known to be more sensitive in MH. We studied the effect of chloroscresol on the mechanical contracture response of skeletal muscle from patients presenting for the in vitro CHCT. Chlorocresol induces contracture response in a concentration 1/200 of that of caffeine in muscle strips from MH patients. By adding chlorocresol to the protocol of the CHCT, there is clearer discrimination between the responses of MH patients and normal subjects can be achieved. 

Hyponatremia due to Prolonged Excessive Ingestion of Water

I. Shavit, J. Diment, S. Ravid, N. Shehadeh

Dept. of Pediatrics A, Rambam Medical Center and Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa

We report a 1.5-year-old boy admitted for restlessness and constipation. He was found to have hyponatremia caused by voluntary drinking of excessive amounts of water. Although unusual in children, intoxication by oral water is a recognized clinical syndrome in infants, 3-6 months old, fed with dilute formula. Water intoxication in older children is rare. The diagnosis was established by the water deprivation test.

Effect of the Yom Kippur Fast on Parturition

A. Wiser, E. Maymon, M. Mazor, I. Shoham-Vardi, T. Silberstein, A. Wiznitzer, M. Katz

Depts. of Obstetrics and Gynecology and of Epidemiology, Soroka Medical Center, and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba

Food-withdrawal has been proposed as a possible mechanism for initiating the onset of labor in animals and humans. The hypothesis was based upon the reported increase in deliveries of infants during the Yom Kippur fast. We studied the effect of the fast on full term deliveries of Jewish women, with non-fasting Bedouin women as controls (1988-1995, 1,313 Jewish and 1,091 Bedouin deliveries). To determine the effect of Yom Kippur itself, delivery rates on Sukkot and Yom Kippur were compared in both groups. The mean delivery rate in the Jewish population was significantly higher during Yom Kippur and the day after, than during the 7 days before Yom Kippur (15.1±5.1 and 14.6±4.7 vs 10.7±3.5, p<0.04 and p<0.01, respectively). There was an increase in delivery rate during the 6 hours before the end of the fast. In the Bedouin women there were no changes in delivery rate during any of these periods. There were no significant differences in the rates of deliveries during the Sukkot festival between Jewish and Bedouin women. We conclude that fasting is associated with a significant increase in the rate of deliveries at term.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Suspected Femoral Neck Fractures

M. Kligman, M. Roffman

Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa

Painful hip as a result of injury, with or without a history of trauma, is a common reason for referring elderly patients to the emergency room. The diagnosis of femoral neck fracture requires the combination of a physical examination, X-rays, and in problematic cases, a bone scan. However, even this combination does not always provide a diagnosis. We present 50 patients with painful hip who complained of limp and reduced hip joint motion, but had no evidence of fracture, either on X-ray or bone scan. After conservative treatment, 5 patients with no history of trauma underwent hemiarthroplasty of the hip for displaced subcapital fracture. In addition, we present a case of subcapital fracture which was diagnosed only by MRI, in whom both X-rays and bone scan were considered normal.

Ischemic Hepatitis in Congestive Heart Failure after an Episode of Hypotension

Ora Shovman, Jacob George, Yehuda Shoenfeld

Dept. of Medicine B and Autoimmune Disease Clinic Research Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

Ischemic hepatitis can occur as an acute episode in advanced congestive heart failure (CHF). The mechanism is massive necrosis of the central lobules resulting from acute hypoxia when low cardiac output further reduces oxygen supply, aggravating underlying congestion due to poor venous outflow. We describe a 70-year-old woman with congestive heart failure for 7 years who was admitted with jaundice, vomiting, abdominal pain and oliguria after an episode of hypotension. The diagnosis of ischemic hepatitis was established by a documented episode of severe hypotension, followed by elevation of serum transaminases, a rise in serum bilirubin and LDH levels, prolonged prothrombin time and acute renal failure. Other causes of acute hepatitis, such as a virus or drugs were excluded, and improved liver and renal function followed hemodynamic stabilization. We conclude that ischemic hepatitis should be considered whenever acute hepatitis follows a recent episode of systemic hypotension, especially in the context of concomitant CHF.

Diverticular Disease of the Appendix

R. Greenberg, Shmuel Avital, Hanoch Kashtan, Yehuda Skornik

Dept. of Surgery A, Tel Aviv Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University

The incidence of appendiceal diverticulosis in pathologic specimens is 0.004-2.1%. Diverticular disease of the appendix is classified as congenital (true) or acquired (false). The clinical presentation differs from that of acute appendicitis. The average age is older, the pain is often intermittent, and while localized in the right lower abdominal quadrant, is of longer duration. No further treatment besides appendectomy is needed. Since a high rate of perforations, peritonitis and lower gastrointestinal bleeding have been reported as complications, it is recommended that in those with an incidental finding of diverticula of the appendix during surgery, that appendectomy be performed. It is not recommended to perform prophylactic appendectomy when diverticula of the appendix are found on barium enema.