Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare pulmonary infection complicated by cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis in a woman with anorexia nervosa

Pulmonary complications of eating disorders: a literature review

The medical complications of eating disorders (EDs) have been described in the literature; however, the pulmonary system has historically been described as relatively spared from the ravages of eating disorders and thus neglected in the literature. Here we review the pulmonary complications that have been described in the literature, including the effects of starvation on the lungs of nutritionally deprived animals and patients with anorexia nervosa. There is clear evidence of weakness of respiratory muscles with starvation in both groups. However, there is discordance in the literature as to whether starvation results in "nutritional emphysema," and if so, by what mechanism and at what degree of malnutrition it develops. We also explore the growing concern for the risk of non-tuberculosis mycobacterium infection as well as risk for pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax in patients with restrictive EDs. From the limited literature, it is clear the lungs, in fact, are not spared and that further research is needed to fully understand the full extent of pulmonary complications instigated by EDs.

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis in patients with IL12B or IL12RB1 deficiency: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD) is an inborn error of immunity, resulting in susceptibility to weakly virulent mycobacteria and other intramacrophagic pathogens. Rheumatologic manifestations and vasculitis are considered rare manifestations in MSMD patients.

CASE PRESENTATION

In this study, we reported a 20-year-old female who was presented with recurrent lymphadenitis following bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination and a history of recurrent disseminated rash diagnosed as leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV). A slight reduction in lymphocyte subsets including CD4+, CD19+, and CD 16 + 56 T-cell count, as well as an elevation in immunoglobulins level (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE), were observed in the patient. Whole exome sequencing revealed a homozygous Indel-frameshift mutation, c.527_528delCT (p. S176Cfs*12), at the exon 5 of the IL12B gene. She experienced symptom resolution after treatment with anti-mycobacterial agents and subcutaneous IFN-γ. We conducted a manual literature search for MSMD patients reported with vasculitis in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. A total of 18 MSMD patients were found to be affected by a variety of vasculitis phenotypes mainly including LCV and Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) with often skin involvement. Patients were all involved with vasculitis at the median age of 6.8 (2.6-7.7) years, nearly 6.1 years after the initial presentations. Sixteen patients (88.9%) had IL12RB1 defects and concurrent Salmonella infection was reported in 15 (88.2%) patients.

CONCLUSION

The lack of IL-12 and IL-23 signaling/activity/function and salmonella infection may be triggering factors for the development of leukocytoclastic vasculitis. IL12B or IL12RB1 deficiency and salmonellosis should be considered in MSMD patients with vasculitis.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections in patients with eating disorders: plausible mechanistic links in a case series

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are widely distributed in the environment and are almost always acquired into the lungs by bioaerosol inhalation or aspiration of NTM-contaminated water, biofilms, and soil. NTM are increasingly recognized as causes of lung diseases in immunocompetent hosts, a not insignificant number of whom have a life-long or nearly life-long slender body habitus as well as thoracic cage abnormalities such as scoliosis and pectus excavatum. While several hypotheses have been offered to explain the purported increase in susceptibility to NTM lung disease in such individuals, the precise explanation remains unknown. We described three patients with eating disorders associated with severe malnutrition and either purging behaviors or other risks for aspiration who were diagnosed with NTM lung infections-the largest number of such patients to date in a single report. We discuss the clinical and experimental evidence that low body weight and chronic vomiting with attendant jeopardy for aspiration, as seen in patients with eating disorders, may represent risk factors for NTM lung disease. We also speculate the possibility of occult and undiagnosed eating disorders in some of the slender NTM lung disease patients with no known risk factors for the opportunistic infection other than their low body weight.

Near-fatal Anorexia Nervosa in a Middle-aged Woman

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious psychiatric disorder which typically occurs in young women; however, more and more cases in middle-aged women are being reported. The management of this complex disease requires a team approach, and full recovery occurs only in 50% of patients. Endocrine and metabolic complications are commonly observed, the latter of which may even be life-threatening, and require prompt and proper management. Infections, albeit reported, are not usually a major clinical problem in these patients. We herein report the case of a severely malnourished middle-aged woman with long-standing AN who was hospitalized with marked hypokalaemia (1.5 mEq/L) and rhabdomyolysis; during hospitalization she developed septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome, which required urgent admission to the intensive care unit. She underwent sedation and tracheal intubation for mechanical ventilation and was managed with combined therapies, which eventually led to a successful outcome. Life-threatening medical complications can occur not only in young women but in middle-aged women with AN as well and require a combined multidisciplinary approach.

Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-associated Vasculitis Superimposed on Infection-related Glomerulonephritis Secondary to Pulmonary Mycobacterium avium Complex Infection

A 73-year-old woman was diagnosed with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection and received no treatment. Disease progression was evident one year later with the development of myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) titers and systemic symptoms of a fever, polyarthritis, purpura, and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. Her symptoms did not improve with antibiotic treatment. A renal biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis with immunodeposition. According to these findings, she was diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) superimposed on infection-related glomerulonephritis (IRGN). Although there was a risk of aggravating an underlying infection, the combination therapy of corticosteroid and antibiotics improved AAV, IRGN, and even the lung radiological findings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of AAV and IRGN secondary to pulmonary MAC infection.