Management of massive pulmonary thromboembolism complicating diabetic ketoacidosis

Case report: Diabetic muscle infarction with diabetic ketoacidosis: A rare complication of diabetes

BACKGROUND

Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI), which is also referred to as diabetic myonecrosis, is a rare and long-term complication of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, while we found that acute diabetes decompensation, such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), could also stimulate the occurrence and development of DMI.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 23-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes presented with a 10-day history of nausea, vomiting, pain, and swelling of her left leg. Her urine ketone test was positive. The 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate and leukocyte counts and creatine kinase levels were elevated. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left thigh revealed extensive deep tissue oedema and an increase in the T2 signal in the involved muscles. Once the diagnosis of DMI was made, she was managed with rest, celecoxib, clopidogrel and aggressive insulin therapy. Three months after treatment, the patient reported complete resolution of symptoms.

CONCLUSION

DMI is a rare DM complication with a high recurrence rate, commonly presenting with chronic complications, while our case report shows that acute diabetes decompensation, such as DKA, can stimulate the occurrence and development of DMI. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment could shorten the recovery time.

Clinical profiles of hyperglycemic crises: A single-center retrospective study from Japan

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

The aim of the present study was to clarify the pathophysiologies of hyperglycemic crises in Japanese patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study of patients with hyperglycemic crises admitted to Kumamoto Medical Center, Kumamoto, Japan, between 2012 and 2019. Patients were classified as having diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), hyperglycemic hyperosmotic syndrome (HHS) or a mixed state of the two conditions (MIX), and laboratory data and levels of consciousness at hospital admission, as well as the rates of mortality and coagulation disorders, were compared.

RESULTS

The diagnostic criteria for hyperglycemic crisis were met in 144 cases, comprising 87 (60.4%), 38 (26.4%) and 19 (13.2%) cases of DKA, HHS and MIX, respectively. Type 1 diabetes was noted in 46.0 and 26.3% of patients in the DKA and MIX groups, respectively. Fibrin degradation product and D-dimer levels were significantly higher in the HHS group than in the DKA group (DKA and HHS groups: fibrin degradation product 7.94 ± 8.43 and 35.54 ± 51.80 μg/mL, respectively, P < 0.01; D-dimer 2.830 ± 2.745 and 14.846 ± 21.430 μg/mL, respectively, P < 0.01). Mortality rates were 5.7, 13.2 and 5.3% in the DKA, HHS and MIX groups, respectively. Seven patients (4.9%), four of whom were in the MIX group, had acute arterial occlusive diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

The low frequency of type 1 diabetes in DKA and MIX might be responsible for reduced insulin secretion in Japanese populations. Patients with hyperglycemic crises have increased coagulability, and acute arterial occlusion needs to be considered, particularly in MIX.

Cardiac arrest from acute myocardial infarction complicated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor-associated ketoacidosis

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) has been recognized as a potentially fatal complication related to sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Herein, we report a patient of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with an initial cardiac rhythm of ventricular fibrillation, who was subsequently diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction, complicated with SGLT2 inhibitor-associated euglycemic DKA. The patient survived and achieved nearly full functional recovery. This report calls for increased attention to SGLT2 inhibitors' fatal complications, as well as their proper use. <Learning objective: Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis could develop in patients using sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors. It is a potentially lethal complication and needs more attention. Physicians who prescribe this class of drugs should be aware of this complication. Meanwhile, research to elucidate patient characteristics that are more susceptible to this complication is urgently awaited.>.

Fatal Pulmonary Thromboembolism in Patients with Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Seven-Case Series and Review of the Literature

Diabetes mellitus is a well-recognized risk factor for arterial thrombosis, however its relationship to venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adults is still debated. We report here seven cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism in adults with diabetic ketoacidosis as the underlying cause. In four of seven cases, there was no prior diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and patients were newly diagnosed either upon presenting to the hospital in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or at the time of autopsy by the vitreous glucose concentration. None of the patients had family history, recent surgery, recent trauma, long distance travel, or other strong risk factors for VTE. Only two patients had a body mass index greater than 35 kg/m² and the same two cases had hospital stays that ranged from three to five days. We believe that DKA is a frequently unrecognized and sometimes overlooked risk factor for VTE, particularly in the forensic setting where routine toxicology and vitreous glucose analysis may not be standard practices. We encourage forensic pathologists, medical examiners, and coroners to consider the possibility of diabetic ketoacidosis as a risk factor, and in some cases, the underlying etiology for pulmonary thromboembolism. Additionally, we recommend vitreous glucose testing be performed if there are any signs of DKA or diabetes present, such as acetone in the blood.

Presumed paradoxical embolus in a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis

Thrombotic complications figure among the most frequent causes of mortality in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar state. We report the case of a 55-year-old woman presenting with DKA whereby a newly discovered patent foramen ovale was found due in part to the observation of bilateral deep vein thrombosis in legs, bilateral multiple pulmonary embolisms, and left subclavian acute artery thrombosis. Diabetes is known as a hypercoagulability state, and DKA is rising as a risk factor for vascular events. The importance of prophylactic anticoagulation should be emphasized in this setting.

Acute Multiple Arteriovenous Thromboses in a Patient with Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of the most serious acute complications of diabetes mellitus. An arterial thrombotic tendency from DKA is relatively common; however, the occurrence of acute multiple arteriovenous thromboses is rare. We herein report the case of a 49-year-old man with DKA complicated by multiple thromboses. After transfer to our emergency room with DKA, the patient developed sudden abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed near-complete occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, superior mesenteric vein, splenic artery, and right femoral artery. This occurrence highlights the need for considering the risk of thrombosis during the initial treatment for DKA.

Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in a child with diabetic ketoacidosis and protein s deficiency: a case report

INTRODUCTION

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is considered a hypercoagulable state, which may be exacerbated in patients with thrombophilia and lead to thrombosis.

CASE REPORT

We report on a 5.5-year-old boy, who was admitted to the pediatric department with DKA due to newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. Low-grade fever was reported for 6 days prior to admission and continued during DKA management, with negative septic screening. After DKA management, the child developed symptoms of iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A family history of protein S (PS) deficiency was revealed. He was initially treated intravenously with antibiotics and unfractionated heparin, which, after 2 days, was switched to low-molecular-weight heparin and vitamin K antagonist (VKA) due to poor anticoagulant response. On the 6th day of anticoagulant treatment, the patient presented with pulmonary embolism (PE); he continued with VKA and antibiotics, with significant clinical improvement. Prolonged fever was attributed to DVT and PE. The patient was discharged on oral anticoagulants and insulin.

CONCLUSION

We report on a child with congenital PS deficiency and DKA who developed DVT and PE despite anticoagulant treatment. It is important in children presenting with DKA to seek thoroughly for a medical history of thrombophilia and to start early thromboprophylaxis in such cases in order to prevent a possible thrombosis.

Systematic appraisal using immunohistochemistry of brain pathology in aged and demented subjects

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Abnormal processing of hyperphosphorylated tau (HPtau), amyloid-beta (Abeta) and alpha-synuclein (alphaS) proteins is considered as causative with regard to the clinical symptoms in age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

METHODS

In this retrospective, postmortem study applying immunohistochemical methodology, we assessed Alzheimer's-disease (AD)-related HPtau and Abeta pathology in 178 subjects with alphaS pathology.

RESULTS

These pathologies were frequently seen concomitantly, i.e. HPtau in 83% and Abeta in 62% of the alphaS-positive cases. Furthermore, the striatum was frequently involved, particularly in subjects with cognitive impairment (65%). The predictive value of widespread HPtau pathology, i.e. stages V-VI, with respect to cognitive impairment was high, since all 18 subjects presenting with this stage were demented. In contrast, the predictive value of widespread alphaS pathology, i.e. stages 5-6 according to Braak's Parkinson disease staging, was debatable. Fifty-three percent of the subjects with widespread alphaS pathology and no or mild AD-related HPtau pathology were cognitively unimpaired. It is noteworthy that striatal Abeta pathology was more often seen in demented subjects independently of HPtau and/or alphaS status.

CONCLUSION

The causative pathology in subjects with clinically diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies needs to be clarified in future studies.

Diabetic ketoacidosis complicated by axillary vein thrombosis

A case is presented of a 39-year-old male with Down's Syndrome, who also had type 1 diabetes of 22 years duration. He presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)-arterial blood pH 7.17, plasma bicarbonate 13.6mmol/l, plasma glucose 26.4mmol/l and urine heavily positive for ketones. He recovered with standard intravenous fluid and insulin treatment, but on the third day of admission developed a swollen left arm (which had not been used for intravenous cannulation). Doppler ultrasound confirmed a left axillary vein thrombosis. This slowly resolved with anticoagulation. Review of the available literature revealed that though arterial thrombosis is a common complication of DKA, venous thromboembolism is surprisingly rare, and there appear to be no previous specific reports of axillary vein thrombosis complicating DKA.

Acute brachial artery thrombosis: a rare complication of diabetic ketoacidosis

Diabetes mellitus is a worldwide disease that leads to several acute complications including diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia. In addition, diabetes causes many chronic complications that lead to debilitation and diminished quality of life. Diabetic ketoacidosis is one of the serious acute complications; however, it is usually preceded by infection, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or other dire events. Rarely does it accompany acute arterial thrombosis. Here, we report on a female patient who suffered from diabetic ketoacidosis combined with acute brachial artery thrombosis. After emergency treatment, including insulin therapy and surgical thrombectomy, the brachial artery was rescued and her prognosis was good.

Acute Aortoiliac and Femoral Artery Thrombosis Complicating Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Acute abdominal aortic occlusion is a devastating event with high associated rates of morbidity and mortality even with surgical intervention. This report describes a case of acute aortoiliac and femoral artery occlusion likely resulting from a hypercoagulable state caused by diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Vascular thrombosis is a little-known but potentially devastating complication of DKA that should be considered in every patient treated for DKA and should be added to the differential diagnoses when attempting to determine the etiology of a thrombosed vessel.