Chemical Pleurodesis in the Treatment of Recurrent Chylothorax Due to Renal Cell Carcinoma

Chylothorax is defined as a pleural effusion with triglyceride levels greater than 110 mg/dL and/or chylomicrons present in the pleural fluid. A chylothorax may be classified as traumatic or nontraumatic, with malignancy being the most common cause of atraumatic chylothoraces. Herein, we present the case of a 63-year-old woman with a past medical history of a mediastinal teratoma and stage III colon adenocarcinoma who presented to the emergency room with new-onset shortness of breath. A week prior to presentation, she was diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma after a retrocrural lymph node was biopsied. In the emergency department, a chest X-ray revealed a large right-sided pleural effusion, which was later diagnosed as a chylothorax based on pleural fluid analysis. Thoracentesis was performed and the patient was sent home. Three days later, the patient returned after experiencing palpitations and shortness of breath. The patient was diagnosed with recurrent chylothorax after a repeat chest X-ray and thoracentesis. The patient was ultimately treated with chemical pleurodesis. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the only reported chylothorax due to renal cell carcinoma metastasis reported in the literature. It describes the presentation and subsequent successful treatment of this rare condition with chemical pleurodesis.

An Unusual Presentation of Adult Intussusception

Intussusception is a condition characterized by the invagination of a proximal segment of the intestine into a distal segment. In adults, intussusception is commonly associated with a lead point. The most alarming lead point is an obstructing malignancy. Here, we present the case of a 57-year-old woman with ileocolic intussusception secondary to colonic adenocarcinoma. The patient presented to the emergency department following an incidental finding of bradycardia, with a heart rate of around 40 beats per minute. She presented with several weeks of cramping, right lower quadrant abdominal pain, lightheadedness, fatigue, and palpitations. A computed tomography scan revealed ileocolic intussusception. After the placement of a semi-permanent right subclavian pacer, the patient underwent a right hemicolectomy. Surgical findings were consistent with ileocolic intussusception suspicious of being initiated by a mass in the right cecum involving the appendiceal orifice and ileocecal valve that invaded through the muscularis propria into subserosal tissue. The mass was resected and sent to pathology, where it was classified as stage II colonic adenocarcinoma. This case highlights a nonspecific presentation of intussusception that was only identified due to incidental bradycardia.

A Comparison of the Adverse Effects and Utility of Different Monoclonal Antibodies for SARS-CoV-2: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction Multiple monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments have been developed to combat the growing number of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains. These treatments have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of hospitalization and death from SARS-CoV-2 infection with a low risk of adverse effects; however, more data is required to evaluate the comparative efficacy of mAbs. The primary objective of this study is to describe the hospitalization rate, length of stay (LOS), and mortality rate in SARS-CoV-2 patients treated with four different mAb treatments, including bamlanivimab plus etesevimab, casirivimab plus imdevimab, sotrovimab, and bebtelovimab. Methods A retrospective chart review and prospective phone surveys of SARS-CoV-2 patients treated with mAbs in a 400-bed tertiary, suburban medical center were conducted between June 2020 and April 2022. Eligibility criteria for mAbs included non-hospitalized patients over the age of 18 with less than 10 days of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms and no oxygen requirement on emergency department (ED) admission. Data were collected from the retrospective chart review and subjective patient surveys. A chi-squared test was used. Significance was assessed at p < 0.05. Results The study population included 3249 patients, with 1537 males and 1712 females and an average age of 62.48 ± 17.54 years. Five hundred forty-two patients received bamlanivimab plus etesevimab; 849 received bebtelovimab; 1577 received casirivimab plus imdevimab; and 281 received sotrovimab. The overall hospitalization rate was 1.0%, and the mortality rate was 0.2% following mAb treatment. The hospitalization rate was greatest among patients administered Sotrovimab (2.1%) and least among patients administered Bebtelovimab (0.1%) (p = 0.010). 2.4% of patients who were discharged from the ED after receiving one of the four mAbs returned within 30 days with SARS-CoV-2 symptoms. The average length of stay was 4.75 ± 4.56 days, with no significant differences between the mAbs. The provider-reported adverse event rate was 2.2%, with significant differences in adverse event rates between mAbs. Bamlanivimab-etesevimab was associated with the highest adverse event rate (4.6%), and sotrovimab was associated with the lowest adverse event rate (1.4%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study shows a low hospitalization and mortality rate following mAb infusion in patients with mild and moderate COVID-19. However, there were significant differences in hospitalization and mortality among patients receiving each of the four mAb treatments. There was a high degree of patient-reported symptom improvement, and adverse reactions were reported in only 2.2% of patients with no severe reactions. Multiple monoclonal antibody treatments are not effective as monotherapy; however, this study shows the potential benefits of including a mAb infusion as part of a SARS-CoV-2 treatment plan.

Inhalational Heroin Use and Leukoencephalopathy: A Case Report

Heroin-induced leukoencephalopathy (HLE) is a rare condition with acute and chronic outcomes ranging from mild neurological symptoms to severe neurological deficits and death. HLE is caused by cerebral white matter damage secondary to exposure to toxic agents such as chemotherapeutic drugs, environmental toxins, and drugs of abuse. Here, we present the case of a 20-year-old woman with a past medical history significant for bipolar disorder and opioid use who presented to the emergency department with ataxia, involuntary movements, and altered mental status secondary to inhalational heroin use. The patient presented with symptoms including agitation, tremors, speech difficulty, confusion, memory loss, and weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed diffuse cerebral atrophy and electroencephalography (EEG) was significant for cerebral dysfunction in the left hemisphere and diffuse encephalopathy. The patient was treated with intravenous (IV) steroids, vitamins, and fluids but failed to show improvement. She was subsequently discharged to hospice 17 days after admission. There are few reported cases of toxic leukoencephalopathy due to heroin inhalation. The patient's young age and presentation following one month of abstinence are particularly unique as she suffered an acute decompensation with severe, lasting neurological deficits. This case highlights a potential presentation of HLE and seeks to increase clinical recognition in patients with a recent history of substance use and unexplained neurological symptoms.