DISSEMINATED MULTIFOCAL MUCORMYCOSIS TREATED WITH A COMBINATION ANTIFUNGAL REGIMEN

Abstract

TOPIC: Critical Care TYPE: Medical Student/Resident Case Reports INTRODUCTION: Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is a fatal infection in poorly controlled diabetic patients with a history of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA blunts neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytosis and boosts serum iron, a mucor nutrient. It spreads to the brain via the hematogenous or contiguous spread [1]. We present a case of disseminated rhinocerebral mucormycosis in a diabetic patient on treatment with a combination antifungal regimen CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old poorly controlled diabetic with a hemoglobin A1c of 14.1% was admitted to an outside hospital for a week of chest pain, dyspnea, fever, and dry cough with recently diagnosed coronavirus disease 2019. She was treated for DKA. Four days later, she developed a new-onset right-sided vision loss, ptosis, areflexic pupil, eye abduction loss, and bloody nasal mucus drainage. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest was normal. CT angiogram (CTA) of the head and neck showed occlusion of the right ophthalmic artery and the superior ophthalmic vein. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed subacute right frontal infarct and chronic sinusitis. An oral exam disclosed a large hard palate necrotic area, which on biopsy culture grew Rhizopus oryzae (Figure A-B). She was transferred to our facility for further surgical debridement. On arrival, she was placed on high-dose liposomal amphotericin (LAmB) and euglycemic control. A cerebral angiogram revealed right internal carotid artery occlusion. MRI showed right cavernous sinus thrombosis, right ophthalmic artery mycotic aneurysm, paranasal sinusitis with right sphenoid fungal sinusitis extending into gyri rectus, and watershed infarcts in the right middle and anterior cerebral artery territories (Figure C1). Neurosurgery deferred surgical debridement. Later caspofungin and deferasirox were added adjunctively for two weeks with surgical debridements and a week of hyperbaric oxygen, after which MRI findings improved (Figure C2). She is clinically improving on LAmB and caspofungin DISCUSSION: Combination regimens are ineffective in neutropenic or cancer patients [2,3]. LAmB and deferasirox with or without an echinocandin/posaconazole have been effective in diabetics with intracranial lesions [2]. Combination regimen efficacy has been observed in diabetic mice and anecdotal case reports [3,4]. This is due to prompt recovery of neutrophil function and loss of glucose-regulated protein78 mediated Rhizopus angioinvasion once acidosis and hyperglycemia are corrected [5] CONCLUSIONS: To improve diabetic patient outcomes, a timely diagnosis, prompt reversal of DKA and hyperglycemia, along with surgical debridement and antifungal therapy, are of immense importance. Combination antifungal therapy may benefit cases where complete surgical debridement is not achievable REFERENCE #1: Mallis A, Mastronikolis SN, Naxakis SS, Papadas AT. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis: an update. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2010;14(11):987-92 DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Mohammed Alnijoumi, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Phillip Beck, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Paragkumar Patel, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by SACHIN PATIL, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Deepthi Rao, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Hariharan Regunath, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Blaine Winterton, source=Web Response