Complaints Of Dyspnea Research Articles

Candidiasis as Secondary Infection in Post COVID-19: A New Problem?

Introduction: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) can develop into post COVID-19 with one of its main attentions being secondary infection. Candidiasis as fungal pneumonia is one of secondary infection in post COVID-19. It is hard to diagnose and has high mortality. We present a case of candidiasis as fungal pneumonia in post COVID-19 patient.Case: A 47-year-old woman came to the emergency room with major complaints of dyspnoea and jaundice since her second day at home after being discharged from having COVID-19. She previously finished her COVID treatment and tested negative 2 times. She had severe sepsis and her sputum culture was positive for non-albicans Candida. She received anti-fungal treatment and her condition was getting better and her chest X-ray showed less infiltrates than before.Discussion: Fungal respiratory infections generate concern in the expanding population of immunosuppressed patients like COVID-19 patient. The mortality from COVID-19 associated candidiasis is high (19-40%) as one of fungal infection. Marked immune dysregulation in COVID-19 makes system immune becomes impaired, it also harms lung epithelium. In this patient, diagnosis and treatment were challenging.Conclusion: Post COVID-19 is a condition that should be given more attention, especially when it develops secondary infection. Candidiasis as fungal pneumonia is hard to diagnose and can quickly become severe sepsis and has high mortality. Health practitioners should recognize it as soon as possible and give the best treatment for the patient.

Late Breaking Abstracts

Late Breaking Abstracts

Prognostic Value of Cardiac Troponin and Risk Assessment in Pediatric Supraventricular Tachycardia.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) elevation is common in an acute episode of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). However, there is limited evidence regarding the prognostic value of cTnI and the predictors of SVT recurrence in pediatric patients. We screened the electronic medical records of all pediatric patients presenting to the emergency departments at five Taiwanese hospitals from 1 January 2010 to 31 May 2021. Our primary outcomes were the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) during the follow-up period and 30-day SVT recurrence. A total of 112 patients were included in our study. Of these, 29 (25.9%) patients had positive cTnI values. Patients with cTnI elevation had significantly more complaints of dyspnea (27.6% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.008) and gastrointestinal discomfort (24.1% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.006). There were significantly more intensive care unit admissions (41.4% vs. 16.9%, p = 0.007) among the cTnI-positive group. One MACE was found in the cTnI-negative group. For 30-day SVT recurrence, the cTnI-positive group had a higher recurrence rate, without a statistically significant difference (20.7% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.075). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed hypotension as an independent predictor of 30-day SVT recurrence (OR = 4.98; Cl 1.02–24.22; p = 0.047). Troponin had low value for predicting the outcomes of pediatric patients with SVT. The only significant predictor for recurrent SVT was initial hypotension.

Diagnostic and management problems of chylous effusion in a patient with newly-diagnosed tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Although TB most commonly affects the lungs, any organ or tissue can be involved. Extra-pulmonary forms of TB are commonly unrecognized or late diagnosed. Chylous effusion, i.e. chylothorax and chylous ascites, which is characterized by the presence of chyle in the pleural and peritoneal cavities, is an uncommon manifestation of extra-pulmonary TB. A 22-year-old male, referred to Dr. Soetomo Hospital with complaints of dyspnea, fever, and abdominal distension. Chest X-ray showed pleural effusion. Analysis of fluid obtained from thoracentesis and paracentesis showed chylothorax and chylous ascites. M. tuberculosis had been found in sputum smear examination. ADA (adenosine deaminase) test was performed on ascites fluid and a positive result was obtained. Chylous effusion in this patient were concluded to be related to TB. Patient was then treated with anti-TB drugs and somatostatin. Chylothorax and chylous ascites improved after treatment with somatostatin for 1 week. Administration of anti-TB drugs was planned to be continued for 9 months. The most common causes of non-traumatic chylous effusion in developing countries are infection of TB and filariasis. Chylous effusion is caused by obstruction or disruption of the lymphatic system. ADA test is a new biomedical method that begins to expand its use in body fluids to diagnose extra-pulmonary TB. Fasting, together with total parenteral nutrition, can decrease the lymph flow and balance metabolic impairment. Somatostatin has been used in the treatment of chylous effusion as it diminishes peristalsis and intestinal absorption of fats as well as decreases portal pressure.

The first experience of tracheal recanalization by tumor resection with Nd-YAG-laser

Actuality. Tracheal cancer is a rare disease which amounts up to 0.2% of the total number of cancers. Currently, there is an increase in the number of patients with impaired tracheal patency. Endoscopic procedures are most commonly used to restore and maintain the tracheal lumen. The key treatment for primary cancer is a surgical one; however, due to late diagnostics, the tumor is often inoperable. Chemotherapy for tracheal cancer is ineffective, and practically is not used. At present, endoscopic tracheal recanalization with laser vaporization is a method of choice in patients with inoperable tracheal tumors.Objective: to improve outcomes in patients with inoperable primary tracheal cancer using Nd-YAG laser either as the fi rst component of staged treatment strategy, or as the fi nal volume treatment.Methods. Patient K., 75 years old, was admitted to the hospital with complaints of dyspnea at rest, weakness and hemoptysis. As anamnesis showed, the patient had noticed a deterioration in her breathing during the last 6 months. CT scan revealed a volumetric formation (tumor) of the cervicothoracic trachea (8.0 cm above the bifurcation) with 90% stenosing in the lumen. When performing tracheobronchoscopy in the cervicothoracic trachea, a broad-based lumpy tumor, 5 cm long, stenosing the tracheal lumen by 2/3 was found on the posterior wall. Morphological examination of biopsy material revealed adenocystic carcinoma.Results. The performed endoscopic examination with neodymium YAG laser recanalization demonstrated the advantage of this technique in patients with inoperable tracheal tumors.Conclusion. Endoscopic recanalization of the trachea with neodymium YAG laser has been proven to be effective in patients with inoperable tracheal cancer. It improves their quality of life as well.

A Rare Case of an Ascending Aorta and Aortic Arch Aneurysm with an Aberrant Right Common Carotid Artery

Ascending aortic aneurysms are asymptomatic and are usually discovered as an incidental finding on chest imaging. However, larger aneurysms can present with symptoms resulting from compression of surrounding structures including the trachea, bronchi, and the esophagus which can result in hoarseness, cough chest pain or back pain. The presence of an aortic arch anomaly, specifically an aberrant right common carotid artery, in a background of an aortic arch aneurysm is extremely rare with a worldwide incidence of <1%. They are usually asymptomatic but can result to catastrophic life threatening events and pose significant challenges to surgical or endovascular treatment. This is a case of a 63-year old Filipino male who presented with a sudden onset of dull back pain radiating to the left anterior chest. Workup revealed an ascending and aortic arch aneurysm with an aberrant right common carotid artery arising directly from the transverse aorta. Surgical aortic arch debranching was done to repair the aberrant vessels prior to Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) wherein a custom-made Thoracic Valiant graft was deployed on the aneurysm. The patient was discharged on the 4th day after TEVAR without any complaints of dyspnea, back pain nor chest pain with no neurologic and visceral organ dysfunction. This case has emphasized that knowledge on the anatomy of the aortic arch is imperative in planning out thoracic surgery and endovascular interventions especially on rare anatomic anomalies such as seen in this case. Keywords aortic aneurysm, aberrant right common carotid artery, TEVAR

Safe Delivery of Surgical Care in Head and Neck Cancer Patients During COVID-19-an Audit of Pattern of Presentation and Treatment Strategies in an Oncology Centre in the Northern India.

Delay in treatment of head and neck cancer leads to stage migration and increased morbidity. Due to the COVID-19, surgical care has been severely affected. We continued our oncology services during the pandemic. We present here the pattern of presentation of head and neck cancer patients to the hospital and strategy to continue services. A retrospective audit of patients registered under Head and Neck Disease Management Group during lockdown, 23rd March to 31st May 2020, was done. Four categories were made new registrations, post-surgical patients, emergency department visits and follow-up presentation. Of the 693 patients assessed, a majority were with oral cavity cancer (80%). Seventy-eight percent of patients presented with stage IV disease. There were 382 new registrations, of which 68% were symptomatic. Of the 69 patients that underwent surgery, 17 patients were on adjuvant treatment. A total of 60 patients presented to emergency department during this period, maximum with complaints of dyspnoea (67%). One hundred eighty-nine patients were follow-up patients of which 43% were symptomatic. Among these, 12 patients were diagnosed with recurrence. Various administrative and clinical policies were formulated to continue cancer care during this time. Surgical services need not be halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following scientific rationale and treatment strategies, safe oncosurgical care can be delivered during pandemic.

Integrated Management of Interstitial Lung Disease Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis - A Case Report

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a broad term for a large group of disorders that leads to fibrosis of the lungs. A female of 58 years with ILD associated with rheumatoid arthritis was well managed by integrated treatment of Ayurveda and physiotherapy. This is shown in our case report where in the symptoms of the patient were relieved by more than 80% by the combined approach of treatment. The patient consulted for complaints of intermittent cough and exertional dyspnea for 1 month and pain and stiffness of joints for the last 3 years. This report emphasizes the importance of integrated management of ILD associated with RA by Ayurvedic therapies such as sadhyo-virechana (instant purgative therapy) vaitarana basti (special enema with revival property) and ayurvedic oral medications with physiotherapy procedures such as postural breathing exercise, postural drainage, and deep breathing exercise. Although the disease is not completely curable, integrated approach could provide convenient and a better way of treatment which relieved the symptoms and also improved the quality of life.

A rare acute pain transfusion reaction: A case report and review of literature

A 40-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department of our hospital with complaints of anasarca, mild dyspnea, orthopnea, on and off vomiting, and decreased urine output. A provisional diagnosis of chronic kidney disease was made and was planned for hemodialysis. In view of severe anemia,1 packed red blood cell (PRBC) was requested for the same and after pretransfusion testing, one unit of buffy-coat poor, nonleukofiltered, coombs cross-match compatible, fresh (

Chest tube telltale: A miraculous injury

A 35-years-old man with an underlying lymphoma presented with the complaint of progressive dyspnea. The left hemithorax was dull on percussion with a significant reduce air entry. Chest x-ray showed a total ‘white-out’ of the left hemithorax suggestive of pleural effusion. A medical officer inserted a left chest tube with the sharp trochar provided. After the puncture, he noticed a rapid flow of frank blood. Otherwise, patient’s vital sign was stable. An urgent CT showed the tip of the tube was a milimetres into the interventricular septum. Fortunately, the chest tube dislodged after the patient ambulated. He was monitored in the ICU and an ECHO was done which showed a normal heart function. He was referred to the interventional radiologist for pig-tail drainage. He was discharged the following week. Chest tube insertion using a sharp trochar should not be recommended as it is associated with high morbidity and mortality.

Investigation of perfusion defects by Q-SPECT/CT in patients with mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 and low clinical probability for pulmonary embolism.

ObjectivePulmonary embolism is a severe source of mortality and morbidity in patients with severe and critical coronavirus disease 2019. It is not yet clear whether the tendency to thrombosis is increased in the mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19. Our research aims to show the clinical benefit of Q-SPECT/CT in diagnosing PD in outpatients treated with mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 and to determine the frequency of perfusion defects in these patients having relatively lower risk.MethodsAll patients who underwent Q-SPECT/CT with suspicion of embolism were examined retrospectively. Only patients with low clinical probability and mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 for PE were included in the study. The patients were evaluated comparatively as those with and without perfusion defects. Patients were divided into laboratory suspicion, clinical suspicion, or clinical and laboratory suspicion.ResultsIn outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 with low clinical probability for PE, PD without CT abnormality was detected with a rate of 36.6% with Q-SPECT/CT performed for complaints of high d-dimer and/or dyspnea. None of the patients had PD at more proximal level than the segment level. PD with no concomitant CT abnormality was observed with a rate of 56.5% in patients with both clinical and laboratory suspicion. For d-dimer = 0.5 mg/dL cut-off sensitivity is 85%, for d-dimer = 1.5 mg/dL cut-off specificity 81%.ConclusionThrombosis tendency is also present in outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, and these patients should also be offered anticoagulant prophylaxis during the COVID-19 period.

A case of tracheal foreign body encountered in a Kangal dog: clinical, radiological, endoscopic findings and treatment

The subject of this study was a dog brought to our clinic with complaints of severe cough, dyspnea and anorexia. During the clinical examination, a hard mass was detected by palpation of the neck area. Vomiting reflex was observed. As a result of radiographic and endoscopic examination, a foreign body was found in the caudal part of the larynx. After the diagnosis was made, the patient was anesthetized and the foreign body was removed with forceps from the oral cavity. During the postoperative period, the patient was administered parenteral antibiotics and intraoral antiseptic for a week. The approach to foreign body cases in the respiratory tract of dogs is discussed.

Asma brônquica descompensada no atendimento de emergência em um município de Pernambuco durante a pandemia da COVID-19: Relato de caso

A asma brônquica é uma doença crônica das vias aéreas, heterogênea e etiologia desconhecida. No Brasil, a asma brônquica descompensada é a quarta maior causa de internações, com maior incidência nas regiões Nordeste e Sudeste, apresentando índices de mortalidade descendentes. Os sintomas e sinais mais comuns são dispneia, sibilos, opressão torácica retroesternal e tosse, decorrentes do processo inflamatório, com hiperreatividade brônquica e broncoconstrição. O presente artigo objetiva alertar os profissionais de saúde sobre o diagnóstico precoce e tratamento da asma exacerbada em emergência no contexto pandêmico da COVID-19, através deste relato de caso. Tratando também do diagnóstico diferencial em sintomáticos respiratórios para COVID-19 com avaliação de riscos epidemiológicos e radiografia, pouco sensíveis e específicos para COVID-19, mas amplamente disponíveis. Este relato de caso trata-se de uma mulher de 19 anos, caucasiana, solteira, natural e procedente de Caruaru-PE, com queixas de desconforto torácico de baixa intensidade, dispneia e fadiga há três dias, apresentando exacerbação dos sintomas nas últimas quatro horas, com diagnóstico prévio de asma desde a infância, atualmente com tratamento interrompido por medo de agravamento para a COVID-19 e despertar noturno todos os dias durante o último mês. Após conduta terapêutica e melhora clínica, a paciente obteve alta com orientações sobre continuidade do corticoide oral, retorno à terapia de controle da asma brônquica, necessidade do acompanhamento na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) e sintomas de gravidade para a asma brônquica e COVID-19 que indicam a necessidade de atendimento emergencial.

Pheochromocytoma Presenting With Cardiomyopathy in an Otherwise Healthy Young Patient: A Rare Case Report

Background: Pheochromocytomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors. The classic triad of symptoms includes diaphoresis, episodic headache, and tachycardia. Rarely, patients may develop cardiomyopathy associated with pheochromocytoma. It is uncommon for cardiomyopathy to be the initial presenting symptom of pheochromocytoma and can lead to a delayed diagnosis.Clinical Case: The patient is a 30-year old female with no significant medical history who presented with complaints of dyspnea, fever and malaise. The patient had no known prior history of hypertension and did not report complaints of headache, diaphoresis or palpitations. Patient was hypertensive and tachycardic on admission. Upon treatment with intravenous fluids, the patient acutely decompensated and developed respiratory failure requiring emergent intubation. CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis was performed which showed diffuse bilateral pulmonary edema as well as a circumscribed, heterogeneously enhancing 4.4 cm mass involving the right adrenal gland. An echocardiogram was performed which showed significant left ventricular dysfunction with ejection fraction of 5%. Patient had wide fluctuations in her blood pressure during admission ranging from hypotension to extreme hypertension. She did require the use of epinephrine and milrinone when hypotensive. Due to the use of vasopressors, plasma fractionated metanephrines and 24-hour urine fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines were not recommended to be obtained as these medications may contribute to false positive testing. A dedicated CT of the abdomen with and without contrast was performed to further assess the patient’s right adrenal mass; this revealed a 3.9 x 2.4 x 4.9 cm right adrenal mass with 33% absolute washout and 17% relative washout concerning for pheochromocytoma. The patient underwent an open right adrenalectomy during admission. Surgical pathology results were consistent with a pheochromocytoma measuring 5.2 cm at greatest dimension; the tumor was confined to the adrenal gland and completely excised. Following her surgery, the patient’s clinical status improved significantly over the next several days. She was discharged home in stable condition on hospital day #18. An echocardiogram was repeated 2 months after her hospitalization with ejection fraction improved to 58%.Conclusion: Catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy in pheochromocytoma is rare, occurring in approximately 8–11% of patients with pheochromocytoma. Cardiomyopathy as the initial presentation of pheochromocytoma is very uncommon. It is important to accurately diagnose pheochromocytoma-related cardiomyopathy as early detection and resection can lead to marked improvement in cardiac function and prevent catastrophic consequences including death.

The effects of 6 weeks home rehabilitation program for non-ventilated COVID-19 patients after discharge: A case report

COVID-19 disease is a pandemic that affects the cardio-respiratory system and causes other systemic problems. The effect of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programs for COVID-19 disease sequelae is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PR on COVID-19 sequelae. A 52-year-old patient was hospitalized for 8 days, and the complaints of fatigue and dyspnea continued after being discharged. For this reason, an exercise program was recommended. The patient underwent a 6-week PR that consisted of breathing, aerobic, and resistance exercises under supervision. After 6 weeks of the PR, complaints of dyspnea and fatigue decreased. There were also improvements in aerobic capacity and quality of life scores. The PR caused improvements in cardiorespiratory system complaints on a non-ventilated COVID-19 patient.

Paramedic-performed Prehospital Point-of-care Ultrasound for Patients with Undifferentiated Dyspnea: A Pilot Study.

IntroductionThoracic ultrasound is frequently used in the emergency department (ED) to determine the etiology of dyspnea, yet its use is not widespread in the prehospital setting. We sought to investigate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of paramedic acquisition and assessment of thoracic ultrasound images in the prehospital environment, specifically for the detection of B-lines in congestive heart failure (CHF).MethodsThis was a prospective observational study of a convenience sample of adult patients with a chief complaint of dyspnea. Paramedics participated in a didactic and hands-on session instructing them how to use a portable ultrasound device. Paramedics assessed patients for the presence of B-lines. Sensitivity and specificity for the presence of bilateral B-lines and any B-lines were calculated based on discharge diagnosis. Clips archived to the ultrasound units were reviewed and paramedic interpretations were compared to expert sonologist interpretations.ResultsA total of 63 paramedics completed both didactic and hands-on training, and 22 performed ultrasounds in the field. There were 65 patients with B-line findings recorded and a discharge diagnosis for analysis. The presence of bilateral B-lines for diagnosis of CHF yielded a sensitivity of 80.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51.4–94.7%) and specificity of 72.0% (95% CI, 57.3–83.3), while presence of any B-lines was 93.3% sensitive (95% CI, 66.0–99.7%), and 50% specific (95% CI, 35.7–64.2%) for CHF. Paramedics archived 117 ultrasound clips of which 63% were determined to be adequate for interpretation. Comparison of paramedic and expert sonologist interpretation of images showed good inter-rater agreement for detection of any B-lines (k = 0.60; 95% CI, 0.36–0.84).ConclusionThis observational pilot study suggests that prehospital lung ultrasound for B-lines may aid in identifying or excluding CHF as a cause of dyspnea. The presence of bilateral B-lines as determined by paramedics is reasonably sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of CHF and pulmonary edema, while the absence of B lines is likely to exclude significant decompensated heart failure. The study was limited by being a convenience sample and highlighted some of the difficulties related to prehospital research. Larger funded trials will be needed to provide more definitive data.

Initial clinical characteristics of gravid severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–positive patients and the risk of progression to severe coronavirus disease 2019

BACKGROUNDAvailable data suggest that the obstetric population is particularly vulnerable to severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, with a variable clinical course leading to severe respiratory failure. However, established early warning scores designed to identify patients at risk of clinical deterioration were never validated in the obstetric population.OBJECTIVEThis retrospective cohort study sought to evaluate the initial clinical characteristics of pregnant patients diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and to develop a pregnancy-specific early warning score to identify patients at risk for clinical deterioration and requiring advanced respiratory support.STUDY DESIGNThis was a single center, retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection between April 2020 and December 2020. A total of 50 patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection between April 2020 and November 2020 were used to create the prediction model. Initial clinical characteristics identified at the time of diagnosis were compared between patients who required advanced respiratory support and those who were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms for those diagnosed during the period of April 2020 to November 2020. Risk factors associated with a requirement for advanced respiratory support were used to create the Obstetric Warning Score system. The Obstetric Warning Score system was then validated using 30 patients diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in December 2020. A receiver operating characteristic curve was generated to evaluate the test characteristics of the Obstetric Warning Score system compared with other scoring systems including the Early Warning Score, the National Early Warning Score 2, and the Maternal Early Warning Criteria.RESULTSWomen who required advanced respiratory support were more likely to present with dyspnea (100% vs 33.3%; P<.001), have a higher heart rate (113.4 beats per minute vs 93 beats per minute; P<.001), respiratory rate (23.5 breaths per minute vs 17.7 breaths per minute; P<.001), temperature (99.1°F vs 98.3°F; P=.004), and C-reactive protein level (7.4 mg/dL vs 2.4 mg/dL; P<.001). Furthermore, 88.2% of patients requiring advanced respiratory support showed chest x-ray findings consistent with pneumonia, compared with 20.0% of the patients not requiring advanced respiratory support (P<.001). All patients requiring advanced respiratory support presented with at least 1 coronavirus disease 2019 symptom, whereas only 51.5% of patients not requiring advanced respiratory support were symptomatic (P<.001). The Obstetrical Warning Score model allocated 1 point each for a hazard ratio of >100 beats per minute, temperature of >99.0°F, C-reactive protein level of >2.0 mg/dL, respiratory rate between 20 and 24 breaths per minute, complaints of dyspnea, and a positive chest x-ray. A respiratory rate of >24 breaths per minute was assigned 2 points. The area under the curve for the Obstetric Warning Score system was 0.97 compared with 0.72 for the Early Warning Score system, 0.92 for the National Early Warning Score 2 system, and 0.85 for the Maternal Early Warning Criteria system. An Obstetric Warning Score of ≥3 was predictive of a requirement for advanced respiratory support with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity 64%, and a positive predictive value of 36%.CONCLUSIONThe Obstetric Warning Score system presents a validated method for providers to identify pregnant patients who are at risk for respiratory failure and a requirement for advanced respiratory support.

Erosion of Superior Vena Caval Stent into Trachea, An Unusual Cause of Hemoptysis.

Erosion of Superior Vena Caval Stent into Trachea, An Unusual Cause of Hemoptysis.

An interesting case of 3‘P’s – Primary Pericardial Primitive neuroectodermal tumor in an infant: A case report

Cardiac malignancies presenting in the infancy are rare. Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), a high-grade malignant tumor is one among them. The most common sites of occurrence of primary PNET are the peripheral nervous system, bone, and deep soft tissues. It is extremely rare in the pericardium. To the best of our knowledge, only three patients with primary PNET of the pericardium have been reported so far in the literature. We report a case of primary PNET of the pericardium in a 11-months-old female child, who was referred to our hospital with complaints of dyspnea and difficulty in feeding of 5 days duration. At presentation, she had massive pericardial effusion with tamponade and an echogenic intrapericardial mass. An emergency pericardiocentesis was done to relieve the tamponade. After stabilization, the Computer tomography (CT) imaging of the chest revealed a soft tissue mass with non-enhancing cystic areas in the pericardium with features suggestive of PNET. After two days, the child had a cardiac arrest and succumbed to death.

Combination therapy of midodrine and droxidopa for refractory hypotension in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction per a pharmacist\u2019s proposal: a case report

BackgroundPatients with chronic heart failure (CHF) are often treated using many diuretics for symptom relief; however, diuretic use may have to continue despite hypotension development in these patients. Here, we present a case of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which is defined as ejection fraction ≥50% in CHF, and refractory hypotension, which was treated with midodrine and droxidopa to normalize blood pressure.Case presentationThe patient was a 62-year-old man with a history of HFpEF due to mitral regurgitation and complaints of dyspnea on exertion. He had been prescribed multiple medications at an outpatient clinic for CHF management, including azosemide 60 mg/day, bisoprolol 2.5 mg/day, enalapril 2.5 mg/day, spironolactone 50 mg/day, and tolvaptan 15 mg/day. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) of the patient remained at 70–80 mmHg because the use of the diuretic could not be reduced or discontinued owing to edema and weight gain. He was hospitalized for the exacerbation of CHF. Although midodrine 8 mg/day was administered to improve hypotension, the SBP of the patient increased only up to 90 mmHg. On the 35th day after hospitalization, the urine volume decreased significantly (< 100 mL/day) due to hypotension. When droxidopa 200 mg/day replaced intravenous noradrenaline on the 47th day, the SBP remained at 100–120 mmHg and the urine volume increased.ConclusionsOral combination treatment with midodrine and droxidopa might contribute to the maintenance of blood pressure and diuretic activity in HFpEF patients with refractory hypotension. However, further long-term studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of this combination therapy for patients with HFpEF are needed.