Acute pancreatitis combined with acute Budd-Chiari syndrome as the initial manifestation of small cell lung cancer.

Tumor metastasis to the pancreas is a rare but recognized cause of acute pancreatitis. Autopsy series have reported a 24-40% of pancreatic involvement in small cell lung cancer. However, only a very few cases of tumor-induced acute pancreatitis have been described. Budd-Chiari syndrome complicating lung cancer is a rarely reported condition. We report a 68-year-old woman with extensive small cell lung cancer with the unusual initial presentation of both acute pancreatitis and acute Budd-Chiari syndrome. This patient suffered from progressive epigastralgia for 3 weeks. Severe epigastralgia with radiation to back and progressive jaundice developed 2 days prior to admission. After admission, the liver enlarged rapidly and the ascites increased markedly. Chest roentgenogram showed a mass lesion over the left lower lung field. Poorly differentiated carcinoma cells were found in ascites and bone marrow. The patient died on the ninth day of hospitalization before chemotherapy was initiated. Prompt diagnosis of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer may allow early chemotherapy treatment which favorably influences recovery when the pancreatitis is mild. Although prolonged survival might have been expected had this patient recovered from pancreatitis and received chemotherapy, diagnosis was delayed due to difficulty in immunohistochemical diagnosis of the tumor and the unusual clinical presentation. The use of stains employing antibodies against neurofilament and neuron-specific enolase cell antigens is important for early diagnosis of poorly differentiated metastatic tumor cells.     

Transvenous catheter–based microwave ablation for atrial flutter

We report a case of successful transvenous, catheter-based, cavotricuspid isthmus ablation for treatment of atrial flutter using microwave energy. Microwave energy was delivered at 900–930 MHz using 21 W of power. Bidirectional cavotricuspid isthmus conduction block was achieved by microwave ablation without any patient discomfort or complication during the procedure. Our initial experience suggests that transcatheter microwave ablation is feasible for the cure of typical atrial flutter.     

Disturbance of systemic antioxidant profile in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma.

The present study aimed to determine the alterations of antioxidant activities in erythrocytes from patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). A comparative study of the systemic antioxidant activities in red blood cell lysate from subjects with NSCLC and healthy control subjects was conducted. The antioxidants catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured using chemical kinetic reactions under spectrophotometry. In total, 189 cases of mostly advanced-stage IIIB or stage IV NSCLC and 202 healthy controls were studied. In subjects with lung cancer, there was similar catalase activity, lower SOD activity (median (interquartile range) 13.4 (9.0-27.2) versus 48.7 (27.0-64.3) U x (ghaemoglobulin(Hb)(-1)), and higher GPx activity (175.2 (126.6-288.3) versus 49.2 (39.5-59.2) mU x (gHb)(-1)) compared with controls. The antioxidant activities in lung cancer subjects were not associated with age, sex, smoking status, or tumour cell types. However, more advanced disease (stage IV compared with stage IIIB) was associated with lower SOD activity. Using multivariable analysis, the presence of lung cancer independently predicted SOD and GPx activities. In conclusion, nonsmall cell lung carcinoma in Chinese subjects is associated with alterations in systemic antioxidant activities, which may play an important role in carcinogenesis.     

Rice varieties with similar amylose content differ in starch digestibility and glycemic response in humans

Three high-amylose rice varieties, IR42, IR36, and IR62, with similar chemical composition including amylose content (26.7-27.0%), were cooked under the same conditions and tested for in vitro digestibility as well as blood glucose and insulin responses in healthy human volunteers. The starch-digestion rate and the glycemic and insulin responses were the highest in IR42, followed by IR36 and, then IR62. The differences were not due to unabsorbed carbohydrate but were related to their physicochemical properties, such as gelatinization temperature, minimum cooking time, amylograph consistency, and volume expansion upon cooking. When the three varieties were cooked for their minimum cooking time, they had the same degree of gelatinization and their starch-digestion rates and glycemic responses were similar. We conclude that amylose content alone is not a good predictor of starch-digestion rate or glycemic response. Rice varieties with similar high-amylose contents can differ in physicochemical (gelatinization) properties and this, in turn, can influence starch digestibility and blood glucose response.     

Pleuroperitoneal shunt for recurrent malignant pleural effusions.

The therapeutic options available for the management of malignant pleural effusions associated with a restricting malignant cortex remain unsatisfactory. The efficacy of pleuroperitoneal shunts was evaluated in 16 patients with recurrent malignant effusions. There were no operative deaths; one patient died on the third postoperative day as a result of lymphangitis carcinomatosa. The median hospital stay was five (range 3-21) days. Palliation was obtained in all but one of the other 15 patients. There was no appreciable reaccumulation of pleural fluid as judged by radiography. Two patients developed occlusion of the shunt. In one case this was due to blood clots in the pleural catheter and necessitated insertion of a new shunt. The other shunt was removed because of obstructing infected fibrin debris, and a rib resection was performed. There were eight deaths related to the underlying malignancy after a mean interval of 7.3 (range 1.5-23) months. The other six patients are still alive, with a mean survival of 11.0 (range 5-20) months, and have achieved good symptomatic relief. The insertion of a pleuroperitoneal shunt can offer effective palliation for patients with recurrent malignant pleural effusions.     

Severe hypokalemia in thyrotoxic periodic paralysis

Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis is an uncommon but sometimes fatal disease in which early recognition and therapy may prevent untoward complications. The case of a 26-year-old Chinese man who presented to the emergency department with rapidly progressive profound weakness and severe hypokalemia (serum potassium, 1.2 mEq/L) is presented. The patient required endotracheal intubation, ventilatory assistance, and intravenous potassium administration. Emergency medical evaluation and management of this entity are discussed.     

Paired kidney analysis of tacrolimus and cyclosporine microemulsion-based therapy in Chinese cadaveric renal transplant recipients

Few studies used paired kidneys for comparison between tacrolimus and cyclosporine in renal transplantation. Most of the published data used whole blood trough levels for drug monitoring. However, the use of limited sampling strategy and abbreviated formula to estimate the 12-h area under concentration-time curve (AUC(0-12)) allowed better prediction of drug exposure. Sixty-six first cadaveric renal transplant recipients receiving paired kidneys were randomized to receive either tacrolimus-based (n = 33) or cyclosporine microemulsion (Neoral)-based therapies (n = 33). Abbreviated AUC(0-12) was used for drug monitoring and dose titration. Mean follow-up duration was 2.8 +/- 2 years. The patient and graft survival were comparable. Fewer incidence of acute rejection was observed in tacrolimus group (15% vs. 27.3%) though the difference was not significant (P = 0.23). The absolute value and the rate of decline of creatinine clearance were both significantly better in tacrolimus-treated patients. Prevalence of hypertension, post-transplant diabetes mellitus, infection, and malignancy were similar in both groups. Prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (11/33 vs. 4/33) and gum hypertrophy (6/33 vs. 1/33) was more common in cyclosporine-treated patients (P = 0.04 in both parameters). This was the first prospective, randomized study with paired kidney analysis showing the renal function was significantly better in tacrolimus-treated patients than in cyclosporine-treated patients.