CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a middle-aged lady who presented with severe pain and morning stiffness over the small joints of the left hand for 3 months and painless deformity of the affected joints 1 year before. She was under treatment for pruritic rash over her ankles and knees for the past 1 year as well. Physical examination revealed a fixed flexion deformity, swelling and tenderness of the left ring and little fingers' distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints. Left hand radiograph showed sclerotic joint margin, narrowed joint space and marginal osteophytes of the affected DIP joints. Dermoscopic examination showed red- violaceous, flat-topped papules and plaques with minimal scales on both ankles; hyperpigmented scaly plaques over both knees and vertical fingernail ridges. Serum autoimmune screening and inflammatory markers were unremarkable. Left ankle skin biopsy showed features consistent of psoriasis. PsA was diagnosed. Weekly titrated oral methotrexate and topical steroid were started. The patient showed significant improvement after 1 month of treatment.
CONCLUSION: PsA is a great mimicker. Dermoscopy is an accessible and valuable tool to assess skin lesions in greater detail. Clinicians should be aware of coexisting diseases or misdiagnosis when patients do not respond to treatment.
Case presentation: A 68-year-old gentleman of Malay ethnicity presented with left sided weakness associated with reduced sensation for one month. The patient was healthy and denied any constitutional symptoms, joint pains, rash or seizures. There was no recent trauma. Physical examination revealed left upper and lower limb motor grade power of 3/5 with upper motor neurone weakness of the left facial nerve. He had brisk reflexes and an upgoing extensor plantar response. Brain imaging (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) showed two lesions: one occupying the right head of the caudate nucleus and the other seen at the right side of the body of the corpus callosum. Histomorphology and immunohistochemistry confirmed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) of non-germinal center type. He was treated with De Angelis protocol which involves chemoradiotherapy consisting of high dose methotrexate and whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), followed by high dose cytarabine. Brain imaging post chemoradiation showed complete remission.
Conclusion: Prompt detection with appropriate therapeutic protocol could significantly minimise the permanent neurological deficits in patients with this rare and challenging lymphoid malignancy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), from January 2018 to July 2018. Women with RA aged between 15 and 49 years who were on MTX therapy for at least six months, were consecutively recruited. All subjects were interviewed to gather information on their menstrual history and menopausal symptoms. The medical records were reviewed to obtain further data on the disease characteristics and RA treatment. The RA disease activity was determined using the DAS 28 scoring system. All subjects were tested for their serum FSH and LH levels.
RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were included in this study. The median dose of MTX used by the subjects was 12.5 mg weekly. The mean cumulative MTX dose was 1664.92 ± 738.61 mg. More than half (53.1%) of the subjects reported menopausal symptoms especially hot flushes. We found that FSH levels had a significant positive correlation with cumulative MTX dose [(r = 0.86), p < 0.001] and the duration of MTX therapy [(r = 0.84), p < 0.001]. Besides, there was a significant relationship between disease activity based on DAS 28 and FSH levels (p < 0.01). Age, body mass index, disease duration, and weekly MTX dose showed no associations with the FSH levels. On multivariate analysis, DAS 28 was found to be the only parameter that remained significant [β = 1.74 (95% CI 1.17-2.31), p < 0.001]. The LH levels, on the other hand, were not associated with MTX therapy or disease activity.
CONCLUSION: Higher levels of FSH, which is an indicator of diminished ovarian reserve, have a significant positive relationship with disease activity, cumulative dose, and duration of MTX therapy in RA.
CONCLUSION: Optic nerve infiltration in systemic metastatic retinal lymphoma may have initial occult signs but with profound visual loss. Ocular infections like CMV retinitis and tuberculosis may mask and delay the diagnosis in immunocompromised patients.
STUDY DESIGN: An observational study.
PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Pediatric Oncology Ward, Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital, Lahore, from January 2015 to July 2017.
METHODOLOGY: Patients aged 1-15 years, diagnosed with ALL, were included. Studied variables were cytogenetic type and MRD outcome in patients with ALL. Patients under one year of age and more than 15 years, or those having comorbidities, were excluded.
RESULTS: Total 150 patients' data were retrieved from the Hospital database. One hundred and thirty-three belonged to age 1 to 5 years group (89%) and 17 (11%) were in 5 to 10 years group. The mean age of the patient was 4.3 +3.1 years. One hundred and two (68%) were males; whereas, 48 (32%) were females. Pre B acute lymphoblastic leukemia was diagnosed in 139 (93%) patients and 11(7%) were diagnosed with Pre T acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Standard risk was observed in 120 (80%) patients and 30 (20%) patients were on high risk as per National Cancer Institute (NCI) Guidelines. Regimen A was used in 125 (83.3%), Regimen B in 16 (10.7%), and Regimen C in 9 (6%) patients. BCR-ABL was positive in 2 (1.30%), TEL-AML in 68 (45%), MLL in 5 (3.30%), and normal in 54 (36%). MRD at day 29 was negative in 40 (93%) and positive in 3 (7%). The karyotyping was done in 128 (85%) patients, out of which 68 (53%) were hyperploids, 41 (32%) euploid, and 19 (15%) were hypoploid. Death was observed in 22 (15%) patients. Nineteen (86%) deaths were due to fungal and bacterial sepsis; and disease-related deaths were noted in 3 (14%) patients.
CONCLUSION: The role of MRD and cytogenetics in risk assessment has improved in the early prognosis determination.