It's October already! Here are some fun events for the weekend: San Gabriel Dumpling and Beer Fest is tonight (10/1) at 6pm. It's being billed as a "local twist on Oktoberfest." Donut lovers should head out to the Madison Avenue Graffiti…
Medical illustration of non-typhoid salmonella. From: CDC.gov Thanks to Dr. Ponec for a great morning report on non-typhoid salmonella causing severe sepsis and diarrhea. Learning points: Assessing diarrhea: Duration: acute (<14d) vs. persistent (14-30d) vs. chronic (>30d) If acute, judge…
Learning Points: - Ectopic thoracic endometrial tissue most commonly presents in young women as a right sided catamenial pneumothorax (~70%) or catamenial hemothorax (~15%). -One needs a high clinical suspicion for diagnosis, and patients with suspected thoracic endometriosis should undergo contrast-enhanced CT scan…
Thank you Dr. Tony Hung for well organized and informative presentation on malaria! Learning Points: 1) Among returning travelers presenting with a systemic febrile illness, the most common specific diagnoses are: Malaria Dengue fever Mononucleosis (2/2 EBV vs. CMV) Rickettsial…
Thank you to Dr. Nandita Sriram for an excellent review of vertigo! Learning Points: -- Taking a good history is pertinent in distinguishing between dizziness vs true vertigo -- Differentiate between peripheral vs central etiologies of vertigo Peripheral causes: BPPV,…
Thank you Dr. Jarod DuVall on a very interesting case in a non-diabetic patient presenting with hypoglycemia Learning Points: True hypoglycemia in a patient without underlying diabetes must fulfill the Whipple's triad: Presence of symptoms suggestive of hypoglycemia (e.g. diaphoresis,…
Learning Points: General approach Obtaining a thorough history is key in assessing altered mental status When examining patients with fevers, headaches and altered mental status, make sure to conduct a Jolt accentuation test in addition to Kernig's and Brudzinski's to…
Thanks to Dr. Nicole Mandich for a great presentation on Multiple Myeloma Learning Points: -- Diagnostic Criteria for multiple myloma bone marrow plasma cells>10% serum monoclonal protein >3g organ dysfunction (CRAB criteria): Hypercalcemia (serum calcium >11.5 mg/dl [2.88 mmol/liter]), Renal…
Thanks to Dr. Nandita Sriram for presenting an interesting case of atypical metastatic colorectal cancer to bone and lung. Learning Points: - Colorectal cancer most commonly metastasizes to lung and liver, but may also metastasize to bone. When this occurs, it often…
Thanks to Dr. Tracy Lin for an excellend case of newly diagnosed HIV presenting as PCP Pneumonia! Learning Points: -HIV often presents with opportunistic infections, including PCP pneumonia. PCP pneumonia in an HIV positive patient typically takes an indolent course…