In the past decade, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET-CT) scans have been increasingly implemented in the diagnostic process of several haemato-oncological...In the past decade, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET-CT) scans have been increasingly implemented in the diagnostic process of several haemato-oncological conditions. Accurate assessment of bone marrow activity observed on 18F-FDG PET-CT is crucial for a correct diagnostic conclusion, subsequent treatment decision, and follow-up strategies. By systematically considering the arguments of the level of 18F-FDG uptake, distribution pattern, coinciding changes of the bone structure, and the clinical context, interpretation and validity may improve. This review aims to give a comprehensive overview of the different patterns of 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT in common benign, clonal, and malignant haematological conditions, accompanied by illustrative cases.
Dijkmans AC, Kweekel DM, Balmforth C
… +4 more, van Esdonk MJ, van Dissel JT, Burggraaf J, Kamerling IMC
Neth J Med
· 2019 Sep · PMID 31582580
BACKGROUND: The preferred treatment for severe methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infections is flucloxacillin, a small-spectrum antibiotic administered intravenously (IV) and orally. However, clinicians switch...BACKGROUND: The preferred treatment for severe methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infections is flucloxacillin, a small-spectrum antibiotic administered intravenously (IV) and orally. However, clinicians switch to the less preferred broad-spectrum antibiotics because of the variable absorption after oral administration of flucloxacillin. A classical oral absorption test (OAT) requires overnight fasting and interruption of IV therapy, and is laborious. In the current study, we investigated whether a simplified OAT can be utilized in a clinical setting to guide antibiotic treatment in patients with severe S. aureus infections. For this, OAT IV therapy is continued and oral dosing is performed after a one-hour fast and implemented after a small study. METHODS: In 196 patients receiving IV flucloxacillin by continuous infusion, a classical OAT (test A) or simplified version of the OAT (test B) was performed. In both tests, 1 g oral flucloxacillin was given and serum samples were taken prior to intake and at one and two hours after administration. Flucloxacillin concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Adequate absorption was defined as an increase of flucloxacillin concentration of at least 10 mg/l after one or two hours compared to baseline. RESULTS: In a sample of 196 patients (85 F/111 M), test A was performed in 28 patients, and test B in 168 patients. Age, gender, and baseline values of creatinine and albumin were similar in both groups. The maximal increase of flucloxacillin absorption was highly variable between patients. In 26 (13%) of the 196 patients, the flucloxacillin increase did not reach the value of 10 mg/l. The median (interquartile range, IQR) maximal increase of flucloxacillin absorption was 22.0 (15-31.25) mg/l for test A and 21.5 (13-32.25) mg/l for test B. There was no significant difference in maximal increase of flucloxacillin absorption between test A and B (p = 0.74), nor between males and females (p = 0.95). Age, creatinine, and albumin were not correlated with flucloxacillin levels. CONCLUSIONS: The simplified version of the OAT is useful to identify patients with adequate oral flucloxacillin absorption, and to ensure the effective continuation of an oral small-spectrum treatment.
Chou HH, Jang SJ, Chen CH
… +2 more, Wan HL, Huang HL
Neth J Med
· 2019 Sep · PMID 31582579
Outcomes of vascular surgery for patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) presenting with acute limb ischaemia (ALI) are poor, with a high rate of postoperative arterial thrombosis and limb amputation. A pri...Outcomes of vascular surgery for patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) presenting with acute limb ischaemia (ALI) are poor, with a high rate of postoperative arterial thrombosis and limb amputation. A primary antiphospholipid syndrome 42-year-old male patient presented with acute limb ischaemia. Timely endovascular thrombectomy successfully prevented irreversible tissue damage but failed to maintain this due to recurrent thrombosis. Intensive plasma exchange following repeated endovascular therapy (EVT) ameliorated this thrombotic event. Two weeks post-discharge, thrombotic arterial reocclusion led to readmission and repeated management. Following successful reperfusion, intensive immunosuppressive therapy and anticoagulant agents ensured that the patient was free from recurrent events during the next eight months. This case highlights the combination of endovascular thrombectomy and intensive plasma exchange for limb salvage in such cases.
This case report describes a patient with a nearly fatal spontaneous haemorrhage of a hepatic adenoma that occurred in association with anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use. The patient was addicted to AAS and had been...This case report describes a patient with a nearly fatal spontaneous haemorrhage of a hepatic adenoma that occurred in association with anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use. The patient was addicted to AAS and had been using exceptionally high dosages as well as growth hormone. After cessation of AAS use, testosterone replacement therapy was started to prevent post-AAShypogonadism and consequent relapse.
INTRODUCTION: Waterpipe (hookah) smoking is popular; in Dutch surveys, 26% of the respondents have smoked a waterpipe at least once. However, waterpipe smoking is not without risk. We present a series of carbon monoxide...INTRODUCTION: Waterpipe (hookah) smoking is popular; in Dutch surveys, 26% of the respondents have smoked a waterpipe at least once. However, waterpipe smoking is not without risk. We present a series of carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings after waterpipe smoking and discuss the etiology and treatment of CO intoxication after waterpipe smoking. CASE DESCRIPTIONS: We present three patients who presented with syncopial episodes and a variety of other neurological and circulatory symptoms after smoking a waterpipe. All patients had significantly elevated carboxyhaemoglobin levels (26%, 19% and 26%). Patients were treated with oxygen, following Dutch guidelines; one patient was admitted for eight hours of oxygen therapy. The other two patients were observed shortly, diverging from the guidelines because symptoms passed and the carboxyhaemoglobin normalised. DISCUSSION: Reviewing combustion chemistry, the formation of CO is a logical consequence of using burning coals as a heat source. This is due to CO2 reduction with carbon. This chemical process has not previously been related to waterpipe smoking. Dutch guidelines advise eight hours of oxygen therapy. The research this guideline is based on, justifies therapy directed at symptom relief and carboxyhaemoglobin normalisation. This strategy may prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and exposure to high-dose oxygen. CONCLUSION: We described three cases of CO intoxication after waterpipe smoking and argue why this may not be an incidental finding. Greater awareness of this risk is urgently needed. We conclude that the literature does not firmly support a fixed treatment duration.
Biesheuvel V, Hiddema SM, Levenga H
… +2 more, Eikenboom J, van der Deure WM
Neth J Med
· 2019 May · PMID 31502548
Acquired haemophilia A is a rare disorder caused by spontaneous formation of auto-antibodies (inhibitors) against coagulation factor VIII. This can lead tolife-threatening haemorrhages. Six to twenty-two percent of patie...Acquired haemophilia A is a rare disorder caused by spontaneous formation of auto-antibodies (inhibitors) against coagulation factor VIII. This can lead tolife-threatening haemorrhages. Six to twenty-two percent of patients with acquired haemophilia have an underlying malignancy. We describe a 69-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer and non-small cell lung carcinoma who presented at the emergency room with spontaneous bruising, and who was using a vitamin K antagonist. She had a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) due to a coagulation factor VIII deficiency caused by factor VIII antibodies. She was treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide.
Doornebal J, Diepenbroek A, van de Luijtgaarden MWM
… +7 more, Hartong EGTM, Grootens KP, Kupka RW, Klumpers UMH, Deen PMT, Gaillard CA, Wetzels JFM
Neth J Med
· 2019 May · PMID 31502545
BACKGROUND: Lithium is the most effective drug for mood stabilization in bipolar disorder. However, lithium exposure has been associated with an impaired renal concentrating ability (RCA) and glomerular filtration rate (...BACKGROUND: Lithium is the most effective drug for mood stabilization in bipolar disorder. However, lithium exposure has been associated with an impaired renal concentrating ability (RCA) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). We examined RCA and estimated GFR in a cohort of patients treated with lithium. METHODS: 134 patients (≥ 18 years of age) with a mood disorder treated with lithium were screened; 100 patients were included. Demographic and clinical characteristics and blood and urine samples were collected. Additionally, a dDAVP-test was performed to determine maximal RCA. RESULTS: A dDAVP-test was performed in 98 patients (37 males, 61 females). Mean age was 51 years (SD: 12), median duration of lithium therapy 7 years (IQR: 4-15), mean maximal urine osmolality (Uosmol) 725 mOsmol/kg (SD: 153), and median eGFR 84 ml/min/1.73 m2 (IQR: 68-95). Fifty patients (51%) had an impaired RCA and 17 patients (17%) had nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (Uosmol 600-800 and < 600 mOsmol/kg, respectively). Notably, clinical symptoms did not predict an impaired RCA. Nineteen patients (19%) had an eGFR ≤ 60 ml/min/ 1.73 m2. Multivariable regression analysis showed a significant association between the duration of lithium treatment and maximal Uosmol (B = -6.1, 95%-CI: -9.4, -2.9, p < 0.001) and eGFR (B = -0.6, 95%-CI: 0.2, -3.3; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: RCA is impaired in the majority of lithium-treated patients. Both RCA and eGFR are inversely associated with the duration of lithium therapy. Prospective follow-up will enable us to evaluate if abnormalities in RCA can be used to predict the development of lithium-induced chronic kidney disease.
van Dijk M, Kracht PAM, Arends JE
… +13 more, Blokzijl H, Burger DM, van Erpecum KJ, van Hoek B, de Knegt RJ, Posthouwer D, Ramsoekh D, Rijnders BJA, Schinkel J, Willemse SB, van der Valk M, Drenth JPH, Behalf Of The HepNed Study Group O
Neth J Med
· 2019 May · PMID 31502544
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global public health issue, which is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. The development of direct acting antivirals (DAAs) has transformed treatment: the...Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global public health issue, which is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. The development of direct acting antivirals (DAAs) has transformed treatment: they offer us highly-effective therapy with superior tolerability compared to interferon-containing regimens. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) therefore adopted several ambitious viral hepatitis elimination targets, aiming for a 90% reduction in new infections and a 65% reduction in mortality by 2030. The ultimate goal is to eliminate HCV completely. It is reasonable that these goals may be achieved in the Netherlands due to the low prevalence of chronic HCV, the availability of DAAs, and excellent healthcare infrastructure. This paper describes a national effort to curtail the HCV epidemic in the Netherlands through an HCV retrieval and linkage to care project (CELINE: Hepatitis C Elimination in the Netherlands).
A 65-year-old male was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit after being resuscitated because of a hypoxic cardiac arrest caused by influenza. Blood cultures taken at time of admission surprisingly grew Bacillus mycoides,...A 65-year-old male was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit after being resuscitated because of a hypoxic cardiac arrest caused by influenza. Blood cultures taken at time of admission surprisingly grew Bacillus mycoides, a spore-producing apathogenic agriculture bacterium. We collected culture samples at his barge. Although we did not culture Bacillus mycoides, we did find multiple other Bacillus species. We hypothesised that our patient was colonised from the freights of his barge, and bloodstream infection occurred during resuscitation with either the bacterium itself or its spores. To our knowledge, this is the first report on bloodstream infection with Bacillus mycoides in a human patient.
Yukawa K, Mokuda S, Yoshida Y
… +2 more, Hirata S, Sugiyama E
Neth J Med
· 2019 Aug · PMID 31391329
A 71-year-old female with advanced endometrial cancer was treated with pegfilgrastim. She developed a fever within seven days, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans repeated within three days revealed rapidly p...A 71-year-old female with advanced endometrial cancer was treated with pegfilgrastim. She developed a fever within seven days, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans repeated within three days revealed rapidly progressive thickening of the aortic wall. When clinicians administer PEGylated granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) to cancer patients, drug-associated vasculitis should be suspected. This report discusses the manifestation of G-CSF-associated large-vessel vasculitis (LVV).
Verhoeff M, Meijer-Smit OM, de Rooij SEJA
… +1 more, van Munster BC
Neth J Med
· 2019 Aug · PMID 31391328
Current hospital-level care is "mostly disease-specific and monodisciplinary-oriented". These three case reports show different journeys that patients with multiple chronic conditions experienced in Dutch secondary outpa...Current hospital-level care is "mostly disease-specific and monodisciplinary-oriented". These three case reports show different journeys that patients with multiple chronic conditions experienced in Dutch secondary outpatient care, and aim to demonstrate why an integrated care approach might be beneficial for this group of patients.
BACKGROUND: A substantial group of patients visit the emergency department (ED) with complaints of urinary tract infections (UTI). Treatment advice is based on national and local public health surveillance data. It is un...BACKGROUND: A substantial group of patients visit the emergency department (ED) with complaints of urinary tract infections (UTI). Treatment advice is based on national and local public health surveillance data. It is unclear whether this advice is adequate for hospitals with selected patient populations, such as university hospitals. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on patients visiting the ED of the Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC) in the Netherlands from January 1st, 2013 until December 31st, 2014 with a suspected complicated UTI (cUTI) and positive urinary cultures. Patient data, data concerning the ED visit and microbiological data were analysed. RESULTS: 439 patients visited the ED, of whom 429 had a cUTI. Our results were compared with NethMap data. Distribution of uropathogens was comparable with the overall distribution in the Netherlands. Antibiotic susceptibility was comparable for intravenous antibiotics, but was lower for oral antibiotics. Susceptibility for empiric antibiotic therapy (i.e., cefuroxime and gentamyicin) was 96.2%. Pathogens differed from the index culture in 56.2% 104/185) of the urinary cultures available from the previous year. Using logistic regression, we found that a shorter time between last admission to the initiated antibiotic regimen was associated with lower susceptibility of cultured uropathogens. CONCLUSION: The distribution and antibiotic susceptibility of uropathogens for intravenous antibiotics in a Dutch university hospital is comparable with overall distribution in the Netherlands. Empiric antibiotic therapy in our local guideline appears to be an adequate antibiotic regimen for cUTI and we therefore recommend treating patients accordingly. Extension of the chosen regimen based on earlier cultured pathogens is advised, and narrowing of the antibiotic regimen strongly discouraged.