Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
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Endovascular infections that involve the right side of the heart present their own unique etiologies, pathophysiologies, clinical manifestations, and therapeutic issues. The pathology of the vegetations of right-sided endocarditis is identical to that of left-sided endocarditis. These vegetations are irregular, friable masses of varying size the contain platelets, fibrin, RBCs, and microorganisms. These lesions serve as a nidus for deep-seated infection and produce sustained bacteremia. Right-sided endocarditis occurs in 5% to 10% of all cases of endocarditis. The most common predisposing factors are IV drug abuse and congenital heart disease. S. aureus is the most common pathogen. The clinical manifestations include fever, chills, rigor, dyspnea, pleuritic pain, productive cough, and hemoptysis. The cardiac manifestations can be notably absent early in the course of the disease, with only 20% of patients initially showing a significant murmur on physical examination. Peripheral embolic lesions can be seen. Echocardiography is helpful in identifying vegetations on the tricuspid valve in a significant proportion of patients. The chest radiograph is characteristic, showing features typical of multiple septic pulmonary emboli. The radiograph shows multiple, small, fuzzy, patchy, peripherally located densities that can change rapidly on serial films. Complications of right-sided endocarditis include pulmonary infarction, pulmonary abscess, progressive right-sided heart failure, and renal abnormalities. The treatment of right-sided endocarditis includes prolonged therapy, with high doses of IV bactericidal antibiotics. Four weeks of antibiotic therapy is generally required, but newer regimens using combination antibiotic therapy can be successful in sensitive strains of viridans group streptococci and S. aureus. Surgical resection of the tricuspid valve is recommended for organisms that do not respond to initial antibiotic therapy, fungal endocarditis, resistant relapsing organisms, or coexistent infection with S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. The prognosis of right-sided endocarditis is generally favorable when compared with left-sided endocarditis. The prognosis is especially favorable in IV drug abusers infected with S. aureus. Patients infected with fungal organisms, Pseudomonas or Serratia, have a worse prognosis. The presence of significant right-sided heart failure also imparts a worse prognosis.
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PMID:Endovascular infections arising from right-sided heart structures. 173 55

All major types of human interferons (IFNs) have been purified and clinically administered as antitumor agents. We summarize here experience to date with toxicity of IFNs in cancer patients. The acute syndrome consists of fever, chills, myalgias, arthralgias, and headache, with some variation according to type of IFN, route of administration, schedule, and dose. Fatigue, perhaps reflecting CNS toxicity, is the most prevalent nonacute symptom. At high doses, IFNs are neurotoxic; the abnormalities seen by EEG resemble those in diffuse encephalitis. Hematologic toxicity consists mainly of leukopenia, but anemia and thrombocytopenia occur in some patients. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the main gastrointestinal symptoms. Elevation of serum transaminases seems to reflect liver toxicity. Renal function is well preserved, except for rare instances of acute renal failure. Cardiac toxicity remains questionable, although heart failure and arrhythmias have been associated with the administration of IFNs. Most, if not all, of these effects are reversible or can be ameliorated. With IFN alpha, the type most widely used in clinical studies, doses of 1 million to 9 million units (MU) are generally well tolerated, but doses greater than or equal to 18 MU yield moderate to severe toxicity. Doses greater than or equal to 36 MU can induce severe toxicity and significantly alter the performance status of the patient.
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PMID:Clinical toxicity of interferons in cancer patients: a review. 241 69

We encountered two cases of legionella pneumonia which ran a dramatic course and isolated Legionella dumoffii from one patient and Legionella pneumophila serogroup 5 from the other patient. The patient from whom L. dumoffii was isolated was a 59-year-old male with no basic disease. He presented chill, fever, coughing and other symptoms, starting on July 3, 1986, his disease was diagnosed as pneumonia at the clinic of his company. The patient was then introduced and admitted to our hospital. On admission chest radiography disclosed zonal pneumonia with an unclear border in the right superior lobe of the lung; a beta-lactam preparation was administered, but no effect was obtained and the lung lesion showed a rapid advance. From this condition, we suspected legionella pneumonia and changed the therapy to treatment with erythromycin and rifampicillin. Despite this, no improvement occurred and the patient died on the 26th hospital day. Colonies like Legionella colonies were separated from a total of seven specimens of biopsy aspirated matter from the airway and autopsy collected lung abscess and tracheal secretions, and the bacterium was identified L. dumoffii based on the biochemical and serological properties. In addition, the patient's serum was found to have an increased antibody titer against L. dumoffii. Based on these findings, the patient's disease was diagnosed as pneumonia as caused by L. dumoffii, a relatively rare bacterium as a member of the genus Legionella. The patient from whom Legionella pneumophila serogroup 5 was isolated was an 81-year-old man with basic diseases such as heart failure, anemia and hypothyroidism. He presented fever, general fatigue, anorexia and other symptoms, starting around June 2, 1987; pneumonia was suspected and the patient was urgently admitted to our hospital. The patient died of pneumonia of unknown cause on the second hospital day. To clarify the cause, autopsy was conducted; a large number of colonies like Legionella colonies were noted in the lung tissue. Identification test was then conducted and the bacterium was identified as L. pneumophila; we concluded that the patient's pneumonia had been caused by the identified bacterium L. pneumophila. The isolate was further subjected to slide agglutination test and identified as L. pneumophila serogroup 5.
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PMID:[Legionella dumoffii and Legionella pneumophila serogroup 5 isolated from 2 cases of fulminant pneumonia]. 250 80

Side effects and their relationship with the material used were analyzed in 748 plasma exchanges (PE) performed in 75 patients. The total incidence of acute and mild adverse effects (chills and/or fever, paraesthesias, allergic reactions, acute anaemia, vasovagal reactions, abdominal pain and hypotension) was 18.04%. Two patients developed an episode of left cardiac insufficiency. One patient in whom all PE were performed with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) developed metabolic alkalosis. Three patients developed sepsis during treatment with repeated PE and immunosuppressive drugs; in these three patients a permanent vascular inlet was used (shunt or catheter). All patients in whom only FFP was used as replacement solution developed non-A, non-B hepatitis. Neither haemorrhagic nor thrombotic episodes were observed in these patients. It is of the greatest importance to choose the most suitable material for each patient and to develop a careful technique in order to avoid these complications during treatment with PE.
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PMID:Adverse effects secondary to the treatment with plasma exchange. 403 Jan 33

A Nigerian boy, previously in good health, presented with a two-day history of fever with chills; followed on the third day by periorbital swelling, urticarial rash and itching; and on the sixth day by dyspneoa, abdominal swelling and leg swelling. There was clinical, radiological and electrocardiographic evidence of dominant right-sided heart failure. Loa-loa was isolated from the blood and eosinophilia was marked but both were cured by diethylcarbamazine therapy. Heart failure, however, persisted and ended fatally 25 1/2 months later. Endomyocardial fibrosis, more severe on the right sided chambers, but affecting both ventricles was diagnosed. Evidence is presented from the literature to indicate loasis as the trigger of endomyocardial damage in this patient.
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PMID:Loasis as a possible trigger of African endomyocardial fibrosis: a case report from Nigeria. 611 57

Based on the findings of 50 patients with infective endocarditis, 37 affecting the aortic, six the mitral and seven both the aortic and mitral valves, in addition to analysis of predisposing factors, prominent signs and symptoms distinctive for the clinical entity were assessed (Tables 1 to 3). Preexistent conditions such as aortic valve lesions including bicuspid aortic valve as well as mitral valve lesions including mitral valve prolapse were proven in 66%. Factors which may have compromised host defense mechanisms such as cachexia and chronic alcohol or intravenous drug abuse were present in isolated cases. In 38% of the patients, a diagnostic or therapeutic manipulation, suspected to have given rise to the bacteremia, antedated the onset of endocarditis. Malaise, fatigue and chills were the most frequent symptoms (Table 4). Fever and cardiac murmurs were observed in all patients, anemia and bacteremia in 74% of the patients, respectively (Tables 4 to 6). In blood cultures, the most common microorganisms were found to be hemolytic and nonhemolytic streptococci accounting for 65% of positive findings, followed by enterococci and gram-negative bacteria each with 14% respectively (Table 6). Congestive heart failure predominated among cardiac complications with its occurrence in 84% of the patients. Valvular ring or myocardial abscess, aortic or sinus of Valsalva aneurysm, occasionally with perforation, were found in 24% of our patients. Coronary embolism was documented in 6%; infection-associated pericarditis was observed only rarely (Table 7). Extracardiac complications involved the skin, central nervous system, spleen and kidneys, respectively, in 20 to 30% of the patients. Complications afflicting the eyes, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and the musculo-skeletal system were seen with a lesser frequency of 0 to 12% (Table 8). The diagnosis of infective endocarditis, rendered highly-probable by the constellation of fever, cardiac murmur, bacteremia and anemia, necessitates, however, confirmation through cardiac examinations. In this respect, electrocardiographic and radiologic findings are of limited value, although they may be useful in the detection of cardiac complications. In 6% of the patients, positive criteria for myocardial infarction were indicative of coronary embolism and, i 30%, atrioventricular or fascicular block suggested the presence of abscess formation (Table 9). As radiologic evidence of heart failure, 74% of the patients were found to have pulmonary vascular congestion (Table 10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:[Detection and evaluation of infectious endocarditis]. 664 98

Data of clinical examinations of 54 patients suffering from septic endocarditis are presented. Under examination there were patients admitted for this disease to a city hospital within a 5-year period. In 10 patients, the septic endocarditis was complicated with cerebral circulation disorders of the type of thromboembolism, subarachnoidal and hemispheral hemorrhages, mixed stroke, and cerebral vasculitis. Sometimes the cerebral circulation disorders preceded the development of septic endocarditis, and in such cases the diagnosis was difficult, especially in elderly patients with symptoms of cardiac insufficiency of other etiology. In such patients, the disease could be diagnosed correctly when the cerebral circulation disorder developed in the presence of a general infection (with fever, chills, and blood picture changes) and there were indications of frequently repeated thromboembolisms.
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PMID:[Cerebral circulatory disorders in septic endocarditis]. 732 83

A 26-year-old man who had suffered from intermittent chills and fever over a two month period was quite clear of heart or kidney involved developed acute deterioration of renal function. A new pansystolic murmur over the apex of the heart was heard on auscultation, and echocardiography clearly showed a vegetation about 0.7-0.9 cm in size on the atrial site of the mitral value. Laboratory investigation displayed normochromic anemia with negative Coombs' test. Immunological studies were positive for rheumatoid factor and circulating immune complex. High serum levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, nephritic sediment of urinalysis and negative blood cultures for bacteria, tuberculosis or fungus were also noted. Abdominal sonography showed normal kidney size, bilaterally. Renal biopsy revealed typical crescentic glomerulonephritis. After intravenous penicillin therapy for two weeks, the serum creatinine level recovered from 6.7 mg/dl to 2.0 mg/dl and circulating immune complex disappeared. In consideration of cardiac insufficiency and the potential risk for complications of the vegetation, the patient underwent mitral valve replacement. Four weeks after operation, all the abnormal data had resolved completely. These data suggested that infective endocarditis with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is curable by antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention.
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PMID:Infective endocarditis complicated with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis: a case report. 880 7

Approximately 25,000 patients have been treated to date with the humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, Herceptin. This therapy has proved effective and well tolerated in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer; adverse events were generally infusion-related fever and chills of mild-to-moderate severity. Cardiotoxicity and infusion-related reactions emerged as the two main safety concerns with the use of Herceptin. Retrospective analysis revealed a higher incidence of heart failure when Herceptin was combined with anthracyclines than that expected with anthracyclines alone. Age, anthracycline exposure and cardiac risk factors were found to be predictors of cardiac adverse events. Patients experiencing cardiac dysfunction responded well to standard cardiac medication and the majority improved. Cardiac function should be monitored regularly and Herceptin should be discontinued if significant heart failure develops unless the benefits for an individual patient outweigh the risks. Of 25,000 patients, 74 (0.3%) were reported to have experienced a serious infusion-related reaction. The majority occurred during or shortly after the first infusion and were characterized by respiratory symptoms. Most patients were successfully treated; a total of 33 patients continued Herceptin therapy with no recurrence of infusion reactions. Although the benefit to risk ratio of Herceptin remains favorable, physicians must be vigilant and aggressive in managing cardiotoxicity and infusion-related reactions.
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PMID:Retrospective analysis of the safety of Herceptin immunotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. 1169 89

Septic shock may be defined as hypotension caused by bacteremia and accompanied by decreased peripheral blood flow, evidenced by oliguria. Clinically, a shaking chill is the warning signal. The immediate cause of hypotension is pooling of blood in the periphery, leading to decreased venous return: later, peripheral resistance falls and cardiac failure may occur. Irreversible shock is comparable to massive reactive hyperemia. Reticuloendothelial failure, histamine release, and toxic hypersensitivity may be factors in the pathogenesis of septic shock. Adrenal failure does not usually occur, but large doses of corticosteroid are employed therapeutically to counteract the effect of histamine release or hypersensitivity to endotoxin. The keys to successful therapy are time, antibiotics, vasopressors, cortisone and correction of acidosis.
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PMID:SEPTIC SHOCK. 1406 36


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