Hematology
- A 50-year-old man presents with shortness of breath
Red flags included low voltage, normal sinus rhythm, and Q waves on electrocardiography, a history of carpal tunnel syndrome, and evidence of renal dysfunction.
- A 60-year-old man with prostate cancer and embolic strokes
Step-by-step evaluation of a patient with stage IV prostate cancer and embolic stroke, but no history of heart valve disease, arrhythmia, or coagulopathy.
- Hypophosphatemia in a patient with an eating disorder
A 32-year-old woman referred from an eating disorder treatment center reported memory difficulty, trouble concentrating, and feeling “hazy.” She was taking oral potassium phosphate 3 times daily.
- When should antithrombotic therapy be resumed after gastrointestinal bleeding?
The timing should be individualized after considering factors related to the bleeding event, thromboembolic risk, and patient comorbidities.
- Blue sclera: An overlooked finding of iron deficiency
The pathogenesis is thought to involve thinning of collagen fibers of the sclera due to iron deficiency, allowing the bluish color of the underlying uvea to become visible.
- A 65-year-old man with melena and a blood disorder
The patient had chronic anemia related to primary myelofibrosis and was being treated with epoetin alfa and ruxolitinib, with blood transfusions every other week.
Cirrhotic coagulopathy: A rebalanced hemostasisCirrhosis affects all 3 phases of coagulation, leading to a delicate new equilibrium, easily disturbed and tipped toward either bleeding or thrombosis by acute events such as infection, renal failure, and invasive procedures.
- Treating anemia: It’s not just the EPO
Long-term effects of treatment with the new oral inhibitors of prolyl hydroxylase will need to be carefully monitored, as prolyl hydroxylase is a key structural component of diverse proteins.
Anemia of chronic kidney disease: Will new agents deliver on their promise?A review of the pathophysiology of anemia of chronic kidney disease, major clinical trials, and novel therapies.
- Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia in a female patient with systemic lupus erythematosus
Evaluation of a patient presenting with worsening swelling of the lips and legs, decreased oral intake, intermittent pleuritic chest pain, and exertional dyspnea.