Autoimmune hemolytic anemias (AIHAs) are rare and heterogeneous disorders characterized by the destruction of red blood cells by warm or cold antibodies. Hemolytic anemia associated with warm antibodies is the most common, whereas cold antibodies are rare and infrequent in cases published in the scientific literature. Herein, we present the case of a young patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune hemolytic anemia caused by cold antibodies. Initially, infectious etiology and hematological malignancy were considered, which were ruled out. She required management in the intensive care unit due to severe hematological involvement and responded well to immunomodulatory therapy. This case illustrates the importance of a strong clinical suspicion of AIHA due to cold agglutinins associated with SLE when faced with similar clinical symptoms in order to achieve a timely diagnosis and provide optimal therapy.

Data on the optimal diagnostic management of pregnant women with suspected pulmonary embolism are limited. Despite a lack of compelling evidence in some practices, clinical practice guidelines focus on the management of these patients. We present the case of a 24-year-old patient at 36 weeks of pregnancy in whom pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) was diagnosed in a timely manner also with hemodynamic instability and echocardiographic images with clear involvement of the right cavities. She received thrombolytic therapy with alteplase 100 mg intravenously over 2 hours, which resulted in excellent outcomes for both the pregnant woman and fetus. Understanding the acute approach and management of these patients will improve our clinical practice; therefore, we reviewed a case report of a pregnant patient with high-risk PTE and compared it with current evidence. In conclusion, PE is a common disease with a high mortality rate during pregnancy. Therefore, having made a timely diagnosis using the relevant diagnostic aids and performing thrombolysis with rtPA increase the probability of survival in our patient, leading to successful results for both her and the fetus.

We present the case of a 64-year-old female with stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma, pulmonary, and abdominal wall metastases, and no history of cardiovascular disease. In palliative care, she received systemic cytotoxic treatment with fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel protocol, which was well tolerated over five cycles. During cycle 6, she presented with cardiovascular symptoms with hemodynamic consequences while receiving oxaliplatin injection without docetaxel or 5-fluorouracil. She was transferred to the emergency department and then to the intensive care unit. She developed no complications during the hospital stay and was discharged after 10 days with preserved systolic function and no structural changes at the myocardial level. The electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, and magnetic resonance imaging findings indicated an oxaliplatin-associated Takotsubo syndrome. The immunochemistry analysis showed PD-L1 expression level TPS: 40% and the foundation one genomic profiling revealed high mutation load, microsatellite instability, and HER2 not found. The patient is currently asymptomatic and on pembrolizumab monotherapy with good tolerance and partial treatment response.

Actinomycosis is a rare infectious disease characterized by slowly progressive, chronic suppurative lesions, often mistaken for malignancies due to its ability to mimic them. It is caused by Actinomyces bacteria, which are part of the normal flora of the human oropharynx, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts. This case report describes a 51-year-old male with a history of mandibular rhabdomyosarcoma presenting with severe shoulder and hip pain, dysphagia, and headaches, initially suspected to be a cancer recurrence. However, after further investigation, including a PET-CT and tonsillectomy, the diagnosis of actinomycosis was confirmed through histopathological examination. The case highlights the diagnostic challenges of actinomycosis, especially in patients with complex clinical histories, emphasizing the importance of considering it as a differential diagnosis in similar presentations. The patient was treated with long-term antibiotic therapy, predominantly beta-lactams, demonstrating the necessity of a comprehensive diagnostic approach and the implications of a delayed diagnosis. This case underscores the critical need for high clinical suspicion and awareness among healthcare professionals regarding the potential for actinomycosis to mimic more common diseases, ensuring timely and accurate treatment.

Background: The MitraClip device is used as an endovascular therapy for mitral valve repair in patients with severe mitral insufficiency and high surgical risk. This therapy was used for the first time in Colombia in 2013, after its authorization by the National Institute of Drug and Food Surveillance. Materials and Methods: A quantitative, observational, descriptive, longitudinal study was conducted, with an analytical component stratified by age, in adults who underwent mitral valve repair with MitraClip from March 2013 to June 2022 to determine the clinical outcomes associated with hospitalization, mortality, complications, and health-related quality of life. Results: A total of 94 patients with a mean age of 70.3± 10.3 years were evaluated, most of whom were male (65%), hypertensive (80%), and had New York Heart Association class III–IV classification (90.4%) and functional mitral insufficiency (93.6%) classified as severe (74.5%). The recurrence of all-cause hospitalization was 39.4%, of which 88% corresponded to heart failure. The immediate success of the procedure, determined as mitral insufficiency classified as ≤moderate after implantation, was 93.6% (p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was 2.1%, mortality at 6 months was 12.8% (≤ 70 years 11.6% vs > 70 years 13.7%, p = 0.007), mortality at 1 year was 16%, and mortality at 2 years was 20.2%. The incidence of complications was low, the most frequent one being de novo atrial fibrillation (7.4%), followed by major bleeding requiring transfusion (4.3%). The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scale was used, with a mean score of 69.9± 19.3. Conclusion: Percutaneous mitral valve repair with MitraClip is a safe technique that directly affects survival and quality of life. There was a low incidence of complications related to the procedure and the patient’s preoperative condition, with results comparable to those of studies carried out in Europe and the United States.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mainly affects the respiratory system, while the most common extrapulmonary complication of COVID-19 is cardiovascular involvement. Objective: To identify the frequency of electrocardiographic changes and cardiac arrhythmias in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, including patients aged >18 years with diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in a high-complexity hospital in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, from March to September 2020. A descriptive analysis with an analytical [...] Abstract Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mainly affects the respiratory system, while the most common extrapulmonary complication of COVID-19 is cardiovascular involvement. Objective: To identify the frequency of electrocardiographic changes and cardiac arrhythmias in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, including patients aged >18 years with diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in a high-complexity hospital in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, from March to September 2020. A descriptive analysis with an analytical