Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an emerging public health concern intricately linked to metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. Among its complications, MASLD is associated with progressive liver fibrosis and an elevated risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF), and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Patients with [...]

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MALSD) is a recent classification that better reflects the cardiometabolic factors contributing to the condition, while reducing stigma associated with previous terminology. Characterized by triglyceride accumulation, MALSD can progress to inflammation and fibrosis if untreated. Although the FIB-4 score is commonly used to assess liver fibrosis, its association with [...]

Background: Early administration of antimicrobials is one of the most effective interventions to reduce sepsis mortality. Despite this, delays in antibiotic initiation occur, particularly in patients presenting without hypotension. We sought to understand patient characteristics and presenting symptoms associated with antibiotic delays in this population. Methods: Cohort study of adult patients hospitalized with community-onset sepsis [...]

Background: For more than a decade, researchers and institutions have been exploring the phenomenon of “high utilizers” – a small percentage of the population that accounts for a disproportionate amount of healthcare spending, often through frequent and/or lengthy hospitalizations. There is very little information, however, on how this population’s needs affect those who provide care [...]

Case Presentation: A 23-year-old man with alcohol use disorder presents with abdominal swelling, lower extremity edema, jaundice, and early satiety. Physical examination revealed icteric sclera, conjunctival pallor, distended abdomen with notable ascites, and lower extremity edema. Initial labs showed macrocytic anemia at 7.5 g/dl with mean cell volume of 127.2 fL, white blood cell count [...]

Case Presentation: A 40-year-old man with history of hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis complicated by portal hypertension, ascites and esophageal varices presented with three weeks of epigastric abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The Physical Exam was unremarkable. Lab results showed elevated Lipase 1854 U/L, Tbili 8.1 mg/dL, Dbili 5.5 mg/dL, ALT [...]

Case Presentation: The patient is a 69-year-old female with hemoglobin S/C disease, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease who presented to the hospital for lower back pain in the setting of a fall. CT scan demonstrated an L1 compression fracture and an incidental finding of cystic lesions in the liver and kidneys. Subsequent MRI demonstrated innumerable [...]

Case Presentation: Introduction:Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health issue, with extrapulmonary TB often mimicking other conditions.¹ Diagnosing tuberculous peritonitis is particularly challenging in resource-limited settings, where nonspecific symptoms and limited diagnostics create barriers. This case highlights the complexities of diagnosing tuberculous peritonitis in a chronic alcoholic patient, initially suspected of decompensated liver disease (DCLD) despite [...]

Case Presentation: A 72-year-old woman with breast cancer treated with lumpectomy and radiation in 2021, diverticulosis diagnosed by colonoscopy in 2018, and recent dental work, presented to the emergency department with cough, congestion, diarrhea, dizziness, and an episode of near-syncope. Two days prior to presentation she tested positive for COVID-19 and was prescribed nirmatrelvir / [...]

Case Presentation: A 23-year-old male with HgB SS sickle cell disease and iron overload due to chronic transfusions presented from an outside hospital with sickle cell pain crisis complicated by a total bilirubin level of 30 U/L. At the time of admission, his pain crisis had resolved. Physical exam revealed scleral icterus and gallbladder ultrasound [...]