Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a staggering 200 million cases with over 4 million deaths globally as of August 2021. COVID-19 is associated with lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are used to improve lung function by reducing inflammation, edema, mucus secretion, and inhibiting various cytokine activities. However, there is [...]

Background: In 2020, melanoma exhibited the 5th highest incidence rate of all cancers in the US. While metastatic melanoma constitutes only 4% of new melanoma cases, the 5-year survival rate of metastatic melanoma is 27% [1]. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) were the first drugs to significantly improve the 5-year survival of late-stage melanoma patients; these [...]

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute viral illness affecting multiple systems caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Ever since its first detection in Wuhan, China in Nov 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has infected over 220 million people causing more than 4.5 million deaths worldwide and the numbers are increasing. [1] Dexamethasone, a steroid [...]

Background: There is literature to suggest there is a subtype of COPD patients in which eosinophils may play an important role. Data suggests that this subset of patient are more prone to develop exacerbations, but also have a higher likelihood of responding to inhaled corticosteroid therapy. The objective of this study is to determine if [...]

Background: The use of intraoperative dexamethasone has been on the rise because of its ability to reduce postoperative nausea, vomiting, pain and accelerate post-operative recovery. Use of intraoperative dexamethasone can result in uncontrolled hyperglycemia in the postoperative period especially in patients with a diagnosis of diabetes. The extent and duration of post-operative steroid-induced hyperglycemia is [...]

Background: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is an opportunistic infection associated with lymphopenic conditions including HIV/AIDS, hematologic malignancy1, organ transplantation2, and lymphocyte-suppressive therapies such as high dose glucocorticoids3,4. PJP prophylaxis, which is highly effective, is indicated when the incidence of PJP exceeds the rate of adverse events due to prophylaxis.4,7 Guidelines from the American Thoracic Society [...]

Case Presentation: 42 year old male with history of alcoholism and chronic tophaceous gout on allopurinol, presented with acute left elbow pain and swelling. Exam showed synovitis of left wrist and elbow, distal interphalangeal joint (DIJ) and right knee and tophi  on left DIJ.  Arthrocentesis of left elbow revealed purulent fluid with leukocytosis (5000,000/mm3) and [...]

Case Presentation: A 21-year-old Hispanic male with recently diagnosed Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was admitted to the hospital for evaluation of persistent periorbital edema, lower extremity edema, and worsening rash. He was diagnosed with AIDS about three months prior and had been on combination dolutegravir/lamivudine since diagnosis. His most recent CD4 count two weeks ago [...]

Case Presentation: A 25-year-old African American female with a history of SLE and seizure disorder presented with generalized weakness, fever, odynophagia and loss of appetite for one day. At presentation her vital signs were T 101.5 °F, HR 126/min, BP of 90/56 and O2Sat 99% on room air. Initial laboratory results revealed WBC of 7.7 [...]

Background: While the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has substantially affected health outcomes globally, care strategies have varied in different regions. For example, while US hospitals primarily admitted patients with severe COVID-19, hospitals in Egypt admitted most symptomatic COVID-19-positive individuals per the May 2020 Ministry of Health and Population management protocol. Additionally, the use of [...]