SAGE open medical case reports
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SAGE Open Med Case Rep · Jan 2015
Case ReportsTherapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest in Long QT syndrome: Could it be an adjunctive treatment to prevent dysrhythmias?
Therapeutic hypothermia has been used for neuroprotection following cardiac arrest presenting with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation regardless of underlying cause. Long QT syndrome is a cause for polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and we know that therapeutic hypothermia increases the QT interval. We managed a 27-year-old woman, who was 10 weeks post-partum, who collapsed secondary to ventricular fibrillation at home. ⋯ There has been a report of a patient also having ventricular dysrhythmia 2 h after re-warming post therapeutic hypothermia and also a report of arrhythmia free period during therapeutic hypothermia in a long QT syndrome patient; both these features are present in our patient. Re-warming is not usually known to cause any arrhythmias; however, it could be a problem in those with long QT syndrome. Whether therapeutic hypothermia has a place in helping to control ventricular dysrhythmias needs further study.
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SAGE Open Med Case Rep · Jan 2015
Case ReportsQigong program on insomnia and stress in cancer patients: A case series report.
In recent years, the interest in Qigong as an alternative therapy has grown following reports of its ability to regulate psychological factors in cancer patients. This is a case series to evaluate the outcome measures of Qigong when used as an adjunct to standard medical care to treat insomnia and stress in cancer patients. ⋯ This study could provide a better understanding of Qigong's influence on insomnia and stress in cancer patients. However, a larger controlled trial should be conducted to confirm these findings.
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SAGE Open Med Case Rep · Jan 2015
Case ReportsFatal persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and vascular graft infections complicated with the formation of multiple abscesses despite aggressive medical therapy.
A 40-year-old man underwent ascending aorta replacement for an acute type A aortic dissection. After the operations, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was identified in sputum and blood cultures. Although anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus drugs were administered, most of the intermittent blood cultures remained positive. ⋯ However, abscesses in the brain, mediastinum and spleen were found 3 years after the operation. The minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin gradually increased from 1 to 4 µg/mL during the course of treatment. This case provides evidence for a potential role of combination therapy.