Internal and emergency medicine
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The purpose of this study is to assess the incidence and describe the clinical and pathological features of macrovascular thrombosis during the course of thrombotic micro-angiopathy (TMA) in a 6 year retrospective study of all adults with TMA, admitted to a teaching-hospital ICU. Of the 55 patients identified, all had anaemia and thrombocytopenia and 45 (82 %) had renal or neurological impairment. All patients received plasmapheresis, steroids, and strict blood pressure control. ⋯ By multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with macrovascular thrombosis were undetectable ADAMTS13 activity (odds ratio 7.33, 95 % confidence interval 1.3-41.3), cardiac involvement with TMA (odds ratio, 3.46; 95 % confidence interval, 1.1-13.9) and TMA flare (odds ratio 9.03; 95 % confidence interval 1.03-79.4). In conclusion, half of the patients with TMA experience macrovascular thrombosis. Patients with TTP-related ADAMTS13 deficiency and those with cardiac manifestations of TMA are at higher risk for arterial or deep venous thrombosis.
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Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) improves survival in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe hypoxemia. Adherence to LTOT guidelines is problematic, both because efficacy has been demonstrated only in specific groups of COPD patients, and because it implies high costs. Introduces treatment high costs. ⋯ Adherence was higher for LTOT prescribed by pulmonologists compared to internists. This survey showed that the adherence to LTOT guidelines in a sample of medical records of patients prescribed LTOT is poor. Considering the high costs and the impact on the patients' quality of life of LTOT, these results suggest that the adherence should be carefully monitored.
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Review Case Reports
Anaphylaxis caused by intravenous fluorescein: clinical characteristics and review of literature.
Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially fatal, systemic allergic reaction that suddenly occurs after contact with an allergy-causing substance. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients who were diagnosed with anaphylaxis to fluorescein. The medical records of patients with anaphylaxis to intravenous fluorescein angiography (IVFA) admitted to the emergency department between January 2010 and June 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. ⋯ All of our patients recovered without sequelae and mortality following prompt and proper intervention. Although the incidence is low, anaphylaxis due to intravenous fluorescein can occur during IVFA. Physicians should be aware of this possible complication, and be prepared to treat it.