Medicine
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Although fluoroquinolones (FQs) are generally well-tolerated antibiotics, increasing numbers of hypersensitivity reactions have been reported. These can be evaluated in vitro by basophil activation tests (BATs); however, sensitivity is not optimal. Many factors could influence sensitivity such as basophil activation markers. ⋯ The best sensitivity-specificity was obtained using a cutoff of 3 and the culprit FQ, using CD203c for moxifloxacin-allergic patients (sensitivity = 36.4%; specificity = 94.4%), and CD63 for ciprofloxacin-allergic patients (sensitivity = 83.3%; specificity = 88.9%). A negative correlation was found between the upregulation of CD63 and CD203c and the time interval between the reaction occurrence and the performance of the test (Spearman r = -0.446; P < 0.001 for CD63 and Spearman r = -0.386; P < 0.001 for CD203c). The performance of BAT for FQ allergy must be optimized for each drug, taking into account possible differences in the stimulation mechanism that leads to the upregulation of different activation markers.
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Observational Study
Laser speckle contrast imaging identifies ischemic areas on gastric tube reconstructions following esophagectomy.
Gastric tube reconstruction (GTR) is a high-risk surgical procedure with substantial perioperative morbidity. Compromised arterial blood supply and venous congestion are believed to be the main etiologic factors associated with early and late anastomotic complications. Identifying low blood perfusion areas may provide information on the risks of future anastomotic leakage and could be essential for improving surgical techniques. ⋯ It was feasible to implement LSCI intraoperatively to produce blood perfusion assessments on intact and reconstructed whole stomachs. The analytical design presented in this study resulted in good reproducibility of gastric perfusion measurements between different investigators. LSCI provides spatial and temporal information on the location of adequate tissue perfusion and may thus be an important aid in optimizing surgical and anesthesiological procedures for strategically selecting anastomotic site in patients undergoing esophagectomy with GTR.
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Observational Study
Swallowing dysfunction following endotracheal intubation: Age matters.
To evaluate postextubation swallowing dysfunction (PSD) 21 days after endotracheal extubation and to examine whether PSD is time-limited and whether age matters. For this prospective cohort study, we evaluated 151 adult critical care patients (≥20 years) who were intubated for at least 48 hours and had no pre-existing neuromuscular disease or swallowing dysfunction. Participants were assessed for time (days) to pass bedside swallow evaluations (swallow 50 mL of water without difficulty) and to resume total oral intake. ⋯ Excluding patients with pre-existing neuromuscular dysfunction, PSD is common and prolonged. Age matters in the time needed to recover. Swallowing and oral intake should be monitored and interventions made, if needed, in the first 7 to 14 days postextubation, particularly for older patients.
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Sepsis is a common condition in the emergency department that is associated with high mortality. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been used as a simple prognosis predictor for patients with community-acquired pneumonia, gram-negative bacteremia, and severe sepsis or septic shock. To evaluate the performance of RDW to predict in-hospital mortality among septic patients, we conducted a hospital-based retrospective cohort study in an emergency department of a tertiary teaching hospital. ⋯ RDW could be an independent predictor of mortality among septic patients. Clinicians could classify the septic patients into different risk groups according to RDW quartiles. For more accurate mortality prediction, RDW could be a potential parameter to be incorporated into clinical prediction rules.
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Observational Study
Role of blood gas analysis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.
To determine the relationship between acid-base findings, such as pH, pCO2, and serum lactate levels, obtained immediately after starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). A prospective observational study of adult, nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients was conducted at an urban academic teaching institution between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2015. Arterial blood sample for acid-base data was taken from all OHCA patients on arrival to the emergency department. ⋯ In a multivariate regression analysis, pCO2 was the only independent biochemical predictor for sustained ROSC (OR 0.979; 95% CI 0.960-0.997; P = 0.025) and pCO2 of <75 mmHg was 3.3 times more likely to achieve ROSC (OR 0.302; 95% CI 0.146-0.627; P = 0.001).pCO2 levels obtained during cardiopulmonary resuscitation on ER arrival was associated with ROSC in OHCA patients. It might be a potentially marker for reflecting the status of the ischemic insult. These preliminary results need to be confirmed in a larger population.