The American journal of emergency medicine
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Predicting medical outcomes for acute pyelonephritis (APN) in women is difficult. Delay in diagnosis and treatment often results in rapid progression to circulatory collapse, multiple-organ failure, and death. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of procalcitonin (PCT) level in women with APN at ED. ⋯ Relative to other classic markers of inflammation, by distinguishing the severity of sepsis related to APN, PCT levels can provide additional aid to clinicians in disease severity classification and their decision of treatment at ED.
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Case Reports
Lipid emulsion therapy in cardiodepressive syndrome after diltiazem overdose--case report.
We present a case of diltiazem overdose in which the patient ingested 5.6 g in an apparent suicide attempt. She was admitted in the emergency department 2 hours postingestion with cardiodepressive syndrome. She was treated with gastric lavage, activated charcoal, intravenous fluids, calcium, and epinephrine, without improvement in vital signs. ⋯ The patient was stable hemodynamically and metabolic in the following 24 hours. She was alert and oriented and was extubated in the second day. She was discharged after 4 days in a good state and without any neurologic deficits.