The Netherlands journal of medicine
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Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common and serious disease with significant mortality, morbidity and associated healthcare costs. Severity of pneumonia is related to the extent of the inflammatory response. ⋯ For those two reasons, extended inflammatory response and increasing antibiotic resistance, it is interesting to look at adjunctive non-antibiotic therapeutic strategies aimed at modulation of the inflammatory response or at the micro-organism itself. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding these therapies and their possible role in the future.
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A 56-year-old woman developed acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation due to acute hypokalaemic paralysis. There was no gastrointestinal potassium loss nor was she taking diuretics. ⋯ An acid-load test revealed a renal urine acidification defect, leading to the diagnosis of distal renal tubular acidosis. Normalisation of serum potassium level was established with oral bicarbonate supplementation and temporary potassium supplementation.