Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde
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Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd · Jan 2002
Review[Procalcitonin concentrations in the diagnosis of acute inflammatory reactions].
Procalcitonin is a calcitonin prohormone. During systemic inflammatory response it has the characteristics of an acute-phase protein. However, plasma levels rise more rapidly than those of the parameter (i.e. ⋯ This makes procalcitonin a valuable addition to the current diagnostic work-up for acutely ill patients. Procalcitonin can be used as a marker of inflammation, to differentiate serious bacterial infections from other generalised inflammatory diseases, to differentiate bacterial from viral infections, to differentiate infection from disease activity in patients with autoimmune diseases, to differentiate infection from rejection in transplant patients, and as a prognostic marker in critically ill patients. Procalcitonin may prove to be a valuable adjunct in diagnosing and treating patients with a variety of inflammatory disorders.
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Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd · Jan 2002
Review Case Reports[Complex visual hallucinations in partially sighted elderly: Charles Bonnet syndrome].
In two patients, women aged 85 and 80 years, who suffered from visual hallucinations involving living creatures, cars and buildings, Charles Bonnet syndrome was diagnosed. Both were worried that these signs were an indication of a severe psychiatric condition. ⋯ Patient education and reassurance are the cornerstones of treatment. Other possible treatments are: improving visual acuity and the general physical condition, stopping medication with hallucinogenic side effects, activating the patient, coaching the patient in avoiding hallucination-triggering situations and using stopping strategies, and (still experimental) pharmacological treatment with carbamazepine, valproate, ondansetron or cisapride.