Acta Clin Belg
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High anion gap metabolic acidosis due to pyroglutamic acid (5-oxoproline) is a rare complication of acetaminophen treatment (which depletes glutathione stores) and is often associated with clinically moderate to severe encephalopathy. Acquired 5-oxoprolinase deficiency (penicillins) or the presence of other risk factors of glutathione depletion such as malnutrition or sepsis seems to be necessary for symptoms development. We report the case of a 55-year-old women who developed a symptomatic overproduction of 5-oxoproline during flucloxacillin treatment for severe sepsis while receiving acetaminophen for fever control. Hemodialysis accelerated the clearance of the accumulated organic acid, and was followed by a sustained clinical improvement.
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This report describes two patients for whom the preoperative, anaesthetic consultation led to postponing planned surgery because of important, undiagnosed health problems. In one of the two cases, this consultation was even life-saving. However, actual literature cannot prove any advantage on the outcome of the individual patient. The only proven advantages in favour of pre-operative consultation are a reduced length of stay in the hospital and a reduction in the cost of preoperative testing.
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Reversible lesions of the splenium of the corpus callosum constitute a clinicoradiological syndrome that has been associated to various medical conditions. We report the case of a 47-year-old man who presented with encephalopathy associated to auto-immune thyroid disease in which a reversible splenial lesion was isolated. Although encephalopathy associated to auto-immune thyroid disease is characterized by variable radiological findings, it has only been once associated with a reversible splenial lesion.
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Review Case Reports
Acute respiratory distress syndrome after verapamil intoxication: case report and literature review.
Verapamil intoxication is a life-threatening condition that often presents with severe hemodynamic instability and requires vasopressor support. There are also documented case reports of the development of non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema after verapamil overdose. ⋯ Possible mechanisms are presented after taking into account findings in the current literature. Acute respiratory distress syndrome should be considered early during the evaluation of patients with verapamil intoxication.
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We report on a rare case of septic arthritis of the sacroiliac joint in a young patient without apparent predisposing factors. ⋯ Pyogenic sacroiliitis should be taken into account in patients with sacroiliitis and fever onset. Magnetic resonance imaging shows signal anomalies well beyond disappearance of symptoms, which may or may not require prolonged antibiotic therapy.