J Formos Med Assoc
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Subdural hematoma (SDH) of the spine following intracranial hemorrhage is extremely rare. We present a 35-year-old woman who suffered from headache and dizziness initially, and then lower back pain, lower limb weakness and paraparesis gradually developed within 1-2 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed intracranial and spinal SDH. ⋯ Platelet count, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, were normal. A diagnosis of spontaneous spinal and intracranial SDH was then confirmed surgically. Postoperative recovery was uneventful.
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To study the clinical features, diagnostic processes, timing of antibiotic administration and outcomes of patients with severe community-acquired septic meningitis at an emergency department (ED), who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. ⋯ Severe septic meningitis remains a disease with high mortality and morbidity. Expeditious diagnostic processes with early appropriate antibiotic treatment and ICU admission at the ED are important in improving the quality of care and patient outcome.
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Comparative Study
Early or late surgical ligation of medical refractory patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants.
Optimal time to surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in very-low-birth-weight (< 1500 g) premature infants remains an area of controversy. We compared the outcomes of early or late ligation of medical refractory PDA in very-low-birth-weight premature infants. Fifty-six infants underwent surgical closure of PDA after failure of or having contraindications to medical treatment. ⋯ Clinical features and major outcomes were similar. The early ligation group had earlier onset of symptomatic PDA (5.7 +/- 1.6 days vs. 8.1 +/- 3.6 days, p = 0.024), and fewer days of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) (39.6 +/- 13.9 days vs. 60.4 +/- 31.4 days, p = 0.025) and ventilator use (11.1 +/- 6.7 days vs. 18.6 +/- 10.5 days, p = 0.019). Early ligation of medical refractory PDA in very-low-birth-weight premature infants improves enteral feeding tolerance and reduces TPN and ventilator use, but long-term benefits need further investigation.
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Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-12 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, have been shown to be mediators associated with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). It is unknown whether plasma TGF-beta1 level can help physicians to judge disease severity. In this study, we investigated the value of predicting mortality in patients with severe CAP by the plasma levels of IFN-gamma, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 and TGF-beta1 on admission day. ⋯ A severity scoring system, including TGF-beta1 level on admission, may be considered as a useful parameter to predict outcomes of patients with severe CAP.
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Bile, blood or pus may rupture into or extend to the hepatic subcapsular space, but most descriptions in the literature are from isolated case reports. When fluid collections are limited by the size of the subcapsular space, they rarely present with abrupt symptoms and signs. We reviewed our experience with hepatic subcapsular fluid collections, including diagnostic studies and outcome. ⋯ If these fluid collections are limited in the subcapsular space, they are rarely associated with abrupt hemodynamic instability and usually not lethal. The only characteristic that differed significantly between those who died and those who survived was the international normalized ratio, meaning that good liver function and normal coagulation has the ability to recover from this dismal episode.