Presse Med
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Severe accidental hypothermia with central temperature below 28 degrees C can result from prolonged cold exposure and lead to a fatal outcome by spontaneous or provoked ventricular fibrillation. ⋯ Prognosis is very poor in patients who experience severe accidental hypothermia (< 28 degrees C) with circulatory collapse. Death often results from major rhythm disorders. Optimal emergency rewarming and oxygenation using extracorporeal circulatory assistance can be successful.
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The association of hypercalcemia and leukocytosis constitutes a novel paraneoplastic syndrome rarely reported in the course of head and neck and lung squamous cell carcinoma. We report 7 new cases. ⋯ This association probably involves the secretion of hematopoietic growth factors such as G-CSF or GM-CSF by the tumor, acting simultaneously on osteoclasts and granulomonocytic cells which have common precursers.
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This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of venous lactate assay in the diagnosis of generalized seizures. ⋯ The acidosis observed in patients with generalized seizures results from the combined effects of respiratory and metabolic acidosis. High lactate level would be a consequence of hypoxemia, per seizure rise in catecholamines, and aerobic and anaerobic metabolism in muscles during the tonic-clonic phase. In patients presenting in an unconscious state, increased lactate levels, even when determined up to 2 hours after venous blood withdrawal, could be a useful parameter for the diagnosis of epileptic seizure.
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Aneurysm of the renal artery is an uncommon discovery at arteriography performed as part of a hypertension work-up. ⋯ Most cases of renal artery aneurysm do not cause hypertension. In such cases, the high blood pressure is idiopathic or related to fibrodysplastic stenosis of the renal artery often associated with aneurysm formation. In rare cases with obstructive complications alone an aneurysm may lead to acute hypertension either after dissection as in our case or after thrombus formation. Surgery is generally required.