Clinical medicine (London, England)
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Multicenter Study
Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome in Patients with Cancer: A Multicenter Study.
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) are life-threatening complications of diabetes mellitus. However, limited data about DKA and HHS are available in patients with cancer. The current study aimed to determine characteristics and outcomes of patients with cancer who were admitted with DKA/HHS in a mid-size Canadian city. ⋯ Although DKA or HHS is uncommon in patients with diabetes and cancer, it is the manifestation of undiagnosed diabetes in about one-third of patients with cancer. It has been associated with high hospital mortality in patients with advanced cancer.
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Case Reports
Lessons of the month: Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak-associated Ventriculitis - a case report.
We present a case of a 74-year-old woman with headaches, pyrexia and intermittent right-sided otorrhoea and rhinorrhoea. Her nasal discharge tested positive for beta-2-transferrin, confirming a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. High-resolution CT (HRCT) mastoids showed a defect in the right tegmen, and CSF within the middle ear and mastoid air cells. ⋯ The patient had surgical repair of bony defects to prevent recurrence. This highlights a rare case of ventriculitis associated with a spontaneous CSF leak, with no existing set diagnostic criteria, and high mortality. High clinical suspicion aided by appropriate imaging, and a multidisciplinary approach to management are imperative.
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Pregnancy leads to significant changes in renal physiology, which result in increases in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and enhanced protein excretion. These changes may continue in the postnatal period and might be observed for 5-6 months after birth. Once confirmed, proteinuria warrants investigation and close surveillance. ⋯ New onset of proteinuria before 20 weeks' gestation (with or without kidney impairment) suggests known or previously undetected kidney disease. As pregnancy evolves, hyperfiltration may lead to increasing proteinuria, posing a diagnostic challenge in the diagnosis and recognition of pre-eclampsia. This article was written as a guide for the evaluation and management of proteinuria in pregnancy, as well as appreciating diagnostic dilemmas.
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The prevalence of smoking remains stubbornly high in the UK despite comprehensive tobacco control measures. A national quality improvement (QI) approach to enhance the treatment of an estimated 1,000,000 annual hospital admissions of tobacco smokers could provide a new opportunity to improve population health and reduce healthcare demand. Barriers to QI include knowledge, costs and competing demands. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a national QI programme hosted by the British Thoracic Society, focused on improving NHS tobacco dependency treatment in acute hospitals. ⋯ This novel, national, online QI programme supported participating multidisciplinary teams in acute trusts across the UK to deliver tobacco dependency treatment pathway improvements using QI tools and methodology. This programme demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of delivering a national QI programme, at low cost using a microsystems approach applied to an important area of clinical medicine.