Category Archives: Volume 5

Initial Fluid Resuscitation Following Adjusted Body Weight Dosing in Sepsis and Septic Shock

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0025

Introduction: Fluid administration is considered a fundamental part of early sepsis treatment. Despite abundant research, fundamental questions about the amount of fluids to be given remain unanswered. Recently, the idea of adjusting the fluid load to the ideal body weight emerged, as obesity rates are increasing, and fluid overload was proven to increase mortality.
Aim of the study: The study aimed to determine whether advanced haemodynamic monitoring supports the adjustment of the initial fluid load to the ideal body weight (IBW).
Methods: Seventy-one patients with sepsis and septic shock were enrolled in the study. The initial fluid resuscitation was performed using local protocols. The haemodynamic status was assessed after the initial fluid load by trans-pulmonary thermos-dilution technique and the renal outcome recorded at twenty-four hours.
Results: 68.6% of the patients included in the study had weight disorders ranging from BMI+20% to morbid obesity. Before IBW adjustment, only 49.3% received the 30 ml/kg fluid load recommended by Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines (2016) (SSC). After IBW adjustment, 70.4% received the recommended fluid dose. The difference in fluid load/kg before and after the bodyweight adjustment was statistically significant (p<0.01). After the initial fluid load, the majority of the macro haemodynamic parameters were in the targeted range. There was no statistically significant difference between the urinary output outcome at 24 hours or the 28 days mortality rates between the patients resuscitated by the SSC and those who received less fluid.
Conclusions: Advanced haemodynamic monitoring was in favour of adjusting the initial fluid load to the IBW. There were no statistically significant differences either in the urinary output outcome at twenty-four hours, or in the twenty-eight-day mortality rates between the patients who received the 30 ml/kg IBW and those who received less than 30 ml/kg IBW.

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Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy and Lipid Dysmetabolism in a Critically Ill Patient after A Short Course of Amiodarone

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0026

The case is reported of a 39-year-old severely obese woman who developed acute metabolic disorders after the administration of a short course of intravenous amiodarone. The main biological features were hypertriglyceridemia, hypoglycaemia, hyperlactatemia and hyperammonemia; all were reversible after amiodarone discontinuation. There was an associated rise in liver enzymes. However, the influence of co-factors on these metabolic disorders, such as acquired carnitine deficiency, severe obesity, a long-term course of pancreatitis, and abdominal infections, could not be excluded.

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Accidental Modopar© Poisoning in a Two-Year-Old Child. A Case Report

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0024

Levodopa is a dopamine precursor and a mainstay treatment in the management of Parkinson’s disease. Its side effects induce dyskinesia, nausea, vomiting, and orthostatic hypotension. Acute levodopa acute poisoning is uncommon, with only a few reported cases in the medical literature. Treatment of poisoning by levodopa is mainly supportive. The case of a child admitted to a hospital for acute levodopa poisoning is presented in this report.

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SIRS Triggered by Acute Right Ventricular Function, Mimicked Septic Shock

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0022

Background: The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a complex immune response which can be precipitated by non-infectious aetiologies such as trauma, burns or pancreatitis. Addressing the underlying cause is crucial because it can be associated with increased mortality. Although the current literature associates chronic heart failure with SIRS, acute right ventricular dysfunction has not previously been reported to trigger SIRS. This case report describes the presentation of acute right ventricular dysfunction that triggered SIRS and mimicked septic shock.
Case presentation: A 70-year-old male presented to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with elevated inflammatory markers and refractory hypotension after a robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical choledochectomy with pancreaticoduodenectomy. Septic shock was misdiagnosed, and he was later found to have a pulmonary embolus. Thrombectomy and antimicrobials had no significant effect on lowering the elevated inflammatory markers or improving the persistent hypotension. Through Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS), right ventricular dysfunction was diagnosed. Treatment with intravenous milrinone improved blood pressure, normalised inflammatory markers and led to a prompt discharge from the ICU.
Conclusion: Acute right ventricular dysfunction can trigger SIRS, which may mimic septic shock and delay appropriate treatment.

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Transient Diabetes Insipidus Following Organophosphorus Poisoning

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0023

Introduction: Organophosphorus poisoning is the most common poison used for suicidal attempt in Nepal. Diabetes insipidus is unusual and rare in this poisoning. This is the second case report of Diabetes insipidus developing in organophosphorus poisoning. Management of diabetes insipidus includes desmopressin and adequate fluid management.
Case presentation: A 34-year-old female patient accompanied by her father presented at the Emergency department with an alleged history of ingestion of unknown amount of chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and quinalphos. On admission, she had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 7/15. Her blood pressure was 110/60 mm Hg, pulse 54/min, respiratory rate 45/min and saturation 35% on room air, pinpoint pupil reactive to light and bilateral crepitations. She was immediately resuscitated with two litres of normal saline and intubated with a 7 mm endotracheal tube. Atropinisation was done, and pralidoxime was started. She developed a urine output of 250-350 ml per hour with rising sodium and serum osmolality. The urine examination showed low sodium and urine specific gravity. A diagnosis of diabetes insipidus was made. There was no immediate improvement in her GCS. She was managed with 5% dextrose and subcutaneous desmopressin and was transferred out of the intensive care unit on the sixth day and was discharged from hospital on the fifteenth day.
Conclusion: Diabetes insipidus is a rare transient complication in organophosphorus poisoning that requires careful observation and early management with desmopressin and adequate fluid balance to improve patient outcome.

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Fatal Hypocalcaemia Due to Hungry Bone Syndrome with Secondary Refractory HyperParathyroidism after Parathyroidectomy: A Case Report

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0021

Introduction: Hungry bone syndrome (HBS) refers to the rapid, profound, and prolonged hypocalcaemia associated with hypophosphatemia and hypomagnesaemia, and is exacerbated by suppressed parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, which follows parathyroidectomy in patients with severe primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and preoperative high bone turnover. [1]
Case report: This report concerns a dialysed patient who underwent surgical treatment for secondary refractory hyperparathyroidism. Haemodialysis was carried out pre-operatively, and subsequently, a total parathyroidectomy with auto-transplantation of parathyroid tissue in the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) was performed. Rapid and progressive hypocalcaemia symptoms developed during the second day postoperatively. Acute cardiac symptoms with tachyarrhythmia, haemodynamic instability and finally asystole occurred, which required cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The ionic calcium level was 2.2 mg/dL being consistent with a diagnosis of HBS. A second cardiac arrest unresponsive to CPR followed an initial period of normal sinus rhythm. Death ensued shortly after. Before death, the ionic calcium was 3.1 mg/dL.
Conclusion: HBS, after parathyroidectomy in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), may be severe, prolonged and sometimes fatal. Generally, HBS symptomatology is that of a mild hypocalcaemia. It can, however, include heart rhythm disturbances with haemodynamic alterations requiring intensive care measurements and even cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A close clinical and laboratory post-parathyroidectomy monitoring of dialysed patients is of the utmost importance.

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The Use of High Dose Eltrombopag in the Management of Sepsis-Associated Thrombocytopenia in Critically Ill Patients

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0019

Introduction: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, and sepsis-associated thrombocytopenia (SAT) is a common consequence of the disease where platelet count falls drastically within a very short time. Multiple key factors may cause platelet over-activation, destruction and reduction in platelet production during the sepsis. Eltrombopag is a thrombopoietin receptor agonist and is the second-line drug of choice in the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).
Aim of the study: The objective of this study was to observe the therapeutic outcome of high dose eltrombopag in SAT management in critically ill patients.
Material and Methods: This 6-month-long single group, observational study was conducted on seventeen ICU patients with SAT. Eltrombopag 100 mg/day in two divided doses was given to each patient. Platelet counts were monitored. A low platelet blood count returning to 150 K/μL or above, is taken as indicative of a successful reversal of a thrombocytopenia event.
Results: The mean Apache II score of patients (n= 17) was 18.71 (p-value: >0.05). No eltrombopag-induced adverse event was observed among the patients during the study period. Thrombocytopenia events were reversed successfully in 64.71% of patients (11; n= 17) within eight days of eltrombopag therapy.
Conclusions: The therapeutic potentiality of high dose eltrombopag regime in the management of sepsis-associated thrombocytopenia was found clinically significant in over two-thirds of critically ill adult patients enrolled in the study. These data may point to a new strategy in the management of acute type of thrombocytopenia in septic patients.

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Diagnostic Difficulties in a Severely Ill HIV Patient with Multiple Superinfections – A Case Report

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0020

Introduction: As chronic HIV infection is prone to co-infections more than any other infectious condition, many severely immune-depressed patients require advanced diagnostic investigations and complex treatment.
Case report: The case of a 30-year-old severely immune-depressed patient with AIDS, who developed neurological impairment and was diagnosed with encephalitis is presented. Multiple diagnostic approaches had to be used in order to identify the etiologic agents responsible for the clinical, immunological and biological evolution. Despite using advanced laboratory investigations and complex treatment, the patient developed multiple organ dysfunction syndromes that led to a fatal outcome.
Conclusions: Establishing etiologic relations and treatment priorities in patients with severe immunodeficiency and co-infections can prove difficult, underlining the need of rapid syndromic testing.

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Determination of Cut-off Serum Values for Resistin and S100B Protein in Patients Who Survived a Cardiac Arrest

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2019-0018

Introduction: In an attempt to identify patients who have successfully survived a resuscitated cardiac arrest (CA), attention is drawn to resistin and S100B protein, two biomarkers that have been studied in relation to CA.
Aim: The study aimed to identify the potential cut-off serum values for resistin and S100B in patients who had CA, compared to healthy volunteers, given that, currently, none of the markers have normal and pathological reference range limits for human assay levels related to this pathology.
Materials and Methods: Forty patients, resuscitated after out-of-hospital CA and forty healthy controls, were included in the study. All patients were followed up for seventy-two hours after CA or until death. Blood samples for biomarkers were collected on admission to the ED (0-time interval) and at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours following resuscitation. Only one blood sample was collected from the controls. The serum concentrations of biomarkers were measured.
Results: For each time interval, median serum levels of resistin and S100 B were ​​ significantly higher in patients with CA compared to healthy controls. The cut-off value for resistin in patients with CA, at the 12-hours versus controls, was > 8.2 ng/ml. The cut-off value for S100B in patients with CA versus controls recorded at 6 hours, was > 11.6 pg/ml.
Conclusion: Serum levels of resistin and S100B are higher among resuscitated CA patients compared to controls.

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