Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is a potent vasoconstrictor amine. The authors report three patients who developed thunderclap headache, reversible cerebral arterial vasoconstriction, and ischemic ...strokes (i.e., the Call-Fleming syndrome). The only cause for vasoconstriction was recent exposure to serotonergic drugs in all patients, and to pseudoephedrine in one patient. These cases, and the literature, suggest that the use of serotonin-enhancing drugs can precipitate a cerebrovascular syndrome due to reversible, multifocal arterial narrowing.
Concerns have recently grown regarding the safety of iodinated contrast agents used for CTA and CTP imaging. We tested whether the incidence of AN, defined by a >or=25% increase in the post-contrast ...scan creatinine level, was higher among patients with ischemic stroke who underwent a functional contrast-enhanced CT protocol compared with those who had no iodinated contrast administration.
The contrast-exposed group consisted of 575 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent CTA (n = 313), CTA/CTP (n = 224), or CTA/CTP followed by conventional angiography (n = 38) within 24 hours of stroke onset and were consecutively enrolled in a prospective cohort study. The nonexposed group consisted of 343 patients with ischemic stroke, consecutively admitted to the same institution, who did not receive iodinated contrast material. Patients were stratified by baseline eGFR. In the primary analysis, the Fisher exact test was used to compare the incidence of AN between the contrast-exposed and the nonexposed patients at 24, 48, and 72 hours and on a cumulative basis. A secondary analysis compared the incidence of AN in patients who underwent conventional angiography following CTA/CTP versus patients who underwent CTA/CTP only.
The incidence of AN was 5% in the exposed and 10% in the nonexposed group (P = .003). Patients who underwent conventional angiography after contrast CT were at no greater risk of AN than patients who underwent CTA/CTP alone (26 patients, 5%; and 2 patients, 5%, respectively; P = .7).
Administration of a contrast-enhanced CT protocol involving CTA/CTP and conventional angiography in selected patients does not appear to increase the incidence of CIN.
Use of medications with vasoconstrictive or vasodilatory effects can potentially affect the risk for vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
Using International Classification of ...Diseases-9 diagnostic codes followed by medical record review, the authors identified 514 patients with SAH admitted between 1995 and 2003 who were evaluated for vasospasm between days 4 and 14. The authors determined risks for vasospasm, symptomatic vasospasm, and poor clinical outcomes in patients with documented pre-hemorrhagic use of calcium channel blockers, beta-receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), non-SSRI vasoactive antidepressants, or statins.
Vasospasm developed in 62%, and symptomatic vasospasm in 29% of the cohort. On univariate analysis, the risk for all vasospasm tended to increase in patients taking SSRIs (p = 0.09) and statins (p = 0.05); SSRI use increased the risk for symptomatic vasospasm (p = 0.028). The Cochran-Armitage trend test showed that the proportion of patients taking SSRIs and statins increased significantly across three worsening categories (none, asymptomatic, symptomatic) of vasospasm. Logistic regression analysis showed that SSRI use tended to predict all vasospasm (O.R. 2.01 0.91 to 4.45), and predicted symptomatic vasospasm (O.R. 1.42 1.06 to 4.33). Statin exposure increased the risk for vasospasm (O.R. 2.75 1.16 to 6.50), perhaps from abrupt statin withdrawal (O.R. 2.54 0.78 to 8.28). Age < 50 years, Hunt-Hess grade 4 or 5, and Fisher Group 3 independently predicted all vasospasm, symptomatic vasospasm, poor discharge clinical status, and death.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and statin users have a higher risk for subarachnoid hemorrhage-related vasospasm. Whether the underlying disease indication, direct actions, or rebound effects from abrupt drug withdrawal account for the associated risk warrants further investigation.
Abstract Donor cause of death (DCOD) has been described to influence allograft survival. Whether this effect is independent of other donor characteristics and whether it is similar across different ...solid organ allografts is not known. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of DCOD on organ utilization and on transplantation outcomes—graft rejection, function, and survival. The registry data were provided by the United Network for Organ Sharing/Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Stroke, head trauma, and anoxia were the cause of brain death in 97% of the more than 86,000 donors whose data were recorded between 1989 and 2008. In univariate analysis, stroke DCOD was associated with worse graft survival across all organs. After adjustment in a multivariable analysis, modest differences persisted in survival of heart, kidney, and liver allografts. DCOD also appeared to affect the incidence of allograft rejection. Anoxia DCOD was associated with significantly less rejection relative to donor death caused by head trauma and stroke. In summary, this multi-institutional study confirms that DCOD is a modest predictor of survival and rejection of solid organ allografts of different types.
Summary
Anaesthetists may be required to work in hybrid theatres for procedures using fluoroscopic imaging. Adequate knowledge of fluoroscopic images allows prompt and effective emergency management ...of complications which arise during procedures. Here, we present a case of severe hypotension and hypoxia occurring shortly after induction of anaesthesia. Atelectasis was mistaken for a pneumothorax due to misinterpretation of fluoroscopic imaging, which demonstrated a dark pleural cavity peripheral to a partially collapsed left lung, leading to an incorrect diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of understanding greyscale inversion in fluoroscopy.
Arterial Oxygen Saturation: A Vital Sign? Singhal, A; Prafull, K; Daulatabad, V S ...
Nigerian journal of clinical practice,
2023-Nov-01, 2023-11-00, 20231101, Letnik:
26, Številka:
11
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The physical examination is a key part of a continuum that extends from the history of the present illness to the therapeutic outcome. An understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism behind a ...physical sign is essential for arriving at the correct diagnosis. Early detection of deteriorating physical/vital signs and their appropriate interpretation is thus the key to achieve correct and timely management. By definition, vital signs are "the signs of life that may be monitored or measured, namely pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood pressure." Vital signs are the simplest, cheapest and probably the most inexpensive information gathered bedside in outpatient or hospitalized patients. The pulse oximeter was introduced in the 1980s. It is an accurate and non-invasive method for the measurement of arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SaO2). Pulse oximetry-based arterial oxygen saturation can be effectively used bedside in in-hospital and ambulatory patients with diagnosed or suspected lung disease. The present pandemic of COVID-19 should be considered as a wake-up call. Articles related to arterial oxygen saturation and its importance as a vital sign in patient care were searched online especially in PubMed. Available studies were studied in full length and data was extracted. Discussion: A. Clinical Utility of Oxygen Saturation Monitoring: There are many studies reporting the clinical applicability and usefulness of pulse oximetry in the early detection of hypoxemic events during intraoperative and postoperative periods. B. Role of clinical expertise accompanied by knowledge of physiology: A diagnostic sign is useful only if it is interpreted accurately and applied appropriately while evaluating a patient. The World Health Organisation also appreciates these facts and published "The WHO Pulse Oximetry Training Manual." Understanding the physiology behind and overcoming limitations of the diagnostic sign by clinical expertise is important. While using pulse oximetry, a clinician needs to keep in mind the sigmoidal nature of the oxygen-Hb dissociation curve. Considering these benefits of SaO2 measurement, there have been several references in the past to consider oxygen saturation as the fifth vital sign. In the present pandemic oxygen saturation i.e., SpO2 (arterial oxygen saturation) measured by pulse oxymeter, has been the single most important warning and prognostic sign be it for households, offices, street vendors, hospitals or governments. Measurement of trends of SaO2 added with respiratory rate will provide clinicians with a holistic overview of respiratory functions and multidimensional conditions associated with hypoxemia.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSECephaloceles are relatively rare conditions caused by a congenital and/or acquired skull defect. The incidence of associated venous brain anomalies with regard to cephaloceles ...remains to be fully elucidated. Accordingly, we sought to assess the prevalence of sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula in patients with spontaneous skull base cephaloceles. MATERIALS AND METHODSOur institutional data base was retrospectively queried from 2005 to 2018. Patients in whom spontaneous skull base cephaloceles were identified were ultimately included in the study cohort. These patients subsequently had their sigmoid sinuses re-evaluated with focused attention on the possible presence of dehiscence and/or diverticula. RESULTSWe identified 56 patients: 12 men and 44 women. After re-evaluation of the sigmoid sinuses, evidence of dehiscence and/or diverticula was noted in 21 patients. The right sigmoid sinus was involved in 11 patients, and the left sigmoid sinus was involved in 7 patients, including 3 cases of diverticulum. In 3 patients, evidence of bilateral sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula was noted. Female sex was associated with sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula by univariate analysis (P = .019). By linear regression, cephalocele volume was negatively associated with sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula (coefficient, -2266, P value < .007, adjusted R 2 = 0.1077). By univariate logistic regression using average cephalocele volume as a cutoff, we demonstrate a statistically significant finding of lower volumes being associated with sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula with an odds ratio of 3.58 (P = .05). CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula in patients with cephalocele is high. Female sex is associated with sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula. The cephalocele volume appears to be inversely proportional to sigmoid sinus dehiscence and diverticula.
With the growing number of entertainment-education (E-E) interventions worldwide, and the extensive evaluation research on their impacts, the time is ripe to explore in-depth the theoretical ...underpinnings of entertainment-education. This introductory article provides a historical background to this special issue of Communication Theory on entertainment-education, and charts a 5-pronged theoretical agenda for future research on entertainment-education.
Introduction:
Obesity is associated with greater utilization of medical resources, but it is unclear if a similar relationship exists for dental care.
Objectives:
This retrospective cohort study ...compared periodontal disease treatment among obese, overweight, and normal-weight patients attending an urban US dental school clinic.
Methods:
Periodontal, demographic, and medical history data for 3,443 adult patients examined between July 1, 2010, and July 31, 2019, were extracted from electronic health records. Body mass index (BMI) was computed from self-reported height and weight and categorized as obese (≥30 kg/m2), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2), or normal (18–24.9 kg/m2). Periodontal disease was categorized using clinical probing measures. Procedure codes defined treatment type (surgical, nonsurgical, local chemotherapeutics, or none). Logistic regression models controlling for initial periodontal disease severity, age, gender, tobacco use, history of diabetes, dental insurance type, and follow-up (log of days) estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of any treatment among obese and overweight relative to normal-weight patients. The association between BMI and a periodontal treatment intensity score, based on treatment type, number of teeth treated, and number of visits, was evaluated with multivariable negative binomial regression.
Results:
Mean age at baseline was 44 ± 15 y, and severe periodontal disease was present in 32% of obese, 31% of overweight, and 21% of normal-weight patients. Average follow-up was 3.9 ± 1.6 y. Obese and overweight patients were more likely to have nonsurgical scaling and root planing or surgical procedures than normal-weight patients. Adjusted odds of any treatment were higher among obese (OR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.14–1.72) and overweight (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 0.97–1.42) relative to normal weight. Obese and overweight patients had 40% and 24% higher treatment intensity scores, respectively, than normal-weight patients.
Conclusion:
These results indicate obese and overweight individuals require more intensive periodontal treatment compared to normal-weight individuals, independent of initial disease severity.
Knowledge of Transfer Statement:
The results of this study can be used by dental providers and policymakers to better understand patient characteristics that influence the variability in frequency and length of periodontal treatment. Knowledge of a patient’s body mass index may be useful in identifying patients who possibly will have a poorer periodontal prognosis.