The American journal of emergency medicine
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Diabetic ketoacidosis with hypothermia is underrecognized, and the mortality rate is high at between 30% and 60%. The cause of hypothermia in diabetic ketoacidosis patients is speculative and has multiple factors. Insulin deficit is the most important factor that leads to a lack of substrate for cellular heat production. ⋯ Hypothermia may also aggravate uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and complicate treatment because insulin secretion is impaired and exogenous administered insulin is less effective at low temperatures. We present a case, the first in the literature, of severe diabetic ketoacidosis with marked hypothermia and cardiovascular instability that was successfully resuscitated by venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Based on this report, we suggest that portable venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered to treat patients with severe diabetic ketoacidosis and hypothermic cardiocirculatory instability.
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Neurologic complications after roller coaster rides are uncommon but potentially catastrophic. Physicians should have a high index of suspicion and prompt appropriate investigation. A 22-year-old healthy African American man presented with a 2-day history of constant occipital headache associated with vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and ambulatory dysfunction. ⋯ The rationale for the use of anticoagulants or antiplatelets in patients with cervicocephalic arterial dissection is to prevent early recurrence and infarction. However, a meta-analysis failed to show significant difference in the rates of disability or death between both groups. Therefore, the decision for medical treatment should be made in a case-by-case basis.
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Subjects with chest pain and a negative diagnostic workup constitute a problem for emergency physicians. We tested the usefulness of clinical variables in predicting 30-day and 6-month outcome in subjects with chest pain of undifferentiated origin after a negative workup. ⋯ In subjects with chest pain of undifferentiated origin, the risk of unfavorable outcome cannot be accurately predicted by the selected clinical items.
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Case Reports
Myocardial infarction secondary to contrast agent. Contrast effect or type II Kounis syndrome?
The diagnostic administration of contrast agents has been increased recently in various fields, including coronary angiography, but reports of coronary artery spasm caused by contrast agents are rare. However, myocardial infarction following administration of nonionic contrast agents has not been reported, as far as we are aware. Herein, we described a case of acute anterior myocardial infarction induced by the contrast agent iopromide (Ultravist). We also discussed the possible reasons for this situation.
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Case Reports
HIV-positive patient with herpes zoster: a manifestation of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.
Herpes zoster is a common illness that can lead to serious morbidity. There is now evidence that HIV-infected patients who have been treated with antiretroviral therapy are at greater risk of developing herpes zoster not when they are severely immunocompromised but, paradoxically, when their immune system is recovering. This is a manifestation of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. ⋯ Emergency department physicians should be aware that HIV-infected patients treated with HAART may have clinical deterioration despite immune system strengthening. This immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome can present with infectious, autoimmune, or oncological manifestations. Our case patient, an HIV-positive man with immune system recovery after treatment with HAART, presented with an infectious manifestation, herpes zoster.