Internal medicine
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Case Reports
High Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis after a Suicide Attempt with Cyanide: The Rebirth of Cyanide Poisoning.
A 33-year-old woman was admitted to our emergency department in a state of unconsciousness after attempting suicide with unknown substances. Severe metabolic acidosis (pH: 6.81), with a high anion gap (36.2) and high lactate level (20.2 mmol/L), was observed. ⋯ The presence of a high anion gap associated with severe lactic acidosis is a clue for making a rapid differential diagnosis of acute cyanide intoxication. Providing intensive and immediate supportive management is also crucial, even in cases without obtainable specific antidotes.
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This study was conducted to determine whether a policy of not attempting to resuscitate patients who are 80 years of age and older with cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival is justifiable. ⋯ Even patients 80 years of age and older can be resuscitated to spontaneous circulation. We do not endorse a policy that recommends not performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation based solely on the age of the patient.
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A 52-year-old woman with ulcerative colitis was admitted to our hospital for an ulcerative colitis flare-up under salazosulfapyridine therapy. The symptoms improved with high-dose corticosteroids. After prednisolone was tapered to 10 mg, the frequency of diarrhea increased. ⋯ The patient was started on adalimumab. A positive response to the adalimumab therapy was observed after 2 weeks, during which time the ulcerative skin lesion healed completely, however, colonic mucosal healing was achieved at 2 months. Therefore, adalimumab appears to be an effective therapeutic option for patients with ulcerative colitis-associated pyoderma gangrenosum.
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Observational Study
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Uraemic Pruritus in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.
Uraemic pruritus is a distressing symptom that has a negative impact on the quality of life for dialysis patients. The pathophysiology of pruritus in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is still poorly understood. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence and related risk factors of pruritus in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. ⋯ The prevalence of uraemic pruritus was 65.2% in CAPD patients. Sleep disorder, depression, longer vintage, and a higher iPTH level were independent associated factors for pruritus in CAPD patients.
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The goals of this study were to assess the efficacy and tolerability of pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and to identify predictors of tolerability to pirfenidone. ⋯ We found that pirfenidone was better tolerated in patients with milder disease symptoms, as indicated by their baseline CPI, %FVC and %DLCO, and that patients in the tolerant group could benefit from the use of pirfenidone.