Acta Medica Port
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Case Reports
Passive Transfer of Hepatitis B Antibodies through Intravenous Immunoglobulin in a Neonate.
Passive transfer of antibodies secondary to intravenous immunoglobulin infusion is a rare but important side effect that can lead to the wrong diagnosis and therapeutic decisions. It has never been reported in a newborn. A male newborn, vaccinated against hepatitis B and diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, presented positive hepatitis B core antibodies at 12 days of life. ⋯ Passive transfer of antibodies was confirmed at 44 days of age, after seroreversion of hepatitis B core antibodies. Passive transfer of antibodies after intravenous immunoglobulin infusion can lead to a misleading diagnosis if not recognized. In our patient it could have been especially harmful had it prevented heart transplant. Screening for hepatitis B should be performed at least 1 month after intravenous immunoglobulin infusion.
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Hypertrophic and keloid scars represent hyperproliferative disorders that can have a significant impact on patients' lives. The authors present the case of a 53 years-old male with a sternal keloid after excision of a sebaceous cyst and multiple sessions of steroid infiltration, with worsening of the lesion. The patient underwent complete excision of the scar and reconstruction with an anterolateral thigh flap - ALT. ⋯ Keloid scar treatment in sternal area implies a reconstruction with no tension, in order to avoid relapse. Treatment of this type of scars is complex and a challenge to the plastic surgeon. In this case, a microvascular tissue transfer was used to reconstruct the large defect that ultimately resulted after scar excision, in a tension-free manner.
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Over the last few decades, behavioral changes in sexual practices have made oral transmission of traditional sexually transmissible infections increasingly recognized. Patients harboring a sexually transmissible infection may first present lesions on the oral cavity, as these may be visible and interfere with basic functions such as speech or swallowing. ⋯ Furthermore, examination of the oral cavity should is essential when evaluating any patient suspected of harboring a sexually transmissible infection. In this article, oral transmission of several viral and bacterial infections is reviewed, including human papillomavirus infection, genital herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea, among others.
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Observational Study
Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in a Multipurpose Intensive Care Unit: One-Year Prospective Study.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia continues to be a frequent complication in the intensive care unit and an important cause of admission in the intensive care unit. The aim of our study was to evaluate the demography, incidence, risk factors, causative bacterial pathogens and outcome of all episodes of Hospital-acquired pneumonia in our unit. ⋯ S. aureus was the predominant causative agent of nosocomial pneumonia. The most frequent risk factor identified for infection with multidrug-resistant organisms was previous treatment with antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant organisms were present in 45% of documented hospital-acquired pneumonias. In admitted patients with non-intensive care unit acquired pneumonia, the intensive care unit mortality rate was nearly five times higher compared to intensive care unit acquired pneumonia.
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Observational Study
Usefulness of Early C-Reactive Protein Kinetics in Response and Prognostic Assessment in Infected Critically Ill Patients: An Observational Retrospective Study.
The ideal biomarker to assess response and prognostic assessment in the infected critically ill patient is still not available. The aims of our study were to analyze the association between early C-reactive protein kinetics and duration and appropriateness of antibiotic therapy and its usefulness in predicting mortality in infected critically ill patients. ⋯ Early C-reactive protein kinetics is not associated with response and prognostic assessment in infected critically ill patients. Nevertheless, a fast response pattern tends to exclude initial inappropriate antibiotic therapy.