Articles: chronic.
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Bakers are exposed daily to flour and may be susceptible to immunologic occupational diseases. A 30-year-old, nonsmoking, female baker was referred for progressive dyspnea on exertion, basal crackles on auscultation, restrictive lung function, decreased diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, ground glass hyperdensities with a mosaic pattern on high-resolution CT scan, 25% lymphocytosis by BAL, and cellular chronic bronchiolitis with peribronchiolar interstitial inflammation by lung biopsy specimen. Cultures from flours isolated nine species, including Aspergillus fumigatus. ⋯ Outcome was favorable with cessation of occupational exposure to flours and transient therapy with prednisone and immunosuppressive agents. To our knowledge, this report is the first of a well-documented case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to sensitization to fungi- and mite-contaminated flours. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis--and not only asthma and allergic rhinitis--should be suspected in bakers with respiratory symptoms.
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Perphenazine is a treatment option in postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prophylaxis. Chronic administration and high dose are known to cause extrapyramidal system (EPS) dysfunction at a frequency of 8%, but the incidence of acute EPS after a single 4 or 8 mg dose is unknown. ⋯ Given the infrequent side effects, this single, low dose of perphenazine should be encouraged as a low-risk adjunct to any multimodal PONV prophylaxis regimen, based on the selection criteria described.
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Case Reports
Asymptomatic Chronic Epidural Hematoma in a Child As a Result of Extracranial Decompression.
Epidural hematoma (EDH) in children is a diagnostic challenge due to its nonspecific clinical presentation. Asymptomatic chronic epidural hematoma is a very rare entity. Reports of spontaneous decompression into the subgaleal spaces are limited with acute epidural hematomas in the literature. ⋯ An initially minimal but expanding EDH in a child can remain asymptomatic even in the later phases, owing to the spontaneous decompression through a skull fracture.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Apr 2014
The VEGF concentration in chronic subdural hematoma fluid is related to CT appearance and exudation rate.
Chronic subdural hematoma (CSH) is characterized by a net increase of volume over time. Major underlying mechanisms appear to be hemorrhagic episodes and a continuous exudation, which may be studied using labeled proteins to yield an exudation rate in a given patient. We tested the hypothesis that the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hematoma fluid correlates with the rate of exudation. ⋯ There was a statistically significant correlation between VEGF concentrations and exudation rates in the four classes of CT appearance (r=0.98). The current report is the first to suggest a pathophysiological link between the VEGF concentration and the exudation rate underlying the steady increase of hematoma volume and CT appearance. With this finding, the current report adds another piece of evidence in favor of the pathophysiological role of VEGF in the development of CSH, including mechanisms contributing to hematoma growth and CT appearance.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Apr 2014
Observational StudyHyponatremia at the Emergency Department: a case-control study.
Hyponatremia (HNA) is a common electrolyte disturbance associated with morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess incidence and prognosis value of HNA in the Emergency Department (ED). ⋯ HNA was present in 2.4% of patients with a blood analysis and was associated independently with solid tumors and hospital death.