Capillary leak syndrome: A rare cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome

Capillary leak syndrome (CLS) is a rare clinical syndrome associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Intensive care and supportive therapy constitute the mainstay of the treatment, along with judicious use of crystalloids and colloids such as dextran and starch during the leak phase. The advantages of proning, steroids, and intravenous immunoglobins are worth contemplating in patients with such a presentation. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation appears to be an excellent strategy to surmount the impediments of the leak and post leak phase of CLS, especially in patients with severe or refractory hypoxemia.     

Successful use of the two-tube approach for the treatment of phenobarbital poisoning without hemodialysis

Half-life of the antipsychotic vegetamin is very long, partially due to the presence of phenobarbital, and mortality due to phenobarbital poisoning is high. Here, we present the case of a 22-year-old female admitted to the emergency department with disturbed consciousness due to vegetamin overdose. Her blood phenobarbital level was elevated to 123 μg/ml. Phenobarbital undergoes enterohepatic circulation, and its retention in the intestine causes its blood levels to remain sustained. The utility of hemodialysis for drug poisoning has been previously reported; however, its efficiency is not yet established and its efficacy is low for drugs with long half-lives such as phenobarbital. Therefore, we performed a two-tube approach to adsorb phenobarbital in the intestines with activated charcoal delivered via a gastric tube and to remove the phenobarbital-adsorbed activated charcoal using whole bowel irrigation via an ileus tube 2 h later. The patient successfully eliminated the charcoal via stool, the blood phenobarbital level decreased drastically without hemodialysis, and the clinical course improved. We propose that this two-tube approach is suitable for treatment of poisoning with drugs that undergo enterohepatic circulation and have long half-lives.     

Cyanide and lactate levels in patients during chronic oral amygdalin intake followed by intravenous amygdalin administration

The natural compound amygdalin has gained high popularity among tumor patients as a complementary or alternative treatment option. However, due to metabolization of amygdalin to cyanide (HCN) following oral consumption, there could be a high risk of lactic acidosis caused by cyanide intoxication. The present retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate cyanide blood and lactate plasma levels of tumor patients (n = 55) before and after intravenous (i.v.) amygdalin infusion. All patients had also continuously ingested amygdalin tablets (3 x 500 mg/day), excepting on the days of i.v. administration. Each patient received one to five intravenous amygdalin treatments. The time period between each i.v. application ranged between 4–6 days. The initial i.v. dose was 6 mg (n = 28), 9 mg (n = 1), 15 mg (n = 1) or 18 mg (n = 25). The mean cyanide blood level before i.v. amygdalin administration was 34.74 μg/L, which increased significantly to a mean value of 66.20 μg/L after i. v. amygdalin application. In contrast, lactate decreased significantly from 1266 μmol/L pre-infusion to 868 μmol/L post-infusion. Increasing i.v. amygdalin by 1 mg was also associated with a significant increase in the cyanide level, while the lactate blood level significantly decreased. This is the first study evaluating cyanide levels under conditions employed by amygdalin administrators, i.e. after chronic oral amygdalin intake and then again after a closely subsequent intravenous amygdalin administration. Since lactate decreased, whilst cyanide increased, it is concluded that elevation of cyanide does not induce metabolic acidosis in terms of an increased lactate level.     

大剂量细胞色素C在抢救儿童急性磷化氢中毒的临床作用

目的 探讨儿童急性磷化氢中毒的临床特点,及大剂量细胞色素C的临床作用。方法 收集2013年11月—2018年6月本中心救治的急性磷化氢中毒儿童22例临床资料,并回顾性分析。结果 男13例,女9例;年龄29 d~13岁;轻中度磷化氢中毒10例,重度磷化氢中毒12例;轻中度中毒患儿出现症状至就诊时间明显短于重度中毒患儿(P=0.029)。轻中度磷化氢中毒主要表现为头晕、恶心、呕吐、腹痛;重度中毒主要表现为昏迷、口唇紫绀、低血压,甚至心源性休克。实验室检查:脑钠肽异常升高12例;心肌酶异常12例;血乳酸升高10例;心电图异常16例,均表现为快速心律失常,其中1例为尖端扭转型心律失常。除常规治疗外,均给予大剂量细胞色素C治疗,轻中度中毒患儿均治愈,重度中毒患儿治愈6例,死亡6例,22例儿童磷化氢中毒总死亡率为27.3%,重度磷化氢中毒死亡率50%。结论 儿童急性磷化氢中毒死亡率高,在常规治疗的基础上,给予静脉应用大剂量细胞色素C可明显降低儿童急性磷化氢中毒的死亡率。     

一起由两种罕见血清型副溶血性弧菌引起食物中毒事件分析

目的 分析一起由两种罕见血清型混合感染引起的副溶血性弧菌食物中毒病原学的检测结果,为食物中毒病原学检查途径提供依据。方法 对一起在龙门县人民医院就诊食物中毒事件的9例患者采集其肛拭子样本,参照《食品微生物学检验副溶血性弧菌检验》( GB 4789.7—2013) 等标准进行病原学分析鉴定。结果 本次事件出现临床症状者9例,其中≤20岁2例,20~<40岁1例,40~<60岁4例,≥60岁2例;9份肛拭子样本检出8株副溶血性弧菌,血清分型O2:K28构成比占25.00%(2/8);O8:K21构成比占75.00%(6/8);经PFGE分子分型,2株O2∶K28血清型(VP18171、VP18175)相似度为66.7%;3株O8∶K21血清型(VP18172、VP18173、VP18176)相似度为100.0%,与另外3株O8∶K21血清型(VP18177、VP18174、VP18170)相似度为88.4%~95.2%;药敏试验结果显示,除有1株菌株对氨苄西林、头孢唑林二重耐药、1株菌株对氨苄西林耐药、3株菌株对头孢唑林耐药外,其它菌株对所有测试药物均敏感,无多重耐药现象。结论 此次食物中毒是由O2:K28和O8:K21这两种罕见血清型的副溶血性弧菌混合感染引起的。     

Acute liver injury,acute liver failure and acute on chronic liver failure: A clinical spectrum of poisoning due to Gyromitra esculenta

Gyromitra esculenta, also known as “false morel” is one of the most poisonous mushrooms. This species is found all over the world, growing in coniferous forest in early spring time. Common manifestation of poisoning includes gastrointestinal symptoms which include varied degrees of liver impairment.We describe three cases: acute liver injury, acute liver failure and acute-on-chronic liver failure due to G. esculenta poisoning. At admission patients presented with encephalopathy and features of liver failure. Two of them recovered completely following supportive management while the remaining patient who also had preexisting liver disease developed multiorgan failure and subsequently died.Although a rare occurrence, G. esculenta poisoning should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute liver failure.     

E-cigarettes: Are we renormalizing public smoking? Reversing five decades of tobacco control and revitalizing nicotine dependency in children and youth in Canada

An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) is a battery attached to a chamber containing liquid that may (or may not) contain nicotine. The battery heats the liquid and converts it into a vapour, which is inhaled, mimicking tobacco smoking. The e-cigarette does not rely on tobacco as a source of nicotine but, rather, vaporizes a liquid for inhalation. E-liquids are often flavoured and may contain nicotine in various concentrations, although actual amounts are seldom accurately reflected in container labelling. The deleterious effects of nicotine on paediatric health are well established. The use of e-cigarettes in the paediatric age group is on the rise in Canada, as are associated nicotine poisonings. E-devices generate substantial amounts of fine particulate matter, toxins and heavy metals at levels that can exceed those observed for conventional cigarettes. Children and youth are particularly susceptible to these atomized products. Action must be taken before these devices become a more established public health hazard. Policies to denormalize tobacco smoking in society and historic reductions in tobacco consumption may be undermined by this new ‘gateway’ product to nicotine dependency.     

急性CO中毒迟发性脑病患者早期血浆HMGB1的表达与预后

目的：探讨急性一氧化碳(CO）中毒迟发性脑病患者血浆高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1）的表达与预后。方法回顾性分析2012年1月—2015年1月该院接收的最终确诊为急性CO中毒迟发性脑病患者10例，另选取同时期内急性CO中毒患者10例以及健康体检者10例作为对照组。分别对各组患者的血浆HMGB1水平进行检测。另外，分别采用日常生活能力量表(ADL）、常识-记忆-注意测验(IMCT）、长谷川痴呆量表(HDS）分析急性CO中毒迟发性脑病患者血浆HMGB1水平变化及与量表评分之间的关系。结果 CO中毒迟发性脑病患者急性期血浆HMGB1水平为(14.23±10.32）ng/mL，明显高于恢复期的(7.93±4.99）ng/mL，差异有统计学意义(t=2.653，P<0.05）；CO中毒迟发性脑病组急性期、恢复期血浆HMGBl水平与HDS以及ADL评分呈现显著正相关(r=0.610；r=0.605；r=0.607；r=0.610,P<0.05）。结论HMGBl参与急性CO中毒迟发性脑病的炎症反应前过程，且与HDS以及ADL评分呈正相关。