Datura poisoning in a family: Case series and literature review.

Datura spp. is a potentially poisonous plant that is widely spread and is simply accessible, which can yield poisoning with a central and peripheral anticholinergic effect. We reported cases of family poisoning caused by the herbal tea with refreshing effects that were identified as Datura spp.

Assessment of nutritional status using abridged scored patient-generated subjective global assessment in cancer patient.

CONTEXT: Malnutrition is a common problem among cancer patients, usually occurs due to poor appetite, low food intake, and changes in body metabolism. AIMS: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in patients receiving chemotherapy on an outpatient basis. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This cross-sectional study conducted on 300 cancer patients referred to hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The prevalence of malnutrition among patients was assessed using the abridged scored patient-generated subjective global assessment (abPG-SGA) standard questionnaire. Moreover, patient's weight and 24 h dietary recall were measured. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Descriptive statistics were used to present characteristics of patients and dietary recalls. For revealing the correlation, Spearman correlation was used. RESULTS: The average abPG-SGA score was 7.6 (standard deviation [SD] = 5.4) and 60.7% of patients were malnourished and required nutritional intervention. Patients mean age and mean duration of illness were 54.2 (SD = 14.7(years, 25 months, respectively. The most common complaint of patients included fatigue (51.3%), anorexia (43.3%), and dry mouth (41%). Reduction in food intake in past month was reported by 41.7% of patients. CONCLUSION: According to the high prevalence of cancers and increasing growth of them in recent years with regard to outpatient treatment development for cancer patients, using the abPG-SGA standard questionnaire by nutritionist or nurses can be effective to detect malnourished patients and reduce complications caused by disease.

Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin as a Biomarker of Kidney Injury in Hematologic-Oncologic Patients Receiving Amphotericin B.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to compare the changing pattern of urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) with serum as well as urine creatinine during amphotericin B treatment and determine its accuracy in the early detection of amphotericin B nephrotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort study was performed during 9 months at 3 hematology-oncology services. Patients aged 15 years and greater with no documented history of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease, planned to receive any formulation of amphotericin B for at least 1 week, were included. Serum as well as urine creatinine and urine NGAL were determined on days zero, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 of amphotericin B treatment. RESULTS: Forty patients with the mean age of 38.0 ± 14.1 years were recruited. Eleven of 40 patients (27.5%) developed amphotericin B nephrotoxicity. The overall changes in the mean values of urine NGAL were not significant during amphotericin B treatment, neither within nor between the two groups. The area under the curve of urine NGAL (0.765; 95% confidence interval, 0.588 to 0.962) on day zero was significantly higher than that of serum creatinine (0.464; 95% confidence interval, 0.268 to 0.660; P = .01) for predicting amphotericin nephrotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS: The incremental pattern of urine NGAL during amphotericin B treatment was not significant compared to baseline values. The urine level of NGAL on the first day of amphotericin B administration was more accurate than serum creatinine in predicting acute kidney injury caused by this agent.

Frequency and Associated Factors of Amphotericin B Nephrotoxicity in Hospitalized Patients in Hematology-Oncology Wards in the Southwest of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Nephrotoxicity is the most clinically significant adverse reaction of amphotericin B. Different aspects of amphotericin B (AmB) nephrotoxicity have not been studied well in our population. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency, time onset, and possible associated factors of AmB nephrotoxicity in hospitalized patients in hematology-oncology wards in the southwest of Iran. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study was performed over a period of 9 months at 2 hematology-oncology and 1 hematopoietic stem cell transplantation wards at Namazi Hospital. Patients aged 15 years or older with no documented history of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease who were scheduled to receive formulations of AmB intravenously for at least 1 week were included. The required demographic and clinical data of the patients were recorded. Urine urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, and magnesium levels were measured at days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 of the AmB treatment. AmB nephrotoxicity based on serum creatinine increase, renal potassium wasting, hypokalemia, and hypomagnesemia were determined. RESULTS: Among the 40 patients recruited for the study, 11 (27.5%) patients developed AmB nephrotoxicity with a mean ± standard deviation onset of 6.73 ± 2.36 days. In 5 patients, AmB nephrotoxicity resolved spontaneously without any intervention. According to the multivariate logistic regression model, none of the studied demographic, clinical, and paraclinical variables were significantly associated with AmB nephrotoxicity. The duration of hospitalization (P = 0.541) and the mortality rate (P = 0.723) were comparable between the patients with and without AmB nephrotoxicity. Hypokalemia and renal potassium wasting were identified in 45% and 27.5% of the patients during AmB treatment, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one-third (27.5%) of our cohort developed nephrotoxicity within the first week of AmB treatment. Hypokalemia and renal potassium wasting were more notable, affecting about one-half and one-third of the AmB recipients, respectively.