Oncologic emergencies.

Oncologic emergencies and life-threatening cancer-related and treatment-related complications are the net effect of gradually increasing incidence of malignant diseases, improvement of therapeutic options and survival of oncologic patients. These complications are relatively specific for such population of patients and they are quite rare within the individuals without malignancy. Selected oncological emergencies are discussed in this review.

Sepsis mimics.

Number of identical pathophysiological mechanisms is shared by sepsis and other clinical conditions and diseases. This could lead to their nearly similar clinical phenotype. However, the early discrimination of them is crucial - treatment of particular diseases differs significantly, and the mortality of the vast majority of them is considerable. The differential diagnostics possibilities together with brief description of selected clinical conditions are discussed within the review.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial disease: a case report-based review.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections are rare diseases. However, as number of immunocompromised patients is growing and modern diagnostic tools are available, both the importance and incidence of nontuberculous myco-bacterial infections are gaining clinical importance. Based on a clinical case, this article briefly summarizes the cur-rent knowledge on this issue.

Intravenous fluid therapy in acutely ill patients for non-intensivists.

Intravenous fluid therapy is the most frequent therapeutic intervention in acutely hospitalized patients. They are administered in order to resuscitate the circulation in hypovolemia-associated shock states, to compensate for an impending or existing fluid extracellular deficit, or as a maintenance infusion if the patient is incapable of taking fluid by other means. Any fluid should be prescribed with the same caution as with any other drug. Errors in fluid therapy adversely affect patient - centered outcome. This may be the result of an incorrectly selected amount or inappropriate fluid composition for a given clinical situation. Prescribing intravenous fluids is a complex process involving a decision on the type, composition, dose, rate and possible toxicity of the particular solution. Balanced crystalloid solutions are the first choice for most acute conditions. The need for fluids dynamically changes over time in acutely ill patients. Uncontrolled cumulative positive balance is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.