[Bilateral diaphragmatic palsy due to Lyme neuroborreliosis]. / Une paralysie diaphragmatique bilatérale révélant une neuroborréliose de Lyme.

INTRODUCTION: Lyme disease is not uncommon and can sometimes progress to neurological complications. We report here an unusual case of bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis secondary to Lyme neuroborreliosis. CASE REPORT: A 79-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit for acute respiratory distress requiring intubation and the long-term use of nocturnal non-invasive ventilation. Three months beforehand he had been bitten by a tick and developed erythema migrans which was treated with Doxycycline for 10 days. This clinical presentation became complicated a few days later by the progressive onset of severe dyspnoea. At admission, chest radiography revealed bilateral elevation of the diaphragm. Pulmonary function tests revealed a severe restrictive disorder aggravated by decubitus. A diaphragmatic electromyogram showed bilateral axonal polyneuropathy of the phrenic nerves. IgG and IgM antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were detectable in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, leading to the diagnosis of Lyme disease. He was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone 2g per day for 21 days, leading to a substantial improvement in symptoms. CONCLUSION: In the presence of unilateral or bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis of undetermined aetiology, it seems relevant to perform Lyme serology in the blood and, in positive cases, to follow up with a lumbar puncture in order to detect intrathecal IgG synthesis.

Propensity-based study of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

To assess the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) attributable to aminoglycosides (AGs) in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, we performed a retrospective cohort study in one medical intensive care unit (ICU) in France. Patients admitted for severe sepsis/septic shock between November 2008 and January 2010 were eligible. A propensity score for AG administration was built using day 1 demographic and clinical characteristics. Patients still on the ICU on day 3 were included. Patients with renal failure before day 3 or endocarditis were excluded. The time window for assessment of renal risk was day 3 to day 15, defined according to the RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage renal disease) classification. The AKI risk was assessed by means of a propensity-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Of 317 consecutive patients, 198 received AGs. The SAPS II (simplified acute physiology score II) score and nosocomial origin of infection favored the use of AGs, whereas a preexisting renal insufficiency and the neurological site of infection decreased the propensity for AG treatment. One hundred three patients with renal failure before day 3 were excluded. AGs were given once daily over 2.6 ± 1.1 days. AKI occurred in 16.3% of patients in a median time of 6 (interquartile range, 5 to 10) days. After adjustment to the clinical course and exposure to other nephrotoxic agents between day 1 and day 3, a propensity-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed no increased risk of AKI in patients receiving AGs (adjusted relative risk = 0.75 [0.32 to 1.76]). In conclusion, in critically septic patients presenting without early renal failure, aminoglycoside therapy for less than 3 days was not associated with an increased risk of AKI.

Can procalcitonin help identify associated bacterial infection in patients with severe influenza pneumonia? A multicentre study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether procalcitonin (PCT) levels could help discriminate isolated viral from mixed (bacterial and viral) pneumonia in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during the A/H1N1v2009 influenza pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed in 23 French ICUs during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Levels of PCT at admission were compared between patients with confirmed influenzae A pneumonia associated or not associated with a bacterial co-infection. RESULTS: Of 103 patients with confirmed A/H1N1 infection and not having received prior antibiotics, 48 (46.6%; 95% CI 37-56%) had a documented bacterial co-infection, mostly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (54%) or Staphylococcus aureus (31%). Fifty-two patients had PCT measured on admission, including 19 (37%) having bacterial co-infection. Median (range 25-75%) values of PCT were significantly higher in patients with bacterial co-infection: 29.5 (3.9-45.3) versus 0.5 (0.12-2) µg/l (P < 0.01). For a cut-off of 0.8 µg/l or more, the sensitivity and specificity of PCT for distinguishing isolated viral from mixed pneumonia were 91 and 68%, respectively. Alveolar condensation combined with a PCT level of 0.8 µg/l or more was strongly associated with bacterial co-infection (OR 12.9, 95% CI 3.2-51.5; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PCT may help discriminate viral from mixed pneumonia during the influenza season. Levels of PCT less than 0.8 µg/l combined with clinical judgment suggest that bacterial infection is unlikely.