Fatal Orbital Cellulitis With Intracranial Abscess: A Case Report.

Orbital cellulitis is a sight- and life-threatening condition. Prompt diagnosis and immediate intervention are required. We report a case of fatal odontogenic orbital cellulitis complicated with intracranial abscesses in a 55-year-old gentleman. The patient presented with painful swelling of the left eye associated with reduced eye movement, blurry vision, and a headache. There was generalized periodontitis. Initial imaging was suggestive of left eye orbital cellulitis with intracranial abscess, and intensive systemic antibiotic therapy was initiated. After six weeks of antibiotic therapy, there was an improvement in ocular signs and symptoms. However, the patient developed signs of meningism with a persistent fever. Serial brain imaging demonstrated worsening intracranial abscesses. The patient died eight weeks after the initial onset of presentation. This case emphasized that brain abscesses could be a fatal complication of odontogenic orbital cellulitis. A high index of suspicion is important in diagnosing orbital cellulitis and its complications. Early consideration of surgical intervention is necessary in cases not responding to antibiotic therapy.

Falls, frailty, and metabolic syndrome in urban dwellers aged 55 years and over in the Malaysian elders longitudinal research (MELoR) study - a cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: While metabolic syndrome, falls, and frailty are common health issues among older adults which are likely to be related, the potential interplay between these three conditions has not previously been investigated. We investigated the relationship between metabolic syndrome with falls, and the role of frailty markers in this potential relationship, among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Data from the first wave Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study comprising urban dwellers aged 55 years and above were utilized. Twelve-month fall histories were established during home-based, computer-assisted interviews which physical performance, anthropometric and laboratory measures were obtained during a hospital-based health check. Gait speed, exhaustion, weakness, and weight loss were employed as frailty markers. RESULTS: Data were available for 1415 participants, mean age of 68.56 ± 7.26 years, 57.2% women. Falls and metabolic syndrome were present in 22.8% and 44.2%, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, and multiple comorbidities, metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with falls in the sample population [odds ratio (OR): 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03; 1.72]. This relationship was attenuated by the presence of slow gait speed, but not exhaustion, weakness, or weight loss. CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome was independently associated with falls among older adults, and this relationship was accounted for by the presence of slow gait speed. Future studies should determine the value of screening for frailty and falls with gait speed in older adults with metabolic syndrome as a potential fall prevention measure.

Does statin increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage in stroke survivors? A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

BACKGROUND: It remains debatable whether statin increases the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in poststroke patients. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted to assess the reliability and conclusiveness of the available evidence in the meta-analysis. To evaluate the overall effectiveness, the net composite endpoints were derived by totaling ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular mortality. RESULTS: A total of 17 trials with 11,576 subjects with previous ischemic stroke, TIA, or ICH were included, in which statin therapy increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (risk ratio [RR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.87), but reduced the risk of ischemic stroke (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.95). For the net composite endpoints, statin therapy was associated with a 17% risk reduction (95% CI, 12-21%; number needed to treat = 6). With a control event rate 2% and RR increase 40%, the TSA suggested a conclusive signal of an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke in stroke survivors taking statin. However, with the sensitivity analysis by changing assumptions, the conclusions about hemorrhagic stroke risk were less robust. CONCLUSIONS: Statin therapy in poststroke patients increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke but effectively reduced ischemic stroke risk. Weighing the benefits and potential harms, statin has an overall beneficial effect in patients with previous stroke or TIA. However, more studies are required to investigate the conclusiveness of the increased hemorrhagic stroke risk revealed in our study.

Workplace violence against healthcare professionals in China: A content analysis of media reports.

Medical workplace violence (WPV) has become an alarming phenomenon in China. Few studies exist concerning how this is represented in the news. This study investigated the prevalence, characteristics, and causes of WPV from major news portals and medical websites in China, to provide a direction on the prevention and control of this issue. Quantitative content analysis was used to examine Chinese news portals and medical websites from 2013 to 2017. 235 valid reported cases were found. The number of incidents peaked in 2015, during the summer. Most cases occurred in the mid-eastern region of mainland China, in tertiary hospitals, and in the emergency department. The perpetrators were mainly individual males from the young adult or middle-aged groups. The major cause of medical WPV was dissatisfaction with treatment and referral. In conclusion, the development of prevention and control strategies is crucial and should be in accordance with the evidence from the research conducted.