Wernicke encephalopathy with atypical imaging findings in a depressed patient: A case report.

This case report highlights the rare occurrence of Wernicke encephalopathy caused by malnutrition in a depressed patient with atypical imaging findings. A 60-year-old female with depression developed a disturbance of consciousness owing to Wernicke encephalopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed abnormal signals in the thalamus and mammillary bodies around the third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, and fourth ventricle. Abnormal signals were also present in the cerebral cortex around the central sulcus, and an intracranial hemorrhage from the thalamus was observed. Therefore, clinicians should consider Wernicke encephalopathy in the differential diagnosis of altered consciousness in depressed patients. Early assessment of nutritional status and prompt intervention are crucial in cases of prolonged depression-related malnutrition.

The Association Between Ventricular Fibrillation and Serum Catecholamine Levels.

Background and objective Epinephrine (Ep) is the first choice as a vasoconstrictor in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for patients with cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA); however, the Ep concentration in the serum of CPA patients is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum Ep levels and achieving the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF). Methods This was a prospective, observational clinical study involving OHCA patients with VF transferred to our hospital from July 2014 to July 2017. The measurement of serum catecholamines [Ep, norepinephrine (Nep), and dopamine (DOA)] and vasopressin [antidiuretic hormone (ADH)] levels was performed with blood samples obtained immediately upon patients' arrival at our hospital. Patients were classified into two groups: the ROSC(+) group and ROSC(-) group; the serum concentrations of catecholamines and ADH were compared between these two groups. Results The serum Ep and Nep levels were lower in the ROSC(+) group than those in the ROSC(-) group and the difference was statistically significant. On the other hand, no significant differences were found in serum DOA and ADH levels between the two groups. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that an increment in serum Ep levels does not promote achieving ROSC in OHCA patients with VF.

Corrigendum to "Evaluation of injury threshold from the number of rib fracture for predicting pulmonary injuries in blunt chest trauma" [Heliyon 9 (4), (April 2023) Article e15278].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15278.].

Clinical Experience of Use of Kampo Medicine Shakuyakukanzoto for Muscle Spasms Caused by Tetanus.

Background Tetanus is an infectious disease caused by Clostridium tetani, which produces tetanospasmin. Intensive care using sedatives and muscle relaxants is required for the management of severe tetanus, however, long-term use of those medicines is associated with the occurrence of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Shakuyakukanzoto (SKT), which is clinically used for the treatment of pain associated with sudden myospasm widely, is one of Kampo medicines, and some studies showed that they are effective in treating muscle spasms caused by tetanus. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of SKT in the management of tetanus patients from the viewpoint of the reduction of sedatives. Methods Patients who were diagnosed with tetanus and were treated in our hospital between January 2006 and December 2022 were included. Patients were divided into two groups, patients treated with SKT and those without SKT, and the background information and clinical courses, especially the reduction of sedatives, were compared between the two groups. Results There were five tetanus patients who were treated with SKT (SKT(+) group) and two tetanus patients without SKT (SKT(-) group), respectively. Intubation and mechanical ventilation were required for the management of generalized seizures in all seven patients, who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The administration of propofol could be discontinued after an average of 8.6 days (range: 3-22 days) from the initiation of SKT administration. The dosage of propofol was lower in patients who received SKT versus those who did not; midazolam and fentanyl exhibited a similar tendency. The mean durations of ICU and hospital stays for patients treated with or without SKT were almost equal (the mean durations of ICU stay in SKT(+) and SKT(-) groups were 22.6 and 24.0 days, and those of hospital stay in SKT(+) and SKT(-) groups were 35.2 and 36.0 days, respectively). All seven patients were discharged and transferred to another hospital for rehabilitation. Conclusions SKT may be useful in the management of myospasms in patients with tetanus. It may also prevent the occurrence of PICU in patients with tetanus who require intensive care by reducing the use of sedatives and analgesics.

The Significance of the Treatment for Elderly Severe Trauma Patients Who Required Intensive Care.

Purpose Elderly trauma patients have a higher risk of severe disability and death, and this outcome burden in elderly trauma patients must be addressed in countries in which the population is aging. The clarification of the unique clinical features of elderly people who have experienced trauma is important. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the significance of the treatment for elderly severe trauma patients based on the prognosis and total hospital cost. Methods Trauma patients transferred to our emergency department (ED) and admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) directly or through emergency surgery between January 2013 and December 2019 were examined. We divided patients into three groups: <65 years old (Group Y); 65-79 years old (Group M); and ≥80 years old (Group E). We compared the pre- and post-trauma American Society of Anesthesiology Physical Status (ASA-PS) score and the Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) questionnaire at arrival among the three groups. In addition, the duration of ICU and hospital stays, hospital mortality, and total treatment costs were compared. Results There were 1,652 patients admitted to ICU through the ED from January 2013 to December 2019. Of those patients, 197 trauma patients were analyzed. There was no significant difference in injury severity scores between the groups. Significant differences in both the ASA-PS and Katz-ADL scores in posttrauma status were observed among the three groups (posttrauma ASA-PS, 2.0 (2.0, 2.8) in Group Y, 3.0 (2.0, 3.0) in Group M, 3.0 (3.0, 3.0) in Group E, p < 0.001*, posttrauma Katz-ADL, 10.0 (3.3, 12.0) in Group Y, 5.5 (2.0, 10.0) in Group M, 2.0 (0.5, 4.0) in Group E, p < 0.001). The duration of both ICU and hospital stay was significantly longer in Group E compared to the other groups (ICU stay, 4.0 (3.0, 6.5) days in Group Y, 4.0 (3.0, 9.8) days in Group M, 6.5 (3.0, 15.3) days, p = 0.006, hospital stay, 16.9 (8.6, 33.0) days in Group Y, 26.7 (12.0, 51.8) days in Group M, 32.5 (12.8, 51.5) days in Group E, p = 0.005). ICU and hospital mortality were highest in Group E compared with the other groups, but the differences were not significant. Finally, the total hospital cost in Group E was significantly higher than the other groups. Conclusions In elderly trauma patients who required intensive care, PS and ADL in posttrauma status were worse, ICU and hospital stays were longer, and ICU and hospital mortality were higher compared with younger patients. In addition, medical costs were greater in elderly patients. It is supposed that the therapeutic effect observed in young trauma patients cannot be expected in elderly trauma patients.

Evaluation of injury threshold from the number of rib fracture for predicting pulmonary injuries in blunt chest trauma.

Background: Blunt chest trauma is a common presentation in emergency departments. The relationship between bone fractures and organ injuries has not been studied in detail. The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of external force represented by the number of rib fractures that causes lung injury in blunt chest trauma. Patients and methods: This study was performed retrospectively using trauma patients who received medical examinations in a single university hospital emergency center between April 2015 and March 2020. We examined the association between the number of rib fractures and pulmonary damage using multivariable regression analysis and considered the relationship between rib fracture location and each type of lung injury. Results: A total of 317 patients were included. The mean age was 63.1 years, 65.0% were male, and traffic accidents were the most common mechanism of injury (55.8%). The number of mean rib fractures was 4.0, and the mean Injury Severity Score was 11.3. The number of rib fractures was associated with an increased risk of pulmonary injuries: pulmonary contusion (odds ratio [OR] 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.48, p < 0.05); hemothorax (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.38, p < 0.05); pneumothorax (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.30, p < 0.05); and hemopneumothorax (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01-1.28, p < 0.05). In addition, bilateral rib fractures were associated with fractures of the superior ribs more often and more severely, but were not associated with the occurrence of each type of lung injury. Conclusion: The number of rib fractures was associated with an increased risk of pulmonary injuries. In addition, the type of pulmonary injury could be predicted from the number of rib fractures in blunt chest trauma.

Sonoclot's usefulness in prediction of cardiopulmonary arrest prognosis: A proof of concept study.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of measuring whole blood coagulation with Sonoclot to predict return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (OHCA). This was a prospective, observational clinical study on patients with OHCA who were transferred to our emergency department between August 2016 and July 2018. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC[+] group) and those without (ROSC[-] group). We compared the activated clotting time (ACT), clot rate (CR), and platelet function (PF) as measured with Sonoclot, and the fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) level and D-dimer level between the two groups. We analyzed 87 patients: 37 in the ROSC(+) and 50 in the ROSC(-) groups. Regarding ACT, CR, PF, FDP, and D-dimer, we used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to examine how well each factor predicts ROSC. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of CR was higher than that of the FDP and D-dimer levels. Among patients with cardiogenic cardiac arrest, the AUC of CR was higher than the AUCs of other coagulation factors. In conclusion, viscoelastic blood coagulation measurements using Sonoclot may be useful for predicting ROSC in OHCA patients.

Favorable prognosis by extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for subsequent shockable rhythm patients.

BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who convert from an initial non-shockable rhythm to a subsequent shockable rhythm reportedly have a better prognosis for survival than those without rhythm conversion. We evaluated the effectiveness of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for OHCA patients with a subsequent shockable rhythm. METHODS: This study was conducted using the Japanese Association of Acute Medicine OHCA registry. We included OHCA patients with a subsequent shockable rhythm from June 2014 to December 2017. The included patients were divided into those with and without ECPR. The primary outcome was 30-day survival. Logistic regression analysis and propensity score matching were performed to compare the outcomes between patients with and without ECPR. RESULTS: A total of 2,102 patients were analyzed, consisting of 162 with ECPR and 1,940 without ECPR. Before propensity score matching, 24 (14.8%) patients with ECPR and 61 (3.1%) patients without ECPR survived for 30 days; ECPR was associated with increased survival (P < 0.05; odds ratio [OR], 5.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.09-9.02). After propensity score matching, 22/149 (14.8%) patients with ECPR and 10/149 (6.7%) patients without ECPR survived for 30 days; ECPR was associated with increased survival (P < 0.05; OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.04-5.91). CONCLUSIONS: ECPR was associated with increased survival among OHCA patients with a subsequent shockable rhythm.

Relationship between the Plasma Levels of Catecholamines and Return of Spontaneous Circulation in Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

PURPOSE: The dynamic state of epinephrine (Ep) in the plasma of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the plasma levels of catecholamines (such as epinephrine (Ep), norepinephrine (Nep), and dopamine) and vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone (ADH)) and the acquisition of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in OHCA patients. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational clinical study. Patients with OHCA transferred to our hospital between July 2014 and July 2017 were enrolled. The levels of catecholamines and ADH in the plasma were measured using blood samples immediately obtained on arrival at our hospital and before the administration of Ep. Patients in whom Ep was already administered prior to obtaining blood samples were excluded. Patients were divided into two groups: with and without ROSC, that is, ROSC (+) and ROSC (-) groups, respectively. The plasma levels of these agents and the conditions of resuscitation were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 96 patients with OHCA were analyzed. The ROSC (+) and ROSC (-) groups included 34 and 62 patients, respectively. There were no significant differences observed between the two groups in age, cause of cardiopulmonary arrest, and prehospital resuscitation time. The plasma levels of Ep and Nep were significantly lower in the ROSC (+) group than in the ROSC (-) group. However, there were no significant differences in the plasma levels of dopamine and ADH between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of Ep in the plasma may not be associated with the acquisition of ROSC in patients with OHCA.

Influence of the prehospital administered dosage of epinephrine on the plasma levels of catecholamines in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

AIM: This study evaluated whether the prehospital administered dosage of epinephrine (Ep) influences the plasma levels of catecholamines in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: This was a prospective, observational clinical study. Patients with OHCA transferred to our hospital between July 2014 and July 2017 were analyzed. The plasma levels of catecholamines were measured using blood samples obtained immediately upon arrival at the hospital and before the administration of Ep. Patients were divided into three groups based on the prehospital administered dosage of Ep: no prehospital administration (group Z); 1 mg of Ep (group O); and 2 mg of Ep (group T). The levels of catecholamines, as well as the conditions of resuscitation prior to and after arrival at the hospital were compared between the three groups. RESULTS: We analyzed 145 patients with OHCA (96, 38, and 11 patients in groups Z, O, and T, respectively). Group T exhibited the highest plasma levels of Ep with a statistically significant difference, however, there were no significant differences in the plasma levels of norepinephrine (Nep), dopamine (DOA) and vasopressin (ADH) among the three groups. CONCLUSION: The prehospital administered dosage of Ep influences the plasma levels of Ep; however, it does not contribute to the plasma levels of Nep, DOA and ADH in patients with OHCA.

Successful interventional management of mediastinal hematoma caused by thyroid ima artery injury.

BACKGROUND: The thyroid ima artery (ThIA) is a rare anatomical anomaly, commonly branching from the brachiocephalic artery. Thyroid ima artery injury can cause severe mediastinal hematoma because its descending branch extends into the mediastinum. CASE PRESENTATION: A 91-year-old man presented with syncope after a motor vehicle accident. A bruise on the chest was evident. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a massive mediastinal hematoma with signs of active hemorrhage. Injury to a descending branch of the ThIA was indicated. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was successful in stopping the bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Although a ThIA injury is rare, it can cause serious mediastinal hematoma. Thyroid ima artery injury should be considered as a cause of traumatic mediastinal hematoma. Transcatheter arterial embolization for traumatic ThIA injury is considered a safe and effective treatment.

Efficacy of the treatment for elderly emergency patients with sepsis.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of age in septic patients admitted through the ER on clinical outcome and cost. METHODS: Patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) through the emergency room in our hospital between January 2013 and December 2018 were analyzed. They were divided into three groups according to their age: <65 years (group Y); 65-79 years (group M); and ≥80 years (group E). The duration of ICU and hospital stay, prognosis, and total hospital costs were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: During this period, 1,392 patients were admitted to the ICU through the emergency room, and 174 patients with sepsis were analyzed. There were 49, 79, and 46 patients in groups Y, M, and E, respectively. There was no significant difference in ICU stay. Group E exhibited the shortest hospital stay and the lowest total hospital cost with statistically significant difference (p = 0.010 and p = 0.007, respectively). However, group E showed the highest rate of hospital mortality (30.4%) compared to groups Y and M (14.3% and 21.5%, respectively; p = 0.163). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly (aged ≥80 years) emergency patients with sepsis require shorter hospital stay and are associated with lower total hospital cost. However, it may be difficult for these patients to maintain the hospital mortality equivalent to those observed in patients aged <80 years.

Reversible brain imaging findings with a severe neurological prognosis of neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare but life-threatening disorder associated with the use of neuroleptic drugs, and is characterized by fever, altered mental status, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability, myoclonus, elevated creatine kinase levels, rhabdomyolysis, and leukocytosis. Previous reports have shown that most patients with neuroleptic malignant syndrome recover without neurologic sequelae. Some patients with neuroleptic malignant syndrome show reversible magnetic resonance imaging (changes in the brain. The severe neurological impairments do not persist in neuroleptic malignant syndrome patients with reversible lesions. Here, we describe a 66-year-old Japanese woman who was diagnosed with septic shock secondary to obstructive pyelonephritis. She was administered haloperidol for delirium and developed neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed diffuse hyperintense signals in the cerebellar cortex, cerebellar dentate nucleus, superior cerebellar peduncle, and thalamus on T2-weighted imaging or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, and in the bilateral substantia nigra and bilateral globus pallidus on diffusion-weighted imaging. Subsequently, the signal intensities of the cerebellar and thalamic lesions diminished and the basal ganglia lesions disappeared, but the severe neurologic sequelae remained. The cerebellum is reportedly particularly sensitive to thermal damage because Purkinje cells are believed to be vulnerable to heat. Although brain imaging studies revealed reversible changes, her disturbance of consciousness was prolonged. Therefore, brain magnetic resonance imaging findings might not reflect the neurologic prognosis in patients with neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Selective angioembolization in a pelvic fracture patient with refractory bleeding and hemodynamic instability.

Angioembolization for hemodynamically unstable patients with pelvic fracture has become the standard of care. However, the selection and extent of contrast of the distal artery in such patients remains undetermined. In this case, an octogenarian man was hit by a truck and was hemodynamically unstable with pelvic fracture. Based on enhanced computed tomography, selective angiography visualized arterial extravasation and the arterial bleeding could be arrested. This approach may be required for the treatment of patients in this setting.