Guillain-Barré Syndrome and Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute disease characterised by symmetrical muscle weakness, loss of sensation and reflex. There is usually a viral infection at the beginning of the disease. Here, we report a GBS case which did not respond to any treatment strategy at first and was diagnosed as Human Immunodeficiency Virus positive (HIV+) during the search for the aetiology. A 32-year-old male patient who presented to a medical centre with symptoms of gait disturbance and arm and leg numbness was found to have albuminocytologic dissociation upon cerebrospinal fluid examination. After the diagnosis of GBS, immunoglobulin G (IVIG) therapy (400 mg kg(-1) day(-1) 5 days) was started as a standard therapy. This therapy was repeated due to a lack of improvement of symptoms. During this therapy, the patient was sent to our clinic with symptoms of respiratory failure and tetraplegia. He was conscious, cooperative, haemodynamically stable and his arterial blood gas analyses were: pH: 7.28, PaO2: 74.4 mmHg, PCO2: 63.8 mmHg. He was intubated, mechanically ventilated and underwent plasmapheresis. After the investigation of aetiology, HIV(+), CD4/CD8: 0.17, absolute CD4: 71 cells mL(-1) were detected and antiretroviral therapy was started. The patient died from multiple organ failure due to sepsis on day 35. In conclusion, HIV infection should be kept in mind in GBS patients, especially those not responding to routine treatment. As a result, not only could the patient receive early and adequate treatment, but also HIV infection transmission would be avoided.

Comparison of esmolol to nitroglycerine in controlling hypotension during nasal surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare esmolol to nitroglycerine in terms of effectiveness in controlling hypotension during nasal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After approval by our institutional Ethics Committee, 40 patients were recruited and randomized into two drug groups: esmolol (Group E) and nitroglycerine (Group N). In group E, a bolus dose of 500 µg/kg esmolol was administered over 30 sec followed by continuous administration at a dose of 25-300 µg/ kg/min to maintain systolic arterial pressure at 80 mmHg. In group N, nitroglycerine was administered at a dose of 0.5-2 µg/kg/min. RESULTS: During the hypotensive period, systolic arterial pressure, diastolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate were decreased 24%, 33%, 27% and 35%, respectively, in group E (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001) and were decreased 30%, 33%, 34% and 23%, respectively, in group N (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001). The decrease in heart rate was higher in group E during the hypotensive period (p=0.048). During the recovery period, diastolic arterial pressure and heart rate were decreased 9% and 18%, respectively, in group E (p=0.044, p<0.001). Systolic arterial pressure, diastolic arterial pressure, and mean arterial pressure were decreased 7%, 3% and 7%, respectively, in group N (p=0.049, p=0.451, p=0.045). CONCLUSION: Esmolol provides hemodynamic stability and good surgical field visibility and should be considered as an alternative to nitroglycerine.

The effect of nursing-implemented sedation on the duration of mechanical ventilation in the ICU.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the effects of nursing-implemented sedation protocol and daily interruption of sedative infusion on the duration of mechanical ventilation. METHODS: Fifty patients receiving mechanical ventilation and requiring sedation in the intensive care unit (ICU) were randomly selected to receive either daily interruption of sedative infusion (Group P, n=25) or nursing-implemented sedation protocol (Group N, n=25). In Group P, daily interruption of sedative infusions without any sedation protocol was performed by physicians. In Group N, nursing-implemented sedation protocol prepared by physicians was applied. In this group, if the ideal level of sedation was not achieved, information was given by nurses to physicians. Patients in each group were compared according to demographic variables, duration of mechanical ventilation and sedation, length of stay in the ICU, and mortality. RESULTS: Demographic variables, length of stay in the ICU and mortality were similar between the two groups. In Group P, duration of sedation and mechanical ventilation were significantly shorter than in Group N. Light sedation was seen more frequently in Group P and deep sedation in Group N. CONCLUSION: Daily interruption of sedative infusions provided shorter duration of sedation and mechanical ventilation than nursing-implemented sedation with protocol. Although nurse-implemented sedation protocol has been found acceptable, if the number of nurses is lacking, we believe the nurse-implemented sedation protocol should not be applied.