Eosinophilic fasciitis: experience with a patient and review of the potential mimics.

Bilateral lower limb swelling is a common clinical scenario with a wide differential diagnosis. We present a young man with gradually worsening bilateral leg swelling, who was diagnosed with eosinophilic fasciitis. A 20 year old Hispanic male presented with a six week history of bilateral lower limb pain and swelling, later involving the upper limbs, but sparing the hands, feet and face. He had initial pitting, followed by non-pitting oedema and had a positive 'groove sign'. With peripheral eosinophilia, a clinical diagnosis of eosinophilic fasciitis was suspected and was later confirmed on histology. He improved with prednisolone initially and is currently maintained on tapering prednisolone alongside methotrexate.

Anticholinergic medications in patients admitted with cognitive impairment or falls (AMiCI). The impact of hospital admission on anticholinergic cognitive medication burden. Results of a multicentre observational study.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Drugs with anticholinergic properties increase the risk of falls, delirium, chronic cognitive impairment, and mortality and counteract procholinergic medications used in the treatment of dementia. Medication review and optimisation to reduce anticholinergic burden in patients at risk is recommended by specialist bodies. Little is known how effective this review is in patients who present acutely and how often drugs with anticholinergic properties are used temporarily during an admission. The aim of the study was to describe the changes in the anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) in patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of delirium, chronic cognitive impairment or falls and to look at the temporary use of anticholinergic medications during hospital stay. METHODS: This is a multi-centre observational study that was conducted in seven different hospitals in the UK, Finland, The Netherlands and Italy. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: 21.1% of patients had their ACB score reduced by a mean of 1.7%, 19.7% had their ACB increased by a mean of 1.6%, 22.8% of DAP naïve patients were discharged on anticholinergic medications. There was no change in the ACB scores in 59.2% of patients. 54.1% of patients on procholinergics were taking anticholinergics. Out of the 98 medications on the ACB scale, only 56 were seen. Medications with a low individual burden were accounting for 64.9% of the total burden. Anticholinergic drugs were used temporarily during the admission in 21.9% of all patients. A higher number of DAPs used temporarily during admission was associated with a higher risk of ACB score increase on discharge (OR = 1.82, 95% CI for OR: 1.36-2.45, P < .001). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: There was no reduction in anticholinergic cognitive burden during the acute admissions. This was the same for all diagnostic subgroups. The anticholinergic load was predominantly caused by medications with a low individual burden. More than 1 in 5 patients not taking anticholinergics on admission were discharged on them and similar numbers saw temporary use of these medications during their admission. More than half of patients on cholinesterase-inhibitors were taking anticholinergics at the same time on admission, potentially directly counteracting their effects.

An evaluation of echo in life support (ELS): is it feasible? What does it add?

BACKGROUND: Emergency physicians were trained to perform echo in life support (ELS)--that is, limited transthoracic echocardiography during advanced life support (ALS) management of cardiac arrest. METHODS: Data were collected on the adequacy of views obtained and timing of the scan, as well as the clinical findings of pericardial effusion and ventricular wall motion. Any intervention performed as a result of the scan was also noted. ELS was performed on 50 patients during cardiac arrest. RESULTS: Adequate views were obtained in 47 (94%) scans, and 45 (90%) were obtained within the 10 s rhythm check. Twenty patients (40%) had ventricular wall motion (VWM), three (6%) had pericardial effusions and six patients (12%) had an intervention performed as a direct result of the scan. These included pericardiocentesis, thrombolysis and insertion of a chest drain. The presence of VWM had a positive predictive value of 55%. The absence of VWM resulted in a negative predictive value of 97% for predicting return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that ELS is feasible and that the scan findings may guide further interventions.