Restrictive versus liberal red blood cell transfusion for cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are among the most common recipients of allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. However, whether restrictive RBC transfusion strategies for cardiac surgery achieve a similar clinical outcome in comparison with liberal strategies remains unclear. We searched electronic databases from inception to December 2017 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We calculated the risk ratios (RRs) and weighted-mean difference (MD) using a random-effects model. We included 9 RCTs with a total of 9005 patients. There was no significant difference in mortality between groups [RR 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74-1.45; P = 0.86]. In addition, there were no significant differences between groups in the clinical outcomes of infections (RR 1.09; 95% CI 0.94-1.26; P = 0.26), stroke (RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.72-1.35; P = 0.91), respiratory morbidity (RR 1.05; 95% CI 0.89-1.24; P = 0.58), renal morbidity (RR 1.02; 95% CI 0.94-1.09; P = 0.68), myocardial infarction (RR 1.00; 95% CI 0.80-1.24; P = 0.99), cardiac arrhythmia (RR 1.05; 95% CI 0.88-1.26; P = 0.56), gastrointestinal morbidity (RR 1.93; 95% CI 0.81-4.63; P = 0.14), or reoperation (RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.67-1.20; P = 0.46). There was a significant difference in the intensive care unit length of stay (h) (MD 4.29; 95% CI 2.19-6.39, P < 0.01) favoring the liberal group. However, there was no significant difference in the hospital length of stay (days) (MD 0.15; 95% CI - 0.18 to 0.48; P = 0.38). In conclusion, this meta-analysis showed that restrictive strategies for RBC transfusion are as safe as liberal strategies in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with regards to short-term clinical outcomes.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis presenting in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus and reactivated Hepatitis B infection.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare clinical syndrome of inappropriate immune activation which can present at any age and is commonly associated with other conditions of either excessive or impaired immune response, such as malignancy, infection, autoimmunity or immunodeficiency. In cases associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, an additional trigger such as acute infection or malignancy is frequently identified. We report a case of HLH presenting in a patient with uncontrolled HIV and reactivated hepatitis B infection, which to our knowledge has only been reported once before. Given challenges with diagnosis and its life-threatening course, HLH is an important consideration especially in critically ill patients with underlying HIV and nonspecific presentations such as fevers, cytopenias and encephalopathy.

Legionella longbeachae pneumonia: Case report and review of reported cases in non-endemic countries.

Legionella longbeachae pneumonia is much less common than Legionella pneumophila pneumonia in most of the world and may evade timely diagnosis in settings that rely primarily on urine antigen testing, which detects Legionella pnuemophila serogroup 1 only. It is, however, widely recognized in Australia and New Zealand, where it is endemic and associated with exposure to compost and potting soils, rather than contaminated water systems as seen with L. pneumophila. L. longbeachae can cause a similar spectrum and severity of illness as L. pneumophila. Here we present a case of a 47-year-old man with L. longbeacheae necrotizing pneumonia following exposure to possibly contaminated soil from a wastewater treatment facility. Initial presentation included cough, chest pain, and dyspnea, and progressed to hypoxic respiratory failure, tension pneumothorax, and cardiac arrest. L. pneumophila urine antigen was negative, but bronchioalveolar lavage samples grew L. longbeachae on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar. A review of cases reported in the literature in non-endemic regions over a 20-year period identified 38 cases in Europe, 33 in Asia, and 8 in North America. Average age was 65, 65 % were male, and 35 % had potentially relevant environmental exposures. L. longbeachae should be considered in cases of severe community acquired pneumonia, particularly following a consistent environmental exposure or if initial testing for other pathogens is unrevealing. A thorough exposure history including questions about contact with potting soil or compost, and utilization of specialized agar for culture can both be key in identifying this pathogen.

Gastric and duodenal ischaemia after transarterial chemoembolisation for hepatocellular carcinoma: an unexpected but significant complication.

Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is commonly used for unresectable intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). TACE is usually well-tolerated. We report a case of a patient who presented with a gastrointestinal bleed from TACE. A 64-year-old man presented with chronic hepatitis C cirrhosis and multifocal bilobar HCC. He had previously undergone multiple TACE sessions, radiofrequency ablation and stereotactic body radiation therapy. In the evening of his TACE procedure, he developed abdominal pain and haematemesis. An oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) showed non-bleeding oesophageal varices and ulcerations in the stomach and duodenum, with pathology demonstrating mucosal necrosis. The patient recovered and was discharged on omeprazole. While TACE is considered safe with most patients only experiencing postembolisation syndrome, vascular complications have been reported. In our patient, OGD revealed ulcerations, with biopsies confirming ischaemic ulceration. The likely aetiology was seepage of the embolic particles into neighbouring arteries. Patients should be carefully selected for TACE and monitored post procedure.