Clinical and laboratory parameters as predictors of mortality in patients with chronic liver disease presenting to emergency department- a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that Asia and Africa have the highest Chronic Liver Disease (CLD) mortality rate. Cirrhosis, responsible for 22.2 fatalities per 100,000 people, is India's 10th most common cause of mortality. The increasing prevalence of chronic liver disease necessitates a study to identify predictive factors for patients who visit the emergency department. Identifying elements that enhance the predictive value of mortality in unstable patients with CLD complications is important in emergency departments. This study aims to determine Clinical and Laboratory Parameters as mortality predictors in adult chronic liver disease patients. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted at the emergency department of a tertiary healthcare center in Northern India. Patients with chronic liver disease above 18 years of age who satisfied the inclusion criteria were clinically evaluated. Clinical and demographic details were collected, and data was analyzed. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-six patients were enrolled. The mean age was 50.77 ± 14.26 years. 78.4% of the participants were men. Abdominal distension, affecting 59.7% of patients, was the most common presenting ailment, followed by melena and hematemesis, affecting 41.9% and 32.6%, respectively. The mean stay in the emergency department was 10.29 ± 8.10 h. Refractory septic shock, the leading cause of mortality, accounts for 69.2% of all deaths, alongside grade 4 hepatic encephalopathy and massive Upper Gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding, as identified in our study. Factors such as altered mental sensorium, high respiratory rate, low SpO2, increased heart rate, low systolic blood pressure, low diastolic blood pressure, and low Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on Emergency Department (ED) arrival are significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic liver disease, a prevalent condition in India, most commonly seen in middle aged men and lower socioeconomic groups. The parameters independently associated with mortality in our study were presence of altered mental sensorium, Glasgow coma scale, Child Pugh class and need for ICU admission. Understanding the presentation pattern, and mortality predictors can help ED physicians in managing acute events and follow-ups.

A Rare Life-Threatening Presentation of Shoulder Pain: Cervical Epidural Hematoma.

Shoulder pain is a common complaint of patients presenting to emergency department. Various conditions, intrinsic and extrinsic to the shoulder, can result in shoulder pain. Some of these extrinsic conditions can pose a threat to life. We present a case of a young, previously healthy male who initially had bilateral shoulder pain, later developed quadriparesis, and was ultimately diagnosed with a spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma. He underwent an emergency C7-T1 laminectomy with hematoma evacuation and had a full recovery. Cervical epidural hematoma is a rare surgical emergency where timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial.

Management of Snakebite-Induced Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TMA) With Plasmapheresis.

Snakebites affect a lot of people in India. Of these, the hemotoxic snakebites may induce a consumptive coagulopathy, which has been termed now as "Venom-Induced Consumptive Coagulopathy" (VICC). Some patients with VICC develop Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TMA). The primary end-organ damage in TMA is renal, for which hemodialysis is the mainstay of treatment. Recently there has been some focus on plasma exchange as an adjunctive treatment for TMA. Here we present a case of a young male who developed snakebite-induced TMA and who was successfully managed with plasma exchange.