Efficacy and safety of ketamine for pediatric and adolescent super-refractory status epilepticus and the effect of cerebral inflammatory conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term benefits and adverse effects of ketamine in the treatment of pediatric and adolescent super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE), with a focus on the inflammatory etiology. METHODS: This retrospective observational cohort study included a consecutive series of 18 pediatric to adolescent patients with SRSE admitted between 2008 and 2023 and treated with ketamine. Seizure frequency per hour before and after ketamine administration and response rate were calculated. Neurological decline, catecholamine administration, and adverse effects were also assessed. The patients were divided into inflammatory and non-inflammatory etiology groups. RESULTS: The median age at SRSE onset was 1 year 5 months (range: 11 days-24 years), and 78% of the patients were male individuals. The median duration of treatment was 7.5 days (interquartile range: 2.8-15.5 days). Fifteen (83%) patients achieved >50% seizure reduction. The median seizure frequency before and after ketamine treatment was 5.9 and 0.9, respectively, showing a significant reduction in seizure frequency (p < 0.0001). Ten patients had inflammatory etiologies including bacterial meningitis (n = 2), viral encephalitis (n = 3), and febrile infection related epilepsy syndrome (n = 5). The inflammatory etiology group required a longer treatment duration (p = 0.0453) and showed lower seizure reduction (p = 0.0264), lower response rate (p = 0.0044), and higher neurological decline (p = 0.0003) than the non-inflammatory etiology group. Three (17%) patients experienced transient adverse events requiring intervention within 24 h of initiating ketamine administration. CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine administration was associated with fewer serious adverse events and a reduced seizure frequency. Additionally, inflammatory conditions may weaken the efficacy of ketamine in patients with SRSE.

COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against severe COVID-19 requiring oxygen therapy, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death in Japan: A multicenter case-control study (MOTIVATE study).

INTRODUCTION: Since the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant became dominant, assessing COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against severe disease using hospitalization as an outcome became more challenging due to incidental infections via admission screening and variable admission criteria, resulting in a wide range of estimates. To address this, the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance recommends the use of outcomes that are more specific to severe pneumonia such as oxygen use and mechanical ventilation. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in 24 hospitals in Japan for the Delta-dominant period (August-November 2021; "Delta") and early Omicron (BA.1/BA.2)-dominant period (January-June 2022; "Omicron"). Detailed chart review/interviews were conducted in January-May 2023. VE was measured using various outcomes including disease requiring oxygen therapy, disease requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), death, outcome restricting to "true" severe COVID-19 (where oxygen requirement is due to COVID-19 rather than another condition(s)), and progression from oxygen use to IMV or death among COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: The analysis included 2125 individuals with respiratory failure (1608 cases [75.7%]; 99.2% of vaccinees received mRNA vaccines). During Delta, 2 doses provided high protection for up to 6 months (oxygen requirement: 95.2% [95% CI:88.7-98.0%] [restricted to "true" severe COVID-19: 95.5% {89.3-98.1%}]; IMV: 99.6% [97.3-99.9%]; fatal: 98.6% [92.3-99.7%]). During Omicron, 3 doses provided high protection for up to 6 months (oxygen requirement: 85.5% [68.8-93.3%] ["true" severe COVID-19: 88.1% {73.6-94.7%}]; IMV: 97.9% [85.9-99.7%]; fatal: 99.6% [95.2-99.97]). There was a trend towards higher VE for more severe and specific outcomes. CONCLUSION: Multiple outcomes pointed towards high protection of 2 doses during Delta and 3 doses during Omicron. These results demonstrate the importance of using severe and specific outcomes to accurately measure VE against severe COVID-19, as recommended in WHO guidance in settings of intense transmission as seen during Omicron.

Relationship between extravascular lung water and severity categories of acute respiratory distress syndrome by the Berlin definition.

INTRODUCTION: The Berlin definition divides acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) into three severity categories. The relationship between these categories and pulmonary microvascular permeability as well as extravascular lung water content, which is the hallmark of lung pathophysiology, remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between extravascular lung water, pulmonary vascular permeability, and the severity categories as defined by the Berlin definition, and to confirm the associated predictive validity for severity. METHODS: The extravascular lung water index (EVLWi) and pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI) were measured using a transpulmonary thermodilution method for three consecutive days in 195 patients with an EVLWi of ≥10 mL/kg and who fulfilled the Berlin definition of ARDS. Collectively, these patients were seen at 23 ICUs. Using the Berlin definition, patients were classified into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. RESULTS: Compared to patients with mild ARDS, patients with moderate and severe ARDS had higher acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II and sequential organ failure assessment scores on the day of enrollment. Patients with severe ARDS had higher EVLWi (mild, 16.1; moderate, 17.2; severe, 19.1; P <0.05) and PVPI (2.7; 3.0; 3.2; P <0.05). When categories were defined by the minimum PaO2/FIO2 ratio observed during the study period, the 28-day mortality rate increased with severity categories: moderate, odds ratio: 3.125 relative to mild; and severe, odds ratio: 4.167 relative to mild. On independent evaluation of 495 measurements from 195 patients over three days, negative and moderate correlations were observed between EVLWi and the PaO2/FIO2 ratio (r = -0.355, P<0.001) as well as between PVPI and the PaO2/FIO2 ratio (r = -0.345, P <0.001). ARDS severity was associated with an increase in EVLWi with the categories (mild, 14.7; moderate, 16.2; severe, 20.0; P <0.001) in all data sets. The value of PVPI followed the same pattern (2.6; 2.7; 3.5; P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Severity categories of ARDS described by the Berlin definition have good predictive validity and may be associated with increased extravascular lung water and pulmonary vascular permeability. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR ID UMIN000003627.

The clinical usefulness of extravascular lung water and pulmonary vascular permeability index to diagnose and characterize pulmonary edema: a prospective multicenter study on the quantitative differential diagnostic definition for acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by features other than increased pulmonary vascular permeability. Pulmonary vascular permeability combined with increased extravascular lung water content has been considered a quantitative diagnostic criterion of ALI/ARDS. This prospective, multi-institutional, observational study aimed to clarify the clinical pathophysiological features of ALI/ARDS and establish its quantitative diagnostic criteria. METHODS: The extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) and the pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI) were measured using the transpulmonary thermodilution method in 266 patients with PaO2/FiO2 ratio ≤ 300 mmHg and bilateral infiltration on chest radiography, in 23 ICUs of academic tertiary referral hospitals. Pulmonary edema was defined as EVLWI ≥ 10 ml/kg. Three experts retrospectively determined the pathophysiological features of respiratory insufficiency by considering the patients' history, clinical presentation, chest computed tomography and radiography, echocardiography, EVLWI and brain natriuretic peptide level, and the time course of all preceding findings under systemic and respiratory therapy. RESULTS: Patients were divided into the following three categories on the basis of the pathophysiological diagnostic differentiation of respiratory insufficiency: ALI/ARDS, cardiogenic edema, and pleural effusion with atelectasis, which were noted in 207 patients, 26 patients, and 33 patients, respectively. EVLWI was greater in ALI/ARDS and cardiogenic edema patients than in patients with pleural effusion with atelectasis (18.5 ± 6.8, 14.4 ± 4.0, and 8.3 ± 2.1, respectively; P < 0.01). PVPI was higher in ALI/ARDS patients than in cardiogenic edema or pleural effusion with atelectasis patients (3.2 ± 1.4, 2.0 ± 0.8, and 1.6 ± 0.5; P < 0.01). In ALI/ARDS patients, EVLWI increased with increasing pulmonary vascular permeability (r = 0.729, P < 0.01) and was weakly correlated with intrathoracic blood volume (r = 0.236, P < 0.01). EVLWI was weakly correlated with the PaO2/FiO2 ratio in the ALI/ARDS and cardiogenic edema patients. A PVPI value of 2.6 to 2.85 provided a definitive diagnosis of ALI/ARDS (specificity, 0.90 to 0.95), and a value < 1.7 ruled out an ALI/ARDS diagnosis (specificity, 0.95). CONCLUSION: PVPI may be a useful quantitative diagnostic tool for ARDS in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure and radiographic infiltrates. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR ID UMIN000003627.

Cervical impalement injury to a child by a chopstick diagnosed with computed tomography and ultrasonography.

Injuries penetrating into the floor of the mouth in the oral cavity caused by chopsticks are rare. We report a case of neck impalement injury caused by a wooden chopstick fragment penetrating all the way through the base of the tongue. An 18-month-old boy fell off his chair when he was biting on a wooden chopstick. Four centimeters of the chopstick broke off but could not be found, so he was brought to our emergency department with minor bleeding from the tongue. Computed tomography (CT) revealed that the fragment had penetrated through the tongue into the neck. Ultrasonography (US) revealed that the fragment was in close proximity to the common carotid artery. Surgery for the removal of the chopstick tip was uneventful, with minimal soft tissue trauma. Postoperative progress was satisfactory and without complications. Of particular interest is the sensitivity of US in outlining the broken chopstick fragment lodged in the neck. It is noteworthy that the contrast of the chopstick greatly varied between CT and US.

[Clinical study of patients undergoing paperless electroencephalography in emergency room].

Fifty-eight patients who visited the emergency room of our center with febrile convulsions and impaired consciousness, and underwent paperless electroencephalography soon after arrival. They consisted of 25 male and 33 female children, ranging in age from 5 months to 15 years and 4 months, with a mean age of 4 years and 10 months. The final diagnoses were poor responsiveness associated with fever and febrile delirium in 5 patients, febrile convulsions in 26, encephalitis/encephalopathy in 24, convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis in 2, and aseptic meningitis in 1. The appearance of spindle wave within 24 hours after admission was considered to be a favorable prognostic factor, whereas generalized high-amplitude delta waves without fast-wave components and dysrhythmic flat basic waves were considered poor prognostic factors. We conclude that bed-side paperless electroencephalography is useful for the evaluation of changes in the brain function and course of treatment.

Effect of higher body temperature and acute brain edema on mortality in hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome (HSES) is a severe subtype of acute encephalopathy with a poor prognosis. The factors associated with acute neurological outcomes in patients with HSES remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the clinical features, laboratory and radiological findings, and treatments that determine the acute outcomes of HSES. METHODS: Forty children with HSES registered in a database of Osaka City General Hospital between 1995 and 2020 were included in this observational study. We retrospectively collected data on clinical features, laboratory and radiological items, and treatments. We divided acute neurological outcomes into two groups: the non-death and death groups in 1 week. Correlations were assessed between these items and acute neurological outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-seven and 13 patients comprised the non-death and death groups, respectively. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher body temperature, presence of hemorrhagic episode, elevated lactate level, high glucose level in the cerebrospinal fluid, and brain edema at initial computed tomography (CT) were correlated with the death group. Regarding treatments, barbiturate therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, and intravenous methylprednisolone were significantly initiated in the non-death group. The multivariate logistic regression model showed higher body temperature (odds ratio [OR], 4.210 [1.409-12.584]; p = 0.010) and brain edema on initial head CT (OR, 46.917 [3.995-550.976]; p = 0.002) were independent factors. CONCLUSIONS: Higher body temperature and brain edema at the onset of HSES were associated with acute outcomes. The results of this study may be useful for treatment planning and acute outcomes in patients with HSES.

Longitudinal electroencephalogram findings predict acute neurological and epilepsy outcomes in patients with hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome (HSES) is a severe subtype of acute encephalopathy with a poor prognosis. The association between electroencephalogram (EEG) findings and neurological outcomes in patients with HSES, including the onset of epilepsy, remains unclear. METHODS: Thirty-two children with HSES registered in a database of Osaka City General Hospital between 2003 and 2018 were included in this study. The EEG findings which consisted of continuity, reactivity, state change, voltage, rhythmic and periodic patterns, and electrographic or electroclinical seizures, in the onset phase were evaluated for patient outcome. Patients who avoided acute death were investigated for epilepsy by a longitudinal EEG. Seizure types were determined by ictal video recordings. RESULTS: We analyzed EEG findings in the onset phase of 30 patients. Severely to extremely abnormal EEG pattern (deteriorated continuity more than discontinuous pattern, presence of generalized abnormal low voltage slow wave, and presence of generalized rhythmic and periodic patterns) in the onset phase correlated with poor outcome (p = 0.0024). Subsequently, 9/23 patients (39%) developed epilepsy, of which a total of eight had epileptic spasms. A significant correlation between interictal epileptic discharges and the development of epilepsy was observed as early as within three months (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: EEG pattern in the onset phase may be useful to predict the neurological prognosis in the acute stage. Moreover, this study demonstrated that longitudinal EEG findings after the acute phase of HSES were significantly related to the development of epilepsy. EEG findings are useful for predicting acute prognosis and epilepsy in patients with HSES.

MRI findings at neurological onset predict neurological prognosis in hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome (HSES) is a devastating disease and has an uncertain pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to predict neurological outcomes for HSES using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings at neurological onset and elucidate the pathophysiology of HSES in the acute phase from serial MRI changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the MRI findings of 13 patients who underwent an initial MRI within 24 h of neurological onset. According to neurological prognosis, seven patients were included in the severe group and six in the non-severe group. All patients in the non-severe group had a follow-up MRI. We divided the whole brain into 14 regions and each region was scored according to diffusion-weighted imaging findings. We compared the total scores of each region between the two groups and between onset and follow-up MRI. RESULTS: At neurological onset, symmetrical lesions were found predominantly in the frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes in 12 of 13 patients (92%). In the severe group, the total score for onset MRI was significantly higher than those in the non-severe group (p = 0.003). The total score was significantly higher for follow-up than those of onset MRI (p = 0.036). White matter lesions that showed a bright tree appearance were observed in the follow-up MRIs of all patients. CONCLUSION: Total scores for onset MRIs are useful for predicting neurological prognosis in patients with HSES. In addition to widespread cortical involvement of predominantly watershed areas, white matter lesions may play a role in the progression of brain edema.

Efficacy of Ninjin'yoeito in treating severe coronavirus disease 2019 in patients in an intensive care unit.

Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a global emergency with high mortality. There are few effective treatments, and many severe patients are treated in an intensive care unit (ICU). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the Japanese Kampo medicine ninjin'yoeito (NYT) is effective in treating ICU patients with COVID-19. Nine patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to the ICU were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent respiratory management with invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and enteral nutrition. Four patients received NYT (7.5 g daily) from an elemental diet tube. We retrospectively examined the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), length of IMV, length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay, rate of tracheostomy, and mortality rate. The median age of the enrolled participants was 60.0 years (4 men and 5 women). The median body mass index was 27.6. The most common comorbidity was diabetes (4 patients, 44%), followed by hypertension (3 patients, 33%) and chronic kidney disease (2 patients, 22%). The median length of IMV, ICU stay, and hospital stay were all shorter in the NYT group than in the non-NYT group (IMV; 4.0 days vs 14.3 days, ICU; 5.3 days vs 14.5 days, hospital stay; 19.9 days vs 28.2 days). In the NYT and non-NYT groups, the median PNI at admission was 29.0 and 31.2, respectively. One week after admission, the PNI was 30.7 in the NYT group and 24.4 in non-NYT group. PNI was significantly (p = 0.032) increased in the NYT group (+13.6%) than in the non-NYT group (-22.0%). The Japanese Kampo medicine NYT might be useful for treating patients with severe COVID-19 in ICU. This study was conducted in a small number of cases, and further large clinical trials are necessary.

Can the global end-diastolic volume index guide fluid management in septic patients? A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

AIM: An index that accurately measures intravascular volume is paramount for the optimal resuscitation of sepsis. Selecting an adequate indicator to substitute for central venous pressure (CVP) has remained an issue. The objective of our study was to compare the usefulness of standard early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) with CVP (EGDT-CVP) and modified EGDT with global end-diastolic volume index (GEDI; EGDT-GEDI) for sepsis. METHODS: This was a multicenter prospective randomized controlled study. All patients with sepsis who were expected to require mechanical ventilator support for a minimum of 48 h were included. The patients were classified into an EGDT-CVP group and an EGDT-GEDI group. All participants underwent the extubation protocol. The primary outcome was the ventilator-free days over a 28-day period. RESULTS: The ventilator-free days was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.59). However, the EGDT-GEDI group showed a trend of shorter ventilator support duration (5.1 days [2.0-8.7 days] versus 3.9 days [2.4-5.7 days], P = 0.27) and length of stay in the intensive care unit (7.2 days [3.8-10.7 days] versus 5.1 days [3.7-8.8 days], P = 0.05) and a smaller 3-day infusion balance than the EGDT-CVP group (4,405 mL [1,092-8,163 mL] versus 3,046 mL [830-6,806 mL], P = 0.34), but the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Although there was no significant efficacy, EGDT guided by GEDI showed a trend of shorter length of stay in the intensive care unit and lower 3-day infusion balance than the EGDT-CVP group in sepsis. The GEDI monitoring did not appear to improve the ventilator-free days over a 28-day period.

Precision and Safety of an Intravascular Temperature Management System for Postcardiac Arrest Syndrome Patients: A Multicenter Clinical Trial (COOL-ARREST JP).

Rapid induction and maintaining a target temperature of 32.0-36.0°C within a narrow range for <24 hours are essential, but those are very hard to perform in postcardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS) patients. We investigated the usability of an intravascular temperature management (IVTM) system with neurolept-anesthesia (NLA; droperidol and fentanyl). Single-arm, prospective multicenter trial was carried out in the seven university and the three affiliated hospitals. In the 24 comatose PCAS patients, the target temperature (33.0°C) was rapidly induced and maintained for 24 hours using an IVTM system with NLA. The rewarming speed was 0.1°C/h until 36.5°C and was maintained for 24 hours. The primary end point was the ability to achieve ≤34.0°C for <3 hours after starting cooling, and the secondary end points were the cooling rate, deviation from the target temperature, and adverse events. Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score at 14 days was also evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS software, using the intention-to-treat data sets. The target temperature of ≤34.0°C was reached by 45 minutes (35-73 minutes) and was within 3 hours in all patients. The cooling rate from 36.4°C to 33.0°C was 2.7°C/h (2.4-3.6°C/h). The temperature of 33.1°C (33.1-33.1°C) and 36.7°C (36.6-36.9°C) for 24 hours each was held during the maintenance and the after rewarming phases, respectively. Temperature deviations >0.2°C from 33.0°C in the maintenance phase occurred once each in two patients. The favorable neurological outcomes (CPC1, 2) were relatively good (50%). Five patients experienced serious adverse events; none was device related. We rapidly achieved therapeutic hypothermia within a narrow temperature range without major complications using the IVTM system with NLA in PCAS patients.

The impact of spontaneous ventilation on distribution of lung aeration in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: airway pressure release ventilation versus pressure support ventilation.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we sought to determine which mode, airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) or pressure support ventilation (PSV), decreases atelectasis more in patients with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: This was a retrospective study in the intensive care unit. Between 2006 and 2007, we identified 18 patients with acute lung injury/ARDS who received either APRV or PSV and had a helical computed tomography scan twice in 3 days. RESULTS: Computed tomography data from the APRV and PSV groups (n = 9 each) were analyzed for 3-dimensional reconstruction and volumetry. Aerated lung regions (normally aerated, poorly aerated, nonaerated, and hyperinflated) were identified by their densities in Hounsfield units. The Pao(2)/Fio(2) ratio and alveolar-arteriolar oxygen gradient after ventilation were improved in both groups (P = 0.008); however, the improvements in the APRV group exceeded those in the PSV group when delivered with equal mean airway pressure (P = 0.018 and 0.015, respectively). Atelectasis decreased significantly from 41% (range, 17%-68%) to 19% (range, 6%-40%) (P = 0.008) and normally aerated volume increased significantly from 29% (range, 13%-41%) to 43% (range, 25%-56%) (P = 0.008) in the APRV group, whereas lung volume did not change in the PSV group. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous ventilation during APRV improves lung aeration by decreasing atelectasis. PSV for gas exchange is effective but not sufficient to improve lung aeration. These results indicate that APRV is more efficient than PSV as a mode of primary ventilatory support to decrease atelectasis in patients with ARDS.

Hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome--the markers for an early HSES diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome (HSES) is a devastating disease that affects young children. The outcomes of HSES patients are often fatal or manifesting severe neurological sequelae. We reviewed the markers for an early diagnosis of HSES. METHODS: We examined the clinical, biological and radiological findings of 8 patients (4 months to 9 years old) who met the HSES criteria. RESULTS: Although cerebral edema, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC), and multiple organ failure were seen in all 8 cases during their clinical courses, brain computed tomography (CT) scans showed normal or only slight edema in 5 patients upon admission. All 8 patients had normal platelet counts, and none were in shock. However, they all had severe metabolic acidosis, which persisted even after 3 hours (median base excess (BE), -7.6 mmol/L). And at 6 hours after admission (BE, -5.7 mmol/L) they required mechanical ventilation. Within 12 hours after admission, fluid resuscitation and vasopressor infusion for hypotension was required. Seven of the patients had elevated liver enzymes and creatine kinase (CK) upon admission. Twenty-four hours after admission, all 8 patients needed vasopressor infusion to maintain blood pressure. CONCLUSION: CT scan, platelet count, hemoglobin level and renal function upon admission are not useful for an early diagnosis of HSES. However, the elevated liver enzymes and CK upon admission, hypotension in the early stage after admission with refractory acid-base disturbance to fluid resuscitation and vasopressor infusion are useful markers for an early HSES diagnosis and helpful to indicate starting intensive neurological treatment.

[Vegetable oil-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in near drowning: evaluation based on extravascular lung water index].

Lipoid pneumonia usually presents after chronic recurrent ingestion of oily substances or accidental aspiration during "fire-eating" demonstrations. Massive exposure by near drowning extremely rare and potentially fatal. We present here a case of survival after total immersion in oil in her workplace. A 66-year-old woman who nearly drowned in a vat of vegetable oil was admitted as an emergency case with severe hypoxia after rescue. Chest computed tomography (CT) findings showed bilateral ground-glass opacity, consolidation, and the case fulfilled the criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage performed on admission indicated oil droplets and marked neutrophilia (67%), which made us diagnose ARDS induced by lipoid pneumonia. We commenced treatment with pulsed steroids and strictly managed fluid balance under mechanical ventilation. Despite immediate improvement in oxygenation, the value of extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) measured by the PiCCO system consistently remained over 30 ml/Kg through her clinical course. We concluded that lipoid pneumonia is characterized by prolonged elevatation of pulmonary vascular permeability.

Clinical characteristics of acute encephalopathy with acute brain swelling: A peculiar type of acute encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVES: Acute encephalopathy has been observed with acute brain swelling (ABS) that is characterized by rapid progression to whole-brain swelling. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of ABS. METHODS: We encountered four patients with ABS and retrospectively investigated their clinical data with a medical chart review. RESULTS: Three patients had seizure clustering or status epilepticus in the clinical course. Signs of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) appeared 3-9 h after the first convulsive attack in three patients. In all patients, signs of brainstem involvement appeared 1-8 h after signs of elevated ICP. Mild hyponatremia that progressed after signs of elevated ICP appeared was noted in three patients. Brain CT revealed mild brain swelling in the initial phase, which rapidly progressed to whole-brain swelling. No focal abnormalities were detected on brain MRI in one patient. Continuous electroencephalography was initially normal, but in two patients, high-amplitude slow waves appeared with rapid changes before signs of brainstem involvement. Although recovery was achieved without sequelae in two patients, outcome was fatal for the other two. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of ABS has yet to be clarified, but clinical features in our patients are not consistent with any established subtypes of acute encephalopathy. Therefore, we believe that ABS should be recognized as a new type of acute encephalopathy.

[Direct hemoperfusion with a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column eliminates neutrophils and improves pulmonary oxygenation--a comparison of two cases with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis].

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by radiographically evident interstitial infiltrates predominantly affecting the lung bases and by progressive dyspnea and worsening pulmonary function. Acute exacerbation of IPF is recognized widely as an accelerated phase occurring suddenly in the course of IPF, which leads to a catastrophic outcome. No treatment has proven to be effective so far. We describe two cases of acute exacerbation of IPF which were treated by direct hemoperfusion with a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX) after steroid pulse therapy. One patient died on the 21st day after direct hemoperfusion and the other is alive at present. The survivor showed significant improvement of pulmonary oxygenation correlating with a decrease in the neutrophil count, SP-D and KL-6 after direct hemoperfusion with PMX. On the other hand, the non-survivor showed no improvement of pulmonary oxygenation, SP-D and KL-6 despite a decrease in neutrophil count comparable with that of the survivor. Neutrophil count which decreased temporarily after direct hemoperfusion with PMX soon convert to increase in the non-survivor, which is a characteristic difference between two. We reached the conclusions that (1) direct hemoperfusion with PMX absorbs neutrophils and this mechanism is effective to improve pulmonary oxygenation, (2) sometimes neutrophil absorption is not enough to control pulmonary inflammation in patients with acute exacerbation of IPF.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta as an adjunct for hemorrhagic shock due to uterine rupture: a case report.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a life-saving procedure used to control bleeding and maintain blood pressure temporarily in traumatic hemorrhagic shock. Uterine rupture and placenta accreta provoke uncontrollable massive hemorrhaging. REBOA may be useful for hemodynamic stabilization to prevent cardiac arrest in high-risk pregnancy.

A child with acute transverse myelitis requiring permanent pacemaker implantation.

We diagnosed a 3-year-old girl with acute transverse myelitis (ATM). She presented with weakness of the limbs and developed urination difficulty and respiratory disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a symmetric area of high signal intensity on T2-weighted images involving the lower end of the medulla oblongata to the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra. Anti-aquaporin-4 antibody was negative. She was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy, immunoglobulin therapy, and plasmapheresis; however, her clinical symptoms did not change. At 10 and 20days after symptom onset, cardiac arrest occurred on postural change, requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A permanent pacemaker was implanted 23days after onset. In the presence of sympathetic nerve hypofunction, relative hyperactivity of the parasympathetic nerves may have led to severe bradycardia and cardiac arrest in the presence of an inducer, such as a postural change. This is the first reported case of pacemaker implantation for management of ATM.

[A case of idiopathic ARDS treated by sivelestat sodium and fluid management based on extravascular lung water index].

A 65-year-old woman was given emergency admission with fever, cough and dyspnea. Chest computed tomography (CT) findings showed bilateral ground-glass opacity, consolidation, and this case were fulfilled the criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We clinically diagnosed the patient as suffering from idiopathic ARDS including acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) based on the absence of any known causes of ARDS and systemic immunologic diseases. We started treatment with sivelestat sodium and strictly managed fluid balance under mechanical ventilation. We found this treatment quite effective because there were significant improvements in the extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) measured by the PiCCO system and neutrophile elastase value and in oxygenation and the chest radiograph. This is apparently the first case report in the literature that clearly shows the treatment with sivelestat sodium and strict fluid management ended in a favorable outcome, as reducing EVLWI measured by the PiCCO system in an idiopathic ARDS patient.