ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) can induce occurrence of oxidative stress. Several reports have evaluated selenium supplementation in SIRS patients with encouraging results. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of intravenous high-dose selenium supplementation in patients with SIRS. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the selenium group (800 microg/day of selenoic acid by intravenous bolus injection for 7 days) or the placebo group. Physical and biochemical measurements were used to assay acute phase reactants, severity of illness index and serum selenium concentration. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients classified as mild-to-moderate severity of illness index were enrolled between March 2010 and October 2011. Serum selenium concentration increased in the selenium group after intervention, but there was no significant change in the placebo group. In the selenium group, the white blood cell (WBC) count, serum level of c-reactive protein (CRP), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHEII) score and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score improved significantly by days 7 and 14 compared with day 0. In the placebo group, only the serum CRP level at day 14 and APACHE II score at days 7 and 14 improved significantly compared to day 0. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous supplementation with high-dose selenium improved acute phase reactants and the severity of illness index in patients with SIRS. However, larger prospective clinical trials are required to determine the efficacy of selenium supplementation in SIRS patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Acute-Phase Proteins , APACHE , C-Reactive Protein , Leukocytes , Oxidative Stress , Pilot Projects , Prognosis , Selenium , Severity of Illness Index , Systemic Inflammatory Response SyndromeABSTRACT
Dengue fever is an acute febrile disease caused by the dengue virus. As the numbers of reported patients with dengue fever are increasing, rare complications associated with dengue fever, such as rhabodomyolysis or meningitis, are increasing in Korea. We describe the case of a Korean male presenting with fever, myalgia, nausea, diarrhea and blurred vision, who as a result of serologic test and fundoscopy, was diagnosed with dengue fever complicated by retinitis. He completely recovered with conservative care.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Dengue , Dengue Virus , Diarrhea , Fever , Korea , Meningitis , Nausea , Retinitis , Serologic Tests , Vision, OcularABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) is a preferred treatment modality in hemodynamically unstable acute kidney injury (AKI) patients, because it has advantages over intermittent dialysis in terms of hemodynamic stability. However, this patient group still shows a significantly high mortality rate. To aid in the management of these high-risk patients, we evaluated the risk factors for mortality in CVVHDF-treated hypotensive AKI patients. METHODS: We studied 67 patients with AKI and hypotension who were treated with CVVHDF from February 2008 to August 2010. We reviewed patient characteristics and laboratory parameters to evaluate the risk factors for 90-day mortality. RESULTS: Of the 67 enrolled patients (male:female=42:25; mean age=69+/-14 years), 18 (27%) survived until 90 days after the initiation of CVVHDF. There was no significant difference in survival rates according to the etiology of AKI [hypovolemic shock 2/10 (20%), cardiogenic shock 4/20 (20%), septic shock 12/37 (32%)]. Univariate analysis did show significant differences between survivors and non-survivors in the frequency of ventilator use (44% vs. 76%, respectively; P=0.02), APACHE II score (29+/-7 vs. 34+/-7, respectively; P=0.01), SOFA score (11+/-4 vs. 13+/-4, respectively; P=0.03), blood pH (7.3+/-0.1 vs. 7.2+/-0.1, respectively; P=0.03), and rate of urine output <500mL for 12hours (50% vs. 80%, respectively; P=0.03). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model showed that a urine output <500mL for 12hours was the only significant risk factor for 90-day mortality following CVVHDF treatment (odds ratio=2.1, confidence interval=1.01-4.4, P=0.048). CONCLUSION: A urine output <500mL for 12hours before the initiation of CVVHDF is an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality in hypotensive AKI patients treated with CVVHDF.
Subject(s)
Humans , Acute Kidney Injury , APACHE , Dialysis , Hemodiafiltration , Hemodynamics , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Hypotension , Proportional Hazards Models , Renal Replacement Therapy , Risk Factors , Shock , Shock, Cardiogenic , Shock, Septic , Survival Rate , Survivors , Ventilators, MechanicalABSTRACT
Toxocariasis is an infection in a human host caused by Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati larvae. Clinical manifestations are classified according to the organs affected, such as visceral larva migrans (VLM) and ocular larva migrans (OLM). Epidemiological evidence suggests that OLM tends to occur in the absence of systemic involvement and vice versa, which has led to two manifestations of this infection being reclassified as VLM and OLM. No case of a patient with VLM combined with OLM has been reported in Korea. Here, we report a case of VLM combined with OLM in a 51-year-old female caused by massive ingestion of raw cow meat, manyplies, and liver.