Evaluation of Prognostic Factors in Acute Renal Failure at the Emergency Department

PURPOSE: This study intended to identify prognostic factors influencing recovery, progressing chronic renal failure (CRF) and mortality in acute renal failure (ARF) patients at the emergency department. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 104 patients with ARF and with serum creatinine (Cr) level above 2 mg/dL and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 60 years, underlying disease, cause of ARF, urine volume, existence of oliguria, duration of oliguria, proteinuria, GFR, serum BUN, serum Cr, BUN/Cr ratio, arterial pH, PaO2, S a O2, serum Na+, serum K+, serum albumin, serum total bilirubin, serum osmolarity, serum AST, serum ALT, serum creatine kinase, and serum myoglobin were all significant factors discriminating between recovery patients and nonrecovery patients (progressing CRF, mortality). Based on a multivariate analysis, sex, existence of oliguria, duration of oliguria, GFR, BUN/Cr ratio, PaO2, serum K+, SaO2, serum bilirubin, and serum osmolarity were useful factors which might affected non-recovery. CONCLUSION: In ARF, the prognostic factors were serum K+, S a O2, duration of oliguria, and BUN/Cr ratio. The higher serum K+, the lower SaO2, the longer the duration of oliguria, and the lower the BUN/Cr ratio are for ARF patients at the emergency department, the more the intensive care emergency physician must perform.

Clinical Significance of Immediate Determination of Plasma Cholinesterase Level in Patients Presenting with Organophosphate Ingestion at the Time of Hospitalization

PURPOSE: Plasma cholinesterase is a sensitive measure determining the severity of organophosphate intoxication. The author evaluated the usefulness of the plasma cholinesterase level as a prognostic indicator of the severity of organophosphate intoxication. METHODS: From June 1999 to May 2001, 55 patients presented with organophosphate insecticide intoxication to the Emergency Medical Center of the Chonnam National University Hospital, and these were enrolled in this study. The plasma cholinesterase activities of these 55 patients were determined at the time of presentation. The relationships between the plasma cholinesterase level and the clinical variables of organophosphate toxicity, quantity of ingested poison, elapsed time to gastric lavage, and the APACHE score at the time of hospitalization were analyzed. RESULTS: The plasma cholinesterase activity significantly decreased in association with the degree of toxicity of the poison (p<0.001), elapsed time to gastric lavage (p<0.001), and the quantity of organophosphate ingested (p=0.013). In the 55 patients, lower plasma values of cholinesterase were observed in patients with longer durations of mechanical ventilation (r=-0.717, p<0.001) and in patients who developed pneumonia during treatment (r=-0.538, p<0.001). Also, decreased cholinesterase activity correlated with a higher APACHE score (r=-0.672, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that immediate determination of the plasma cholinesterase level at the time of hospitalization may be useful as a prognostic indicator in patients with organophosphate intoxication.

Analysis of cardiovascular change of an Aconitum-containing Chinese Remedy

PURPOSE: The roots of Aconitum plants (e.g.,A carmichaelii, A napellus) have been believed to possess antiinflammatory, analgesic, and cardiotonic effects and have been used in traditional Chinese medicine mainly for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Because of low safety margin, it is not uncommon to visit emergency departments to have variable amounts of highly toxic diterpene alkaloids (e.g., aconitine) contained in their systems. Typical manifestations of aconitine posioning are neurological, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal problems. The known cardiovascular manifestations are several types of arrhythmia and hypotension. The author experienced a cases of transient ventricular ischemic change in an EKG and elevation in cardiac enzymes. This study aimed to evaluate cardiac ischemia associated with aconitine poisonining. METHODS: The author analyzed 13 patients with aconitine poisoning, who visited the Emergency Department of Chonnam National University Hospital from 1995 to 2001. Variables included in data analysis were age, sex, clinical features, cardiac enzyme levels, and EKG changes. RESULTS: Aconitine had been taken for a variety of medical problems, including arthralgia, neuralgia, and some gastrointestinal complaints. All patients suffered from neurological (tingling of the mouth and skin, followed by numbness and weakness in the extremities), cardiovascular (palpitation, dizzness), and gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting) manifestations. Most patients had a variety of cardiac rhythm disturbances. Two patients exhibited transient cardiac ischemia, including cardiac enzyme elevation and ischemic changes on their an EKGs. CONCLUSION: Two patients (15.4%) among 13 patients showed transient cardiac ischemia, including cardiac enzyme elevation and ischemic changes on their EKGs. It is important to observe the possibility of myocardial toxicity of aconitum and to evaluate the mechanism of cardiac toxicity through clinical and experimental study