Clinical Analysis of Octreotide in Varix Bleeding

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to confirm the effects of octreotide in patients with variceal bleeding. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 26 patients with variceal bleeding, who visited the Emergency Center of Seoul National University Hospital from January 1st to June 31st, 1996, the control group, and a prospective analysis of 28 patients with variceal bleeding, who visited the Emergency Center of Seoul National University Hospital from March 1st to August 31st, 1999, for the octreotideinfused group. The octreotide-infused group recieved a continuous infusion of octreotide, 25 microgram/hr, for 5 days after an initial bolus of 50 microgram. When active bleeding continued over 1 hour, over 5 pints of packed-RBC were needed for transfusion within 24 hours, or when the systolic blood pressure was under 90 mmHg, a ballon tamponade with Sengstaken-Blackemore tube was used. T-test and X2 test were used for statistical analysis(p<0.05). RESULTS: Forty-one patients were male(octreotide-infused group 22, control group 19) and 13 were female(octreotide-infused group 6, control group 7). The mean age was 55 years(octreotide-infused group 56 years, control group 52 years). There were no significant differences in vital signs, hemoglobin/hematocrit levels, and Child-Pugh's classifications between the octreotide-infused group and the control group initially. There was a significant difference in the rates of early bleeding control within 24 hours(p<0.05), but there were no significant differences in the rates of rebleeding, mortality within 1 week, and use of a balloon tamponade. CONCLUSION: Variceal bleeding is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis and has a high mortality rate. Octreotide is an effective vasoactive agent for control of early bleeding. Thus, octreotide should be used first before endoscopic definitive therapies, to stabilize the vital signs of patients and to secure a field for endoscopic procedures.

Clinical Analysis of Phalloides Syndrome

BACKGROUND: To review the important features and treatment modalities of phalloides syndrome. METHOD: We performed a retrospective analysis of 16 patients with phalloides syndrome who visited the Emergency Center of Seoul National University ospital, Uijongbu St. Mary 's Hospital, Gachon Medical College Hospital, and Kyungpook National University Hospital from July 1st to August 31st, 1998. Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis(p < 0.05). RESULTS: 9 were male and 7 were female. The mean age was 54 years(men 46 years, women 65 years). Fourteen cases(88%) occurred in Kyungpook area. All cases of phalloides syndrome RESULT:ed from mistaking toxic mushrooms for edible mushrooms. The doses of ingestion of mushroom were not available because the patient could not remember the exact amounts. The identification of mushrooms in 4 cases was confirmed by mycologist, 6 cases by mushroom photoatlas, and remained 6 cases were not confirmed. The initial symptoms of mushroom poisoning were abdominal pain, nausea, and watery diarrhea. The time intervals from the ingestion of mushroom to the onset of symptom were from 6 to 13 hours(mean 11.3 +/-2.68 hours). The laboratory data showed the increased GOT and GPT, prolonged prothrombin time, elevated serum creatinine level, and decreased platelet count. The initial management of phalloides mushroom poisoning was done conservatively, but the early specific treatments such as gastrointestinal decontamination, administration of activated charcoal, IV penicillin or silymarin were not perfomed in all cases. The mortality rate was 18.8%. There were significant differences in total bilirubin, prothrombin time, platelet count, and serum creatinine between survival and non-survival group(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It is important to know the morphological differences between edible and toxic mushroom for prevention of phalloides syndrome. If the patient with acute gastroenteritis has a history of mushroom ingestion, the emergency physician should suspect phalloides syndrome and start early proper treatment. For the identification of mushroom, it is desirable to contact a mycologist.

Risk Prediction Factors in Febrile Neutropenic Patients

BACKGROUND: Most febrile neutropenic patients are treated in an aggressive manner. However, identification of low-risk patients may enable clinicians to administer risk-based treatment. The object of this study is to certify the factors associated with increased risk at the time of visiting the emergency department. METHODS: This is a retrospective study. We reviewed the medical records of 101 febrile neutropenic patients who had visited the emergency department of Seoul National University Hospital from January 1998 to August 1999. We assumed 22 risk prediction factors that could be assessed at admission to the emergency department and 5 factors that could be assessed during treatment course. To find independent risk-prediction factors, we analyzed these factors respectively by using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Tachycardia(aOR=136.5), altered mentality(aOR=28.8), decreased renal function(aOR=20.1), and significant comorbidity(aOR=17.2) are the independent factors associated with higher mortality. Altered mentality(aOR=31.6) and decreased renal function(CCr<75ml/min, aOR=5.4) are those associated with a higher incidence of septic shock. Independent factors associated with persistent(more than 3 days) fever are the early(within 10 days) onset of fever after last chemotherapy(aOR=8.8) and the existence of new pulmonary infiltrates on a simple chest X-ray(aOR=4.3). CONCLUSION: The stability of vital signs, the change of mentality, the renal function, the existence of significant comorbidity, the existence of new pulmonary infiltrates, and the rate of neutropenia are clinically useful risk-predication factors in febrile neutropenia at the time of visiting the emergency department.

The Antioxidant Effect of Vitamin C and Deferoxamine on Paraquat Induced Lipid Peroxidation in Rats

BACKGROUND: The toxicity of paraquat has been known to be caused by oxygen free radicals which leads to the lipid peroxidation and multiple organ failure. Although vitamin C has been known to be a potent antioxidant, recently there are numerous data which have shown that a low dose of vitamin C may act as a prooxidant due to the stimulation of the Fenton reaction with metal ions, which produces hydroxyl radicals. It has been reported that a deferoxamine in paraquat intoxication could reduce the production of the hydroxyl radicals by the inhibition of the Fenton reaction through the reduction of iron ion in tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the high and low dose of vitamin C and deferoxamine on lipid peroxidation and plasma TNF-alpha in paraquat intoxication. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into seven groups: control group which was not given paraquat(20mg/kg), P group which was given paraquat only, PVH group given paraquat and high dose of vitamin C(100mg/kg), PVL group given paraquat and low dose of vitamin C(10mg/kg), PVHD given paraquat, high dose of vitamine C and deferoxamine(100mg/kg), PVLD given paraquat, low dose of vitamin C and deferoxamine, and PD given paraquat and deferoxamine. Animals were killed at 6 and 24 hours after treatment. Malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione(GSH) contents, catalase activity, plasma TNF-alpha, and histologic changes in the lung and liver tissue were measured. RESULTS: The lung histology in the PVH and PD or PVHD groups showed the significant decreases in the alveolar edema and interstitial thickness compared to the P group. The liver histology in the PVH and PVHD groups demonstrated marked differences in the central venous and sinusoidal dilatation compared to that of the P group. While the MDA levels of the lung and liver in the PVH and PD groups showed the significant reduction compared to that of the P group at 6 hours after treatment, all groups showed the significant changes compared to the P group at 24 hours. There was no significant change of the SOD levels of the lung and liver at 6 hours among all groups. At 24 hours, the SOD levels of the lung in PVH, PVL, and PVHD groups showed the significant increases compared to the P group. The increase of the SOD level in groups combined with deforoxamine, however, revealed a little reduction. The SOD level of the liver in PVH group only significantly increased compared to the P group at 24 hours. There was no significant change of the GSH level of the lung and liver among all groups at 6 hours. At 24 hours, the GSH level of the lung and liver were significantly increased in both PVH and PD group and PVH group, respectively, compared to the P group. Although the catalase activity of the lung was not significantly increased, that of liver was significantly increased in both PVHD and PD groups compared to the P group at 6 hours. The catalase activities of the lung and liver were significantly increased in PVH, PD, and PVHD at 24 hours. The concentrations of the Plasma TNF-alpha were slightly decreased at 6 hours and slightly increased at 24 hours compared to that of the P group, but they were not significant. CONCLUSION: This study showed that although the low dose of vitamin C had no effect, the high dose of vitamin C revealed a decrease of the MDA level and an increase of SOD, GSH, and catalase activity in the lung and lung and liver tissues, and the effect of the high dose of vitamin C increased with time. The administration of the deferoxamine with or without high dose of vitamin C, however, significantly showed the inhibition of the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant effect and low dose vitamin C decreased the effect of deferoxamine. The effects of the vitamin C and deferoxamine on plasma TNF-alpha were not clearly shown.