Concurrent hospitalization of a married couple presenting with distinct symptoms but diagnosed with a life-threatening infectious disease

ABSTRACT We described the cases of a married couple hospitalized for distinct symptoms and developed a neuroparalytic syndrome with rapid progression. In Case 1, a 75-year-old woman was admitted for abdominal pain, diarrhea, and blurred vision. The patient developed acute respiratory failure, ptosis, and ophthalmoplegia. She died on day 15 because of an acute abdomen. In Case 2, her husband, a 71-year-old man, was admitted for diplopia. The patient developed abdominal distension and slurred speech. Later, he developed bilateral ptosis, ophthalmoparesis, and mydriasis. Botulism was suspected, and both patients received botulinum antitoxin. Our male patient survived but underwent prolonged rehabilitation.

Estudo randomizado para avaliação da terapia guiada por metas em cirurgia cardíaca de alto risco / A randomized controlled trial to evaluate goal directed therapy in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Introdução: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da terapia guiada por metas (TGM) sobre desfechos em pacientes de alto risco submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo randomizado que avaliou 126 pacientes submetidos às cirurgias de revascularização do miocárdio ou valvar internados na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Cirúrgica (UTI) do Instituto do Coração da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo. Os pacientes foram randomizados para um algoritmo de terapia guiada por metas (grupo TGM, n=62) ou grupo controle (n=64). No grupo TGM, um índice cardíaco superior a 3 L/min/m2 foi utilizado como alvo através de fluidos, inotrópicos e transfusão de concentrado de hemácias, com início após desmame da circulação extracorpórea e com término após 8 horas de admissão na UTI. Resultados: O desfecho primário foi um composto de mortalidade e complicações maiores em 30 dias. Os pacientes do grupo TGM receberam maior volume (mediana e intervalo interquartílico) de fluidos em relação ao grupo controle [1000 (625 - 1500) vs. 500 (500 - 1000) mL (P < 0,001)], e não houve diferença na administração de inotrópicos ou hemotransfusão. A incidência do desfecho primário foi menor no grupo TGM (27,4 vs. 45,3%, p=0,037). O grupo TGM apresentou menor incidência de infecção (12,9 vs. 29,7%, P=0,002) síndrome do baixo débito cardíaco (6,5 vs. 26,6%, P=0.002). Foram também observados menor dose acumulada de dobutamina (12 vs. 19 mg/Kg, P=0,003), menor tempo de internação na UTI (3 [3-4] vs. 5 [4-7] dias; P < 0,001) e no hospital (9 [8-16] vs. 12 [9-22] dias, P=0,049) no grupo TGM comparado ao grupo controle. Não houve diferença nas taxas de mortalidade em 30 dias. (4,8% vs. 9,4%, respectivamente; P = 0,492). Conclusão: A estratégia de terapia guiada por metas através de fluidos, inotrópicos e transfusão sanguínea reduziu a incidência de complicações maiores em 30 dias em pacientes de alto risco submetidos a cirurgia cardíaca.

Introduction: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of goal-directed therapy on outcomes in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial that evaluated 126 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass or valve repair in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Heart Institute/Faculty of Medicine of University of Sao Paulo. Patients were randomized to a cardiac output-guided hemodynamic therapy algorithm (GDT group, n=62) or to usual care (n=64). In the GDT arm, a cardiac index of greater than 3 L/min/m2 was targeted with intravenous fluids, inotropes and red blood cell transfusion starting from cardiopulmonary bypass and ending eight hours after arrival to the ICU. Results: The primary outcome was a composite endpoint of 30-day mortality and major postoperative complications. Patients from the GDT group received a greater median (interquartile range) volume of intra-venous fluids than the usual care group [1000 (625 - 1500) vs. 500 (500 - 1000) mL (P<0.001)], with no differences in the administration of either inotropes or red blood cell transfusions. The primary outcome was reduced in the GDT group (27.4 vs. 45.3%, p=0.037). The GDT group had a lower incidence of infection (12.9 vs. 29.7%, P=0.002) and low cardiac output syndrome (6.5 vs. 26.6%, P=0.002). We also observed lower ICU cumulative dosage of dobutamine (12 vs. 19 mg/Kg, P=0.003) and a shorter ICU (3 [3-4] vs. 5 [4-7] days; P < 0.001) and hospital length of stay (9 [8-16] vs. 12 [9-22] days, P=0.049) in the GDT compared to the usual care group. There were no differences in 30-day mortality rates (4.8% vs. 9.4%, respectively; P = 0.492). Conclusions: Goal directed therapy using fluids, inotropes and blood transfusion reduced 30-day major complications in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery.