ABSTRACT
Malignant hyperthermia, a disorder of uncertain genetic transmission related to use of certain anesthetics and muscle relaxants, is uncommon and potentially fatal. It has been most commonly linked to succinylcholine chloride (Anectine, Quelicin, Sucostrin) and halothane (Fluothane). The most important treatment method, after discontinuation of the triggering agent(s), is immediate administration of dantrolene sodium (Dantrium). Diagnostic testing of susceptibility is available but has significant limitations. If the new phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy proves to be an accurate test for susceptibility and becomes more readily available, decreases in the current case-fatality rate of 10% may follow.
Subject(s)
Malignant Hyperthermia , Humans , Malignant Hyperthermia/diagnosis , Malignant Hyperthermia/physiopathology , Malignant Hyperthermia/prevention & control , Malignant Hyperthermia/therapyABSTRACT
In October 1981, an outbreak of 29 cases of community-acquired pneumonia occurred among adult residents of Johnson County, Iowa. Retrospective study revealed 12 cases (41 per cent) had laboratory evidence of Legionnaires' disease (LD). No significant differences in clinical or epidemiological features were found between LD cases and the other pneumonias in the outbreak. All LD cases received erythromycin; one case died for a case-fatality rate of 8 per cent. The outbreak's focus could not be identified.
