Acute kidney injury patterns in acute heart failure: The prognostic value of worsening renal function and its timing.

INTRODUCTION: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) admissions are frequently complicated by different patterns of serum creatinine (SCr) elevation. We aimed to assess the prognostic impact of worsening renal function (WRF) based on the timing of its occurrence. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of patients admitted for ADHF. Standard WRF was defined as an increase in SCr of ≥0.3 mg/dl during hospitalization. WRF timing was classified as early (within 48 hours of admission) or late (>48 hours). Acute kidney injury (AKI) at admission was defined as a rise in SCr of ≥0.3 mg/dl from outpatient baseline measurement to first measurement at admission. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality or hospitalization for cardiovascular events at one-year follow-up. RESULTS: Overall, 249 patients were included (mean age 77±11 years, 62% with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction). Early WRF occurred in 49 patients (19.7%) and was associated with a higher risk of the primary outcome (HR 2.49; 95% CI 1.66-3.73), whereas late WRF was not (p=0.411). After stratification for the presence of early WRF and/or AKI at admission, only patients with early WRF but no AKI at admission and patients with both AKI at admission and early WRF showed a higher risk of the primary outcome after multivariate Cox regression. CONCLUSION: Early WRF was associated with a higher risk of the primary outcome. The timing of WRF seems to be an important factor to take into account when considering the prognostic impact of creatinine variations during hospitalization for ADHF.

Leukaemic Ascites and Peritoneal Myeloid Sarcoma: Rare but Not Impossible.

A myeloid sarcoma is an extramedullary tumour arising from infiltration by leukemic cells at an anatomic site other than the bone marrow. Most commonly it precedes acute myeloid leukaemia but occasionally occurs simultaneously. It may also be associated with myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplastic syndrome and the blast phase of chronic myeloid leukaemia. The most common sites for extramedullary tumours are bone, periosteum, soft tissue, lymph node and skin. Although this disease can affect a wide range of body sites, there are very few reports of peritoneal myeloid sarcoma or cavity effusion. The authors present the case of a 68-year-old man with myelodysplasia-related acute myeloid leukaemia and peritoneal myeloid sarcoma with myeloid ascites. The definitive diagnosis is challenging, requires a high level of suspicion, and relies on the exclusion of all alternative diagnoses and especially on complementary tests such as flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry analysis of ascitic fluid in order to detect the immature myeloid cells. LEARNING POINTS: Myeloid sarcomas are extramedullary leukemic tumours that occur before or simultaneously with acute myeloid leukaemia, other myeloproliferative neoplasms or myelodysplastic syndrome.Myeloid sarcomas are most often seen in bone, soft tissue, lymph node and skin, but can present in most locations.Peritoneal myeloid sarcoma and leukemic ascites, although very rare, must be searched for when a patient with acute leukaemia presents with newly diagnosed ascites, through ascitic fluid flow cytometry and immunophenotypic analysis.

Rare Association Between Idiopathic Multicentric Castleman Disease, Nephrotic Syndrome and Polyneuropathy in an Immunocompetent Patient.

Multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) represents a group of poorly understood lymphoproliferative disorders related to proinflammatory hypercytokinaemia. In immunocompetent patients the aetiology is still unknown, hence the designation of idiopathic MCD (iMCD). To successfully diagnose iMCD, diagnostic criteria must be fulfilled and a large array of alternative diagnoses excluded. Peripheral neuropathy and nephropathy are relatively common findings in cases associated with POEMS syndrome, but very rarely reported in iMCD. We present the case of a 64-year-old man with iMCD (HIV- and HHV-8-negative) with nephrotic syndrome and severe motor polyneuropathy. Alternative diagnoses were excluded. The patient was treated with intravenous glucocorticoid followed by rituximab. Complete clinical and laboratory remission was achieved and maintained at the 2-year follow-up. LEARNING POINTS: iMCD is a lymphoproliferative disease in immunocompetent patients with no known cause.To diagnose iMCD major and minor criteria must be fulfilled, and alternative diagnoses must be excluded.Nephrotic syndrome and motor polyneuropathy are rare in iMCD and all alternative diagnoses must be excluded before relating all of these.

Traditional Neurosyphilis in 21st Century - Tabes Dorsalis, Dementia Paralytica, Aseptic Meningitis and Unilateral Oculomotor Nerve Palsy in an HIV-Negative Man.

Syphilis is potentially a multisystem chronic infection caused by Treponema pallidum. Late symptomatic neurosyphilis has been less reported in developed countries, most often seen in untreated patients or in patients with HIV coinfection. We present a case of complicated neurosyphilis with widespread neurological involvement (dementia paralytica, tabes dorsalis, leptomeningitis and left oculomotor nerve involvement) presenting in the 21st century in an urban area of a well-developed European country in an HIV-negative patient.

Impact of Height Estimation on Tidal Volume Calculation for Protective Ventilation-A Prospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: The current standard of care to deliver invasive mechanical ventilation support is the protective ventilation approach. One pillar of this approach is the limitation of tidal volume to less than 6 mL/Kg of predicted body weight. Predicted body weight is calculated from patient's height. Yet, little is known about the potential impact of errors arising from visual height estimation, a common practice, to calculate tidal volumes. The aim of this study was to evaluate that impact on tidal volume calculation to use during protective ventilation. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: An eight-bed polyvalent ICU. PATIENTS: Adult patients (≥ 18 yr). INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Tidal volumes were calculated from visual height estimates made by physicians, nurses, and patients themselves and compared with tidal volumes calculated from measured heights. Comparisons were made using the paired t test. Modified Bland-Altman plots were used to assess agreement between height estimates and measurements. One-hundred patients were recruited. Regardless of the height estimator, all the mean tidal volumes would be greater than 6 mL/Kg predicted body weight (all p < 0.001). Additionally, tidal volumes would be greater than or equal to 6.5 mL/Kg predicted body weight in 18% of patients' estimates, 25% of physicians' estimates, and 30% of nurses' estimates. Patients with lower stature (< 165 cm), older age, and surgical typology of admission were at increased risk of being ventilated with tidal volumes above protective threshold. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical benefit of the protective ventilation strategy can be offset by using visual height estimates to calculate tidal volumes. Additionally, this approach can be harmful and potentially increase mortality by exposing patients to tidal volumes greater than or equal to 6.5 mL/Kg predicted body weight. In the interest of patient safety, every ICU patient should have his or her height accurately measured.