Fatal Septic Shock Associated with Herpes Simplex Virus Hepatitis: A Case Report

Herpes simplex viruses are endemic worldwide, with an estimated seroprevalence of approximately 70% in developed countries. However, it is less well known that they are one of the viral causes of fulminant hepatitis (<2%) and constitute <1% of all causes of acute liver failure. We describe the case of an 89-year-old man who developed sepsis caused by a urinary tract infection due to drug-sensitive Escherichia coli. After empirical treatment with piperacillin-tazobactam was initiated, the patient’s condition worsened with shock, acute liver and renal failure, encephalopathy and persistent fever, that led to admission to the intensive care unit. The emergence of an acute abdomen prompted exploratory laparotomy but the patient died soon after surgery from abdominal haemorrhage. Immunohistochemical analysis of a liver biopsy specimen identified herpes simplex virus (HSV) hepatitis. The authors emphasize the need for better understanding of this rare condition in order to more precisely identify patients at risk who need more aggressive evaluation and empirical treatment, especially patients presenting with marked hepatic cytolysis with a rapidly worsening clinical evolution

Survival despite Intravenous self-injection of a potentially fatal dose of aniline hydrochloride

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Bactériémie à Staphylococcus aureus et masse épidurale chez un patient souffrant d'une goutte tophacée

We present a case of Staphylococcus aureus septicaemia complicated with endocarditis and spondylodiscitis C2-C3 with compressive epidural mass in a 74-year old patient with a history of gouty arthritis and aortic prosthetic valve. Tophaceous material has been found when surgical decompression of the abscess has been performed. Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is a serious and common infection with high mortality and complication rate. Amongst those complications, endocarditis is more likely to develop if cardiac prosthetic valve is present. The probability of a metastatic infection may be evaluated by several factors, such as :the time to positivity of blood culture, a community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and the presence of Osler nodes. All were present in our case. In fact, spondylodiscitis C2-C3 with compressive epidural mass was discovered, which was suspected to be an epidural abscess. Epidural abscess is a rare but potentially life-threatening disease that remains often underdiagnosed. Diagnosis is made by imaging and anatomopathological findings. In the case of our patient the finding of tophaceous material raises the issue of the nature of the epidural lesion. Spinal involvement with gout has been described. It can mimic epidural abscesses, most often in an infectious context as it was the case of our patient.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Outcome of elderly patients with circulatory failure.

The proportion of elderly patients admitted to the ICU is increasing. Mortality rates are known to increase with age but the impact of age on outcomes after circulatory shock has not been well defined.Journal ArticleSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Comparison of dopamine and norepinephrine in the treatment of shock.

Both dopamine and norepinephrine are recommended as first-line vasopressor agents in the treatment of shock. There is a continuing controversy about whether one agent is superior to the other.Comparative StudyJournal ArticleMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Effect of a Recombinant Human Soluble Thrombomodulin on Mortality in Patients With Sepsis-Associated Coagulopathy The SCARLET Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance: Previous research suggested that soluble human recombinant thrombomodulin may reduce mortality among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy. Objective: To determine the effect of human recombinant thrombomodulin vs placebo on 28-day all-cause mortality among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy. Design, Setting, and Participants: The SCARLET trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational, multicenter phase 3 study conducted in intensive care units at 159 sites in 26 countries. All adult patients admitted to one of the participating intensive care units between October 2012 and March 2018 with sepsis-associated coagulopathy and concomitant cardiovascular and/or respiratory failure, defined as an international normalized ratio greater than 1.40 without other known etiology and a platelet count in the range of 30 to 150 × 10 9/L or a greater than 30% decrease in platelet count within 24 hours, were considered for inclusion. The final date of follow-up was February 28, 2019. Interventions: Patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy were randomized and treated with an intravenous bolus or a 15-minute infusion of thrombomodulin (0.06 mg/kg/d [maximum, 6 mg/d]; n = 395) or matching placebo (n = 405) once daily for 6 days. Main Outcome and Measures: The primary end point was 28-day all-cause mortality. Results: Among 816 randomized patients, 800 (mean age, 60.7 years; 437 [54.6%] men) completed the study and were included in the full analysis set. In these patients, the 28-day all-cause mortality rate was not statistically significantly different between the thrombomodulin group and the placebo group (106 of 395 patients [26.8%] vs 119 of 405 patients [29.4%], respectively; P =.32). The absolute risk difference was 2.55% (95% CI, -3.68% to 8.77%). The incidence of serious major bleeding adverse events (defined as any intracranial hemorrhage; life-threatening bleeding; or bleeding event classified as serious by the investigator, with administration of at least 1440 mL [typically 6 units] of packed red blood cells over 2 consecutive days) was 23 of 396 patients (5.8%) in the thrombomodulin group and 16 of 404 (4.0%) in the placebo group. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy, administration of a human recombinant thrombomodulin, compared with placebo, did not significantly reduce 28-day all-cause mortality. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01598831

Effect of a Recombinant Human Soluble Thrombomodulin on Mortality in Patients With Sepsis-Associated Coagulopathy The SCARLET Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance: Previous research suggested that soluble human recombinant thrombomodulin may reduce mortality among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy. Objective: To determine the effect of human recombinant thrombomodulin vs placebo on 28-day all-cause mortality among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy. Design, Setting, and Participants: The SCARLET trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational, multicenter phase 3 study conducted in intensive care units at 159 sites in 26 countries. All adult patients admitted to one of the participating intensive care units between October 2012 and March 2018 with sepsis-associated coagulopathy and concomitant cardiovascular and/or respiratory failure, defined as an international normalized ratio greater than 1.40 without other known etiology and a platelet count in the range of 30 to 150 × 10 9/L or a greater than 30% decrease in platelet count within 24 hours, were considered for inclusion. The final date of follow-up was February 28, 2019. Interventions: Patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy were randomized and treated with an intravenous bolus or a 15-minute infusion of thrombomodulin (0.06 mg/kg/d [maximum, 6 mg/d]; n = 395) or matching placebo (n = 405) once daily for 6 days. Main Outcome and Measures: The primary end point was 28-day all-cause mortality. Results: Among 816 randomized patients, 800 (mean age, 60.7 years; 437 [54.6%] men) completed the study and were included in the full analysis set. In these patients, the 28-day all-cause mortality rate was not statistically significantly different between the thrombomodulin group and the placebo group (106 of 395 patients [26.8%] vs 119 of 405 patients [29.4%], respectively; P =.32). The absolute risk difference was 2.55% (95% CI, -3.68% to 8.77%). The incidence of serious major bleeding adverse events (defined as any intracranial hemorrhage; life-threatening bleeding; or bleeding event classified as serious by the investigator, with administration of at least 1440 mL [typically 6 units] of packed red blood cells over 2 consecutive days) was 23 of 396 patients (5.8%) in the thrombomodulin group and 16 of 404 (4.0%) in the placebo group. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy, administration of a human recombinant thrombomodulin, compared with placebo, did not significantly reduce 28-day all-cause mortality. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01598831