F. Perruche

Febrile neutropenia in French emergency departments: results of a prospective multicentre survey.

IntroductionFebrile neutropenia (FN) is common in cancer patients receiving myelotoxic therapy. The procedures to treat FN are well established in oncology, but it is unclear whether management is adequate in the emergency department (ED).MethodsThis prospective, multicentre, observational study was carried out in 47 French EDs for 6 months. Patients were adults presenting at the ED with FN after myelotoxic treatment for cancer. Severity of infection was defined according to Bone criteria for severe sepsis and septic shock (SS/SSh) and risk was determined according to Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) criteria. The end point was the implementation of guidelines. Management of patients with SS/SSh required: (i) adequate intravenous (IV) antimicrobial therapy for the first 90 min (broad-spectrum beta-lactam with or without an aminoglycoside); (ii) fluid challenge (500 mL); (iii) lactate measurement; (iv) at least one blood culture; and (v) hospitalization. Management of patients without SS/SSh required: (1) no initiation of granulocyte - cell stimulating factor (G-CSF); (2) adequate IV antimicrobial therapy (broad-spectrum beta-lactam) and hospitalization if the patient was high-risk according to MASCC criteria; (3) adequate oral antimicrobial therapy (quinolone or amoxicillin/clavulanate or cephalosporin) and hospital discharge if the patient was low-risk.Results198 patients were enrolled; 89 patients had SS/SSh, of whom 19 received adequate antimicrobial therapy within 90 min and 42 received appropriate fluid challenge. Blood cultures were obtained from 87 and lactate concentration was measured in 29. Overall, only 6 (7%) patients with SS/SSh received adequate management. Among 108 patients without SS/SSh, 38 (35%) were high-risk and 70 (65%) low-risk. In the high-risk group, adequate antimicrobial therapy was given to 31 patients, G-CSF was initiated in 4 and 35 were hospitalized. In the low-risk group, 4 patients received adequate oral antimicrobial therapy, IV antimicrobial therapy was prescribed in 59, G-CSF was initiated in 12 and six patients were discharged. Adequate management was given to 26/38 (68%) high-risk and 1/70 low-risk patients. Factors associated with adequate management were absence of SS/SSh (P = 0.0009) and high-risk according to MASCC criteria (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsIn this French sample of cancer patients presenting to the ED with FN, management was often inadequate and severity was under-evaluated in the critically ill.

Disulfiram ethanol reaction mimicking anaphylactic, cardiogenic, and septic shock.

Shock is a common reason for medical intensive care unit admission, with septic and cardiogenic accounting for most of the etiologies. However, the potential severity of adverse side effects of drugs indicates that any medication should be carefully scrutinized for potential pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions that may result. We herein report the case of a life-threatening shock mimicking successively anaphylactic, cardiogenic, and septic shock, which was finally related to disulfiram ethanol reaction. Indeed, disulfiram ethanol reaction is known to provoke unpleasant symptoms through vasodilatation in various organs. However, extreme manifestations of vasodilatory shock may lead to circulatory failure and lactic acidosis. Because of large prevalence of alcoholism and disulfiram medication, emergency physicians and medical specialists should be aware of this life-threatening condition, with its misleading presentation.

A standardized procedure of information to improve comprehension of patients admitted in the emergency observation unit.

Our case provides additional information on the safety and efficacy of treatment with L-carnitine in acute VPA intoxication in the presence of hyperammonemic encephalopathy and absence of signs of liver failure. Therefore, L-carnitine should be considered as a treatment of VPA acute poisoning in patients with hyperammonemic encephalopathy, especially in those who are receiving chronic treatment with VPA or suffer other causes of carnitine deficiency.

Anemia e Pronto Soccorso

Pochi studi si sono interessati all’anemia in Pronto Soccorso, mentre questo problema e pluriquotidiano al letto del paziente per ogni urgentista. L’anemia puo essere la causa del sintomo che conduce il paziente a visita e l’oggetto stesso della visita o essere scoperta al momento della presa in carico del paziente. La presenza di un’anemia pone numerose domande nel contesto dell’urgenza: quali eziologie ricercare e con quali tempi, qual e la ripercussione dell’anemia, il paziente deve essere sottoposto a una trasfusione? Lo scopo di questo capitolo e di fornire degli elementi di risposta a ciascuna di queste domande che si pone legittimamente l’urgentista di fronte all’anemia nella sua pratica clinica.