[Retrospective review and reflections on 80 cases of severe acido-ketoses].
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Two cases of severe pancreatitis and deep shock are reviewed. In the first case measures to relieve the shock state were unsuccessful. Laparatomy was, therefore, performed and revealed acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis with diffuse purulent peritonitis. After insertion of a drain and irrigation of the abdominal cavity the incision was closed. Twice-daily lavage of the pancreatic fistula via a drain was continued until, after 5 months, the fistula healed spontaneously. In the second case intensive therapy succeeded after 9 days in controlling the acute stage of the disease. Conservative treatment was continued for 6 weeks and the patient was then discharged from hospital. He was re-admitted 3 weeks later because of suspicious clinical and biochemical signs of obstructive jaundice. Laparatomy disclosed inflammatory stenosis of the distal portion of the common bile duct and Vater's papilla and also a pancreatic pseudocyst the size of a child's head. The latter was removed and a drain was inserted. There were no postoperative complications.
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Severe ketoacidosis can be complicated by alveolar and gastric ruptures. A knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms which may lead to these threatening clinical pictures enables the radiologist to give useful suggestions in the emergency diagnosis, as shown in the examples of two patients here.
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Metformin is an effective anti-hyperglycaemic and cardioprotective agent, but a long list of contraindications precludes millions of patients with type 2 diabetes from using it. This is largely due to the historical experience of lactic acidosis with phenformin, despite the fact that metformin does not predispose to this when compared with other therapies. Contraindications such as old age, renal impairment and cardiac insufficiency are increasingly disregarded in clinical practice, yet there is no evidence that the incidence of lactic acidosis has changed. Metformin has been shown to improve metabolic control without causing lactic acidosis in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities, including explicit contraindications, and its use in patients with type 2 diabetes over the age of 70 with mild renal impairment did not produce a clinically relevant increase in plasma lactate. There is no correlation between levels of metformin and lactate in patients with lactic acidosis, and its prognosis is mainly related to the causal hypoxic underlying disease and comorbidities. These findings raise doubts about the pathogenetic significance of metformin in lactic acidosis. We propose that advanced age per se, mild renal impairment and compensated heart failure can no longer be upheld as contraindications for metformin. A clear re-definition of contraindications to metformin will enable more physicians to prescribe within guidelines.
Primary cutaneous mucormycosis is a deep fungal infection, mainly seen in diabetics and immunocompromised subjects. Rapid diagnosis and therapy are necessary to avoid fatal outcome. We describe the complete histopathological and microbiological studies of primary cutaneous mucormycosis in a 74-year-old man with several risk factors, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respiratory acidosis, hemolytic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and iatrogenic diabetes, due to corticosteroid therapy. He developed two cutaneous necrotic scars on his left leg. Mucormycosis was suspected and specimens from surgical débridement were histopathologically and microbiologically studied confirming the clinical diagnosis. Amphotericin B was given topically and intravenously resulting in complete healing of the ulcer. Risk factors and microbiological studies are compared with those in the current literature. It is necessary in certain cases to suspect mucormycosis infections in diabetics, immunocompromised subjects and even in healthy individuals. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are important, but they should be based on complete histopathological and microbiological studies, to establish the genus of the causal agent.