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PubMed2004

Toxic scarlet fever complicating cellulitis: early clinical diagnosis is crucial to prevent a fatal outcome.

We describe a case of toxic scarlet fever in a healthy adult with streptococcal cellulitis of the right elbow as a result of skin abrasion. The clinical picture mimicked that of drug eruption after treatment of cellulitis with antibiotics. Among the five cases of scarlet fever complicating cellulitis, including the present one, reported in the English literature, four had severe systemic complications and two died. As a result of re-emergence of invasive streptococcal infections, clinicians should be aware of the differential diagnosis of scarlet fever in patients presenting with cellulitis and skin rash. Early clinical diagnosis is crucial to exclude drug eruptions, prompt initiation of antibiotic treatment, and prevention of the potentially fatal outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Isolated biotin-resistant deficiency of 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase presenting as a clinically severe form in a newborn with fatal outcome.

The son of Kurdish, consanguineous parents (cousin marriage) presented from the first day of life with initially focal and later generalized attacks of epileptic seizures and a severe generalized muscular hypotonia. Urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovalerate and of 3-methylcrotonylglycine was persistently increased. Diagnosis of isolated biotin-resistant 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency was confirmed in cultured fibroblasts. Psychomotor retardation was progressive, seizures and marked EEG abnormalities persisted. Treatment with leucine and protein-resistricted diet under hospital control did not significantly improve these conditions. The patient died from a cardiac and circulatory failure after a prolonged epileptic attack, with bronchial aspiration. The non-responsiveness of our patient to therapy and the fatal outcome indicate the existence of a severe neonatal variant of this otherwise rather benign genetic enzyme deficiency.

Amnion↗
PubMed1992

Significance of endocrine studies in the general assessment and prediction of fatal outcome in head injury.

Serial basal blood glucose, serum insulin, cortisol, growth hormone, glucagon and catecholamine examinations were performed in 81 brain-injured patients. 32 patients with severe injuries of other parts of the body (chest, abdomen, limbs or polytrauma), and 17 patients with non-traumatic acute brain lesions served as double control. In the brain-injured patients there is a close relation between changes of the state of consciousness and those of basal blood glucose levels: the deeper coma the higher and wider is the pathological glucose-level range. Four types of blood-glucose changes could be identified in the background of which different alterations of each hormone level were observed. Fatal outcome could be predicted in a non-diabetic patient in the first days when seeing: 1) Fasting hyperglycaemia above 14 mmol/l; 2) Fluctuating basal blood glucose levels between 5 and 22 mmol/l; 3) Deeply depressed and unchanged basal insulin level; 4) Extremely high cortisol level; 5) Decreased plasma epinephrine level. These changes in the carbohydrate metabolism seen after acute brain lesions are not identical to diabetes mellitus.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1989

The complex pattern of cytokines in serum from patients with meningococcal septic shock. Association between interleukin 6, interleukin 1, and fatal outcome.

Serum samples from patients with meningococcal disease were examined for the presence of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and LPS. Median serum concentration of IL-6 was 1,000 times higher in patients with septic shock (189 ng/ml) than in patients with bacteriaemia, meningitis, or combined septic shock and meningitis. 11 of 21 patients with serum levels greater than 3.0 ng/ml died, whereas all 58 patients with serum levels at less than or equal to 3.0 ng/ml, survived. All four patients with serum IL-6 levels greater than 750 ng/ml, died. IL-1 was detected in serum from three patients who also had high serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and LPS, and rapidly fatal courses. IL-6 appeared to be released into serum later than TNF-alpha, and was detected in serum for up to 36 h. The half-life of IL-6 and TNF-alpha was calculated to be 103 +/- 27 min and 70 +/- 11 min, respectively. These data indicate that a complex pattern of cytokines exists in serum from patients with meningococcal septic shock, and that the release of IL-6 and IL-1, in addition to TNF-alpha, is associated with fatal outcome.

Humans↗
PubMed2005

Black oesophagus: a rare disorder with potentially fatal outcome. A forensic pathological approach based on five autopsy cases.

Black oesophagus is a rare pathological condition of unknown aetiology characterised by a full length, circumferential black discolouration of the entire oesophageal mucosa. The disease is sporadically encountered during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. We used conventional histology, enzyme histochemistry and immunohistology to examine five autopsy cases (four males, one female; age range 43-86 years) of black oesophagus. On microscopical examination, the esophageal mucosa was entirely necrotic with demarcation by a leukocytic infiltrate in the upper submucosa. This infiltrate was dominated by neutrophilic granulocytes and scattered macrophages lacking haemosiderin deposits, placing the noxious mucosal injury in a time frame of approximately 24-72 h prior to death. Black oesophagus was established as the immediate cause of death in one case due to desanguination from the oesophagus and significantly contributed to the fatal outcome in a second case. Apart from a history of chronic alcohol consumption in four cases, no other pre-existing pathological or debilitating conditions could be established. The remarkably consistent pathomorphological picture of the disease seems to be the result of impaired microcirculation of the oesophageal mucosa due to prolonged hypotension of variable aetiology. The diagnosis of black oesophagus requires exclusion of other causes such as ingestion of caustic materials and should be based on histological examination.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Albumin mRNA in peripheral white blood cells of cirrhotic patients with a superimposed alcoholic hepatitis is associated to fatal outcome.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship of plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP), relative viscosity (eta) and overall outcome on the expression of albumin (ALB) mRNA in peripheral white blood cells (PWBC) of cirrhotic patients with superimposed alcoholic hepatitis (LC+AH). ALB messanger was detected in PWBC by RT-nPCR in control individuals (C), patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and LC+AH. A higher number of LC+AH patients were positive to ALB mRNA (67%), compared to C (30%) and LC (28%). COP was decreased in LC and LC+AH groups compared to C group. No statistically significant changes were detected in eta in the different populations studied. Most of the LC+AH patients positive to peripheral ALB expression (87%) had a fatal outcome, compared to survivors (25%). Such difference was not observed with the conventional liver function tests or Maddrey's discriminant function.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1989

Elevated plasma levels of the anaphylatoxins C3a and C4a are associated with a fatal outcome in sepsis.

PURPOSE AND PATIENTS AND METHODS: Both complement and contact system of coagulation have been implicated in the pathophysiology of sepsis. We therefore measured levels of the complement activation products C1-C1-inhibitor complexes and C3a in serial plasma samples (obtained every six hours) from 48 patients with clinically suspected sepsis, and related these levels to the clinical outcome. C4a was also measured in samples obtained on admission. RESULTS: C3a levels were elevated in 47 patients at least once during the observation period. These levels appeared to be considerably higher in patients who died than in patients who survived. This difference was found for the levels on admission (p = 0.0003), as well as for the highest (p = 0.0010) and the lowest (p less than 0.0001) levels encountered in each patient. The mortality in patients with plasma C3a levels of 13 nmol/liter or less on admission (27 patients) was 33 percent, compared with 86 percent in patients with levels of 14 nmol/liter or more. Patients with septic shock had significantly higher C3a levels than normotensive patients (p values between 0.046 and 0.004). No significant differences in C3a were found between patients who had respiratory distress syndrome and those who did not. C4a levels in plasma samples obtained on admission were elevated in 43 patients. These levels correlated very significantly with C3a levels (p less than 0.0001), and showed similar associations with a fatal outcome. C1-C1-inhibitor complexes were elevated in 23 patients at least once during the observation period. These patients had significantly higher levels of C4a and C3a than patients with normal amounts of C1-C1-inhibitor complexes. Patients who died had higher levels of C1-C1-inhibitor complexes than patients who survived. However, this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: On the basis of our results, we propose that activation of the complement system via the classical pathway is involved in the development of fatal complications in sepsis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels correlate with fatal outcome in sepsis.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a cytokine playing a critical role in the pathophysiology of experimental sepsis. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of MIF and to compare those to interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in predicting mortality among critically ill patients with sepsis. The levels of MIF and IL-6 were measured in 25 patients with septic shock, 17 patients with sepsis, and 11 healthy volunteers. The median plasma concentrations of MIF and IL-6 were significantly higher in patients with septic shock and in patients with sepsis than in healthy controls. MIF levels were significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors, as were IL-6 levels. Discriminatory power in predicting mortality, as assessed by the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC), was 0.793 for MIF and 0.680 for IL-6. Finally, high plasma levels of MIF (> 1100 pg/mL) had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 64% to identify the patients who eventually would evolve to a fatal outcome. Thus, our data suggest that an elevated MIF level in recently diagnosed septic patients appears to be an early indicator of poor outcome and a potential entry criterion for future studies with therapeutic intervention aiming at MIF neutralization.

APACHE↗
PubMed1985

Treatment of myxoedema coma--factors associated with fatal outcome.

Treatment of myxoedema coma has been associated with a high mortality. The causes of death were analysed in this paper by retrospective study of the records of 11 myxoedema coma patients. The serum thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels were estimated retrospectively from the amounts of hormone given to the patients by a two-compartment model. Seven patients died and 4 survived. The patients who died were significantly older (78.9 +/- 2.2 years, mean +/- SEM) than those who survived (66.8 +/- 3.7 years). The initial heart rate was lower in the decreased group, but both groups had increased their heart rate on treatment. The surviving patients showed an increase in body temperature during the first 3 days of treatment, in contrast to the patients who eventually died. The deceased patients had received larger amounts of thyroid hormone and had calculated levels of T3 that were nearly twice as high as those of the surviving patients. Old age and a high serum level of T3 are determinants for the fatal outcome of myxoedema coma. Our analysis underscores the importance of using a cautious replacement regimen in myxoedema coma patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Significant factors associated with fatal outcome in emergency open surgery for perforated peptic ulcer.

AIM: To evaluate the main factors associated with mortality in patients undergoing surgery for perforated peptic ulcer referred to an academic department of general surgery in a large southern Italian city. METHODS: One hundred and forty-nine consecutive patients (M:F ratio=110:39, mean age 52 yrs, range 16-95) with peptic ulcer disease were investigated for clinical history (including age, sex, previous history of peptic ulcer, associated diseases, delayed abdominal surgery, ulcer site, operation type, shock on admission, postoperative general complications, and intra-abdominal and/or wound infections), serum analyses and radiological findings. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 4.0%. Among all factors, an age above 65 years, one or more associated diseases, delayed abdominal surgery, shock on admission, postoperative abdominal complications and/or wound infections, were significantly associated (chi2) with increased mortality in patients undergoing surgery (0.0001<P<0.03). CONCLUSION: Factors such as concomitant diseases, shock on admission, delayed surgery, and postoperative abdominal and wound infections are significantly associated with fatal outcomes and need careful evaluation within the general workup of patients admitted for perforated peptic ulcer.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1995

Rapidly fatal outcome of bacteremic Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia in alcoholics.

Twenty-eight alcoholic patients with community-acquired pneumonia who were admitted to a referral medical center during a 3-year period were reviewed. All were men and with few exceptions were heavy smokers. The overall mortality was 64.3%. The most dramatic group was that of 11 patients (39.3%) with bacteremic Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia (BKPP), which had high mortality rate (100%), short onset of illness before hospital admission (42.6 +/- 8.2 h, mean +/- SD), and short survival time after the admission (24.6 +/- 7.9 h). All these 11 patients needed intensive care unit (ICU) management and ventilatory support. ARterial blood gas values showed marked hypoxemia and metabolic acidosis in most of these 11 patients, and presence of shock at arrival in the hospital was noted in 8 patients. Acute renal failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation developed in six patients. Chest radiographs showed pleural effusion and radiographic spread in nearly 50% of patients. Combination chemotherapy consisting of one aminoglycoside and one second- or third-generation cephalosporin was initiated in all patients. The rapidly fatal outcome of these 11 patients with BKPP despite management with adequate antibiotics and intensive care indicated the fulminant nature of this disease. High virulence of the microorganism, altered immune response, and increased susceptibility to infection may all have contributed to the fulminancy in this group of patients. The disease continues to present many difficulties in management.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Malnutrition: an important determinant of fatal outcome in surgically treated pulmonary suppurative disease.

Eighty patients required surgical drainage of infections in the pleural space or lung during a four-year period (1984-1987). Thirty-nine patients had a history of heavy intravenous drug use and 28 of those not addicted to drugs were addicted to alcohol. Impaired immunity was believed to be present in 72 (90%) due to malnutrition (45 patients), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex (13), hepatic cirrhosis (1), diabetes (1), or multiple causes (12). Sixty-four patients had acute purulent empyema; 9, tuberculous empyema (often a mixed infection); 2, tuberculous pleural effusion with complications; 2, lung abscesses requiring open drainage; 2, chronic bronchopleural fistulae; and 1, empyema secondary to an esophageal perforation. Fifty-three (66%) were treated with tube thoracostomy only and 27 required additional procedures, including open drainage (19 patients), decortication (5), lung resection (2), chest wall resection (1), and parietal pericardiectomy (1). Overall mortality was high (30%); mortality had a strong correlation with malnutrition or immune deficiency. Very low serum albumin levels were common and were the most important single determinant of a fatal outcome: (table; see text) Other important determinants of mortality were: total lymphocytes less than 1000 (50% mortality); anergy to tests for delayed hypersensitivity (39% mortality); AIDS or AIDS-related complex (54% mortality). Analysis of the records of the 24 patients who died has led to the conclusion that despite the advanced disease present and the poor condition of most patients at least one third of the deaths could have been avoided if important errors in diagnosis and medical or surgical management could have been prevented.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed2005

C-reactive protein is an indicator for fatal outcomes in first-time stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: The causal relation of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) to ischemic cerebrovascular disease remains unclear, though an inflammatory effect has been suggested in many studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate serum hsCRP levels in ischemic stroke patients and in a control group, and to correlate the values with other generally known risk factors. MATERIAL/METHODS: A total of 47 patients with ischemic stroke and 26 control subjects were recruited. The cases were well-matched to controls for age and sex. Peripheral blood samples from stroke patients were obtained between 12-24 hours after the stroke. Serum levels of hsCRP were determined by chemoluminescence assay. RESULTS: The mean serum levels of hsCRP were found to be significantly higher in patients (3.12 +/- 4.4 mg/dL) than controls (0.39 +/- 0.6 mg/dL, p=0.0001). The level of hsCRP was above the risk limit in 39 patients (83.0%) and 7 controls (26.9%). The hsCRP values were not related to the presence of other vascular risk factors, except for cholesterol level. The correlation analysis of hsCRP revealed a linear correlation with death within six months and the presence of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that elevated serum hsCRP levels may be an indicator of fatal outcome in first-time stroke patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

High interleukin-10 serum levels are associated with fatal outcome in patients after bone marrow transplantation.

IL-10 plays an important role in the control of immune reactions during systemic infection. Here, IL-10 serum levels were investigated in patients after BMT. The IL-10 levels correlated with the clinical course of the patients and with serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and neopterin (NP). A total of 26 patients with AML (7), ALL (12), CML (2), NHL (3) and multifocal Ewing's sarcoma (2) had received autologous (10) or allogeneic (16) BMT from related (9) or unrelated donors (7). Routine serum samples were obtained prior to BMT and at days 46 and 100 after BMT. However, in patients with severe complications additional samples were drawn at individual points in time. Prior to BMT, IL-10 serum levels were not detectable in 24/24 patients. Post-BMT, 11 patients developed elevated IL-10 levels, of these eight died of complications (DOC), whereas only one of 15 patients with undetectable IL-10 died of complications, indicating that high IL-10 levels were significantly correlated with severe life-threatening complications (chi2, P < 0.01). To determine the pathomechanism and role of the increased IL-10 levels, they were correlated to the respective NP and CRP serum concentrations. CRP and NP concentrations were found significantly elevated in patients with detectable IL-10, indicating a severe acute phase reaction associated with macrophage activation. In conclusion, high IL-10 serum levels in patients after BMT were significantly associated with fatal outcome. Since IL-10 is a strong suppressor of T cell immunity, high IL-10 production in patients with severe complications such as septic shock or GVHD > grade II after BMT might lead to functional immunodeficiency contributing to the poor prognosis of these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Fatal outcome in acute pancreatitis: its occurrence and early prediction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aims to determine predictability of death in acute pancreatitis at a secondary-care hospital in Germany. METHODS: This study is part of an ongoing study on the epidemiology of acute pancreatitis and covers 368 patients with a first attack of acute pancreatitis in Lüneburg county from 1988 to 1999. Early and late mortality were defined as < or = 1 weeks and > 1 week after admission. The following parameters were used to establish on admission likelihood of death: admission within 24 h or later with an acute attack, abdominal tenderness, signs of peritonitis, amylase and lipase in serum, leukocytes, hematocrit, potassium, sodium, calcium, creatinine after rehydration, blood glucose, bilirubin, serum glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum lactate dehydrogenase (SLDH), arterial pO2, APACHE II score, Ranson and Imrie scores. RESULTS: Of the 368 patients 17 (5%) died, 7 early because of multiple organ failure and 10 late because of septic complications. Mortality rates in interstitial and necrotising pancreatitis were 3 and 17%, respectively. Only an elevated serum creatinine (> 2.0 mg/dl) and a blood glucose > 250 mg significantly correlated with mortality. Ranson and Imrie scores were also significantly correlated with mortality; however, they were not obtained on admission, but only after 48 h. In univariate analysis, APACHE II score > or = 6 on admission and lipase > 1,000 U/l on admission provided a high sensitivity and negative predictive value for early and late mortality patients. CONCLUSION: Approximately half of the deaths in acute pancreatitis occur because of multiple organ failure or septic complications. New approaches have to be found to counteract these severe complications. A fatal outcome may be predicted by simple laboratory parameters such as a high serum creatinine and blood glucose. An APACHE II score > or = 6 and a lipase level on admission > or = 1,000 U/l indicate severe pancreatitis.

APACHE↗
PubMed1998

Granulomatous mycosis fungoides with small intestinal involvement and a fatal outcome.

We report a case of granulomatous mycosis fungoides that progressed into fatal gastrointestinal involvement 4 years after the onset of skin lesions, despite improvement of the skin lesions in response to a combination of PUVA and systemic interferon-gamma therapy. Histological examination showed Pautrier's microabscesses with granuloma annulare-like features and sarcoidal granuloma formation in the plaque stage, proliferation of blast-transformed atypical lymphocytes with persistent granuloma formation in the tumour stage, and metastatic lesions. A literature review of granulomatous mycosis fungoides revealed that 11 of the 24 reported cases died of the disease, and like our case, seven died within 5 years. We suggest that mycosis fungoides with granulomatous reactions does not indicate a favourable prognosis.

Aged↗