Acute and Critical Care

Original Articles

Neurosurgery
Acute Cholecystitis as a Cause of Fever in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Na Rae Yang, Kyung Sook Hong, Eui Kyo Seo; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2017;32(2):190-196. Published online May 31, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2016.00857

5,671 View
87 Download
2 Web of Science
3 Crossref

Background
Fever is a very common complication that has been related to poor outcomes after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The incidence of acalculous cholecystitis is reportedly 0.5%–5% in critically ill patients, and cerebrovascular disease is a risk factor for acute cholecystitis (AC). However, abdominal evaluations are not typically performed for febrile patients who have recently undergone aSAH surgeries. In this study, we discuss our experiences with febrile aSAH patients who were eventually diagnosed with AC.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed 192 consecutive patients who underwent aSAH from January 2009 to December 2012. We evaluated their characteristics, vital signs, laboratory findings, radiologic images, and pathological data from hospitalization. We defined fever as a body temperature of >38.3°C, according to the Society of Critical Care Medicine guidelines. We categorized the causes of fever and compared them between patients with and without AC.
Results
Of the 192 enrolled patients, two had a history of cholecystectomy, and eight (4.2%) were eventually diagnosed with AC. Among them, six patients had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In their pathological findings, two patients showed findings consistent with coexistent chronic cholecystitis, and two showed necrotic changes to the gall bladder. Patients with AC tended to have higher white blood cell counts, aspartame aminotransferase levels, and C-reactive protein levels than patients with fevers from other causes. Predictors of AC in the aSAH group were diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR], 8.758; P = 0.033) and the initial consecutive fasting time (OR, 1.325; P = 0.024).
Conclusions
AC may cause fever in patients with aSAH. When patients with aSAH have a fever, diabetes mellitus and a long fasting time, AC should be suspected. A high degree of suspicion and a thorough abdominal examination of febrile aSAH patients allow for prompt diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Additionally, physicians should attempt to decrease the fasting time in aSAH patients.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Rare or Overlooked Cases of Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis in Young Patients with Central Nervous System Lesion
Seong-Hun Kim, Min-Gyu Lim, Jun-Sang Han, Chang-Hwan Ahn, Tae-Du Jung
Healthcare.2023; 11(10): 1378. CrossRef
Acute cholecystitis as a rare and overlooked complication in stroke patients
Myung Chul Yoo, Seung Don Yoo, Jinmann Chon, Young Rok Han, Seung Ah Lee
Medicine.2019; 98(9): e14492. CrossRef
Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis in Neurological Patients; Clinical Review, Risk Factors, and Possible Mechanism
See Won Um, Hak Cheol Ko, Seung Hwan Lee, Hee Sup Shin, Jun Seok Koh
Journal of Neurointensive Care.2019; 2(2): 77. CrossRef

Cardiology/Pediatric
Effectiveness of Bradycardia as a Single Parameter in the Pediatric Acute Response System: Yu Hyeon Choi, Hyeon Seung Lee, Bong Jin Lee, Dong In Suh, June Dong Park; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2014;29(4):297-303. Published online November 30, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2014.29.4.297

4,222 View
51 Download
3 Crossref

Abstract PDF

BACKGROUND
Various tools for the acute response system (ARS) predict and prevent acute deterioration in pediatric patients. However, detailed criteria have not been clarified. Thus we evaluated the effectiveness of bradycardia as a single parameter in pediatric ARS.
METHODS
This retrospective study included patients who had visited a tertiary care children's hospital from January 2012 to June 2013, in whom ARS was activated because of bradycardia. Patient's medical records were reviewed for clinical characteristics, cardiologic evaluations, and reversible causes that affect heart rate.
RESULTS
Of 271 cases, 261 (96%) had ARS activation by bradycardia alone with favorable outcomes. Evaluations and interventions were performed in 165 (64.5%) and 13 cases (6.6%) respectively. All patients in whom ARS was activated owing to bradycardia and another criteria underwent evaluation, unlike those with bradycardia alone (100.0% vs. 63.2%, p = 0.016). Electrocardiograms were evaluated in 233 (86%) cases: arrhythmias were due to borderline QT prolongation and atrioventricular block (1st and 2nd-degree) in 25 cases (9.2%). Bradycardia-related causes were reversible in 202 patients (74.5%). Specific causes were different in departments at admission. Patients admitted to the hemato-oncology department required ARS activation during the night (69.3%, p = 0.03), those to the endocrinology department required ARS activation because of medication (72.4%, p < 0.001), and those to the gastroenterology department had low body mass indexes (32%, p = 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Using bradycardia alone in pediatric ARS is not useful, because of its low specificity and poor predictive ability for deterioration. However, bradycardia can be applied to ARS concurrently with other parameters.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Effect of Diurnal Variation of Heart Rate and Respiratory Rate on Activation of Rapid Response System and Clinical Outcome in Hospitalized Children
Lia Kim, Kyoung Sung Yun, June Dong Park, Bongjin Lee
Children.2023; 10(1): 167. CrossRef
Eleven years of experience in operating a pediatric rapid response system at a children’s hospital in South Korea
Yong Hyuk Jeon, Bongjin Lee, You Sun Kim, Won Jin Jang, June Dong Park
Acute and Critical Care.2023; 38(4): 498. CrossRef
Pediatric triage modifications based on vital signs: a nationwide study
Bongjin Lee, June Dong Park, Young Ho Kwak, Do Kyun Kim
Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine.2022; 9(3): 224. CrossRef

First
Prev
Page of 1
Next
Last

Search