1/14. Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia in a patient on maintenance hemodialysis.Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is known to occupy about 25% to 60% of intestinal infarction. NOMI has been reported to be responsible for 9% of the deaths in the dialysis population and the postulated causes of NOMI include intradialytic hypotension, atherosclerosis and medications, such as diuretics, digitalis and vasopressors. Clinical manifestations, such as fever, diarrhea and leukocytosis, are nonspecific, which makes early diagnosis of NOMI very difficult. Case: A 66-year-old woman on maintenance hemodialysis for 5 years was admitted with syncope, abdominal pain and chilly sensation. Since 7 days prior to admission, blood pressure on the supine position during hemodialysis had frequently fallen to 80/50 mmHg. Four days later, she complained of progressive abdominal pain. Rebound tenderness and leukocytosis (WBC 13900/mm3) with left shift were noted. Stool examination was positive for occult blood. Abdominal CT scan showed a distended gall bladder with sludge. Under the impression of acalculous cholecystitis, she was operated on. Surgical and pathologic findings of colon colon were compatible with NOMI. Because of recurrent intradialytic hypotension, we started midodrine 2.5 mg just before hemodialysis and increased the dose up to 7.5 mg. After midodrine therapy, blood pressure during dialysis became stable and the symptoms associated with hypotension did not recur. CONCLUSION: As NOMI may occur within several hours or days after an intradialytic hypotensive episode, abdominal pain should be carefully observed and NOMI should be considered as a differential diagnosis. In addition, we suggest that midodrine be considered to prevent intradialytic hypotensive episodes.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/14. Use of 'locked-in' antibiotic to treat an unusual gram-negative hemodialysis catheter infection.A 37-year-old woman on maintenance hemodialysis for 3 years had multiple vascular access failures due to antiphospholipid syndrome. She was dialyzed via a tunneled left subclavian catheter, but after 1 year developed chills and fever during each dialysis session. Blood cultures grew out xanthomonas maltophilia sensitive to ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin. Intravenous administration of both antibiotics failed to eradicate infection. We added 'locked-in' ceftazidime, instilling it daily into the catheter along with heparinized saline for 3 weeks. Within 24 h the patient was dialyzed uneventfully, and all subsequent blood cultures have been negative. This case shows the successful use of a 'locked-in' antibiotic to treat an unusual gram-negative catheter infection. Two prior series have reported similar good results in infections with more common organisms. Such treatment may permit continued use of tunneled hemodialysis catheters for longer periods.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/14. Ankylosing spondylitis: a difficult diagnosis in patients on long-term renal replacement therapy.We report the case of a 48-year-old male, whose musculoskeletal manifestations, previously related to long-term renal replacement therapy (RRT), were diagnosed as ankylosing spondylitis when symptoms changed their pattern on daily hemodialysis (DHD). The patient started RRT in 1981; in 1985 he received a cadaver graft, which failed in 1987. Secondary hyperparathyroidism, amyloid geoids, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and high aluminium levels were present. musculoskeletal pain, reported since 1986, involved feet, heels, hips, shoulders, hands, spine. Symptoms impairing daily life did not improve after parathyroidectomy. He developed chronic hypotension and recurrent atrial fibrillation. In 1994 and 1998, because of thoracic pain, coronarography was performed (normal on both occasions). In June 2000, DHD was started. Equivalent renal clearance increased from 9-12 to 15-17 mL/min. Well-being remarkably improved. In September 2000, musculoskeletal pain worsened and bilateral Achilles tendinitis occurred. The worsening of musculoskeletal symptoms despite the improvements in well-being and other dialysis related symptoms prompted a re-evaluation of the case. The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis was based on: history of plantar fasciitis, bilateral Achilles tendinitis, inflammatory spinal pain with limitation of lumbar spine mobility (positive Schober test), radiological evidence of grade 2 bilateral sacroiliitis, presence of HLA-B27. This diagnosis cast light on the episodes of chest pain, explained by enthesopathy at the costosternal and manubriosternal joints and atrial fibrillation, due to HLA-B27 associated impairment in heart conduction. This case exemplifies the difficulty of differential diagnosis of multisystem illness in patients with long RRT follow-up.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/14. Panhemispheric infarction: a complication of cuffed catheter.The need for reliable vascular access remains the Achilles heel of hemodialysis. Complications of vascular access are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who undergo hemodialysis, especially in those patients with end-stage renal disease. Among methods of vascular access, arteriovenous fistulae have the lowest rate of infection and should be the access of choice when vascular anatomy permits. Also, the incidence of staphylococcal infections in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus is increasing. To emphasize the need to use arteriovenous fistula access for hemodialysis whenever possible, we report the case of a patient with end-stage renal disease and human immunodeficiency virus infection who died as a result of panhemispheric infarction and uncal herniation as a result of fulminant staphylococcal bacteremia caused by central venous catheter sepsis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/14. agranulocytosis possibly caused by ranitidine in a patient with renal failure.A 70-year-old Japanese woman with renal dysfunction under hemodialysis presented with vomiting and chill with fever. Over the previous 24 weeks she had been taking 75 mg of ranitidine after hemodialysis. Other medications taken were prednisolone, furosemide, alpha-calcidol, amlodipine and calcium carbonate. Before starting ranitidine, she had been treated with famotidine for about 2 years without complication. Hematological inspection on admission revealed agranulocytosis with WBC of 400/mm3. ranitidine was discontinued and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was started. On Day 3, laboratory data showed slight improvement of cytopenia with WBC of 1,000/mm3. On Day 6, her hemogram showed marked improvement with WBC of 11,700/mm3 and G-CSF was discontinued. She was discharged on Day 10. Several cases describing ranitidine-induced cytopenia are associated with the use of ranitidine at a dose of 150 mg/day or higher, and adverse reactions were found within 2-35 days after beginning ranitidine treatment. In the case described here, however, the adverse reaction occurred after a longer treatment period with ranitidine at a lower dose. In conclusion, ranitidine should be administered with great caution to patients with severe renal dysfunction.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/14. Staphylococcal pericarditis in a chronic renal failure patient.A 34-year-old female with end-stage renal disease was admitted for severe metabolic acidosis, uremic encephalopathy, pericarditis and severe anemia following a bout of acute gastroenteritis. She improved on aggressive medical management including intensive hemodialysis and was initiated onto maintenance heparin-free hemodialysis (twelve hours per week) and discharged. After a week, she presented with fever with chills and rigors for three days, was toxic, severely orthopenic and had a pulsus paradoxus of 36 mmHg. echocardiography suggested cardiac tamponade. Aspiration revealed frank pus with polymorphonuclear predominance and staphylococcus aureus on culture. CT of the thorax revealed pericardial effusion. In the absence of any obvious septic foci, concomitant pleuro-pulmonary sepsis, mediastinal or intra-abdominal pathology; a diagnosis of "acute primary purulent pericarditis" was made. Patient was put on parenteral antibiotics-ceftriaxone and metrogyl. vancomycin was added after sensitivity results. Pericardial drainage was required initially. After toxemia improved, paradox decreased and fever subsided, the pericardial catheter was removed and antibiotics continued for a period of four weeks. maintenance hemodialysis was continued during hospital stay and after discharge.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/14. Group B Streptococcus (streptococcus agalactiae) peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).streptococcus agalactiae typically induces serious infections in pregnant women and newborns. Nonpregnant adult patients can also be infected and mortality rate exceeds 40%. CAPD peritonitis is very rarely induced by S. agalactiae. Seven cases have been described previously and all had a very severe course, which included bacteremia, septic shock and death. A 27-year-old male with end-stage renal disease due to membranoprolipherative glomerulonephritis type I, who was on CAPD for 17 months, was admitted with the clinical and laboratory picture of CAPD peritonitis. Severe abdominal pain, shaking chills and fever 38.5 microC were also observed at presentation. streptococcus agalactiae was isolated from the peritoneal fluid and blood culture was sterile. Under treatment with ceftazidime and tobramycin (i.p.) and vancomycin (i.v.) cultures became negative after 48 hours, abdominal symptoms resolved after 12 days and WBC count in the dialysate normalized after 14 days. As a possible source of infection the patient's partner was shown to be a vaginal carrier of a clone of S. agalactiae identical to that isolated in the peritoneal fluid. S. agalactiae is a rare cause of CAPD peritonitis with potentially very serious consequences. Anal or genital tract colonization is, in general, the source of contamination with S. agalactiae. The microbiological findings in the case presented here suggest that colonization of the patient or of his close environment may be important in the pathogenesis of S. agalactiae-induced CAPD peritonitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/14. folic acid hypersensitivity and fever: a case report.An apparent case of folic acid hypersensitivity and fever in a 36-year-old anephric man is reported. The patient first experienced pruritus when he received 1 mg of folic acid daily; the drug subsequently was discontinued. Three months later, after administration of 1 mg of folic acid daily, the patient became febrile and pruritic. fever, generalized pain, chills, urticaria and pruritus persisted despite administration of acetaminophen/oxycodone tablets. leukocytosis was not present. Challenge with a 10-mg/ml folic acid solution intradermally revealed the patient was hypersensitive to folic acid. Previous reports of folic acid-induced hypersensitivity are reviewed. hypersensitivity to folic acid should be suspected if a patient experiences fever or rash, or both, while receiving folic acid and if neither symptom can be attributed to infection or other pathologic state.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/14. Haemodialysis and copper fever.A syndrome of headache, chills, sweating, nausea, and exhaustion during and after haemodialysis is described and likened to metal fume fever. A patient has been cured of this syndrome following removal of copper-containing parts from the water-path of her home dialysis system.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/14. Acute sterile peritonitis.We have encountered a sporadic form of aseptic peritonitis, not previously described, that we refer to as acute sterile peritonitis (ASP). This syndrome, which occurs with a frequency of 0.1% of dialyses, begins abruptly during peritoneal dialysis with abdominal pain, fever, and occasionally chills and vomiting. Coincident with the onset of symptoms, the dialysate return becomes cloudy with many white blood cells. Cultures are negative and resolution occurs within hours with continued dialysis. In this report we detail the clinical features of this new syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chill (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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