Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis after lung transplantation.

Bacteria-free verrucae has been recognized as a condition associated with several clinical conditions such as bone marrow transplantation, malignant tumors, autoimmune disorders, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, but it has not been reported in relation to lung transplantation. We report the case of a patient who underwent bilateral lung transplant and died 3 days later. Histologic examination revealed, among other lesions, the presence of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis in the right atrium and mitral and tricuspid valves that was not present in the preoperative echocardiographic studies.

Correlation between transcranial interleukin-6 gradient and outcome in patients with acute brain injury.

Objective: This study was performed to examine both brain and systemic interleukin-6 (IL-6) release in patients with an acute brain injury (ABI), to study whether a correlation exists between the transcranial IL-6 gradient during the first days after injury and prognosis, and finally, to investigate the relationship between a nucleotide polymorphism at position -174 in the promoter of the gene encoding IL-6, IL-6 responsiveness, and clinical evolution.

Design: Prospective clinical investigation.

Setting: A 19-bed intensive care unit in a university hospital.

Usefulness of venous oxygen saturation in the jugular bulb for the diagnosis of brain death: report of 118 patients.

Objective: To assess the usefulness of venous oxygen saturation in the jugular bulb (SjO(2)) as a complementary test for the diagnosis of brain death.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Polytrauma intensive care unit (ICU) of an acute-care teaching hospital in Santander, Spain.