Amyloidosis: a case series and review of the literature.

Background: Systemic amyloidosis is group of disorders characterized by the accumulation of insoluble proteins in tissues. The most common form of systemic amyloidosis is light chain amyloidosis, which results from the accumulation of misfolded immunoglobulins. The disease is progressive, with treatment targeted at the underlying plasma cell dyscrasia.

Furosemide and Albumin for Diuresis of Edema (FADE): A parallel-group, blinded, pilot randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a trial evaluating whether hyperoncotic albumin, in addition to diuretics, improves diuresis and facilitates liberation from mechanical ventilation in critically ill adults.

Materials And Methods: We randomized 46 hemodynamically stable patients with hypoalbuminemia, prescribed diuretics by treating clinicians, to receive 100 mL of 25% albumin or 0.9% saline placebo BID, for three days, in blinded fashion.

The offering of family presence during resuscitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Family members may wish to be present during resuscitation of loved ones, despite concerns that they may interfere with the resuscitation or experience psychological harm.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review to determine whether offering family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) affected patient mortality, resuscitation quality, or family member psychological outcomes. We searched multiple databases up to January 2014 for studies comparing FPDR to usual care.

Reflecting on Diagnostic Errors: Taking a Second Look is Not Enough.

Background: An experimenter controlled form of reflection has been shown to improve the detection and correction of diagnostic errors in some situations; however, the benefits of participant-controlled reflection have not been assessed.

Objective: The goal of the current study is to examine how experience and a self-directed decision to reflect affect the accuracy of revised diagnoses.

Design: Medical residents diagnosed 16 medical cases (pass 1).

Family presence during resuscitation: A Canadian Critical Care Society position paper.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that patient outcomes are not affected by the offering of family presence during resuscitation (FPDR), and that psychological outcomes are neutral or improved in family members of adult patients. The exclusion of family members from the resuscitation area should, therefore, be reassessed.

Objective: The present Canadian Critical Care Society position paper is designed to help clinicians and institutions decide whether to incorporate FPDR as part of their routine clinical practice, and to offer strategies to implement FPDR successfully.

Furosemide and albumin for diuresis of edema (FADE): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Fluid retention is a common complication of critical illness. It typically results from large-volume fluid infusions during acute resuscitation and is worsened by hypoalbuminemia. Recognized as edema, fluid retention is important for its association with delayed weaning and increased mortality.

Colloids to improve diuresis in critically ill patients: a systematic review.

Background: The background of this study is to determine whether the addition of intravenous colloid to diuretic therapy, in comparison to diuretic therapy alone, improves diuresis and oxygenation and prevents intravascular volume depletion in intensive care unit (ICU) patients without shock.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, conference abstracts of ACCP, SCCM, ATS, and references of relevant articles. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of adult ICU patients, not in shock (defined as patients on low dose or no vasopressors, without need for IV fluid bolus or blood transfusion within 24 h), comparing intravenous colloid therapy (human albumin, plasma, synthetic starches, or gels) plus diuretic to control (diuretic alone, or diuretic plus placebo).

The ace of spades: reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy in the context of angiographic embolization of recurrent metastatic serotonin-positive neuroendocrine tumour of the pancreas.

A 62-year-old woman undergoing embolization of recurrent neuroendocrine tumor, positive for serotonin, developed chest pain and bradycardia with lateral ST-segment depression. Cardiac biomarkers were elevated, and echocardiography revealed akinesis of all basal segments with a normally contracting apex. The absence of flow-limiting coronary disease on angiography confirmed the presence of reverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Adenovirus-induced thrombocytopenia: the role of von Willebrand factor and P-selectin in mediating accelerated platelet clearance.

Thrombocytopenia has been consistently reported following the administration of adenoviral gene transfer vectors. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon is currently unknown. In this study, we have assessed the influence of von Willebrand Factor (VWF) and P-selectin on the clearance of platelets following adenovirus administration.