Case Report of an Injectional Anthrax in France, 2012.

(1) Background: is a spore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium causing anthrax, a zoonosis affecting mainly livestock. When occasionally infecting humans, provokes three different clinical forms: cutaneous, digestive and inhalational anthrax. More recently, an injectional anthrax form has been described in intravenous drug users.

Coronary Spasm after an Injection of Vincristine.

Cardiotoxicity, including heart failure, thromboembolic events, and myocardial ischemia, is a concern for cardiologists and oncologists. The most frequently involved drugs are anthracyclines. We report an episode of coronary spasm due to vincristine, a vinca alkaloid, in a 49-year-old man treated for a diffuse undifferentiated carcinoma.

Transcranial Doppler to Predict Neurologic Outcome after Mild to Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: To assess the performance of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in predicting neurologic worsening after mild to moderate traumatic brain injury.

Methods: The authors conducted a prospective observational study across 17 sites. TCD was performed upon admission in 356 patients (Glasgow Coma Score [GCS], 9 to 15) with mild lesions on cerebral computed tomography scan.

Twice-daily therapeutical plasma exchange-based salvage therapy in severe autoimmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: the French TMA Reference Center experience.

Background: Daily therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and rituximab improved thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) prognosis. In the more severe cases, salvage therapies including twice-daily TPE and/or cyclophosphamide may be proposed and require evaluation.

Methods: TTP was defined as a thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) with severe (<10%) acquired ADAMTS13 deficiency.

A regional trauma system to optimize the pre-hospital triage of trauma patients.

Introduction: Pre-hospital triage is a key element in a trauma system that aims to admit patients to the most suitable trauma center, and may decrease intra-hospital mortality. We evaluated the performance of a pre-hospital procedure in a regional trauma system through measurements of the quality of pre-hospital medical assessment and the efficacy of a triage protocol.

Methods: Our regional trauma system included 13 hospitals categorized as Level I, II or III trauma centers according to their technical facilities.