Patient Management Assisted by a Neural Network Reduces Mortality in an Intermediate Care Unit.

Introduction: Mortality risk prediction for Intermediate Respiratory Care Unit's (IRCU) patients can facilitate optimal treatment in high-risk patients. While Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have a long term experience in using algorithms for this purpose, due to the special features of the IRCUs, the same strategics are not applicable. The aim of this study is to develop an IRCU specific mortality predictor tool using machine learning methods.

Should we consider IgG hypogammaglobulinemia a risk factor for severe complications of Ludwig angina?: A case report and review of the literature.

Rationale: Cervical necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) and descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) are rare forms of complication of Ludwig angina. These potentially lethal infections are difficult to recognize in early stages and are often associated with predisposing factors like diabetes and immunocompromised states. Moreover, IgG hypogammaglobulinemia (hypo-IgG) is considered to be a risk factor of mortality in patients with septic shock; however, it is not routinely quantified in patients with extremely serious infections, particularly in cases with no history or evidence of immunocompromising disorders.

Pulmonary metastases in a bilateral carotid body paraganglioma.

We report the case of a bilateral carotid body paraganglioma which gave metastases to the lung parenchyma; the rarity of diffuse visceral spread is emphasised in this article. The patient was a 69-year-old woman operated for a right carotid body paraganglioma in 1997. In August 2002, a recurrent left carotid body paraganglioma was resected.