Idiopathic Capillary Leak Syndrome (Clarkson's Disease): First Reported Case in Oman.

Idiopathic capillary leak syndrome, also known as Clarkson's Disease, is a rare cause of hypovolemic shock that physicians should be aware of. It is characterized by a state of hypovolemia with features of widespread fluid third spacing and poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Here, we present a challenging case of a 36-year-old woman who experienced recurrent episodes of widespread edema and hypovolemic shock symptoms suggestive of capillary leak syndrome.

Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome Caused by Patent Foramen Ovale with Right-To-Left Shunt.

BACKGROUND Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) is an important part of fetal circulation. It allows the oxygenated blood from the umbilical cord to bypass the lungs. PFOs usually close after birth due to the sudden change of the hemodynamics associated with the expansion of the lungs however they are known to persist in about 25% of the total population.

Comparison of Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation With High-Flow Nasal Cannula, Face-Mask, and Helmet in Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure in Patients With COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: For COVID-19-related respiratory failure, noninvasive respiratory assistance via a high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), helmet, and face-mask noninvasive ventilation is used. However, which of these options is most effective is yet to be determined. This study aimed to compare the three techniques of noninvasive respiratory support and to determine the superior technique.

Early Prone versus Supine Positioning in Moderate to Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Objectives: This study sought to determine whether early prone positioning of patients with moderate to severe COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) lowers the mortality rate.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using data from intensive care units of two tertiary centers in Oman. Adult patients with moderate to severe COVID-19-related ARDS with a PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 150 on FiO2 of 60% or more and a positive end-expiratory pressure of at least 8 cm H2O who were admitted between 1 May 2020 and 31 October 2020 were selected as participants.

Short and long-term immune changes in different severity groups of COVID-19 disease.

Background: There are limited data on short- versus long-term changes in adaptive immune response across different COVID-19 disease severity groups.

Methods: A multicenter prospective study of 140 adult patients with COVID-19 (a total of 325 samples) were analyzed for inflammatory markers and lymphocyte subsets at presentation, week 2, and week 24.

Results: Inflammatory markers at presentation were higher in the critical/severe than in moderate and mild groups.

Periampullary Clot Causing Biliary Obstruction: A Rare Presentation.

Acute cholangitis is an emergency condition that requires an emergency biliary drainage for source control of the infection. Commonly cholangitis is precipitated by biliary obstruction due to causes like stones, strictures, stents, or malignancy of the pancreaticobiliary or ampullary origin. We report a unique case of a man who had acute cholangitis due to a periampullary clot who was fully recovered after clot removal by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

ICU-acquired central line-associated bloodstream infection and its associated factors in Oman.

Background: Despite the extensive use of central lines for ICU patients in Oman, no studies have been conducted among adult ICU patients to assess the prevalence, and predictors of CLABSIs.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of ICU-acquired CLABSIs, identify the most common causative microorganisms, and define possible related risk factors associated with ICU-acquired CLABSIs among adult ICU patients in Oman.

Method: A retrospective case-control design was used to screen electronic medical records of for all adult ICU patients admitted over 2 years (2018-2019) in 2 tertiary hospitals in Oman.

"Virtual Interdisciplinary COVID-19 Team": A Hospital Pandemic Preparedness Approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to move at record speed. Health systems and hospitals worldwide face unprecedented challenges to effectively prepare and respond to this extraordinary health crisis and anticipated surge. Hospitals should confront these unparalleled challenges with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, coordinated, and organized strategy.

The first clusters of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in Oman: Time to act.

Introduction: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), is an emerging infectious disease of growing global importance. This review describes the latest MERS-CoV clusters and the first cases of nosocomial transmission within health care facilities in Oman. We have highlighted lessons learned and proposed steps to prevent healthcare-associated infections.

Chloral Hydrate Overdose Survived after Cardiac Arrest with Excellent Response to Intravenous β-blocker.

Chloral hydrate (CH) poisoning is not commonly seen in the emergency department. CH is a commonly prescribed sedative agent for various day care procedures despite its toxic profile even when other safe sedative medications are available. We report a case of CH poisoning that manifested with neurotoxicity followed by cardiotoxicity leading to cardiac arrest.

Encephalopathy mimicking non-convulsive status Epilepticus.

Primary hyperammonemic encephalopathy due to urea cycle disorders (UCD) typically manifests with episodic unresponsiveness and this clinical entity is not often included in the differential diagnosis of presumed non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). However, this diagnostic consideration has therapeutic implications. In this report, we document the therapeutic importance of elucidating the specific cause of hyperammonemic encephalopathy that closely mimicked NCSE through 2 unique illustrative cases.

Super Refractory Status Epilepticus in Hashimoto's Encephalopathy.

We present a case of a 38-year-old woman who was at eight weeks of gestation and was admitted to Sultan Qaboos University Hospital with refractory status epilepticus (SE). She presented with a two-day history of fever and a depressed level of consciousness that was followed with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. She progressed to refractory SE that required intubation and mechanical ventilation.

Lesson of the month 1: Subacute thyroiditis: a rare cause of fever of unknown origin.

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is sometimes a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. Endocrine causes reported in the literature include subacute thyroiditis, thyrotoxicosis, adrenal insufficiency and pheochromocytoma. Among these, subacute thyroiditis is often overlooked as it can occasionally lack typical symptoms.

Pandemic Influenza A H1N1 in Oman: Epidemiology, Clinical Features, and Outcome of Patients Admitted to Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in 2009.

Objectives: Oman experienced the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 that initially started in Mexico and the United States. We present the epidemiology, clinical features, and outcome of cases admitted to Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients admitted with confirmed influenza A H1N1 infection from August to December 2009.