A Case of Takotsubo Syndrome in a Smoker-Epileptic Patient With Rhinovirus Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit: Could the InterTAK Criteria Be Useful?

Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is an acute cardiac dysfunction that typically presents hypokinesis of the apical segment of the left ventricle beyond a single coronary artery territory. The pathological mechanisms of TS remain unclear, and several possible theories have been postulated, including catecholamine excess, coronary artery spasm, microvascular dysfunction, and metabolic disturbances. Based on the etiology, a primary and secondary form is distinguished.

Fasting in critical illness: the role of ketonuria - a retrospective observational study.

Background: Metabolic acidosis is a frequent finding in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). It can be caused by prolonged fasting due to surgical procedures or by medical conditions that lead to starvation ketoacidosis (SKA). Early recognition and treatment of SKA could prevent several life-threatening complications, improving survival and reducing the ICU length of stay.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in multiple myeloma: a case report of a patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection and an updated systematic literature review.

Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by a reactivation of the human polyomavirus 2 (HPyV-2, previously known as JCV) in immunosuppressed individuals. Few cases of PML have been described in multiple myeloma (MM) patients.

Methods: We described a case of PML in a patient with MM with fatal worsening that occurred during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Does COVID-19 vaccination protect against pulmonary embolism?

The prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in COVID-19 patients is highly variable, depending on methodological and clinical factors, among which vaccination (1). The hypothesis of a possible protective role of vaccination in preventing pulmonary embolism (PE) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients has not been explored. The aim of the study was to evaluate PE prevalence in vaccinated versus unvaccinated hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Radial artery cannulation in intensive care unit patients: Does distance from wrist joint increase catheter durability and functionality?

Introduction: Radial artery cannulation (RAC) is a common procedure in Intensive Care Units (ICU); radial catheters for ICU patients require increased durability to collect blood samples and to guarantee continuous hemodynamic monitoring. Failure in catheter functionality needs catheter replacement, impacting on staff workload, costs, and patient safety and discomfort.

Methods: prospective non-randomised cohort study on adult ICU patients describing intensivists and critical care nurses' approach in radial artery catheterization.

Severe quetiapine voluntary overdose successfully treated with a new hemoperfusion sorbent.

Quetiapine overdose, although rare, is mainly linked with tachycardia, QTc-interval prolongation, somnolence, coma, hyperglycemia, and eventually hepatotoxicity and myocarditis. Extracorporeal techniques for quetiapine removal might be helpful, but only a few cases are reported in the literature. We here describe the case of a 27-year-old healthy woman, admitted to our Intensive Care Unit after voluntary quetiapine intake and successfully treated with CytoSorb hemoperfusion in combination with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), in order to accelerate quetiapine elimination.