Self-poisoning as a cause of admission in a medical intensive care unit and a question of misuse of prescription medications.

Background: Self-poisoning accounts for between 3 and 17% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions.

Objectives: To display the misused substances, intention, and outcome of patients admitted to the ICU due to self-poisoning.

Methods: A retrospective review of ICU admissions using an electronic patient database was performed.

Prior statin therapy is associated with milder course and better outcome in acute pancreatitis--a cohort study.

Background: Statin treatment was shown to be associated with improved outcomes in several inflammatory conditions. We wanted to evaluate the effects of statin therapy on the course and outcome of acute pancreatitis (AP).

Methods: A prospective cohort study included patients with acute pancreatitis divided into two groups according to statin use prior to hospitalization.