Rapid Diagnosis of Infection in the Critically Ill, a Multicenter Study of Molecular Detection in Bloodstream Infections, Pneumonia, and Sterile Site Infections.

Objective: Early identification of causative microorganism(s) in patients with severe infection is crucial to optimize antimicrobial use and patient survival. However, current culture-based pathogen identification is slow and unreliable such that broad-spectrum antibiotics are often used to insure coverage of all potential organisms, carrying risks of overtreatment, toxicity, and selection of multidrug-resistant bacteria. We compared the results obtained using a novel, culture-independent polymerase chain reaction/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry technology with those obtained by standard microbiological testing and evaluated the potential clinical implications of this technique.

Lung imaging during acute chest syndrome in sickle cell disease: computed tomography patterns and diagnostic accuracy of bedside chest radiograph.

Introduction: The lung computed tomography (CT) features of acute chest syndrome (ACS) in sickle cell disease patients is not well described, and the diagnostic performance of bedside chest radiograph (CR) has not been tested. Our objectives were to describe CT features of ACS and evaluate the reproducibility and diagnostic performance of bedside CR.

Methods: We screened 127 consecutive patients during 166 ACS episodes and 145 CT scans (in 118 consecutive patients) were included in the study.

Pulmonary artery thrombosis during acute chest syndrome in sickle cell disease.

Rationale: The pathophysiology of acute chest syndrome (ACS) in patients with sickle cell disease is complex, and pulmonary artery thrombosis (PT) may contribute to this complication.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of PT during ACS using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).

Methods: We screened 125 consecutive patients during 144 ACS episodes.

Epidemiology and risk factors for colonization and infection by Acinetobacter baumannii in an ICU in Tunisia, where this pathogen is endemic.

Because Acinetobacter baumannii has become an alarming endemic pathogen in our country we decided to conduct this prospective study, from January 2004 to December 2005, in order to determine risk factors and outcomes involved in clinical colonization or infection by A. baumannii in a 16-bed Tunisian intensive care unit (ICU). One hundred and two A.

Methanol poisoning in Tunisia: report of 16 cases.

Methanol poisoning continues to be a public health problem in Tunisia in spite of the different legislative measures. We report a series of 16 cases of methanol poisoning admitted to our Intensive Care Unit between December 2003 and April 2004. The patients' median age was 21.

Compressive pleural effusion after ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome--a case report and review.

Objective: To report a case of early onset ovarian hyperstimulation with massive pleural effusion and respiratory failure before IVF.

Design: Case report.

Setting: University teaching intensive care unit.

Acute pancreatitis subsequent to voluntary methomyl and dichlorvos intoxication.

Introduction: Acute pancreatitis subsequent to methomyl (Lannate) had not been reported until 2005, when Markides published the first case. In our study, we report for the first time 2 cases of acute pancreatitis complicating voluntary methomyl intoxication and compare them with 5 cases of pancreatitis subsequent to dichlorvos poisoning admitted to our toxicological unit during the same period, between July 2001 and June 2003.

Case Reports: Patients included in this study were seriously poisoned because all developed muscarinic and nicotinic syndromes.