Compassionate use of convalescent plasma for treatment of moderate and severe pneumonia in COVID-19 patients and association with IgG antibody levels in donated plasma.

Background: We assessed outcome of patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 following treatment with convalescent plasma (CP) and the association with IgG levels in transfused CP.

Methods: A prospective cohort study. Primary outcome was improvement at day 14 defined as alive, not on mechanical ventilation, and moderate, mild, or recovered from COVID-19.

Sepsis, septic shock, and fatal exertional heat stroke.

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is a clinical syndrome of hyperthermia, encephalopathy, and multiorgan dysfunction that can be irreversible and fatal. While prompt recognition and immediate, aggressive total body cooling can prevent progression of the clinical syndrome, even a short delay can exacerbate the effects of hyperthermia-induced changes. EHS is linked to an inflammatory response that is akin to the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).

Severe acidosis does not predict fatal outcomes in intensive care unit patients: a retrospective analysis.

Purpose: Severe acidosis is a potentially life-threatening acid-base imbalance. The outcome of patients with severe acidosis has only been anecdotally described. We therefore assessed the discharge rate of such patients from the intensive care unit (ICU) and survival time after the event.

Low plasma C-reactive protein level as an early diagnostic tool for heatstroke vs central nervous system-associated infection in the ED.

Purposes: Heatstroke (HS) is a life-threatening condition, manifested by systemic inflammation and multiorgan failure. Rapid recognition and treatment are life saving. We report a laboratory-oriented characterization of HS by low plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) level and propose its usefulness in distinguishing this type of hyperpyrexia from central nervous system-associated high core temperature.

Vipera aspis venom reduces lethality and down-regulates tumor necrosis factor-alpha in a rat model of LPS-induced sepsis.

Objectives: Sepsis and septic shock are major causes of morbidity and mortality in critically-ill patients. Sepsis constitutes the systemic response to infection, that is predominantly mediated by the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. Hence, cytokine modulation provides a promising target for the treatment of sepsis.

Donor recruitment and selection for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in urgent and elective circumstances.

Background: Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation is becoming an alternative to cadaveric transplantation in urgent and elective settings. Donor selection crucially affects donor safety and recipient outcome.

Objective: To present our algorithm of urgent and elective donor selection.

Characteristics of road traffic accidents treated in an urban trauma center.

Background: Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of accidental injury and death for persons under the age of 35. The medical literature presents surprisingly little information on the general characteristics of such accidents in the urban setting.

Objectives: To characterize RTA patients arriving at an urban trauma center.

Initial experience with urgent adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in fulminant hepatic failure.

Background: The prognosis of patients with fulminant hepatic failure without timely liver transplantation is dismal. Given the limited availability of cadaveric organs for urgent transplantation in Israel, adult-to-adult living donor segmental liver transplantation may be the only alternative.

Objectives: To report our initial experience with urgent lifesaving LDLT in this unique scenario.

Exposure to extremely high concentrations of carbon dioxide: a clinical description of a mass casualty incident.

Clinical reports on unintentional mass exposure to extreme concentrations of carbon dioxide are rare. We describe an industrial incident caused by a container of liquid carbon dioxide that was unintentionally opened in an enclosed working environment. Twenty-five casualties reached our emergency department.

Middle cerebral artery flow velocity decreases and electroencephalogram (EEG) changes occur as acute hypercapnia reverses.

Objective: To define the changes in middle cerebral artery flow velocity (Vmca) and the electroencephalogram (EEG) during rapid reduction in arterial carbon dioxide (PCO2) from acute hypercapnia. DESIGN. Human volunteer study.

Tumor necrosis factor as a mediator of cardiac toxicity following snake envenomation.

Objective: To investigate the possible role of tumor necrosis factor in mediating cardiotoxicity following venom injection in a rat.

Design: A randomized controlled experimental study using a Langendorff isolated heart model.

Setting: Animal laboratory.

Intensive care in a field hospital in an urban disaster area: lessons from the August 1999 earthquake in Turkey.

Objective: To describe our experience with the implementation of intensive care in the setting of a field hospital, deployed to the site of a major urban disaster.

Design: Description of our experience during mission to Turkey; conclusions regarding implementation of intensive care at disaster sites.

Setting: Military Field Hospital at Adapazari in Turkey.

Pulmonary oedema in SCUBA divers: pathophysiology and computed risk analysis.

SCUBA diving has become a popular sport, with an increasing number of people participating in it. Although it is an essentially very safe activity, several specific medical problems are associated with diving. The present paper addresses diving-related pulmonary oedema, which is a rarely reported condition.

Gray-white matter discrimination--a possible marker for brain damage in heat stroke?

Introduction/objective: Heat stroke (HS) is a common medical emergency which carries high morbidity and morality. This study was designed to describe the pattern of central nervous system (CNS) changes as detected by brain CT scan in a case series of six patients suffering from classical and exertional HS.

Methods And Patients: All the patients were admitted in critical condition during the heat wave in the summer of 1999 in Israel.