Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV-infected patients: what a critical-care nurse needs to know.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome is a constellation of clinical manifestations seen in patients with HIV/AIDS who are taking highly active antiretroviral therapy. The revitalization of their immune systems by these medications leads to the emergence of opportunistic infections that had been treated previously and those never treated. Some of these diseases have serious ramifications if undetected.

Care of the AIDS patient with Pneumocystis pneumonia.

Pneumocystis pneumonia and AIDS have been linked together for many years. In the 1980s and 1990s, these diseases often resulted in admission to the critical care unit for many patients. Since the discovery of antiretroviral therapy and Pneumocystis prophylaxis, this has been a less frequent occurrence.

The challenges of managing and treating Guillain-Barré syndrome during the acute phase.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a randomly acquired inflammatory disease that affects approximately 2 persons in 100,000 annually. There have been no discriminating risk factors identified including age, sex, or race. The syndrome results in the demyelination of peripheral nerves, which leads to progressive motor weakness and paralysis.