Delirium in Survivors of Cardiac Arrest Treated With Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia.

Background: Mild therapeutic hypothermia is recommended for comatose patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest. However, the prevalence of delirium and its associated risk factors have not been assessed in survivors of cardiac arrest treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for delirium among survivors of cardiac arrest who were treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Outcomes of Comatose Cardiac Arrest Survivors With and Without ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Importance of Coronary Angiography.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare outcomes and coronary angiographic findings in post-cardiac arrest patients with and without ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Background: The 2013 STEMI guidelines recommend performing immediate angiography in resuscitated patients whose initial electrocardiogram shows STEMI. The optimal approach for those without STEMI post-cardiac arrest is less clear.

Higher achieved mean arterial pressure during therapeutic hypothermia is not associated with neurologically intact survival following cardiac arrest.

Introduction: To determine if higher achieved mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) during treatment with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is associated with neurologically intact survival following cardiac arrest.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected cohort of 188 consecutive patients treated with TH in the cardiovascular intensive care unit of an academic tertiary care hospital.

Results: Neurologically intact survival was observed in 73/188 (38.

Effectiveness of mild therapeutic hypothermia following cardiac arrest in adult patients with congenital heart disease.

Mild therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is an established therapy to improve survival and reduce neurologic injury after cardiac arrest. Adult patients with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are at increased risk of sudden cardiac death. The use of TH in this population has not been extensively studied.

Early bispectral index and sedation requirements during therapeutic hypothermia predict neurologic recovery following cardiac arrest.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that low bispectral index scores and low sedative requirements during therapeutic hypothermia predict poor neurologic outcome.

Design: Observational study of a prospectively collected cohort.

Setting: Cardiovascular ICU.

Hereditary hemochromatosis: missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis?

Background: Hereditary hemochromatosis is a disorder that can cause iron overload and organ damage. Hereditary hemochromatosis is characterized by mutations in the HFE gene. HFE C282Y homozygotes and compound heterozygotes (C282Y/H63D) are at risk of developing manifestations of hemochromatosis.

Sequential moderate coronary artery fistula and moderate coronary artery stenosis causing ischemia demonstrated by fractional flow reserve and relieved following percutaneous coronary intervention.

Coronary artery fistulae are rare anomalous connections arising from the coronary circulation. We report a case of anterior wall myocardial ischemia caused by the combination of sequential coronary-to-pulmonary artery fistula and moderate (50-60%) stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Ischemia was demonstrated by myocardial stress perfusion imaging as well as fractional flow reserve.

A history of smoking is associated with improved survival in patients treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia following cardiac arrest.

Objectives: To assess the association between smoking and survival with a good neurologic outcome in patients following cardiac arrest treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia (TH).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of a prospectively collected cohort of 188 consecutive patients following cardiac arrest treated with TH between May 2007 and January 2012. Smoking status was retrospectively collected via chart review and was classified as "ever" or "never".

Early cardiac catheterization is associated with improved survival in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest without STEMI.

Aim: To determine if early cardiac catheterization (CC) is associated with improved survival in comatose patients who are resuscitated after cardiac arrest when electrocardiographic evidence of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is absent.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of a prospective cohort of 754 consecutive comatose patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) following cardiac arrest.

Results: A total of 269 (35.

Hyperoxia is associated with increased mortality in patients treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia after sudden cardiac arrest.

Objective: To determine whether higher levels of PaO2 are associated with in-hospital mortality and poor neurological status at hospital discharge in patients treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia after sudden cardiac arrest.

Design: Retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort.

Patients: A total of 170 consecutive patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia in the cardiovascular care unit of an academic tertiary care hospital.

Implementation of a standardized pathway for the treatment of cardiac arrest patients using therapeutic hypothermia: "CODE ICE".

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is common and is associated with high mortality. The majority of in-hospital deaths from resuscitated victims of cardiac arrest are due to neurologic injury. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is now recommended for the management of comatose survivors of cardiac arrest.

Long-term treatment with rituximab of autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy in a patient with lymphoma.

Objective: To report on the response to therapy in a patient with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy with a high titer of an autoantibody directed against the α-3 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) of the autonomic ganglia.

Design: Case report.

Setting: University-based referral center for autonomic dysfunction.