Relation of electrocardiographic changes in pulmonary embolism to right ventricular enlargement.

The electrocardiographic (ECG) findings in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) and no previous cardiopulmonary disease are well documented; however, investigation of the relation of ECG abnormalities to right ventricular (RV) enlargement has been limited. The purpose of the present investigation was to assess further the relation of ECG changes in acute PE to RV cavity enlargement (dilation). The records of patients hospitalized from January 2009 to December 2012 with acute PE and no previous cardiopulmonary disease were reviewed.

Specificity of quantitative latex agglutination assay for D-dimer in exclusion of pulmonary embolism in the emergency department.

We assessed the prevalence of elevated quantitative latex agglutination assay for D-dimer in patients in the emergency department in whom pulmonary embolism (PE) was excluded. D-dimer was normal (<230 ng/mL) in 435 (83%) of the 522 patients. D-dimer was normal in 88% of the patients with musculoskeletal or related chest pain, 74% with pleurisy or pleuritic chest pain, and 85% with upper respiratory tract infection.

Confirmed rabies exposure during pregnancy: treatment with human rabies immune globulin and human diploid cell vaccine.

A review of the literature shows 24 cases of pregnant human exposure to rabies virus through confirmed rabid animal bites. Historically, these patients received passive immunization with equine rabies immunoglobulin and/or purified vero cell vaccine or duck embryo vaccine. With the recent development of human-derived rabies vaccines, we report an additional case of human gestational rabies exposure, which was treated with human rabies immune globulin and human diploid cell vaccine.