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Biomedical subjects

G R Pesola

Publications and source records attributed to G R Pesola.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Left lower quadrant pain of unusual cause.

The differential diagnosis of left lower quadrant abdominal pain in an adult man includes, among others, sigmoid diverticulitis; leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm; renal colic; epididymitis; incarcerated hernia; bowel obstruction; regional enteritis; psoas abscess; and in this rare instance, situs inversus with acute appendicitis. We report a case of situs inversus totalis with left-sided appendicitis and a brief review of the literature. There were several subtle indicators of total situs inversus present that were missed by the physicians and surgeons who initially evaluated the patient prior to surgery. Computed tomography scan with contrast, however, revealed the diagnosis immediately, and treatment was successfully initiated.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed2001

Interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein levels in patients with acute allergic reactions: an emergency department-based study.

BACKGROUND: Elevations of interleukin 6 (IL-6) have been described in drug-induced anaphylaxis. Although IL-6 is well known to stimulate an acute phase response, profiling acute phase protein levels, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), has, to our knowledge, never been performed in patients with acute allergic reactions. OBJECTIVE: To examine the pattern of IL-6 and CRP levels in patients with acute allergic reactions and to relate these to relevant clinical and laboratory parameters. METHODS: Plasma CRP and serum IL-6 levels were determined in 85 adult emergency department patients. These patients had been previously studied with questionnaires, physical examinations, and histamine/tryptase levels. Clinical and historical features were related to CRP and IL-6 levels. CRP and IL-6 levels were also examined for relationships with histamine and tryptase levels. RESULTS: CRP and IL-6 levels were significantly correlated with one another in the study patients (Spearman p = 0.36, P = 0.0008). Similar to histamine levels, IL-6 levels were significantly correlated with the extent of erythema manifested by the study patients. The extent of erythema was independently predicted by both IL-6 and histamine levels. Histamine levels were negatively correlated with CRP levels (Spearman p = -0.32, P = 0.003). Unlike histamine levels, IL-6 and CRP did not show significant relationships with the extent or presence of urticaria/angioedema or the presence of wheezing. IL-6 levels were correlated with the duration of symptoms before serologic sampling. An inverse correlation was observed between IL-6 levels and mean arterial blood pressure. Multivariate modeling showed significant independent effects from mean arterial pressure, duration of symptoms, erythema extent, and age in predicting IL-6 levels. Tryptase levels were higher in patients whose IL-6 levels were >20 pg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: CRP and IL-6 levels are not simple surrogate markers for histamine or tryptase release by mast cells or basophils in acute allergic reactions. Increasing IL-6 levels relate to greater erythema extent, lower mean arterial blood pressure, and a longer duration of symptoms. It would be interesting to speculate that CRP and IL-6 increases characterize a late-phase response in immediate hypersensitivity reactions. In this perspective, the inverse relationship between CRP and histamine levels could be explained. As histamine levels are waning, CRP levels are increasing. Timed studies for histamine and CRP/IL-6 levels in allergic reactions are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

The normal difference in bilateral indirect blood pressure recordings in normotensive individuals.

If there is a significant dichotomy between bilateral blood pressure determinations in both arms, it is often taken as a sign of some type of underlying pathology. We wished to evaluate what the normal variation might be for significant differences between blood pressures in both arms. Significant difference was arbitrarily chosen as a systolic blood pressure value greater than 10 mm Hg. Bilateral indirect blood pressure determinations were obtained in 100 subjects with no known history of hypertension in the sitting position. The blood pressure was obtained by 2 observers, one who recorded the systolic and diastolic blood pressure as announced by the person taking the blood pressures who was blinded to the actual values taken. The coefficient of variation in obtaining the blood pressures in each arm was determined in 5 of the 100 subjects. The age, sex, and handedness of each individual were recorded as demographic variables. The average left and right systolic blood pressures were 112.1 +/- 16.5 and 112.7 +/- 16.3 mm Hg, respectively. The average left and right diastolic pressures were 64.4 +/- 11.6 and 63.5 +/- 9.9 mm Hg, respectively. There was no significant difference between left minus right systolic or diastolic differences (Student's paired t-test). There were no significant differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressure between gender or between right and left handed individuals (non-paired t-test). The average coefficients of variation for right and left arm systolic blood pressures were 5.41% and 5.81%, respectively. Fifteen subjects had differences in systolic blood pressure between both arms exceeding 10 mm Hg (7% to 22%, 95% confidence interval). Differences of more than 10 mm Hg in indirect bilateral blood pressure recordings are frequent in normotensive individuals and probably do not per se indicate any abnormal pathology. In the right clinical situation, differences that are noted should probably be repeated and should be added to the total clinical picture when used to determine whether a pathologic condition is present.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Spiral CT diagnosis of pulmonary embolus.

With the advent of new diagnostic techniques such as the spiral computed tomography angiogram, the sequence of tests needed to diagnose a pulmonary embolus may be more efficient if the testing behavior is tailored to the patient's underlying cardiopulmonary status. This may be particularly important if the patient is elderly or has other reasons for limited cardiopulmonary reserve. We report several cases with a new sequence of testing behavior.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Histamine and tryptase levels in patients with acute allergic reactions: An emergency department-based study.

BACKGROUND: Emergency department visits for acute allergic reactions are common. Although the diagnosis and classification of these allergic reactions is primarily empiric, it is not always clear whether certain signs and symptoms constitute systemic mediator release syndromes, such as anaphylaxis, and thus may warrant more aggressive therapy or follow-up. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine associations between various clinical signs and symptoms with both plasma histamine levels and serum tryptase levels in adult patients presenting to an emergency department with acute allergic syndromes. The clinical correlates of raised beta-tryptase levels were also investigated. METHODS: Ninety-seven adult emergency department patients were prospectively studied by using a questionnaire, physical examination, and serum-plasma sampling. Plasma histamine and serum total and beta-tryptase levels were determined. Clinical groupings were compared for mediator levels by using simple and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Elevated levels of plasma histamine (>10 nmol/L) and serum total tryptase (>15 ng/mL) were observed in 42 and 20 patients, respectively. Detectable beta-tryptase (>/=1 ng/mL) was observed in 23 patients, including 15 of the patients with elevated total tryptase levels. Suspected food allergy incidences and the duration of reaction were similar in patients with increased histamine levels and in patients with increased tryptase levels. Increased total tryptase levels, histamine levels, or both were observed in some patients who did not have airway, cardiovascular, or abdominal signs. Histamine levels correlated better with clinical signs than tryptase levels. Histamine elevations (>10 nmol/L) were observed more frequently in patients characterized by the following clinical signs in univariate analysis: the presence of urticaria, more extensive erythema, abnormal abdominal findings, and wheezing. Total tryptase increases were observed more frequently only in patients with urticaria. Histamine levels correlated with initial heart rates. In multivariate analysis the extent of urticaria was the best single predictor of plasma histamine levels and of either an elevated histamine or tryptase level. Detectable beta-tryptase levels were observed in some patients who had neither elevated total tryptase nor elevated histamine levels. Unlike patients without detectable beta-tryptase levels, patients who had detectable beta-tryptase levels had a significant correlation between total tryptase and histamine levels (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Raised histamine and, less commonly, raised tryptase levels are observed in almost 50% of patients presenting to emergency departments with acute allergic reactions. Some cases associated with systemic mediator release do not have classical features of severe anaphylaxis, such as hypotension or tachycardia. The lack of total tryptase elevations in many patients with elevated plasma histamine levels suggests basophil involvement. The clinical utility of beta-tryptase determinations in the evaluation of acute allergic reactions needs further study.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Improved outcomes in patients with acute allergic syndromes who are treated with combined H1 and H2 antagonists.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Although the addition of H(2) blockers to H(1) antagonists has been promoted for use in anaphylaxis, there have been no large studies establishing the advantage of this approach in treating acute allergic syndromes. In this study we tested the hypothesis that combined H(1) and H(2) blockage results in improved outcomes in patients treated for acute allergic syndromes compared with treatment with H(1) blockade alone. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 91 adult patients with acute allergic syndromes were treated with either 50 mg of diphenhydramine and saline solution (control group) or with 50 mg of diphenhydramine and 50 mg of ranitidine (active group). These patients were treated with parenteral administration. Patients were recruited from an emergency department at an urban academic medical center. The primary endpoints were resolution of urticaria, angioedema, or erythema at 2 hours after protocol treatment. Areas of cutaneous involvement, heart rates, blood pressures, respiratory findings, and symptom scores were also assessed at baseline, 1 hour, and 2 hours. RESULTS: There were significantly more patients without urticaria at 2 hours among the patients in the active group compared with those in the control group. Both groups had similar proportions of urticaria at baseline. Logistic regression models to predict resolution of urticaria, which accounted for baseline urticarial involvement, showed odds ratios in favor of the active group treatment. Similar findings were observed when the absence of both urticaria and angioedema was considered as the dependent variable. There was not a significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to the absence of erythema or angioedema (irrespective of the presence of urticaria) at 2 hours. Blood pressure and symptoms did not show differences between the 2 groups over time. Lower heart rates were observed 1 hour after treatment in the active treatment group (mean reduction 10 beats/min) compared with those found in the placebo group (mean reduction 6 beats/min). CONCLUSION: These data show that adding H(2) blockers to H(1) antagonists results in additional improvement of certain cutaneous outcomes for patients presenting with acute allergic syndromes. These findings favor the recommendation for using combined H(1) and H(2) antihistamines in acute allergic syndromes.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Rapid improvement of peak flow in asthmatic patients treated with parenteral methylprednisolone in the emergency department: A randomized controlled study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Corticosteroids are thought to exert their physiologic effects in asthma over the course of several hours. In this study we tested the hypothesis that intravenous methylprednisolone improves airflow in a shorter time frame (2 hours) in adults with acute asthma. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 56 adult asthmatic patients with peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) less than 50% predicted after an initial albuterol aerosol treatment were studied. These patients were randomly assigned to treatment with either 125 mg of intravenous methylprednisolone or an equivalent volume of normal saline solution (placebo). Patients were also treated with identical schedules of nebulized ipratropium and albuterol. Patients were recruited from an emergency department at an urban academic medical center. The primary endpoints were changes in PEFR and in percent predicted PEFR over time. PEFRs were assessed at baseline and at 1 and 2 hours. Heart rate changes over time and the proportion of admissions in the 2 groups were also compared. RESULTS: The increases in PEFR and percent predicted PEFR over time were both significantly greater in the methylprednisolone treatment group (P =. 002 and P =.005, respectively). The increases in geometric mean peak flow at 60 and 120 minutes were 79 and 96 L/min for the methylprednisolone group and 54 and 68 L/min for the placebo group. There was also a significantly different change in heart rates with time between the methylprednisolone and placebo groups (P =.029), with the placebo group showing a moderate increase in heart rate over time. Although the proportion of patients admitted for status asthmaticus was less in the methylprednisolone treatment group (8/30) compared with the placebo group (10/26), this difference in proportions (-.118, 95% confidence interval -.363 to.127) was not significant. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that use of corticosteroids should be considered relatively early in the treatment of patients with acute asthma in whom initial bronchodilator therapy fails to produce an adequate response.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Hanging-induced status epilepticus.

Survival from hanging is associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric consequences, including amnesia, localized muscle spasms, transient hemiplegia, central cord syndrome, and multiple transient neurologic findings. This report describes a near-hanging episode in a patient who subsequently had status epilepticus requiring 40 mg of diazepam and 1,200 mg of phenytoin for control in the prehospital and emergency department stabilization period. This is the first well-documented report of hanging with subsequent status epilepticus in an adult. The patient survived with an abnormal electroencephalogram consistent with anoxic injury and was discharged on anticonvulsant therapy, although the rationale for medication in such patients is unclear and requires further study.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Emergency department characteristics of male sexual assault.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the nature, frequency, and treatment of male sexual assault encountered by physicians in an ED. A minor objective compared the lengths of time the victim knew the assailant between males and females to determine whether there were differences between male and female victims. METHODS: Retrospective review over four years of all male patients with a diagnosis of sexual assault presenting to an urban academic ED in New York City. Demographics, types of injury, assailant/victim information, and treatment of the assault were obtained. RESULTS: Twenty-seven male sexual assaults (approximately 12% of all sexual assaults) were documented during this time period. Forcible rectal, oral, or both rectal and oral intercourse occurred 14, 4, and 9 times, respectively. Documented physical trauma occurred in nine of 27 visits, with two admissions for head trauma. Five additional patients complained of rectal pain with no independent objective evidence of trauma. Prophylactic treatment with antibiotics for the prevention of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis was offered in 26 of 27 episodes and prophylactic HIV protection was given to only two of 21 eligible patients. Documentation of HIV status and HIV counseling occurred only in ten and five visits, respectively. The male-to-female odds ratios for whether the assailant was unknown, known less than 24 hours, or known more than 24 hours were 0.43 (95% CI = 0.15 to 1.26), 2.48 (95% CI = 0.94 to 6.53), and 0.92 (95% CI = 0.31 to 2.71), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of total sexual assaults occurring in males who present to an ED is now more than 10% of all sexual assaults seen in this urban ED. These assaults are associated with a high proportion of patients with documented trauma. Although the treatment of traditional sexually transmitted diseases appears to be covered well, the need for HIV documentation, counseling, and possible HIV prophylaxis should be addressed more aggressively. In comparing the lengths of the relationships between the victim and the assailant, it appears twice as likely that the female victim will not know her assailant compared with the male, and twice as likely that the male victim will know his assailant less than 24 hours compared with the female.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Superiority of ipratropium plus albuterol over albuterol alone in the emergency department management of adult asthma: a randomized clinical trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The use of nebulized ipratropium in combination with beta-agonists for the treatment of acute asthma in adults is controversial. We wished to test the hypothesis that combined aerosol treatment results in a greater rate of airflow improvement and a lower proportion of hospital admission in adults with acute asthma. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 55 adult asthmatic patients with peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) less than 200 L/min were randomly assigned to nebulization treatment with albuterol alone (2.5 mg initial dose followed by 2 more doses at 20-min intervals.), or the same albuterol regimen plus ipratropium (.5 mg combined with the initial dose of albuterol only). Patients were recruited from an emergency department at an urban academic medical center. The primary endpoints were changes in PEFR and in percent predicted PEFR over time (ie, treatment by time effect). PEFRs were assessed at baseline and at 20-minute intervals for a 1-hour period. The proportion of admissions in the two groups were examined as secondary endpoints. RESULTS: The increases in PEFR and percent predicted PEFR over time were both significantly greater in the combined ipratropium plus albuterol treatment group (P < or = .001). In addition, the proportion admitted patients was less in this group (3/27) than the proportion in the albuterol-only group (10/28). The 95% confidence interval for the absolute difference of 25% in the proportion admitted was 3% to 46%, P = .03. Most of the baseline clinical and historical features in the two groups were similar. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that ipratropium should be combined with initial albuterol nebulization in the ED treatment of acute asthma in adults, especially those with PEFRs less than 200 L/min.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

New-onset generalized seizures in patients with AIDS presenting to an emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the etiology of new-onset generalized seizures in patients with AIDS presenting to an ED. Patients without HIV infection with a first-time seizure were used as a comparison group. With these data, the current American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) guidelines on the workup of new-onset seizures were applied to determine whether they could safely be used in patients with AIDS. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective review of all patients with new-onset generalized seizures who presented to an academic medical center hospital ED in New York City over 2 years. A standard ED medical evaluation with history, physical examination, and routine laboratory studies-including at least a panel 7 chemistry, serum magnesium, and complete blood count-was performed. RESULTS: The causes of new-onset seizures in 26 patients with AIDS were idiopathic (8), HIV encephalopathy (8), CNS toxoplasmosis (5), alcohol withdrawal (2), progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (2), and CNS lymphoma (1). In 120 patients without HIV infection, idiopathic (43) and alcohol withdrawal (29) were the most common diagnoses. Six patients with AIDS had CNS lesions necessitating immediate admission to the hospital (5 with toxoplasmosis and 1 with lymphoma). Only 2 of 6 had findings on initial ED examination that would have suggested admission under current guidelines written for patients without HIV infection. The 4 patients with no findings were 3 with CNS toxoplasmosis and 1 with CNS lymphoma. CONCLUSION: Four of 26 AIDS patients with immediately treatable CNS lesions could have been sent home for outpatient evaluation of their seizures on the basis of current guidelines for non-HIV-infected patients. However, the updated 1997 ACEP guidelines now include emergent brain neuroimaging studies on patients who have or are suspected of having AIDS. This study helps to strengthen this recommendation. Based on these findings, the authors suggest a neuroimaging study with a lumbar puncture, if indicated, in the ED or inpatient admission workup for all patients with AIDS or suspected AIDS presenting with new-onset generalized seizures.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Heparin dosing for percutaneous coronary angioplasty: use of body surface area to improve initial activated clotting time values.

BACKGROUND: Activated clotting time (ACT) values during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) after the initial 10,000 U heparin bolus are often below target values of 350 or 400 s (Hemochron) and have to be supplemented with additional heparin. This study evaluated the initial 10 min post-heparin bolus clotting time value using a body surface area (BSA)-adjusted heparin bolus versus the traditional 10,000 U heparin bolus. HYPOTHESIS: Body surface area adjustment of initial heparin dosing prior to PTCA will be more effective in reaching target ACT values compared with the 10,000 U heparin bolus method. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients receiving the BSA-adjusted heparin bolus were compared with 27 age- and gender-matched controls who had received the traditional heparin bolus. The adjusted heparin bolus formula used was [BSA(m2)/1.3m2] x 10,000 U of heparin. RESULTS: The success rate at reaching the target value of 400 s was 13 of 27 (48.1%) and 2 of 27 (7.4%) for the BSA-guided and 10,000 U heparin-guided groups, respectively (p < 0.01). The success rate at reaching the 350 s target value was 25 of 27 (92.6%) and 6 of 27 (22.2%) for the BSA-guided and 10,000 U heparin-guided groups, respectively (p < 0.01). The 95% confidence intervals for the difference in success between the BSA-guided and 10,000 U heparin-guided groups were 0.19-0.62 and 0.52-0.89 for the 400 s and 350 s ACT targets, respectively. CONCLUSION: Body surface area adjustment of initial heparin dosing is a more effective method of reaching the initial ACT target values of 350 and 400 s compared with the traditional method prior to PTCA. This conclusion applies to the Hemochron ACT device and arterial samples, and adjustments may need to be made for other devices and/or venous samples.

Adult↗