Doctor or Money Shortage in California?

By: Robbins RA

Abstract: No abstract available. Article truncated after first 150 words. An LA Times article titled “California doesn’t have enough doctors. To recruit them, the state is paying off medical school debt” describes a program where the State of California will pay off student debts using Proposition 56 tobacco tax revenue (1). California’s program is aimed at increasing the number of doctors who see Medi-Cal patients which has not kept pace with the rapid expansion of the state’s healthcare program for the poor, which now covers 1 in 3 residents in the state. The trends of decreasing doctors who accept Medi-Cal along with the increasing number of Medi-Cal patients led healthcare, education and business leaders to form the California Future Health Workforce Commission (CFHWC) in 2017 to study the state’s impending healthcare crisis (2). The CFHWC task force ultimately proposed a $3-billion plan over the next 10 years including $120 million for loan forgiveness incentives that’s meant to ensure physicians and …

URL: http://www.swjpcc.com/news/2019/7/20/doctor-or-money-shortage-in-california.html 

Medical Image of the Month: Reexpansion Pulmonary Edema

By: Takamatsu C, Siyahian A, Starobinska E, Witten A

Abstract: No abstract available. Article truncated after 150 words. A 54-year-old woman with decompensated alcoholic liver cirrhosis presented to the emergency department with exertional dyspnea. She was afebrile, tachycardic (110), with oxygen saturation of 74% on 5 liters/minute (L/min), in moderate respiratory distress and was subsequently placed on a non-rebreather. On examination, she had absent breath sounds throughout her right lung with chest radiograph revealing large right-sided pleural effusion (Figure 1). A pigtail catheter was placed, draining approximately 4 liters of fluid (Figure 2), resulting in improved oxygenation to 93% on 3 L/min. On admission to internal medicine, the chest tube was clamped immediately. In the next 24 hours, patient developed increased oxygen requirements, with worsening tachypnea and tachycardia, requiring bilevel positive airway pressure and admission to the medical intensive care unit for reexpansion pulmonary edema (Figure 3).

Hepatic hydrothorax is a complication of cirrhosis and portal hypertension, defined as pleural effusion without any underlying pulmonary or cardiac etiologies. …

URL: http://www.swjpcc.com/imaging/2019/7/15/medical-image-of-the-month-reexpansion-pulmonary-edema.html 

Medical Image of the Month: Bilateral Atrial Enlargement

By: Raschke RA

Abstract: No abstract available. Article truncated after first 150 words. A 97-year-old woman was repeatedly admitted for dyspnea, hypoxemia and treated with antibiotics for presumed left lower lobe pneumonia. She has a past medical history of atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure and sick sinus syndrome with placement of a cardiac pacemaker. Notably on physical examination, she had heart rate of 110 beats/minute, temperature of 98.8°F, blood pressure of 122/72 mm Hg, and a respiratory rate of 27 breaths/minute. She had a sternal heave, a grade 4/6 "blowing" holosystolic murmur, a loud S2, jugular venous distension and an enlarged liver. Chest x-ray showed obscuration of the left lower lobe - the left heart border cannot be seen, and the L mainstem bronchus is straightened and lifted superiorly (Figure 1). An image of the heart is shown from a CT abdomen obtained 6 months previously, showing cardiomegaly, particularly massive atrial enlargement (Figure 2). An ultrasound showed bilateral atrial enlargement with moderate mitral …

URL: http://www.swjpcc.com/imaging/2019/7/2/medical-image-of-the-month-bilateral-atrial-enlargement.html 

July 2019 Critical Care Case of The Month: An 18-Year-Old with Presumed Sepsis and Progressive Multisystem Organ Failure

By: Raschke RA

Abstract: No abstract available. Article truncated after first page.

History of Present Illness:

An 18-year-old woman was admitted to HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center with a fever of unknown origin (FUO). She had a two week history of fever, malaise, sore throat, myalgias, and rash which she thought was the “flu”.

PMH, SH and FH:

She has no significant past medical history or family history. She works as a hairdresser She denied smoking or drug abuse.

Physical Examination:

Physical examination is unremarkable except to fever of 101.2°F.

Which of the following are appropriate at this time?

1. Rapid influenza diagnostic testing
2. Begin oseltamivir (Tamiflu®)
3. Urine and blood cultures
4. 1 and 3
5. All of the above …

URL: http://www.swjpcc.com/critical-care/2019/7/1/july-2019-critical-care-case-of-the-month-an-18-year-old-wit.html 

An Observational Study Demonstrating the Efficacy of Interleukin-1 Antagonist (Anakinra) in Critically-ill Patients with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

By: Henry K, Raschke RA

Abstract: Secondary hemophagocytic hymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is an underrecognized cause of multisystem organ failure (MSOF) in critically ill adults, associated with high mortality even when recommended etoposide-based treatments are administered. Anakinra, an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, has shown promise in treating children with HLH. This retrospective case series describes seven adult patients who presented to our ICU with a unremitting syndrome consistent with sepsis / MSOF, who were subsequently diagnosed with secondary HLH and received anakinra.  Five of seven (71%) survived. Two non-survivors died secondary to opportunistic fungal infections. Our study contributes to mounting observational evidence regarding anakinra’s possible efficacy in critically ill adults with HLH, and also raises awareness of possible infectious complications of its use.

URL: http://www.swjpcc.com/critical-care/2019/6/28/an-observational-study-demonstrating-the-efficacy-of-interle.html