[Application of the current resuscitation guidelines 2005. Case report of successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation]

The international guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation are subject to continuous modification and were revised in November 2005. This report describes a case of an out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation where the patient survived a cardiac arrest without neurological sequelae after chest compression (30:2), bag-mask ventilation and multiple biphasic defibrillation (single shocks). This article gives a practical review of the most important new recommendations in the current resuscitation guidelines. The accomplished measures are discussed on the background of the new recommendations.

[Unstable angina pectoris in intermittent left bundle branch block]

We present a case report of a 57 year old woman with recurrent chest pain, initially exclusively at exercise and later also at rest. This led to an emergency hospitalization for suspected myocardial infarction. As there were no enzymatic and electrocardiographic signs of acute infarction she was treated, as unstable angina pectoris. Coronary angiography revealed but a modest coronary atheromatosis without significant coronary stenosis. Therefore her symptoms were interpreted as primary manifestation of an intermittant Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB) with changing heart-rate dependency. A majority of patients with LBBB and chest pain have a relevant Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). There is a small number of reports in literature about patients with intermittant LBBB without significant CAD but with both typical (exercise-induced) and atypical (at rest) chest pain. Special features of our case are presentation of LBBB as unstable angina, documentation of an intermittant LBBB with changing heart-rate dependency and heart-rate-dependent supranormal conduction in the left bundle branch. We review some important aspects of LBBB with regard to this case.

[Possibilities and limitations of thrombolysis. Benefits and risk in acute myocardial infarct, lung embolism, pelvic and leg vein thrombosis as well as cerebrovascular accidents]

The indications for thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis and ischemic stroke are reviewed on the basis of a risk-benefit analysis. There is strong evidence that thrombolysis benefits the majority of patients with acute myocardial infarction. Nevertheless, the overall proportion of patients actually receiving this therapy is disappointingly low (10-30%). Efforts are mainly required in minimizing delays in initiating thrombolysis (patient, doctor, in-hospital) and in providing thrombolytic therapy to an extended proportion of qualifying patients. This implies that many traditional but inappropriate exclusion criteria (e.g. age, presentation 6 to 12 hours after onset of symptoms, hypertension, reinfarction, brief cardiopulmonary resuscitation) are unfounded. Depending on duration of symptoms, infarct localization and age, we favor a differentiated thrombolytic regimen with rt-PA or streptokinase. In contrast to acute myocardial infarction, the risk-benefit ratio for the other thrombotic disorders discussed favours thrombolytic therapy only in a minority of carefully selected patients.

Nitric oxide production depends on preceding tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis by endothelial cells: selective suppression of induced nitric oxide production by sepiapterin reductase inhibitors

Using murine vascular endothelial cells expressing both constitutive and inducible nitric oxide synthases (cNOS and iNOS), we explored the feasibility of suppressing cytokine-induced nitric oxide (NO) production without affecting constitutive NO production by inhibition of the tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) biosynthesis. We show in this study that in endothelial cells cytokine/endotoxin-activated BH4 synthesis precedes the induction of NO generation. Using the sepiapterin reductase inhibitors phenprocoumon or dicumarol as BH4 synthesis inhibitors, we achieved a pronounced and selective suppression of induced NO production in cytokine-activated endothelial cells. Addition of exogenous BH4, but not sepiapterin, restored NO production in the presence of the inhibitors. Despite profound inhibition of the BH4 biosynthesis, constitutive NO synthesis was not affected, thereby demonstrating the selectivity and specificity of the inhibitors. Suppression of enhanced NO production by sepiapterin reductase inhibitors such as cumaroles could provide pharmacologic means for therapeutic interventions in NO-mediated pathophysiologic events.

[Community-acquired Acinetobacter pneumonia]

We report the history of a 38-year-old male native of Sri Lanka admitted to the emergency ward because of chest pain and shortness of breath. On physical and radiographic examination a bilateral predominantly right-sided pneumonia was found. The patient was admitted to the medical ICU and an antibiotic regimen with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and erythromycin was initiated. Shortly afterwards septic shock developed. The patient was intubated and received high doses of catecholamines. He died 30 hours after admission to the hospital. Cultures from sputum, tracheal aspirate and blood grew Acinetobacter baumanni. Acinetobacter is an ubiquitous gram-negative rod with coccobacillary appearance in clinical specimens, that may appear gram-positive due to poor discoloration on Gram-stain. It is a well known causative agent of nosocomial infections, particularly in intensive care units. Community-acquired pneumonias, however, are quite rare. Sporadic cases have been reported from the US, Papua-New Guinea and Australia. Interestingly, these pneumonias are fulminant and have a high mortality. Chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes, and tobacco and alcohol consumption appear to be predisposing factors. Due to the rapid course and poor prognosis, prompt diagnosis and adequate antibiotic treatment are indicated. Antibiotics use for community-acquired pneumonias, such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or macrolides, are not sufficient. Appropriate antibiotics for the initial treatment of suspected Acinetobacter infections include imipenem and carboxy- and ureidopenicillins combined with an aminoglycoside.

[Severe thrombocytopenia in systemic Boeck's disease]

We present a case of sarcoidosis-associated severe thrombocytopenia, a rare but well known complication. Diagnosis of sarcoidosis was based on radiologically enlarged hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes and on histology of biopsies taken from them by mediastinoscopy. In most cases an autoimmune etiology is assumed and platelet-associated antibodies can be demonstrated. Therapy resembles that of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia; an early start, sufficient duration and slow reduction of the corticosteroid medication is crucial. If bleeding complications occur, high-dose human gamma-globulins are indicated. In the light of the literature the pathophysiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this potentially lethal complication are discussed.

[HCG and SP-1 in normal pregnancy and in high-risk early pregnancy]

For the prognosis in early pregnancies associated with vaginal bleeding ultra-sonography and bio-chemical methods are prominent today. In a retrospective study of 90 determinations of both chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and SP-1 (pregnancy specific protein-1, TGB PS beta G) the prognostic value of these two glyco-proteins synthesized in the trophoblast were compared. Both parameters were reliable for the prognosis of threatened abortion, correlated well with each other and showed excellent statistical results regarding sensitivity, specificity and prognostic value regarding abortion or a chance for continuation of the pregnancy. Both were very efficient. These results show that HCG and SP-1 are equally well suited for the serial evaluation of trophoblast function in early pregnancy. Their value compared to ultra-sonography needs further studies.