In this study the records of 45 patients with sickle cell disease involved in 63 presentations of acute chest syndrome at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau, the Bahamas, between 1997 and 2001 were examined. Patients were divided into three groups on the basis of age (<13 years, 13-18 years, >/=19 years) with a view to assessing clinical presentation. The incidence of symptoms, physical s...

BACKGROUND Acute chest pain is a major health problem all over the western world. Active approaches are directed towards diagnosis and treatment of potentially life threatening conditions, especially acute coronary syndrome/ischemic heart disease. However, according to the literature, chest pain may also be due to a variety of extra-cardiac disorders including dysfunction of muscles and joints ...

AIM To describe a new toxic inhalation syndrome in blast furnace workers. METHODS Fourteen workers developed acute respiratory symptoms shortly after exposure to "air blast" from blast furnace tuyeres. These included chest tightness, dyspnoea, rigors, and diaphoresis. Chest radiographs showed pulmonary infiltrates, and lung function a restrictive abnormality. This report includes a descriptio...

A 28-year-old sub-Saharan African Italian non-smoker male presented with signs and symptoms of pneumonia and respiratory failure. Despite antibiotic treatment he experienced a significant worsening of respiratory conditions and admission to intensive care unit. He thus underwent chest computed tomography followed by fiberopict bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage whose macroscopic examinati...

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an intensive care condition first described more than three decades ago. Recent advances in the understanding of its pathology and management are reviewed. Of particular relevance to physiotherapists are the characteristic metabolic, haemodynamic and respiratory consequences of ARDS. These have implications for physiotherapy practice as chest physio...

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease characterised by the presence of an abnormal haemoglobin. Sickle cell disease can be complicated by acute vaso-occlusive crisis, which are the major clinical problem prompting admission to hospital and the major cause of death. It mainly manifests by osteo-articular pain and acute chest syndrome and can be complicated by multi-organ failure. The main ...

LETTERS Cost effective strategy to risk stratify acute chest pain cases at a district general hospital I read with interest the paper by Miller et al. 1 The " high risk " patients with acute coronary syndrome are kept in hospital these days for a possible early intervention. This is in line with the FRICS-II recommendations. One of the fundamental principles of the National Service Framework (N...

background: pyrethroids are generally of low toxicity to humans, but in suicidal poisonings which are usually associated with ingestion of high doses, they lead to severe systemic effects. case report: a 30-year old woman presented to emergency department with a history of intentional ingestion of about 15 ml of prallethrin around 3 days earlier. she complained of shortness of breath along with...

OBJECTIVES Patients presenting with chest pain or related symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischemia, without ST-segment elevation (NSTE) on their presenting electrocardiograms, often present a diagnostic challenge in the emergency department (ED). Prompt and accurate risk stratification to identify those patients with NSTE chest pain who are at highest risk for adverse events is essential, how...