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The consumption of energy drinks (ED) has become a growing public health issue, since potentially ED-related serious adverse cardiovascular events, including arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathies, and sudden cardiac death, have been reported in recent years. The substances contained in ED include caffeine, taurine, sugars, B group vitamins and phyto-derivatives, which, especially if taken in large quantities and in a short amount of time, could cause serious side effects through various mechanisms of action, such as increased blood pressure and QT interval prolongation. Although there are still many open questions on ED that require further specific investigations, there is an urgent need for information and educational plans to the population, as well as for regulatory actions, particularly regarding transparency of substances and possible adverse effects.

A unique case of severe measles complicated by multiple features of gas accumulation is described, on the ground of the available literature evidences. Complications from measles have been reported in every organ system and they may vary by age and underlying conditions. Pneumomediastinum is usually associated with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumopericardium, but rarely associated with pneumothorax. We report extremely rare simultaneous occurrence of self-limiting pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, subcutaneous neck and chest region emphysema, and pneumothorax, in a 19-year-old girl with measles. A review of the literature has documented only one previous report of spontaneous pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax in the course of measles, and no previous cases reported the association of pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumopericardium and pneumothorax complicating measles.