Search

Purpose A patient’s death due to severe hematologic adverse effects of the concomitant use of four psychotropic medications is reported. Summary A 40-year-old Caucasian woman with a 9-year history of depression and anxiety (managed with alprazolam) was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for the treatment of acute psychotic symptoms. After nine days, the patient was discharged home on a regimen of lamotrigine, mirtazapine, quetiapine, and venlafaxine. Five weeks later, the development of severe ocular cellulitis, severe oral thrush, and febrile neutropenia necessitated the woman’s urgent rehospitalization; on admission, her white blood cell count was 600 cells/mm 3 , her absolute neutrophil count was 18 cells/mm 3 , and microbial pathogens were isolated in peripheral blood and tracheal aspirate cultures. Despite treatment with antibiotics and filgrastim, the patient developed multiorgan dysfunction and died five days later from septic shock. The woman’s concomitant use of multiple psychotropics and the late recognition of drug-induced agranulocytosis likely contributed to her severe symptoms and ultimate death. The application of the Naranjo scale to this case yielded a score of 6, indicating a probable adverse drug reaction. Although hematologic adverse effects have been reported with the use of each of the four drugs implicated in the woman’s death, this is thought to be the first report of fatal agranulocytosis associated with any of the drugs. Conclusion A 40-year old woman with a history of acute psychotic symptoms developed agranulocytosis and neutropenia after starting therapy that included lamotrigine, mirtazapine, quetiapine, and venlafaxine.

Noninfectious pneumonitis (NIP) has been reported with everolimus; however, the majority of the reported cases were mild to moderate. We report a fatal case of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) in a 61-year-old man. About 4 weeks after starting everolimus, the patient was admitted to the hospital with complaints of a 1-week history of progressive dyspnea with exertion and cough. The chest radiograph showed bilateral multifocal dense opacities, and he was started on antibiotics. However, his respiratory status deteriorated, and he was subsequently intubated and transferred to the intensive care unit. Chest computed tomography showed bronchocentric consolidation associated with widespread bilateral fine reticular opacification. Video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy showed noncaseating granulomatous inflammation and features of COP. All cultures were negative for bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Despite discontinuing everolimus and initiating corticosteroids, the patient died of progressive respiratory failure secondary to COP.

Objective: Implementing high-intensity staffing model improves outcome in general intensive care units (ICUs). We studied the effect of implementing such a model on the outcome of critically ill medical patients in an oncology ICU. Design: We compared admission rates, ICU mortality rates (MRs), 28-day MRs, length of stay (LOS) for patients discharged alive, and bed turnover rates of medical patients admitted to the ICU in the year 2004 (before an intensivist model was established) with those in the years 2006 and 2007 (after the model was established). We allowed for 1 year of transition to implement the changes required including the transformation of the ICU to a closed ICU with daily multidisciplinary rounds led by an intensivist as described in the Leapfrog model. Results: ICU admissions increased from 236 patients (2004) to 388 (2006) and 446 (2007). There was no significant difference in the disease severity of illness when compared by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, 20.6 (before) vs. 20.9 (after) (p = 0.386). ICU MR for the consecutive years decreased from 35.17% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 29.08–41.26) to 23.97% (95% CI: 19.72–28.22) and 22.87% (95% CI: 18.97–26.77), and 28-day MRs decreased from 47.69% (95% CI: 40.68–54.7) to 38.24% (95% CI: 32.91–43.58) and 29.84% (95% CI: 24.79–34.89). LOS (for patients who survived) decreased from a mean of 4.26 days (95% CI: 3.19–5.33) to 2.63 (95% CI: 2.4–2.86) and 2.63 (95% CI: 2.4–2.86). Bed turnover rates increased from 5.0 patient/bed (95% CI: 4.22–5.78) to 6.9 patient/bed (95% CI: 6.04–7.77) and 7.56 patient/bed (95% CI: 6.67–8.44). Conclusion: Implementing a high-intensity staffing model is associated with significant improvements in MRs, LOS, and bed utilization of critically ill oncology patients.

Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of hydrocortisone (HC) in cancer patients with septic shock. Methods This was a retrospective study of adult cancer patients with septic shock who received low-dose HC therapy (200 mg/day). The effectiveness of HC was assessed by determining the proportion of patients with reversal of septic shock, time to reversal, and mortality. The safety was assessed by determining the incidences of hyperglycemia, hypernatremia, and secondary infections, using a case-control approach. Results During the study period, 96 patients were enrolled. Reversal of septic shock was reported in 46 (47.9%) patients, median time to reversal was 1.9 days (range 0.2–7.6), ICU mortality was reported in 62 (65.26%) patients, and 28-day mortality in 64 (66.7%) patients. The incidence of secondary infections was higher in patients who received HC therapy, compared to patients who did not receive HC during septic shock: 44.8% vs 27.4%, P = 0.028. Conclusions HC therapy was associated with resolution of septic shock in about half of the patients and a high incidence of secondary infections. Prospective studies are needed to fully assess the efficacy and safety of HC in cancer patients with septic shock.

Objective: To determine the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of adverse drug events (ADEs) in critically ill patients with cancer. Methods: This was a 5-month prospective observational study. Patients who were admitted to the adult medical/surgical oncology intensive care unit (ICU) were evaluated for any drug-related adverse events during their ICU stay. An ADE was defined as injury or patient harm resulting from medical intervention related to a drug. Results: The incidence rate of ADEs was 96.5 per 1000 patient days and 35.3 per 100 ICU admissions. Of the reported ADEs, 57 (64.8%) were serious/life threatening, 30 (34.1%) were significant, 1 (1.1%) was fatal, and 14 (15.9%) of all ADEs were considered preventable. The most common drug classes associated with ADEs were antidiabetics, antibiotics, and analgesics/sedatives. The length of stay and presence of renal or respiratory failure were significantly associated with an increased number of ADEs. The length of stay and female sex were significantly associated with the likelihood of developing an ADE. Conclusion: Critically ill patients with cancer are at high risk of developing ADEs. Strategies that reduce the incidence and severity of ADEs are essential to improve the outcomes of this patient population.