Background Caffeine is a known inhibitor of Clozapine metabolism mediated by inhibition of CYP1A2. Hitherto, the effects of caffeine on Clozapine levels have always been modest, as have the clinical manifestations of toxicity resulting from their interaction. We present a case of severe toxicity associated with the co-consumption of caffeine and Clozapine culminating in life-threatening complications requiring management in Intensive Care. Case presentation A 34 year old male with a history of chronic schizophrenia, who had been managed stably on 400 mg Clozapine for the previous 5 years, changed his dietary behaviour and began consuming caffeine-containing energy drinks over the course of 3 weeks. The total daily dose of caffeine was estimated as 600 mg/day (four cans of Red Bull). He subsequently presented to the Emergency Department with life-threatening Clozapine toxicity, resulting in a decreased level of consciousness, severe metabolic acidosis, acute respiratory failure, raised inflammatory markers and acute renal failure attributed to interstitial nephritis. Maximum recorded Clozapine level was 1796 ng/ml. Conclusions This case describes the interaction between a common caffeine-containing beverage and a commonly prescribed antipsychotic medication, associated with severe adverse effects. We call for clinical and scientific attention to the possible interaction between these substances and draw attention to the implications for prescribing practices and patient counselling.
The relationship between external injuries and internal injuries was investigated, with the aim of determining whether potentially lethal internal injuries could be reliably inferred from external findings alone. From a database of post-mortem reports, 291 were extracted and examined. The external and internal injuries were coded according to region, type and severity. Analysis of the data consisted of Spearman correlations for severity and positive predictive values for internal injuries of high lethality. Overall, the correlation between external and internal injuries was poor. The most predictive external injuries were multiple lacerations, large abrasions with lacerations, and gross distortions. Predictably, the most severe external injuries were the most reliable predictors of lethal internal injuries. External injuries of the head were more predictive of internal damage than external injuries elsewhere. Minor external injuries (such as bruises, small abrasions or small lacerations) did not predict lethal internal injuries. In conclusion, external examination findings are largely unreliable as markers of lethal internal injuries in the forensic investigation of victims of motor vehicle trauma, especially in situations where the external injuries are minor. Further research into non-invasive methods of forensic investigation is warranted.
Objective Little is known about the epidemiology of medical emergencies occurring in the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of this study is to draw attention to the importance of auditing emergency events in the ICU. We hypothesised that emergency events occurring in the ICU would be clustered during periods of decreased medical and nursing attention and would occur in patients who had a higher illness severity and a greater risk of death. Methods A retrospective observational cohort study was carried out in a 36-bed tertiary intensive care unit. The data capture all intensive care patients admitted to the ICU from 1 January to 1 December 2020. The number of emergency events occurring during each clock hour was correlated with ICU shift staffing patterns. In-hospital mortality and illness severity scores for patients experiencing emergency events were compared with those for all other ICU patients. Results Serious medical emergencies were most frequent during the day, specifically during the morning ICU round (30% of all such events occurred between 08:00 and 12:00 hours), and there were peaks of incidence in the hour following each nursing and medical shift handover (following shift change times at 08:00, 15:00 and 21:00 hours). Agitation-related emergency events were least frequent during the periods of nursing day shift and afternoon shift overlap (07:00–08:00 hours and 13:00–15:00 hours). Patients who experienced serious medical emergency events in the ICU had a higher in-hospital mortality rate (28.3%) compared with the overall ICU mortality of 10.5% (OR = 4.89, 95% CI: 3.04–7.86). Conclusions Patients who deteriorate suddenly in the ICU have greater illness severity and a significantly increased risk of death. The incidence of serious emergency events correlates with patterns of ICU staffing and work routines. This has implications for rostering, clinical workflow and education program design.
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