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Objective: Patients with cortisol deficiency poorly tolerate any systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and may die if not treated with sufficient exogenous glucocorticoids. Controversy surrounds what constitutes a 'normal' adrenal response in critical illness. This study uses conventional tests for adrenal insufficiency to investigate cortisol status in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery, a condition frequently associated with SIRS. Design: A prospective, observational study. Methods: Thirty patients with impaired left ventricular function (ejection fraction O23% !50%) underwent basal ACTH measurement, and a short cosyntropin test (250 mg, i.v.) 1 week preoperatively, and at C4 h following induction of general anaesthesia. Preoperatively, a 30 min cortisol level post cosyntropin O550 nmol/l was taken as a normal response. Results: Prior to surgery, all patients had a normal response to cosyntropin. Postoperatively, eight patients (26.7%) did not achieve stimulated cortisol levels O550 nmol/l and the mean peak cortisol postoperatively was lower (1048 vs 730 nmol/l; P!0.001). There was a significant rise in ACTH after surgery (21 vs 184 ng/l; PZ0.007) and reduction in D-cortisol post cosyntropin (579 vs 229 nmol/l; P!0.001). There was no change in basal cortisol pre-and post-operatively (447 vs 501; PZ0.4). All patients underwent routine, uneventful postoperative recovery. Conclusion: Up to one quarter of patients with a normal cortisol status preoperatively demonstrated a raised ACTH and deficient cortisol response postoperatively. Despite these responses, all patients had uneventful outcomes. These data reinforce the need for caution when interpreting results of endocrine testing following major surgery or in the intensive care environment, and that prognostic value of these results may be of limited use.

We report a case history of the anesthetic management of a child with a severe form of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). AIP is an autosomal dominant condition with incomplete penetrance, caused by deficiency of porphobilinogen deaminase, an enzyme found in the synthetic pathway for heme. Anesthesia and surgery may present many precipitants for a potentially fatal acute porphyric attack. These include fasting, dehydration, stress, infection and drugs. Here, we describe the safe use of sevoflurane in the maintenance of anesthesia. Its relative insolubility and low metabolism suggest that sevoflurane may be a reasonable agent for anesthesia in the porphyric patient.

Background The morbidity and mortality from severe sepsis depends largely on how quickly and comprehensively evidencebased therapies are administered. As such, a huge opportunity exists. However, optimal care requires not only factual knowledge, but also numerous practical strategies including the ability to recognize a disease, to identify impending crises, to communicate effectively, to run a team, to work under stress and to simultaneously coordinate multiple tasks. Medical simulation offers a way to practice these essential crisis management skills, and without any risk to patients. Methods Following a didactic lecture on the key components of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines, we trained 20 emergency medicine residents on a portable Laerdal Patient Simulator. Pre-programmed sepsis scenarios were developed following a needs assessment and modified Delphi technique. To maximize realism, this was performed in the acute care area of the Emergency Department and included a pre-briefed respiratory therapist and nurse. We videotaped resident performance and provided nonpunitive feedback, focusing on the comprehensiveness of therapy (for example, whether broad-spectrum antibiotics were given) and crisis resource management strategies (for example, whether help was asked for and tasks were appropriately allocated). Results Evaluation using a five-point Likert scale demonstrated that participants found this very useful (4.5/5), that lessons were complementary and supplementary to those learned from lectures (4.5/5) and that medical simulation was realistic (4/5). In addition, despite prior sepsis lectures, comparison of pre-tests and posttests showed that more emergency medicine residents would: administer broad-spectrum antibiotics as soon as possible following hypotension (14/20 pre-test, compared with 16/20 posttest), administer low-dose corticosteroids for those with refractory shock (10/20 pre-test, compared with 13/20 post-test), and would favour norepinephrine as a vasopressor (8/20 pre-test, compared with 12/20 post-test). Participants specifically valued the chance to observe and practice crisis resource management skills, which they felt had not been previously addressed (19/20). Conclusion Medical simulation appears to be an effective way to change both knowledge and behaviours in the treatment of severe sepsis. Many education and licensing boards also expect trainees to become not only content experts, but also effective communicators, collaborators, resource managers and advocates. These laudable goals are difficult to capture with traditional lectures but are comparably easy using medical simulation. We hope others will consider medical simulation as a complementary teaching and quality-assurance strategy in the fight against sepsis. P2 Protective potential of 2-chloroadenosine in Klebsiella pneumoniae B5055 induced sepsis in BALB/c mice

I read with interest the report by McGann et al (1991). There are earlier reports than theirs of spontaneous disappearance of staghorn calculi. Elliot (1954) reviewed the literature to that date and collected 13 cases of spontaneous dissolution of renal calculi to which he added a further four cases. Not all of these fulfilled McGann's criteria, but all involved large stones which disappeared without treatment.