title: [In-hospital cardiac arrest due to unobserved steroid-induced hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome].
abstract: The merging of hospital wards into highly specialized units facilitates targeted diagnostics and treatment. Often the result is favourable for the patient, but in some cases the basic conditions are overlooked. We describe a patient with inoperable oesophageal cancer who had unexplained mental confusion for three days due to an unobserved corticosteroid-induced hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome. The main differential diagnosis was cerebral metastases and a cerebral computed tomography was performed before cardiac arrest led to the right diagnosis. It is crucial to remember that unexplained deterioration in a patient with inoperable cancer can have a reversible cause.
authors.affiliation: Thoraxkirurgisk Afdeling RT 2152, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 København Ø, Denmark. katrine.jensen@rh.regionh.dk
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Kristin Julia
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Steinthorsdottir
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006944:Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Coma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone