Sepsis is a life-threatening condition resulting from an inflammatory overreaction that is induced by an infectious factor, which leads to multi-organ failure. Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a common complication of sepsis that can lead to acute cognitive and consciousness disorders, and no strict diagnostic criteria have been created for the complication thus far. The etiopathology of SAE is not fully understood, but plausible mechanisms include neuroinflammation, blood–brain barrier disruption, altered cerebral microcirculation, alterations in neurotransmission, changes in calcium homeostasis, and oxidative stress. SAE may also lead to long-term consequences such as dementia and post-traumatic stress disorder. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of substances with neuroprotective properties that have the potential to offer neuroprotection in the treatment of SAE. An extensive literature search was conducted, extracting 71 articles that cover a range of substances, including plant-derived drugs, peptides, monoclonal antibodies, and other commonly used drugs. This review may provide valuable insights for clinicians and researchers working in the field of sepsis and SAE and contribute to the development of new treatment options for this challenging condition.

Background: Pleural effusion is a common clinical condition encountered in emergency departments and often requires timely therapeutic intervention. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided pigtail catheter drainage in patients presenting with symptomatic pleural effusion. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 134 drainage procedures performed in a tertiary hospital emergency department in 2024. Adult patients who underwent ultrasound-guided drainage were included regardless of primary diagnosis. Results: Clinical improvement was observed in 86.6% of patients, while radiological improvement—assessed only in cases with complete follow-up imaging—was seen in 56.0%. Procedure-related complications were rare (3.7%), and 50% of patients were discharged directly from the emergency department, highlighting the feasibility of ambulatory management. Nearly half of the patients had underlying malignancy and were receiving palliative care. Conclusions: While indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are typically used in long-term outpatient settings, our study focused on temporary pigtail catheter drainage performed in-hospital as a symptom-relieving intervention. The findings align with previous studies supporting the safety and effectiveness of small-bore catheter use in this context. Ultrasound-guided pigtail drainage represents a low-risk, patient-centered approach that can reduce the burden on inpatient services and enhance quality of care for individuals with advanced disease. This method may be considered a first-line option in selected patients presenting with large or symptomatic pleural effusions in acute care settings

Background: Viscoelastic assays characterize haemostatic abnormalities in cancer, but their clinical prognostic value remains uncertain. We reviewed thromboelastography (TEG), rapid TEG and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) for laboratory phenotyping and thrombotic risk assessment. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection were searched through 15 October 2026. During revision, a second reviewer independently verified full-text decisions and extracted data and available quality assessments. Findings were synthesized by temporality, thrombotic endpoint, clinical setting and viscoelastic domain. The protocol was not prospectively registered. Results: The review included 64 reports published between 1997 and 2026: 38 grouped with clinical thrombotic endpoints and 26 primarily addressing laboratory findings. Forty-five reports used TEG and 19 used ROTEM. Laboratory abnormalities frequently involved faster clot propagation and increased clot strength, but normal or inconsistent profiles were also reported. Associations with existing thrombosis were distinguished from testing before incident events. High discrimination estimates sometimes belonged to multivariable models, while other studies found little independent prognostic information from TEG/ROTEM. Evidence for fibrinolysis-based prediction was limited and assay-dependent. Conclusions: Evidence supports laboratory haemostatic characterization more strongly than individual thrombosis prediction. Current findings do not establish that viscoelastic-guided thromboprophylaxis improves patient outcomes.