This book highlights the practical characteristics of uncommon diseases and presents the most relevant features for the management of intensive care units. It does not aim to provide an exhaustive description of uncommon diseases, focusing instead on the major diseases that intensivists may encounter in their clinical practice.After a brief introduction on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of each disease, the authors emphasize the aspects related to diagnosis and treatment, providing concise and pragmatic guidance for residents and intensivists who care for patients with uncommon diseases.Although by definition uncommon diseases have a low prevalence in the general population, they can affect a large number of patients admitted to intensive care units, as they can often be diagnosed at intensive care units. Indeed, often a complication of the disease is what leads to the patient's being admitted to an intensive care unit.

Marc Leone is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the Nord University Hospital in Marseille and an active member of several Professional Societies. Since 2008 he has published some 50 papers on the topic of infection and severe sepsis.Professor Martin is head of the Anesthesia and Intensive Care and Trauma Center Department at Nord University Hospital in Marseille, where he also serves as Director of the ICU. He is a member of many Scientific Societies, including the ESICM, ESA, ASA, ATS and ASM. As an expert in the use of antibiotics in Intensive Care patients, he works on empirical antibiotic treatment, pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in the ICU and perioperative use of antibiotics in surgical patients. Prof. Martin is also an expert in the management of severe sepsis and septic shock and is an active member of the Board of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. He has published several textbooks on these topics and more than 250 articles in peer-reviewed journals.Professor Jean-Louis Vincent is Head of the Department of Intensive Care at the Erasme Hospital (Free University of Brussels).