Bone levels of cephradine and cefuroxime after intravenous administration in patients undergoing total hip replacement

Summary A randomised, comparative study is reported of single intravenous doses of cephradine 2 g or cefuroxime 1.5 g given as prophylactic cover for total hip replacements in 40 patients. The serum and bone levels of cephalosporin achieved were higher in the cephradine treated group in proportion to the higher dose employed. Both agents provided adequate bone levels on average, cephradine 25.34 mcg/g, cefuroxime 17.39 mcg/g, although bone penetration was more variable with cefuroxime.

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Résumé Dans cette étude comparative randomisée, 40 patients ont reçu une dose intraveineuse unique de 2 g de céphradine ou de 1,5 g de céfuroxime en tant que couverture prophylactique d'arthroplastie totale de hanche. Les concentrations sériques et osseuses de céphalosporine ont été plus élevées dans le groupe traité par la céphradine, en rapport avec l'utilisation d'une dose plus importante. Des concentrations osseuses adéquates ont été obtenues en moyenne avec les deux produits (25,34 mcg/g avec la céphradine et 17,39 mcg/g avec le céfuroxime) bien que la pénétration osseuse ait été plus variable avec le céfuroxime.

     

Hospital acquired native valve endocarditis caused by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and treated with imipenem/cilastin

A case of hospital acquired endocarditis due to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus in a severely burned patient is presented. Both aortic and mitral native valves were affected and the organism was resistant to most antimicrobial agents.     

Common pancreaticobiliary channels and their relationship to gallstone size in gallstone pancreatitis.

Bile reflux into the pancreatic duct after impaction of a stone in a common pancreaticobiliary channel has been suggested to be the initiating factor in gallstone pancreatitis. Such reflux would require that the impacted stone be smaller than the length of the common channel. The incidence of common channels was studied and gallstone size was compared with common channel length in patients with gallstone pancreatitis and those with cholelithiasis or choledocholithiasis without pancreatitis. Sixty-seven per cent of patients with gallstone pancreatitis had a common channel present on intraoperative cholangiography versus 32% of patients with cholelithiasis or choledocholithiasis without pancreatitis (p less than 0.005). Common channel length was greater than the diameter of the smallest stone in nine of 27 patients with gallstone pancreatitis and in 13 of 109 patients with cholelithiasis or choledocholithiasis without pancreatitis (p less than 0.025). In conclusion, common channels are more frequent in patients with gallstone pancreatitis than in patients with other biliary tract disease. Furthermore, gallstone pancreatitis is associated with stones that are smaller than the common channel, which favors obstruction of both pancreatic and bile ducts while allowing reflux of contents between them.     

Predicting medical students' intentions to take up rural practice after graduation

Objectives Using a novel longitudinal tracking project, this study develops and evaluates the performance of a predictive model and index of rural medical practice intention based on the characteristics of incoming medical students. Methods Medical school entry survey data were obtained from the Medical Schools Outcome Database (MSOD) project implemented in all Australian and New Zealand medical schools and coordinated through Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand, the representative body for the Deans of 18 Australian and two New Zealand medical schools and faculties. The medical school commencement survey collects data on students’ education and family background, including rural upbringing, personal circumstances and scholarships, and on their practice intentions in terms of location and specialty. The MSOD will also allow tracking of medical graduates after graduation. Logistic regression modelling was used to develop a predictive model of rural practice intention. Split‐sample validation was used to gain some insight into the stability of performance of the model. Results Response rates to the MSOD survey exceeded 90% on average. The model findings confirm and extend previous research examining the association of medical student characteristics with intention to take up rural medical practice. The statistically significant independent factors in the model included students’ rural backgrounds, financial arrangements and intentions regarding specialist versus generalist practice upon graduation. Model performance was good, with an area under the receiver‐operator characteristics curve of 0.86, and reproducible, with an area in a validation sample of 0.83. Conclusions The model and related index provide important insights into individual factors associated with rural practice intention among students commencing medical studies. The model can also provide a means for optimising the use of scarce medical programme resources, thereby helping to improve the supply of rural medical practitioners. This study illustrates the power and potential of a robust, consistent, systematic longitudinal tracking project.     

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality in diabetic subjects increases significantly with reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): 10 years' data from the South Tees Diabetes Mortality study.

AIMS: To investigate the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and total and cardiovascular mortality in a population-based cohort of diabetic subjects. METHODS: A longitudinal study using a population-based district diabetes register comprising 3288 subjects in South Tees, UK. The eGFR was calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation. Patients were stratified by baseline eGFR into five stages as per the National Kidney Foundation guidelines: Stage 1, eGFR > 90; Stage 2, eGFR 60-89; Stage 3, eGFR 30-59; Stage 4, eGFR 15-29; and Stage 5, eGFR < 15 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). Main outcome was all-cause and cardiovascular mortality between 1 January 1994 and 31 July 2004. RESULTS: At baseline, mean age (58.4 years) differed between groups. Persons with lower eGFR were older (P < 0.001). Thirty-six percent (n = 1193, males 56%) had died by 10 years (cardiovascular cause in 60%). Median follow-up was 10.5 years amounting to 28 342 person years. Stages 4 and 5 (eGFR 相似文献   

Adherence to treatment in patients with epilepsy: associations with seizure control and illness beliefs.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated non-adherence to antiepileptic drug treatment amongst patients with epilepsy in secondary care. The associations between adherence and seizure control, perceptions of illness and medication, anxiety and depression were also examined. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of fifty-four patients with epilepsy were recruited from a hospital epilepsy clinic. RESULTS: Fifty-nine percent were estimated to be non-adherent to medication. There was a negative correlation between adherence and frequency of seizures. Patients with poorly controlled epilepsy were more anxious, and expected a longer duration of their epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Assessment of adherence should be a routine part of management of epilepsy. Further recognition and support should be given to patients who have poor seizure control since they are more likely to be more anxious and have unhelpful illness and treatment beliefs.     

GLUT1 and GLUT8 in endometrium and endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Glucose is provided to cells by a family of glucose transport facilitators known as GLUTs. These transporters are expressed in a tissue specific manner and are overexpressed in many primary tumors of these tissues. Regulation of glucose transport facilitator expression has been demonstrated in endometrial tissue and endometrial adenocarcinoma. The following experiments were conducted to quantify and localize the expression of GLUT1 and GLUT8 in benign endometrium and compare this expression to endometrial cancer. Endometrial tissue samples were obtained from random hysterectomy specimens of patients with benign indications for surgery and endometrial cancer. Immunoblot and immunolocatization studies were performed using GLUT1 and GLUT8 specific antisera. Endometrial samples from 65 women who had undergone hysterectomy were examined (n=38 benign, n=27 malignant). A 44 and a 35.4 kDa immunoreacive species was demonstrated in endometrium and endometrial cancer for GLUT1 and GLUT8, respectively. Upregulation of GLUT1 expression was demonstrated with increasing grade of tumors (P<0.002). GLUT8 expression was increased in all tumor subtypes compared to atrophic endometrium (P<0.001). Apical localization by GLUT1 and GLUT8 was demonstrated in endometrial glands. GLUT1 and GLUT8 demonstrated diffuse intracellular localization in the cancer subtypes. GLUT1 and GLUT8 are expressed in both human endometrium and endometrial cancer. There appears to be a step-wise progression in GLUT1 and GLUT8 expression as tumor histopathology worsens. GLUT1 and GLUT8 may be important markers in tumor differentiation, as well as providing energy to rapidly dividing tumor cells.     

Hepatic UDP-glucose 13C isotopomers from [U-13C]glucose: a simple analysis by 13C NMR of urinary menthol glucuronide.

Menthol glucuronide was isolated from the urine of a healthy 70-kg female subject following ingestion of 400 mg of peppermint oil and 6 g of 99% [U-(13)C]glucose. Glucuronide (13)C-excess enrichment levels were 4-6% and thus provided high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for confident assignment of (13)C-(13)C spin-coupled multiplet components within each (13)C resonance by (13)C NMR. The [U-(13)C]glucuronide isotopomer derived via direct pathway conversion of [U-(13)C]glucose to [U-(13)C]UDP-glucose was resolved from [1,2,3-(13)C(3)]- and [1,2-(13)C(2)]glucuronide isotopomers derived via Cori cycle or indirect pathway metabolism of [U-(13)C]glucose. In a second study, a group of four overnight-fasted patients (63 +/- 10 kg) with severe heart failure were given peppermint oil and infused with [U-(13)C]glucose for 4 hr (14 mg/kg prime, 0.12 mg/kg/min constant infusion) resulting in a steady-state plasma [U-(13)C]glucose enrichment of 4.6% +/- 0.6%. Menthol glucuronide was harvested and glucuronide (13)C-isotopomers were analyzed by (13)C NMR. [U-(13)C]glucuronide enrichment was 0.6% +/- 0.1%, and the sum of [1,2,3-(13)C(3)] and [1,2-(13)C(2)]glucuronide enrichments was 0.9% +/- 0.2%. From these data, flux of plasma glucose to hepatic UDPG was estimated to be 15% +/- 4% that of endogenous glucose production (EGP), and the Cori cycle accounted for at least 32% +/- 10% of GP.