Evaluation of the contribution of isolation precautions in prevention and control of multi-resistant bacteria in a teaching hospital

From February 1999 to January 2000, a control programme to prevent the spread multi-resistant bacteria (MRB) was implemented in a French teaching hospital. This programme focused on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterobacteriaceae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), and was based on the application of barrier precautions (washing hands with antiseptic soaps, wearing disposable gloves and gowns, identifying MRB carriers). No changes in antibiotic policy occurred during the year. Our aim was to conduct an evaluation of this programme by measuring incidence rates. Concurrently, the effect of barrier precautions was estimated in an indirect way, by documenting the availability of barrier precautions in MRB carriers' rooms and by analysing the monthly correlation between the supply of such material and the theoretical cumulated length of MRB carriers' isolation in six randomized wards. All MRB isolated in hospitalized patients were recorded, and differentiated between acquisition in our hospital or from elsewhere. For the analysis of trends, the year was divided in three periods of four months. Over the year, the global MRB incidence was 1.26 per 1000 patient-days (PD) [95% confidence interval (95%CI)=1.16-1.36]. The MRSA incidence was 0.89 per 1000 PD (95%CI=0.81- 0.97) and the ESBL incidence was 0.38 per 1000 PD (95% CI=0.33-0.43). The MRB incidence decreased significantly in all types of specialties except for surgical wards. The incidence decreased by 17.9% for MRSA, 54.9% for ESBL and 34.8% for both MRB. Concurrently, the proportion of strains acquired in our hospital decreased for MRSA (P for trend > or = 0.05) and ESBL (P for trend > or = 0.01), whereas the incidence of imported strains increased slightly. The proportion of multiresistant strains in S. aureus (36.8%) and Enterobacter aerogenes (37.0%) remained similar throughout the year. Thus, the decrease of the incidence concerned both resistant and susceptible strains. The availability of antiseptic soaps increased significantly (P for trend > or = 0.01). The amount of antiseptic soap ordered and the theoretical lengths of isolation were correlated on a monthly basis (Spearman coefficient = 0.72; P > or = 0.02). These results shows the efficacy of such a programme of MRB containment in a large hospital, provided barrier nursing is instigated, together with the availability of such material as antiseptic soap, to allow implementation.     

Primary hormone treatment in postmenopausal women with breast cancer

Clinical benefits of hormone therapy in patients with hormone-sensitive tumors have been clearly established. Postmenopausal women with positive hormone receptors represent the largest group of patients in whom early stage breast cancer is diagnosed. Third-generation aromatase inhibitors (letrozole, anastrozole, and exemestane) are active and well tolerated in postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive metastasic or locally advanced breast cancer as first or second line treatment. These are also valuable agents in the neoadjuvant setting in postmenopausal women, and even as single treatment in localized breast tumors in women not amenable to surgery.     

胃癌前病变中DNA甲基化状态与叶酸

DNA甲基化异常是胃癌发生的重要机制之一,为了能尽早发现并纠正DNA甲基化异常,阻止胃癌的发生,胃黏膜癌前病变中DNA甲基化状态的研究日益受到重视．众多研究表明,胃黏膜癌前病变中多种基因中存在甲基化异常,而且基因的甲基化异常程度与年龄、性别有关,还与胃黏膜上皮细胞是否存在活动性炎症、肠化及幽门螺杆菌感染有关．叶酸缺乏可导致DNA甲基化的紊乱和DNA修复机制效率的减弱, 叶酸摄入量不足患胃癌的相对危险度增高;胃黏膜癌前病变患者体内叶酸不足,黏膜细胞总基因组DNA甲基化水平下降;经叶酸治疗后,体内叶酸升高,黏膜细胞总基因组DNA 甲基化水平上升,异型增生、肠上皮化生明显改善．因此,叶酸缺乏与胃黏膜癌前病变的发生、发展有关,及时纠正叶酸不足,可逆转胃黏膜的病理改变,减少胃癌的发生．