A randomized prospective comparison of oral versus intraperitoneal ofloxacin as the primary treatment of CAPD peritonitis

Summary: Oral ofloxacin has been successfully used in our centres for the primary treatment of peritonitis complicating continous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). In view of the progressive rise in the resistance rate to ofloxacin among peritoneal bacterial isolates, a study was conducted to determine if oral ofloxacin remains a viable first line treatment for CAPD peritonitis in our centres and if the result can be improved by changing from an oral to an intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. In patients on three 2 L daily CAPD exchanges, ofloxacin given at the i.p. dosage of 200 mg loading followed by 25 mg/L of peritoneal dialysate achieved overnight trough peritoneal levels which are at least four times the minimal 90% inhibitory concentration (MIC90) of most bacterial pathogens without significant accumulation in the systemic circulation. This i.p. dosage was therefore chosen for the clinical study and the result was compared to that using ofloxacin given in the oral dosage of 400 mg loading followed by 300 mg once daily as maintenance. of all the recruited episodes, 35 were eligible for analysis. the overall primary cure rate including primary failures and relapses was 55.6% (10/18) in the oral treatment group and 70.6% (12/17) in the i.p. treatment group. the corresponding figures for gram positive bacterial (g +) infections were 36.4% and 50%, for gram negative bacterial (g -) infections were 66.7 and 80% and for culture negative infections were 75 and 80%. In culture positive cases, all treatment failures were due to resistant infections which were observed in 42.3% of all bacterial isolates, 47.1% of g + isolates and 33.3% of g - isolates. Due to the high background level of bacterial resistance among our CAPD population, ofloxacin monotherapy given either by the oral or the i.p. route can no longer be recommended for the primary treatment of CAPD peritonitis.     

Quality systems and total process control in blood banking

Blood banking has dramatically changed in the past few years. Is the old business hierarchy and medical model for management still workable? How do we want to organize our work today for success in the future? Implementation of quality systems may seem overwhelmingly complex at this time to many blood banking establishments. However, by methodically adhering to the requirements of organization development described in this review, blood centers can achieve goals of quality improvement and TPC. The FDA and the pharmaceuticals and medical device industries have set the direction and provided guidance to blood establishments. The AABB, American Society for Quality Control, the American Society for Training and Development, and numerous other professional organizations can contribute information and materials. The FDA's document on quality assurance and the CFR are the basic texts guiding the approach presented in this paper. The organization's structure and processes may need to be reengineered to meet the requirements of a culture based on quality and process control.     

Diabetic status and the relation of the three domains of glycemic control to mortality in critically ill patients: an international multicenter cohort study

Introduction

Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and increased glycemic variability have each been independently associated with increased risk of mortality in critically ill patients. The role of diabetic status on modulating the relation of these three domains of glycemic control with mortality remains uncertain. The purpose of this investigation was to determine how diabetic status affects the relation of hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and increased glycemic variability with the risk of mortality in critically ill patients.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data involving 44,964 patients admitted to 23 intensive care units (ICUs) from nine countries, between February 2001 and May 2012. We analyzed mean blood glucose concentration (BG), coefficient of variation (CV), and minimal BG and created multivariable models to analyze their independent association with mortality. Patients were stratified according to the diagnosis of diabetes.

Results

Among patients without diabetes, mean BG bands between 80 and 140 mg/dl were independently associated with decreased risk of mortality, and mean BG bands >140 mg/dl, with increased risk of mortality. Among patients with diabetes, mean BG from 80 to 110 mg/dl was associated with increased risk of mortality and mean BG from 110 to 180 mg/dl with decreased risk of mortality. An effect of center was noted on the relation between mean BG and mortality. Hypoglycemia, defined as minimum BG <70 mg/dl, was independently associated with increased risk of mortality among patients with and without diabetes and increased glycemic variability, defined as CV >20%, was independently associated with increased risk of mortality only among patients without diabetes. Derangements of more than one domain of glycemic control had a cumulative association with mortality, especially for patients without diabetes.

Conclusions

Although hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and increased glycemic variability is each independently associated with mortality in critically ill patients, diabetic status modulates these relations in clinically important ways. Our findings suggest that patients with diabetes may benefit from higher glucose target ranges than will those without diabetes. Additionally, hypoglycemia is independently associated with increased risk of mortality regardless of the patient''s diabetic status, and increased glycemic variability is independently associated with increased risk of mortality among patients without diabetes.See related commentary by Krinsley, http://ccforum.com/content/17/2/131See related commentary by Finfer and Billot, http://ccforum.com/content/17/2/134     

镉相关翻译启动因子TIF3致Ras癌基因蛋白的异常表达

目的 研究镉相关翻译启动因子TIF3对多种细胞肿瘤相关基因表达的影响,探索镉的分子致癌机制。方法应用TIF3基因真核细胞稳定表达系统和Western blot检测技术,用各种单克隆抗体检测细胞肿瘤相关基因蛋白的表达情况。结果 相对于载体转染中国仓鼠卵巢(CHO)对照细胞,在4株具有高效稳定表达TIF3编码蛋白质的CHO细胞系中均有pan—ras癌基因蛋白异常表达,其编码蛋白(21kDa)含量均明显高于对照组;其余肿瘤相关基因蛋白如c—myc．c-jun,MDM2,ODC,P16,p53,Cyclin D1的表达蛋白在TIF3转基因细胞与对照细胞之间未见明显差别。结论 镉相关翻译启动因子TIF3是一种镉应答原癌基因,TIF3的超额表达可导致Ras癌基因蛋白异常表达,这可能是镉应答原癌基因TIF3的分子致癌机制。     

Successful Treatment of Bone Marrow Failure in Gaucher's Disease with Low-dose Modified Glucocerebrosidase

We report the beneficial effects of enzyme replacement therapywith mannose-terminated human glucocerebrosidase (‘Ceredase’)in a patient suffering from transfusion-dependent bone marrowfailure due to Gaucher's disease. Treatment with low-dose enzymeinfusions, given twice weekly, rapidly reversed the haematopoieticfailure and incapacitating skeletal disease. It appears likelythat prior splenectomy favourably influenced the response tothis therapy.     

Postappendectomy fluid collections in children: incidence, nature, and evolution evaluated using US

At the authors' medical center, most patients with postappendectomy fluid collections are treated conservatively. Thirty-two (15%) of 216 children underwent postoperative sonography following appendectomies. In ten patients (31%), a total of 16 fluid collections were found on the initial postoperative sonogram. In the seven patients (70%) whose fluid collections were confined to the pelvis, the condition was treated conservatively and it resolved in 2-9 weeks. In three patients, fluid collections required surgical drainage and proved to be abscesses. In two of the three patients, abscesses were multiple and widely distributed in the abdomen, and the patients were clinically ill. The authors conclude that clinically symptomatic fluid collections develop postoperatively in approximately 5% of children who have undergone appendectomy for acute appendicitis and that the size and course of the fluid collection can be objectively monitored using sonography. Such fluid collections confined to the pelvis ultimately resolve with conservative, nonoperative therapy, although resolution may take up to 2 months.     

Folic acid nutrition in marasmic infants

To determine the prevalence of low folic acid levels in infants with marasmic malnutrition and to study its response to daily supplements of folic acid, a group of 80 malnourished infants 2 to 22 months of age were studied. In 12.5% of the group, serum folic acid levels were under 3ug/l and in 16.3%, red cell folic acid levels were under 140ug/l. In a sub group of 28 infants we determined the levels of folic acid on admission and discharge from a nutritional recovery center. During their hospital stay (median 117 days with a range of 94 to 130) infants received exclusively cow's milk with a daily supplement of 100ug of folic acid. On discharge, a significant increase of serum folic levels to normal values was observed. A similar improvement, but not to the same extent, was appreciated in red cell folates. Inadequate quantity of supplementation or short time of observation could explain the lack of complete correction in the erythrocyte folic concentration.