Influence of Lung Aeration on Pulmonary Concentrations of Nebulized and Intravenous Amikacin in Ventilated Piglets with Severe Bronchopneumonia

Background: Pulmonary concentrations of aminoglycosides administered intravenously are usually low in the infected lung parenchyma. Nebulization represents an alternative to increase pulmonary concentrations, although the obstruction of bronchioles by purulent plugs may impair lung deposition by decreasing lung aeration.

Methods: An experimental bronchopneumonia was induced in anesthetized piglets by inoculating lower lobes with a suspension of 106 cfu/ml Escherichia coli. After 24 h of mechanical ventilation, 7 animals received two intravenous injections of 15 mg/kg amikacin, and 11 animals received two nebulizations of 40 mg/kg amikacin at 24-h intervals. One hour following the second administration, animals were killed, and multiple lung specimens were sampled for assessing amikacin pulmonary concentrations and quantifying lung aeration on histologic sections.

Results: Thirty-eight percent of the nebulized amikacin (15 mg/kg) reached the tracheobronchial tree. Amikacin pulmonary concentrations were always higher after nebulization than after intravenous administration, decreased with the extension of parenchymal infection, and were significantly influenced by lung aeration: 197 +/- 165 versus 6 +/- 5 [mu]g/g in lung segments with focal bronchopneumonia (P = 0.03), 40 +/- 62 versus 5 +/- 3 [mu]g/g in lung segments with confluent bronchopneumonia (P = 0.001), 18 +/- 7 versus 7 +/- 4 [mu]g/g in lung segments with lung aeration of 30% or less, and 65 +/- 9 versus 2 +/- 3 [mu]g/g in lung segments with lung aeration of 50% or more.     

Prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and relation to glycemic control therapies at baseline in the BARI 2D cohort

Abstract   We evaluated the associations between glycemic therapies and prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) at baseline among participants in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) trial on medical and revascularization therapies for coronary artery disease (CAD) and on insulin-sensitizing vs. insulin-providing treatments for diabetes. A total of 2,368 patients with type 2 diabetes and CAD was evaluated. DPN was defined as clinical examination score >2 using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). DPN odds ratios across different groups of glycemic therapy were evaluated by multiple logistic regression adjusted for multiple covariates including age, sex, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and diabetes duration. Fifty-one percent of BARI 2D subjects with valid baseline characteristics and MNSI scores had DPN. After adjusting for all variables, use of insulin was significantly associated with DPN (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.15–2.13). Patients on sulfonylurea (SU) or combination of SU/metformin (Met)/thiazolidinediones (TZD) had marginally higher rates of DPN than the Met/TZD group. This cross-sectional study in a cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes and CAD showed association of insulin use with higher DPN prevalence, independent of disease duration, glycemic control, and other characteristics. The causality between a glycemic control strategy and DPN cannot be evaluated in this cross-sectional study, but continued assessment of DPN and randomized therapies in BARI 2D trial may provide further explanations on the development of DPN.     

慢性鼻窦炎患儿家长疾病知识认知度调查

目的了解鼻窦炎患儿家长对儿童鼻窦炎相关知识的认知情况,为进一步加强卫生宣教、预防儿童鼻窦炎提供理论依据。方法对65名鼻窦炎患儿家长进行关于儿童鼻窦炎发病因素、临床表现、并发症以及对儿童生长发育影响等问题的问卷调查。结果调查显示95.4%的家长对儿童鼻窦炎知识缺乏了解,且知识获得途径单一。结论应通过各种途径加强儿童鼻窦炎知识的宣教,积极预防儿童鼻窦炎。     

无精子及严重少精子症的遗传学缺陷分析

目的 探讨遗传缺陷在无精子、严重少精子症中的检测意义。方法 采用细胞遗传学技术及多重聚合酶链反应(PCR)技术对65例无精子及严重少精子症患者进行染色体核型分析、Y染色体无精子因子(AZF)检测，同时行精索输精管诊察，阴性者行精液果糖定量实验。结果 染色体核型异常8例(12．3％)，AZF因子缺失7例(10．8％)，输精管缺如2例(3.1％)。结论 遗传学检测在男性无精子、严重少精子症有重要意义。