Burden of illness in infants and young children hospitalized for respiratory syncytial virus: A rapid review

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are common among young children and represent a significant burden to patients, their families and the Canadian health system. Here we conduct a rapid review of the burden of RSV illness in children 24 months of age or younger. Four databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Database of Clinical Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov from 2014 to 2018), grey literature and reference lists were reviewed for studies on the following: children with or without a risk factor, without prophylaxis and with lab-confirmed RSV infection. Of 29 studies identified, 10 provided within-study comparisons and few examined clinical conditions besides prematurity. For infants of 33–36 weeks gestation (wGA) versus term infants, there was low-to-moderate certainty evidence for an increase in RSV-hospitalizations (n=599,535 infants; RR 2.05 [95% CI 1.89–2.22]; 1.3 more per 100 [1.1–1.5 more]) and hospital length of stay (n=7,597 infants; mean difference 1.00 day [95% CI 0.88–1.12]). There was low-to-moderate certainty evidence of little-to-no difference for infants born at 29–32 versus 33–36 wGA for hospitalization (n=12,812 infants; RR 1.20 [95% CI 0.92–1.56]). There was low certainty evidence of increased mechanical ventilation for hospitalized infants born at 29–32 versus 33–35 wGA (n=212 infants; RR 1.58, 95% CI 0.94–2.65). Among infants born at 32–35 wGA, hospitalization for RSV in infancy may be associated with increased wheeze and asthma-medication use across six-year follow-up (RR range 1.3–1.7). Children with versus without Down syndrome may have increased hospital length of stay (n=7,206 children; mean difference 3.00 days, 95% CI 1.95–4.05; low certainty). Evidence for other within-study comparisons was of very low certainty. In summary, prematurity is associated with greater risk for RSV-hospitalization and longer hospital length of stay, and Down syndrome may be associated with longer hospital stay for RSV. Respiratory syncytial virus-hospitalization in infancy may be associated with greater wheeze and asthma-medication use in early childhood. Lack of a comparison group was a major limitation for many studies.     

Improvement of the dissolution rate of silymarin by means of solid dispersions

Solid dispersions of silymarin were prepared by the fusion method with the intention of improving the dissolution properties of silymarin. Polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) was used as the inert hydrophilic matrix. The dissolution studies of the solid dispersions were performed in vitro. And the results obtained showed that the dissolution rate of silymarin was considerably improved when formulated in solid dispersions with PEG 6000 as compared to original drug, and the increased dissolution rate might be favorable for further oral absorption.     

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate reduces inflammatory pain-like behaviour in mice: role of adenosine acting on A1 receptors

Background and purpose:

D-Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) is an intermediate in the glycolytic pathway, exerting pharmacological actions on inflammation by inhibiting cytokine production or interfering with adenosine production. Here, the possible antinociceptive effect of FBP and its mechanism of action in the carrageenin paw inflammation model in mice were addressed, focusing on the two mechanisms described above.

Experimental approach:

Mechanical hyperalgesia (decrease in the nociceptive threshold) was evaluated by the electronic pressure-metre test; cytokine levels were measured by elisa and adenosine was determined by high performance liquid chromatography.

Key results:

Pretreatment of mice with FBP reduced hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar injection of carrageenin (up to 54%), tumour necrosis factor α (40%), interleukin-1 β (46%), CXCL1 (33%), prostaglandin E₂ (41%) or dopamine (55%). However, FBP treatment did not alter carrageenin-induced cytokine (tumour necrosis factor α and interleukin-1 β) or chemokine (CXCL1) production. On the other hand, the antinociceptive effect of FBP was prevented by systemic and intraplantar treatment with an adenosine A₁ receptor antagonist (8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine), suggesting that the FBP effect is mediated by peripheral adenosine acting on A₁ receptors. Giving FBP to mice increased adenosine levels in plasma, and adenosine treatment of paw inflammation presented a similar antinociceptive mechanism to that of FBP.

Conclusions and implications:

In addition to anti-inflammatory action, FBP also presents an antinociceptive effect upon inflammatory hyperalgesia. Its mechanism of action seems dependent on adenosine production but not on modulation of hyperalgesic cytokine/chemokine production. In turn, adenosine acts peripherally on its A₁ receptor inhibiting hyperalgesia. FBP may have possible therapeutic applications in reducing inflammatory pain.     

多巴胺肽类衍生物的合成及其对心功能的影响

将氨基酸或小肽引入多巴胺分子中,共合成了十八个具有不同立体构型和亲脂性的氨基酸多巴胺肽。在麻醉狗上药理初筛表明,多巴胺分子中引入L型氨基酸非常显著地增加心肌收缩力和动脉压,而引入D型氨基酸或N-甲基氨基酸后,则生理活性显著减弱。当多巴胺分子中引入亲脂性的氨基酸后,能明显增加心肌收缩力和血压,同时能明显延长作用时间。     

完全去神经大鼠皮肤愈合过程中神经纤维再生和降钙素基因相关肽的变化

目的:观察完全去神经对大鼠皮肤伤口愈合的影响及愈合过程中神经纤维再生和降钙素基因相关肽的变化情况,探讨神经纤维再生和降钙素基因相关肽与伤口愈合的关系。方法:实验于2006-02在北京大学人民医院中心实验室完成。雌性Wistar大鼠32只,体质量250～300g。切断所有大鼠右下肢的坐骨神经和股神经,然后分别制造1cm的圆形皮肤缺损作为去神经组,在大鼠左下肢相应部位制造同样皮肤缺损作为对照组,于伤后1,3,7,14d每个时间点随机处死8只大鼠,用3M贴膜覆盖于伤口,然后沿切口周围1cm切取伤口组织,观察伤口愈合情况,组织化学染色观察神经丝蛋白和降钙素基因相关肽的变化。结果:纳入大鼠32只,均进入结果分析,伤口无感染。①两组大鼠伤后7d的伤口面积比伤后1d均明显缩小[去神经组:(0.195±0.053),(0.687±0.053)cm2;对照组:(0.131±0.041),(0.562±0.088)cm2]。与对照组相比,去神经组伤后3d大鼠的伤口面积无明显变化[(0.366±0.031),(0.408±0.079)cm2,P>0.05]。②去神经组伤口的神经丝蛋白和降钙素基因相关肽阳性染色在伤后第1,3,7,14天均明显少于对照组。结论:完全去神经后皮肤伤口愈合缓慢,而伤口内的神经纤维再生缓慢和降钙素基因相关肽的减少与皮肤伤口愈合缓慢有着密切关系。     

他克莫司替换环孢素A治疗早期慢性移植肾肾病的疗效评估

目的:实践证明他克莫司不仅比环孢素A肾毒性较小,而且可以降低心血管风险,还能提高肾移植受者的内生肌酐清除率来改善移植肾功能。观察用他克莫司替代环孢素A减缓早期慢性移植肾肾病患者肾功能衰竭的速度,并分析其可能机制。方法:①实验对象:选择2003-03/2006-04解放军第三军医大学大坪医院收治的正在服用环孢素A的慢性移植肾肾病早期患者64例,对实验及治疗方案均知情同意。②实验方法及分组:按用药情况分为2组,他克莫司组(n=31)将环孢素A改为他克莫司,剂量为0.15～0.3mg/(kg·d),其他免疫抑制剂不变;环孢素A组(n=33)环孢素A和其他免疫抑制剂均不作调整。③实验评估:分别于药物方案调整前、调整12,36个月后监测两组患者的血肌酐、血脂及抗高血压评分,抗高血压评分分数越高代表应用的抗高血压药物强度越大。结果:64例患者全部进入结果分析。①血肌酐水平:药物调整12个月后,他克莫司组血肌酐水平显著低于调整前(P<0.01);调整12,36个月后,环孢素A组血肌酐水平均显著高于调整前(P<0.01)。与环孢素A组相比,他克莫司组血肌酐水平在调整12,36个月后明显降低(P=0.011,0.046)。②抗高血压评分:药物调整12,36个月后,他克莫司组均显著低于环孢素A组(P<0.01)。③血脂水平:药物调整12个月后,他克莫司组低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平显著低于环孢素A组(P<0.01)。结论:当肾移植患者出现慢性移植肾肾病时,将主要免疫抑制剂由环孢素A转换为他克莫司可以改善肾移植受者的肾功能,降低低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平,并可减缓慢性移植肾肾病的进展,有助于提高移植肾的长期存活率。     

Residents’ clinical questions: How are they answered and are the answers helpful?

Objective

To assess residents’ clinical questions, where they get their answers, the utility of those answers, and if an evidence-based medicine (EBM) workshop improves the use of evidence-based electronic resources.

Design

Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting

Urban family medicine teaching clinics in Edmonton, Alta, in 2007.

Participants

First- and second-year family medicine residents training in the family medicine teaching units.

Methods

An observer recorded clinical questions posed by residents in clinic, the resources used to answer these questions, and how residents thought the answers modified practice. Resources were categorized broadly as colleagues, electronic, or paper. Answer utility was ranked in decreasing order as large change, small change, confirmed, expanded knowledge, or no help. Use of resources was compared before and after an EBM workshop, and between residents under normal supervision and those in semi-independent clinics.

Results

Thirty-eight residents from 5 sites were observed addressing 325 questions in 114 clinical half-day sessions (420 patients). Residents had 0.8 questions per patient and answered 83.4% of questions with 1 resource (range 1 to 6). Residents made 406 attempts to answer questions, using colleagues 65.5% of the time (93.6% were preceptors), electronic resources 20.7% of the time, and paper resources 13.8% of the time. Answers from colleagues were least likely to require secondary resources (F test, P < .001). The utility of answers from colleagues (F test, P = .002) was superior to that of answers from electronic resources, and this difference remained significantly higher in sensitivity analysis. The EBM workshop training did not influence electronic resource use (17.8% before and 15.1% after, Fisher-Freeman-Halton test, P = .18), but semi-independence from preceptors increased the use of electronic resources from 16.5% to 51.0% (Fisher-Freeman-Halton test, P < .001).

Conclusion

Residents have many questions during clinical practice. Preceptors were used more commonly than all other resources combined and were the most dependable resource for residents to obtain answers. Although an EBM workshop was not associated with increased use of electronic evidence-based resources, semi-independent work appeared to be.