A novel food-based foam as oral contrast agent with negative Hounsfield units for demarcation of small bowel loops on abdominal CT: tolerability and bowel distension in 25 volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Diseases of the bowel are not always displayed on conventional abdominal computed tomography (CT). The studied oral contrast agent aims to improve this. PURPOSE: To investigate whether the use of a novel oral contrast for abdominal CT enables the same diagnostic advantages as seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-five consented volunteers drank up to 1400 mL of a stable, drinkable foam. Comments on acceptance and side effects were noted immediately and 24 h later. Foam palatability was documented through interviews, and distribution in the small bowel by Hounsfield units from the CT software. The CT results were compared with age- and sex-matched controls, pretreated according to routine. A non-enhanced abdominal CT protocol of lowest possible radiation dose was used. External referees evaluated all data obtained. RESULTS: Foam was considered odd to swallow, and fullness was reported by all volunteers after 950 mL. Five had difficulties in drinking the last 320 mL and two abstained from it. All adverse symptoms were mild. The distribution in the small bowel was on par with standard agents. Foam density revealed stability with intraluminal values of around -550 HU from stomach to terminal ileum, satisfying the requirement of a great bowel lumen-to-wall contrast. External reviewers re-evaluated all our data, and one predicted the foam to offer a potential for improved diagnostics. CONCLUSION: A CT true-negative bowel filling agent was formulated, with high acceptance, few side effects, and a potential to mimic T1-weighted MRI images.

Historical Evolution and Provider Awareness of Inactive Ingredients in Oral Medications.

PURPOSE: A multitude of different versions of the same medication with different inactive ingredients are currently available. It has not been quantified how this has evolved historically. Furthermore, it is unknown whether healthcare professionals consider the inactive ingredient portion when prescribing medications to patients. METHODS: We used data mining to track the number of available formulations for the same medication over time and correlate the number of available versions in 2019 to the number of manufacturers, the years since first approval, and the number of prescriptions. A focused survey among healthcare professionals was conducted to query their consideration of the inactive ingredient portion of a medication when writing prescriptions. RESULTS: The number of available versions of a single medication have dramatically increased in the last 40 years. The number of available, different versions of medications are largely determined by the number of manufacturers producing this medication. Healthcare providers commonly do not consider the inactive ingredient portion when prescribing a medication. CONCLUSIONS: A multitude of available versions of the same medications provides a potentially under-recognized opportunity to prescribe the most suitable formulation to a patient as a step towards personalized medicine and mitigate potential adverse events from inactive ingredients.

Cutaneous crospovidone reaction secondary to subcutaneous injection of buprenorphine.

Crospovidone is an insoluble pharmaceutical disintegrant that has been implicated in a rare foreign body reaction in injection drug users, classically associated with pulmonary angiothrombosis. We recently reported the first known cases of cutaneous crospovidone deposition. We herein report two additional cases with unique clinicopathologic manifestations, both in the setting of suspected injection drug abuse. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive overview of the distinct histomorphology and reproducible histochemistry of crospovidone.

Cutaneous Crospovidone: A Newly Described Foreign Body Due to Illicit Drug Abuse.

Crospovidone, a polymer of poly N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, is an inert insoluble disintegrant found in pharmaceutical tablets. This material has been encountered in the lungs of intravenous drug users and embolized with other components such as talc and microcrystalline cellulose. More recently, crospovidone has also been described in the gastrointestinal tract. We present 2 cases of cutaneous crospovidone deposition resulting from subcutaneous injection of crushed tablets, commonly known as "skin popping." Clinical presentation includes painful, inflamed papules, nodules, or ulcers with overlying eschar. Crospovidone has a distinct and reproducible histochemical staining profile. Histologic recognition of this material is important because it can guide clinicians in their diagnosis and management decisions.

[Iodine allergy]. / Jodallergie.

We report on a patient with an iodine allergy. He developed a delayed cutaneous reaction after receiving an iodinated radiographic contrast media and at the same time topical disinfection with povidone-iodine. In the patch- and intradermal tests he showed positive results with various radiographic contrast media, povidone- iodine and iodine, but not with povidone.

Anaphylaxis to polyvinylpyrrolidone in povidone-iodine for impetigo contagiosum in a boy with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) is widely used in antiseptic agents. Immediate allergic reaction to PVP-I preparations is very rare and often overlooked, as it is difficult to diagnose. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is thought to play a role in the underlying mechanism. We examined the usefulness of the histamine release test (HRT) for definite diagnosis of PVP allergy. METHOD: A 9-year-old boy with eosinophilia (1,500/microl) and elevated total IgE (1,376 IU/ml) was suspected clinically of having a PVP allergy, as he had anaphylaxis twice when he was administered a PVP-I solution for impetigo contagiosum. Skin prick tests (SPTs) were performed with a PVP-I solution, PVP (K30), gentamicin sulfate and 2 other medicines containing PVP. HRT was assessed using peripheral blood basophils. RESULTS: SPTs to PVP-I solution, PVP-K30 and other medicines were all negative. Histamine release was observed on stimulation by PVP in the presence of autologous serum, although it was not observed in the absence of autologous serum. CONCLUSIONS: This observation was in line with the clinical findings that anaphylaxis had not developed despite the long use of PVP-I solution, but developed only when he received PVP-I solution treatment where basophils could contact PVP-I in the presence of serum, which was probably due to a broken skin and vessel condition. Furthermore, our results suggest the usefulness of HRT in the diagnosis of PVP allergy, and the possibility that negative SPT does not entirely rule out PVP allergy.

Pediatricians' perceptions of the use of sweetened medications related to oral health.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pediatricians' perceptions and attitudes about the use of liquid pediatric medicines and their relationship with dental caries and dental erosion. STUDY DESIGN: A cross sectional study was conducted. Data was collected by questionnaires handed out in hospitals, medical clinics and offices. A convenience sample of 104 pediatricians was obtained. RESULTS: Most respondents (80.8%) stated that pediatric medicines could be related with dental disorders. Dental caries (64.70%) and tooth discoloration (43.7%) were the most frequent mentioned alterations, while only 3 (4.2%) respondents pointed out dental erosion. A considerable number of respondents (62.50%) recognized the presence of fermentable carbohydrates as a contributing factor to tooth decay, however not all of them recommended oral hygiene after their consumption (50.80%). Besides, 48 respondents (46.20) also believed that pediatric medicines could cause dental wear. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatricians in this study did not perceive the correct relationship between the presence of acidity in medicines and dental erosion; however, most of them presented a reasonable awareness about the relationship between sugared pediatric medicines and dental caries. Besides, they were unaware about the need of recommending oral hygiene after medicines' use.

Etiology and management of whitening-induced tooth hypersensitivity.

Tooth hypersensitivity has long been, and continues to be, the most commonly reported adverse effect of vital tooth whitening with peroxide gels. The complex etiology of whitening-induced tooth hypersensitivity has been a major obstacle in developing a definitive strategy for its prevention. This article reviews the multiple etiologic factors implicated in whitening-induced tooth hypersensitivity and the evidence for efficacy of various strategies for its management.

Hypersensitivity reactions to vaccine components.

Vaccines are responsible for the control of many infectious diseases that were once common in the United States, including polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. National efforts to generate collaboration between federal, state, and local governments and public and private health care providers have resulted in record high levels of vaccination coverage in the United States. The high rate of US vaccinations is paralleled by growing concerns about the safety of their delivery. The variety of substances used in vaccines sometimes causes the development of cutaneous reactions in susceptible adults and children. This article will review adverse cutaneous events consistent with hypersensitivity reactions to the following ingredients in vaccines: aluminum, thimerosal, 2-phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde, and neomycin.

Allergy to tartrazine in antidepressants.

The authors describe five cases of apparent allergy to tartrazine (FD&C yellow dye number 5) in 170 patients exposed to the dye in antidepressants. The frequency of tartrazine sensitivity was much higher than the reported frequency of six in 1,000 persons.

Benzyl alcohol toxicity: impact on mortality and intraventricular hemorrhage among very low birth weight infants.

Benzyl alcohol preservative in intravascular flush solutions has been reported to cause neurologic deterioration and death in very low birth weight infants. Following the widespread discontinuation of the use of such solutions in newborns, scattered reports of decreased mortality and decreased incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage among small premature infants appeared in the pediatric literature. To better assess the true impact of benzyl alcohol toxicity in this group of infants, we undertook a detailed review of the medical records of all babies less than 1,250 g birth weight admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit for 13 months before and 13 months after the use of solutions containing benzyl alcohol was stopped. Significant decreases were found in both mortality rate (from 80.7% to 45.7%) and incidence of grade III/IV intraventricular hemorrhage (from 46% to 19%) among infants less than 1,000 g birth weight who did not receive the preservative compared with those who did. No significant changes were found in several other prenatal factors that could have contributed to this improvement in survival. We conclude that benzyl alcohol toxicity contributed significantly to both mortality and the occurrence of major intraventricular hemorrhage among infants weighing less than 1,000 g at birth and that solutions containing benzyl alcohol should never again be used in the care of such infants.

Benzyl alcohol toxicity: impact on neurologic handicaps among surviving very low birth weight infants.

Benzyl alcohol preservative in solutions used to flush intravascular catheters has been linked with increased mortality and incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage in small preterm infants. This study evaluated the outcome of surviving very low birth weight infants exposed to benzyl alcohol while in our neonatal intensive care unit. Surviving infants, less than 1,250 g birth weight, admitted during the 12 months prior to discontinuation of benzyl alcohol (period I), were compared with those infants admitted during the 12 months after discontinuation of benzyl alcohol (period II). Survivors were enrolled in a follow-up program. Results of the study demonstrated that infants from period II had fewer neurologic handicaps. The incidence of cerebral palsy decreased from 50% to 2.4% (P less than .001), and the presence of cerebral palsy and developmental delay combined decreased from 53.9% to 11.9% (P less than .001). Several factors other than benzyl alcohol exposure were examined for their importance on outcome but were found not to be related to it. It is concluded that the dramatic improvement in outcome could be the result of discontinuation of benzyl alcohol.

Intracranial myospherulosis.

A 54-year-old man developed a post-traumatic brain abscess, and antibiotic ointment was instilled into the abscess cavity. The involved tissue was subsequently excised and was shown to contain the characteristic saccules and spherules of myospherulosis. The history of ointment usage further strengthens the association of petrolatum with the development of these structures. This is the first reported case of intracranial myospherulosis.