Daptomycin vs. glycopeptides in the treatment of febrile neutropenia: results of the Izmir matched cohort study.

PURPOSE: In this multicentre, retrospective, matched cohort study we aimed to evaluate the outcomes of neutropenic fever cases that were treated with daptomycin or a glycopeptide (vancomycin or teicoplanin). METHODS: Data and outcomes of adult (aged > 18-years old) patients with neutropenic fever [(1) without clinical and radiological evidence of pneumonia, (2) who were treated with daptomycin or a glycopeptide (teicoplanin or vancomycin) for any reason and for at least 72 h] were extracted from the hospital databases. Matching was performed with all of the three following criteria: (1) underlying disease, (2) reason for starting daptomycin or glycopeptide (microbiologic evidence vs. microbiologic evidence, clinical infection vs. clinical infection and empirical therapy vs. empirical therapy) and (3) neutropenic status. RESULTS: Overall 128 patients [(69/123) (56.1%) in the daptomycin cohort (D) and 59/123 (48%) in the glycopeptide cohort (G)] had a resolution of fever at the end of 72 h antibiotic treatment (p = 0.25). There was no significant difference in cured, improved and (cured + improved) rates between (D) and (G) cohorts as well as fever of unknown origin cases or microbiologically confirmed infections or clinically defined infections subgroups (p > 0.05). There was also no significant difference (p > 0.05), in terms of persistent response in the (D) versus (G) cohorts, CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that although not better, daptomycin efficacy is comparable to vancomycin if used as empiric therapy in the treatment of adult febrile neutropenia. We conclude that daptomycin may be used at least as a salvage therapy alternative to glycopeptides in the treatment of adult febrile neutropenia cases. A large, randomized-controlled trial may further consolidate the evidence related to this question.

[Investigation of beta-lactamase genes and clonal relationship among the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing nosocomial Escherichia coli isolates]. / Genislemis spektrumlu beta-laktamaz üreten nozokomiyal Escherichia coli izolatlarinda beta-laktamaz gen oranlari ve klonal iliskinin arastirilmasi

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing microorganisms currently cause a major problem. Among theseCTX-M beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli has also disseminated worldwide as an important cause of both nosocomial and community-acquired infections. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of the beta-lactamase genes, antibiotic susceptibilities and clonal relationships of ESBL-producing nosocomial E.coli isolates. A total of 76 ESBL-producing E.coli strains isolated from urine (n= 26), blood (n= 25) and wound (n= 25) specimens of hospitalized patients identified as nosocomial infection agents according to the CDC criteria between June 2010-June 2011 were included in the study. Antibiotic susceptibilities of the isolates were detected by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method according to CLSI recommendations. ESBL production was tested by double disc diffusion method, and cefotaxime/cefotaxime-clavulanic acid E-test strips (AB Biodisk, Sweden) were used for indeterminate results. Presence of TEM, SHV, CTX-M, OXA-2 group, 0XA-10 group, PER, VEB and GES beta-lactamase genes were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method was used for the detection of clonal relationships among the strains. Most of the ESBL-producing E.coli strains were isolated from samples of inpatients in intensive care (35%), internal medicine (16%) and general surgery (13%) units. All of the 76 strains were found susceptible to imipenem, meropenem and amikacin; however all were resistant to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone. The susceptibility rates of the isolates to cefoxitin, ertapenem, cefoperazone/sulbactam, piperacillin-tazobactam, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, cefepime, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, aztreonam and ceftazidime were 96%, 83%, 63%, 61%, 50%, 41%, 25%, 21%, 20% and 18%, respectively. Among E.coli isolates, the frequency of CTX-M, TEM, OXA-2 group, PER, SHV and OXA-10 group beta-lactamase genes were found as 89.5%, 59.2%, 15.8%, 14.5%, 11.8% and 3.9%, respectively, while none of the isolates were positive for VEB and GES beta-lactamase genes. In 1 (1.3%) strain none of the investigated genes were detected. PCR analyses of the isolates revealed that 25 harbored CTX-M and TEM genes together, while 20 harbored only CTX-M and two harbored only TEM genes. Single SHV gene was not detected in any of the isolates. PFGE demonstrated no major clonal relationship between ESBL-producing isolates. This study indicated that CTX-M type enzymes were highly endemic among ESBL-producing nosocomial E.coli strains in our hospital, with the polyclonal spread of ESBL-producing bacteria without any dominant epidemic clone. In conclusion, it was considered that further studies are needed to explain the relationship between epidemic clones and plasmids with the use of plasmid analysis and multilocus sequence typing methods.

Efficacy and tolerability of antibiotic combinations in neurobrucellosis: results of the Istanbul study.

No data on whether brucellar meningitis or meningoencephalitis can be treated with oral antibiotics or whether an intravenous extended-spectrum cephalosporin, namely, ceftriaxone, which does not accumulate in phagocytes, should be added to the regimen exist in the literature. The aim of a study conducted in Istanbul, Turkey, was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of ceftriaxone-based antibiotic treatment regimens with those of an oral treatment protocol in patients with these conditions. This retrospective study enrolled 215 adult patients in 28 health care institutions from four different countries. The first protocol (P1) comprised ceftriaxone, rifampin, and doxycycline. The second protocol (P2) consisted of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, rifampin, and doxycycline. In the third protocol (P3), the patients started with P1 and transferred to P2 when ceftriaxone was stopped. The treatment period was shorter with the regimens which included ceftriaxone (4.40 ± 2.47 months in P1, 6.52 ± 4.15 months in P2, and 5.18 ± 2.27 months in P3) (P = 0.002). In seven patients, therapy was modified due to antibiotic side effects. When these cases were excluded, therapeutic failure did not differ significantly between ceftriaxone-based regimens (n = 5/166, 3.0%) and the oral therapy (n = 4/42, 9.5%) (P = 0.084). The efficacy of the ceftriaxone-based regimens was found to be better (n = 6/166 [3.6%] versus n = 6/42 [14.3%]; P = 0.017) when a composite negative outcome (CNO; relapse plus therapeutic failure) was considered. Accordingly, CNO was greatest in P2 (14.3%, n = 6/42) compared to P1 (2.6%, n = 3/117) and P3 (6.1%, n = 3/49) (P = 0.020). Seemingly, ceftriaxone-based regimens are more successful and require shorter therapy than the oral treatment protocol.

A new diagnostic scoring for discrimination of tuberculous and bacterial meningitis on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a new diagnostic index (DI) on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings including serum C-reactive protein (CRP) for tuberculous meningitis (TM) and bacterial meningitis (BM). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: During a 7-year period, 96 adult patients with meningitis (30 with TM and 66 with BM) were studied retrospectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the diagnostic value of clinical and laboratory parameters as independent predictors on discrimination of tuberculous from BM patients. RESULTS: Six features predictive for diagnosis including age, CSF leukocyte count, PML dominance, length of illness, serum CRP level and blood WBC count were used. The DI model developed from these features had very high sensitivity and specificity rates of 100.0 and 95.4%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity rates were 97.4 and 100%, respectively, in microbiologically proven cases. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that this new DI which consists of simple clinical and laboratory parameters had the power to discriminate adult patients with documented tuberculous and BM (excluding Brucella meningitis). It should, however, be tested in prospective studies.

[Investigation of the susceptibilities of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. strains to ertapenem and other carbapenems]. / Genislemis Spektrumlu Beta-Laktamaz Üreten Escherichia coli ve Klebsiella spp. Suslarinin Ertapenem ve Diger Karbapenemlere Karsi Duyarliliklarinin Arastirilmasi

Infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. constitute severe problems. Carbapenems are commonly used to treat these infections. However, infections caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria show an increasing trend recently. The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibilities of ESBL-producing E.coli and Klebsiella spp. to ertapenem and other carbapenems. A total of 239 E.coli, 28 K.pneumoniae and 11 K.oxytoca strains isolated from clinical specimens (208 urine, 16 blood, 26 wound, 17 sterile body fluids, four tracheal aspirates and seven others) of hospitalized patients and outpatients between January 2007-February 2008, were included to the study. The isolates were identified by conventional methods, and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) standards. ESBL production was tested by double disk diffusion method. When ESBL production was indeterminate, cefotaxime-clavulanic acid E test (BioMerieux, France) was used. According to the CLSI standards modified Hodge test was performed for carbapenem resistant isolates and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were detected for ertapenem (Etest®, BioMerieux, France), imipenem and meropenem (M.I.C. Evaluator Strips, Oxoid, UK). All of the isolates were found susceptible to amikacin (278/278; 100%), whereas the susceptibility rates for imipenem/meropenem and ertapenem were 99.3% (276/278) and 98.6% (274/278), respectively. When evaluated individually, ertapenem susceptibilities of E.coli, K.pneumoniae and K.oxytoca strains were 99.2%, 96.4% and 90.9%, respectively, while these rates were 100%, 96.4% and 90.9%, respectively, for imipenem/meropenem. Carbapenem resistance was detected in two E.coli, one K.oxytoca and one K.pneumoniae isolates. While two Klebsiella spp. Isolates were resistant to all of the tested carbapenems (MIC > 32 µg/ml), two E.coli isolates were resistant to ertapenem (MIC > 32 µg/ml) but susceptible to imipenem (MIC= 0.25 µg/ml) and meropenem (MIC= 0.5 µg/ml). Carbapenemase production was demonstrated by modified Hodge test in all of the carbapenem-resistant isolates. In conclusion, ESBL-producing gram-negative isolates should be routinely tested with a screening method for carbapenemase activity and confirmation tests should be performed in suspected cases.

Cerebrospinal fluid viscosity: a novel diagnostic measure for acute meningitis.

INTRODUCTION: Early diagnosis of acute meningitis has paramount importance in clinical practice because of mortality and morbidity of the disease. Examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has critical value for the diagnosis of acute meningitis and discrimination of bacterial and aseptic meningitis. It has been previously reported that plasma viscosity can be used as an inflammatory marker. In this study we aimed to evaluate the role of CSF viscosity as a complementary measure for diagnosis of meningitis in suspected patients. METHODS: Forty-one consecutive patients who underwent lumbar puncture to rule out meningitis were studied prospectively. Twenty-seven patients were diagnosed with meningitis, of whom 13 patients had aseptic meningitis and 14 patients had bacterial meningitis. Meningitis was ruled out in 14 patients. RESULTS: CSF protein and CSF viscosity were significantly higher in patients with meningitis compared to nonmeningitis. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that CSF viscosity was highly sensitive (100%) and specific (93%); measures for the diagnosis of meningitis in the study population was comparable to those of CSF protein. Additionally, patients with meningitis were also divided into two groups as having bacterial and aseptic meningitis. CSF viscosity also significantly differed between bacterial and aseptic meningitis. CONCLUSION: The CSF viscosity is a simple and easy method and can be used as an adjunctive measure for the diagnosis of meningitis. With the support of further and larger clinical studies, CSF viscosity may have a role in the discrimination of bacterial versus aseptic meningitis.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy features of normal-appearing white matter in patients with acute brucellosis.

We aimed to evaluate whether the subtle metabolic cerebral changes are present in normal-appearing white matter on conventional MRI, in patients with acute brucellosis, by using MR spectroscopy (MRS). Sixteen patients with acute brucellosis and 13 healthy control subjects were investigated with conventional MRI and single-voxel MRS. Voxels were placed in normal-appearing parietal white matter (NAPWM). N-Acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios were calculated. There was no significant difference between the study subjects and the control group in NAA/Cr ratios obtained from NAPWM. However, the Cho/Cr ratios were significantly higher in patients with acute brucellosis compared to controls (p=0.01). MRS revealed metabolic changes in normal-appearing white matter of patients with brucellosis. Brucellosis may cause subtle cerebral alterations, which may only be discernible with MRS. Increased Cho/Cr ratio possibly represents an initial phase of inflammation and/or demyelination process of brucellosis.

Ciprofloxacin-induced urticaria and tenosynovitis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Tendon disorders are rare events associated with fluoroquinolone congestion. Skin reactions are more frequent than tendon disorders. We reported this case as the combination of ciprofloxacin-induced urticaria and tenosynovitis has been unreported in young women. CASE: A 28-year-old woman without underlying disease developed urticarias and tendinopathy 4 days after the initiation of ciprofloxacin treatment for urinary infection. MRI of the left foot revealed increased synovial fluid surrounding the tendon of the flexor hallucis longus muscle representing tenosynovitis. Ciprofloxacin was ceased due to the possibility of ciprofloxacin-induced tendinopathy and urticaria. Complete resolution of her symptoms and findings occurred 3 days after discontinuation of ciprofloxacin without any additional treatment. CONCLUSION: Early discontinuation of fluoroquinolone therapy when tendinopathy is suspected is the basis of therapy. So, it should be kept in mind that fluoroquinolone-induced tendinopathy may occur in an otherwise healthy young patient with no risk factors and in a site other than the Achilles tendon.

Potential Risk Factors for In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Blunt Multiple Trauma Who Survive Initial Resuscitation.

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to identify risk factors that influence in-hospital mortality for patients with moderate-to-severe blunt multiple trauma (BMT) who survive initial resuscitation. METHODS: The prospective study involved 195 adult patients with BMT who were admitted to a referral hospital's emergency department (ED) between May 1, 2015, and May 31, 2016. RESULTS: Forty-three (22%) of the 195 patients died in hospital. Multivariate analysis identified low blood pH (odds ratio [OR] 6.580, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-38.51), high serum lactate level (OR 1.041, 95% CI 1.01-1.07), high ISS (OR 1.109, 95% CI 1.06-1.16), high APACHE II score (OR 1.189, 95% CI 1.07-1.33), traumatic brain injury (TBI) (OR 4.358, 95% CI 0.76-24.86), severe hemorrhage (OR 5.314, 95% CI 1.07-26.49), and coagulopathy (OR 5.916, 95% CI 1.17-29.90) as useful predictors of acute in-hospital mortality. High ISS (OR 1.047, 95% CI 1.02-1.08), TBI (OR 8.922, 95% CI 2.57-31.00), sepsis (OR 4.956, 95% CI 1.99-12.36), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (OR 8.036, 95% CI 1.85-34.84), respiratory failure (OR 9.630, 95% CI 2.64-35.14), renal failure (OR 74.803, 95% CI 11.34-493.43), and multiple organ failure [MOF] (OR 10.415, 95% CI 4.48-24.24) were risk factors for late in-hospital mortality. High Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was a good predictor for survival at 2, 7, and 28 or more days of hospitalization (OR 0.708 and 95% CI 0.56-0.09; OR 0.835 and 95% CI 0.73-0.95; OR 0.798 and 95% CI 0.71-0.90, resp.). CONCLUSION: Several factors signal poor short-term outcome for patients who present to the ED with moderate-to-severe BMT: low blood pH, high serum lactate level, presence of TBI, severe hemorrhage, coagulopathy, organ failure (respiratory, renal, and MOF), and ARDS. For this patient group, ISS and APACHE II scores might be helpful for stratifying by mortality risk, and GCS might be a good predictor for survival.

Assessment of the effectiveness of a ventilator associated pneumonia prevention bundle that contains endotracheal tube with subglottic drainage and cuff pressure monitorization.

The effectiveness of prevention bundles on the occurrence and mortality of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) was evaluated in many studies. However, the effectiveness of endotracheal tube with subglottic secretion drainage (ETT-SD) and cuff pressure monitorization in VAP bundles have not been adequately assessed. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of VAP bundle containing ETT-SD and cuff pressure monitorization. This was a prospective, controlled study that was carried out between March 2011 and April 2012 including intubated patients. The study was conducted at the Anesthesiology Intensive Care Unit 1 and 2 (10 beds each) in a 898-bed university hospital. Occurrence of VAP and compliance with the parameters of the VAP prevention bundles were assessed daily. Patients intubated with the standard endotracheal tube were recruited as controls, mainly in the first six months of the study as ETT-SD and cuff pressure monometer had not yet been implemented. In the second term, patients intubated with ETT-SD were included as cases. Occurrence of VAP, mortality, and compliance with VAP prevention bundles were monitored. A total of 133 patients, 37 cases and 96 controls were recruited. VAP incidence declined from 40.82 to 22.16 per 1000 ventilator days among controls and cases, respectively (p<005). On average, VAP occurred 17.33±21.09 days in the case group and 10.43±7.83 days in the control group (p=0.04). However, mortality of cases and controls at the 14th and 30th days was not different. VAP prevention bundles including the utilization of ETT-SD, monitoring cuff pressure, and oral care with chlorhexidine were efficient in reducing the rate of VAP.

Increased levels of soluble adhesion molecules E-selectin and P-selectin in patients with cardiac syndrome X.

The role of endothelial dysfunction and platelet activation in patients with cardiac syndrome X is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma levels of circulating E- and P-selectin molecules in patients with syndrome X. The study included 21 patients with cardiac syndrome X (11 men and 10 women, mean age = 56 +/- 5 years) and 20 patients with significant coronary artery disease who had stable angina pectoris (11 men and 9 women, mean age = 60 +/- 8 years). Twenty-two age- and sex-matched subjects (12 men and 10 women, mean age = 58 +/- 8 years) undergoing diagnosis of atypical chest pain in whom coronary arteries were found normal and exercise test had no signs of ischemia served as the control group. Syndrome X was defined as presence of typical chest pain on exertion or at rest with positive exercise test and angiographically normal epicardial coronary arteries with no evidence of coronary spasm after intracoronary infusion of ergonovine maleate. The mean plasma concentrations of P-selectin were significantly elevated both in patients with coronary artery disease and syndrome X as compared with control subjects (49.15 +/-7.47 and 42.80 +/- 8.93 vs 22.63 +/-6.47 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Similarly, both patients with coronary artery disease and syndrome X had higher plasma concentrations of E-selectin than the control group (78.85 +/- 16.69 and 68.38 +/- 15.30 vs 36.43 +/- 4.72 ng/mL, p < 0.001). In conclusion, patients with syndrome X had increased plasma concentrations of soluble adhesion molecules, E-selectin and P-selectin, reflecting an ongoing chronic inflammation involved with endothelial dysfunction and enhanced platelet activation/damage in this setting.

Changes in plasma levels of adhesion molecules after percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty.

BACKGROUND: Adhesion molecules are expressed on vascular endothelium and on immune and inflammatory cells. Recently increased levels of adhesion molecules have been shown in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. This study examined the serum levels of the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and the effects of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) on these adhesion molecules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty five patients (3 men, 32 women, mean age 39+/-5 years) with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis who underwent percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty, and 35 age and sex matched healthy control subjects were included in the study. Serum levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin were measured in all patients who underwent PMBV and in all control subjects. Blood samples were taken for measurement of adhesion molecules immediately before and 24 h after the mitral balloon valvuloplasty. RESULTS: The plasma levels of soluble adhesion molecules E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were significantly elevated in patients with mitral stenosis compared to control subjects: E-selectin, 97+/-59 vs. 45+/-24 ng/ml (P=.001), sICAM-1, 874+/-301 ng/ml vs. 238+/-82 ng/ml (P<.0001); sVCAM-1, 3056+/-763 ng/ml vs. 985+/-298 ng/ml (P<.0001). Plasma levels of VCAM-1 significantly increased 24 h after the valvuloplasty procedure (3056+/-763 ng/ml vs. 3570+/-1225 ng/ml P=.013). Plasma levels of E-selectin showed a significant decrease after PMBV (97+/-59 vs. 70+/-58 ng/ml, P=.043) and plasma levels of ICAM-1 did not show any change after PMBV (874+/-301 vs. 944+/-377 ng/ml, P=.356). CONCLUSION: Cellular adhesion molecules, sICAM-1, E-selectin, sVCAM-1 have shown changes in different directions in response to PMBV. These results necessitate further studies to clarify the mechanism underlying the association between adhesion molecules and PMBV as well as rheumatic mitral stenosis.

Predictors of left ventricular thrombus formation in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: role of activated protein C resistance.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between left ventricular thrombus formation and natural anticoagulant systems including the protein C, protein S and antithrombin in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with dilated cardiomyopathy who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: group I consisted of 22 patients with left ventricular thrombus and group II consisted of 38 patients without left ventricular thrombus. Our main inclusion criteria were ejection fraction /= 6.0 cm. These two groups were compared for clinical and hematologic parameters (activated protein C resistance, protein S and antithrombin). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between patients with or without left ventricular thrombi with respect to left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions, ejection fraction, fractional shortening and left atrial diameter. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with and without left ventricular thrombus with respect to platelet count (252 +/- 64/mm3 x 10(3) compared with 260 +/- 74/mm3 x 10(3) respectively, P=0.68), prothrombin time (12.94 +/- 1.9 s compared with 12.86 +/- 1.3 s respectively, P=0.82), activated partial thromboplastin time (32 +/- 5 compared with 30 +/- 4 s respectively, P=0.32) and fibrinogen levels (36 +/- 9 mg/dl compared with 34 +/- 8 mg/dl respectively, P=0.41). None of the patients had protein S and antithrombin deficiency. Activated protein C resistance was found in 12 patients (12 out of 22, 54%) in group I and four patients (four out of 38, 9.5%) in group II (P < 0.01). It was also shown to be an independent predictor of left ventricular thrombus (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Activated protein C resistance is found to be an independent predictor of left ventricular thrombus in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy who have ejection fractions less then 35% and left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions > 6.0 cm.

A rare disease in the differential diagnosis of acute pancreatitis: acute brucellosis.

Some infectious organisms may give rise to acute pancreatitis; brucellosis, however, extremely rarely leads to acute pancreatitis. A 40-year-old man was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, the etiology of which was determined to be acute brucellosis. The patient was discharged without complications approximately 15 days after the initiation of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and doxycycline treatment. Brucella infections may rarely be complicated by acute pancreatitis. Thus, brucellosis should be remembered in the etiology of acute pancreatitis in regions such as Turkey, where Brucella infections are endemic.

An uncommon case of acute brucellosis presenting with severe thrombocytopenia.

A 49-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with complaints of fatigue, epistaxis and a skin rash. The whole blood count revealed isolated thrombocytopenia (4,000/mL), and the patient was admitted to the hematology department with a diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenia. He did not respond to steroid treatment for 15 days, and a subfebrile fever developed during this period. A diagnosis of acute brucellosis was considered due to positive serological tests and a blood culture positive for Brucella spp. After starting doxycycline and rifampicin therapy, the patient's thrombocyte count increased to 15,000/mL on the third day, to 41,000/mL on the sixth day and was normal on the 21st day of treatment. A diagnosis of brucellosis must be considered in patients presenting with severe and isolated thrombocytopenia in countries where brucellosis is endemic.

Assessment of the effectiveness of a ventilator associated pneumonia prevention bundle that contains endotracheal tube with subglottic drainage and cuff pressure monitorization

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of prevention bundles on the occurrence and mortality of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) was evaluated in many studies. However, the effectiveness of endotracheal tube with subglottic secretion drainage (ETT-SD) and cuff pressure monitorization in VAP bundles have not been adequately assessed. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of VAP bundle containing ETT-SD and cuff pressure monitorization. This was a prospective, controlled study that was carried out between March 2011 and April 2012 including intubated patients. The study was conducted at the Anesthesiology Intensive Care Unit 1 and 2 (10 beds each) in a 898-bed university hospital. Occurrence of VAP and compliance with the parameters of the VAP prevention bundles were assessed daily. Patients intubated with the standard endotracheal tube were recruited as controls, mainly in the first six months of the study as ETT-SD and cuff pressure monometer had not yet been implemented. In the second term, patients intubated with ETT-SD were included as cases. Occurrence of VAP, mortality, and compliance with VAP prevention bundles were monitored. A total of 133 patients, 37 cases and 96 controls were recruited. VAP incidence declined from 40.82 to 22.16 per 1000 ventilator days among controls and cases, respectively (p < 005). On average, VAP occurred 17.33 ± 21.09 days in the case group and 10.43 ± 7.83 days in the control group (p = 0.04). However, mortality of cases and controls at the 14th and 30th days was not different. VAP prevention bundles including the utilization of ETT-SD, monitoring cuff pressure, and oral care with chlorhexidine were efficient in reducing the rate of VAP.

Increased membrane turnover in the brain in cutaneous anthrax without central nervous system disorder: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

Cutaneous anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis contacting the skin, is the most common form of human anthrax. Recent studies implicate the presence of additional, possibly toxin-related subtle changes, even in patients without neurological or radiological findings. In this study, the presence of subtle changes in cutaneous anthrax was investigated at the metabolite level using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Study subjects were consisted of 10 patients with cutaneous anthrax without co-morbid disease and/or neurological findings, and 13 healthy controls. There were no statistical differences in age and gender between two groups. The diagnosis of cutaneous anthrax was based on medical history, presence of a typical cutaneous lesion, large gram positive bacilli on gram staining and/or positive culture for B. anthracis from cutaneous samples. Brain magnetic resonance imaging examination consisted of conventional imaging and single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed by using point-resolved spectroscopy sequence (TR: 2000ms, TE: 136ms, 128 averages). Voxels of 20mm×20mm×20mm were placed in normal-appearing parietal white matter to detect metabolite levels. Cerebral metabolite peaks were measured in normal appearing parietal white matter. N-acetyl aspartate/creatine and choline/creatine ratios were calculated using standard analytical procedures. Patients and controls were not statistically different regarding parietal white matter N-acetyl aspartate/creatine ratios (p=0.902), a finding that implicates the conservation of neuronal and axonal integrity and neuronal functions. However, choline/creatine ratios were significantly higher in patient groups (p=0.001), a finding implicating an increased membrane turnover. In conclusion, these two findings point to a possibly anthrax toxins-related subtle inflammatory reaction of the central nervous system at the cellular level.

Role of pleural viscosity in the differential diagnosis of exudative pleural effusion.

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND: Determining the aetiology of an effusion involves assessing if it is an exudate or a transudate. However, a reliable test for determining the aetiology of a pleural effusion is lacking. Pleural viscosity has a high sensitivity and specificity and a high positive and negative predictive value for discriminating exudative and transudative pleural effusions. The aim of this study was to use pleural fluid viscosity to discriminate between various aetiologies of exudative effusions, namely malignant, parapneumonic and tuberculous. METHODS: Seventy consecutive patients (24 women, 46 men, mean age = 67 years) with exudative pleural effusion due to pneumoniae in 24 patients, tuberculous pleurisy in 21 and lung cancer in 25 were studied prospectively. Measurements of pleural fluid and plasma viscosity were performed using Brookfield DV-II viscometer. RESULTS: Pleural viscosity and pleural LDH were highest in the tuberculous pleurisy patients and lowest in the lung cancer patients. Pleural viscosity > or = 1.57 was found to be indicative of tuberculous pleurisy with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 95%. Pleural viscosity < 1.39 was found to be indicative of lung cancer with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 94%. Pleural viscosity was significantly correlated with pleural albumin (r = 0.34, P = 0.004), protein (r = 0.40, P = 0.001), LDH (r = 0.70, P < 0.001) and plasma viscosity (r = 0.44, P < 0.001), having the most significant value with pleural LDH. CONCLUSION: The pleural fluid viscosity of patients with parapneumonic, tuberculous and malignant effusions are significantly different from each other. Among these groups, tuberculous effusions had the highest viscosity, and malignant effusions from lung cancer the lowest.