Surgical preferences in the management of recalcitrant endophthalmitis.

To assess the practice patterns of current members of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) in the treatment of medically refractive endophthalmitis (MRE). A 17-question survey included the procedure of choice for MRE, the preferred type of orbital implant, the timing of implant placement, and the incidence of postoperative complications. 107 ASOPRS members participated in the study. In the setting of MRE, 72% preferred evisceration versus 28% who preferred enucleation. Fifty-nine percent of responders preferred enucleation if the MRE extended to orbital tissues versus 27% who would eviscerate. Among those that would place an orbital implant at the initial surgery, 65% would do so during an enucleation and 58% would do so during an evisceration. If an orbital implant was placed at the initial surgery, 52% of responders preferred a silicone implant, while 17% preferred hydroxyapatite implant. A minority of responders (6%) reported "yes" to ever having infectious complications after primary enucleation, compared to 10% after primary evisceration. Overall, 12% of responders noted more frequent complications (other than infectious) when an enucleation was performed compared to 5% for eviscerations. Current opinions on the surgical management of MRE show a trend toward evisceration, with 65% of ASOPRS respondents placing an orbital implant at the time of an enucleation and 58% at the time of an evisceration. Enucleation was preferred when involvement of orbital tissues was apparent. Both evisceration and enucleation remain a viable treatment option for MRE. The most appropriate initial approach is best determined by careful patient selection and informed decision-making by the patient.

Explanations for unsuccessful weight loss among bariatric surgery candidates.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to analyze subjective explanations for unsuccessful weight loss among bariatric surgery candidates. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 909 bariatric surgery candidates (78.2% female, average body mass index [BMI] 47.3) at a university center from 2001 to April 2007 who answered an open-ended question about why they were unable to lose weight. We generated a coding scheme for answers to the question and established inter-rater reliability of the coding process. Associations with demographic parameters and initial BMI were tested. RESULTS: The most common categories of answers were nonspecific explanations related to diet (25.3%), physical activity (21.0%), or motivation (19.7%), followed by diet-related motivation (12.7%) and medical conditions or medications affecting physical activity (12.7%). Categories related to time, financial cost, social support, physical environment, and knowledge occurred in less than 4% each. Men were more likely than women to cite a medical condition or medication affecting physical activity (19.2% vs 10.8%, P = 0.002, odds ratio [OR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28-2.99) but less likely to cite diet-related motivation (7.1% vs 14.2%, P = 0.008, OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.26-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that addressing diet, physical activity, and motivation in a comprehensive approach would meet the stated needs of obese patients. Raising patient awareness of under-recognized barriers to weight loss, such as the physical environment and lack of social support, should also be considered. Lastly, anticipating gender-specific attributions may facilitate tailoring of interventions.

Inactivation of Orientia tsutsugamushi in red blood cells, plasma, and platelets with riboflavin and light, as demonstrated in an animal model.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of blood products with riboflavin and light has been used to reduce the number of certain pathogens. Orientia (formerly Rickettsia) tsutsugamushi, the scrub typhus agent, is an obligate intracellular bacterium that grows free in the cytoplasm of infected cells. This study evaluated the capability of riboflavin and light to inactivate O. tsutsugamushi in red blood cells (RBCs), platelets (PLTs), and plasma, as measured by mouse infectivity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 108 mice, equally divided into groups receiving RBCs, plasma, and PLTs, received untreated products infected with 10(0) to 10(5) organisms. Eighteen mice received products infected with 10(5) organisms and were subsequently treated with riboflavin and light. Mice were monitored daily for up to 17 days for signs and symptoms of infection (e.g., lethargy, labored breathing, rough coat) and killed upon appearance of symptoms or on Day 17 after infection. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on blood and Giemsa stains from peritoneal exudates were performed. RESULTS: A total of 102 of 108 mice receiving the untreated products developed signs and symptoms of infection and had positive PCR and Giemsa stain results. None of the 18 animals receiving riboflavin and light-treated blood products exhibited signs or symptoms of infection, nor was infection observed by PCR testing or Giemsa staining. CONCLUSIONS: Riboflavin and light are effective in reducing O. tsutsugamushi. Mice injected with blood products inoculated with 10(5) organisms and treated with riboflavin and light did not experience any signs or symptoms of infection, 17 days after inoculation. A 5-log reduction of this organism in blood was achieved as assayed in an animal model.

Failure to induce oral tolerance to a soluble protein in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Defective suppressor/regulatory T-cell activation has been proposed as a mechanism to explain the uncontrolled inflammatory process seen in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Previous studies have suggested that inappropriate activation of CD4+ T cells may occur in the gastrointestinal tract in these patients. Because suppressor/regulatory T cells are thought to be one mechanism for the promotion of oral tolerance, we attempted to induce tolerance in normal controls (n = 21) and patients with either Crohn's disease (CD, n = 12) or ulcerative colitis (UC, n = 13). METHODS: Subjects were fed keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) before subcutaneous immunization and booster immunization. Blood for KLH-induced T-cell proliferation and serum for anti-KLH antibody was obtained at baseline and after feeding, immunization, and booster. RESULTS: In the control group, KLH feeding (50 and 250 mg) before immunization and booster resulted in reduced KLH-specific T-cell proliferation compared with the group that was not fed KLH (P < 0.002). However, both CD and UC patients showed significantly enhanced proliferation, without tolerance induction, when compared with baseline values (P < 0.035 and 0.02, respectively). Serum antibody to KLH was present only after immunization in the control group; however, anti-KLH antibody was seen after oral administration in both the UC and CD groups. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these data suggest that oral antigen administration does not result in tolerance in CD and UC patients, and might actually result in active immunity. This may reflect an in vivo functional defect in mucosal suppression of immune responses in IBD.

Failure to induce oral tolerance in Crohn's and ulcerative colitis patients: possible genetic risk.

It has been proposed that defective activation of suppressor or regulatory T cells is one mechanism involved in the uncontrolled inflammatory process seen in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Because suppressor/regulatory T cells are thought to play a role in the promotion of oral tolerance, we attempted to induce oral tolerance in normal controls (n = 21) and patients with either Crohn's disease (CD; n = 12) or ulcerative colitis (UC; n = 13). In the first study, subjects were fed the neoantigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) on days 1 to 5 and 11 to 15. Subcutaneous immunization with KLH was performed on day 26, with a booster immunization on day 35. Blood for KLH-induced T cell proliferation and serum for anti-KLH antibody production was obtained at baseline, on day 26 preimmunization (postfed), on day 35 after the first immunization, and again on day 42 after the second immunization. In normal individuals, KLH feeding prior to immunization and booster resulted in reduced KLH-specific T cell proliferation compared with the group that was not fed KLH. However, although on the same KLH-feeding protocol, both CD and UC patients demonstrated significantly enhanced proliferation without oral tolerance induction when compared with baseline values. These data suggest that oral tolerance induction is defective in patients with IBD. This may reflect an in vivo functional defect in mucosal suppression of immune responses in IBD. Both UC and CD appear to be multigenic disorders with evidence of familial segregation. We analyzed four multiplex Crohn's and two UC families to determine whether the defect in tolerance induction was genetically regulated. In three of the four CD families at least one unaffected family member also failed to tolerate (total 5 of 14 unaffected family members). In the UC families, the defect in tolerance segregated with disease. These data suggest a genetic defect in tolerance induction in Crohn's disease.