Susceptibility of bacterial endophthalmitis isolates to vancomycin, ceftazidime, and amikacin.

Bacterial endophthalmitis is a rare intraocular infection, and prompt administration of intravitreal antibiotics is crucial for preventing severe vision loss. The retrospective study is to investigate the in vitro susceptibility to the antibiotics vancomycin, amikacin, and ceftazidime of bacterial endophthalmitis isolates in specimens at a tertiary referral center from January 1996 to April 2019 in Taiwan. Overall, 450 (49.9%) isolates were Gram positive, 447 (49.6%) were Gram negative, and 4 (0.4%) were Gram variable. In Gram-positive isolates, coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most commonly cultured bacteria (158, 35.1%), followed by Streptococci (100, 22.2%), Enterococci (75, 16.7%), and Staphylococcus aureus (70, 15.6%). In Gram-negative isolates, they were Klebsiella pneumoniae (166, 37.1%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (131, 29.3%). All Gram-positive organisms were susceptible to vancomycin, with the exception of one Enterococcus faecium isolate (1/450, 0.2%). Of the Gram-negative isolates, 96.9% and 93.7% were susceptible to ceftazidime and amikacin, respectively. Nine isolates (9/447, 2.0%) were multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, comprising K. pneumoniae (4/164, 2.4%), Acinetobacter baumannii (2/3, 67%), and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (3/18, 17%). In conclusion, in vitro susceptibility testing revealed that vancomycin remains the suitable antibiotic treatment for Gram-positive endophthalmitis. Ceftazidime and amikacin provide approximately the same degree of Gram-negative coverage. Multidrug-resistant bacterial endophthalmitis was uncommon.

Streptococcus pneumoniae endophthalmitis: clinical settings, antibiotic susceptibility, and visual outcomes.

Streptococcus pneumoniae endophthalmitis is clinically more severe, more difficult to treat, and carry a higher risk of vision loss, evisceration, or enucleation. This study is to investigate the clinical settings, antibiotic susceptibility, and visual outcomes of S. pneumoniae endophthalmitis at a tertiary referral center in Taiwan. S. pneumoniae endophthalmitis was diagnosed in 38 eyes of 38 patients. The main clinical features were postcataract endophthalmitis (n = 13, 34%) and endophthalmitis associated with corneal ulcer (n = 12, 32%), trauma (n = 6, 16%), endogenous etiology (n = 4, 11%), trabeculectomy (n = 2, 5%), and pterygium excision-related scleral ulcer (n = 1, 3%). Presenting visual acuity ranged from counting fingers to no light perception. Pars plana vitrectomy with intravitreal antibiotics was performed in 17 eyes (39%) in primary or secondary treatments. S. pneumoniae isolates were susceptible to vancomycin (38/38, 100%), penicillin (37/38, 97%), ceftriaxone (37/38, 97%), cefuroxime (12/15, 80%), levofloxacin (13/15 ,87%), and moxifloxacin (15/17, 88%). Final visual acuity was better than 20/400 in 3 of 38 eyes (8%), 5/200 to hand motions in 3 eyes (8%), and light perception to no light perception in 32 eyes (84%). Ten eyes (26%) underwent evisceration or enucleation. Although S. pneumoniae isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, S. pneumoniae endophthalmitis had a very poor visual prognosis.

Risk of spinal cord injury in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament: a national cohort study.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the risk of spinal cord injury (SCI) in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) with and without ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Also, the study compared the incidence rates of SCI in patients who were managed surgically and conservatively. METHODS This retrospective cohort study covering 15 years analyzed the incidence of SCI in patients with CSM. All patients, identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database, were hospitalized with the diagnosis of CSM and followed up during the study period. These patients with CSM were categorized into 4 groups according to whether they had OPLL or not and whether they received surgery or not: 1) surgically managed CSM without OPLL; 2) conservatively managed CSM without OPLL; 3) surgically managed CSM with OPLL; and 4) conservatively managed CSM with OPLL. The incidence rates of subsequent SCI in each group during follow-up were then compared. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to compare the risk of SCI between the groups. RESULTS Between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2013, there were 17,258 patients with CSM who were followed up for 89,003.78 person-years. The overall incidence of SCI in these patients with CSM was 2.022 per 1000 person-years. Patients who had CSM with OPLL and were conservatively managed had the highest incidence of SCI, at 4.11 per 1000 person-years. Patients who had CSM with OPLL and were surgically managed had a lower incidence of SCI, at 3.69 per 1000 person-years. Patients who had CSM without OPLL and were conservatively managed had an even lower incidence of SCI, at 2.41 per 1000 person-years. Patients who had CSM without OPLL and were surgically managed had the lowest incidence of SCI, at 1.31 per 1000 person-years. The Cox regression model demonstrated that SCIs are significantly more likely to happen in male patients and in those with OPLL (HR 2.00 and 2.24, p < 0.001 and p = 0.007, respectively). Surgery could significantly lower the risk for approximately 50% of patients (HR 0.52, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Patients with CSM had an overall incidence rate of SCI at approximately 0.2% per year. Male sex, the coexistence of OPLL, and conservative management are twice as likely to be associated with subsequent SCI. Surgery is therefore suggested for male patients with CSM who also have OPLL.

A quality dietary supplement: before you start and after it's marketed--a conference report.

Consumers worldwide are turning to dietary supplements as one part of their personal goal to lead healthier and more active lives. In truth, the quality of life now supersedes the length of life as no one would trade living to one hundred (the last forty with compromised physical abilities and decreased mental acuity) for 80 years of travel, time with family, and intellectual pursuits. If there is the possibility of preventing a disease or debilitating condition through efficient lifestyle changes (additions, subtractions, modifications) and to also avoid the costly and escalating medical and pharmaceutical treatments that accompany having the disease/condition, then a sensible individual would focus on their overall health and wellness…proactively, instead of reactively. However, an important caveat is that over-regulation or inappropriate application of current regulations can increase the price of dietary supplements and nutritional products and thus cause underutilization of the potentially beneficial physiological attributes of these products. Conversely, strict adherence to regulatory guidelines could result in safer dietary supplements and fewer adverse reactions requiring medical attention. If new regulations or stricter interpretation/application of existing regulations result in certain dietary supplements being taken off the market, will continued demand create a completely unregulated, underground economy that will create unforeseen problems? More research should be supported by government agencies to determine the effectiveness of dietary supplements, nutritional products and complementary medicine in reducing personal and societal medical costs and further contribution to the overall health of the population.