Antibiotic resistance in patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders versus immunocompetent patients.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility among bacterial isolates of patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders (PID) in comparison with immunocompetent patients. METHODS: Patients' antibiotic sensitivity profiles were extracted from their medical records. In order to compare the antibiotic sensitivity profiles of PID patients with immunocompetent patients, the results of antibiograms of patients who did not have a known or suspected immunodeficiency and were hospitalized during the same period were obtained and used as control subjects. RESULTS: A total number of 257 isolates were obtained from 86 PID patients. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of several organisms isolated from PID patients were significantly lower compared to that of immunocompetent patients. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic resistance seems to be higher among PID patients compared to immunocompetent patients. This indicates a need for further investigations for the possible factors responsible for antibiotic resistance in PID patients.

Celecoxib adjunctive therapy for acute bipolar mania: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Recent research has focused on the inflammatory cascade as a key culprit in the etiology of bipolar disorder. We hypothesized that celecoxib, via its anti-inflammatory properties, may have a therapeutic role in mood disorder. METHODS: Forty-six inpatients with the diagnosis of acute bipolar mania without psychotic features participated in a parallel, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, and underwent six weeks of treatment with either celecoxib (400 mg daily) or placebo as an adjunctive treatment to sodium valproate. Patients were evaluated using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The primary outcome measure with respect to efficacy was the mean decrease in YMRS score from baseline to the study endpoint, which was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed in the change in YMRS scores on Day 42 compared to baseline in the two groups (p < 0.001). The changes at the endpoint compared to baseline were -29.78 ± 21.78 (mean ± standard deviation) and -21.78 ± 7.16 for the celecoxib and placebo groups, respectively. A significantly higher remission rate was observed in the celecoxib group (87.0%) than the placebo group (43.5%) at Week 6 (p = 0.005). General linear model repeated measures demonstrated a significant effect for the time × treatment interaction on the YMRS scores [F(2.27,99.98) = 6.67, p = 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Celecoxib is an effective adjuvant therapy in the treatment of manic episodes (without psychotic features) of bipolar mood disorder. The mood-stabilizing role of the drug might be mediated via its action on the inflammatory cascade.

Combination of calcium hydroxyapatite and autologous blood for endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in children.

OBJECTIVE: To report the results of endoscopic correction of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) with concomitant injection of pure calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) and autologous blood. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Records of patients who underwent endoscopic correction of VUR using concomitant injection of CaHA and autologous blood from 2008 through 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Data regarding patients' demographics, preoperative VUR grades, febrile urinary tract infections, complications of procedure, postoperative VUR grades and cure rates were collected. Voiding cystourethrography was performed 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Total number of 23 children (9 girls and 14 boys) with 40 refluxing ureters were included. The mean age of children was 1.9 ± 0.97 (SD) years. Reflux grades were II to IV in 14, 11 and 15 renal refluxing units (RRUs), respectively. The mean follow-up period was 44 months. VUR was successfully treated in 87.5% of RRUs after three injections. Significant statistical difference was found between VUR grades before and after the first, second and third injections (p < 0.001, p = 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant difference between primary reflux grade and treatment success (p = 0.031). Febrile UTI was resolved in 85% of patients (17 of 20 patients with febrile UTI) after endoscopic treatment which shows significant improvement (p < 0.001). The procedure was uneventful in all patients, and no obstruction was reported during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Concomitant injection of pure CaHA without any additives (hyaluronic acid, etc.) and autologous blood can be an effective, repeatable and cost-benefit approach for the management of children suffering VUR with a success rate of 87.5% after three injections.

A novel alternative for renal replacement therapy: 2-year successful colonic dialysis via a Malone antegrade continent enema stoma.

This study is a case report of home-based colonic dialysis (CD) for treating end-stage renal disease in a 20-year-old woman. She had a history of Malone antegrade continence enema (MACE) for treating neuropathic bowel at the age of 11 years. The patient refused any type of renal replacement therapy. However, she agreed to CD through the MACE stoma by changing the colonic irrigation solution to the peritoneal dialysis solution. The patient was discharged with a plasma creatinine (Cr) level of 1.7 mg/dL and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level of 8 mg/dL. She has continued CD on a regular basis at home. The patient's serum Cr and BUN has remained in the steady low state during 24 months of follow-up (mean Cr level = 2.8 mg/dL and mean BUN level = 10.7 mg/dL).