[Influenza in the patient of chronic respiratory disease].

The patient of chronic respiratory disease belongs to high risk group of the influenza, and when influenza will happen, they will become sever. Therefore, these patient should take the vaccination at first. Being vaccinated, even if the influenza will occur, the condition will not be sever and with the antiviral agents, anti-bacterial agents should be given with or without the existence of bacterial infection.

[Usefulness of urinary antigen and sputum Gram stain for rapid diagnosis of pneumococcal respiratory infections].

We evaluated the usefulness of a rapid urinary antigen detection kit (Binax NOW) to detect Streptococcus pneumoniae in the early diagnosis of pneumococcal respiratory tract infections in 313 patients with presumptive respiratory tract infections. We compared results of this test with those of sputum Gram staining. Urinary antigen and sputum Gram staining were respectively positive in 37 and 36 of 57 patients with pneumococcal respiratory infections. The urinary antigen showed moderate positive rate of 64.9% and low false positive rate of 2.3%. The sputum Gram staining also showed moderate positive rate of 64.3% and low false positive rate of 3.5%. Pneumococcal antigen was more frequently detected in patients with severe pneumococcal infections (6/6) than those with mild (5/10) and moderate (26/41) infections. Of the 9 patients who had received antibiotics before testing, antigen was detected in 8 but positive results of sputum Gram stain were in 4. In conclusion, urinary antigen test is a useful test for early diagnosis of pneumococcal respiratory infections especially in adult patients with moderate or severe infections for whom demonstrative results of a sputum Gram stain is unavailable, even after commencement of antibiotic treatment.

Preliminary report on DU-6859a for lower respiratory tract infection.

The efficacy, safety, and clinical utility of DU-6859a, a novel "new quinolone" antibacterial agent, were evaluated in patients with mild-to-moderate pneumonia or chronic respiratory tract infection (RTI) in a multicenter study. DU-6859a was administered orally after meals at a dose of 50 to 100mg, mainly twice daily, for 6 to 14 days. The clinical efficacy rate was 100% (26/26) for pneumonia and 89% (66/74) for chronic RTI, for an overall clinical efficacy rate of 92% (92/100). The overall eradication rate of causative organisms was 76% (42/55). Among the main causative organisms, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa had eradication rates of 100% (14/14), 100% (13/13), and 27% (4/15), respectively. Side effects such as abdominal discomfort, soft stools, headache, or swelling of the face and lips were observed in 5.6% (6/107) of patients; most of these symptoms were mild. Abnormal laboratory test findings, such as elevation of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and/or glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and eosinophilia, were noted in 16.5% (17/103) of patients; most of these abnormalities were mild. In conclusion, DU-6859a (50 to 100mg b.i.d.) showed excellent efficacy for pneumonia and chronic RTI without causing any severe, clinically significant adverse reactions. These findings show that DU-6859a is worthy of further clinical study for the treatment of RTI.

Cytology of basaloid squamous carcinoma of the bronchus. A case report.

BACKGROUND: The cytologic appearance of basaloid squamous carcinoma (BSC) arising in the lower respiratory tract has not been described very well because of its rarity. This article describes a surgical case of bronchial BSC and provides the first documentation of the sputum and imprint cytologic features of the tumor. CASE: A 74-year-old man presented with hemoptysis. An abnormal intrabronchial mass was revealed by computed tomography and bronchoscopy. Preoperative cytology and biopsy showed that the mass was composed of small, round, atypical cells, but correct diagnosis was difficult. Under a tentative diagnosis of small round cell carcinoma, a right lobectomy was performed. The resected tumor was composed of small cells showing peripheral palisading and partial epidermoid differentiation. There was no glandular differentiation. Focal necrosis was also noted. Immunohistochemical markers for smooth muscle and neuroendocrine cells were negative. The tumor was eventually diagnosed as BSC or basaloid carcinoma (BC) with squamous differentiation. CONCLUSION: It is important to recognize this disease, especially when undetermined small round cell carcinoma is noted in cytologic specimens, in order to properly assess prognosis. Cytologic detection of nuclear palisading of the neoplastic cells, one of the hallmarks of the disease, may be difficult, however, careful examination to reveal neoplastic cells showing squamous differentiation appears helpful for diagnosis.

[Pathogenesis of beta-lactam-resistant Haemophilus influenzae isolated from sputum].

Haemophlus influenzae persists in the respiratory tract and sometimes causes respiratory tract infections. To evaluate the pathogenesis of beta-lactam-resistant Haemophilus influenzae, we classified 193 Haemophilus influenzae strains isolated from sputum of patients with respiratory tract disease in 24 beta-lactamase positive (BLP) strains, 65 beta-lactamase negative ampicillin resistant (BLNAR) strains and 104 beta-lactamase negative ampicillin sensitive (BLNAS) strains and reviewed the pathogenesis of the strains. The pathogenesis of the strains was evaluated as definite pathogen, presumptive pathogen, colonization and contamination. It was judged to be the definite pathogen that many bacteria isolated from high quality sputum of the patients with respiratory tract infections. Presumptive pathogen was considered to be the bacteria provided from the patient with respiratory infections when the quality of the sputum or quantity of bacteria did not satisfy superscription basis. We considered the bacteria to be colonization or contamination isolated from patients without infections. The breakdown of definite pathogen/presumptive pathogen/colonization/contamination in each by groups was BLP (8/4/8/4), BLNAR (26/14/15/10), BLNAS (36/20/31/17). The ratio of definite or presumptive pathogen was 50% in BLP, 62% in BLNAR and 54% in BLNAS and the significant difference was not recognized in these. Pathogenesis of beta-lactam-resistant Haemophilus influenzae is estimated to be equal with beta-lactam-sensitive Haemophilus influenzae.

[Use of the antibacterial agent levofloxacin for acute upper respiratory tract infection accompanied by fever (> or = 38 degrees C)].

The appropriate administration method of levofloxacin in relation to symptoms was investigated by following up 2,353 patients prescribed either levofloxacin (300 mg divided into 3 doses) or 400 mg (divided into 2 doses) for the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infection accompanied by fever (temperature (> or = 38 degrees C) of suspected bacterial infection. 1) The cure rate based on body temperature as an index was significantly higher in the group administered 400 mg/day compared with the group administered 300 mg/day. No significant difference between the two regimens was observed in patients with a temperature < or = 38.5 degrees C at the start of administration, but patients with a temperature > or = 38.6 degrees C showed a significantly higher cure rate when administered 400 mg/day compared with 300 mg/day. 2) No significant difference between the groups was observed with respect to the improvement of quality of life (QOL), assessed using a VAS. In patients with a temperature > or = 38.6 degrees C, however, significantly higher improvement rates were demonstrated on days 3, 5 and 6 of treatment at 400 mg/day compared with 300 mg/day. 3) The reconsultation rate was significantly lower in the group administered 400 mg/day compared with the group administered 300 mg/day. No significant difference between the groups was observed in patients with a temperature < or = 38.5 degrees C. However, in the patients with a temperature > or = 38.6 degrees C, treatment at 400 mg/day achieved a significantly lower reconsultation rate compared with 300 mg/day. 4) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were concomitantly administered to 64.3% of the patients, but no significant difference in the cure rate was observed between patients with or without concomitant use of NSAIDs. 5) Among all of the patients, 12.7% were positive for the influenza virus, and anti-influenza drugs were concomitantly administered to 41.3% of them. However, no significant difference in the cure rate was observed between the group administered levofloxacin alone and the group concomitantly administered anti-influenza drugs. 6) The incidence of adverse drug reactions was 0.84% in the group administered 400 mg/day and 0.50% in the group administered 300 mg/day. No significant difference was observed between these groups and no serious adverse drug reactions occurred. In conclusion, for treating patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection accompanied by fever (> or = 38.6 degrees C) and suspected bacterial infection, levofloxacin dosage of 400 mg/day (divided into 2 doses) was superior to 300 mg/day (divided into 3 doses) in terms of therapeutic effect, QOL, and the reconsultation rate. This was considered to be an administration method worth recommending, including its safety. In patients with a temperature of 38.0 degrees C to 38.5 degrees C, administration of levofloxacin at 300 mg/day was confirmed to demonstrate a sufficient therapeutic effect.

[Effect of glycyrrhizin on anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatitis].

In cases in which hepatotoxicity developed during anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, the rapid recovery of liver function is essential for the completion of the anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy protocol. Glycyrrhizin (Stronger Neo-Minophagen C: SNMC) is widely used in Japan for the treatment of patients with drug eruption or chronic hepatitis. However, a consensus on the clinical effects of glycyrrhizin for the treatment of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatitis has not yet been reached. We studied 24 cases who showed abnormal liver function test results while undergoing anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy and who were treated with or without glycyrrhizin. We then compared recovery periods of liver function among both groups. The time required for liver function normalization in the patients who received glycyrrhizin (SNMC, 40 ml daily, intravenously) was 15.1 +/- 4.5 days and the time required for normalization in the non-glycyrrhizin group was 15.2 +/- 5.2 days. The difference was not significant and the fact indicated that glycyrrhizin is not useful for the treatment of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatitis.