Single-center, prospective, and observational study on the management and treatment of impetigo in a pediatric population.

OBJECTIVE: Ozenoxacin is a new antibiotic used to treat non-bullous impetigo. The aim of this study is to evaluate the microbiological and clinical efficacy of topical ozenoxacin 1% cream after 5-day twice-daily treatment, in pediatric patients with impetigo. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This observational and prospective study included patients aged 6 months to 18 years, with non-bullous impetigo. Efficacy was measured using the Skin Infection Rating Scale (SIRS) and microbiological culture at the first visit (T0), at the second visit after 72 hours (T1) and after 5 days (T2). Safety and tolerability were also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients was enrolled. A reduction of SIRS score >10% after 72 hours of treatment was noticed in all patients, while a complete reduction was assessed after 5 days in all the population. Microbiologic success rates for ozenoxacin at T1 was 92% (four patients had original pathogens in the specimen culture from the skin area), whereas at T2, it was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Topical ozenoxacin has strong efficacy in treating impetigo in pediatric patients. Ozenoxacin's clinical and microbiological rapid onset of response led to consider this antibiotic a novel efficacy option for the treatment of impetigo.

[Atrial natriuretic peptide, left ventricular mass and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in essential arterial hypertension of a mild or moderate degree]. / Peptide natriuretico atriale, massa ventricolare sinistra e sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterone nell'ipertensione arteriosa essenziale di grado lieve o moderato.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and left ventricular mass in essential hypertension was assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Immunoreactive ANP in 10 normal subjects and 20 untreated patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension was compared with echocardiographic measurement of cardiac size, function and blood pressure. Venous plasma concentrations of ANP were also studied in relation to urinary sodium and potassium excretion, as well as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. RESULTS: Plasma ANP was higher in hypertensive patients (25.3 +/- 13.3 pg/ml; p = 0.003) than normotensive subjects (11.1 +/- 2.7 pg/ml). In hypertensive patients, plasma ANP was inversely related to plasma renin activity (PRA) (r = -0.6; p = 0.009). No relationship was found between ANP and blood pressure, nor between the indices of left ventricular mass and function or urinary electrolytes. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that circulating ANP is, in average, significantly increased in hypertensive patients, consistent with previous reports. Our data do not support a direct link between left ventricular mass and increased plasma ANP levels in hypertensive patients. Whether the inverse relationship between ANP and PRA in this pathologic state is a direct one or merely a secondary association has not been clearly established.