Clonal dissemination of VanA-type glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecalis between hospitals of two cities located 100 km apart

Nosocomial dissemination of glycopeptide-resistant enterococci represents a major problem in hospitals worldwide. In Brazil, the dissemination among hospitals in the city of São Paulo of polyclonal DNA profiles was previously described for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. We describe here the dissemination of VanA phenotype E. faecalis between two hospitals located in different cities in the State of São Paulo. The index outbreak occurred in a tertiary care university hospital (HCUSP) in the city of São Paulo and three years later a cluster caused by the same strain was recognized in two patients hospitalized in a private tertiary care hospital (CMC) located 100 km away in the interior of the state. From May to July 1999, 10 strains of vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis were isolated from 10 patients hospitalized in the HCUSP. The DNA genotyping using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) showed that all isolates were originated from the same clone, suggesting nosocomial dissemination. From May to July 2002, three strains of vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis were isolated from two patients hospitalized in CMC and both patients were colonized by the vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in skin lesions. All isolates from CMC and HCUSP were highly resistant to vancomycin and teicoplanin. The three strains from CMC had minimum inhibitory concentration >256 æg/ml for vancomycin, and 64 (CMC 1 and CMC 2) and 96 æg/ml (CMC 3) for teicoplanin, characterizing a profile of VanA resistance to glycopeptides. All strains had the presence of the transposon Tn1546 detected by PCR and were closely related when typed by PFGE. The dissemination of the E. faecalis VanA phenotype among hospitals located in different cities is of great concern because E. faecalis commonly colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of patients and healthy persons for periods varying from weeks to years, which, together with the persistence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in hospital rooms after standard cleaning procedures, increases the risk of the dissemination and reservoir of the bacteria.

Clonal dissemination of VanA-type glycopeptide-resistant Enterococcus faecalis between hospitals of two cities located 100 km apart.

Nosocomial dissemination of glycopeptide-resistant enterococci represents a major problem in hospitals worldwide. In Brazil, the dissemination among hospitals in the city of São Paulo of polyclonal DNA profiles was previously described for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. We describe here the dissemination of VanA phenotype E. faecalis between two hospitals located in different cities in the State of São Paulo. The index outbreak occurred in a tertiary care university hospital (HCUSP) in the city of São Paulo and three years later a cluster caused by the same strain was recognized in two patients hospitalized in a private tertiary care hospital (CMC) located 100 km away in the interior of the state. From May to July 1999, 10 strains of vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis were isolated from 10 patients hospitalized in the HCUSP. The DNA genotyping using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) showed that all isolates were originated from the same clone, suggesting nosocomial dissemination. From May to July 2002, three strains of vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis were isolated from two patients hospitalized in CMC and both patients were colonized by the vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in skin lesions. All isolates from CMC and HCUSP were highly resistant to vancomycin and teicoplanin. The three strains from CMC had minimum inhibitory concentration >256 micro g/ml for vancomycin, and 64 (CMC 1 and CMC 2) and 96 micro g/ml (CMC 3) for teicoplanin, characterizing a profile of VanA resistance to glycopeptides. All strains had the presence of the transposon Tn1546 detected by PCR and were closely related when typed by PFGE. The dissemination of the E. faecalis VanA phenotype among hospitals located in different cities is of great concern because E. faecalis commonly colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of patients and healthy persons for periods varying from weeks to years, which, together with the persistence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in hospital rooms after standard cleaning procedures, increases the risk of the dissemination and reservoir of the bacteria.

[Therapy of postoperative arrhythmias (author's transl)]. / Therapie postoperativer Herzrhythmusstörungen.

Severe supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias occurred after surgery in 9 patients. Oxprenolol or pindolol were used as primary drugs in 8 cases. The effect of therapy was documented quantitatively by an arrhythmia computer with trendscription and alarm recording. Beta-receptor blockade was successful in 6 cases. On supraventricular tachycardia with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was abolished by quinidine. Severe ventricular instability with fibrillation following myocardial infarction was temporarily suppressed by lidocaine. One fatal outcome was caused by severe illness. Although all patients were suffering from coronary artery and/or hypertensive heart disease with diminished cardiac reserve, no serious side effects were directly related to beta-receptor blockade. Therefore beta-receptor blocking drugs are recommended as drugs of first choice in the treatment of postoperative arrhythmias induced by sympathetic overstimulation. Dysrhythmias based on cellular pathology should be treated with conventional antiarrhythmic drugs alone or combined with beta-blockers.

[The effects of oxprenolol on cardiac function during hypovolemic shock in dogs (author's transl)]. / Die Wirkung von Oxprenolol auf die Herzfunktion im hypovolämischen Schock des Hundes.

Effects of beta-receptor blockade by oxprenolol, which significantly prevented subendocardial necroses during hemorrhagic shock in dogs, on shock tolerance and myocardial function were analyzed. Overall mortality was not altered by beta-receptor blockade. Cardiac output and contractility (dp/dtmax) before, during and after a hypovolemic period of 120 to 210 min with mean arterial pressure = 40 +/- 5 mmHg showed no significant difference with or without oxprenolol treatment. Increase of heart rate during hemorrhage was abolished completely by oxprenolol and as a consequence of this duration of the diastolic filling period was about three times longer (p less than 0.001) and stroke volumes were greater. Stress metabolism was improved. Hyperglycemia and metabolic acidosis were diminished and arterial oxygen tension was higher in the treated group. Incidence of lethal ventricular fibrillation was higher and pulsus alternans found only in the control group. The beneficial effects of beta-receptor blockage on the course of hemorrhagic shock are explained by the prevention of the catecholamine induced tachycardia and thereby increased coronary perfusion and decreased myocardial oxygen consumption and by the intrinsic sympathicomimetic activity of oxprenolol.

[Postoperative cardiac arrhythmias (author's transl)]. / Postoperative Herzrhythmusstörungen.

13 male patients suffering from arteriosclerotic heart disease and/or arterial hypertension were monitored continuously before and after vascular surgical procedures using an arrhythmia computer. Heart rate, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias, ventricular extrasystoles, ventricular tachycardias, ventricular fibrillation and prematurity index (QnQe/QTn) were recorded numerically. Ventricular arrhythmias were detected as follows preoperatively in 12 patients, after operation in all patients, paired ventricular extrasystoles or episodes of ventricular tachycardia were found in 5 cases before and in 7 after operation, ventricular fibrillation in one case. The incidence of ventricular dysrhythmias increased significantly (p less than 0.05) early after operation, as did the heart rate during the observed postoperative period (p less than 0.001). The prematurity index dropped below 1.0 during the two days following operation. This differed significantly from the preoperative value (p less than 0.05). The incidence of ventricular extrasystoles was related to postoperative myocardial infarction and heart failure (p less than 0.01), which occurred in 6 cases, with a lethal outcome in three. Only occasionally controlled by trained staff in a normal surgical ward the "Servomed Dysrhythmiemonitor" yielded reliable numerical results during the main part of the monitored period. In two cases it led to immediate detection and rapid institution of treatment of severe tachyar rhythmias.

[Prophylactic effect of isosorbide dinitrate on postoperative cardiac complications (author's transl)]. / Prophylaktische Wirkung von Isosorbiddinitrat auf postoperative kardiale Komplikationen

Isosorbide dinitrate (ISD) was administered before, during and after 178 operations performed on 127 patients with arterial occlusive disease. Its influence on postoperative myocardial infarction, heart failure and mortality was tested by comparison with 188 operations performed on 140 patients with hypertension and/or old myocardial infarction receiving no ISD prophylaxis. Risk of cardiac complications was similar in both groups. Mortality in the ISD-treated group was significantly lowered as compared with the control group and was about half of the overall mortality in patients with arterial occlusive disease operated on at our hospital over the past 10 years. This difference depended partly on the influence of ISD on cardiac complications. Post-operative myocardial infarction during ISD prophylaxis occurred in 0.6% of cases as compared with 3.7% in the control group (p less than 0.05), whilst the respective values for postoperative heart failure were 5.7% and 18.2% (p less than 0.001). Both complications are related to absolute or relative hypoxia during the post-operative stress period. ISD is effective by lowering cardiac preload and afterload and thereby diminishing myocardial oxygen demand. ISD is the drug of choice for surgical patients since it provides a steady and long-lasting effect after sublingual absorption. ISD prophylaxis during the perioperative period is indicated in cases with coronary artery disease and with increased cardiac preload or afterload.

[Risk factors and pathogenesis of postoperative cardiac decompensation (author's transl)]. / Risikofaktoren und Pathogenese der postoperativen kardialen Dekompensation

In 214 patients with healed myocardial infarction an assessment was made of the prognostic value of risk factors relating to early postoperative cardiac decompensation which occurred in 50 cases. A significant influence was shown by age (greater than or equal to 75 years), pre-existing heart failure and load insufficiency, hypertension (greater than or equal to 180/95 mm Hg), advanced arteriosclerosis with cerebrovascular and renovascular symptoms, infections with fever or septicemia, emergency operations, lang-lasting surgery, decrease in blood pressure during operations (greater than or equal to 70 mm Hg systolic) and postoperative anemia (less than or equal to 3.5 millions erythrocytes/cmm). The postoperative cardiac failure took a lethal course in 60%. Pathogenetically, the discrepancy between O2-requirement and O2-supply in the previously damaged myocardium is of essential importance during the postoperative stress period.

[Risk factors in postoperative myocardial infarction]. / Risikofaktoren des postoperativen Myokardinfarktes

Myocardial infarction after major surgery occurred 25 times in 214 patients who had previously sustained infarcts. Analysis of data obtained before, during and after 335 operations in these patients revealed the following pathogenetic factors in the infarction: (1) The patient with the highest coronary risk had arterial hypertension of at least 160/95 mmHg and advanced arteriosclerosis combined with coronary arterial, peripheral arterial, cerebrovascular, and renovascular disease. (2) Myocardial necrosis occurred when oxygen supply was reduced, as evidenced from a fall in systolic blood pressure to 70 mmHg or less during operation or anaemia (RBC smaller than or equal to 3,5 times 10-6/mul) early after operation. (3) Risk of infarction was highest during the early postoperative stress period with elevated plasma catecholamine levels and thus an increased myocardial oxygen demand.