[Presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in patients with ischemic heart disease and acute myocardial infarct]. / Nazocnost protutijela protiv Chlamydia pneumoniae u bolesnika s ishemicnom bolesti srca i akutnim infarktom miokarda.

Numerous seroepidemiological studies that suggest an association of C. pneumoniae infection and atherosclerosis have been published in last decade. The aim of this study was to assess a prevalence of C. pneumoniae antibodies in population of Zagreb area, and to investigate possible differences in prevalence of antibodies in patients with atherosclerosis and healthy controls. Forty-seven patients with coronary artery disease or myocardial infarction and 54 controls without any previous history of atherosclerosis were enrolled in the study. Sera were examined by microimmunofluorescence test. Persons with IgA antibody titers > or = 1:32, and/or IgG antibody titers > or = 1:64 were considered as seropositive. We found 75% seropositive in a total number of subjects, although number of seropositive and higher titers of antibodies were found more often in patients with atherosclerosis compared to control group: 74.5% of IgA seropositive patients versus 33.3% seropositive in control group, and 89.4% of IgG seropositive patients compared to 63% seropositive controls. Chronic (persistent) infections with C. pneumoniae were noted in 74.5% of patients and 33.3% controls.

Short-term treatment of pertussis with azithromycin in infants and young children.

A prospective, open, noncomparative study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of azithromycin given once daily for 3 or 5 days to eradicate Bordetella pertussis from the upper respiratory tract of infants and young children. Seventeen children received azithromycin in a dose of 10 mg/kg on day 1 followed by 5 mg/kg once daily for four consecutive days, and 20 were given 10 mg/kg once daily for 3 days. Seven days after the initiation of therapy, 33 of 35 (94.3%) patients had negative cultures for Bordetella pertussis. On day 14, cultures from all 34 evaluable patients were negative. These findings suggest that a controlled, comparative study of erythromycin versus short-term administration of azithromycin is justified.

[Cutaneous symptoms and diagnosis of drug hypersensitivity]. / Kozni simptomi i dijagnostika preosjetljivosti na lijekove.

At the Department of Allergy, Clinic of Dermatovenerology, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Clinical Hospital Centre Zagreb, patients with different clinical features of drug allergy during the period of two years (1990-1991) were analyzed. The research included 475 patients with positive history of drug allergy and typical clinical symptoms. The aim of the study was to correlate the clinical diagnosis and history with the results of diagnostic tests in vitro and in some cases in vivo. Positive history and clinical diagnosis were confirmed in 117 of the 475 patients (24.6 percent) by an indirect basophil degranulation test (Shelley's test) and in 59 of the 345 patients (17.1 percent) by means of a lymphoblast transformation test. Patients positive in tests in vitro (or on TTL or on Shelley's test) from unselected 56 patients in vivo (prick test, scratch test) showed positive results. We consider therefore that provocative tests are more precise and exact than in vitro tests in the diagnosis of drug allergy. The most common causes of drug allergy and 17 clinical types are presented.