Actividad comparativa in vitro de moxifloxacina y otros antimicrobianos frente a patógenos respiratorios / Comparative in vitro activity of moxifloxacin and other antimicrobials against respiratory pathogens

Background: Respiratory pathogens are becoming increasingly resistant to antimicrobials. A new group of drugs, called respiratory quinolones have been synthesized to overcome this problem. Aim: To study the in vitro susceptibility of respiratory pathogens to old and new antimicrobials. Material and methods: Forty five strains of S pneumoniae, 44 strains of H influenzae, 21 strains of M catarrhalis, 10 strains of methicillin susceptible S aureus and 20 strains of methicillin resistant S aureus were studied. All were isolated from community acquired respiratory infections during 1999. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of moxifloxacin, amoxicilin, amoxicilin/clavulanic acid, clarithromycin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were determined using the Etest method. Betalactamase production by H influenzae and M catarrhalis was also studied. Results: S pneumoniae strains were 100 percent susceptible to quinolones and cotrimoxazole, 2 percent were resistant to macrolides, 11 percent were resistant to amoxicilin/clavulanic acid and 47 percent were resistant to cefuroxime. H influenzae was 100 percent susceptible to quinolones, azithromycin and amoxicilin/clavulanic acid. There was a 53 percent resistance to cotrimoxazole, 21 percent to amoxicilin, 9 percent to clarithromycin and 7 percent to cefuroxime. M catarrhalis was 100 percent susceptible to quinolones and 100 percent resistant to amoxicilin, 5 percent resistant to macrolides, 14 percent resistant to amoxicilin/clavulanic acid, 20 percent to cefuroxime and 30 percent to cotrimoxazole. Methicilline susceptible S aureus was susceptible to all antimicrobials and methicillin resistant S aureus was resistant to all. Conclusions: Moxifloxacin and the new respiratory quinolones can be useful in the treatment of respiratory infections

Ciprofloxacino en exacerbaciones agudas de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica / Ciprofloxacin in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Las exacerbaciones agudas de la EPOC son desencadenadas principalmente por infecciones bacterianas. Recientemente se ha revisado la racionalidad para la selección de antibióticos y se ha propuesto el empleo de ciproflaxacino como alternativa terapéutica. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia clínica y microbiológica del ciprofloxacino 750 mg (Baycip Bayer) 2 veces al día durante 9 días en pacientes EPOC con exacerbación aguda. Se realizó un estudio prospectivo, longitudinal, abierto no comparativo, multicéntrico en 57 pacientes. Existió cura clínica en 52 (96,3 por ciento) al día 10 y 49 (90,7 por ciento) al día 21. La eficacia microbiológica se midió en los 17 pacientes con cultivo positivo en la visita inicial. Hubo erradicación bacteriológica en 16 pacientes al día 10 y en 14 al día 21. Hubo 15 eventos adversos, 6 con relación posible o probable con la droga. Ciprofloxacino oral puede ser considerado un antibiótico útil en el tratamiento de las exacerbaciones agudas de EPOC

Experiencia clínica con un inhibidor de la alfa glucosidasa (acarbosa) en el tratamiento de la diabetes no insulinodependiente: estudio multicéntrico / Multicentric study on the effect of an alpha glucosidase inhibitor in the treatment of non insulin dependent diabetes

Diabetic patients received acarbose, 150 mg/day durign four weeks and this dose was increased to 300 mg/day durign 3 months. Afterwards, patients were followed for a period of 12 weeks without acarbose. Fasting and post-prandial blood glucose and glycosilated hemoglobin were measured sequentially durign the study. Results: Eighty five patients were recruited for the study but 64 complied with the treatment protocol. The age of these patients was 56 ñ 8.8 years old, their diabetes duration was 7.8 ñ 8.8 years and their body mass index was 27.6 ñ 3.6 kg/m². During acarbose treatment, glycosilated hemoglobin decreased from 8.36 ñ 1.33 to 7.71 + 1.7 percent (p < 0.001), fasting blood glucose decreased from 173 ñ 48 to 159 ñ 59 mg/dl (p < 0.03) and post-prandial blood glucose decreased from 254 ñ 80 to 241 ñ mg/dl (NS). After discontinuing acarbose glycosilated hemoglobin and blood glucose levels returned to basal levels. Body weight and blood pressure did not change during the treatment period. Fifty nine patients bad gastrointestinal symptoms (meteorism, flatulence and abdominal distention) that were mild in 59 percent and moderate in 39 percent. Episodes of hypoglycemia were not observed. Conclusions: Acarbose, associated to sylphonylureas is an effective drug to reduce blood glucose and glycosilated hemoglobin levels in patients with non insulin dependent diabetes