Aeromonas hydrophila as a causative organism in peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis: case report and review of the literature.

Most episodes of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis could be attributed to a single organism, but in almost 10% of peritonitis episodes multiple organisms are identified. Polymicrobial peritonitis is often related to intra-abdominal pathology, and the prognosis may be poor. Aeromonas spp. have rarely been identified as the causative pathogen in PD-related peritonitis, and a very small number of cases has been reported in the literature. These rod-shaped, gram-negative microorganisms have been isolated from wastewater drainage systems, food, vegetables, and soil. Herein we report a case of polymicrobial peritonitis in a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), due to a combination of Streptococcus viridans and Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The patient was involved in gardening and was not compliant with her technique protocol. She did not wear a mask and omitted thorough hand washing. The patient was treated with i.p. vancomycin and ceftazidime and peritonitis was resolved. The patient's technique was reassessed, and she was retrained by our PD nurses.

A case of membranous nephropathy associated with Sjögren syndrome, polymyositis and autoimmune hepatitis.

Sjögren syndrome (SS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, especially lacrimal and salivary. The immunologic process which occurs in this syndrome is B cell hyperactivity, which results in production of autoantibodies and immune complexes. SS can exist as a primary disorder or in association with other autoimmune processes. A usually mild, proximal and insidious inflammatory myopathy can occur in patients with SS with a broad clinical and pathological spectrum. Interstitial nephritis with mild proteinuria and tubular dysfunction is the most common renal manifestation of SS, but glomerular involvement due to immune complex deposition may also rarely occur [Goules et al. 2000]. There is an association of SS with hepatic abnormalities, as evidenced by abnormal liver biochemical tests or histological characteristics of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), portal tract fibrosis, or autoimmune hepatitis [Abraham et al. 2004]. The pathogenetic mechanism of liver involvement in SS is not clear, but it is possible that hepatic and salivary gland damage share a similar pathology. The combination of Sjögren syndrome with kidney, liver and muscle involvement in one entity is extremely rare and data in the literature are remarkably sparse. We present a case of a 43-year-old female patient suffering from SS accompanied by polymyositis, membranous nephropathy and autoimmune hepatitis.

Acute renal failure after antibiotic-impregnated bone cement treatment of an infected total knee arthroplasty.

Antibiotic-impregnated cement is used frequently in revision procedures of infected total hip and knee arthroplasties. Local antibiotic treatment is as effective as the use of systemic antibiotics. The purpose of such treatment is to provide high tissue concentrations of antibiotics and minimize systemic toxicity, especially nephrotoxicity. Though antibiotic-impregnated cement is considered safe in terms of nephrotoxicity, two cases that have implicated aminoglycoside-impregnated cement in acute renal failure (ARF) after surgery for an infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been reported [Curtis et al. 2005, Van Raaij et al. 2002]. Two more cases of postoperative ARF after use of combined tobramycin- plus vancomycin-impregnated cement, this time in total hip arthroplasty, have been recently reported [Patrick et al. 2006]. We report a case of ARF in a 61-year-old patient with a history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension after treatment of a febrile infection of a TKA with combined gentamicin- plus vancomycin-impregnated cement. The ARF could not sufficiently be attributed to other causes and though serum concentrations of antibiotics obtained from the 8th postoperative day and thereafter were far below the trough levels associated with nephrotoxicity, gentamicin and vancomycin seem to have contributed significantly to ARF in our case.

Comparative evaluation of the BTAstat test, NMP22, and voided urine cytology in the detection of primary and recurrent bladder tumors.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the BTAstat test and nuclear matrix protein (NMP22) compared with voided urine cytology (VUC) in the detection of primary and recurrent bladder cancer. METHODS: A total of 147 patients provided a single voided urine sample for the BTAstat test, NMP22, and cytology prior to cystoscopy. Eighty-five of them had no bladder cancer history, whereas the remaining 62 were monitored for superficial bladder cancer. A group of 21 healthy age-matched volunteers were also enrolled in the study. RESULTS: Bladder cancer was confirmed histologically in 99 patients, of which 62 had primary tumors and 37 had recurrent ones. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 71.7% and 56.5% for the BTAstat test, 62.6% and 73. 9% for NMP22, and 38.4% and 94.2% for VUC. The optimal threshold value for NMP22 calculated with receiver operating characteristics curve, was 8 U/mL. BTAstat test was significantly more sensitive than VUC in detecting bladder cancer in all stage and grade subgroups, except GIII. On the contrary, NMP22 was significantly more sensitive than VUC only in stage Ta, grade I and II patients. BTAstat test had higher but not significantly different sensitivity than NMP22. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate a superiority of both BTAstat test and NMP22 over VUC in the detection of bladder cancer. Comparing BTAstat test with NMP22, the former proved to be more sensitive, whereas the latter was more specific. Ruling out diseases with potential interference can increase the overall specificity of both tests. False-positive results of either test in patients followed up for bladder cancer seem to correspond to future recurrences.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered pefloxacin in the prostate; perspectives for its application in surgical prophylaxis.

In an attempt to define whether intravenously administered pefloxacin might be appropriate for surgical prophylaxis in prostatectomy, 50 patients undergoing transvesical prostatectomy for benign prostate hyperplasia were given a single intravenous dose of 800 mg; surgery was then performed after 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 h. Concentrations of pefloxacin were determined in serum and in both the centre and periphery of the prostate adenoma using a microbiological plate assay. Elevated concentrations of pefloxacin were found in the adenoma from 2 h onwards. The central and peripheral concentrations were similar and had a mean value of 4.39 microg/g of tissue. These concentrations were similar to those achieved in serum. Although concentrations of pefloxacin were not determined separately in the intercellular, interstitial or excreted fluid, the tissue levels found were well above the MICs of pefloxacin for the bacteria commonly causing acute and chronic prostatitis. These data suggest the intravenous administration of pefloxacin to be a satisfactory alternative for the surgical prophylaxis before prostatectomy as well as in the therapy of acute prostatitis.

Role of percutaneous urinary diversion in malignant and benign obstructive uropathy.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of percutaneous urinary diversion in patients with obstructive uropathy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 206 percutaneous nephrostomies (PCNs) (right-sided in 54, left in 56, and bilateral in 48) were performed in 102 male and 57 female patients 18 to 94 years old. In 125 patients, malignancy was the underlying cause of the obstruction and in 30, benign disease. In four patients, the cause remained unknown. In most patients (N = 154), the access was guided with both ultrasound and fluoroscopy. RESULTS: Percutaneous nephrostomy was successful in 158 patients (99%). Antegrade ureteral stenting was attempted in 48 patients with a success rate of 81%. Fifteen days postprocedure, the mean urea and creatinine concentrations had declined from 160.8 mg/mL to 63 mg/mL and from 6.9 mg/dL to 2.2 mg/dL, respectively. In 66% of the patients, renal function returned to normal. In 28%, it improved with no need for hemodialysis, while in 6%, there was no improvement. Advanced age and prostate cancer were negative predictive factors for the improvement of renal function, whereas the BUN and creatinine concentrations before the procedure and performance of unilateral v bilateral nephrostomies were not. We did not have severe complications. Three patients received transfusions, and in one patient, a urinoma was drained percutaneously. Patients with malignancy had a median survival of 227 days. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous urinary diversion under radiologic guidance is a safe and effective procedure for patients with obstructive uropathy.

Mucormycosis: ten-year experience at a tertiary-care center in Greece.

Presented here are the results of a retrospective analysis of all mucormycoses infections recorded at a tertiary hospital in Greece during the last 10 years. A total of 24 patients were identified, 15 male and 9 female, with ages ranging from 37 to 80 years. Twelve of the patients had soft tissue infections (2 with concomitant pulmonary infections), and 12 had rhinocerebral infections. Transmission could be traced in two cases; to nitroglycerin patches in one patient and to a lemon-tree-thorn scratch in the other. Among the 17 patients who underwent surgery, 11 survived. All seven patients on whom surgery was not performed died. Rapid diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis are essential for patient survival. The severity of the patient's underlying condition, the degree of immunosuppression, and prompt surgical treatment are the most important factors contributing to the outcome.

Interferon-a2b reduces neo-microvascular density in the 'normal' urothelium adjacent to the tumor after transurethral resection of superficial bladder carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: As angiogenesis represents one of the hallmarks of cancer we investigated whether intravesically administered interferon-a (IFN-a2b) reduces neo-angiogenesis in the 'normal' urothelium adjacent to the tumor in patients with superficial bladder carcinoma after complete transurethral resection (TUR) of the tumor. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present study 47 patients after TUR of the tumor were examined. 10 patients (group A) received no further treatment (control group); 37 patients (group B) received intravesical treatment with IFN-a2b. The instillations started within 7 days after TUR, were performed weekly for 2 months, twice a month for the next 4 months, and thereafter monthly for 6 more months. Cold cup biopsies were taken before TUR of the transitional cell carcinoma (TCC): from the tumor (T), near tumor (NT) and from normal epithelium (N). Cold cup biopsies 'near tumor', were also taken during follow-up cystoscopy (C1, C2, and C3) 2, 6, and 12 months after TUR, respectively. Angiogenesis was estimated by counting the microvessels detected with CD31 immunostaining. RESULTS: Significant differences of microvascular density (MVD) between patients of group A and B appear after TUR (p < 0.005, Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon test). The MVD difference was maximal 6 months after TUR (C2(A)-C2(B), second cystoscopy) and measured at 12.17 microvessels/ mm(2) (26.2%). CONCLUSION: Our results show that the intravesical administration of IFN-a2b after TUR significantly decreases the angiogenic potential of the 'healthy' urothelium adjacent to the tumor in patients with TCC. This observation could possibly explain, to a certain extent, the mechanism by which IFN-a2b reduces the recurrence rate of primary TCC.