Randomized trial of imipenem/cilastatin versus gentamicin and clindamycin in mixed flora infections.

Results of a randomized trial comparing imipenem/cilastatin versus the combination of gentamicin plus clindamycin for mixed flora surgical sepsis are reported herein. Seventy-four patients were evaluable, 50 of whom had intra-abdominal sepsis. No imipenem-resistant initially infecting isolates were encountered. When outcome was evaluated on the basis of severity scoring (APACHE II), no difference in mortality was noted. However, therapy in two patients with Pseudomonas emerging from a polymicrobial flora failed with gentamicin, whereas no Pseudomonas failures were noted with imipenem/cilastatin. The major difference noted was in toxicity. There was a 20 percent incidence of nephrotoxicity in gentamicin-treated patients despite serum level monitoring and multiple dose adjustments. The degree of efficacy and the relative tolerability of imipenem/cilastatin in seriously ill surgical patients is demonstrated.

Meta-analysis of streptokinase and heparin in deep vein thrombosis.

The efficacy and safety of streptokinase and heparin in deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were compared in a meta-analysis. Randomized trials in which streptokinase (followed by heparin) and heparin alone were compared in treating phlebographically documented acute DVT were identified from MEDLINE and other sources for a meta-analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on the logit method were computed for each study. A fixed-effect model was used to combine the study results, enabling differences between streptokinase recipients and recipients of heparin alone to be expressed as summary ORs with 95% CIs. Significantly more streptokinase recipients achieved thrombolysis than recipients of heparin alone (summary OR, 6.24; 95% CI, 3.62 to 10.78). One study was identified as an outlier and excluded from the analysis. The meta-analysis then showed that streptokinase recipients were significantly less likely to have postthrombotic changes (summary OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.88) and postphlebitic changes (summary OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.12 to 0.86) in phlebographic evaluation. The frequency of major bleeding was significantly higher among streptokinase recipients than recipients of heparin alone (summary OR, 3.78; 95% CI, 1.26 to 11.32). A meta-analysis showed that, compared with heparin alone, streptokinase therapy for DVT was associated with significantly more frequent thrombolysis and major bleeding; after exclusion of one outlying study, analysis showed that streptokinase therapy was associated less frequently than heparin alone with postthrombotic changes (assessed by phlebographic evaluation) and postphlebitic syndrome.

Selenium levels and glutathione peroxidase activities in blood in an andean high-altitude population.

Selenium (Se) levels in blood (whole blood, erythrocytes and serum) and blood glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were investigated in people living at high altitude in Bolivia (4,000 m above sea level). These parameters were compared to those of people living at low altitude (300 m above sea level). The Se levels in whole blood of the high-altitude subjects did not differ significantly from those of the low-altitude subjects. However, the Se levels in erythrocytes were significantly lower in the high-altitude subjects than in the low-altitude subjects, whereas serum Se levels were higher in the high-altitude subjects than in the low-altitude subjects. GSH-Px activity (Unit/g Hb) was significantly lower in the high-altitude subjects than in the low-altitude subjects. The mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC), an indicator of the age of erythrocytes, in the high-altitude subjects was significantly higher than in the low-altitude subjects. These results show that the GSH-Px activity in the blood of the high-altitude subjects is relatively low. This may be due to their aged erythrocytes and/or to relatively low Se intake in the high-altitude population compared with low-altitude population.

Microbiology of adult cellulitis.

Needle aspiration of cellulitis sites is commonly advocated to assist in the identification of causative organisms. Twenty-five nondiabetic, adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of cellulitis had site aspirations and blood cultures obtained before antibiotic therapy was initiated. Site cultures were positive in 6 of 25 patients. Blood cultures were positive in 4 of 25 patients. All organisms except one (Enterobacter agglomerans) were staphylococci or streptococci. The gram-negative bacilli were not believed to be a pathogen based on the patient's prompt response to nafcillin. In adult patients who do not have complications, the use of needle aspiration was not supported. Empiric treatment of cellulitis aimed at gram-positive cocci appears to be sufficient.

Losartan-induced angioedema.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of angioedema associated with losartan administration. CASE SUMMARY: A 45-year-old white man with a history of hypertension and gout was treated with losartan/hydrochlorothiazide, allopurinol, and colchicine. The patient experienced two episodes of angioedema within a 10-hour period. On both occasions the symptoms resolved after treatment. DISCUSSION: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are associated with a relatively high incidence of angioedema. The incidence of angioedema secondary to losartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, is unknown. The patient reported in this case differs significantly from the two cases reported in the literature because he had normal renal function, no previous exposure to ACE inhibitors, the reaction was of late onset, and the symptoms recurred. CONCLUSIONS: This case suggests that losartan can induce late-onset angioedema in patients with normal renal function and that the reaction can recur after initial resolution of the symptoms.

Effect of pharmacist interventions on drug therapy costs in a surgical intensive-care unit.

The effect of interventions by a clinical pharmacist on the cost of drug therapy in a 14-bed surgical intensive-care unit (SICU) was evaluated. The SICU pharmacist provides both distributive and clinical services from a modified satellite pharmacy five days each week. During a 13-week study period that comprised 65 days, the pharmacist documented all interventions that resulted in a discontinuation of or change in drug therapy, all nonformulary-drug requests, the detection and avoidance of problems related to drug therapy, and the enrollment of patients in investigational drug studies (for which the pharmacy department received monetary remuneration). The effect of these interventions on the costs of drug therapy was calculated using drug acquisition costs and, for i.v. preparations, the cost of the i.v. fluid and the cost of preparing and checking the product. A total of 332 interventions during the study period represented $18,030 in potential cost avoidance, which would extrapolate to an annual cost avoidance of $72,122. The majority of interventions involved discontinuations of or changes in drug therapy, most often involving antimicrobials. This pharmacist had a positive impact on the cost of drug therapy in the SICU.

Automated administration of intermittent intravenous doses.

The cost difference of administering cimetidine 300 mg via intravenous piggyback (IVPB) every six hours by a conventional separate container system versus using an automated intermittent i.v. administration system was evaluated. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 documented the amount of drug waste with the two systems, and phase 2 examined the practical use of the IVAC Multi Dose System. Nurses who administered the medication using the multiple-dose system completed a questionnaire on its operation. A materials cost analysis was performed to compare the two methods. The two systems were found to have approximately equivalent amounts of drug waste over the 30-day evaluation period of phase 1. The mean percentage of doses wasted was 12.2% with the conventional single-dose minibag method and 12.7% with the automated multiple-dose method. The multiple-dose system had a lower cost per dose of cimetidine ($2.25 versus $3.47). These savings appear to outweigh the cost of the additional equipment necessary for the automated system. The majority of nurses preferred the multiple-dose system. Potential problems encountered in accurately delivering doses with the multiple-dose automated system were identified, and possible solutions are suggested. The use of an automated multiple-dose i.v. administration system can potentially decrease the materials cost portion of drug administration. The total impact on hospital costs needs to be evaluated, and other comparisons with alternative administration systems need to be performed.