Wiener klinische Wochenschrift
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2008
ReviewAntibiotic stewardship through the EU project "ABS International".
The increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance requires implementation of antibiotic stewardship (ABS) programs. The project "ABS International--implementing antibiotic strategies for appropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals in member states of the European Union" was started in September 2006 in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. ⋯ Specific ABS tools are being implemented in up to five healthcare facilities in each country. Although ABS International clearly focuses on healthcare institutions, future antimicrobial stewardship programs must also cover public education and antibiotic prescribing in primary care.
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Prolongation of the ventricular repolarisation manifests itself as a prolongation of the QT intervall on the surface ECG and represents a major risk for a special form of ventricular tachycardia called "torsades de pointes". Torsades de pointes are often self limited and are associated with palpitations, dizziness or syncope. Degeneration into ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death can occur. ⋯ Repeated ECG controls during therapy with QT prolonging drugs are mandatory, especially when drug doses are changed, additional drugs are prescribed, or in case of vomiting and diarrhea. QT prolongation in individual medical therapy is not always predictable. Therefore, updated lists of drugs with the potential of QT prolongation are available on the Internet (e.g. www.qtdrugs.org ).
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2008
Comparative StudySynergism between monodesbutyl-benflumetol and artemisinin in Plasmodium falciparum in vitro.
The sensitivity to artemisinin, monodesbutyl-benflumetol (DBB) and a 1:1 m/m combination of the two compounds was successfully investigated on 34 fresh isolates of Plasmodium falciparum. On a molar basis the combination was most active, followed by DBB and artemisinin. The geometric mean concentrations effecting full inhibition (GMCOC) were 49.25 nM for the combination, 279.12 nM for DBB, and 494.05 for artemisinin. ⋯ Interaction between artemisinin and DBB showed moderate synergism at the EC(50) and strong synergism at EC(90) and EC(99). The individual parasite isolates showed a significant inverse correlation between the ECs and the degree of synergism. Positive specific pharmacodynamic interaction was therefore most marked in isolates with reduced sensitivity against artemisinin and DBB.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2008
Association of stress hyperglycemia and atrial fibrillation in myocardial infarction.
Stress hyperglycemia has an untoward effect on prognosis in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Evidence on the interrelationship between stress hyperglycemia and atrial fibrillation (AF) in AMI is sparse. We hypothesized that stress hyperglycemia and AF, both being markers of worse in-hospital prognosis, may be interrelated and we therefore analyzed the relationship between stress hyperglycemia and AF in AMI. ⋯ Stress hyperglycemia is associated with increased prevalence of AF in AMI. Patients with both stress hyperglycemia at admission (>or= 8.0 mmol/l) and AF had almost 14.5 times higher in-hospital mortality than patients who had neither stress hyperglycemia nor AF. Stress hyperglycemia was an independent predictor of the in-hospital mortality in multivariate regression analysis, but AF was not.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2008
Case ReportsNecrotizing cervical lymphadenopathy: Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in a young male.
Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is a rare benign disease, more common in Japanese women, with only a few cases reported from other parts of the world. The pathogenesis is poorly understood. A 22-year-old man noticed a node growth a month before his admittance. ⋯ In particular, the disease needs to be distinguished from high-grade lymphoma and SLE lymphadenitis. There is no specific medical treatment for KFD since the disease usually resolves spontaneously over four months. Disease recurrence or fatalities are unusual.