Irish journal of medical science
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Most mediastinal parathyroid tumours lie within the thymus gland and may be retrieved when cervical thymectomy is carried out in the course of neck exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). We report 4 patients, each of whom required sternotomy for removal of a true mediastinal parathyroid adenoma. ⋯ When localisation before initial exploration for HPT suggests a parathyroid tumour within the chest, consideration should be given to proceeding to sternotomy, at first operation if a comprehensive neck exploration, including cervical thymectomy, fails to uncover the adenoma. Uniquely, one of our patients underwent sternotomy for HPT when 23 weeks pregnant.
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Comparative Study
An audit of the effect of intravenous antibiotic treatment on spirometric measures of pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis.
This retrospective audit was undertaken to compare the efficacy of home intravenous (i.v.) antibiotic therapy, hospital i.v. antibiotic therapy and a combination of these 2 approaches, as determined by spirometric measures of lung function in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, each with an acute respiratory exacerbation. ⋯ Hospital i.v. antibiotic therapy resulted in greater improvements in FEV1, FVC and FEF25-75 than home i.v. antibiotic therapy in CF patients with an acute respiratory infection.
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To determine the prevalence of immunity to hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in urban Ireland and to categorize the region into low, intermediate or high HAV endemicity, and to analyse the significance of certain commonly associated risk factors. ⋯ This study concludes that urban Ireland is an area of low HAV endemicity with age and socioeconomic status as the significant influences on seropositivity. This survey provides an insight into the changing epidemiology of HAV infection in Ireland and serves as a guide for immunisation of at risk population groups.
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We have investigated the value of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in the pre-operative assessment to patients for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Thirty-six patients were entered into the study. All had a pre-operative clinical assessment and investigations including chest radiograph, electrocardiograph, spirometry and echocardiogram with measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction. ⋯ However, PVO2 < 20 ml/min/kg was found in 70 per cent of patients who had complications compared with 50 per cent of those who had not. Also 4 patients considered medically unfit for surgery all had PVO2 < 20 ml/min/kg. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing with measurement of PVO2 may be helpful in identifying patients more at risk of post-operative complications but should not be used in isolation without through clinical assessment.
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Resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is an increasing problem in many countries. Accurate locally relevant information is essential for detection and control of emerging resistance and to facilitate choice of empirical antibiotic therapy in the immediate management of seriously ill patients. We have determined the minimum inhibitory concentration of piperacillin/tazobactam for 97 strains of bacteria (55 Enterobacteriaceae, 13 non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli, 22 Staphylococcus aureus, 6 Enterococcus faecalis and 1 Bacillus cereus) isolated from blood cultures and compared its activity to that of amoxycillin, co-amoxiclav, cephalothin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, piperacillin, cefotaxime. ⋯ Of all isolates 75 per cent were sensitive to piperacillin/tazobactam, compared with amoxycillin 22 per cent, cephalothin 35 per cent, piperacillin 41 per cent, co-amoxiclav 52 per cent, cefotaxime 59 per cent, ceftazidime 60 per cent, gentamicin 74 per cent and ciprofloxacin 77 per cent. Two isolates (1 E. coli and 1 Klebsiella pneumoniae) with antibiograms consistent with the relatively new resistance phenomenon of extended spectrum beta-lactamase production were identified. The spectrum of activity of piperacillin-tazobactam for empirical antibiotic therapy is significantly greater than that of piperacillin alone and is similar to that of ciprofloxacin and gentamicin.