American journal of therapeutics
-
The aim of this study was to assess medication usage and to determine differences in selected outcomes in patients who received either parenteral ketorolac tromethamine or narcotics after surgery. A retrospective case-control study was used in patients on a surgery service who were postoperative. Forty patients who received parenteral ketorolac tromethamine as their primary postoperative pain medication were matched by surgical procedure, age, and sex to 40 patients who did not receive parenteral or oral ketorolac tromethamine. ⋯ Significant findings between patients receiving ketorolac tromethamine versus controls included a longer length of hospital stay (14.6 +/- 13.0 v 9.2 +/- 8.3 days), higher pharmacy cost ($69. 57 +/- $87.00 v $5.20 +/- $6.10), and higher use of histamine-2 antagonists (59.0% v 35.0%). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with a principle gastrointestinal diagnosis had the greatest differences in length of stay. Prospective studies are needed to assess patient outcomes when parenteral ketorolac tromethamine is prescribed for postoperative pain.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Subcutaneous infiltrates induced by injection of mistletoe extracts (Iscador).
Iscador, an aqueous extract of Viscum album L., has been widely used as an anti-cancer drug for several decades. Mistletoe lectins have the capacity to activate nonspecific defense mechanisms, and lectin-carbohydrate interactions may be involved in clinically applicable immunomodulation. During treatment with whole-plant mistletoe extract, an inflammatory reaction usually occurs at the site of the injection, early in therapy. ⋯ The dermal and subcutaneous regions contained a dense perivascular lymphocyte infiltrate and increased monocytes. We could not document any increase of plasma cells, eosinophils, mast cells, neutrophils, or granulocytes, as would be the case for a granulomatous infiltrate. In the blood, we observed a significant increase in neutrophils and monocytes 24 hours after administration of 2.5 mg of Iscador.