Presse Med
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A CONSIDERABLE RISK: Among the infectious agents that might be used as terrorist weapons, the smallpox virus represents a sufficiently high risk, which is difficult to manage and must be seriously taken into account.
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CORTICOSTEROIDS IN BACTERIAL MENINGITIS: A randomised multicentre study on meningitis in adults versus a placebo showed significant benefits of corticoids in terms of reduction in mortality and neurological complications. These results were essentially observed in pneumococcal infections. THE INTEREST IN MONITORING BLOOD CULTURES: Several works on Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia have confirmed the necessity of monitoring hemocultures, 48-72 hours following initiation of treatment. The persistence of bacteremia strongly suggests the poor prognosis and endocardial grafting should be envisaged.
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RESISTANCE TO IMIPENEM: The increase in the prevalence of A. baumannii resistance is worrying because of the diversity of the enzymes implicated in the resistance and its epidemic diffusion that is always difficult to handle. BROAD SPECTRUM BETA-LACTAMASE: Still rare in Acinetobacter, a broad spectrum beta-lactamase has been demonstrated in a strain isolated during a urinary infection and at the origin of an outbreak.
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Comparative Study
[The therapeutic use of D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (dronabinol) in refractory neuropathic pain].
Despite the recent discovery of the potential mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of cannabis, few clinical studies have so far assessed its analgesic effects, notably in the treatment of chronic non-malignant pain. All the studies used administration of cannabis alone. The aim of this open, pilot, study was to assess the efficacy and side effect profile of oral dronabinol (tetrahydrocannabinol - THC) in the treatment of refractory neuropathic pain. ⋯ The present study did not reveal any significant efficacy of THC in a small cohort of patients with chronic refractory neuropathic pain, but underlined the unfavorable side effect profile of the drug. These results may partly relate to the fact that oral dronabinol exhibits a poor therapeutic ratio (efficacy at the price of side effects). The development of new and better tolerated cannabinoids is warranted.