Background: Little evidence is available regarding the choice of empiric antibiotic therapy in elderly patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). The primary objective of this study is to compare the outcomes…
This article summarizes the literature describing how antimicrobial stewardship and telemedicine interventions affect antimicrobial resistance. Discussion includes why we need stewardship, how to collaborate with team members, and the evidence of …
The effectiveness of antibiotics continues to erode because of the relentless spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Public and private foundations, professional organizations, and international health agencies recognize the threat posed by AMR…
Background Little evidence is available regarding the choice of empiric antibiotic therapy in elderly patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). The primary objective of this study is to compare the outcomes…
Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) that may require hospitalization include acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB), community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), which includes ventilator-associated pneumonia…
In response to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, leading to increasing bacterial resistance and decreasing development of new antibiotics, the Council for Appropriate and Rational Antibiotic Therapy (CARAT) has developed criteria to guide…
At least 1 episode of acute otitis media is seen in 94% of children before age 2. Attendance in a day-care setting is among the major risk factors. Middle ear fluid may be sterile or may grow viruses and/or bacteria. Accurate diagnosis and…
Carbapenems remain a mainstay for the empirical treatment of serious nosocomial infection. Although the tolerance and safety profile of the carbapenems as a class is favorable, the primary safety concern is the potential for treatment-emergent…
The significance of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has led to the publication of guidelines from numerous international organisations. Because the macrolide class of antimicrobials is active against most of the key pathogens associated with CAP,…
Empiric antimicrobial prescribing for community-acquired pneumonia remains a challenge, despite the availability of treatment guidelines. A number of key differences exist between North American and European guidelines, mainly in the outpatient…
Current treatment guidelines for community-acquired respiratory tract infections no longer depend solely on the characteristics of the patient and the clinical syndrome, but on those of the offending pathogen, including presence and level of…
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the most common inherited disorder in this country, is more than just a renal disease. Major extrarenal sites are the cardiovascular system, liver, and GI tract. The most devastating…
The article presents a study which reveals the consideration of an elevated serum procalcitonin to be an accurate test for differentiating bacterial from viral meningitis in adults.
A retrospective observational study found that among hospitalized patients, ward-level antibiotic prescribing was associated with a significantly increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection beyond what would be expected with patient-level…
The article reports that patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis can fair well without surgery as compared to clinical trial patients who underwent surgery, and states that patients had lower risk of complications during the one-year follow-up…
The article focuses on a study conducted on patients allergic to Beta-Lactam antibiotics by increasing its dose. Topics discussed include collection of patients' demographic and allergy history data and performing penicillin skin testing (PST),…
The article comments on the retrospective cohort study "Risk of acute kidney injury in patients on concomitant vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam compared to those on vancomycin and cefepime" by B. Navalkele and colleagues. The study found that…
OBJECTIVES: To prepare and characterize in vitro a novel brain-targeted delivery of doxorubicin using glutathione-coated nanoparticles (NPs) for the treatment of brain cancer. METHODS: Doxorubicin-loaded NPs were prepared by the nanoprecipitation…
Pneumonia is one of the most common infections worldwide. Morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs increase substantially when pneumonia is caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB). The ongoing spread of antimicrobial…
Purpose of review: Sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED) is increasingly used as a renal replacement modality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and hemodynamic instability. There is, therefore, a greater need for the…
Bile acids and drugs activate pregnane X receptor (PXR) to induce CYP3A4, which is the predominant cytochrome P450 enzyme expressed in the liver and intestine and plays a critical role in detoxifying bile acids and drugs, and protecting against…
Neuropathy is a major diabetic complication. While the mechanism of this neuropathy is not well understood, it is believed to result in part from deficient nerve regeneration. Work from our laboratory established that gp130 family of cytokines are…
BACKGROUND: Treatment of rhinosinusitis (RS) is one of the leading reasons for prescriptions of antibiotics, although they often fail to provide symptomatic relief. Appropriately diagnosing and treating patients presenting with RS for whom antibiotic…
