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Biomedical subjects

C Chidiac

Publications and source records attributed to C Chidiac.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

A multicenter study of lomefloxacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in the treatment of uncomplicated acute pyelonephritis.

A total of 63 adult patients with uncomplicated acute pyelonephritis were enrolled in a multicenter, randomized comparison of lomefloxacin (400 mg orally once daily for 14 days) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX, 160/800 mg orally twice daily for 14 days). Study participants were predominantly female (70% in the lomefloxacin group and 80% in the TMP/SMX group). Escherichia coli was isolated from pretreatment urine cultures in 87.5% of the lomefloxacin group and 80.0% of the TMP/SMX group. Baseline pathogens were eradicated in 100% of evaluable patients in the lomefloxacin group 5-9 days after the end of therapy and in 88.9% of patients in the TMP/SMX group (p = 0.05). The clinical cure rate 5-9 days after therapy with lomefloxacin was 65.0% and for TMP/SMX was 68.4%. At the 4-6 week follow-up in the lomefloxacin group, nine pathogens remained eradicated, one E. coli was isolated, and the results for 14 pathogens were unknown or unevaluable. In the TMP/SMX group, 12 pathogens remained eradicated, three E. coli and one Group D Streptococcus were isolated, and the results for nine pathogens were unknown or unevaluable. Both treatment regimens were well tolerated; adverse events occurred in 12% of patients in the lomefloxacin group and in 17% in the TMP/SMX group. Events considered by the investigators to be probably related to treatment occurred in three patients in each group. In conclusion, once-daily lomefloxacin (400 mg) was a well tolerated and effective alternative to twice-daily TMP/SMX (160/800 mg) for the treatment of adults with uncomplicated acute pyelonephritis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

[Value of quinolones in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections caused by intracellular organisms, excluding mycobacteria].

In vitro studies of quinolones against intracellular pathogens responsible for lower respiratory tract infections have shown that growth inhibition varies with the strain and with the drug. Following administration of quinolones, drug levels in the lower respiratory tract are similar to or greater than serum levels. Quinolones penetrate readily into cells. The effectiveness of quinolones in lower respiratory tract infections has been demonstrated in both in vitro intracellular infection models and in vivo animal models. These data show that quinolones are a valid therapeutic alternative for lower respiratory tract infections due to intracellular organisms.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1992

[Varicella in pregnancy after the 20th week of amenorrhea].

We report five cases of varicella pneumonia among ten otherwise healthy pregnant women who were admitted in our hospital between 1986 and 1991 with chickenpox. The precise frequency of this rare complication is not well known actually but analysis of the literature shows that the mortality rate is about 20%. Beside the problem of the fetal varicella syndrome, the other complication is the severe varicella of the neonate which can appear when varicella occurs in the mother within 5 days before, and 2 days after delivery. When primary varicella infection occurs during pregnancy clinical examination must be repeated for a week after occurring of the exanthema to find elements of severity significance. Acyclovir is the drug of choice (10 to 15 mg/kg every 8 hours) for 7 days when pneumonia is present. Varicella-zoster immunoglobulin is useful for prophylaxis and for neonates with high risk of severe varicella.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1991

Analysis of risk factors for surgical wound infections following vascular surgery.

Although surgical wound infections (SWI) following implantation of prosthetic devices can be catastrophic and often require removal of the prosthesis, few studies have identified risk factors for these infections. We conducted a prospective multicenter study to identify risk factors for SWI. Of 561 vascular surgery patients enrolled in the study, 23 (4.1%) developed SWI. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression analyses identified surgery on lower extremities, delayed surgery, diabetes mellitus, past history of vascular surgery, and short antimicrobial prophylaxis (three doses of cefamandole) as independent risk factors for SWI. Consequences of SWI were serious; two (9%) died, 11 (48%) required reoperation, and five (22%) had their prosthesis removed. A risk index was developed using the independent risk factors for SWI identified by logistic regression analyses. When no risk factors were present, no SWI was observed (0 of 100), and the rate of SWI increased from 2.5% when one risk factor was present to 53.8% (7 of 13) when greater than or equal to 4 risk factors were present.

Cefamandole↗
PubMed1991

Quinolones in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections caused by intracellular pathogens.

Intracellular pathogens are inhibited to varying degrees, depending upon the strain of the organism and the quinolone tested. Quinolones achieve levels in the lower respiratory tract that equal or exceed serum concentrations, and they also achieve good intracellular concentrations. Experimental models of intracellular infection have demonstrated the efficacy of ciprofloxacin, difloxacin, fleroxacin, ofloxacin and pefloxacin. Animal models of experimental legionellosis have confirmed in vivo their efficacy in this field. Thus, quinolones appear to be a safe and efficacious alternative treatment in lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) due to intracellular pathogens. Considering the in vitro and experimental studies, quinolones should play an important role in the treatment of LRTI caused by intracellular pathogens, and prospective controlled studies are strongly recommended.

4-Quinolones↗
PubMed1991

Clinical and bacteriological efficacy, and practical aspects of amikacin given once daily for severe infections.

In a multicentre non-randomized open prospective study, 124 patients hospitalized in medical infectious disease or intensive care units, with severe community and hospital-acquired bacterial infections were treated with 15 mg/kg body weight amikacin in a once-daily dose given as a 30 min iv infusion, combined with other antibiotics. Infections were bacteriologically proven in 101 patients. The clinical responses showed 83.1% primary success and 83.9% definitive cure predominantly in intensive care patients with hospital-acquired infections and pneumonia. Bacteriological eradication was achieved in 67.3%. Bacteria associated with true failures and colonizations were predominantly Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter and Staphylococcus spp. The risk of nephrotoxicity may be decreased with such a regimen of amikacin, but no conclusions could be drawn with regard to ototoxicity. In summary, a once-daily dosing regimen of amikacin 15 mg/kg is practical and probably efficacious and safe in severely infected patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Efficacy of intravenous ofloxacin: a French multicentre trial in 185 patients.

The efficacy of intravenous ofloxacin therapy (200 mg 12-hourly) followed, when appropriate, by oral administration of the same dose was evaluated in an open multicentre trial involving 185 patients in 31 French hospitals. Dosage adjustment was made for patients in renal failure. Infection was hospital-acquired in 35 cases, 53 patients required admission to an intensive care unit. The infections comprised septicaemia (n = 56), pneumonia (n = 18), bronchitis (n = 10), urinary tract (n = 78), female pelvis (n = 8), bone and joint (n = 5), skin and soft tissues (n = 10). The causative pathogens were: Staphylococcus spp. (n = 23), Streptococcus spp. (n = 11), Escherichia coli (n = 85), Haemophilus influenzae (n = 9), Klebsiella, Enterobacter or Serratia spp. (n = 21), Salmonella spp. (n = 22), Chlamydia spp. (n = 3), Legionella spp. (n = 1), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (n = 1) and miscellaneous Gram-negative bacilli (n = 17). All were ofloxacin-susceptible. Mean duration of therapy was 8.06 ( +/- 2.6) days for the i.v. and 14.8 ( +/- 14.39) days for the oral preparation. Clinical cure was achieved in 173 patients (93.5%). It is concluded that iv ofloxacin is an effective treatment for a range of infections due to susceptible organisms.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Endotoxin-induced suppression of lung host defenses.

Respiratory tract infections are major causes of excessive morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Persons with systemic sepsis have an especially high risk of acquiring these infections, which indicates that their lung antibacterial defenses are compromised. To evaluate the effects of sepsis on pulmonary antibacterial defenses, we injected either saline or 5 mg/kg of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide intravenously into Sprague-Dawley rats. Two hours later, the animals were challenged by aerosol inhalation with either Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is known that phagocytic defenses against aerosolized S. aureus challenges are provided solely by the alveolar macrophage; in normal animals challenged with P. aeruginosa, however, an intrapulmonary inflammatory response is elicited. Animals pretreated with endotoxin showed a significant decrease in pulmonary bactericidal activity against S. aureus with 31 +/- 3% bacteria remaining viable at 4 hr compared with 20 +/- 2% in the controls, which indicates a defect in alveolar macrophage antimicrobial activity. After P. aeruginosa challenge, saline-injected control animals developed a marked intrapulmonary inflammatory response and killed greater than 85% of their initial inoculum by 4 hr. By contrast, endotoxin-treated animals failed to recruit neutrophils into the alveoli in response to P. aeruginosa, resulting in a proliferation of this pathogen within the lung (212 +/- 6% bacteria remaining viable at 4 hr). Endotoxin is known to be a potent stimulus for the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by the host. TNF is a potent inflammatory mediator and promotes neutrophil adhesion to the vascular endothelium. In these experiments, serum TNF peaked at 28,390 +/- 7,766 Units/ml. 90 min after intravenous endotoxin. Histopathology of the lungs in these animals showed considerable sequestration of the neutrophils within the pulmonary vasculature. These data show that systemic endotoxin significantly impairs lung host defenses against intrapulmonary bacterial challenges and suggest that TNF-mediated events may play a central role.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Cardiac hydatidosis: contribution of magnetic resonance imaging. Report of a case].

Cardiac hydatid cyst is a rare condition. The diagnosis is difficult and is based on a series of findings amongst which hydatid serology and cardiac imaging play important parts. The values and limitations of echocardiography, coronary angiography and CT scanning are well known. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is a recent technique which theoretically should provide valuable diagnostic information. The authors report a case in which this technology, though confirming the presence of a polycystic intrapericardial mass, did not show the true extension of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Acyclovir and specific anti-varicella-herpes zoster immunoglobulins in the treatment of varicella-zoster virus infection in 113 adults].

From January 1978 to December 1988, 54 males and 59 females were treated for varicella, zoster and disseminated zoster by varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (group I) or acyclovir (group II). 67 patients had immune deficiency disease. Treatment was successful for 92/100 patients in group I and for 100/100 patients in group II. Thrombophlebitis and renal failure were observed in group II and regressed when acyclovir was stopped. Varicella-zoster immunoglobulin and acyclovir are two effective therapeutics in the treatment of varicella and zoster in adults including immunocompromised patients. The use of acyclovir could not reduce the duration of hospitalization.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1989

[Nosocomial pneumopathies].

The criterion used for the diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia is an infiltrate on X-ray of the chest, not present on admission, associated with new sputum production. The main causative pathogens are Staphylococcus spp. and Gram-negative bacilli. The most common pattern in the development of pneumonia is colonization of the oropharynx followed by aspiration into the lungs in patients with impaired normal defences. The factors which significantly predispose to nosocomial pneumonia are tracheal intubation, low level of consciousness, chronic lung disease, thoracic or upper abdominal surgery, large volume aspiration and age over 70 years. The fatality rate is high (32 p. 100 to 55 p. 100). In most cases the curative treatment requires a combination of antimicrobial agents. At the moment, preventive measures remain an elusive goal.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1989

[Can nosocomial infections be prevented?].

Nosocomial infections constitute an important problem in terms of morbidity, wHich can be measured as excess hospital stay, mortality and extra-cost. A third of these infections can be prevented by an effective control programme, as shown by the results of the SENIC Project, but this requires a close co-operation between infection control nurses, physicians interested in infection control and practising epidemiological supervision and hospital personnel. Data concerning the four main sites of nosocomial infections (surgical wounds, urinary tract, lower respiratory tract and bloodstream) are reviewed, and the main guidelines regarding their prevention are summarized.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1989

Nosocomial infections associated with long-term radial artery cannulation.

From January 1987 to December 1987, 193 radial artery cannulations were performed in 112 patients (87 males, 25 females; mean age = 57.5 years). The mean duration of cannulation was 6.45 days. After removal, the tip of the catheter was cultured using a semiquantitative culture technique: 164 catheters were cultured and positive results were seen in 37 cases (22.5%); 98 samples of infusate were cultured. Positive results were observed in 23 cases (23.5%). No bacteriological correlation was found between these two culture results. During the study, no catheter-related or infusate-related bacteraemia was detected. It is concluded that nosocomial infections associated with long-term radial artery cannulation are not commonly seen, in particular no catheter or infusate-related bacteraemia occurs even if the duration exceeds 4 days.

Catheterization, Peripheral↗
PubMed1989

[Enterobacter, Serratia, Acinetobacter or Pseudomonas septicemias].

During 1985 and 1986, 48 bacteremias due to Enterobacter spp, Acinetobacter spp, Serratia spp or Pseudomonas spp were collected by the SES Group. The mortality rate of those infections due to multiresistant organisms appeared high (27.9%). Among all factors influencing the prognosis, the following, age over 75 years, hospital-acquired infections, occurrence of shock and single antimicrobial therapy, are those associated with a high fatality rate. Given that clinical signs are not specific, nosocomial bacteremias should be treated by antimicrobial agents having wide spectrum, rapid onset of action and most often in combination.

Acinetobacter Infections↗