Biomedical subjects

D A Powell

Publications and source records attributed to D A Powell.

202 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Prospective comparative trial of ceftriaxone vs. conventional therapy for treatment of bacterial meningitis in children.

Fifty children with bacterial meningitis were prospectively evaluated in a randomized comparative trial of twice daily ceftriaxone with conventional ampicillin and chloramphenicol therapy. The groups were comparable in age, sex, days of illness before admission, severity of illness at admission, etiology and admission cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters and bacterial colony counts. The pathogens were Haemophilus influenzae type b (34 beta-lactamase-negative, 8 beta-lactamase-positive); Streptococcus pneumoniae (4); Neisseria meningitidis (3); and Streptococcus agalactiae (1). Initial CSF colony counts ranged from 2.5 X 10(2) to 1 X 10(10) colony-forming units/ml. In 44 children a lumbar puncture was repeated 10.5 to 18 hours after starting treatment; 16 of 24 (67%) ceftriaxone patients and 12 of 20 (60%) conventional therapy patients had sterile cultures. The reduction in the CSF bacterial colony counts (6.3 log10 colony-forming units/ml) was similar in both groups. Ceftriaxone CSF levels ranged from 1.0 to 8.0 micrograms/ml, representing a mean CSF penetration of 11.3% (range, 3.0 to 24.5%) of the simultaneous serum concentration. The median ceftriaxone bactericidal titer in CSF was 1:1024 compared with 1:4 achieved with conventional therapy. There were no significant differences in clinical responses or in frequency of complications, except for diarrhea which occurred in 59% of the ceftriaxone group and in 22% of the other (P less than 0.01). Despite one H. influenzae type b relapse occurring in the ceftriaxone group, ceftriaxone appears to be safe and as effective as conventional therapy for bacterial meningitis in children older than 2 months of age.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Management of catheter-related infections in pediatric patients.

Broviac catheters are commonly used to provide parenteral nutrition and access for infusion of blood products and drugs to pediatric patients. Sepsis is the most common serious complication of continued catheter use. Although removal of the catheter is generally recommended when it becomes contaminated, it may not be feasible to do so without compromising patient care. We evaluated the management of catheter-related infections in pediatric patients with and without removal of catheter. Seventy-seven episodes of catheter sepsis were evaluated in 61 pediatric patients; 24 were neonates and 37 were older children. The catheters were used for multiple purposes in 75% of cases. The most common microorganisms isolated were Staphylococcus epidermidis in 26%, Klebsiella pneumoniae in 9%, and Streptococcus viridans in 8% of cases; other pathogens included group D Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in four older children. Thirty-five patients were treated with antibiotics without catheter removal. Thirty patients received appropriate antibiotic therapy based on the susceptibility data. Twenty-six of these 30 patients responded within 5 days of therapy whereas the others required 15-39 days of treatment. Lack of response was mainly associated with the presence of abscess, immunocompromised status, and organisms P. aeruginosa and Candida albicans. Based on the sensitivity and minimum inhibitory concentration data, a combined regimen of gentamicin and vancomycin would be an effective initial therapy. These findings suggest that (1) catheter sepsis can be managed with appropriate antibiotics, and (2) when continued use of Broviac catheter is desired, a trial of antibiotic therapy should be attempted before catheter removal.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The Older Americans Resources and Services interview and the medically disabled elderly.

To determine which dimensions of the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) would best predict the status of the medically disabled elderly, veteran inpatients, outpatients, and nonpatient volunteers were administered the multidimensional functional assessment portion of the OARS. To determine whether any of the OARS subscales would be related to age-related functional deficits in this population, serial learning and differential reaction time were also assessed in these three groups of participants. Inpatients showed significantly more impaired ratings on all five of the OARS subscales than the outpatients and nonpatients, while outpatients were more impaired than nonpatients on two of the subscales (mental health and activities of daily living). However, physical health and mental health were the only OARS subscales consistently related to serial learning and reaction time performance. These data provide information about the validity of the OARS when used to assess the medically disabled elderly, and suggest a profile of variables that may contribute to overall dysfunctioning in the medically disabled elderly person.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Management of bronchiolitis.

The incidence, etiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of bronchiolitis are discussed with a critical evaluation of the available studies on various therapeutic approaches. Bronchiolitis is a lower respiratory-tract viral infection that affects 6-10% of all children below two years of age. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the usual pathogen. The symptoms range from mild wheezing to severe respiratory distress. An infected child usually has a fever, a rapid pulse, an increased breathing rate, and difficulty in breathing. Because most of the infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis have hypoxemia, the administration of oxygen is the mainstay of therapy. Correct fluid therapy is essential to avoid dehydration and overhydration. Limited data are available on the use of drugs in the management of bronchiolitis. Although a variety of adrenergic drugs, theophylline, and corticosteroids are used, sound efficacy data are lacking, and most studies have documented a lack of therapeutic benefits. One study reported that the combined use of corticosteroids and albuterol may be beneficial in severely ill patients. Recent studies have shown that the continuous administration of ribavirin may decrease viral shedding. Antibiotics are not indicated unless a secondary bacterial infection is present. Oxygen and fluid therapy have a clear role in the management of patients with bronchiolitis; however, no specific guidelines are available for the use of drugs in the treatment of these patients.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗