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Biomedical subjects

D F Thompson

Publications and source records attributed to D F Thompson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Flucytosine interference with serum creatinine determinations.

A patient receiving intravenous amphotericin B and oral flucytosine was found to have falsely elevated serum creatinine values. Flucytosine has been reported to interfere with serum creatinine determinations when measured by the Kodak Ektachem-700 analyzer but not when the Jaffe reaction is employed. Serum creatinine values were determined by the two methods on six serum samples obtained from this patient at various times throughout her hospitalization. Flucytosine can cause clinically significant false elevations in serum creatinine when measured by the Kodak Ektachem-700 analyzer.

Amphotericin B↗

Fibrin glue: a review of its preparation, efficacy, and adverse effects as a topical hemostat.

Fibrin glue is composed of two separate solutions of fibrinogen and thrombin. When mixed together, these agents mimic the last stages of the clotting cascade to form a fibrin clot. Fibrin glue is available in Europe but is not commercially available in the U.S.; therefore, investigators have extemporaneously compounded their own fibrin glue. Fibrinogen can be obtained from pooled, single-donor, and autologous blood donors and is usually isolated by the process of cryoprecipitation. The thrombin component is generally derived from commercial bovine sources. Some investigators have added calcium chloride and/or antifibrinolytics (i.e., aminocaproic acid, aprotinin) to their preparations. Fibrin glue can be applied using a double-barrel syringe or by spray application. Although fibrin glue has been used in a variety of surgical procedures, it has been especially useful in heparinized patients undergoing cardiovascular procedures requiring extracorporeal circulation, as it does not require an intact hemostatic system to be effective. Fibrin glue also has been evaluated in presealing woven or knitted Dacron vascular grafts. The major drawback to its use is the risk of transmitted serological disease from pooled and single-donor blood donors. The safest preparations use the patient's own blood to prepare fibrin glue. Overall, fibrin glue is a useful adjunct to other methods to control bleeding in selected surgical patients.

Administration, Topical↗

Compatibility of verapamil hydrochloride with penicillin admixtures during simulated Y-site injection.

The compatibility of verapamil hydrochloride during simulated Y-site injection with i.v. admixtures containing 11 different penicillins was studied. Admixtures of penicillin G potassium (62.5 mg/mL), nafcillin sodium (40 mg/mL), oxacillin sodium (40 mg/mL), ampicillin sodium (40 mg/mL), carbenicillin disodium (40 mg/mL), methicillin sodium (40 mg/mL), ticarcillin sodium (40 mg/mL), azlocillin sodium (40 mg/mL), mezlocillin sodium (40 mg/mL), piperacillin sodium (40 mg/mL), and amdinocillin (20 mg/mL) were prepared in both 5% dextrose injection and 0.9% sodium chloride injection in minibags. Verapamil hydrochloride injection 4 mL (10 mg) was then added to each admixture, and the admixtures were examined macroscopically and microscopically for precipitate immediately and at 15 minutes and 24 hours after mixing. To simulate Y-site injection of verapamil, verapamil hydrochloride injection 1 mL (2.5 mg) was added to 1 mL of each penicillin admixture in a test tube. For admixtures in which precipitates formed, the pH was recorded before and after verapamil was added to the admixtures. Loss of verapamil hydrochloride when mixed with the penicillin admixtures was determined using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Addition of verapamil hydrochloride to admixtures containing nafcillin sodium, oxacillin sodium, ampicillin sodium, and mezlocillin sodium resulted in substantial loss of verapamil hydrochloride. The results for the Y-site injection study showed visible precipitation with the same penicillin admixtures. Because a precipitate formed when verapamil hydrochloride was added to nafcillin sodium, oxacillin sodium, ampicillin sodium, or mezlocillin sodium in the diluents studied, we recommended that verapamil hydrochloride be administered separately or that the i.v. tubing be flushed thoroughly before and after this drug is administered through a Y-injection site with these penicillin admixtures.

Drug Combinations↗

Attitudes of pharmacists and nurses toward interprofessional relations and decentralized pharmaceutical services.

Pharmacists' and nurses' attitudes toward pharmacist-nurse relations and pharmaceutical services were surveyed before and after the implementation of satellite pharmacies at a 600-bed teaching hospital. The same questionnaire was distributed two months before decentralization (phase 1) and nine months after decentralization was completed (phase 2). Sixty questions about the pharmacy services and the drug treatment process were to be answered using a seven-point, Likert-type scale. Overall response rates for the two phases were 62% and 45%, respectively. Pharmacists' satisfaction with all measured aspects of pharmaceutical services increased after decentralization of services; nurses' satisfaction increased for all measures except pharmacist-conducted medication histories. Pharmacists' satisfaction with the nursing department was greater after decentralized services were implemented. Most aspects of role conflict, one of four measured antecedents to interdepartmental conflict, improved subsequent to decentralization of services. Because of changes in personnel between the two phases of the study, the results may represent the opinions of different people, rather than actual changes in satisfaction. The attitudes of nurses and pharmacists toward overall distributive pharmaceutical services and toward certain aspects of interprofessional relations improved after pharmaceutical services were decentralized.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Frequency and appropriateness of drug prescribing for unlabeled uses in pediatric patients.

The incidence and appropriateness of drug prescribing for unlabeled indications in a pediatric hospital were examined. During a 19-day period, the medical record of each discharged patient was reviewed to obtain information about the drugs administered during hospitalization. The package insert of each drug was consulted to determine whether the drug had a labeled indication for pediatric use. Using a Delphi group-opinion technique, nine experts in pediatric pharmacology were asked to determine whether or not the use of the drugs with no labeled pediatric indications was supported by the medical literature. A total of 62 (7%) of the 951 drug orders were for unlabeled pediatric indications. A consensus of appropriate use was achieved in 24 (39%) cases, and a consensus of inappropriate use was achieved in 10 (16%) instances. No consensus was reached in 45% of cases. The number of drugs prescribed for unlabeled indications in pediatric patients appears to be small, and sufficient evidence exists in the medical literature to support at least some of those uses.

Child, Preschool↗

Pelger-Huët anomaly in cats.

Pelger-Huët anomaly was diagnosed in a young male cat on the basis of persistent nuclear hyposegmentation of blood granulocytes, absence of clinical disease or feline leukemia virus infection, and demonstration of genetic transmission of the anomaly. Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes had significantly less nuclear segmentation when compared to similar leukocyte types from a control cat. On smears of bone marrow, megakaryocytes also appeared hyposegmented. A test mating with an unaffected queen produced a litter of five kittens (three males, two females). One male and one female kitten had the Pelger-Huët trait on examination of blood smears. Autosomal dominant transmission of this anomaly is suspected based on these findings.

Animals↗

Quality assurance in drug information and poison centers: a review.

As drug information and poison centers become more widely used by health professionals, quality assurance programs will be necessary to insure that a high standard of service is provided. Evaluation methods designed to assess the quality of drug information and poison centers have been reviewed and analyzed. Evaluation of the quality of verbal responses appears best accomplished by telephone evaluation. Committee review has been the most effective method to assess written responses. Evaluation of completed forms and internal review evaluations may function as good daily assessments of quality responses.

Drug Information Services↗

Compatibility of furosemide with aminoglycoside admixtures.

The compatibility of furosemide with i.v. admixtures containing each of five different aminoglycosides was studied. Admixtures of amikacin 2 mg/ml, gentamicin 1.6 mg/ml, kanamycin 2 mg/ml, netilmicin 1.5 mg/ml, and tobramycin 1.6 mg/ml (as the sulfate salts) were prepared in both 5% dextrose injection and 0.9% sodium chloride injection in minibags. Furosemide injection 4 ml (40 mg) was then added to each admixture, and the admixtures were examined visually and microscopically for precipitate. The macroscopic and microscopic evaluations were repeated 15 minutes and 24 hours after mixing. To simulate Y-site injection of furosemide, furosemide injection 1 ml (10 mg) was added to 1 ml of each aminoglycoside admixture in a syringe. For admixtures in which precipitates formed, the pH was recorded before and after adding furosemide to subsequent admixtures and also after dropwise addition of 1N sodium hydroxide until the precipitate dissolved. Precipitates were identified using spectrophotometric analysis and melting point determinations. Addition of furosemide resulted in a precipitate only in admixtures containing gentamicin sulfate or netilmicin sulfate; the results for the simulated Y-site injection study were the same. Spectrophotometric analysis and melting point determinations revealed that the precipitate was furosemide. Because furosemide precipitates when added to admixtures containing either gentamicin sulfate or netilmicin sulfate in 5% dextrose injection or 0.9% sodium chloride injection, furosemide should be administered separately or the i.v. tubing should be flushed thoroughly before and after administering this drug via a Y-injection site.

Amikacin↗

Evaluation of regional and nonregional poison centers.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether regional poison centers handle a particular poisoning situation better than nonregional centers do. Informed consent was obtained from 15 regional and 15 nonregional poison centers. A case involving salicylate ingestion by a three-year-old child was presented twice (one day call and one night call) to each center. Those answering the phone at the regional centers asked more information-gathering questions than did those at the nonregional centers (P less than 0.01) and were more proficient in their history taking (P less than 0.01). Nonregional centers did not consider the potentially toxic ingestion (220 mg per kilogram of body weight) important enough to treat or were not willing to handle the poisoning in one third of the calls. The nonregional centers recommended manual stimulation to induce emesis in 30 per cent of the calls, whereas none of the regional centers recommended this treatment. Four calls to the nonregional centers resulted in recommendations of inappropriate emetics--e.g., saltwater, raw eggs, or mustard water. The chance of obtaining incorrect recommendations for poisoning treatment from the nonregional centers was determined to be nine times greater than that from the regional centers. Indications of intention to follow up were twice as frequent among regional as among nonregional centers. These data strongly suggest that regional poison centers provide better and more consistent poison information than do nonregional centers.

Child↗

Audit of telephone usage in a centralized intravenous admixture area.

An audit of telephone usage in an intravenous admixture area was performed. Over a two-day period (18 hours total) 252 calls were made or received. The average length of a call was 81 seconds. Surgery and medicine nursing units accounted for the majority of the cells. Missing orders or doses were the most frequent topic of calls. Telephone communication may require a large time commitment from pharmacists and prevent them from performing activities which are more easily documentable, such as compounding intravenous admixtures.

Efficiency↗