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Biomedical subjects

Israel Potasman

Publications and source records attributed to Israel Potasman.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Febrile complications following insertion of 100 double-J ureteral stents.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Implanted foreign bodies are associated with a higher risk of infection. Little has been published on infectious complications associated with ureteral double-J stents. The aim of this study was to define risk factors and characterize the febrile complications of the insertion of double-J stents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred consecutive cases of retrograde stent insertion (55 men and 45 women) were evaluated retrospectively. Eighty-one patients had an obstructing stone, either in the ureter or at the ureteropelvic junction; 10 had an obstructing tumor; and 9 had hydronephrosis and pain without calculi. Risk assessment was calculated for two major categories: urgent (N = 47) and elective (N = 53) insertion. Potentially confounding factors such as age, sex, accompanying medical problems, and types of prophylaxis were assessed. All but six patients received prophylactic antibiotics prior to stent insertion. RESULTS: All thirteen patients who had fever at the initial evaluation underwent urgent stent insertion. Of the 87 afebrile patients (53 elective and 34 urgent insertions), 22 (25%) developed fever (> or = 38 degrees C) after the procedure. Fever developed in 19 (56%) of the 34 urgent-insertion group who were not originally febrile as opposed to 3 (6%) of the elective-insertion group (P < 0.001). Six of these 22 patients (27%) had a positive urine culture after insertion. None had a positive blood culture, including the 13 patients who underwent the procedure while febrile. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent insertion of a double-J stent is associated with a high risk of fever but a favorable outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[Pasteurella multocida infections--10 years' experience].

Dog and cat bites are commonly seen at emergency rooms, but have been inadequately characterized. This study attempted to characterize the clinical features of 10 patients from whom P. multocida was cultured. During the past 10 years, 108 patients have been hospitalized for pet bites, at a rate of 3.4/10,000 hospitalizations. Five patients had a documented exposure to cats, 3 to dogs, and two had an unknown exposure. The mean age was 50.8 years (+/- 20.5) and 80% were men. An average delay of 5.7 days was noted from exposure to hospitalization, and additional 4.4 days until P. multocida was characterized. P. multocida was cultured from wounds in six patients, and three patients had bacteremia; another patient had septic arthritis. Six patients needed debridement and the average hospital stay was 11.7 days (3 times our hospital's average). Animal bites may take a complicated course. Our findings call for reassessment of the need for prophylaxis in animal bites.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Fear of injections in young adults: prevalence and associations.

Fear of injections may interfere with receipt of vaccines. The frequency, associations, and precipitators of fear-provoking factors of 400 travelers visiting a travel health clinic were evaluated. The median age of this group was 25, 7% were medical staff members, and 2.8% were regular injectors (insulin). Eighty-five (21.7%; 95% confidence interval, 17.3-25.6%) of the travelers indicated that they were afraid of injections, and in 8.2%, the fear was unreasonably intense. Multivariate analysis revealed that watching other people being vaccinated, fear of pain, needle size, and a history of fainting were highly and independently associated with injection phobia. The sensitivity, specificity, and discrimination accuracy of this model were 79.5%, 78.0%, and 78.3%, respectively. Injection phobia and a bad past vaccination experience were significantly associated with fainting. Perceived empathy, on the other hand, was a significant protective factor. Fear of injections was common in this cohort and was highly associated with past fainting after vaccination.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Infectious outbreaks associated with bivalve shellfish consumption: a worldwide perspective.

Outbreaks of shellfish-associated infection have been reported for more than a century. Since the early 1970s, the global consumption of shellfish has increased considerably--and with it, the reports of outbreaks of infection. Most of these reports have originated from the United States, but Europe and, to a lesser extent, Asia and Australia have also been represented. The majority of outbreaks have been linked to oysters, followed by clams and mussels. Hepatitis A virus caused the largest ever shellfish-associated outbreak, but caliciviruses have caused the highest number of outbreaks; Vibrio species lead the list of bacterial pathogens. The prognosis of shellfish-associated infections is generally good, except for outbreaks of Vibrio vulnificus infection, which have a mortality rate of up to 50% in vulnerable people. Conventional and molecular techniques should be applied to better identify the causative agents, thereby enabling more-targeted control measures in growing, harvesting, and shipping bivalves.

Asia↗
PubMed2002

Mycoplasma-associated carditis. Case reports and review.

We present 2 cases and examine the developments that occurred in diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of 19 additional patients with mycoplasmal peri- and myocarditis. The mean age of this group was 33 years. The final diagnoses were pericarditis (n = 15), myocarditis (n = 5), and myopericarditis (n = 1); pulmonary involvement was noted in 13 patients. Serology established the diagnosis in 12 cases, and isolation in 9 others. In contrast to previous reviews, an echocardiogram was carried out in all patients, thus enabling pericardiocentesis in 13 patients. Antibiotics were given to 19 patients, including 4 who received a newer macrolide. Three patients were left with long-term sequelae, and 1 patient died. The outcome of Mycoplasma carditis has improved over the years, although a minority of patients may suffer long-term sequelae.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

High rates of substance abuse among long-term travelers to the tropics: an interventional study.

BACKGROUND: Drug abuse constitutes a worldwide problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of illicit drug use during long-term travel to the tropics, and to estimate the effects of antidrug brochures provided before travel on the use of drugs during travel. METHODS: An interventional study was done on 1,000 travelers to the tropics aged 18 to 30 years. Pretravel brochures explaining the hazards of drug abuse were provided to 500 of them. A control group of 500 travelers did not receive the brochures. Questionnaires exploring drug abuse habits were sent to all travelers after their return. RESULTS: Among 223 travelers (108 and 115 of the intervention and control groups, respectively) who returned their questionnaires, 82 (36.8%, 95% CI 30.5-43.5%) had experienced illicit drug use during their trip, whereas only 52 of them had tried drugs before (p<0.01). More travelers had used drugs in the Far East (43.3%) than in South America (25.6%, p< 0.01). The strongest predictors of drug abuse were: the compound of female gender and travel to Asia (odds ratio (OR), 4.3), education <or=12 school years (OR 3.5), age <or=25 years (OR 2.7), and no malaria prophylaxis (OR 2.6). The brochures failed to decrease the rate of drug abuse (38.9% vs. 34.8% in the control group, p=NS). CONCLUSIONS: More than one-third of young Israelis who travel to the tropics use illicit drugs. For many, the trip was their first encounter. Brochures as a sole agent are inadequate, and further means are needed to reduce this alarming trend.

Adolescent↗