External biliary fistula (BF) or ileal bypass (IB) was performed in dogs at the time of or 2 weeks after portacaval shunt (PCS). The pathologic changes in the dog livers 2 to 4 weeks later were compared to those caused by PCS alone. Histopathologic differences between PCS alone vs. PCS plus BF or IB could not be found. Thus, the experiments did not confirm recent observations by others in rats that BF prevents or reverses the hepatic injury of PCS. As estimated by plasma mevalonic acid determinations, the increase in hepatic cholesterol synthesis that is characteristic after BF or IB was suppressed in animals with PCS. BF and IB reduced but did not eliminate the postprandial elevation in serum bile acid that occurs after PCS. The findings have possible relevance in planning the treatment of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia with the combined use of PCS and IB.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Obesity as a predictor of severity in acute pancreatitis.

In order to determine whether the presence of obesity, defined as increased body mass index, would serve as a predictor of severity in acute pancreatitis, we have reviewed the medical records of 27 patients with severe acute pancreatitis. All patients had at least four positive Ranson's signs; all but three patients had at least five Ranson's signs. When the 13 patients with a fatal outcome were compared with the 14 who lived, neither obesity nor respiratory failure was an independent predictor of death. However, when the 27 patients were analyzed on the basis of whether they were obese (15 patients) or not obese (12 patients), obesity was an independent predictor of respiratory failure. Obesity was not a predictor of renal failure, pancreatic necrosis, or need for surgery. We suggest that obese patients with severe acute pancreatitis require close monitoring for the development of respiratory failure.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Postoperative mania. A case report and review of the literature.

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Anesthesia, General↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Guidewire catheter exchange with triple culture technique in the management of catheter sepsis.

We report 70 total parenteral nutrition (TPN) patients who received guidewire catheter exchange for suspected sepsis during their hospitalization. To diagnose catheter-related sepsis (CRS) and catheter infection (CI), we used a system of pre- and postexchange catheter blood cultures and a catheter tip culture. There were 27 catheter exchanges with positive cultures. The rate of definite CRS/CI (eight instances) was 6.8% of catheters exchanged and 3.5% of all catheters at risk. Probable CRS/CI (11 instances) was seen in 9% of exchanged catheters and 5% of at risk catheters. Thus, 19/27 positive cultures were presumed to represent definite or probable CRS/CI. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (SCN) was the most frequently isolated organism. Simple catheter exchange was usually effective treatment of CRS/CI when SCN was the offending organism. The salvage rate of catheters exchanged for suspected sepsis or after a positive blood culture was 84%. Only 7% of exchanged catheters had to be removed. Guidewire exchange with triple culture technique was without mechanical complications. We recommend this technique to monitor central venous catheters in patients receiving TPN since it is simple, essentially painless to perform, and easily interpreted.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of long-chain triglyceride emulsions on reticuloendothelial system function in humans.

Parenteral administration of long-chain triglyceride emulsions has been shown to have deleterious effects on reticuloendothelial system function in animal models. It is unknown whether this interference occurs in humans with clinically relevant doses of intravenous fat. Two studies were done. Eighteen patients were prospectively enrolled for study. Patients received full feeding by continuous total parenteral nutrition (amino acids 1.5 g/kg/day and dextrose 4.5 g/kg/day) with 33.1 kcal/kg/day. Forty-three % of the nonprotein calories were provided as soybean oil emulsion (Travamulsion 20%) and was administered intravenously over 10 hr (0.130 g/kg/hr). Reticuloendothelial system function was determined by measuring the change in the clearance rate of intravenously injected 99mTc-sulfur colloid (TSC) in each patient. In study 1 (n = 10), one day of lipid (10 hr) was infused, with the clearance of 99mTc-sulfur colloid measured before the lipid was infused and then during the last hour of the 10-hr infusion. In study 2 (n = 8), the clearance rates were measured before the lipid emulsion was begun, and then during the last hour of the infusion on the 3rd day. Clearance rates for TSC after 10 hr of lipid infusion in study 1 did not differ (0.27 +/- 1/min to 0.26 +/- 0.1/min, p greater than 0.10). However, after 3 days of lipid infusion (10 hr/day), a statistically significant reduction in TSC was seen (0.46 +/- 0.08/min-0.27 +/- 0.03/min, p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Thermogenesis from intravenous medium-chain triglycerides.

Eighteen hospitalized patients dependent on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) were randomly enrolled into a prospective study comparing intravenous long-chain triglycerides (LCT) with a physical mixture of 75% medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and 25% LCT. The TPN was given continuously as amino acids and glucose over 5 days with the respective lipid emulsion given intermittently during each day for 10 hr. Indirect calorimetry was measured on each patient before the lipid emulsion was administered in the morning and again 10 hr later near the end of the lipid infusion, on days 1, 3, and 5. Resting energy expenditure, VO2, VCO2, and calculated fat oxidation were shown to increase during MCT infusion but not during LCT administration, (resting energy expenditure 899 +/- 37 to 1085 +/- 40, compared with 978 +/- 23 to 976 +/- 39, kcal/m2 body surface area [BSA]/day, respectively, p less than 0.0002; VO2: 129.9 +/- 5.2 to 157.2 +/- 5.9, compared with 140.9 +/- 3.6 to 141.2 +/- 5.9 ml O2/min/m2 BSA, respectively, p less than 0.0005; and VCO2: 110.7 +/- 4.4 to 127.5 +/- 4.3, compared with 118.3 +/- 2.8 to 118.0 +/- 5.3, ml CO2/min/m2 BSA, respectively, p less than 0.0076; calculated fat oxidation 10.7 +/- 1.5 to 19.3 +/- 2.4, compared with 20.0 +/- 2.7 to 20.0 +/- 3.6, kcal/m2 BSA/hr, respectively, p less than 0.014). Respiratory quotient tended to fall with lipid infusion but did not change statistically. Body temperatures were unaltered by either fat infusion. It is concluded that TPN consisting of MCT causes an increased thermogenesis, most likely through increased fat oxidation, reflective of MCT's property as an obligate fuel. The increased thermogenesis occurs without an increase in body temperature.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reading, readability, and patient education materials.

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Education↗