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Biomedical subjects

M Weinberger

Publications and source records attributed to M Weinberger.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Contrasting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in Veterans Affairs and community nursing homes.

PURPOSE: To compare the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nares colonization, the patterns of MRSA acquisition, and the risk for subsequent MRSA infection between a hospital-based, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing home care unit (NHCU) and community-based nursing homes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, 148 residents of three community nursing homes and 55 residents of a VA NHCU had their anterior nares swabbed; repeat cultures were obtained from hospitalized patients and/or individuals colonized with MRSA. Subjects were followed up prospectively for 1 year to note hospitalizations and the development of MRSA infections. RESULTS: The prevalence of MRSA colonization was significantly higher in the VA NHCU than in the community nursing homes (mean +/- SD 30.3% +/- 11% versus 9.9% +/- 4%). The rate of MRSA nares colonization was similar in the two settings. Acquisition of MRSA took place in both the long-term care facilities and hospitals, with 23.8% of incident cases occurring during a hospitalization. Only 3 of the 27 individuals colonized at baseline developed an MRSA infection. A trend toward an increased rate of infection was seen in colonized individuals residing in the community nursing homes versus those in the VA NHCU (relative risk 4.67; 95% Cl 0.55 to 39.9). Forty-seven percent of the 55 subjects hospitalized were colonized at some point during the study. In contrast to residents of the VA NHCU, MRSA colonization in the community facilities was a marker for high mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes from colonization may be different in the VA NHCU population and the community nursing home population.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

A randomized, controlled trial of a clinical pharmacist intervention to improve inappropriate prescribing in elderly outpatients with polypharmacy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of sustained clinical pharmacist interventions involving elderly outpatients with polypharmacy and their primary physicians. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Randomized, controlled trial of 208 patients aged 65 years or older with polypharmacy (> or = 5 chronic medications) from a general medicine clinic of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. A clinical pharmacist met with intervention group patients during all scheduled visits to evaluate their drug regimens and make recommendations to them and their physicians. Outcome measures were prescribing appropriateness, health-related quality of life, adverse drug events, medication compliance and knowledge, number of medications, patient satisfaction, and physician receptivity. RESULTS: Inappropriate prescribing scores declined significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group by 3 months (decrease 24% versus 6%, respectively; P = 0.0006) and was sustained at 12 months (decrease 28% versus 5%, respectively; P = 0.0002). There was no difference between groups at closeout in health-related quality of life (P = 0.99). Fewer intervention than control patients (30.2%) versus 40.0%; P = 0.19) experienced adverse drug events. Measures for most other outcomes remained unchanged in both groups. Physicians were receptive to the intervention and enacted changes recommended by the clinical pharmacist more frequently than they enacted changes independently for control patients (55.1% versus 19.8%; P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a clinical pharmacist providing pharmaceutical care for elderly primary care patients can reduce inappropriate prescribing and possibly adverse drug effects without adversely affecting health-related quality of life.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Growth and development in preterm infants receiving fluoroquinolones.

Growth and development were followed in 7 preterm newborn infants who received fluoroquinolones in the neonatal period. Quinolones were used as a "life saving" therapy in cases of sepsis caused by bacterial agents sensitive only to these drugs. Two other groups of neonates matched for gender, birth weight and gestational age served as controls. Although the quinolone group had more severe illness, no statistically significant differences were observed in growth and development between the groups. No osteoarticular problems or joint deformities were observed in the quinolone group. Therefore, quinolones could be a therapeutic option for newborns with sepsis caused by multiply resistant organisms.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1996

HIV infection and AIDS in Jerusalem: a microcosm of illness in Israel.

During the decade 1985-94, 158 individuals (124 males, 34 females) with HIV/AIDS were seen at the AIDS clinic of Hadassah University Hospital. They comprised 10% of the total reported number of HIV-infected Israelis and included 6% of all reported HIV-infected Ethiopians and all HIV-infected West Bank Palestinians. Most individuals (82%) were self-referred; 12% were detected through the local HIV screening clinic. Risk groups for AIDS were homo/bisexuality (39%), heterosexual relations (30%), intravenous drug abuse (15%), contaminated blood transfusions (9%), born to HIV+ mothers (1%), and hemophilia (< 1%). In 5% (all males) no risk factor was given. Of the 158 individuals 29 were Ethiopian immigrants, 25 West Bank Palestinians, and the rest were local Israelis and tourists. Of the 34 females seen, 21 acquired HIV heterosexually, 6 were intravenous drug abusers, 5 were recipients of contaminated transfusions, and 2 were infants. An initial clinical presentation with full-blown AIDS was observed in 30% of the individuals. The range of clinical presentations was similar to that seen in western countries, with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, cytomegalovirus retinitis, mycobacterial infections and Kaposi's sarcoma seen most frequently. One case of disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis was observed. The mortality rate during the follow-up was 55%. In 35% of individuals the immediate cause of death was severe bacterial infections. The Palestinian subpopulation presented at an advanced stage of the disease with a high incidence of transfusion recipients, while most HIV-infected Ethiopians presented with asymptomatic disease transmitted heterosexually. HIV/AIDS as seen at Hadassah University Hospital during 1985-94 exhibited the mixed form of Euro-American AIDS with additional facets of recently introduced African infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The role of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (c-ANCA) testing in the diagnosis of Wegener granulomatosis. A literature review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To summarize the literature on the clinical utility of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (c-ANCA) as a diagnostic marker for Wegener granulomatosis. DATA SOURCES: A structured literature search was done using MEDLINE; this search, combined with a manual search, yielded 747 articles for potential inclusion. These articles passed through a 4-stage review. Studies were included if they had a specified reference standard and a systematic method of patient selection and if a 2 x 2 contingency table could be constructed from their results. Fifteen articles met these criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: 3 physicians reviewed all selected articles. Detailed data abstraction was done, and the quality of the study methods was assessed. Items abstracted included the method of patient selection, the study design, the reference standard, the c-ANCA testing technique, disease activity, and the test results. Disagreements among reviewers were resolved by consensus. Contingency tables were used to calculate the operating characteristics for Wegener granulomatosis overall and for active and inactive Wegener granulomatosis. RESULTS: The sensitivities of c-ANCA testing for overall Wegener granulomatosis ranged from 34% to 92%, and the specificities ranged from 88% to 100%. The pooled sensitivity was 66% (95% CI, 57% to 74%), and the pooled specificity was 98% (CI, 96% to 99.5%). Four articles provided data on disease activity. For active disease, the pooled sensitivity was 91% (CI, 87% to 95%), and the pooled specificity was 99% (CI, 97% to 99.9%). For inactive disease, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 63% and 99.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although c-ANCA test results may serve clinicians as adjunct evidence for the diagnosis of Wegener granulomatosis, these results must be viewed in the context of the patient's clinical picture and disease activity and the prevalence of Wegener granulomatosis in the clinical setting in which the patient is seen.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗
PubMed1995

Talc granuloma of the uterus.

A 40-year-old woman presented with acute obstructive lung disease. She was treated with steroids and achieved a good response. However, she had two previous pelvic operations with histological findings of uterine serosal caseating granulomas presenting in the latter operation. Antituberculosis (TB) prophylaxis was suggested due to the suspicion of TB reactivation under steroid management. Investigation for TB infection or exposure was negative while revision of the histological slides disclosed talc granulomas. Although talc granuloma is reported in starch powder gloves which should not contain talc, it is still very uncommon.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A prospective study of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (c-ANCA) and clinical criteria in diagnosing Wegener's granulomatosis.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (c-ANCA) has a reported sensitivity and specificity greater than 90% for active Wegener's granulomatosis in selected patients with previously-defined disease. Because of these reports, some clinicians believe that a positive c-ANCA result provides strong circumstantial evidence for the diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis in patients with compatible clinical symptoms. However, this approach has not been examined prospectively. We prospectively studied 346 consecutive patients suspected of having vasculitis; those with previously established Wegener's granulomatosis (n = 29) or receiving immunosuppressives other than corticosteroids (n = 65) at baseline were excluded. Measures included a baseline c-ANCA, blinded chart reviews to record symptoms, physical findings, and corticosteroid use at baseline, and 2 to 8 months later to record final diagnoses and biopsy results. Wegener's granulomatosis was defined using the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, which does not require a biopsy. Follow-up information was available for 212 (84%) of the 252 patients eligible for this study (no corticosteroids: n = 174; corticosteroids: n = 78). 25 patients with compatible symptoms were classified with Wegener's granulomatosis by ACR criteria; only 6 of the 25 had biopsy-proven disease. 14 of these 212 patients had positive c-ANCA results. The overall sensitivity and specificity of c-ANCA for ACR-defined Wegener's granulomatosis were 28% (95% CI, 10%-46%) and 96% (93%-99%) respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 0.50 and 0.91. The specificity remained greater than 90% regardless of baseline corticosteroid use or disease activity; however, the sensitivity and positive predictive value remained poor. For Wegener's granulomatosis defined by biopsy criteria and compatible clinical symptoms, the sensitivity was 83% (53%-100%); however, the positive predictive value was 36%. These results raise serious questions about the use of positive c-ANCA tests in diagnosing Wegener's granulomatosis in patients with clinical symptoms alone.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗
PubMed1995

[Hepatosplenic fungal abscesses in the immunocompromised].

A rare, newly recognized variant of systemic fungal infection is the occurrence of focal hepatosplenic microabscesses in the immunocompromised patient. A patient with persistent unexplained fever should have a CT or ultrasound scan of the abdomen. The presence of multiple splenic lesions strongly suggests fungal disease. If antifungal therapy does not result in complete resolution of fever and splenic lesions, splenectomy is recommended.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1995

The relationship between infection and inflammation in the early stages of lung disease from cystic fibrosis.

We examined the relationship of pulmonary infection and inflammation in cystic fibrosis (CF) by performing 31 bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) in 14 young children with minimal lung disease from CF. While 10 of the 14 patients had elevated polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) counts initially, only 4 had bacteria generally regarded as pathogenic in the recovered BAL fluid. Three of these 4 and 6 of the others had follow-up bronchoscopies at 6 months intervals. PMN counts remained normal for only one patient. However, pathogenic bacteria were recovered during the repeat BALs only in those patients who were colonized initially. Proinflammatory cytokines and proteinases were generally elevated, and interleukin-8 (IL-8) concentration correlated inversely with oxygen saturation (SaO2). No complications of the procedure occurred. We conclude that BAL identifies inflammation and the presence of bacteria in the lower airway at an early stage of the disease. This information may be used to guide therapy in patients too young or otherwise unable to produce sputum. These data also suggest that inflammation is present early in the course of CF lung disease before colonization and infection of the lungs with potentially pathogenic bacteria occurs. Since inflammation appears to be the earliest detectable evidence of lung disease in CF, monitoring of inflammation with BAL may serve as a useful marker of clinical benefits from new treatments in patients with minimal lung disease.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1995

Disseminated Nocardia transvalensis infection resembling pulmonary infarction in a liver transplant recipient.

Infections due to Nocardia transvalensis are extremely rare: only four disseminated infections with this pathogen have been reported, three of which ended fatally. This is the first report of a liver transplant recipient with Nocardia transvalensis infection. The patient had disseminated infection with pulmonary involvement, which presented as pulmonary infarction. Despite a ten-day delay in the administration of correct therapy, he responded rapidly to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The pitfalls of differentiating nocardial infection from pulmonary thromboembolism in solid organ transplant recipients and the diagnostic considerations unique to liver transplant recipients are discussed.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1995

A nurse-coordinated intervention for primary care patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: impact on glycemic control and health-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of a nurse-coordinated intervention delivered to patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus between office visits to primary care physicians. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Veterans Affairs general medical clinic. PATIENTS: 275 veterans who had NIDDM and were receiving primary care from general internists. INTERVENTION: Nurse-initiated contacts were made by telephone at least monthly to provide patient education (with special emphasis on regimens and significant signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia), reinforce compliance with regimens, monitor patients' health status, facilitate resolution of identified problems, and facilitate access to primary care. MEASUREMENTS: Glycemic control was assessed using glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured with the Medical Outcomes Study SF-36, and diabetes-related symptoms were assessed using patients' self-reports of signs and symptoms of hyper- and hypoglycemia during the previous month. MAIN RESULTS: At one year, between-group differences favored intervention patients for FBS (174.1 mg/dL vs 193.1 mg/dL, p = 0.011) and GHb (10.5% vs 11.1%, p = 0.046). Statistically significant differences were not observed for either SF-36 scores (p = 0.66) or diabetes-related symptoms (p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention, designed to be a pragmatic, low-intensity adjunct to care delivered by physicians, modestly improved glycemic control but not HRQOL or diabetes-related symptoms.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1995

A bioassay for topical and systemic effect of three inhaled corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND: Comparisons of relative potency for the three inhaled corticosteroids in the United States are limited to assessment of skin blanching. OBJECTIVE: Development of a method for comparing relative potencies of inhaled corticosteroids for topical effect on human airway and systemic effect. METHODS: With use of partial suppression of immediate response to inhaled allergen and 24-hour urinary free cortisol output, three-point dose-response curves were constructed for beclomethasone dipropionate (50 micrograms/puff), triamcinolone acetonide (100 micrograms/puff), and flunisolide (250 micrograms/puff). A randomized, parallel, single-blind study design was used. Dosing began with one puff four times a day for flunisolide and two puffs four times a day for the others. Doses were doubled after 1 week and again after a second week. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients completed the study. Dose-response relationships were shown for each inhaled corticosteroid for both topical and systemic effect. Dose-response curves for the three preparations were similar when response was plotted against delivered dose in micrograms. CONCLUSION: Within the limits of the assays, relative potencies of the three preparations appeared to be approximately equivalent for both topical and systemic effect when dose was expressed in micrograms. Relative potency per puff is therefore approximately proportional to the dose delivered. This method has potential for evaluation of relative potency of newer inhaled corticosteroids and the relative advantage of alternative delivery systems.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1995

Measuring activities in clinical trials using random work sampling: implications for cost-effectiveness analysis and measurement of the intervention.

Determining research-related costs from intervention-related costs is important for both clinical and health services research. Often this task involves estimating what proportion of the workday personnel spend on a variety of activities. We used a portable random reminder beeper to measure the daily work activities and contacts of study nurses within the context of a multi-site randomized trial designed to assess the effectiveness of primary care. Nurses recorded 4920 work activities over 140 consecutive workdays. Research-related activities consumed the largest proportion of the workday, 42.5% (95% CI, 38.1-46.7) followed by patient care, 28.8% (24.1-33.2), personal time 16.4% (12.0-20.7), and time spent in transit 12.5% (9.1-15.9). Because this research-related time is spent performing tasks specific to the enrollment of patients and measurement of outcome variables, we will use an adjusted annual salary for these nurses (from $56,392-$32,425) when attributing costs of the intervention in cost-effectiveness analyses and for future management projections. Work sampling is a flexible, inexpensive method that was well accepted by the nurses in this study. Our results provide important insights into the costs analysis of complex interventions involving health professionals and may allow us to explore why the intervention worked or did not work at individual sites.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1995

Illusions in rhinoplasty.

In both primary and secondary rhinoplasty, favorable illusion may be created by cartilage grafting of various nasal anatomic components, as well as rearranging components in relationship to one another. Recognizing which patients will benefit from the procedures described herein can lead the rhinoplasty surgeon to improved long-term outcomes.

Cartilage↗
PubMed1995

The renin angiotensin aldosterone system and frusemide response in congestive heart failure.

1. To test the hypothesis that basal renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) activity impairs the acute natriuretic response to frusemide in patients with mild or moderate congestive heart failure (CHF), we studied eight adult volunteers with preserved renal function, stable New York Heart Association Class II or III CHF, and echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular dysfunction due to myocardial infarction, hypertension, or both causes. 2. All patients received three dosing regimens administered in random order: (a) intravenous frusemide: 40 mg bolus then 40 mg h-1 for 3 h, (b) captopril: two 12.5 mg oral doses separated by 2 h, (c) combined dosing: the first captopril dose preceded the frusemide bolus by 30 min. Sodium balance on an 80 mmol day-1 sodium diet was documented prior to each dosing regimen. Sodium excretion was quantitated in urine collected at intervals until 3.5 h after initiating drug administration. During this time, urine output was replaced intravenously with an equivalent volume of 0.45% saline. 3. Captopril significantly lowered plasma angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity and plasma aldosterone concentration, and raised inulin clearance. The drug had essentially no effect on the time course of magnitude of frusemide's natriuretic effect. Maximal fractional sodium excretion during frusemide infused by itself and in combination with captopril was 24.7 +/- 1.9% vs 28.2 +/- 3.8%, respectively (difference 3.5%; 95% CI, -4.0 to 11.0%; P > 0.05). Cumulative sodium excretion ending at 3.5 h was 429 +/- 53 mmol when frusemide was given alone and 455 +/- 69 mmol when captopril was added (difference, 26 mmol; CI, -121 to 174 mmol; P > 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗