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Biomedical subjects

S Kalenić

Publications and source records attributed to S Kalenić.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Inflammatory mediators in saliva of patients with rapidly progressive periodontitis during war stress induced incidence increase.

Rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP) results from the interaction between the periodontal microflora and the host. Stress is believed to play an important role in determining host responses, and it has been proposed that hyperactivity of host defense mechanisms significantly increases tissue destruction typical for this disease. During a period of four months we have diagnosed 20 patients with acute RPP, all of them active participants in battles of the Croatian liberation war with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related symptoms. In these patients we analyzed biochemical parameters in unstimulated saliva and performed microbiological analyses of periodontal pockets. These findings were compared with those of patients with adult periodontitis (AP), edentulous and healthy persons, none of whom participated in the war. Persons with AP had reduced concentrations of host humoral defense factors in saliva (C-reactive protein, C3 component of complement, and aplha alpha 2-macroglobulin), while patients with RPP had increased concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6). IL-6 is released by host inflammatory cells and is a mediator of bone resorption. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcommitans and Peptostreptococcus were more frequently isolated from patients with RPP. We interpret these results as indicators of the importance of stress in the causation of RPP, with host inflammatory hyperactivity playing an important role in tissue destruction, specially alveolar bone resorption possibly caused by increased local levels of IL-6.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

An autopsy study of systemic fungal infections in patients with hematologic malignancies.

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of fungal infections detected on autopsy in a group of 40 patients with hematologic malignancies treated with intensive chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation, and to evaluate the risk factors for fungal infections. A control group included 38 patients with nonhematologic diseases and without granulocytopenia but with at least one of the known risk factors for fungal infections. Standard histopathological and microbiological methods were used. A higher incidence of invasive fungal infections was found in patients with hematologic malignancies as compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The predominant causes of fungal infections were Candida albicans and Aspergillus spp. The incidence of fungal infections caused by Aspergillus was higher (p < 0.05) in patients with hematologic malignancies than in the control group. The independent risk factors for fungal infections were fungal colonization, number of antibiotics and duration of antibiotic therapy, duration of fever and skin rash. A higher proportion of fungal infections was diagnosed on autopsy than during the patients' life (p < 0.01).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Impact of ampicillin and cefuroxime on bacterial colonization and infection in patients on a neonatal intensive care unit.

The impact of ampicillin and cefuroxime on the bacterial flora of neonates was examined in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). For the first period of study (January-September 1989), ampicillin plus gentamicin were used as empirical therapy of infection. During this time, 92.6% of all Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) were resistant to ampicillin and 56.6% to cefuroxime. These percentages decreased significantly (P < 0.05) to 60.0% and 16.2% respectively, over the next period of study (October 1989-October 1990) when cefuroxime+gentamicin were used. A decrease in the number of cases of GNB from bacteraemia and meningitis was also significant (from 21.2% to 11.2%), and this correlated with a decline in the occurrence of Klebsiella pneumoniae. However, the number of enterococcal isolates and cases of enterococcal bacteraemia increased. These observations underline the important effect of ampicillin and cefuroxime in modulating the bacterial flora and its antibiotic resistance in patients on a NICU.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1993

Prostaglandin E2 for prophylaxis of oral mucositis following BMT.

Between October 1988 and December 1990, 60 patients with leukaemia (25 with AML, 19 ALL and 16 CML) undergoing BMT were randomised in a double-blind clinical trial to receive prostaglandin E2 (PGE) (Prostin E2, 0.5 mg per tablet) or placebo for prophylaxis of oral mucositis. Patients had to dissolve tablets in the mouth three times daily starting 7 days before BMT and continuing until 21 days after BMT. The incidence of severe oral mucositis was similar for both groups, 55% in patients receiving PGE and 52% in patients receiving placebo. The duration of severe mucositis did not differ between PGE and placebo groups (chi-square 0.95, p = NS). The incidence of HSV infection was significantly higher in patients receiving PGE. Patients with HSV infection receiving PGE also had a higher incidence of severe oral mucositis. The results presented indicate that PGE is not effective for prophylaxis of oral mucositis in BMT recipients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Total body irradiation with or without lung shielding for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

From June 1986 to June 1990, 64 patients with leukaemia (25 acute myelogenous leukaemia, 21 acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and 18 chronic myeloid leukaemia) undergoing marrow transplantation were randomized to receive cyclophosphamide (CY) and fractionated total body irradiation (TBI) without lung shielding (n = 33) or CY and fractionated TBI with lung shielding (n = 31, control group) as conditioning. Patients conditioned with TBI without lung shielding received a significantly higher total lung dose compared with the control group (p less than 0.0001). The 3-year leukaemia-free survival for patients receiving TBI without lung shielding is 54 +/- 18% versus 51 +/- 18% for patients receiving TBI with lung shielding (p = ns). There was no significant difference in the probability of leukaemia relapse (22 +/- 18% for TBI without lung shielding versus 24 +/- 18% for control group; p = ns). The probability of interstitial pneumonitis is 15 +/- 14% for TBI without lung shielding and 5 +/- 5% for TBI with lung shielding (p = ns). A higher incidence of lung fungal infection (15 versus 3%) and interstitial pneumonitis (12 versus 3%) has been documented in patients receiving TBI without lung shielding compared with the control group. The results indicate that higher radiation dose to the lung did not increase antileukaemic efficacy of TBI but seemed to be associated with the increased pulmonary toxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Determination of plasmid-associated hydrophobicity of Yersinia enterocolitica by the salting-out test.

The hydrophobicity of the cell surface of Yersinia enterocolitica was investigated by the salting-out test. It was shown that plasmid-containing strains grown at 37 degrees C aggregated at a final concentration of (NH4)2SO4 of between 0.3 to 0.5 M. In contrast, the plasmid-free derivatives did not show aggregation even at a concentration of 2.0 M(NH4)2SO4. Therefore, the salting-out test can be utilized as a simple and reliable method for distinguishing plasmid-containing, virulent strains of Yersinia enterocolitica from their plasmid-free derivatives. This was also confirmed by the use of 30 clinical isolates of virulent Y. enterocolitica.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1989

The association of enterotoxigenic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and other enteric pathogens with childhood diarrhoea in Yugoslavia.

The presence of enterotoxigenic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (ETEC and EPEC, respectively) was investigated in stool specimens of 1082 preschool children with diarrhoea and in stools of 335 healthy controls in localities in southern Yugoslavia, as well as in 566 children with diarrhoea and in 231 controls living in northern part of the country, during the seasonal peak (August-November) of enteric diseases in 1986. ETEC were found in 114 (10.5%) children with diarrhoea and in 14 (4.2%) controls (P less than 0.001) in the southern part, and in 26 (4.6%) ill children and one (0.4%) well child (P less than 0.005) in the northern part of Yugoslavia. EPEC were isolated from stools of 85 (7.9%) children with diarrhoea and of 14 (4.2%) well children (P less than 0.05) in localities of southern Yugoslavia, and from 22 (3.9%) ill children and from 10 (4.3%) controls in northern Yugoslavia. Nineteen EPEC strains expressed localized adherence to HEp-2 tissue culture cells; all were isolated from stools of ill children. In southern Yugoslavia, where other enteropathogens were sought, the most commonly found agents in ill children were shigellae (17.5%), rotavirus (11.8%), ETEC, and EPEC. Potential pathogens were detected in 44.5% cases of sporadic diarrhoea and in 15.8% controls. This study revealed that ETEC were associated with acute diarrhoeal disease in Yugoslav preschool children. On the other hand, the diagnosis of EPEC-diarrhoea by routine determination of serogroup established the association of these agents with sporadic diarrhoea only in the 0-2 years age categories in all investigated localities. In the less developed southern part of Yugoslavia bacteria were the predominant causative agents of enteric illness during the seasonal peak of this disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Helicobacter pylori: in vitro induction of resistance to azithromycin.

Helicobacter pylori resistance to macrolides is possibly an important factor for the failure of macrolide therapy for H. pylori infection. The aim of this study was to assess the propensity of H. pylori to develop in vitro resistance to azithromycin. In 73 clinical isolates taken from patients before starting antimicrobial therapy of H. pylori infection, MIC was determined using an agar dilution method (Müller-Hinton agar with 7.5% unlysed horse blood, pH = 7.2, at 35 degrees C, during 72 h in a humid microaerobic atmosphere). Each strain was first cultivated at half minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) then in doubling concentrations until growth arrest. All experiments for induction of resistance were performed on the same media, incubation temperature, atmosphere and time of MIC determination. MIC interpretative standards for sensitivity, intermediate sensitivity and resistance of H. pylori to azithromycin were < or = 2, 4 and > or = 8 mg/l, respectively. Of 73 strains, 5 died during the experiments, and in the remaining 68 strains, serial passage with increasing azithromycin concentrations resulted in the development of resistance in 19 (26.9%) strains. Two strains had an MIC of 16 mg/l azithromycin. Thirty-three (48.5%) strains kept the same MIC or doubled their MIC, 16 (23.5%) strains had 4- to 16-fold MIC but still remained sensitive, 2 resistant strains had 128-fold MICs and 17 resistant strains had increased their MICs more than 128 times. Seventeen highly resistant strains (MIC > 128 mg/l) were kept frozen at -70 degrees C for 3 months in a brain-heart infusion broth with 15% glycerol. MIC was assessed again to determine the stability of resistance. Eleven strains kept MICs > 128 mg/l, 2 became sensitive and 1 intermediate, but reverted easily, after only 2 passages, to an MIC of > 128 mg/l azithromycin. Although macrolides are very active against H. pylori, the propensity to develop resistance in a high proportion of strains has a clear impact on the choice of the right combinations of macrolides with other agents as well as the dosage of the macrolide antibiotics.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗