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Biomedical subjects

Y Samra

Publications and source records attributed to Y Samra.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Antibiotic cost reduction by providing cost information.

Antibiotic cost information was added to the computerized print-out for each patient of microbiology culture results, next to the antibiotic susceptibility list. During the first six months of this addition, the average monthly cost of antibiotics decreased by 16.5% ($7636) compared to the 12 months period preceding the study period. The average antibiotic cost per admission decreased by 15.7% ($1.61) and the average antibiotic cost/hospital day decreased by 10.6% ($0.23). Antibiotic savings were highest in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (21.7%) and lowest in the Department of Paediatrics (10.8%). Two-thirds of the average savings were initiated by the house-staff and the remainder by infectious disease consultants. The effect of this system on the level of medical care remains to be studied.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1988

Graves' disease presenting as pyrexia of unknown origin.

Fever is a common clinical manifestation of inflammatory processes of the thyroid and thyroid crisis. On the other hand, fever alone as a presenting symptom of thyrotoxicosis, without other manifestations, is extremely rare. A female patient is described in whom fever persisted for two months prior to hospitalization, but without clinical symptoms or signs to lead to suspicion of thyroid disease. After exhaustive investigation it was found that the patient was suffering from hyperthyroidism. Fever disappeared gradually on antithyroid therapy, recurred when the drugs were withdrawn for a rechallenge trial, and cleared up again after renewal. Four other cases of persistent fever as a presenting symptom of hyperthyroidism were found on a review of previous publications. Thyrotoxicosis should, therefore, be included in the differential diagnosis of pyrexia of unknown origin.

Female↗
PubMed1988

Primary pneumococcal peritonitis in patients with cardiac ascites: report of 2 cases.

Two patients with fatal spontaneous pneumococcal peritonitis associated with ascites due to severe heart failure are reported. Remarkable clinical features included gradual onset and absence of fever and signs of peritonitis. Only 1 case of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis associated with cardiac ascites was described previously and was caused by enterococcus.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Ceftizoxime vs. cefotaxime--a comparative randomized multicenter study.

One hundred and fourteen hospitalized patients with moderate or severe infections were assigned at random, in four medical centers, to receive either ceftizoxime or cefotaxime, administered intravenously in a dosage of 1 to 2 g every 8 h. Of 96 patients evaluable for efficacy, 24 (25%) had bacteremia, 46 (48%) had urinary tract infections and 9 (9%) had pneumonias. Half the patients had been treated ineffectively by other antibiotics prior to the study drug treatment. The overall clinical efficacy was 90% in both treatment groups and 83% in both groups with bacteremia. All patients with urinary tract infection were cured by both agents. Bacteriological eradication rate was 95% in both groups. Adverse reactions, though mild, were more frequent in the cefotaxime group (13.5%) than in the ceftizoxime group (6.8%); superinfection rate was higher in the ceftizoxime group. Both antibiotics were highly and equally efficacious in the therapy of severe infections in hospitalized patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Scintigraphic assessment of ectopic splenic tissue localization and function following splenectomy for trauma.

Twenty-three subjects who had a splenectomy as a result of trauma underwent scintigraphic evaluation with a sensitive heat-denatured 99mTc-labeled red blood cells (DRBC). This method enabled detection of ectopic splenic tissue foci (ESTF) as small as 1 X 1 cm in diameter. ESTF splenosis or accessory spleen was detected in 15 cases (65%), a higher incidence than previously reported. The size of the ESTF ranged from 1 X 1 to 5 X 10 cm (0.8-40 cm2), and 53% were less than 2 X 2 cma (3 cm2). A new multiparametric scintigraphic evaluating technique is described, which estimates the quantity of ESTF and its grade of activity, relative to that of the liver. The technique is a highly efficient assessor of ESTF function. Good correlation was found between the size and activity of the ESTF and the presence of Howell-Jolly bodies (HJB), but with a low sensitivity for detecting small ESTF. Correlation was low between residual splenic tissue and concentrations of IgM, IgA and IgG immunoglobulins. The 99mTc-DRBC method described is recommended for verification of ESTF existence, localization, and function.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Dental infection as the cause of pyrexia of unknown origin--two case reports.

Two cases of pyrexia of unknown origin are described in which no cause was found despite exhaustive inpatient investigation until occult dental infection was detected: extraction of the teeth involved was followed by resolution of the pyrexia. Dental infection should be considered as an unusual but eminently treatable cause of pyrexia of unknown origin.

Fever of Unknown Origin↗
PubMed1986

In vitro activity of ciprofloxacin compared with other agents against recent hospital isolates.

Ciprofloxacin's in vitro activity was tested against 385 hospital isolates originating from three geographically distinct regions. Of all strains tested, only three (1 Acinetobacter sp. and 2 Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were ciprofloxacin resistant. Ciprofloxacin was more active against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Acinetobacter sp., Proteus sp., Shigella sp. than gentamicin, mezlocillin and cefotaxime. It was more active than azlocillin and cefsulodin against P. aeruginosa. It was more active than cloxacillin and cefamandole against staphylococci. It was as active as cefotaxime against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii and Serratia marcescens. Ciprofloxacin demonstrated similar activity in broth and solid agar. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC's) of all strains were similar to the minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC's). Ciprofloxacin's MIC was not influenced by increase of the inoculum or addition of human serum and only slightly influenced by anaerobic conditions. Decrease of the medium pH increased the MIC substantially. Ciprofloxacin exhibited a rapid bactericidal effect and had only a minimal post-antibiotic effect. These favorable in vitro characteristics of ciprofloxacin warrant further studies.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed1986

Mitral valve prolapse in psoriatic arthritis.

Twenty-five patients with psoriatic arthritis were studied by echocardiography in view of the known association of related seronegative arthropathies with aortic-valve lesions. The study group included 15 men and ten women with a mean age of 46.5 +/- 14.6 years. Twenty-two patients suffered from peripheral disease whereas three also had axial involvement. No aortic-valve lesions were found; however, mitral-valve prolapse (MVP) was detected in 14 patients (56%), nine men and five women. The mean age, mean duration of psoriasis, and mean duration of arthritis were similar in patients with and without MVP. HLA tissue typing, which was done in nine patients with MVP, revealed only one patient with HLA-B27. There was no predominance of any of the typical antigens found in psoriasis (HLA-B13, HLA-Cw6). In a control group of 32 psoriatic patients without arthritis, only two (6.4%) suffered from MVP.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Urinary bladder tumors following cyclophosphamide therapy: a report of two cases with a review of the literature.

Sterile hemorrhagic cystitis following cyclophosphamide (Cph) therapy is a relatively frequent and well-documented phenomenon. On the other hand, cancer of the urinary bladder associated with Cph therapy is rarely observed. We present two cases and summarize 32 patients reported in the literature. Thirty patients had malignant disease elsewhere, 27 of them nonsolid tumors. The other four patients received treatment with Cph for nonmalignant disease (systemic lupus erythematosus--3; rheumatoid arthritis--1). The bladder tumor developed several months to years after treatment. In 20 patients hemorrhagic cystitis antedated the tumors. We conclude that hemorrhagic cystitis in patients on Cph therapy should indicate at least temporary withdrawal of the drug. The decision to resume treatment should be taken with extreme caution considering the risk of the development of bladder cancer.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Adult listeriosis--a review of 18 cases.

Eighteen cases of adult listeriosis (nine with meningitis, one brain abscess and eight bacteraemia) were diagnosed in the Chaim Sheba Medical Center in the years 1964-1982. The infection seemed to be opportunistic in all. Eleven patients had malignant disease, two had cirrhosis of the liver, one had ulcerative colitis, one had bronchial asthma with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, one had pemphigus, one had diabetes mellitus and one had a renal transplantation. Twelve patients (66%) received radiation therapy and/or cytotoxic and steroid medication. Diabetes mellitus as an additional underlying disease was strikingly frequent and was found in eight out of 18 patients (44%), in one as the only underlying disease. In the meningitis group cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were positive in five patients, and negative in four who had, however, positive blood cultures. The cells in the CSF were predominantly lymphocytes in five and polymorphs in four. It may be concluded that diabetes mellitus is an important underlying disease in listeriosis. The results also reinforce the fact that lymphocytosis in the CSF does not exclude bacterial meningitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

A comparative study of infective endocarditis.

A survey of hospitalizations at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, covering two nonconsecutive decades (1951-60 and 1970-79), included 213 patients (228 episodes) with infective endocarditis. The increase in the age of patients and in the frequency of atherosclerotic heart disease, as well as the introduction of techniques such as heart catheterization and open-heart surgery, are responsible for the differences in clinical course, microbiology and therapy. Despite the changed pattern, rheumatic heart disease remained the principal underlying disease in both periods and Streptococcus viridans remained the most common pathogen. Not a single case of drug addiction appeared in our material, despite its increasing frequency in Israel.

Adolescent↗