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Biomedical subjects

D W Burdon

Publications and source records attributed to D W Burdon.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Cimetidine is unlikely to increase formation of intragastric N-nitroso-compounds in patients taking a normal diet.

Studies in fasting subjects have suggested that cimetidine therapy might lead to nocturnal hypochlorhydria, allowing bacterial overgrowth and the production of intragastric carcinogens. This hypothesis was investigated in normal subjects taking full-dose and maintenance cimetidine with food. Nocturnal hypochlorhydria wa rarely found and the incidence of bacterial overgrowth was correspondingly low; gastric-juice nitrite concentrations were rarely raised. These findings suggest that long term treatment with cimetidine is unlikely to promote gastric cancer as a result of bacterial metabolic activity.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1981

A controlled trial to compare systemic and intra-incisional cefuroxime prophylaxis in high risk gastric surgery.

A prospective randomized controlled trial has compared single dose systemic cefuroxime (n = 27) or intra-incisional cefuroxime (n = 26) with a control group (n = 28) in 81 patients undergoing gastric resection, revision gastric surgery or operation for gastro-oesophageal malignancy. In the controls the incidence of sepsis was: 35 per cent wound infection, 29 per cent abscess, 21 per cent septicaemia. After intra-incisional cefuroxime the incidence was: 4 per cent wound sepsis, 19 per cent abscess and 4 per cent septicaemia. After systemic cefuroxime only 2 patients developed wound sepsis (7 per cent) with no cases of abscess or septicaemia. Excluded from this high risk group were 36 patients who had a vagotomy with or without drainage during the trial where antibiotics were not given, 4 of whom developed wound sepsis only (11 per cent). There was a poor correlation between the individual species isolated from the gastric aspirate and the organisms responsible for postoperative infection in the controls, but there was a good correlation between fasting gastric pH and the risk of sepsis in the controls.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1981

Influence of oral mannitol bowel preparation on colonic microflora and the risk of explosion during endoscopic diathermy.

Oral mannitol has been widely accepted as the bowel preparation of choice for colonoscopy and elective colorectal operation because it is well tolerated by patients. Recent concern has been expressed regarding the risk of explosion and sepsis using oral mannitol because it may provide a nutrient for certain gas-producing bacteria in the colon. Samples of colonic contents aspirated at operation were compared in patients prepared by oral mannitol, by whole bowel irrigation, mannitol preceded by 48 h of oral antibiotics (neomycin with metronidazole) and in patients who did not undergo any preparation. Significantly higher counts of gas-producing Escherichia coli were recovered from patients prepared with mannitol alone compared with whole bowel irrigation or mannitol preceded by oral antimicrobials. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that fermentation of mannitol by Escherichia coli is responsible for the production of potentially explosive gas mixtures after oral mannitol preparation and may also explain the increased incidence of sepsis when oral mannitol is used for bowel preparation.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1981

Cimetidine and the potential risk of postoperative sepsis.

The gastric microflora of patients receiving cimetidine for duodenal ulceration has been investigated and the results compared with those from a group of untreated patients. Cimetidine-induced hypochlorhydria allows bacterial proliferation in the stomach; 75 per cent of aspirates from 44 fasting patients taking cimetidine 1 g daily were found to contain bacteria 2--4 h after the last dose. Of 41 patients taking cimetidine 400 mg at night, 34 per cent still had bacteria in their aspirates 12--13 h later. Patients treated with cimetidine are likely to be at an increased risk of postoperative sepsis. The drug should either be withdrawn before gastric surgery is undertaken or patients with gastric contents of pH 4 or above should receive antibiotic cover.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

The microflora of the postoperative stomach.

The microflora and pH have been assessed in gastric aspirates from 163 patients after gastric surgery and have been compared with 51 patients with gastro-oesophageal carcinoma, 152 unoperated patients with peptic ulceration, 72 of whom were receiving cimetidine, 3 patients with pernicious anaemia and 27 normal subjects. The total viable bacterial count was closely related to the pH of the aspirate and was independent of the cause of the hypochlorhydria; 90 per cent of aspirates of pH 1--2 were sterile, while 94 per cent of those of pH 4--8 contained bacteria. Escherichia coli was found significantly more frequently in the postoperative and cancer groups, and Clostridium spp. were significantly more common in patients with carcinoma. Elevated gastric juice nitrite concentrations were significantly more common in aspirates of pH 4--8 and this correlated well with the presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria. The pH of an aspirate is a good indicator of the presence of bacteria and may be useful in selecting patients requiring postoperative prophylactic antibiotic cover. Hypochlorhydric patients are exposed to increased concentrations of nitrite and there may be an increased risk of gastric cancer induced by N-nitrosocompounds.

Anemia, Pernicious↗
PubMed1981

Faecal toxin and severity of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis.

The relationship between faecal toxin titre, histological evidence of pseudomembrane in the rectum, and severity of antibiotic-associated colitis has been analysed from data on 62 patients whose faeces contained Clostridium difficile toxin. There was a significant correlation between a toxin titre of 6400 or more and the presence of pseudomembrane (p less than 005). There was no correlation between toxin titre, duration of diarrhoea, total white cell count, temperature, serum albumin or serum orosomucoid concentrations. There was, however, a significant correlation between the presence of rectal pseudomembrane and duration of diarrhoea (p less than 0.005). Exposure to clindamycin or lincomycin was also associated with a significantly higher toxin titre than that seen in patients who were given other antibiotics. The duration of diarrhoea of diarrhoea was not longer and rectal pseudomembrane did not occur more often in the patients who had received clindamycin or lincomycin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1980

The effect of skin preparation and care on the incidence of superficial thrombophlebitis.

Fifty patients having a variety of intra-abdominal operations necessitating postoperative infusion were randomly allocated to receive antiseptic skin preparation and daily care of the cannula site or no skin preparation either before or after cannula insertion. The study shows that without skin preparation superficial thrombophlebitis is inevitable after about 3 days. However, simple skin preparation and daily care of peripheral infusion sites significantly reduces the incidence of superficial thrombophlebitis.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1980

Prophylactic saline peritoneal lavage in elective colorectal operations.

The influence of a single peroperative five-liter saline peritoneal lavage has been assessed in 21 consecutive patients undergoing elective operation for colorectal cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate whether reduction in bacterial counts by saline lavage would reduce the incidence of infection and thereby avoid the need for prophylactic antimicrobials. Saline lavage was shown to reduce significantly counts in peritoneal fluid of aerobic bacteria from 2 x 10(4) to 5 x 10(1) (P less than 0.001) and to reduce the counts of anaerobes in peritoneal fluid from 8 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(2) (P less than 0.001). Despite the profound reduction in peritoneal bacterial counts the rate of postoperative sepsis was extremely high; wound infection 47 per cent, intraabdominal abscess 26 per cent and septicemia 13 per cent. These results indicate that saline peritoneal lavage alone is no substitute for short-term antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Ascitic Fluid↗