Hydrogen peroxide vapour decontamination in an overcrowded tertiary care referral centre: some practical answers.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M J Parks.
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The hospital environment can sometimes harbour methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) but is not generally regarded as a major source of MRSA infection. We conducted a prospective study in surgical wards of a London teaching hospital affected by MRSA, and compared the effectiveness of standard cleaning with a new method of hydrogen peroxide vapour decontamination. MRSA contamination, measured by surface swabbing was compared before and after terminal cleaning that complied with UK national standards, or hydrogen peroxide vapour decontamination. All isolation rooms, ward bays and bathrooms tested were contaminated with MRSA and several antibiogram types were identified. MRSA was common in sites that might transfer organisms to the hands of staff and was isolated from areas and bed frames used by non-MRSA patients. Seventy-four percent of 359 swabs taken before cleaning yielded MRSA, 70% by direct plating. After cleaning, all areas remained contaminated, with 66% of 124 swabs yielding MRSA, 74% by direct plating. In contrast, after exposing six rooms to hydrogen peroxide vapour, only one of 85 (1.2%) swabs yielded MRSA, by enrichment culture only. The hospital environment can become extensively contaminated with MRSA that is not eliminated by standard cleaning methods. In contrast, hydrogen peroxide vapour decontamination is a highly effective method of eradicating MRSA from rooms, furniture and equipment. Further work is needed to determine the importance of environmental contamination with MRSA and the effect on hospital infection rates of effective decontamination.
A male weight-trained (WT) subject (A; age = 21 years, height = 193.6 cm, body weight = 113.4 kg, parallel barbell squat 10 repetition maximum [RM] = 183.7 kg) and a group of 18 similarly trained men (WT; X +/- SD; age = 24.7 +/- 3.0 years, height = 180.2 +/- 4.3 cm, body weight = 86.9 +/- 10.7 kg, 10 RM = 127.9 +/- 28.6 kg) were monitored during a barbell squat resistance exercise session (50% - 100% 10 RM) and a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Compared with the WT group, heart rate (HR) for subject A was consistently > or =2 SD greater during resistance exercise (peak HR for 100% 10 RM = 212 b.min(-1) and 165.3 +/- 16.2 b.min(-1)). The graded exercise test resulted in similar HR responses for both A and controls. Subject A's augmented HR was present only during the pressure load of heavy resistance exercise, and not during the volume load of endurance exercise. The data suggest that subject A may be utilizing a different mechanism for heart rate regulation during resistance exercise.
Coronary stenting using both Palmaz-Schatz and Gianturco-Roubin stents for branch ostial lesions was performed in 48 patients with high success and low complication rates. The 6-month event-free survival rates were high in these patients.