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Biomedical subjects

M L Job

Publications and source records attributed to M L Job.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Use of theophylline in neonates as an aid to ventilator weaning.

Respiratory diseases are major causes of morbidity and mortality in premature neonates. Theophylline has been utilized as an adjunct in facilitating ventilator weaning and in the management of apnea with or without bradycardia. Patient characteristics associated with improved outcome from theophylline have not been determined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate parameters associated with improved outcome in neonates with respiratory diseases receiving theophylline. The study population consisted of premature neonates that were studied retrospectively. Criteria for entry into the study were (1) less than 40 weeks gestation, (2) a diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), apnea of prematurity, hyaline membrane disease (HMD), or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), (3) dependence on intermittent mandatory ventilation, (4) failure to wean from the ventilator 24 h or more before the study, or (5) receiving theophylline. In this study, we found no correlations between time to wean from the ventilator and postnatal age at the time theophylline was initiated, 5-min APGAR score, and final theophylline serum concentration before complete weaning from the ventilator. However, there were significant negative correlations between birthweight and gestational age with respect to time to wean from the ventilator. The average theophylline serum concentration before weaning from the ventilator for this population of neonates was approximately 5-10 micrograms/ml, indicating that theophylline is not beneficial as an aid to ventilator weaning at serum concentrations < 10 micrograms/ml.

Apgar Score

Teicoplanin nephrotoxicity: first case report.

A 71-year-old man with type I diabetes mellitus was admitted to the hospital for the treatment of osteomyelitis of the left great toe secondary to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The patient was enrolled in an investigational protocol and was treated with teicoplanin 1200 mg/day. Following 40 days of treatment, the patient developed both markedly elevated serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Urine analysis also showed the presence of protein. The eosinophils were markedly elevated in the blood. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with a probable drug-induced acute interstitial nephritis. Treatment with furosemide and hemodialysis over the next two weeks failed to produce improvement in renal function. The patient was referred for long-term dialysis. The data presented in this report suggest the possible relationship of teicoplanin and the development of renal failure in this patient. Periodic monitoring of renal function and follow-up are probably warranted in patients receiving long-term teicoplanin therapy.

Aged

Seizure activity with imipenem therapy: incidence and risk factors.

Two elderly patients with a history of either cerebral vascular accident (CVA) or head trauma and no evidence of renal disease developed seizures while receiving maximum doses of imipenem/cilastatin. Neither patient had reported previous seizures or seizure-like activity nor was receiving anticonvulsant agents. All seizures were controlled with therapeutic doses of phenytoin. Both patients had received maximum doses of other beta-lactam antibiotics without evidence of seizure activity.

Aged

Implementing and maintaining a private pharmacokinetics practice.

The development and maintenance of a private-practice pharmacokinetics service is described. A contracted pharmacokinetics service has been in place at Georgia Baptist Medical Center, a 525-bed hospital, for the past eight years. Physician support, inhouse study results, and literature documentation of the benefits of scheduling drug concentration determinations were used to convince hospital administrators of the value of a pharmacokinetics service. Services were reimbursed by increasing the fee charged for each drug concentration determination, with payment made to the pharmacokinetics service on a monthly basis. The service is associated with the pathology department for administrative purposes. Each member of the pharmacokinetics service is credentialed by the medical staff. The group trains part-time personnel to provide services when needed. Services provided by the group but not required by the contract include collecting quality assurance data, conducting research, serving on hospital committees, writing newsletter articles, conducting inservice-education programs, and providing clinical interventions for nonconsultation patients. This private-practice pharmacokinetics service provides high-quality services and is well accepted within the institution.

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