Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M L Rudin.
Acute pulmonary disease may occur as part of the hypersensitivity angitis produced by phenytoin sodium. The clinical features of the pulmonary involvement are fever, dyspnea, hypoxemia, and bilateral radiographic infiltrates. The pathologic process is an interstitial pneumonitis that appears reversible with cessation of the drug and treatment with corticosteroids.
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var anitratus, a nonfermentative grampnegative bacillus, has been infrequently reported as a cause of community-acquired pneumonia. In this paper we describe the course of six recent patients with community-acquired, bacteremic pneumonia due to this organism and review the six previously reported cases. Our experience suggests this organism is a more common cause of community-acquired pneumonia than previously thought. Acinetobacter pneumonia occurs in older persons with chronic disease, especially alcoholism. It is a fulminant illness with respiratory distress, hypoxemia, leukopenia and shock. Chest roentgenograms reveal a lobar or bronchopneumonic infiltrate which often becomes bilateral within 24 hours of admission to the hospital. Pleural effusions are common. The mortality rate is 43 per cent. Factors that predict a fatal outcome are granulocytopenia, empyema and therapy with inappropriate antibiotics. Therapy with appropriate antibiotics, especially carbenicillin and an aminoglycoside, increases survival.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.